Community Update: October 4, 2024

Neighbour --

On Monday, September 30, we observed the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The importance of this day was evident in the numbers of people who participated in learning and remembering Canada’s colonial history and its present-day reality.

I was privileged to attend the Spirit Garden opening at Nathan Phillips Square, a joint effort of Toronto Council Fire and the City of Toronto. In response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s call to action for monuments in capital cities across Canada, the Spirit Garden near City Hall is an Indigenous cultural space which honours Indian Residential School Survivors and all the children who never returned home – children who were taken from their families and communities, and who were robbed of their Indigenous cultural traditions.

Survivors from many Indigenous communities shared powerful words about the trauma and devastation that they, their families, and their communities experienced. Courage, compassion, and healing were present in each word they spoke. 

Last week, I also had the privilege of attending Native Child and Family Services of Toronto’s 27th annual Community Pow Wow, held in Dufferin Grove Park. The Pow Wow was dedicated to honouring the lives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2-Spirited People, and Indigenous members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. 

It is critical for us to remember that the ongoing work of reconciliation is a year-round process, and that it is all our responsibility to learn about the trauma and violence of colonialism, to understand Indigenous rights,  treaties, and history. I have been reflecting on the responsibilities we have to each other and how to come together in care, compassion and solidarity. Fixing what is harmful and making things better is something we must continue to do together. 

Sincerely,

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

In this edition

• Toronto Community Crisis Service
• Wallace Emerson Neighbourhood Streets Plan Update
• Dupont Complete Street
• Public Consultation: City of Toronto 2025 Budget
• Statement on Antisemitic Verbal Attack
• Updates from Community Meeting on Dufferin Grove Park
• RentSafeTO
• Nuit Blanche Returns this Saturday
• Inclusive Climate Action and Youth Climate Action Grants
• 2025 Waste Collection Schedule
• Get Vaccinated Against Mpox
• Ravine Days: October 5 to 14
• TTC Notice: Regular service will resume on 501, 504, 508 and 63
• In the Ward
• Upcoming Community Events
• Other Updates

Toronto Community Crisis Service

Toronto's fourth emergency service, the Toronto Community Crisis Service, is now available city-wide. You can call 211 in all parts of Toronto, including Davenport, 24/7, to get a caring, non-police, crisis response. I was happy to join the launch of this transformative service at West Neighbourhood House in our Ward. Our communities have called for this kind of service for so long: treating mental health crises with mental health care.

Wallace Emerson Neighbourhood Streets Plan Update

Last week, Toronto and East York Community Council adopted the Wallace Emerson Neighbourhood Streets Plan. I supported the recommended traffic safety improvements, and I am happy to share that all the proposed recommendations were supported unanimously.

This plan is a significant step forward in creating safer streets that prioritize the needs of our community members. I would especially like to acknowledge the contributions of the Wallace Emerson Traffic Management Committee, consisting of local residents who have long advocated for traffic safety measures. The plan that was approved was built on this community-led effort and would not have happened without their advocacy.

Through the Wallace Emerson Neighbourhood Streets Plan, we are moving forward on critical traffic safety improvements in the project area, including:

• Traffic calming measures on local streets, including over 20 new speed humps and speed bumps

• Directional changes to reduce cut-through traffic on local neighbourhood streets

• New cycling connections using separated cycle tracks and contra-flow bike lanes

• Intersection safety improvements and new pavement markings

• Croatia Street partial closure following the public opening of the new Collegiate Road

I want to extend our heartfelt thanks to all residents who participated in public consultation meetings, shared their insights, and contributed to the vision of our streets. Your involvement has been critical in shaping a plan that will build a safer Wallace-Emerson and Davenport.

For more information on the recommended changes, please visittoronto.ca/WallaceEmersonStreets to learn more.

Dupont Complete Street

Surveys for the Dupont Complete Streets Project will open on October 8, 2024.

Public Consultation: City of Toronto 2025 Budget 

As the 2025 budget process begins, we are once again launching public consultations. Share what matters to you in our online survey (available in 12 languages) and at one of six in-person and virtual meetings until October 31. Together, we can build a safe, caring and affordable City where everyone belongs. Learn more at toronto.ca/Budget.  

Statement on Antisemitic Verbal Attack

Earlier this week, I issued a statement on video of an antisemitic verbal attack in Davenport:

“Many of us have been profoundly impacted by a disturbing video being circulated online which occurred in Davenport

It shows a heinous antisemitic verbal attack, invoking the horrors of the Holocaust.

This is dehumanizing and dangerous hateful speech, which I repudiate and denounce. 

Having met with concerned Jewish residents of Davenport, I am conscious of the fear and insecurity gripping many in the community. Like them, I am witnessing emboldened antisemitic violence, conspiracies and hate speech both on- and offline. 

My lifelong commitment to fighting it is a responsibility I will continue to advance as an elected representative in Davenport.”

Updates from Community Meeting on Dufferin Grove Park

Last week I hosted a virtual Community Meeting to hear from City staff and address questions about the ongoing work in response to the encampment at Dufferin Grove. The meeting included updates from the City’s Encampment Office, Streets to Homes outreach team, and Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division. Here are some of the insights that were shared by City staff: 

• At Dufferin Grove Park this week there are 34 active encampments. 31 encampments have been resolved in the Park since September 1^st, and 97 encampments have been resolved since July 1, 2024.
• An encampment is considered resolved when an encampment resident removes their tenant and belongs after being connected to an indoor shelter or housing space, when a person takes their tent and leaves for an unknown location, or when a tent is removed after having been abandoned for a confirmed period of time.
• Parks, Forestry and Recreation staff at Dufferin Grove do regular clean-ups of waste and debris (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). In the past two months, City staff have removed over 2,500 kilograms of debris from the park. Dufferin Grove also continues to receive regular visits from Toronto Fire Services regarding education and fire safety, and mobile Security teams provide daily evening visits to respond to medical emergencies, fires, and log new encampment locations.
• Streets to Homes staff provide daily visits, 7 days a week, to people in Dufferin Grove. Since July 1, Streets to Homes has attended Dufferin Grove 91 times and engaged 680 clients. Currently Streets to Homes provides the following supports to Dufferin Grove encampment residents:
  • Housing and shelter plan assistance, including indoor referrals when available
  • ID, clothing, and income support assistance
  • Wellness checks and connections to mental health supports and harm reductions services
  • Dedicated employment and social services supports in partnership with the City’s Employment and Social Services Divisions
• The meeting also included an update from the Toronto Community Crisis Service, which now operates city-wide. The TCCS is a community-based emergency response service for people who are experiencing mental health challenges or are in crisis. You can reach the TCCS to get support for yourself or another person by calling 2-1-1.

Events and programming have continued in Dufferin Grove Park, including Friday Night Suppers and the Farmers’ Market on Thursdays. This past weekend, I joined Native Child and Family Services Toronto for a beautiful day celebrating their 27^thannual Community Pow Wow, in Dufferin Grove. 

Our office also just received the positive news that the Federal and Provincial Government have finally released long-overdue funding for the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB). This funding, which had been on hold from our government partners since April 1, will now help approx. 300 households per month in our city transition out of shelters and encampments and into permanent housing. This was a collective effort and thank you to all the Davenport residents who reached out to advocate for this funding. We know that much more needs to be done to address the affordability and housing crisis in our city, but this is a positive step forwards to helping people who are unhoused in our community.

RentSafeTO

Tenants deserve to live in safe, well-maintained buildings free of pests and mold.

The City works to ensure these standards are met through the RentSafeTO: Apartment Building Standards Program. Over the past year, the program has made significant improvements, including updating its Interactive Building Score Web Map and responding to more than 8,500 service requests. Find useful information for tenants on the City’s RentSafeTO webpage. 

Nuit Blanche Returns this Saturday

Nuit Blanche Toronto returns from sunset on Saturday, October 5, to sunrise on Sunday, October 6! Take part in the free all-night celebration of contemporary art that transforms Toronto’s public spaces into extraordinary landscapes and animates cultural sites throughout the city. Browse all projects and find more information on the City’s Nuit Blanche webpage. 

Inclusive Climate Action and Youth Climate Action Grants

The City of Toronto is forming a Reference Panel on Inclusive Climate Action that will recommend which climate-related programs, policies, supports and incentives the City and its partners need to prioritize so that the benefits of climate action reach all residents of Toronto. Residents can volunteer for the panel by October 20. Register and find more information on the City’s Toronto Residents’ Reference Panel on Inclusive Climate Action webpage.  

The Youth Climate Action Grants program provides funding up to $1,000 to Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) eligible student-led projects that educate on climate change and climate actions. Funding applications are open now until Tuesday, November 12. Find more information and apply on the City’s Youth Climate Action Grants webpage.  

2025 Waste Collection Schedule

Davenport residents have begun to receive the 2025 waste collection schedule as part of their utility bill. Those who do not receive utility bills to their homes (e.g. tenants) and those who are not expected to receive a utility bill before the end of the year will have their collection schedule sent to them separately by the end of December. Residents are asked to keep their schedule for reference throughout 2025. More information is available on the City’s Waste Management Guide & Collection Schedules webpage.

Get Vaccinated Against Mpox

Mpox vaccination appointments are available for eligible residents at Toronto Public Health clinics or through walk-ins at The 519 Community Centre (519 Church St.) on select dates. Toronto Public Health continues to closely monitor the Mpox situation locally and globally, while emphasizing how to prevent the spread of the virus, what to do if you think you have mpox and vaccination for eligible residents. More information is available on the City’s Mpox webpage. 

Ravine Days: October 5 to 14

Ravine Days is an annual celebration of Toronto’s ravine system! From October 5 to 14, residents and visitors can learn more about the city’s parks, trails and natural spaces through City-led and community-driven events and self-guided activities. Learn more on the City’s Ravine Days webpage and find the full list of Ravine Day community events on the City’s Festivals & Events Calendar (filter for date range Oct 5 to 14 and 'Ravine Days'.) 

There’s an interactive Ravine Days Map and a Toronto Ravines Passport, which can be picked up at any Ravine Days event, where you can independently learn about and explore local ravines. Points of interest include art installations, community hubs, sites of Indigenous, historical, and environmental significance and featured multi-use trails. 

TTC Notice: Regular service will resume on 501, 504, 508, and 63

On October 6, 2024, the following streetcar/bus routes will resume regular service:

• The 504 King streetcar
• The 63 Ossington bus
• The 501/301 Queen streetcar will be consolidated into a single route bypassing the Metrolinx Ontario Line construction at Queen Street and Yonge Street via Spadina Avenue, King Street and Church Street.
  • 501A Queen streetcars will operate between Humber Loop and Neville Park Loop daily before 10 p.m.  
  • 501C Queen streetcars will operate between Long Branch Loop and Neville Park Loop daily after 10 p.m.
  • 301 Queen Night streetcars will maintain current operation via Spadina Avenue, King Street, and Church Street
  • 501B and 301B Queen bus replacement services will also be maintained

Learn more on the TTC website.

In the Ward

Thanks to everyone who joined me for our second Community Environment Day of the year at Loretto College School! 

It was a privilege to have been asked by the Hispanic Canadian Heritage Council to serve as Grand Marshall for this year's Latin Parade. An amazing celebration! I'm committed to bringing forward voices of Toronto's diverse Latin-American communities in our civic conversation.

I am pleased to have participated in the celebration at City Hall last week to recognize the rich cultural heritage and ongoing contributions of Franco-Ontarians.

My team was glad to join the Seniors Wellness Fair today at the LA Centre for Active Seniors. They were on hand to connect seniors with City services, resources, and information

Happy to join Social Planning Toronto for their annual general meeting to discuss reducing poverty and barriers in our city.

Upcoming Community Events

Other updates

• Upcoming subway closures and service adjustments
• Construction Now Underway Along the Entire Ontario Line
• TTC welcomes new battery-electric buses