Here's What You Told Me — And What We’re Doing About It

Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete last week’s community survey. I read your comments carefully — every response, every concern, and every suggestion. You are my eyes and ears across our neighbourhoods, and the real experts on what is happening on your streets every day.

What stood out most was how thoughtful and detailed your feedback was. Many of you didn’t just identify big-picture challenges — you shared very specific examples of what is and isn’t working. That kind of information helps my office get results.

Here’s some of what we heard from you:

Safer Streets and Traffic Concerns

Traffic congestion, speeding, and dangerous intersections came up again and again. Residents raised concerns about speeding following the removal of automated speed enforcement cameras, aggressive driving, and cut-through traffic on residential streets. Many of you highlighted specific locations, including requests for better signal timing at busy intersections and safer crossings near schools and parks.

My office has already begun sharing these locations directly with Transportation Services for review. When residents flag exact corners or streets, it allows us to push for traffic studies, enforcement, or traffic calming measures where they are most needed.

Road safety was one of the strongest themes in your responses, and it remains a top priority for me at City Hall. Through the City’s Vision Zero work, we continue redesigning streets, adding traffic calming, and strengthening enforcement so everyone can move safely through our neighbourhoods.

One of the biggest neighbourhood changes you noticed was the rollout of 30 km/h speed limits on local roads across Don Valley North. That work is now complete. A reminder that instead of signs on every block, you will see gateway signage at neighbourhood entry points. This approach has reduced speeding and cut-through traffic in other parts of Toronto, and I expect we will see the same improvements here.

For more updates on Vision Zero, the steps the City and my office are taking to improve road safety, and how you can request traffic calming in your neighbourhood, please revisit my E-Blast from last October.

Addressing Traffic Congestion

Many of you also raised concerns about congestion, and I was not surprised. Toronto is managing an unprecedented level of construction and infrastructure renewal at the same time as rapid growth and transit expansion. That combination has made travel along major corridors, and especially downtown and at our highway ramp intersections, particularly challenging.

We continue to make progress on our Congestion Management Plan, but we know more needs to be done. To address this, the City created a new leadership role dedicated entirely to coordinating construction and reducing disruptions across agencies and utilities. That work began in January. Better coordination means fewer overlapping road closures, clearer communication, and smoother travel whether you drive, walk, cycle, or take transit.

Snow Clearing, Sidewalks, and Road Conditions

Snow removal was one of the most common concerns you identified, and I know this week’s snowfall has not helped. Many residents told us sidewalks remained icy or uncleared for too long, snowbanks narrowed streets, and hydrants and intersections were blocked.

I want to thank everyone for your patience as we continue managing the impacts of the largest snow accumulation in Toronto’s history.

Across Don Valley North and across Toronto, City crews are continuing winter maintenance work following several major snowfalls that required priority plowing and salting to keep roads open and safe. Snow removal has now resumed on a targeted basis, focusing first on streets where snowbanks and windrows are creating safety or accessibility concerns, and where emergency access could be affected.

Crews are working to widen travel lanes, improve visibility at intersections, and clear sidewalks and crossings wherever possible. I also want to be clear about expectations: the goal is safe and passable streets, not always bare pavement. Some hard-packed snow may remain where it does not pose a safety risk.

My office continues raising resident concerns directly with City winter maintenance and road repair teams. Your detailed service requests help crews identify problem areas more quickly and strengthen our advocacy for better service where it is needed most.

I also want to remind drivers to watch for temporary orange “No Parking — Snow Removal” signs. Snow clearing typically occurs within 24–48 hours once signs are posted. Vehicles left in signed areas may be ticketed or towed, as they delay operations.

Community Spaces and Facilities

You shared strong support for our libraries, community centres, and parks, along with clear ideas about how they could be improved. You asked for more youth and seniors programming, better use of recreation spaces, and upgrades to facilities such as Pleasantview Community Centre and local parks.

I am pleased to confirm that several Don Valley North park upgrades are moving forward this spring, including improvements to the Clarinda Park playground, the Ruddington Park and Seneca Hill tennis courts, and continued progress on the Ethennonnhawahstihnen Community Recreation Centre indoor play space.

Many of you also raised concerns about the length of the Pleasantview Library closure. I know it has been frustrating to see such an important community space closed for so long — especially for families, students, and seniors who rely on it.

Just like our recently refurbished Fairview branch, I truly believe it will be worth the wait. When it reopens, the new Pleasantview branch will be a modern, accessible 10,000-square-foot library designed to serve our growing community for years to come. The expansion allows us to complete critical repairs, meet accessibility and environmental standards, and create a more flexible learning and gathering space for residents of all ages.

You also raised specific lighting concerns along pedestrian routes and trails, including the Betty Sutherland Trail (which is currently partially closed by the Province for construction on the 401), and requested improved safety lighting near pathways and community spaces. These are exactly the kinds of practical improvements we can pursue when residents tell us where problems exist.

Transit and Getting Around

Many of you mentioned concerns about transit reliability and connectivity — from TTC crowding, delays, and long bus wait times to the need for better GO service at Oriole Station, including more departure options and weekend service. While some decisions rest with our provincial partners, I continue to raise these priorities in meetings and will keep advocating for improvements that make commuting and family travel easier.

Safety in Our Neighbourhoods

I heard clearly that safety matters deeply to residents. Many of you spoke about the strength of your neighbours and community connections, but you also raised concerns about break-ins, car thefts, lighting, ongoing antisemitism, and pedestrian safety.

That is why I continue supporting investments in community safety. Since becoming Chair of the Toronto Police Service Board, 911 wait times have improved and crime trends are moving in the right direction. We have added more Neighbourhood Community Officers and opened two Community Safety Hubs in our local police division. The City also continues hiring additional police officers, firefighters, paramedics, and mental health crisis workers to ensure residents receive the support they need.

My office will continue working closely with Toronto Police and City staff to share the trends residents are seeing and advocate for prevention and enforcement where needed.

The Details Matter

Some of your feedback was incredibly specific, water temperatures at the Oriole swimming pool, lighting gaps along pathways, overflowing catch basins, illegal parking hotspots, and even trail signage hidden by foliage.

Those details matter.

If something isn’t working, please tell us.

You can always reach out by email or phone when you see something that needs attention. Whether it is a dangerous corner, a broken sidewalk, a maintenance issue, or a community idea you want explored, we want to hear from you.

Thank you again for sharing your time, your ideas, and your experience. Working together is how we make our neighbourhoods safer, more welcoming, and stronger for everyone.

Read the Full E-Blast