Fixing the Dang Roads

After a winter like the one we’ve just had, anyone driving around the city has noticed the same thing: our roads took a beating.

Across Don Valley North — but especially along Sheppard from Bayview to Victoria Park — potholes have been appearing quickly as the snow melts and the freeze-thaw cycle does its work. It is something residents have already begun flagging to my office.

City crews fill hundreds of thousands of potholes each year, and Executive Committee will be considering a proposal from the Mayor of the expansion of Toronto’s pothole blitz strategy to help crews respond faster and focus on the streets that need attention most urgently. Last year alone, more than 250,000 potholes were repaired across Toronto, and the proposed approach would better direct crews to the locations residents are identifying through 311 and where road conditions show the greatest need.

The work is also connected to the City’s broader effort to accelerate road resurfacing across Toronto. Recent budget investments have allowed Transportation Services to move some neighbourhood streets forward in the repair schedule so they can be fixed sooner than originally planned.

Good roads may not make headlines, but they are one of the fundamentals of a city that works — for residents getting to work, for buses moving reliably along our main corridors, and for families simply getting around their neighbourhood.

My focus as your councillor has always been making sure the basics of city services are done well, and maintaining our roads and public spaces is a big part of that.

Executive Committee will also be considering a second item from the Mayor that addresses another issue residents regularly raise when I’m out in the community: litter bins on our streets.

Most of us have seen the problem from time to time — a bin that is overflowing, broken, or simply not located where people need it most. These are small things, but they make a real difference in how our neighbourhood streets and parks feel.

What many residents may not realize is that Toronto’s litter bins are part of a long-term street furniture agreement that dates back to 2007. At the time, bundling transit shelters, benches, and litter bins into a single long-term agreement made sense. It allowed the City to expand street furniture across Toronto quickly, with private dollars, while ensuring the infrastructure would be maintained.

That approach helped expand street furniture across the city without property tax dollars and ensured maintenance was handled through a single system. But it also meant that litter bins — one of the most basic city services residents rely on — have been managed within that broader private agreement for nearly two decades.

With the contract set to expire in 2027, the City now has a natural opportunity to rethink how the program should operate going forward.

The proposal before Executive Committee asks City staff to report back on options for bringing responsibility for litter bins back under direct City control so that decisions about design, placement, and maintenance can be made based on community needs and the experience residents see every day on their streets.

I support taking a careful look at how the program should operate once the current contract expires. At the same time, it is important that Council fully understand the potential costs and operational implications before making any final decision. A report back will help ensure we have that information.

If bringing the program back under City management can improve responsiveness, ensure bins are placed where they are most needed, and do so in a cost-effective way, it is certainly worth considering.

These are everyday services, but they shape everyday life in our neighbourhoods. I will be supporting both items at Executive Committee and will continue working to ensure Don Valley North’s streets and public spaces receive the attention they deserve.

If you notice a pothole or another maintenance issue in the community, please report it through 311 and feel free to copy my office so we can help make sure it gets addressed.

Update on Project South

Recent reports related to Project South have raised serious concerns about integrity and accountability within the Toronto Police Service. When issues like this arise, the response must be clear, independent, and focused on restoring public trust.

As Chair of the Toronto Police Service Board, my responsibility is to ensure strong civilian oversight of the Service and to make sure accountability measures are in place.

In response, the Board has requested an independent inspection by Ontario’s Inspectorate of Policing so that policing practices can be examined and corrective action directed where necessary. At the same time, the Law Enforcement Complaints Agency is conducting independent investigations into the conduct of the officers involved. These processes ensure both individual accountability and a broader review of systems and supervision.

At yesterday’s Police Board meeting, the Board also directed the Chief to provide regular updates on reforms and corrective measures underway within the Service. We are strengthening our own governance as well, including examining the creation of a dedicated Audit and Risk Management Committee to ensure stronger oversight of internal controls and risk management.

The vast majority of Toronto Police Service members serve this city with professionalism and integrity. Strengthening accountability protects the public and protects the integrity of those officers who do their jobs the right way.

Project South has raised serious questions, and the Board will continue to provide firm oversight as this work moves forward.

Public trust must be earned through action. That is exactly what we are focused on.

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