Community Update: July 6, 2024

Neighbour --

This has been a significant few weeks, with important policy changes at City Council that will make a real difference for people in the midst of housing and affordability crises. 

Everyone in our city deserves a safe and secure place to call home. As we marked Mayor Chow’s first year in office, Council took important steps towards developing a renovictions by-law. Championed by Councillor Paula Fletcher alongside tenants, housing advocates, and community legal clinics, this by-law will help ensure people can stay in their apartments without fear of unfair evictions. In addition, Council moved forward on plans for  building 18 purpose-built rental projects on city land, which will  deliver 6,000 affordable rental units, including 2,600 rent-geared-to-income (RGI) units – the first new social housing built by the City in decades. Council also reiterated its request to the Government of Ontario to re-introduce rent control to cover all rental units, not just those built before 2018.

As a result of the  affordability crisis in our city and decades of underinvestment from provincial and federal governments, more people in Toronto are experiencing homelessness. In response, Council moved forward on initiatives to improve our shelter system and ensure supports for people who may be unhoused. These included more funding to create better and safer shelters, as well as a rights-informed outreach approach to people who are living outside, wherein multidisciplinary teams work directly with people to offer supports, build relationships, and provide pathways to shelter and housing solutions.

I was also proud to advance three people-centred initiatives at committees this past week on issues that residents have brought forward directly to our office:

Getting Trucks Out of Parks: Parks should prioritize people, not vehicles. This week, my request  for a review of vehicle use in park green spaces was adopted at the Infrastructure and Environment Committee and will go to City Council later this month. 

Developing a Rat Reduction Plan: I’ve heard from too many residents and small businesses about their health and safety concerns, the costs, and the stress of dealing with rodents.This is a quality of life concern, and it is time for action. Large rat populations have become an increasing challenge in our city for a number of  reasons including construction, eroding infrastructure, and climate change. It is a multifaceted problem that requires collaboration across City divisions. The Infrastructure and Environment Committee adopted a motion I put forward with Councillor Morley to develop an upstream prevention and action-focused plan to reduce rats. The motion will be considered at the next City Council meeting. You can check out some of the coverage of this issue here and here.

Making Business Licences Easier: One of the most frequent  ways that Torontonians interact with municipal government is by applying for a licence or permit. It should be easy, , but years of compounding changes and adjustments have made this process more difficult. The Economic and Community Development Committee approved my motion to accelerate improvements to how applications for licenses and permits are received, processed, and issued. Learn more here.

Below, you can find information on local updates, my upcoming Silverthorn Street Party, and other city-wide news.

Sincerely,

Alejandra Bravo
City Councillor • Ward 9 • Davenport
Chair, Economic & Community Development Committee

In this edition

• Silverthorn Street Party
• Postponed: Community Environment Day
• Help to Apply for Subsidized Housing
• Enjoy City Pools
• Lithium Battery Safety & Disposal
• Check your meningococcal vaccination is up-to-date
• Construction & Work Notices
• In the community
• Community Events
• Other updates

Silverthorn Street Party

Join me and my team for a family friendly community street party on Silverthorn Ave. We’ll be jumping into the summer season with a bouncy castle, snacks, outdoor activities and more! City staff from the Transportation department will also be on hand so that residents can learn about upcoming safety improvements to the neighbourhood. 

Location: Silverthorn Ave, from Howick Ave to St Clair Ave
Date: Saturday, July 13
Time: 12 pm – 4 pm

Postponed: Community Environment Day

Community Environment Day at Loretto College has been postponed due to summer construction at the school. The new date is Sept 29, 2024, and I will provide more details closer to the event. 

Help to Apply for Subsidized Housing

Housing Help Centre staff from the City will be hosting free in-person workshops in our Ward to inform residents about:

• How to apply for subsidized (rent-geared-to-income) housing
• How to apply or sign-up an existing application through the MyAccesstoHousingTO website
• How to manage your account

Location: Bloor/Gladstone Library, 1102 Bloor St W

Dates & times:

• September 12, 1-3pm
• September 19, 1-3pm & 4-6pm
• September 20, 1-3pm & 4-6pm
• September 21, 11am-1pm

Please note that to apply for subsidized housing, you will need to bring: 

• A valid email address;
• Proof of Canadian status for all household members; and
• Your 2022 or 2023 Notice of Assessment

Learn more and register for a session here. 

Enjoy City Pools

Keep cool over the summer as outdoor pools, wading pools and splash pads now open for the summer season! Outdoor leisure swimming is free for all ages and reservations are not required. Most of the City’s outdoor pools are open daily from noon to approximately 8 p.m. The City also has more than 140 splash and spray pads operating across Toronto which operate daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and are activated with push-button features.  Check for the hours and status of a location nearest you on the City’s Swimming & Water Play webpage. 

Lithium Battery Safety & Disposal

Did you know that a damaged lithium-ion battery can cause a fatal fire? Never throw your old battery in the garbage. Take it to a City Drop-off Depot or an upcoming Community Environment Day for safe disposal. Find out more at: toronto.ca/LithiumBattery 

Check your meningococcal vaccination is up-to-date

Toronto Public Health (TPH) continues to see an increase in the number of reported cases of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) in Toronto residents. Fourteen IMD cases have been reported so far in 2024, an increase from an average of six per year.  

It is important to stay up to date with all recommended meningococcal vaccines to protect against IMD, particularly as the summer travel season begins and people return from international events or participate in large-scale local gatherings. More information is available here.

Construction & Work Notices

Metrolinx: West Toronto Railpath - Ernest Avenue Park Construction

Work will be starting on the construction of a new park at the west end of Ernest Avenue. The section of the Railpath between Wallace Avenue and Ernest Avenue will be closed for approximately ten weeks to complete this work. 

TTC: Essential rail rapairs, Queen St W at Beaconsfield

As early as the July 5 - 8 weekend, TTC track crews will be conducting essential rail repairs on Queen Street West, at Beaconsfield Avenue. This work is part of TTC’s preventative maintenance program to ensure safe and reliable streetcar operations.

Metrolinx: Major Track Closure, King Street W to Steeles Ave W

Metrolinx will be completing construction works to provide for an additional set of tracks. To prepare for the main works, crews will be installing noisewall panels, conducting grading, and updating the train signals to avoid potential conflicts with the future set of tracks.

Programming at Parks & Libraries

CampTO: Spots are still available in summer camps run by Parks, Forestry and Recreation in parks and community centres across Davenport. Learn more here. 

Parks, Forestry & Recreation Summer Programs: Summer recreation programming for all ages including kids cooking, adult outdoor yoga, ball hockey, and more are still open for registration. Learn more here. 

What's On at the Library: Summer programs for people of all ages continue this summer at Toronto Public Library branches across our ward. You can see the local schedule for your branch here. 

In the community

I was pleased to join Mayor Olivia Chow for the Mayor's Community Safety Awards, recognizing organizations from across our city which promote safety and community well-being. 

Proud to join my City Council colleagues for this year's Pride parade! I hope everyone in our community enjoyed Pride festivities this year. 

Community Events

Other updates

• Reservations now open for Summerlicious on July 5-21
• Ward 15, Don Valley West by-election set for November 4 
• Toronto City Council approves new agreement with Toronto Parking Authority to ensure continued expansion of Bike Share and EV Charging programs