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With the municipal election period beginning on August 1, this will be my last weekly E-Blast you'll receive until after Election Day. During the election blackout period, Members of Council are prohibited from distributing community newsletters, E-Blasts, flyers (except in emergencies), or organizing and hosting community events such as community meetings, Environment Days, or movie nights from our City Councillor offices. While our outreach activities are paused, my constituency office remains open and my team will continue to help residents with City services, local issues, and constituent casework throughout the election period. My existing social media accounts will also transition to election accounts, so if you'd like to continue receiving updates from City, please follow me here. This week also marks the final Council Meeting of the term. In this update I've included highlights from this week's City Council meeting, along with an update on a development my team just received, and an update on the Rain Barrel program. Thank you for following along over the past four years, and I look forward to staying in touch throughout the election. Council Highlights EX33.1 - 701 Fleet Street - Authorization to Enter into a Long-term Lease and Community Access Agreement with Tempo Basketball Club Inc. Women's professional sports are truly having a moment. From hockey and basketball to soccer, Toronto has become a leader in supporting women's sports, with growing audiences, sold-out games, and athletes who are inspiring the next generation. If you don't regularly watch sports on streaming services, where many young fans now follow their favourite teams, you may not realize just how quickly women's sports have grown in popularity and profitability. To support that growth, Council approved a long-term lease that will allow the Toronto Tempo, Toronto's and Canada's first Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) team, to build a permanent practice facility. The Tempo made history by joining the WNBA this year, and this 40-year partnership with the City will create a state-of-the-art home for the team while delivering lasting benefits for the community through new recreation spaces, public programming, and a new public park. The approximately 60,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility will include two full-sized indoor basketball courts, training and support spaces, and other amenities that will serve both the Toronto Tempo and City recreation programs. Just as importantly, through a Community Access Agreement, the City will receive a minimum of 2,260 hours of annual access for public recreation programming. That means more registered and drop-in programs, permit opportunities, CampTO programming, and dedicated opportunities for women, girls, and youth to play and develop their skills. The agreement also includes the design and construction of a new City-owned public park at no capital cost to taxpayers. The park will feature outdoor basketball courts, public washrooms, pathways, seating, landscaping, and other amenities, with the final design shaped through community and Indigenous engagement. This partnership is an incredible investment in our city and a tremendous opportunity for women, girls, and young people. At a time when positive role models and accessible recreation matter more than ever, this facility will inspire future generations while creating lasting community benefits for Toronto. EX33.28 - Advancing More Supportive Housing to Address Homelessness and Create Pathways to Long-Term Housing Stability A key priority for me is helping people experiencing homelessness move out of parks, ravines, and other unsafe outdoor locations and into appropriate, permanent housing with the supports they need. This report is an important update on Toronto’s actions to address homelessness by expanding and strengthening supportive housing options for residents who need more than a place to live. City Council has directed staff to advance supportive housing projects by prioritizing City resources, including capital funding programs and City-owned land, while exploring opportunities to convert appropriate shelter sites into permanent supportive housing. The City is also advocating to provincial and federal governments for sustained investments in housing and support services. This approach pairs stable housing with wraparound supports to help people facing complex mental health, health, or addiction challenges build long-term stability. EX33.33 - Making Grocery Prices Fair: Banning Surveillance Pricing in Toronto Have you ever talked about a great online grocery deal with your daughter, only to go home, check the same website, and discover the price isn't what she saw? It happened to me, and it left me wondering why two people could see different prices for the exact same product. One possible explanation is a practice called surveillance pricing. Companies can use personal information, such as your browsing history, shopping habits, or even the device you're using, to predict what you're willing to pay and show you a different price than someone else for the same item. We don't yet know how common this practice is in Canada, and it's not clear what legal tools governments have to address it. That's why, following the lead of other governments looking into this issue, Toronto City Council has directed staff to examine every available option to protect consumers and report back in early 2027. With grocery prices continuing to put pressure on household budgets, I believe we need to explore every tool available to make life more affordable. This review is one part of a broader effort to stand up for consumers and ensure Torontonians are treated fairly when buying everyday essentials. It also builds on the City's other affordability initiatives, including expanding school food programs, supporting local food security organizations, exploring new partnerships to improve grocery affordability, and advocating to the provincial and federal governments for stronger consumer protections and greater transparency. While municipalities don't control grocery prices, we can use every tool available to make a difference. AU13.8 - Audit of the City's Administrative Penalty System for Parking and Red Light Camera Violations I have always been a strong supporter of the work of Toronto’s Auditor General. There is sometimes a perception that the City does not do enough to hold itself accountable. That is exactly why the Auditor General’s independent audits are so valuable. When a City system is not delivering the results residents deserve, the Auditor General investigates, identifies improvements, and provides recommendations that can save residents money, time, and frustration. The Auditor General’s latest review looked at the City’s Administrative Penalty System (APS), which handles disputes and collects payments for administrative penalties, including parking violations, red light camera tickets, and other traffic by-law offences. The APS was created to provide a faster and more efficient alternative to resolving these matters through the provincial court system. In 2025 alone, the City processed approximately 2.2 million parking and red-light camera penalties. However, the audit found significant delays in the system, including an average wait time of 252 days to screen parking penalty disputes and a backlog of more than 247,000 parking penalty disputes. Red light camera penalties had a shorter, but still significant, average screening time of 48 days. For residents, these delays can create unnecessary frustration and uncertainty. Improving the system means disputes can be reviewed sooner, people can get answers faster, and the City can provide clearer and more timely service. The audit also identified opportunities to improve how the City collects outstanding penalties and applies existing tools to encourage timely payment. Between 2022 and 2025, the City had $659.5 million in penalties and fees that were collectable, with $215.8 million still outstanding as of December 31, 2025. The Auditor General made five recommendations to strengthen the Administrative Penalty System, improve oversight, speed up dispute resolution, and ensure the City is doing everything it can to recover money that is owed. This is exactly why independent oversight matters. The Auditor General helps us identify where systems can work better, and Council and City staff must take action to make those improvements. Residents expect the City to be responsible stewards of their money, and this work helps us deliver on that responsibility. PH32.7 - Billy Bishop Airport Proposed Expansion: Response to Council Request for Information on Housing and Transportation Impacts & MM43.90 - Stop the Province’s Land Grab, Give Toronto Island and Parkland Back to Toronto - by Mayor Olivia Chow, seconded by Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik Just one week before Prime Minister Carney announced that the proposed expansion of Billy Bishop Airport would not move forward, I spent the better part of a Sunday talking with residents at our Community Environment Day at Old Cummer GO Station. I was struck by how many people wanted to talk about the airport. So many couples stopped by to ask where I stood and to tell me they hoped I would oppose the expansion. I had received emails on the issue, but hearing those concerns face-to-face reminded me just how strongly people felt about protecting Toronto's waterfront and public spaces. I shared that I had led the push to extend the airport's lease the previous year so it could complete the runway improvements needed to meet updated federal safety requirements. That was about maintaining a safe airport. It was never intended to open the door to a major expansion. It was disappointing to see the airport and the Province move ahead with plans that included expropriating City-owned waterfront lands to make that expansion possible. I'm pleased that the federal government listened to the concerns raised by residents, the City, and communities across Toronto. This decision is a real reminder that when people speak up, governments do listen, and local advocacy can make a difference. With the expansion no longer proceeding, Council adopted the Mayor's motion calling on the Province to repeal the legislation that expropriated City-owned lands, including Little Norway Park and the entirety of the Toronto Islands, and return them to the City. Bafflingly, the Province has suggested that it will continue forward with its plan so this may not be fully over. I will continue to make sure you have a strong voice in what happens on our waterfront. If the Province and Federal Government are still looking for major economic development for Toronto’s downtown, there is a desperate need for a massive upgrade and expansion of our Metro Toronto Convention Centre Facilities. The plans are fully market-researched and completely drawn up. The MTCC plans have been presented for Provincial approval and funding for some time. Such a project has the power to put us back on the world map and create a legacy for all three orders of government. NY34.14 - Don Mills Regeneration Area Study Leslie Site - Final Report & CC43.11 - Status Update Report on Official Plan Amendment 804 - Request for Directions I want to draw your attention to two reports together because the Don Mills Regeneration Area Study provides an excellent example of the kind of planning approach we are advocating for in the Consumers Road Business Park. As you may remember, in 2023 the Province introduced the Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants Act (Bill 97). One of the key changes was a narrower definition of “employment areas” — lands specifically protected for jobs and businesses. This change removed some of the protections that had helped preserve the vision for Consumers Road Business Park. Our goal has been to find a path forward that protects employment opportunities while allowing the area to evolve thoughtfully. That is why the City has requested that the Consumers Road Business Park be redesignated from a General Employment Area to a Regeneration Area. This designation allows for a broader mix of uses, including employment, commercial, institutional, and residential opportunities, while giving the City more tools to guide how future development happens. I know many residents and businesses in the Consumers area have questions and concerns about what this change could mean. Regeneration Areas are a new concept for many people, so I encourage you to take a look at the Don Mills study to see what is possible when a community, City staff, and local stakeholders work together on a long-term vision. We are still waiting for the Province to approve our request to redesignate the Consumers Road Business Park. If that approval is granted, there will be a robust community consultation process to help shape the future of this important employment area. Taking a look at the Don Mills example now is a great way to understand the possibilities and be ready to participate in that conversation. CC43.6 - FIFA World Cup 2026 Toronto: Early Outcomes from the Hosting of the FIFA World Cup 2026 The day before the Council session began, I spent the day with my fellow Board members at Destination Toronto, our city's not-for-profit tourism organization. It was our first opportunity to debrief after FIFA World Cup 2026. Having a Board made up of leaders from Toronto's tourism and hospitality industry provided valuable perspective. We reviewed the benefits to hotels, restaurants, attractions, and local businesses, analyzed survey results to better understand how business and FIFA-related travel will translate into future visits, and looked at extensive international media coverage that showcased Toronto to audiences around the world. I also have to share an industry insider's perspective. For more than a year leading up to the tournament, members of Toronto's hospitality industry were regularly speaking with their counterparts in the other host cities. They often heard questions from American colleagues like, "What's going on with your media? Why does everyone seem to be against the World Cup? Aren't there a lot of soccer fans in Toronto?" Then the tournament began. Toronto, its residents, and even its media embraced the moment. We became known as one of the most exciting and welcoming host cities. Before long, those same American host cities were asking us, "How did Toronto pull it off?" The answer is simple: you did. You welcomed visitors from around the world, embraced the excitement, and showed patience with the security measures, road closures, and changes that helped keep everyone safe. Together, we showed the world what Toronto is all about. The early findings in the staff report before City Council reflect what it felt like on the ground during the tournament: Toronto successfully delivered on its hosting responsibilities, residents embraced the moment, and visitors experienced our city at its best. The early results are extremely positive, showing the significant benefits this event brought to our tourism and hospitality sectors and the way it elevated Toronto's profile around the world. Staff are continuing the important work of finalizing the financial reconciliation, including confirming revenues and budget offsets related to FIFA Fan Festival operations. A final report with complete financial information will come back to Council once that work is complete, expected in early 2027. When we bet on ourselves, there is no stopping Toronto! CC43.15 - Renew Sheppard East Secondary Plan - Ontario Land Tribunal Hearing - Request for Directions I know many residents have been following the progress of the ReNew Sheppard Secondary Plan and have been asking when the vision approved by City Council will take effect. The Secondary Plan, which was approved by Council, remains under appeal at the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) by several property owners. Because of these appeals, the policies and protections in the plan are not yet fully in force. If the recommendations in this report are approved through the OLT process, much of the ReNew Sheppard Secondary Plan could move ahead while Planning and Legal staff continue working through the remaining site-specific appeals. While the details of the settlement discussions remain confidential because they involve legal advice, moving this process forward would be an important step in protecting the vision we heard from residents. Throughout the ReNew Sheppard process, residents were clear that growth is coming, but it must be planned carefully, with the right infrastructure, transportation improvements, community services, and a focus on creating complete communities. Getting these policies into effect will help ensure that future development along Sheppard is guided by the long-term plan approved by Council and informed by the feedback residents provided. MM43.12 - Facing the Facts: Endorsing the Findings and Warnings of the Office of the Inspector General of Policing for an Urgent Reckoning and Immediate Action Necessary to Address and Stop Rising Antisemitism and All Forms of Hate - by Councillor James Pasternak, seconded by Councillor Mike Colle I welcomed City Council’s support for the Inspector General of Policing’s Notice of Issue on the rise in antisemitism and hate-motivated incidents. Last month, I joined the Inspector General of Policing, police leaders, police boards, and Jewish community organizations to help inform this work. The resulting Notice recognizes many of the important steps Toronto Police are already taking. In recent months, through sustained engagement with the Jewish community and the work of the Toronto Police Service Board, Toronto Police has strengthened its response to antisemitism with enhanced coordination, training, victim supports, and oversight, while the Notice encourages police services and boards across Ontario to continue building on these efforts. As Chair of the Toronto Police Service Board, I have also been meeting regularly with our Jewish Community Advisory Table since it was established four months ago to help shape the Board’s response to rising antisemitism. This fall, the Board will build on that work and the Notice of Issue by considering a new Public Order Policy, developed in partnership with the Advisory Table, to strengthen how Toronto Police protect both public safety and Charter rights during demonstrations. MM43.56 - Improving Coordination Closures to Fight Congestion - by Councillor Jamaal Myers, seconded by Councillor Shelley Carroll Congestion remains one of the biggest concerns I hear from residents across Don Valley North. Whether it is getting to work, accessing services, or simply moving around our neighbourhoods, people want to know that the City is doing everything it can to keep Toronto moving. That is why I was pleased to bring forward this motion with TTC Chair Jamaal Myers to strengthen the role of the City’s Chief Congestion Officer and improve how we plan and coordinate major road and transit closures. When essential construction and maintenance work is needed to repair, improve, and expand our transportation network, we need to make sure we are also planning for how people will get around during that work. Residents should not have to navigate unnecessary gridlock because different projects were planned in isolation. By improving coordination and making transit a central part of our planning, we can reduce congestion and keep Toronto moving while the important work of building and maintaining our city continues. Statement on Shootings at Kiva’s Bakery & Jewish Businesses The attacks targeting two locations of the same Jewish-owned bakery this past weekend, followed by another incident at a Jewish-owned business on Tuesday, have been deeply disturbing. These incidents have shaken Toronto’s Jewish community and underscore the importance of continuing to stand firmly against antisemitism. I have included the statement I released on Sunday below. The reports of two incidents targeting locations of the same Jewish-owned bakery this morning are profoundly alarming. Whether through violence or intimidation, repeated incidents like these take a real toll on Toronto’s Jewish community. They erode people’s sense of safety and leave business owners, employees, customers, and families wondering whether they are being singled out simply because they are Jewish. The Toronto Police Service is investigating both incidents, including through its Hate Crime Unit. Those responsible must be identified, and if these acts were motivated by hate, they must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Toronto’s Jewish community deserves to know that its safety is not negotiable. Development Update: 2450 Sheppard Avenue East City Planning has recently received a development application for the property at 2450 Sheppard Avenue East, on the property at the northwest corner of Sheppard Avenue East and Victoria Park Avenue, currently home to the Food Basics plaza and Chuck E. Cheese. As soon as I became aware of the application, I asked City Planning to begin briefing my office so that we can understand the proposal and ensure residents are kept informed from the outset. Application: Phased redevelopment of the site with five mixed-use residential buildings ranging from 10 to 49 storeys, containing a total of 3,635 residential units. The proposal also includes approximately 3,385 square metres of ground-floor retail space, a new public street connecting Sheppard Avenue East and Victoria Park Avenue with sidewalks and dedicated cycling facilities, a new 0.26-hectare public park, enhanced pedestrian connections, 1,388 vehicle parking spaces, and 2,750 bicycle parking spaces. Community Consultation: To be scheduled. Status: The application has recently been submitted to the City but has not yet been reviewed to determine whether it is complete. The formal planning review has not yet begun. If the application is deemed complete, City Planning will begin its review and a community consultation meeting will be scheduled. City Planner: Derrick Wong, Derrick.Wong@toronto.ca This is a significant proposal, and I know many residents living in the area north of Sheppard Avenue will have questions about what it could mean for the community. I am also concerned about it’s impacts and will be following it closely. For now, the application has not been deemed complete, and there are no immediate next steps until City Planning has completed its initial review. Unfortunately, over the past several years the Province has changed planning legislation and significantly increased housing density expectations across Toronto. As a result, it has become increasingly common for developers to submit proposals that are much larger than what residents may have expected in the past. There will be a full public process for this application, including opportunities for residents to review the proposal, ask questions, and provide feedback before any decisions are made. Given that the application has only just been submitted, it is unlikely that any construction would occur for some time. Throughout this review, I will be pressing City Planning and the applicant to address the issues that matter most to residents, including traffic congestion, transportation capacity, schools, parks, community services, infrastructure, neighbourhood fit, public safety, and the quality of the public realm. Update on the Rain Barrel Savings Program Sale I have heard from many residents who were frustrated and disappointed by the rollout of the City’s Rain Barrel Savings Program. Many residents were eager to take advantage of this program as an affordable way to conserve water, collect rainwater for outdoor use, and support environmental sustainability at home. When sales opened on July 23, the response was far greater than anticipated. The overwhelming demand exceeded the third party vendor’s website capacity, resulting in technical difficulties that prevented many residents from completing their purchase. Since then, City staff and the vendor have worked to improve system performance, increase capacity, and introduce additional measures, including a virtual waiting room, to help manage demand. Unfortunately, interest continued to far exceed the available supply, and many people still could not access the website. The second round of the program has now sold out, with all 3,000 available rain barrels claimed on a first-come, first-served basis. I know this will be disappointing for many residents who took the time to try to access the program and were unable to secure a rain barrel. My office is working with City staff to better understand what the program could look like next year, including how many rain barrels may be available, and I will share that information as soon as it is available. City staff are reviewing the challenges experienced during this launch and will be evaluating how the program can be improved in the future, including how demand can be better managed and how residents can have a more reliable experience accessing these types of programs. I also expect the vendor to be held accountable for the failures that occurred during this rollout. Residents should be able to participate in City programs without facing preventable technical issues, and I will be pressing to ensure the lessons from this experience are reflected in any future program delivery. Thank you to everyone who shared their feedback and for your patience as staff work to learn from this experience and improve future program launches. As always, if you need assistance with a City service, have a concern in your neighbourhood, or need support navigating a municipal issue, please do not hesitate to contact my office. While the election period changes how we communicate publicly, my team remains here to support residents and ensure you continue to have access to the services and resources you need.

Next week marks the final Council meeting of this term, and I’ll be sending one last E-Blast to update you on the important decisions we make before Council rises for the municipal election period. Before we get there, I wanted to continue a tradition I’ve always enjoyed at the end of each Council term: taking a moment to reflect on what we’ve accomplished together here in Don Valley North. Four years ago, Toronto was emerging from one of the most challenging periods in its history. We were still recovering from the pandemic while facing rising inflation, increasing concerns about public safety, growing congestion, and significant financial pressures at City Hall. Along the way, our city also experienced a mayoral by-election and a change in leadership. These were not easy years, but they called for experienced leadership and thoughtful decision-making. Throughout this term, I had the privilege of serving as Toronto’s Budget Chief, Chair of the Toronto Police Service Board, and the Mayor’s Economic Development and Culture Champion. Those roles gave me the opportunity to help shape some of the city’s most important decisions—from restoring Toronto’s financial stability, to strengthening community safety, to growing our economy and investing in the neighbourhoods we call home. At every step, my priorities have been guided by what I’ve heard from you. Whether meeting neighbours at one of my park pop-ups, reading your emails, or speaking with residents at community meetings, your message has been remarkably consistent: keep our neighbourhoods safe, make life more affordable, reduce congestion, and continue investing in the services and infrastructure that make Don Valley North such a wonderful place to live. Those priorities have guided my work every day. Despite the challenges of the past four years, we’ve made real progress. Together, we’ve strengthened community safety, restored Toronto’s financial footing, supported local businesses and jobs, invested in parks, libraries and community centres, and delivered important improvements across Don Valley North. Here are just some of the highlights from the past four years. Keeping Our Neighbourhoods Safe Keeping our neighbourhoods safe requires a balanced approach. It means ensuring our first responders have the resources they need while also investing in prevention, accountability, and community partnerships. As Chair of the Toronto Police Service Board, I led the implementation of Toronto’s first sustainable Multi-Year Hiring Plan, ensuring hundreds of new police officers are hired each year while expanding neighbourhood policing and improving emergency response times. Those investments are paying off, with major crime indicators declining and more officers available to respond when people need help. We’ve expanded the Neighbourhood Community Officer program to strengthen the visible police presence in neighbourhoods and on transit, and here in Don Valley North we opened the Fairview Community Safety Hub - bringing police, community agencies, and youth supports together under one roof - and launched the Youth Community Academy - employing 40 local youth to gain experience with Toronto Fire, Paramedics, and Police this summer as a pathway to future employment. But public safety is about more than statistics. People deserve to feel safe walking through their neighbourhood, riding transit, visiting parks, or attending community events. That’s why we’ve invested not only in enforcement, but also in youth outreach, violence prevention, crisis response services, and community partnerships that address the root causes of crime before it happens. Strong public safety also depends on public confidence. Throughout my time as Chair, I’ve pushed to strengthen transparency, accountability and governance. We initiated independent reviews into police culture and allegations of misconduct and antisemitism, adopted a new Strategic Plan for Policing in Toronto, and strengthened the Board’s oversight role to help ensure policing continues to earn the trust of the communities it serves. We’ve also taken important steps to combat hate by expanding security supports for vulnerable institutions - both with direct funding and through the City’s bubble zone by-law- and launching city-wide initiatives to combat antisemitism, islamophobia and all forms of hate. Making Life More Affordable Affordability has become one of the defining challenges facing Toronto families. As Budget Chief, my goal has been simple: protect the services people rely on while ensuring every tax dollar is spent responsibly. Every budget has started with listening to residents through consultations held here in Don Valley North and across Toronto, because your priorities should shape the City’s priorities. Together, we’ve found hundreds of millions of dollars in savings while protecting and expanding the services residents depend on. One of the most significant achievements of this term was helping secure the historic Toronto–Ontario New Deal. By uploading responsibility for the Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway to the Province, we fundamentally strengthened Toronto’s long-term financial future and freed up billions of dollars that can be invested in housing, transit and community infrastructure instead of highway maintenance. We also secured Toronto’s first credit rating upgrade in decades, reducing borrowing costs and saving taxpayers millions of dollars over the life of future infrastructure projects. At the same time, we focused on everyday affordability by freezing TTC fares for three consecutive years while expanding service, increasing property tax relief for over 28,000 small businesses, supporting student nutrition programs, providing free air conditioning units to vulnerable seniors, expanding the Basement Flooding Protection Program, investing in libraries—including Sunday service at every branch—and extending outdoor swimming hours during the summer. There is still more work to do, but these investments have helped build a stronger financial foundation while making life more affordable for Toronto families. Growing Toronto’s Economy A strong economy creates good jobs, supports local businesses, and generates the revenue we need to invest in the services residents rely on. As the Mayor’s Economic Development and Culture Champion, I was proud to lead the development of Sidewalks to Skylines, Toronto’s new ten-year Economic Action Plan. This comprehensive strategy charts a path to create quality jobs, strengthen our main streets, attract global investment, and position Toronto as a leader in industries like artificial intelligence and advanced technology. When global tariffs and economic uncertainty threatened local businesses, I worked with the Mayor’s Economic Action Team to support Toronto employers, strengthen local supply chains, and protect jobs. We also launched the City’s new Red Tape Hotline, making it easier for businesses to identify unnecessary barriers and helping City Hall become a better partner for entrepreneurs and employers. Supporting small businesses has remained a priority throughout this term, from increasing property tax relief to promoting Toronto’s neighbourhood main streets, restaurants, tourism sector and local shopping districts. A growing economy isn’t about statistics—it’s about creating opportunity for everyone and ensuring Toronto remains one of the best places in the world to live, work, invest and build a business. Investing in Arts, Culture and Tourism Our arts, culture and tourism sectors don’t just enrich our city—they create jobs, attract visitors and help define Toronto’s identity. This term, I was proud to lead the development of Culture Connects, Toronto’s first new ten-year cultural action plan in more than a decade. We increased funding for the Toronto Arts Council, strengthened support for festivals and cultural organizations, and laid the groundwork for a stronger creative economy that benefits neighbourhoods across the city. I also worked with Destination Toronto, Toronto Global and our cultural partners to attract visitors, investment and international events that support local businesses and showcase everything Toronto has to offer. Keeping People Moving Traffic and congestion remain among the issues I hear about most often. That’s why we’ve taken meaningful steps to improve how people move throughout our city. The rehabilitation of the Gardiner Expressway is now running well ahead of schedule, helping reduce the duration of construction impacts. We’ve adopted a new Congestion Management Plan, expanded the Traffic Agent Program, introduced smart traffic signals on Steeles Avenue, and improved coordination of road construction projects across Toronto. At the same time, we’ve continued investing in public transit by freezing TTC fares while expanding service and investing in transit safety. Bike Share Toronto has also continued expanding into Don Valley North, making it easier for residents to connect to transit and travel safely around our community. Investing in Don Valley North Some of the accomplishments I’m proudest of are the improvements we’ve made together right here at home. We opened the beautiful Ethennonnhawahstihnen’ Community Recreation Centre and Library, creating a new gathering place for residents of all ages, including a new childcare centre. We’ve upgraded parks across our community, including Bellbury, Ruddington, Leslie, Clydesdale and Havenbrook Parks, with more improvements underway at Willesden and Clarinda Parks. We opened Don Valley North’s first off-leash dog park, advanced the Pleasant View Basement Flooding Protection project, supported North York General Hospital’s long-term care expansion, protected our ravines and waterways through environmental improvements, and continued investing in traffic calming, pedestrian safety and neighbourhood infrastructure throughout the ward. Each project reflects something I’ve always believed: local government works best when it focuses on the places where people live their everyday lives. Staying Connected None of this would have been possible without your participation. This term, my office has: Assisted with more than 10,000 resident service requests. Published 192 weekly E-Blasts. Delivered eight community newsletters. Hosted dozens of public consultations, park pop-ups, town halls and community meetings. Brought back Summer Celebration, expanded Community Environment Days and neighbourhood clean-ups, and introduced new events like our Winter Bash and Youth Jobs Fair, which employed hundreds of local youth. While I’m proud of the city-wide work I’ve been able to lead, it’s the conversations with residents that have always mattered most. Every email you’ve sent, every park pop-up you’ve attended, every suggestion you’ve shared and every conversation we’ve had has helped shape the decisions I’ve made on your behalf. Thank you for the trust you’ve placed in me over these past four years. It has truly been an honour to serve as your City Councillor. Next week’s edition will be my final E-Blast before the municipal election blackout period begins on August 1. I’ll explain what that means in more detail next week, but please know that my City Hall office will remain open and available to assist residents throughout.

Last Sunday, I was having a rant at dinner to my husband that if I couldn’t clean up certain development sites in my ward of Don Valley North, my intersections would soon look like The Bronx in the eighties. My grandson looked up and said, “What does that mean, The Bronx in the eighties?” I had to explain that while I was exaggerating for effect, I was describing a time in history when a collapse in the economy, both locally and nationally, brought the Bronx Borough of New York City to a state of true urban blight. Abandoned and derelict real estate properties spread throughout the Bronx until the area lost significant value in a real estate collapse of epidemic proportions. Soon, little was left but a burnt-out husk. The beauty of the way Toronto has grown over its history is that every neighbourhood offers a unique mix of homes, businesses, parks and institutions. That diversity creates opportunity and helps make our city a place where people from all walks of life can succeed. Every child should be able to walk through their own neighbourhood and see signs of possibility, prosperity and a future they can imagine for themselves So what message does it send when, day after day, young people walk past a derelict gas station covered in graffiti, surrounded by weeds and broken glass? What impression does it leave when even the City's development proposal sign, installed years ago to signal that something better was coming, has become weathered, stained and part of the blight itself? These are the kinds of properties I have started to think of as moribund. I looked the word up to make sure it captured what I was seeing. Moribund means “in a state of terminal decline,” and that is exactly what happens when properties sit neglected for years with no clear path forward. Neglected properties don't just diminish a streetscape. They erode people's confidence that their neighbourhood is being cared for and that better days are ahead. I’m not waiting another minute to address these moribund development sites. I’m not going to let a handful of properties in a state of decline start us down the path to the Bronx in the eighties. The old Petro-Canada site at Sheppard Avenue East and Don Mills Road is one example of what I mean by a moribund property. After years of trying to get the owners to take better care of the site, I finally snapped last Thursday night as I drove past it. It was covered in even more graffiti than before. I pulled over, called my team, and we immediately began drafting a motion for City Council. The Petro-Canada site is not the only example. Earlier that same weekend, I visited a Bayview community dealing with a different kind of neglected development property. It’s not just large commercial sites that become a problem. In this case, a group of homes was assembled for a townhouse development several years ago. Today, those houses sit along Bayview Avenue, surrounded by six-foot weeds, with an old oil drum sitting at the curb for who knows what reason. The neighbours who walk past the property every day on their way to work have simply had enough, and I don’t blame them. These are the kinds of moribund properties I want the City to address. To be clear, all property owners are already required to comply with the City's Property Standards By-law and keep these sites clean, safe and well maintained. In fact, In October 2025, City Council adopted amendments through the Property Standards By-law: Phase II Review to strengthen requirements for vacant properties and clarify owners’ obligations to protect properties from fire, accident, trespass, and other hazards. However, the current framework does not specifically address the unique circumstances of development sites that remain inactive for extended periods following planning approval. My motion will ask City staff to review how we can better hold owners of stalled development sites accountable and ensure these properties are maintained to appropriate standards while they await construction. The review will examine whether our current property standards processes, service levels, and coordination between City divisions are effectively addressing inactive and moribund development sites. It will also identify opportunities to improve training and guidance for enforcement staff, clarify roles and responsibilities across divisions, and determine whether additional municipal tools are needed. Where stronger authority is required, the motion will ask staff to identify what legislative changes the Province would need to make to give Toronto the ability to better protect neighbourhoods impacted by stalled construction sites. I’ll keep you updated as this work moves forward. In the meantime, if a development property near you needs to be cleaned and mowed, please call my office and we will escalate it for inspection and maintenance, because I often say: some of the best solutions come when residents and my office work together. One of my favourite ways to work together is through my annual Pop-Ups in the Park. If you see one of our flyers in your mailbox, I hope you’ll stop by our little pink tent for a chat. These events are a great opportunity to raise concerns, ask questions and talk about what’s happening in your neighbourhood. Quite often, someone will bring us an issue they’ve been frustrated with for months but hadn’t yet contacted my office about. I always encourage residents to start with 311 when it’s appropriate, and City staff are generally very responsive when residents reach out directly. However, when an issue becomes complicated, keeps bouncing between divisions or simply isn’t getting resolved, that’s exactly when I want you to call my office. More often than not, we discover we’re already working on the same issue or pursuing a related solution. Once we’re able to connect the dots and work together, things tend to move much more quickly toward a resolution. If you prefer to work directly with City staff or through 311, by all means do. Just remember that if you feel you’re hitting a dead end, don’t wait. Give my office a call. That’s what we’re here for. -- Much has been said this week about the tragic events of last Saturday night at Salsa on St. Clair and other locations across the city. My heart goes out to the families who lost loved ones and to everyone who witnessed these terrible acts of violence. Their pain is unimaginable, and our entire city is grieving with them. What makes this moment especially difficult is that it came just days after Toronto experienced such a powerful sense of collective pride and joy as we welcomed the world for FIFA. We saw our city at its very best: neighbours coming together, visitors experiencing our hospitality, and Torontonians celebrating the incredible diversity and energy that make this city so special. To then experience such violence so close to home has been deeply painful. A city is like a living, breathing organism made up of all of us, and right now our city is hurting. I know it may be small comfort in a moment like this, but I want you to know that work is already underway to make it possible for everyone to continue enjoying large community festivals safely in the city we love. In the wake of the Lapu Lapu festival tragedy in Vancouver in 2024, I worked with City Staff to convene a summit that brought together organizers of major free events across the city to discuss safety, the growing costs of keeping events secure, and how we can better support the people who bring our communities together. A special fund was established to help address immediate cost pressures, and a Festival Action Committee is being developed with partners from across the sector. The Toronto Police Service is a key partner in these conversations and brings significant expertise to the table. Because our Police Service is one of the largest in the country, our officers and leadership participate in advanced training for large-scale events and emergency situations. They have the specialized skills needed to respond to serious threats, including acts of terrorism. The legacy command centre created for FIFA can now become a tool to support community safety wherever large events are taking place, and it is a resource unlike anything else of its kind in North America At the same time, safety is about more than responding to violence after it happens. We also need to make sure young people have opportunities, supports and pathways that lead them toward a positive future. That is why I support Chief Demkiw’s call for stronger gun, bail and justice reforms, while also continuing to work with Council on creating healthy activities, mentorship and economic opportunities for youth across Toronto. Toronto has always been at its strongest when we come together, and that is what we must continue to do now: support one another, invest in our communities, and make sure every resident feels that this is a city where they belong and where they can thrive.

Meet the Don Valley North Team Tom Gleason Chief of Staff Contact for: Matters related to Toronto’s Budget Committee, Economic Development & Culture, the Toronto Police Service Board, and FIFA. Tom.Gleason@Toronto.ca 416-338-2653 Josh Bowman Deputy Chief of Staff Contact for: Policy Research, Standing Committees, Motions for Council and Committees. Joshua,Bowman@toronto.ca 416-338-3009 Robin Buxton Potts Senior Strategic Advisor Contact for: Matters related to Executive Committee, North York Community Council, and development applications/ planning matters, Media inquiries. Robin.BuxtonPotts4@Toronto.ca 416-338-2656 Daria Mancino Senior Constituency Advisor Contact for: Constituency assistance esclation Daria.Mancino@toronto.ca 416-338-2650 Jenny Liu Constituency Assistant Contact for: Constituency assistance in Pleasant View, Don Valley Village (east of Don Mills) Jenny.Liu2@toronto.ca 416-338-2712 Audrey Jiang Constituency Assistant Contact for: Constituency assistance in Bayview Woods-Steeles, Hillcrest Village, & Shawnee Park. Audrey.Jiang@toronto.ca 416-392-4176 Shailyn Syrette Constituency Assistant Contact for: Constituency assistance in Bayview Village, Henry Farm, & Don Valley Village (west of Don Mills). Mariam.Khatambakhsh@toronto.ca 416-338-2654 Mariam Khatambakhsh Constituency Assistant Contact for: Constituency assistance in Bayview Village, Henry Farm, & Don Valley Village (west of Don Mills). Mariam.Khatambakhsh@toronto.ca 416-338-2654 Laksavi Rajakumar Constituency Assistant Contact for: Community Event Coordination, Summer Celebration, Volunteer Management Laksavi.Rajakumar@toronto.ca 416-338-2712

Participatory Budgeting PB 2023: Bayview Village A huge thank you to everyone who came out to vote in our Bayview Village Participatory Budgeting process! I am excited to announce the results of our vote day. In total, all of the projects on the ballot received 396 votes! The winning projects are: Improved Pathway in Blue Ridge Park: $90,000 Improved Stairs at Clarinda Park: $100,000 Fitness Equipment at Clarinda Park: $100,000 Bayview Village Street Signs: $70,000 Improved Seating at Rean Park: $15,000 Improved Planters at Bayview Village Entrances: $20,000 Improved Seating at Bayview Village Park: $15,000 Additional Benches at Elkhorn Park: $10,000 Historical Plaque at Thomas Clarke House: $10,000 A special thanks goes out to our project champions who helped spread the word about the PB process and brought so many neighbours out to our vote days. Moving forward, my office and I will be working with City staff to action the winning projects. Any and all updates will be communicated via my weekly E-Blast. If you have any questions about these results, please contact my office at councillor_carroll@toronto.ca . Participatory Budgeting: Frequently Asked Questions Who can vote in PB? How do I vote? What if I'm not able to attend the voting days?? How will you announce the results? Each Participatory Budgeting process has its own geographic boundaries. For example, the most recent PB process was open to a ny residents ages 14 and older living in Bayview Village (south of Finch Avenue, east of Bayview Avenue, west of Leslie Street, North of the 401). For each PB process, we will specify the boundaries in which you are eligible to vote. Voting takes place in-person. Voting only takes place in person. We try to host multiple Vote Days to give community members as much flexibility as possible, and hope that this will ensure community members are able to participate. We announce voting results on social media, in Shelley's weekly E-Blast, and collect emails on vote day to share the result with each voter via e-mail. Past Successful Projects Revitalizing the Clydesdale Park Playground (Complete) Adding Pollinator Gardens in Two Local Parks (Complete) Sheppard Avenue Boulevard Improvements (In Progress) Adding a Cabana and Benches in Muirhead Park (In Progress) 2022

Meet Shelley Shelley got her start in politics as a parent-advocate when she saw the detrimental effects that education cuts were having on her own children. Her tireless defence of public education led her to be elected as a School Board Trustee in 2000 and earned her a Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal. Shelley was first elected to City Council in 2003. In 2006, Shelley was elected by her peers to serve as Chair of the Budget Committee. She utilized her financial background to deliver four balanced budgets in the thick of the global financial crisis, making Toronto financially sustainable for the first time since amalgamation. As the City’s Budget Chief and Mayor’s Economic Development & Culture Champion, she plays a crucial role in delivering balanced budgets and facilitating a vibrant and inclusive economic and cultural recovery for the city. She currently serves as the Chair of the Toronto Police Service Board, overseeing Canada’s largest municipal police service. She also sits on the boards of Toronto Global and Destination Toronto, with a focus on attracting talent, investment, and visitors to one of North America’s fastest growing and most exciting cities Shelley’s first and foremost duty is to her constituents. She has been a proud champion of increasing opportunities for direct democracy in her ward, including implementing Toronto’s first-ever Participatory Budgeting process. Shelley has secured a number of improvements for her community, including new park amenities, affordable housing units, numerous traffic and pedestrian safety upgrades, and the Ethennonnhawahstihnen’ Community Centre—the first recreation centre and library branch in Toronto to be named in collaboration with the Huron-Wendat Nation. She also negotiated the creation of the Parkway Forest Community Centre and expansions to the Fairview and Pleasant View libraries. Shelley’s focus for this term is to continue working hand-in-hand with the community to build a Don Valley North that is liveable and affordable for generations to come.