Community Update: September 4, 2024

Neighbour --

I hope you had a good Labour Day weekend. Labour Day is a time to celebrate the achievements and power of workers. I was happy to walk together with Toronto’s labour movement in the annual Labour Day Parade. 

Toronto’s worker history is strong: In 1872, Toronto print workers were working ten or more hours a day when they decided to take collective action to fight for a nine-hour work day on March 25, 1872. Employers refused at first, but after walking off the job and building solidarity, they won with the introduction of the Trade Union Act on April 18, 1872. This moment was a precursor for shorter work weeks across Canada and the celebrations of Labour Day in Toronto that continue to this day. 

Our Davenport community has a strong history of standing with workers. When striking Unifor workers at the Nestle factory on Sterling Road went on strike, Davenport showed up to stand in solidarity. When Doug Ford attacked the rights of CUPE education workers, Davenport showed up again to fight for the repeal of Bill 28. I know that our community will continue to show up, speak out, and organize for the rights of workers. 

As students across our community go back to school, I'm wishing all students a very successful year ahead. With the back-to-school season underway, the City of Toronto is reminding drivers to drive with caution, especially when around school buses or in school areas, with a public education campaign. 

Below, you can find some key updates on local and city-wide issues, including upcoming consultations for the Renovictions By-law, the West Queen West Heritage Conservation District Plan, and Adequate Temperature for Tenants. 

Sincerely,

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

In this edition

• Have your say: Toronto's renovictions by-law
• Community Consultation Meeting: West Queen West Heritage Conservation District Plan
• TTC service improvements as of September 1
• Register for Fall recreation programs
• Hours extended at some outdoor pools
• Have your say: Indoor temperatures in apartment units for residents
• Have your say: Action Plan for Toronto's Culture Sector
• Hiring now: Part-time winter recreation jobs
• Low carbon home improvements
• Apply for event funding: Special Events Stabilization Initiative 
• COSTI Housing Host Program
• Community Events
• Other updates

Have your say: Toronto's renovictions by-law

There is a growing trend of renovictions in Toronto, where a landlord illegitimately evicts a tenant by alleging that tenants need to leave the unit for the landlord to undertake renovations or repairs. The City of Toronto is developing a new bylaw to prevent bad faith evictions and help maintain affordable homes for Toronto’s residents. 

We want to hear from tenants, landlords, the organizations that support them and the public before finalizing the renovictions bylaw. This will help us protect tenants and make sure landlords understand how to follow the new rules. The City will report back with a proposed bylaw by October 30. 

From September 4 to 13, the City is hosting six in-person and one online session. An online survey is also available for public input from now until September 30. 

Community Consultation Meeting: West Queen West Heritage Conservation District Plan

The City of Toronto is hosting a fourth community consultation meeting for the West Queen West Heritage Conservation District (HCD) Plan.

• Date: September 10, 2024
• Time: 6 – 8 p.m.
• Location: The Theatre Centre
  1115 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON, M6J 1J1

The purpose of this meeting is to gather public feedback about the draft policies and guidelines in the HCD Plan. The meeting will follow a drop-in, open house format. City Planning staff will be available to answer questions about heritage planning, and to explain the contents and objectives of the draft HCD Plan. Visual boards explaining key sections of the HCD Plan will also be on display (they will be made available online following the meeting).

TTC service improvements as of September 1

On September 1, 2024, the TTC made adjustments to service on several routes to improve service and reliability. The following routes in Davenport have been changed:

• 312 St Clair: During overnight service (1:30am-5:30am), streetcars will arrive every 20 minutes instead of every 30 minutes
• 47 Lansdowne: On Saturdays, buses will arrive 1-2 minutes more frequently than right now. On Sundays, minor adjustments are being made for reliability. 
• 63 Ossington: Service will be adjusted in all time periods to improve reliability.
• 127 Davenport: From Monday to Friday, service will be improved to arrive every 22-26 from 5am-7pm instead of every 30 minutes. From 10pm-1am, buses will arrive every 24 minutes. 
• 168 Symington: Schedules will be adjusted to improve reliability, including buses every 15 minutes instead of 20 minutes on Monday to Friday from 7:30pm-10pm, and more frequent service on Sundays/holidays. 

You can see the full list of service changes and adjustments here. 

Register for Fall recreation programs

The City of Toronto opens registration for fall recreation programs on Tuesday, September 10 for Etobicoke York and Toronto East York and on Wednesday, September 11 for North York and Scarborough. Residents of all ages and abilities can join a wide range of activities, from swimming and fitness classes to art workshops and cooking! 

Learn more about fall programs and registration information on the City’s Fall Recreation webpage. 

Hours extended at some outdoor pools

Due to warmer than usual temperatures, the City will be keeping 10 pools and more than 140 splash and spray pads open into September to provide more options for residents and families to cool down. Pools with extended operations will be open from 4 to 7 p.m. on weekdays and from noon to 7 p.m. on weekends until Sunday, September 22. The selected pools located across the city are: 

• Alex Duff Outdoor Pool, 779 Crawford St.  
• Donald D Summerville Outdoor Pool, 1867 Lake Shore Blvd. E.  
• Alexandra Park, 275 Bathurst St. 
• Riverdale Outdoor Pool, 550 Broadview Ave.  
• Heron Park Community Centre, 292 Manse Rd.  
• McGregor Community Centre, 2231 Lawrence Ave. E.  
• Goulding Park Community Centre, 45 Goulding Ave.  
• Broadlands Community Centre, 19 Castlegrove Blvd.  
• Pine Point Arena, 15 Grierson Rd.  
• West Mall Outdoor Pool, 370 The West Mall. 

All other City-owned and operated pools, including wading pools, will close Sunday, September 1. The City’s more than 140 splash and spray pads will continue to operate daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. until Sunday, September 15. Woodbine Beach, Kew-Balmy Beach, Cherry Beach and Sunnyside Beach will have extended supervised swim zones from Tuesday, September 3 to Sunday, September 8, with lifeguards on duty between 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Find more information on theCity’s Swimming & Water Play webpage. 

Have your say: Indoor temperatures in apartment units for residents

The City of Toronto is seeking feedback from members of the public and residents, particularly those living in leased residential premises, about the current state of temperature regulations in Toronto, recent thermal comfort in their living spaces, and the feasibility of implementing measures that maintain indoor air temperatures throughout the year. Your feedback will help staff report back to the Planning and Housing Committee at the end of 2024.

Have your say: Action Plan for Toronto's Culture Sector

The City of Toronto is creating a 10-year Action Plan for Toronto's Culture Sector, aiming to enhance cultural engagement and development across the city. Residents can help shape the final recommendations for the Action Plan by providing their inputs in an online survey. 

The deadline to complete the survey is Thursday, September 12. More information is available on the City’s Action Plan for Toronto's Culture Sector webpage. 

Hiring now: Part-time winter recreation jobs

The City of Toronto is looking for part-time winter recreation workers to fill positions for skate, ski, snowboard, afterschool recreation programs and more.       

Individuals of all ages, including adults, seniors and newcomers are welcome to apply for good jobs that build leadership skills, provide work experience and develop future job skills and training.      

Discover winter recreation and after-school program opportunities at https://jobs.toronto.ca/recreation/.

Apply early—deadlines vary by position.

Low carbon home improvements

Homes and buildings that use fossil fuels for heating are the largest source of emissions in Toronto. Switching to cleaner energy sources is key to reducing carbon emissions. As part of the TransformTO Net Zero Strategy, the City offers homeowners a variety of supports that help them access financing, create energy-efficient homes and reduce emissions. 

Homeowners can improve the energy efficiency of their home and reduce carbon emissions by upgrading equipment at time of replacement or through ongoing or more comprehensive whole-home renovation projects.  Examples of retrofit measures include:  

• Installing low-carbon heating & cooling systems like heat pumps   
• Installing high-efficiency water heaters   
• Replacing windows & doors   
• Air sealing 
• Adding or upgrading insulation (e.g., attic, exterior wall, basement)   
• Installing an EV charger   
• Installing rooftop solar panels   
• Upgrading lighting to LEDs   
• Upgrading to a smart thermostat   

Find more information and supports for homeowners on the City’s Net Zero Homes & Buildings webpage. 

Apply for event funding: Special Events Stabilization Initiative 

The City’s Special Events Stabilization Initiative (SESI) supports Toronto's festivals and special events to boost local businesses and enhance city life. We’ve seen recently how arts organizations and festivals have struggled to recover post-pandemic with higher costs, so the City of Toronto is stepping in to ensure we protect these important local festivals and events.

This one-time funding program offers financial relief to event organizers. The deadline to apply for SESI is Monday, September 30 at 5 p.m. Find more information and application guidance on the City’s Special Events Stabilization Initiative webpage. 

Community Events

Other updates

• Mayor Olivia Chow proclaims Toronto For All Day, kicks off new education campaign focused on allyship
• Nuit Blanche Toronto returns October 5 with an invitation to go where the art takes you
• City of Toronto urges road users to stay alert as students head back to school
• Mayor Olivia Chow proclaims Overdose Awareness Day in Toronto
• Toronto Public Health reports first probable human case of West Nile Virus in 2024
• Toronto Public Health urges eligible residents to get vaccinated against mpox as local cases continue to rise
• City of Toronto announces community housing partners for new affordable and supportive rental homes at 35 Bellevue Ave. and 11 Brock Ave.