Last week, my team and I were able to hold our first in-person meeting of the Don Valley North Youth Council. I made a promise during the last election, when we learned that our municipal wards would be doubling in size, that I would create a Youth Council to ensure that our young people could still have their voices heard under this new governance model.
One of our many virtual Youth Council meetings.
By the time we were ready to meet with our first Youth Council cohort, the city was locking down. My team, our new Youth Council members, and I all agreed that we shouldn’t delay, so the Don Valley North Youth Council ended up being one of my earliest virtual meetings. As we now know, the pandemic has lasted far longer than anyone imagined it would back in March 2020. These Youth Council members have been invaluable in keeping me in touch with how youth are being impacted by COVID-19, lockdowns, virtual education and more. After almost two years of virtual meetings, I was so grateful to finally meet this year’s Youth Council in person. Our first meeting at Parkway Forest Community Centre was certainly an adjustment, but a welcome one. We always start our meetings by giving every member a chance to share what’s on their mind or bring up anything they’re hearing from their friends and classmates. Every time I meet with this great group of young people, I’m reminded of how hard our youth are being hit by COVID-19. I’m somewhat prepared for this from all of the time I spend listening to my own teenaged grandchildren and their friends, but it’s still jarring to hear. Two years of changing restrictions and discretionary rules has really created anxiety for young people. They aren’t sure what opportunities are even available for them anymore, and don’t know who to ask for help. They’ve missed out on formative years with their classmates, not just in the classroom but in their other activities as well. Needless to say, all of this global uncertainty has made many youth even more worried about their futures as they look to make the change from high school to adulthood. I committed to bring some guests to our next meeting to help our Youth Council members navigate what’s coming next.
It was great to finally get our Youth Council together in person last week.
I’m sure many of us look at the young people in our lives and see them scrolling on their phones or playing PS5 without a care in the world, but trust me, the future is always on their minds. Not only are they navigating the pandemic, they also have to grapple with huge issues looming over their future like the climate crisis and housing unaffordability. That’s why it’s so essential to make sure youth have their voices heard. However, it’s not all doom and gloom. Our young people are also incredibly resilient, creative, and hopeful. I had a great experience on Monday morning thanks to one of our Youth Council members, David Jeong, who is a student leader at Seneca College. He invited me to provide the opening address at Seneca’s Sustainability Hackathon. A hackathon is a platform for students to find technological solutions to some of the biggest challenges we’re all facing today. It’s a great way to keep young innovators collaborating with each other virtually. These events are also well-sponsored by corporate and government partners, so they keep young folks connected with the world they will one day be working in. I was very proud to hear Seneca College’s President singing the praises of our own David Jeong for his role in organizing the event. To learn a bit more about these hackathons, check out this video narrated by David himself:
During my opening remarks, I congratulated the students participating for focusing the hackathon on sustainability. These youth and student innovators were preparing to face our climate crisis head-on and answer some of the biggest questions about how to solve it, such as what role municipal governments play, what social responsibility looks like in the private sector, and how we reach net zero emissions quickly enough to curb the worst effects of climate change. Watching these young people dedicate so much time and energy to tackling these pressing questions gave me tremendous hope. We know that our youth are the key to creating the kind of city we need in the future, because that is the very city they will be inheriting from us. I’m making sure that we look at everything that comes across my desk through a youth lens, especially as we look to move out of this pandemic and get our local economy back on track. My team and I are always looking for new ways to support our young people, including those who might not gravitate to a governance setting like the DVN Youth Council. For instance, we have a more informal Youth Network that offers more casual settings for youth to hear each other’s ideas. That provides me with the youth lowdown on how to improve community spaces. Let us know any ideas you have on the best way to help amplify the voices of our youth.
I had a blast at our Youth Network launch last fall, where I got the chance to hear some great ideas on how to improve our community spaces.
As we finally get the chance to get together again, let’s make sure our youth get back on the road to their futures. All of our futures depend on the lives that the next generation can build in Toronto, so let’s make sure we’re setting our young people up for success.
Save the Date: Senior Services Town Hall
This April, my team and I will be hosting a Senior Services Town Hall in partnership with Toronto Seniors Services. This event will give an overview of the services the City offers to seniors and provide residents with an opportunity to share their thoughts on how they can be improved. Please RSVP below at the link below to get updates on this event:
Planning & Development Updates
Prepared by Tom Gleason, Chief of Staff
New Development Applications
500 Sheppard Avenue East Though just outside the boundaries of Don Valley North, the development application at 500 Sheppard Avenue East (the northwest corner of Bayview and Sheppard) will certainly have an impact on our community and can set a precedent for future growth in the area. The application proposes a 35 and 39-storey mixed use building with a total of 928 dwelling units. The overall floor space index (FSI) of the proposed development is 10.12 times the site area. This is far above what's been permitted in the rest of the corridor, which has generally stayed closer to approximately 4.0 times the site area considered under the secondary plan for the corridor. 235 Yorkland Boulevard Another application that has the potential of setting a new precedent for development in our ward is the new application at 235 Yorkland Boulevard. This site is currently zoned as General Employment Areas, a designation affirmed in the ConsumersNext Secondary Plan, but this application is seeking to add residential uses to the site and maintain the existing amount of employment use. The proposed development would have four 45-storey towers on two shared podiums. The towers would be split into two blocks: one located to the north of the existing 12-storey office building, and one to the south. The applicant is proposing a new public park to front on Yorkland Boulevard on the eastern side of the site. Due to the conversion that would be required for this site, there are many legal and planning considerations that staff are working through before they submit a preliminary report on this application. We will keep the community updated as more information is available. Be sure to sign up for site-specific updates on our website: https://shelleycarroll.ca/developments/235-yorkland-boulevard
OLT Appeal Settlement Offer: 630-686 Finch Avenue East
Just as the last E-Blast was being sent out, we received word that the City had received a final settlement offer from Tridel for the application at 630-686 Finch Avenue East, This application had been appealed to the Ontario Land Tribual in the fall. Last night, Shelley hosted a community meeting with local residents where City Planning was able to walk through the details of what has been proposed to the City, in advance of the matter being considered by City Council next Wednesday. The City Solicitor is reporting directly to Council as they need direction on what to do with this settlement offer before the Ontario Land Tribunal Case Management Conference on Monday, March 28th. The settlement proposes to change the orientation of the building to be set further away from the Banstock neighbourhood and toward Finch. Lot coverage decreases from 67.6% to 46.6%, setbacks from Banstock have increased from 8.91m to 24.5m, and a new Privately Owned Public Space is proposed at grade on Banstock to provide separation from the building. The full breakdown of the changes, as well as architectural drawings outlining the built form, setbacks, grade changes, vehicular access, and shading is available here: Also available at this link are the settlement offer letter and the notification of the Case Management Conference. What is a Case Management Conference? A Case Management Conference (CMC) is a pre-hearing in which the Ontario Land Tribunal assigns the adjudicator, identifies all parties and participants, determines the key issues raised in the appeal, and determine the logistical details of the hearing process. The Tribunal can also direct the parties to come to a settlement at this stage. Those interested in this Case Management Conference can view the notice here. Make sure you receive site-specific updates by signing up on our website: https://shelleycarroll.ca/development-updates
Public Health Guidelines Update
As of March 1, 2022, the Provincial Government has put the following public health measures into effect:
Capacity limits have been lifted in all indoor public settings
Proof of vaccination requirements have been lifted
Businesses and organizations may choose to require proof of vaccination upon entry
Other protective measures, such as mask/face covering requirements and passive screening of patrons remain in place
For more information on these changes, visit the link below:
Upcoming Vaccine Clinics in Don Valley North
Parkway Forest Community Centre (55 Forest Manor Rd.)
North York General Hospital is running a vaccine clinic at Parkway Forest Community Centre on the following dates:
Tuesday, March 8: 4:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Tuesday, March 15: 4:30 PM - 7:30 PM
First, second, and third doses of Pfizer and Moderna are available, and all ages (5+) are welcome. Appointments are preferred, but walk-ins are welcome from 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM while supplies last. For more information, visit the link below:
Oriole Community Centre Clinic (2975 Don Mills Rd. W.)
North York General Hospital is running a walk-in vaccine clinic at Oriole Community Centre every Wednesday (12 PM to 3 PM) and Thursday (1:30 PM to 5:30 PM) until further notice. First, second, and third doses of Pfizer and Moderna are available, and all ages (5+) are welcome. For more information, visit the link below:
Booking Vaccine Appointments
COVID-19 vaccine appointments for first and second doses are available for those ages five and older. Third dose appointments are now available for those ages 12 and older. Appointments cam be booked through the provincial booking system online or by phone:
Online: https://covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine/
Phone: 1-833-943-3900