E-Blast: Council Highlights- Streetlight Investments, FIFA Fan Fest & Access to Affordable Housing
- 52 minutes ago
- 6 min read
City Council met again last week and has made several important decisions that will affect daily life across Toronto and here in Don Valley North. From major investments in safer street lighting and smarter traffic signals, to improvements in tenant protections, housing access, and community programming, these updates reflect the practical steps the City is taking to improve safety, accessibility, and quality of life. I want to share what these changes mean for you and how they will support our community in the months and years ahead.
Often, when we talk about safety in our neighbourhoods, I hear concerns about street lighting, whether it’s lights that are out, areas that feel too dim, or aging infrastructure that simply isn’t keeping up. Good lighting is a basic safety feature and goes a long way towards making our streets feel welcoming.
That’s why I am pleased to share some very good news. City Council has approved a significant long-term investment to repair and upgrade Toronto’s street lighting system in partnership with Toronto Hydro, which owns the City’s streetlight infrastructure.
Much of Toronto’s street lighting network is aging, and many components such as underground cables and poles require renewal. This new agreement allows the City to move forward with a coordinated program of repairs and upgrades that will bring the system up to modern standards. It represents a major capital investment and a carefully negotiated agreement that will allow this important safety work to move ahead.
Through the City’s capital plan, Toronto will invest $577 million over the next 10 years to renew key infrastructure, replace aging equipment, and convert lighting across the city to modern, energy-efficient LED technology.
This kind of behind-the-scenes infrastructure work doesn’t always make headlines, but makes a real difference in daily life, and I’m glad to see Toronto making the investment to get it right.
You may have heard discussion about the upcoming FIFA Fan Festival and concerns that fans would have to pay to attend. I’m pleased to say that council has approved a plan that will make about 80% of the 20,000 tickets available, free of charge. A smaller portion of premium tickets ($100–$300) will still be available, helping offset the costs of hosting and supporting enhanced amenities
As part of Toronto’s Host City Agreement for the FIFA World Cup 2026, Toronto will host an official FIFA Fan Festival, billed as a global celebration of soccer, culture, and community. From June 11 to July 19, 2026, the festival will take place at Fort York National Historic Site and The Bentway, transforming these iconic spaces into lively gathering places where fans can watch live match broadcasts on large screens, enjoy cultural performances, explore interactive art installations, and sample food from Toronto’s diverse local vendors. With capacity currently estimated at up to 20,000 attendees, this will be one of the most vibrant public celebrations our city has ever hosted.
I’m excited about what this will mean for Toronto. The Fan Festival will showcase our city’s creativity, diversity, and hospitality to the world.
City Council has approved a new pilot program that will allow mobile food vendors, like food trucks and food carts to operate in select parks across Toronto this summer.
This new City-coordinated program, led by Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation, will run from June 25 through approximately October 12, 2026. Vendors will be carefully screened and must meet all City licensing requirements, including DineSafe inspections, waste management standards, and strict operating rules. Depending on the size of a park, this could mean a single food truck in a smaller park or a small group of vendors in a larger one. Alcohol sales are not part of this program.
I want to be very clear: no parks in Don Valley North have been identified for this pilot at this time. I will be working closely with Parks, Forestry and Recreation to identify suitable locations, using criteria that consider the character of the park, waste collections, environmental impacts, and how the space is used today.
As always, my priority is to ensure that any new initiative enhances our parks while respecting the neighbourhoods around them.
Your feedback will help shape which locations are considered as this pilot moves forward. Please share your thoughts with my office so we can ensure any changes reflect what our community wants
Traffic congestion is one of the most common concerns I hear about when I meet with residents and businesses across Don Valley North. Whether it is signal timing, construction delays, or daily travel times, people want to know what practical steps the City is taking to keep traffic moving.
City Council has now adopted a new 2026–2028 Congestion Management Plan, led by Toronto’s Chief Congestion Officer and focused on making measurable improvements to how our roads operate. The plan includes a $299.4 million investment to improve travel times and reduce gridlock through better construction coordination, improved traffic operations, stronger surface transit, and the use of smart technologies.
One of the most important local highlights for our area is the continued expansion of smart traffic signal technology, including planned installations along Steeles Avenue East and Steeles Avenue West.
When I speak with residents about congestion, signal timing almost always comes up. Many people ask why lights cannot adjust more quickly to changing traffic patterns. That is exactly what this technology is designed to do. Smart Traffic Signals use advanced software and sensors to respond to real-time traffic conditions, allowing signals to adapt automatically as volumes change throughout the day.
These systems work particularly well in suburban areas like Don Valley North, where intersections are more standardized and traffic volumes are steady and predictable. The first installations will take place in May along Yonge Street from Mill Street near York Mills Road to Steeles Avenue. In the next phase, smart traffic signals are planned for sections of Steeles Avenue East and Steeles Avenue West.
I will be sure to keep you updated as installation moves ahead!
Last September at our Tenant Town Hall, many renters raised concerns about building conditions and enforcement for bad landlords.
Council has now approved the final steps to introduce colour-coded rating signage for apartment buildings through the City’s RentSafeTO program. Modeled after the well-known DineSafe system for restaurants, landlords will soon need to post green, yellow, or red signs in visible locations to show the results of their most recent inspection.
These updates also strengthen how the City scores violations, improve audit processes, and introduce new tools to address repeat non-compliance. The new signage system takes effect June 15, 2026, and will give tenants clearer, at-a-glance information about building conditions while helping the City hold landlords accountable.
Accessing affordable housing was another issue that came up again and again at the Tenant Town Hall. Many residents shared that trying to find and become eligible for affordable housing lotteries was confusing, time-consuming, and difficult to navigate.
We heard you! last week, Council approved a new centralized application system so residents can apply for both Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) housing and Affordable Rental housing in one place through the MyAccesstoHousingTO portal. Right now, applicants often have to apply separately to individual buildings and keep track of multiple waiting lists. Under the new approach, you will submit one application and be considered for available homes across the system.
This change will make the process more transparent and consistent, help available homes fill faster, and give the City better oversight to ensure housing opportunities reach those who need them most. It will also introduce a standardized random draw system for Affordable Rental homes, creating a clearer and fairer way to allocate units.
Implementation is expected by late 2026, and I will continue to share updates as the new system rolls out. Making affordable housing easier to find and access remains a key part of our HousingTO Action Plan and our work to ensure every Torontonian has access to safe, stable housing.
Whether it’s upgrading infrastructure, improving housing systems, or creating more welcoming public spaces, I will continue to advocate for investments that make a real difference in people’s daily lives.
As always, I welcome your feedback—please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office to share your thoughts or questions.
