Search this site

Coalition wants legislation to keep units no warmer than 26 C

In the Parkway Forest pocket of North York, a row of well-kept three-storey townhomes is slated to be demolished, making room for a higher-density residential tower.

As we enter what I like to call “festival season”, I’m posing a question to you, readers: Do the arts need Toronto, or does Toronto need the arts? In my view, the answer is clear—it’s both. It is no accident that almost every nation’s most vibrant arts communities are in core cities. No matter what discipline of arts and culture you’re in, you need busy places to build audiences, develop talent, grow institutions, and be inspired by one another. But it works both ways. Cities also need artists—to help us grow our economy and drive tourism, but also to help build connection, understanding, and a shared identity for Torontonians. This week, I want to take a deep dive into Toronto’s arts and culture sector and highlight just how important this work is to our city. While major cities are home to the largest arts communities, we know that creative people can spring up from anywhere—some of our most revered artists hail from small towns around the world. Eventually, though, creatives need to be amongst other creatives. This is central to why a city needs the arts. When we think of “creatives”, we usually think about people working in film, television, dance, theatre, visual arts, music… but the reality is, every enterprise requires creativity. Whether you’re building new information systems in banking, designing mobility networks, testing out new retail products, or running a government, you need creative thinkers. You also need a thriving arts scene to keep those creative juices flowing and inspire visionaries in every field. Access to arts and culture is a major consideration when companies decide whether to locate in Toronto. Every CEO knows that creative cities with a thriving arts and culture scene provide access to the most exciting talent. The arts scene is also a big factor in attracting major conferences, which shine a spotlight on Toronto and provide a huge boost to our tourism numbers. Here at the City, we couple economic development and culture in one division because we know just how strong this relationship is. Since the beginning of 2023, I’ve been co-chairing a panel of leaders in the arts and culture sector to work on our next ten-year Culture Plan. We have fantastic partners at the table, all of whom have done a great job distilling the challenges being faced across the sector: audience patterns are different, investor behaviour is different, and creatives are finding it increasingly difficult to afford the city. We need to do all we can to make sure our arts and culture sector thrives. We know that for every $1 we invest in the arts, we get back at least $8 in economic benefits. We just need to make sure we are spending effectively for impact and growth. That’s part of the reason the City is developing the Culture Plan and revamping other programs that support arts and culture in our city. A particular focus right now is supporting our city’s wide variety of festivals. Between the sustained impacts of the pandemic and rising costs across the board, many festivals are facing significant challenges this season. We know how essential these events are to our city’s cultural landscape, and the significant economic activity and long-term interest they generate in Toronto. We will be announcing a program shortly that is designed to provide immediate financial support to festivals, allowing them to stabilize their operations and continue their impactful programming in 2024. Our new Culture Plan will be drafted and presented to Council early in the fall. In the meantime, the arts never stop. That is especially true at this time of year, when dozens of festivals and hundreds of performances electrify our city.  Here are a few ways to get out and enjoy our incredible arts and culture scene this summer: Luminato 2024 just kicked off last night and is running until June 16th. Founded in 2007 by David Pecaut and Tony Gagliano, Luminato is an international arts festival dedicated to big, bold works of contemporary art that cut across traditional artistic boundaries. It was originally created to help Toronto rebuild after the SARS epidemic. Today, Luminato is one of Canada’s most active, commissioning over 100 new works across disciplines. We’re quite fortunate to have significant Provincial support for this festival, and the incredible vision of CEO Celia Smith and her Board. They know that the arts are essential to building stronger, more connected communities. Check out the link below and get your calendars out—you’re going to want to make Luminato plans. Nestled within Luminato this year is another fantastic event—the 50th anniversary celebration of the Toronto Arts Council (TAC) at Luminato in the Square. Each and every one of us should celebrate the TAC. This brilliant organization has continued to grow and adapt to support artists in every corner of the city for decades. TAC administers the majority of the City’s grants for creatives, and is very adept at raising funds from both the private sector and other orders of government. TAC is a large part of why our culture sector is very much a community, and one where everyone roots for its collective success. Their birthday party on June 13th is a can’t-miss event and will be packed with present and future stars of the Toronto arts scene. Another major festival this month is Pride. When you think about Pride month, you might only think about the annual parade, but the festival is so much more. For the entire month of June, you can enjoy dozens of visual art installations, performance pieces, and the fabulous Inside Out Film Festival. Your attendance at any of these artistic experiences helps strengthen the incredible community of queer artists who call Toronto home and contribute to our city’s vibrancy and identity. If you still like to enjoy your arts happenings online, consider TJFF, the Toronto Jewish Film Festival. The main festival is running until June 9 and offers both in-person and virtual showings. TJFF also has offerings all year round. I recently downloaded their collection of free short films, and found everything from the darkly funny The Anne Frank Gift Shop to the uniquely beautiful yet painful animated short Pisces. And don’t forget, our major film festival is just around the corner. The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) will begin to announce their festival lineup soon. As I mentioned earlier in the column, you can also find dozens of street festivals in every corner of our city in the weeks ahead. Festivals like Taste of Lawrence, Taste of Little Italy, and Taste of Manila have incredible food to try while enjoying cultural arts, music, and dance. The Na Me Res Pow Wow and Indigenous Arts Festival marks Indigenous Peoples Month, and highlights Indigenous arts, craft, dance, and more. Afrofest and Salsa on St. Clair are two other favourites that are always a blast. I’ll leave you with one last thought: Our arts sector and our city don’t just need each other, they also need you. Arts would be nothing without audiences, so be sure to get out this summer and dive into the incredible array of arts and cultural offerings here in Toronto.

Renters in Toronto are sweltering in their apartments as the weather heats up, but city bylaws to switch off heating are based on a specific date rather than temperature.

City Council wrapped up another busy session last week. We considered everything from expanding housing options in neighbourhoods to a strategy for e-bikes and e-scooters. Read on for updates on the most important items we tackled: City of Toronto’s 2024 Corporate Asset Management Plan I know a Corporate Asset Management Plan (AMP) doesn’t sound very exciting, but as your Budget Chief I can assure you it is extremely important. Essentially, the AMP spells out exactly how much we need to invest in our existing city infrastructure (things like parks, community centres, transit, community housing, libraries, and more) to protect the services you expect and rely on. This is part of our constant work to find savings and reinvest strategically to deliver smart financial management for the people of Toronto. While this is a great tool for the City, the AMP makes it very clear that we need greater partnership from the Provincial and Federal governments. The New Deal reached with the Province last year was a great start, but we are still staring down a significant state-of-good-repair backlog—the plan identifies an investment gap of about $2.6 billion per year. As I’ve written about time and time again, Toronto needs a new funding formula to keep our city in good shape. In the absence of that, our other orders of government need to step up and provide greater partnership just to continue delivering the level of service we offer today, let alone improve that service. Procurement Policy Updates Every year, the City invests a considerable amount of money into our core infrastructure like roads, bridges, and sewers. As part of our ongoing work to improve services and find financial efficiencies, Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie and I met with some of the larger construction groups who bid on and deliver these projects. We discussed opportunities to both speed up the delivery of projects and save money in the process. Their suggestion: the City could save big by adjusting the timing of our tendering process. Right now, we take successful suppliers through a long meeting cycle—this not only costs us money, but sometimes discourages good firms from bidding on our work. Deputy Mayor McKelvie moved an important motion that will have staff report back on suggested improvements for savings ASAP so that we can deliver better results for Torontonians. A Micromobility Strategy for Toronto Council took a long look at what we call “micromobility devices”, with a focus on e-bikes, cargo bikes, and e-scooters. I’ve included a chart below that shows where each of these micromobility devices are allowed: E-scooters remain the only vehicle that are technically not permitted anywhere. This isn’t stopping thousands of Torontonians from riding them daily. While we’re still awaiting Provincial rules on e-scooters, I believe we should proactively decide what rules we want to see in force. First and foremost, we need to get e-scooters off sidewalks. This is one of the top complaints I hear from neighbours across the ward. I also want a mandatory helmet rule to ensure these vehicles are safe. As we wait to hear from the Province, I hope to see Council take a more proactive approach to e-scooters going forward. Revised Free-Floating Car-Share Program Free-floating car-share is a service where people can pick up a car in one part of the city and drop it off somewhere else. Currently, the only company providing this service in Toronto is Communauto and the service is mostly limited to downtown and East York. This item considers expanding the service city-wide. It got deferred, but I want to bring it to your attention now because it’s something we have to keep an eye on. You all know well that it is currently illegal to park for more than three hours or overnight on any street in North York. It’s what makes our snow removal system work smoothly, particularly windrow clearing (you can’t clear a windrow with cars parked on either side of a driveway). These parking rules are also what our roads were designed around. If free-floating car share companies expand to the inner suburbs of our city, those rules would change. Free-floating rental cars would be exempt from the three-hour and overnight parking bylaws—the current proposal is to allow them to park on a street for up to 72 hours. I love car share services, and often use them myself when I’m traveling. However, I’m concerned about this ask. We need to have a bigger conversation in the suburbs about whether we want to adapt our street parking rules. City staff are currently working on a separate Parking Strategy for Toronto, and we should include this car-share discussion in that strategy to make sure it works with our overall parking goals. That debate will happen later this year, and I’ll be sure to share another update then. EHON: Major Streets Study – Final Report Back in October, I wrote a column about the Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods (EHON) initiative. I focused on the component that would allow small apartments on major streets (like Bayview Ave, Steeles Ave, etc.) to make sure you had a chance to take part in community consultations about the proposed changes. The final report passed handily at Council. Small apartment buildings of up to 60 units will now be permitted on major streets, with affordable housing considered wherever possible. In my speech at Council, I reminded Councillors that we were not considering something new. We’ve had buildings like this included on major streets since the fifties—we simply stopped building them for the last 45 years. I showed examples from my October E-Blast and reminded everyone how essential it is that we create a range of housing options to tackle our housing crisis for current and future generations. Requesting the Province to Create Safety Zones Around Places of Worship, Faith-Based Schools and Vulnerable Community Social Infrastructure We are continuing to see an alarming rise in antisemitism, and I’ve heard from many members of our Jewish community who feel terrified going out into our city. This is especially true after the horrific attack on a Jewish school last weekend. We all need to band together to put a stop to this. On a motion from Councillor Matlow, the City Manager will develop an urgent action plan to fully utilize all resources the City has at our disposal to fight this growing problem. I supported Councillor Matlow’s motion as the original motion only requested that Council write a letter to the Province asking them to take more action. While we do need to see more from our Provincial and Federal partners, we are Toronto City Council—we need to direct the City to take stronger action on the parts of the response that are within the City’s power. I trust that this work will help us do our part to stamp out antisemitism and all forms of hatred in our city.

With the weather we’ve had this week, it feels like we’re already in the thick of summer. One of my favourite things to do to beat the heat while still enjoying the sunshine is to head down into Don Valley North’s incredible system of ravines. Walking along the trails by the East Don or up along Newtonbrook Creek, you really feel like you’ve gotten away from the city. Our ravines are an incredible asset to our neighbourhoods and our city, and one we must protect. Last week, the Don Valley North team embarked on a hike through our entire ravine network to check on the various projects underway and make sure everything is in order along the trails. The team started down at the Betty Sutherland trail at Sheppard and Leslie, and hiked all the way up through the East Don Parkland to Steeles and Leslie before making their way down the Duncan Creek Trail. Today, I want to share a few updates on what the team saw and the work happening to preserve these treasured spaces for generations to come. Betty Sutherland Trail The Betty Sutherland Trail is at the southernmost point of our ward, and continues down past the highway over towards Don Mills Road and York Mills Road. It’s named for a former North York & Metro Toronto Councillor and member of an early version of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. Betty Sutherland was deeply devoted to protecting our greenspaces and creating better recreation opportunities for the people of Toronto, and this trail is a wonderful testament to her legacy. Typically, this trail is frequented by hundreds of pedestrians and cyclists. You may notice that it’s a bit quieter than usual in this part of the ravine these days. The trail is currently closed where it dips below the 401. The Provincial Ministry of Transportation is doing rehabilitation work on the overpass, and the closure is slated to be in effect through to 2026. Below are photos of the signage currently in place along the trail: I know this closure has created a significant disruption for thousands of pedestrians and cyclists who frequent this trail. Last June, I moved a motion at City Council to call on the Province to explore more solutions to this closure, as trail users are currently being pushed out onto major streets. This is significantly more dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians alike. Unfortunately, City Council has not seen any substantial progress from the Ministry of Transportation on this issue over the past year. Rest assured that I am monitoring this closure closely, and I hope that our Provincial partners will take greater action to mitigate this disruption to our trail system. East Don Ravine Next, let’s head up to the East Don Ravine. Our portion here in Don Valley North spans the entire length of the ward, running from Sheppard all the way up to Steeles. There is a major project going on at the south end of the East Don Ravine near Sheppard and Leslie that has closed a small portion of the trail, from Sheppard up to just north of Marowyne Drive. The main purpose of this work is to replace and install new sewer connections to service the surrounding area. You may remember me writing about the need for greater sewer capacity along Sheppard Avenue East a few summers back. With all the development happening along this corridor, it was essential that the work be done ASAP. Work commenced in September 2021 and is expected to wrap up at the end of next year. Whenever a major project is undertaken, the City looks to see what other work can be bundled in. This not only saves us money, it also ensures the shortest possible disruption for the community. In this case, that includes the removal of an old concrete weir and, more importantly, the stabilization of the river channel. Erosion has taken its toll on this portion of the Don River, and the riverbed needs to be stabilized to both protect the river itself and prevent the new sewer system from becoming exposed to the elements. The project team recently shared some great pictures of the work underway: Recent photos of the work in the East Don Parkland, including the application of topsoil (left) and laying the asphalt base layer along the multi-use path (right). The project is progressing nicely, and I look forward to the community enjoying the results of this work once it’s complete. Newtonbrook Creek & German Mills Creek As you head north along the Don River, it forks off into Newtonbrook Creek (south of Finch) and German Mills Creek (north of Finch). Both of these creeks are currently the subject of Geomorphic Systems Master Plans (GSMPs), which is a fancy way of saying the City is studying both creeks and developing long-term plans to protect them from erosion and other ecological challenges. I wrote about these studies in detail this past fall, if you’d like a refresher. The DVN team walked along both of these creeks to make sure everything was in order. Unlike the other projects that close off portions of the ravine, the GSMPs won’t impact your trail access. They may recommend work down the road that requires some trail impacts, but for now you can continue to enjoy unfettered access to these stretches of our ravine system. Duncan Creek The team ended their hike by walking along the newly rehabilitated Duncan Creek. Neighbours will remember that this portion of our ravine system was closed a few years back to complete a major restoration project. It’s wonderful to see Don Valley Northerners enjoying the new-and-improved trail. There is one final piece of this project, and it’s one that you can take part in. The City is hosting a tree planting event in Duncan Creek Park on Sunday, June 16 from 10 AM to 12 PM. This event is taking place as part of Pollinator Week, and it’s a great chance to learn more about our local ecosystems while helping keep our city green. You can learn more about this event at the link below: No matter what part of the ward you live in, our extensive network of ravines, trails and parks is never far away. If you’re out for a hike or a bike ride and notice any issues, never hesitate to reach out to my office and let us know. Don Valley North residents are often the first to notice problems in our ravines, and by sharing those with me and my team we can make sure staff start working to fix them straight away. As we continue to move into the warmer months, be sure to get the family out and enjoy all our Don Valley North greenspaces have to offer.

One of the things I love most about Don Valley North is our gorgeous ravine system. No matter what neighbourhood you live in, you’re never more than a couple of kilometres away from a beautiful trail that really makes you feel like you’re outside of the city. There are many things we need to preserve here in Toronto for our kids and grandkids, and our sensitive green spaces are high on the list. The City is hard at work taking proactive steps to protect our ravines for generations to come. Some of that work is underway right here in Don Valley North. A few weeks back, I attended a walking community consultation in German Mills Creek just south of Steeles Avenue and Leslie Street. Next week, another walking consultation will take place in Newtonbrook Creek. These are just two of the five Geomorphic Systems Master Plans (GSMPs) taking place across Toronto’s ravine system. These plans are essential to the long-term health of our ravine system, and by extension the health of our whole city. To understand the full importance of this work, let’s take a look at German Mills Creek: Many of us stroll through these ravine trails so often and are so used to seeing things a certain way we don’t even realize we’re looking at an infrastructure failure. Take another look at that picture. The cement structure in the foreground, to the right of the bridge, is actually a sanitary sewer maintenance hole, which is used to access the sewer system for maintenance. The creek has eroded so severely that the maintenance hole structure is totally exposed. Normally, only the top of the structure should be visible. If not protected, this could act as a weak point for the sewer system and cause it to break over time. Quite visibly, the banks have greatly eroded and widened the creek. Our creeks and streams really are integral to the broader health of our city. On the environmental front, stream erosion affects natural habitats both in the stream and in the surrounding ravine. Erosion also affects the ability of our ravines to transport storm water and help us be resilient against severe weather events. Of course, our ravines are also so important to the health of our population, both because of the recreational benefits they provide and their ability to absorb heat. The City has a great presentation that shows just how essential streams are to our urban landscape and explains how the City goes about protecting them. You can check it out below: Unfortunately, erosion has been on the rise recently. The higher frequency of storms and severe weather events has caused substantial erosion damage to sewers and watermains located in and near Toronto’s ravines and streams. This erosion damage can: Destabilize the soil near sewers and watermains Expose or break buried sewers and watermains Damage storm outfalls, erosion control structures, the bottom or banks of the watercourse This photo shows a clear example of erosion in a Toronto ravine. We’re blessed to have three major watercourses here in Don Valley North: Duncan Creek, German Mills Creek, and Newtonbrook Creek. All three of them are threatened by erosion. I am so grateful not just for the work our city is doing but also the work of our local residents to protect these spaces. Each of these ravines is very well-monitored by the community. I want to give a special shout-out to the Newtonbrook Nature Stewards who are hard at work removing invasive plant species from Newtonbrook Creek and are always the first to report any other issues they see in the ravine. We've already seen a full restoration of our local Duncan Creek. Thanks to the hard work of City staff, the creek has been stabilized and there is a new, state-of-the-art trail for residents of all ages to enjoy. While that project was underway, my team made a helpful video that showed the scope of this work and just how important it is to our local ecosystem. You can check it out here: A video explaining the Duncan Creek Restoration Project. A photo of the completed Duncan Creek Restoration. As you can see, the river bed has been stabilized and a lovely new path has been installed right next to the stream. In terms of the work ahead, the Geomorphic Systems Master Plans (GSMPs) for both German Mills Creek and Newtonbrook Creek are underway. Both studies will identify sewer and watermain infrastructure that is at risk of erosion and recommend solutions to protect the creeks and prevent future impact. The recommendations of the GSMPs will be implemented over several years. It’s important to note that at this time, the GSMPs will not examine trail conditions or recommend improvements to trails and other ravine amenities. The erosion and watercourse redirection work must come first. You can learn more about the projects here: While the consultation for the German Mills Creek GSMP already took place, it's not too late to learn all about the Newtonbrook Creek GSMP. There is a site walk and public drop-in event happening next week (Wednesday, October 18) where you can learn more about the project, ask questions, and share your feedback with staff. I'll be there with my team and hope to see you there as well. Click the button below for the full details: I also want to say a brief word about other ravine work going near Newtonbrook Creek at the north end of Blue Ridge Road. Neighbours and trail walkers will already be aware that there is a slope stabilization project underway at the ravine slope on the south side of Blue Ridge Creek. This is unrelated to the City of Toronto's geomorphic study. Slope stabilization work sometimes happens on an urgent basis. The Toronto Regional Conservation Authority (TRCA) constantly monitors this area of ravine management. When multi-government funding is available, they act as quickly as possible. This is just one example of how multiple authorities can work together to protect our ravines, watercourses, and our enjoyment of these natural amenities. The TRCA does urgent maintenance, Toronto Water and Engineering Services conduct the GSMPs mentioned above, Toronto Parks works to provide enjoyment features such as trails, paths, and bridges, and our own local residents animate the ravine spaces and let us know where and when work needs to be done. Our local ravines are the perfect place to enjoy the fall colours. My thanks go out again to folks across Don Valley North who keep in touch with my office to ensure that our natural spaces are taken care of. I look forward to continuing to work together to preserve these beautiful spaces and help make Don Valley North the best it can be, now and decades into the future.

Last week, I joined Mayor Chow on a film mission to Los Angeles. Toronto’s Film Commissioner, Marguerite Pigott, puts together this mission every year. Toronto’s screen industry generates billions of dollars of economic activity for our city and region. It’s essential that we push hard to bring more projects and investment each year, and this annual film mission is the linchpin of our operation. This was my first mission with Mayor Chow, and I wanted to share some highlights of our work to keep growing Toronto’s economy and create meaningful job opportunities for our growing population. The “screen industry” refers to the film, television, and other digital media productions like advertising and game development that are central to our city’s economy. For many years now, the screen industry has been a particular focus of both Toronto and Ontario’s approaches to economic development. The industry represents $2.5 billion in direct spending in our local economy each year and employs over 35,000 skilled workers. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Our sector is unique in that 70% of the business comes to us from our neighbours to the south. Hollywood producers come up north to use Toronto and Ontario as the backdrop to their productions. Our city has been home base for Oscar-winners (The Shape of Water), Emmy-winners (The Handmaid’s Tale), popular streaming series (The Umbrella Academy), and so much more. This not only contributes significantly to the $2.5 billion in direct spending, it also results in indirect jobs, benefits, and tax revenues for the region. Is it any wonder that the Premier said he wants to see our screen industry grow to $5 billion annually as soon as possible? What about the other 30% of the business? That is the part that helps put Toronto on the world stage and build a sense of cultural pride here in Canada. 30% of our screen industry represents domestic products that are written, created, and produced locally, but make no mistake—they are enjoyed widely and allow us to be proud of our Canadian identity. Shows like Schitt’s Creek, Workin’ Moms, and Pretty Hard Cases, and feature films including Brother, Away from Her, The Sweet Hereafter, and even good old Duddy Kravitz not only make us proud here at home, they show Hollywood and the rest of the world that Toronto is full of creative genius and technical expertise. This brings me back to our mission: putting Toronto on the big screen and the world stage. Every year, we lead a delegation of industry partners down to Los Angeles to meet with studio investors and learn how keep Toronto competitive. This year, that delegation included a very film-friendly Mayor who is continuing the longstanding tradition of supporting Toronto’s screen industry. We saw significant growth in Toronto’s studio capacity during the terms of Mayor Tory and Mayor Miller, and we have another campus in the works in the Port Lands district. Our meetings were very positive. I was part of the political delegation that included Mayor Chow and Councillor Fletcher, and we had many productive meetings with studio head offices to pitch Toronto as the ideal location for every step of the production process. At the same time, the industry partners that travelled with us took meetings with a variety of studio officials in speciality areas of production, including post-production, visual effects (VFX), animation and more. In the evenings, we all came together and compared notes to capture everything that would be useful to shape our screen strategy once we returned home. The biggest takeaway from our mission is that there will be many more US productions coming to Toronto and Ontario, and a big reason is the additional studio space we’ve created. What we need to focus on now is workforce development. We have a good track record of developing skilled film workers that stack up against the workforce they have down south, but we need to train more as the industry continues to expand. When you think of workforce development for the screen industry, you might be picturing camera operators and animators. We need those, but we need back of office jobs too. If anyone has sat through the credits of a movie to catch a bonus scene at the end, you’ll know that there are thousands of names listed for any production. There really is limitless potential for workforce development in the screen industry. Jobs like production accountants are essential to the production process, and you can be trained up in as little as a year. Once you’re in, you also get to learn about the other behind-the-scenes roles that make movie magic happen. These are the kinds of living-wage job opportunities that we must work hard to secure for both current residents and future generations of Torontonians. After two mission days of covering the studio district, I took off my Film Board hat and put on my Toronto Global hat. I joined the Mayor for a day of meetings with Los Angeles businesses outside of Hollywood. Toronto Global works year-round to attract businesses from every industry to our city and region. When we can bring the mayor of Canada’s largest city along with us, it always enlivens the response we get. We met with venture capitalists and tech firms, and Mayor Chow made a great pitch on behalf of our world-class, diverse, and well-educated workforce. She also pressed on the need for green investing and active housing development. One meeting with Toronto Global was especially exciting for me as your Don Valley North Councillor. We met with a firm called Phonexa that offers a full suite of tech tools to support business marketing. It just so happens that the young entrepreneurs who started this firm are Armenian and know our local Armenian community well. It was a pleasure to meet with their CEO, Lilit Davtyan, and Chief Creative Officer, Armen Karaoghlanian, to learn more about their plans to open a Toronto office. Armen wrote his Masters on the films of Atom Egoyan, a renowned Armenian-Canadian filmmaker, so he already has one very good friend in town. Now, he has two more in Mayor Chow and me. Toronto Global will be working hard to help Phonexa get established in Toronto. These missions really do serve our city. This year, Toronto was ranked as the number one “Best Place to Live and Work as a Movie Maker” by MovieMaker Magazine, in recognition of our excellent crews, beautiful locations, and vast studio space. This accolade is due in no small part to the tireless work of our city staff, who work year-round to put Toronto on the world stage. I want to thank them for coordinating a well-oiled and highly effective mission this year. The Film Commissioner’s team kept us moving constantly, as did the team at Toronto Global. Not a single minute was wasted, and I know that’s what you expect. The more we do to promote our city, the better able we are to attract new business and employ our growing population. This mission to Los Angeles truly “set the stage” for thousands of job opportunities, billions in economic activity, and a true sense of Canadian pride. I can’t wait to see what the Toronto screen industry puts out next.

This week, I want to give you an update on development applications currently being considered here in Don Valley North. As regular E-Blast readers know, I share updates on applications as they move through the development process at the end of my column. I thought it would be helpful to round up all of the information and put it in one place. Creating new housing is essential to addressing our housing crisis. At the same time, we must never abandon the principles of good planning. We’re operating under new rules from the Provincial government, as I’ve written about in this column in the past, but rest assured that I am continuously working to ensure new applications deliver the best possible results for our neighbourhoods. Many of these applications are going through resubmission, and here at the City we’ve noticed that applicants are taking their time resubmitting while they monitor a volatile economy. I’ll be sure to continue to keep you up-to-date as these applications evolve. I'm sending this blast out as we continue to power through another busy Council agenda. I’ll be sharing the Council Highlights in my next E-Blast column. Updates are grouped by neighbourhood Bayview Village Concord Park Place Concord Park Place is a multi-tower condo complex that is currently under construction in our ward. The complex is located south of Sheppard Avenue East between Bessarion Road and Leslie Street, and includes a number of buildings already under construction. Proposal: Block 7 (1001 Sheppard Ave) proposes 36- and 46-storey mixed-use buildings with 860 units. 1125 Sheppard Ave E proposes 36- and 40- storey mixed-use buildings with 950 units. Status: Applications submitted on March 28, 2024. Under review by City staff. Concord’s Park Place Masterplan was approved by the Provincial Tribunal in 2013. Blocks 11 (29 and 18 storeys with 330 units), 12 (36 and 33 storeys with 362 units), and 15 (31, 27, 19 storeys with 990 units) are currently under construction. Details: The applications propose two mixed-use developments, one with 36- and 46-storey residential towers on a shared 5-storey podium and another with 36- and 40-storey towers on a shared 6-storey podium. It also proposes a 4,618 square metre TCDSB elementary school and a new school yard within Block 18. A 665 square metre public park is proposed at the southeast corner of the site, with a landscaped mid-block connection from Sheppard Avenue to Singer Court. City Planner: Michael Romero - Michael.Romero@toronto.ca 11 Greenbriar Proposal: A 4-storey residential building with 30 units. Community Consultation: Held in March 2022. Status: Under review by City staff. Awaiting resubmission from applicant. City Planner: Michael Romero - Michael.Romero@toronto.ca 23-29 Greenbriar Proposal: A 9-storey residential building with 171 units, 24 of which will be purpose-built rentals. Community Consultation: Held in June 2022. Status: Staff provided comments to the applicant in May 2023. Awaiting resubmission from applicant. City Planner: Michael Romero - Michael.Romero@toronto.ca 589 Sheppard Proposal: A 14-storey mixed-use building with 160 units. This application also proposes the relocation of Thomas Clark House (a heritage building) to front on Sheppard Avenue East. Community Consultation: Held in June 2021. Status: Under review by City staff. Awaiting resubmission from the applicant. City Planner: Michael Romero - Michael.Romero@toronto.ca Don Valley Village 44 Appian Drive Proposal: A new 2-storey school for Conseil Scolaire Viamonde (A public French-language elementary school). Status: Under review by City staff. City Planner: Ingrid Fung - Ingrid.Fung@toronto.ca 2500 Don Mills Original Proposal: Two towers of 30 and 39 storeys atop a four-storey podium, consisting of 823 units and 982 square metres of retail at-grade. Current Proposal (Resubmission): Two towers of 52 and 43 storeys atop a six-storey podium, consisting of 1,167 units and 1036.5 square metres of retail at-grade. Community Consultation: Held in July 2022. Status: Under review by City staff. Applicant resubmitted in October 2023 after initial applications were appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal in February 2023. City Planner: Jenny Choi - Jenny.Choi@toronto.ca 5 Fairview Mall Proposal: Two residential towers of 36 and 31 storeys, connected by a 5-storey office podium. The existing 4-storey medical office would be retained in its entirety and the amount of medical office space on site would increase from 8000 square metres to over 18,000 square metres. Community Consultation: Held in January 2023. Status: Under review by City staff. City Planner: Michelle Charkow – Michelle.Charkow@toronto.ca Fairview Mall (1800 Sheppard) Original Proposal: Masterplan concept of 12 buildings between 18 and 52 storeys with approximately 4500 units and three new public parks over four phases. No existing buildings would be demolished. The first phase proposes three buildings of 38, 48, and 58 storeys containing 1,416 residential units Current Proposal (Resubmission): Masterplan concept of 12 buildings between 18 and 52 storeys with approximately 4500 units and three new public parks over four phases. No existing buildings would be demolished. The first phase proposes three buildings of 38, 45, and 52 storeys containing 1,323 residential units. Community Consultation: Held in July 2022. Shelley’s advocacy for greater community engagement resulted in two community open houses in March 2023. City Planning will be meeting with Cadillac Fairview and local stakeholders in May. Status: Under review by City staff. Applicant resubmitted in September 2023. Shelley directed City Planning staff to work with the applicant to resolve issues with the application, including the need for more affordable housing, parkland, and a street network. City Planner: Michelle Charkow – Michelle.Charkow@toronto.ca Parkway Forest 123 Parkway Forest Proposal: A 29-storey residential building with 339 units and five three-storey townhouses to replace existing townhouses. Community Consultation: Held in February 2022. Status: Under review by City staff. Awaiting resubmission from the applicant. City Planner: Leila Mirriahi - Leila.Mirriahi@toronto.ca Bayview Woods-Steeles 6 Foxdale Court Original Proposal: Five (5) two-storey detached dwellings fronting onto a public road with a cul-de-sac design. Current Proposal (Resubmission): Six (6) two-storey residential detached dwellings fronting a new private road with a hammerhead design. Community Consultation: Held in March 2024. Status: Applicant resubmitted in December 2023. Under review by City staff. City Planner: Diana Steinberg - Diana.Steinberg@toronto.ca If you have questions about any of these proposals or applications in Don Valley North that have already been approved, please don’t hesitate to contact my office. You can also find more details about all of these applications and more at the City's Application Information Centre:

At our last City Council session, Mayor Chow appointed me to the Toronto Police Service Board (TPSB). It is the second time in my career serving on the Board. I first joined the TPSB at the end of 2014, along with newly elected Mayor John Tory, and sat there until spring 2018. It remains some of my most challenging and rewarding work to this day. Back then, there were a number of challenging matters in progress at the Board. High tensions were swirling around the TPSB and the Toronto Police Service itself. Two damning third-party reports had just been released: One regarding the events of G20 and another on mental heath response fatalities. These reports raised the question of how the Police Service and the Board should work together to deliver community safety. Looming over everything was the unresolved and painful issue of non-investigative carding, which predominantly targeted thousands of young Black men. Today, there are new tensions confronting policing and police board governance. There is also the implementation of the new Provincial Community Safety and Policing Act, which updates policing policies across Ontario and directs local police boards to develop specific new policies to best serve their unique communities. Of course, the slate is not clean from my last term on the TPSB either—some notable recommendations from those old reports have yet to be implemented. As I start this work with the present-day Toronto Police Service Board, it seems like a good time for us to discuss exactly what a police board is and what it is not. In Ontario, police boards are kind of like city councils. Mayors and councillors don’t directly run the city—the public service runs operations while the mayor and council provide strategic direction, overseeing policy, budget, and accountability mechanisms for all of the services paid for by your taxes. Similarly, police boards don’t directly run police services. They provide policy and strategic direction to the chief of police and their service. They also ensure that policing is kept accountable through a number of mechanisms prescribed under the Provincial Act. I want to make it clear that police boards do not directly handle specific complaints or investigations about police conduct. Those are handled by an independent Provincial agency called the Law Enforcement Complaints Agency (LECA) and a couple of other bodies. I’ve provided more information on these oversight mechanisms at the bottom of the column. If you have concerns about specific police incidents or operations, that is where you should direct them. One of the reports I mentioned above is the “Independent Civilian Review into Matters Relating to the G20 Summit” by the Honourable John W. Morden. Justice Morden was a retired Court of Appeal Judge with a storied history of handling civil rights cases that dates back to the 1970s. In conducting his review of the Toronto Police Service’s conduct during the G20 Summit, Justice Morden found he had to examine the entire relationship between police boards and police services. It was imperative that he determined exactly which role each played, or should have played, in the events of the G20 back in the summer of 2010. He suggested that while it is true that police boards do not direct the day-to-day operations of police forces, they should provide strategic direction for operations. In the case of extraordinary events such as the G20, with the whole world watching, police boards need information to provide strategic advice to the chief of police. This need for information sharing is exactly why police boards and police services can’t exist in totally separate silos. They must intertwine. In his report, Morden set out a “Consultation Protocol” to guide interactions between the TPSB and the Chief of Police, which is made up of three elements: Information exchange between the Board and Chief of Police Identifying the “critical points” Board collaboration in defining the ‘what,’ but not the ‘how,’ of an operation This protocol has been referred to in many subsequent reports and inquiries into policing, including the Honourable Gloria Epstein’s report “Missing and Missed”, which was commissioned following the Bruce McArthur serial killer case, who targeted gay and bisexual men in Toronto for over seven years before being apprehended. I will use Justice Morden’s protocol to govern what I ask for in my time on the Police Board. Let’s go over each element. First: the exchange of information. Of course, there are statutory protections over information that must be kept confidential to ensure successful case resolutions and court outcomes. Beyond that, it is expected that the exchange of information between a police board and service is reciprocal. Police boards must be provided with appropriate operational information to support their policy-making function, and the chief of police must feel free to provide their opinion on any policy the board is considering. This dynamic makes it possible for both sides to address changing circumstances through policy and operational adjustments. The second element of the protocol is identifying “critical points”. At critical points in policing, police boards should seek and be presented with operational information. In 2012, Justice Morden cited examples such as hosting an internationally significant event, or something operationally significant such as introducing the use of tasers. At that time, Justice Morden recommended the Toronto Police Services Board and Toronto Police Service jointly develop a policy that clearly outlines what constitutes a “critical point” and how information is exchanged thereafter. A decade later, Justice Epstein criticized the Board and Service for not having set that policy yet—an error she suggested was a significant factor leading to the strategic and operational deficiencies that allowed McArthur to murder at least eight gay men before being caught. Thankfully, the Board adopted all of Justice Epstein’s recommendations, including to draft this policy. Two years later, I will be working to ensure the Board does so in a timely manner. The third element is board collaboration on the ‘what’ but not the ‘how’ of an operation. Justice Morden said that the Board needs operational information from the Chief of Police in order to determine the Toronto Police Service’s overall objectives and priorities during a particular operation, event, or issue. Our objectives and priorities should align with the community we serve. With the right information, a police board will develop policies that serve their community. When I joined the Board in 2014, Justice Morden’s report was guiding the TPSB as it grappled with the events of the G20, tragic persons in crisis shootings, and the grave issue of carding. I believe that both the Morden and Epstein reports should guide the TPSB and TPS now as we deal with challenges such as the City’s ability to pay for policing needs, the current protest environment, preparations for the 2026 World Cup, and all of the policy development necessary to comply with the new Community Safety and Policing Act. I will ask probing questions. Lots of them. These are not “gotcha” questions. I’ll always have respect for the answers that come back from the Service. In the environment envisioned by Justices Morden and Epstein, there should be trust on both sides. That is what allows the necessary exchange of information and, in turn, the strategic direction and policy that will allow the police to serve you best. There will be a role for you to play as well. Under the new Provincial policy, all police boards must update their strategic plans annually and consult the community and local city council while doing so. This change was adopted at my first Board meeting just last week, so I’ll be sure to share more information on how you can take part in that review in future E-Blasts. Of course, I’ll also keep you up to date on the goings on at the Board as all of this important work continues to unfold in the months ahead. As promised, here are details on the independent bodies that handle complaints about police conduct: The Law Enforcement Complaints Agency (LECA) The Law Enforcement Complaints Agency (LECA), formerly known as the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD), is responsible for receiving, managing, and overseeing public complaints about misconduct of police officers in Ontario. As a civilian, arm’s-length agency of the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General, their decisions are independent from the Ontario government, the police, and the community. The agency cannot investigate, recommend or lay criminal charges. The Inspectorate of Policing The Inspectorate of Policing (IOP) is a new arm’s-length entity established to meet the legislated mandate of the Inspector General of Policing of Ontario (IG) under the Community Safety and Policing Act. This entity is the first of its kind in Canada. The Inspector General and the Inspectorate of Policing will improve performance of police services, police service boards and organizations that employ special constables by: Responding to public complaints concerning adequate and effective police service delivery and allegations of police board member misconduct Examining performance of police services and boards through independent inspections, investigations, monitoring and advising Identifying effective performance and, where improvements are needed, using new enforcement tools uniquely available to the Inspector General, including issuing directions and imposing measures to ensure compliance with the CSPA and its regulations Imposing measures to ensure the provision of adequate and effective policing or in cases of a policing emergency Conducting data analysis and research through the Inspectorate’s Centre of Data Intelligence and Innovation to promote evidence-based actions and improvements Publicly reporting on the activities of the Inspector General The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) The mandate of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is to nurture confidence in Ontario’s police services by assuring the public that the actions of these officials resulting in serious injury, death, the discharge of a firearm at a person or an allegation of sexual assault are subjected to rigorous, independent investigations. Incidents which fall within this mandate must be reported to the SIU by the organization which employs the involved official and/or may be reported by any other person or organization. The objective of every SIU investigation is to determine whether there is evidence of criminal wrongdoing on the part of the official. It is not to determine whether the involved official(s) may have committed some lesser offense, such as a breach of a provincial law or professional misconduct.

Don Valley Northerners know that I’ve spent many a summer evening pitching my bright pink tent in our local parks and chatting with neighbours about the topic du jour. Back in summer 2021, that meant having lengthy conversations about rooming houses. Council was considering a proposal to legalize multi-tenant houses (the formal name for rooming houses) city-wide, and folks in Don Valley North had a lot of questions and some genuine concerns. I think back on those conversations regularly—they were instrumental in guiding my work to make sure the proposal that came to Council covered all the bases to be effective across our city, suburbs and downtown alike. In December 2022, one of the first things we did to kick off the new term of office was officially amend the Zoning Bylaws to allow multi-tenant houses across Toronto. This followed the consultations and discussions that took place during the previous term. Mayor John Tory was eager to get this bylaw through and start the process of bringing all rooming houses into compliance. After a year and a half of hard work from staff, I’m happy to share that the new framework for multi-tenant houses came into effect on March 31st, 2024. This is a monumental step in protecting the health and safety of thousands of tenants who have been living in unlicensed houses for years. Multi-tenant homes are an important part of our city’s housing supply—they’re significantly more affordable than a one-bedroom apartment or even a studio. These new rules also allow us to deal with many of the challenges neighbours have faced with multi-tenant houses over the years. Prior to City Council legalizing multi-tenant houses city-wide, they were only legal in certain parts of downtown. As many of you know, that only lead to illegal and dangerous rooming houses popping up in the rest of the city. These rooming houses largely started as a form of student housing around suburban university and college campuses, like Seneca College here in Don Valley North. Over time, they became a mix of student tenants and newcomers in search of affordable first accommodations. This is part of why it was so hard to enforce the rooming house ban in court—judges did not want to kick students and new Torontonians out onto the street without reasonable housing alternatives. Now, we have a framework in place that ensures multi-tenant houses are safer for both tenants and the surrounding neighbourhood. All operators of multi-tenant houses are now required to obtain a license from the City. If an operator doesn’t obtain a license or isn’t abiding by the new framework, we have tools to bring them into compliance. The new framework includes: Consistent standards for multi-tenant homes, including a maximum number of rooms and parking requirements Enhanced licensing requirements that promote health and safety for tenants An effective enforcement and compliance program, including a dedicated enforcement team, annual inspections, increased fines, a Multi-Tenant House Licensing Tribunal, and more A renovation program to support operators in bringing their properties up to standard, helping preserve affordable multi-tenant houses and protect affordability for renters A comprehensive communications strategy to educate owners, operators, tenants, and communities about the new regulations and resources available All of these tools work together to ensure multi-tenant houses can safely integrate into our neighbourhoods across Toronto. The regulations for the homes themselves were designed with many community concerns in mind, including parking, noise, waste, and more. I worked closely with Council colleagues to ensure that rooming houses in the suburbs were capped at six dwelling rooms per home to make sure they effectively integrate into our neighbourhoods. I have confidence that this framework is going to be a significant improvement from the unlicensed situations we’ve dealt with for so many years. There are many resources on the City’s website to help during this transition period, including a Multi-Tenant House Operator Guide to assist operators in obtaining their license and bringing their property into compliance. The City’s website is also helpful for folks who live near a rooming house. It can help you understand the new framework and the City’s approach to implementation over the next few years. If you’re a tenant currently living in a multi-tenant house, the City also has a dedicated webpage outlining your rights and connecting you with supports. Preserving tenancies and preventing evictions is central to the City’s approach. If your landlord hasn’t started to bring your home into compliance and you’re nervous about initiating that conversation, you can reach out to 311 or multitenanthousing@toronto.ca for support. Making renters in multi-tenant homes feel like neighbours who are both welcome in and contribute to their neighbourhoods is the goal. I already have proof that the new framework is helping make that a reality. A tenant of a rooming house in Don Valley North reached out to me the other week and asked me to write this very column. They wanted to know how they could check to make sure their landlord was licensed and ask how to get their building licensed if it wasn’t already. That is a person who feels they are part of a community and is reaching out to help improve that community. They are looking after their tenant rights, but also the rights of others. That is only possible in an atmosphere of regulation. Staff have planned a multi-year implementation period. The City is taking an education-first approach to bring operators into compliance. Our goal right now is not to penalize—it’s to teach landlords and tenants about the new framework and give everyone time to get on board. This includes a public education campaign that is starting to kick off now. However, we will take action if immediate health and safety risks are identified at a property. In a couple of years, we’ll switch over and start coming down hard on unlicensed and dangerous operators who have refused to come into compliance. We want the courts to have confidence in our fair implementation period, and then order shut-downs when we need them. If you are a neighbour of a multi-tenant house or a tenant of one and you suspect it is not licensed, you should reach out and let my team know. Just as in the past, we will reach out to our bylaw officers and have them help the operator start the process of becoming licensed. If a multi-tenant house is causing property standards issues, parking challenges, or generating noise, let us know as you would for any other neighborhood concern. As a part of implementation, more officers have been hired in all four city districts. Let’s make good use of them during the early days of implementation. The goal is to make sure everyone can feel at home, and feel safe at home, in our neighbourhoods. We need to offer a whole range of housing options to help tackle our affordability crisis and keep our neighbourhoods liveable, now and for generations to come. This new framework for multi-tenant houses takes us that much closer to achieving those goals.

Another month, another busy Council session under our belts. We tackled the Vacant Home Tax, parking fines, alcohol in parks, and much more. Read on to learn more about the biggest items that we considered at Council last week: Immediate Actions to Address the 2023 Taxation Year of the Vacant Home Tax I want to start by updating you on the actions we have taken to address issues with this year’s Vacant Home Tax rollout. Mayor Chow and I worked together to waive all late fees for the 2023 taxation year and directed staff to redesign the Vacant Home Tax system entirely for next year. I also moved a motion based on much of the feedback I heard from you, dear readers. Specifically, I have asked City staff to explore the possibility of using City data, like water and utility usage, to determine whether homes are vacant. I’ve also asked staff to develop a comprehensive communications plan for next year, and to consult with seniors and those without access to the internet to make sure the process is not overly burdensome. I will be sure to keep you all up to date on the work being done to revamp the Vacant Home Tax process for next year. In the meantime, remember that you do not have to pay anything if you received a Vacant Home Tax bill in error. City staff will recognize properties that received a Vacant Home Tax bill in error as having the same occupancy status it had in 2022, so if you declared last year there is no further action you need to take right now. If you received a bill in error and you’re a new owner or unsure whether or not you filed your declaration last year, you should file a Notice of Complaint. If you have any questions or need assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out to my office. Increase in Penalty Amounts for Parking Offences I’m grateful to all the readers who shared their feedback when I wrote about the parking fine increases that were proposed at the Infrastructure & Environment Committee last month. I took all of your feedback into consideration for this item, and I think many of you will be happy with where Council landed. Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie, who is Chair of the Infrastructure & Environment Committee, moved an omnibus amendment to the original proposal that focused the highest parking fine increases on infractions that truly jeopardize safety or cause congestion on major roads. Other infractions that do not substantially jeopardize safety or cause traffic issues were left around the $30 or $40 mark, instead of the proposed increase to $75. I want to congratulate Deputy Mayor McKelvie on this amendment. She’s been working nonstop since staff first proposed the fine increases to find a spot where consensus was possible and achieved a great outcome for our city. Alcohol in Parks Pilot: Evaluation Findings What a difference a year makes. When I first brought forward the motion to pilot alcohol consumption in select parks, it was all anyone could talk about. This month, City Council reviewed the detailed report on the outcomes of the pilot. The results: In the 27 parks across the city where alcohol was permitted, there were few to no complaints. Staff recommended expanding the program to a list of parks that meet the eligibility criteria and making the program permanent. Some Councillors added the recommended extra parks in their wards to the program, while a few others wanted to leave their wards out of the program completely. Here in Don Valley North, there were a few other parks that met the criteria. However, I wanted to wait to add more parks to our list until I’ve had the time to consult with you. In the meantime, Skymark Park on Don Mills Road remains our designated park where drinking is permitted. You can find the others across the city at the link below: Post-Transition of the Blue Box Program to Extended Producer Responsibility This item deals with your recycling bins. Council considered the path forward for our blue bin program as the Province of Ontario moves to take over the handling of all recyclables by 2026. I wrote about this change in detail in an E-Blast last fall, if you need a refresher. Staff and Council had a good conversation about which service improvements we can make when this part of the Solid Waste Management equation is off our plate, such as ensuring that residents will still be able to call 311 if their bins are missed. We’ll hear back from staff later this year about the changeover, and I will be sure to communicate out everything you need to know about the new program well in advance of it coming into effect. Toronto's Climate Change Readiness Council received its Annual TransformTO Net Zero Progress and Accountability Report. While significant strides in greening our transit fleets, enforcing green building standards for new builds, and more have brought us to 41% below 1990 GHG emission standards, we’re still seeing a slight increase year-over-year. That won’t get us to net zero. Reducing emissions in existing buildings is the biggest challenge in Toronto and the rest of the world. In Toronto, emissions from natural gas-heated buildings alone make up 56% of our problem. More needs to be done on this front, and we can’t do it alone. It is estimated that it would cost about $120 trillion to get to Net Zero worldwide by 2050, and every G20 nation would need to double their climate spending now to get there. It makes me wonder why the national discussion leading up to the next election is whether or not to scrap the carbon tax with no plan to replace the climate change investments it funds. We need strong leadership from our federal government if we want to reach our climate targets, both locally and nationally. This report directs us to both take bold action to tackle climate change and do more planning to make our city resilient to its impacts. We need to step up our flooding mitigation work, shore up eroded water courses, and prepare energy systems to be able to function safely in climate extremes. We’re already ahead of most cities on this front but there’s much more to be done. There will be further resilience planning reported back in the coming months. Naming 125 Consumers Road in North York to David Caplan Park To wrap up, a bit of local news. Council unanimously passed this item to name a local park here in Don Valley North after David Caplan, and I had some lovely conversations with colleagues while lobbying for this naming. David Caplan was a North York Board of Education Trustee until he ran to be the Member of Provincial Parliament for Don Valley East. (When he ran back in 1997, the riding of Don Valley East included much of what later became Don Valley North.) Throughout his 14 years as MPP, his constituency office sat in the plaza at Sheppard Avenue and Consumers Road known as the Little Shoppes of Brian. I have received permission to name the new park across the street from his old office “David Caplan Park”. As Ontario’s first Minister of Infrastructure, in 2006 David ushered in the bill known as “A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe”. David knew that we needed to plan for our children and grandchildren to enjoy the kind of thoughtful growth that brings not just homes but economic prosperity, mobility, and community life. This park will remind us of that every day. Development Update 567 Sheppard Ave E Proposal: Two residential towers of 45 and 55 storeys with approximately 1179 units, and a new 2-storey YMCA facility. Status: Under review by City staff. Details: The design of the YMCA, which is partially below grade and features proposed ceiling heights akin to a 4- to 5-storey residential building, warrants attention. The existing vehicular access from Bayview Avenue will be retained, along with the addition of a second access point from Kenaston Gardens. However, it's worth noting that the existing vehicular access along Sheppard Avenue East will be removed, and the oversight of the nearby TTC Bayview Station connection is a notable omission from the applicant’s proposal. These factors could contribute to increased traffic congestion in the area, and I am awaiting staff’s comments. City Planner: Michael Romero - Michael.Romero@toronto.ca