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There are exciting changes coming to our local North York General Hospital (NYGH). NYGH is a cornerstone of our community here in Don Valley North, and delivers an exceptional quality of care to our neighbourhoods. As our population continues to grow, it is essential that NYGH grows with it. Next week, NYGH is hosting a community information session to share their plans for an incredible new long-term care home and more seniors-focused services coming to our community, and to give you a peek at their future plans for the whole hospital campus. I strongly encourage you to come out, meet your local hospital staff, and learn more about this impactful project. I'll admit to being a little biased where NYGH is concerned. I was one of the first patients through the emergency ward when the hospital opened up with its giant purple smokestack in 1968. I broke my shoulder when I was a little girl. My parents weren't home, so our brand new next door neighbours drove me and my sister to the new hospital they had seen across the 401 when they arrived in town. It's hard to imagine, but there were only about six people being treated in the shiny new emergency room that day. That was the beginning of NYGH serving my family extensively throughout our lives, from the births of my two daughters to the last two weeks of my mother's life when we were all cared for so sensitively and so well. I know that many of you have similar stories. NYGH has been ranked Canada's number one community hospital for five years in a row, and for very good reason. Of course, many of us also have stories of times when our hospital appeared close to overflowing as we poured through its doors for care. Even during those most challenging times, NYGH's health care team is there for patients and families with unwavering professionalism and compassion. We all know that NYGH needs to continue to expand, and this is something I hear from the community often. At every community consultation meeting for a new development in Don Valley North, neighbours ask about hospital and health care capacity. You are all bang on when you insist that we must maintain access to community healthcare as our neighbourhoods grow. NYGH is currently serving one of Toronto's most diverse and rapidly-growing areas, which also has the highest proportion of seniors in the city. Expanding and increasing access to seniors' health and residential care is a top priority for the hospital, and they have already successfully made their case to the Ontario Government to expand long-term care and the hospital itself. I've seen the plans and I'm very excited for you to see them as well. A photo of NYGH in 1973 The focus of the upcoming community info session is NYGH's plan to build a new long-term care and seniors' health facility across the street from the hospital. You may be at a time in your life when you don't think seniors care concerns you, but you never know when a loved one will need it. Don Valley North is increasingly becoming a 'seniors strong' community as residents live longer and longer, often downsizing right in their own neighbourhood and staying close to their local supports. NYGH's expansion plan mirrors the desire for seniors in our community to be able to age in place and access a first-rate community of care right in their own backyards. NYGH has owned and operated a 192-bed long-term care home since 1985. They were one of the first hospitals to own and operate a long-term care home, and have been providing excellent care to seniors in our community since the hospital opened over 50 years ago. As with much of our aging infrastructure, NYGH’s current long-term care facility isn't able to meet all of the latest codes and standards. That's why NYGH is partnering with the Ontario Government and donors to build a new, modern home with more beds and services for seniors who need a higher level of care. The new facility, which staff will talk about in-depth at the community information session next week, will be located steps from the hospital at 4000 Leslie Street, and will be among the largest long-term care homes in the country. NYGH is leaving no stone unturned in their efforts to design a top-tier facility centred on residents' comfort and dignity. Unlike most long-term care homes, every resident will have their own private room and bathroom. There will also be substantial gathering spaces and green spaces for residents and visitors to enjoy, recreational and social programming, and in-house facilities such as a salon that will help residents feel right at home. Ultimately, NYGH's vision is that this new facility will be more than a long-term care home. They want it to be a hub where people from across North York come to access a range of seniors-focused health and wellness services. This facility isn't slated to open until 2027-2028. I'm sure many of you have questions about the exact plans for the site, and that's where I want to leave it to NYGH's staff. Over a dozen of them will be in attendance at the community open house next week and are ready to answer all of your questions about the plan for this new facility. The community information session is being held on Thursday, November 16 from 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM at our brand-new Ethennonnhawahstihnen' Community Recreation Centre (100 Ethennonnhawahstihnen' Lane). You can RSVP by emailing planning@nygh.on.ca by Monday, November 13. The DVN team will be in attendance, and I really do hope that you will take advantage of this fantastic opportunity to learn more about this project. Don Valley Northerners are right to raise hospital and health care capacity as one of the most pressing needs in our growing community. It is one of the infrastructure pieces over which municipalities have very little control, which is why I'm so happy that NYGH is ready to share their future plans with you with the support of the Province. This meeting is just the first step in one important expansion to NYGH's world-class Campus of Care. I'll be sure to keep our community updated through this E-Blast as the plan moves forward in the years to come.

Regular readers of my E-Blast are used to the City Budget taking over this space every January. For years now, there has been a routine to my annual obsession. After New Year's, I write about the Mayor's Budget Launch, including the proposed property tax rate. Later, I write a column about the proposed service changes that will affect us here in Don Valley North with an invitation to my annual Budget Town Hall. Finally, in February, I send out a column explaining what comes out of the Special Council meeting where the budget is finalized. This year, we're doing things differently. This month, for the first time in many years, the City is calling on you to engage in the budget process before the budget is a done deal. For a long time, budget advocates have reached out to me and asked, "What's the point of giving you budget advice when the property tax increase is already etched in stone?". They are absolutely right, and I've been advocating for years for a more fulsome budget consultation process. Let's take look at what we used to do and what's in store this year. Listening to Toronto 2004/2007 At the beginning of my first two terms of office, then-Mayor David Miller and the City Manager held massive community events to set budget priorities and consult with the community before making any tough choices or presenting a draft budget. The process was called Listening to Toronto. The Mayor, Council, and our Senior Staff related every budget in that term of office back to the priorities we heard during those large listening sessions in the first term years. What left the biggest impression on me from this process was the discussion Councillors had after the Listening to Toronto sessions. Staff would show us the feedback gathered along with an analysis of which meeting locations generated similar comments. We found commonalities all across the city. These commonalities helped create consensus amongst Councillors on how to proceed when it came time to make budget decisions. Then, twelve years passed without subsequent Mayors ever engaging in this priority setting process, despite protests from myself and others. Our current Mayor, Olivia Chow, campaigned on making budget consultations with the community more meaningful. Your input means the most if the key points of the budget aren't already launched in one big "Done Deal" package. BudgetTO: Getting What Matters To You Yesterday, I joined Mayor Chow to announce that the she will be making good on her promise, and she has the whole City Budget Team behind her. The pre-budget engagement process is back, and it starts now. We have worked double time to pull together this opportunity. Throughout this month, we will update you on where the City's finances are at, what pressures may be in our future, and, possibly, how talks between the Mayor and Premier are going in the New Deal Working Group. The reality is, our City is facing a very stark financial situation—an operating budget shortfall north of $1.5 billion, to be exact. This came about for a number of reasons, the pandemic being chief among them. It had a truly severe impact on our transit and shelter systems, inflation, interest rates, supply chains, and so much more that touched every corner of our services. This is all the more reason to gather as a community and make sure we're on the same page. Of course, diligent work is underway to find savings wherever possible, but the reality is we cannot solve our city's financial challenges with efficiencies alone. Mayor Chow is working with the Provincial and Federal governments to secure a new deal for Toronto, but those types of changes take time. For this year, we need to start from a shared understanding of our City's finances, and then hear your needs and work from there to build our 2024 Budget. We'll ask you questions about what we need to invest more in, and what we may be able to live without to maintain some level of affordability. It is something we should try to decide together. There are a number of ways for you to take part in this process. We've designed it so you don't even have to be a meeting addict like myself. As of yesterday, there is an online survey and tool that you can use to share your thoughts on the City Budget and Toronto's future, both of which are available until the end of the month. Starting November 20, we're providing five in-person sessions, one in each borough of the City, and three virtual sessions for you to hear from Budget Staff and share your thoughts with fellow neighbours. As Budget Chief, I will be attending every single one, and hope to see you there. Visit the website below to access the survey and find full details on all of the consultation sessions: Toronto's Budget is a roadmap for the city we want to build together. It's a reflection of our shared priorities, and a path towards the city we want to live in today and the city we want to leave for our children and grandchildren. I'm truly looking forward to every single opportunity to connect with Don Valley Northerners and Torontonians on the issues that matter most. This is just the beginning, as we'll still be holding a slew of engagement opportunities once the Mayor's budget is launched in January. I sincerely hope you take part in the consultation opportunities happening this month. Hearing your views, opinions, and ideas will help us best advocate for Toronto and create a budget that truly reflects the city we all want to see.

In inviting constituents’ opinions, Chow isn’t just looking for advice. She’s also looking for allies in a battle with Queen’s Park and Ottawa for dollars.

We had another busy Council session last week. Below, I've rounded up the most significant items we discussed, from economic development, to housing, to some of the budget considerations we're facing. Let's dive into it. Economic Development There were a number of items on the last Council agenda that I worked closely on with City staff as the Mayor's Economic Development & Culture Champion. Each item informs Council about the work underway to fortify our economy in challenging times, and in particular to support the local businesses that are the backbone of our city. First up, let's talk about the Small Business Property Tax Subclass. I moved a motion asking staff to come back early next year with a proposal on how to include small businesses located within strip malls in this rate. Many Canadians make their entrepreneurial start in small strip mall storefronts, particularly in the suburbs, but currently these properties are not included in the Small Business Subclass. These businesses deserve the same supports as those on our main streets, and I look forward to seeing staff's report early in 2024. We also had three motions that focused on how key sectors of our economy are faring post-pandemic: our film, manufacturing, and restaurant industries. Each of these provides limitless potential for our city's labour force and are essential to our long-term economic success. They all face unique challenges, and the City of Toronto is committed to supporting all three as we continue to rebuild our economy. As the Mayor's Economic Development & Culture Champion, I'll be working hard in these area going forward. I'm working closely with Mayor Chow to make sure our Federal and Provincial governments are similarly focused. One of our local film studios The last report comes from our Chief Planner and has to do with our Employment Lands. We've already gone through two rounds of the Municipal Comprehensive Review, where we consider requests to convert employment properties to mixed-use. The properties in this final group were, as expected, the most vigorously lobbied and contentious. I'm happy to report that by working together with staff and Councillor Perks, the new Chair of the Planning & Housing Committee, we successfully preserved lands that represent major employment opportunities across our city. I've written before about how fundamentally important this issue is. Our hope is that the Provincial government doesn't override Council's decision, or we may see some very troubling applications come forward, including in our own Parkway Centre Business Zone. Budget On the Budget front, I want to draw your attention to the Deferred Revenue item. This has to do with the funds that we legally must set aside for specific purposes, such as the Development Charges we collect from building projects. Often, as was the case with our massive sewer capacity enhancement at Leslie and Sheppard, these funds must stay put in a bank until it's time to make the required infrastructure enhancements. The supplementary report on this item explains how all of these revenues are under threat from Provincial legislative change. In particular, I want to draw your attention to a chart on page three that shows how the Provincial changes are reducing some infrastructure revenues to dangerously low levels. Council received this report for information and it will help inform our conversations with the Province on Toronto's long-term financial sustainability. Housing On the housing front, we got a status update on the new Vacant Home Tax. As this was the first year of the tax's implementation, staff made a number of recommendations to work out some kinks in the process. Some of my fellow Councillors also made tweaks to the policy, not all of which I agreed with, but ultimately I'm glad to see Council taking steps to make sure this tax is only impacting those who it is intended to impact, with the ultimate goal of getting all of these vacant homes back on the market, rental or otherwise. We also got an update on the HousingTO Action Plan that included recommendations on a number of fronts, from improving access to rent-geared-to-income and affordable rental homes to requests to our Provincial and Federal governments for greater housing support. City staff are hard at work to increase options all along the housing spectrum, but our City cannot do this alone. We need proper support and partnership from our intergovernmental partners. Environment Council dealt with a number of environmental matters last week. To start, I'll share an update on the motion to bring all Vehicles-for-Hire to Net Zero. As I wrote about a couple of weeks ago, things often get complicated when we discuss this industry. As an example of the complexity, take a look at a Royson James column from 2011. My fellow Councillors brought up many other aspects of the Vehicle-for-Hire industry in our discussion last week. As a review of the entire sector is in the works and will come to Council late next year, I asked the Speaker to rule Council out of order when we veered off the topic of incentivizing the conversion to electric cars. But one thing got through: a Councillor moved that the number of Vehicle-for-Hire licenses be capped until next year's review. As this motion came without any impact analysis from staff, I voted against. There's been a lot of speculation on possible impacts but one thing is certain—any conversations that City staff need to have with the industry to complete the 2024 review will have an added tension. I'll keep an eye on this because hundreds of Don Valley Northerners make their living in this industry. We also got our first look at an entirely new way to run your blue bin recycling program, now that the Provincial government is moving to take it over to ensure producers of packaging take 100% responsibility. This represents a huge change since Mayor Mel Lastman introduced the first Blue Box program in the Metro area, so I'll give a full rundown in my E-Blast next week. We also considered two items focused on the environmental impact of buildings. We received an update on Toronto's Net Zero Buildings Strategy and reiterated our support for the immediate implementation of Green Building Standards in the Ontario Building Code. Buildings are a key component of our Net Zero strategy and we need to step up our efforts wherever possible. Community Development In January 2021, Council adopted the "Affordable Internet Connectivity for All – ConnectTO" report. For 34% of Torontonians, internet access is prohibitively expensive or fully out of reach. ConnectTO aims to bridge the digital divide and improve connectivity for all Toronto residents. We got a progress update on this work at Council, with a focus on expanding public Wi-Fi across the city.  In addition, the report includes a review of the July 8, 2022 Rogers outage and its full cost to Toronto's economy. The review appears in Attachment 3 and is quite sobering. Council also supported the Mayor and City Manager in their request to the Federal government to make more progress towards a national student nutrition program. Prior to amalgamation, local cities were more closely connected to their school boards and ran a network of snack programs in schools. When amalgamation wiped out all former agreements, then-Councillor Olivia Chow played a huge role in finding a new pathway to provide breakfast and snack programs to the newly-amalgamated school boards. A national version of our student nutrition program is one of her long-time goals and would be deeply impactful for households struggling with food insecurity.

Almost every Council and Committee cycle, we consider at least one motion or report that is a part of our Transform TO Net Zero Strategy—City Council's goal to reduce community-wide greenhouse gas emissions in Toronto to net zero by 2040. This month, the notable piece of policy that our Economic & Community Development Committee debated had to do with Vehicles-for-Hire. These include the taxis, limos, Ubers, and other ride-shares that zip around our city each day. City Council has a stated goal of having Toronto's Vehicle-for-Hire industry reach net zero emissions by 2030. Somehow, we have to find a way to incentivize this conversion across all of the different business models. The regulations that govern Vehicles-for-Hire are very complex, but City Staff have some ideas that they will present to Council in October. One thing we know for sure: The Vehicle-for-Hire business is a tough way to make a living at the best of times, and it was especially hard hit by the pandemic. When it became clear that the pandemic was going to last a lot longer than we thought, Council voted to reduce taxi drivers' annual license renewal fee by 50%. That fee is still cut in half today.  City staff have recommended a return to the former rate by January 1, 2025 unless, of course, that vehicle is electric. Essentially, staff are suggesting that if an electric Vehicle-for-Hire car is purchased in 2025, the owner will get a steep discount on their license renewal fee. City staff will use the revenue generated from adopting the old, 100% license fee for all non-electric Vehicles-for-Hire to fund that discount program. The discount for electric vehicles will decrease each year until we get to 2030, when all vehicles need to be zero emissions anyways. Vehicle-for-Hire cars need to be replaced every seven years. This policy aims to ensure that every vehicle replaced between now and 2030 is electric. We're throwing in an added benefit for all Vehicle-for-Hire car owners. Vehicle-for-Hire cars that are eligible for replacement in 2024 are being given a one year extension so that they can align their purchase of a new car with the January 2025 implementation of the grant and license discount program. Once drivers switch to electric, their cars won't be required to be replaced every seven years. Of course, this transition could be further helped by additional incentives from the other orders of government. In particular, we wish that the Province would reintroduce the old electric car rebate that would give the buyer up to $14,000 back at the time of purchase. Even half of that would be amazing. Once the electric Vehicle-for-Hire cars are purchased, a new program will ensure that the taxi or limo driver gets compensated on a per-trip basis for providing electric transport ahead of the 2030 Net Zero target date. A similar grant is proposed for Uber and Lyft drivers with electric cars. Private transportation companies such as Uber and Lyft are licensed and regulated in a different way from the taxi industry. That is a whole separate industry controversy that I won't delve into here. There is a full Vehicle-for-Hire industry review coming back next year on all matters pertaining to this industry other than the Net Zero piece. For now, Staff have proposed that these private transportation companies give us the data necessary to provide a small per-trip grant for every electric vehicle trip. Similar to the taxi incentive, this per-trip grant would decrease every year until 2030. Each of these private transportation companies would have until March 1, 2024 to present a transparency plan to City Staff that proves how the City grant funding will go directly towards the driver as the purchaser of the electric car. Any time we propose changes in the Vehicle-for-Hire space, things get heated at City Hall. It has always been that way. Vehicles-for-Hire have historically been driven by some of the hardest working people in our community. These men and women get passionate about the job they were able to start upon arriving in Canada, whether they have moved on after a few years or stayed on to become taxi company owners and managers. I hope that this October Council, we can all remember that at this time, we really are debating just one aspect and not the whole industry. Vehicles-for-Hire represent 6% of the emissions Toronto needs to reduce. How we get there is the only thing on the table when Council debates this motion in October. This industry conversion also incentivizes us to make other necessary changes, like installing super-charging stations across the city. Eventually, all car drivers are going to need that charging technology. Some of the revenue collected from returning to the pre-pandemic license fees will also go to funding an additional staff member in the City's environmental office to design charging stations with Vehicle-for-Hire operators specifically in mind. I sure hope that this Vehicle-for-Hire Net Zero program, including the grant program, goes through. City Staff spent five months meeting with industry participants and leaders to arrive at these incentives and actions. We want to join the ranks of other cities like New York, where Mayor Eric Adams has already announced a robust Vehicle-for-Hire Net Zero plan. Toronto needs to be a leader in tackling this emissions source. To end on a personal note, rides in these electric Vehicles-for-Hire can inspire our own purchasing decisions. I bought a second-hand hybrid van to ferry my grandkids around because of what I learned when I hired a hybrid wheelchair van to pick up me and my dad one day. While some policies may seem small scale when thinking about the entirety of climate change, every single one makes a difference. We need to take every action we can to protect our planet for our kids, our grandkids, and generations to come.

In my weekly E-Blast, I like to write about what's really going on for me in the moment. This week, that means letting you all know what's happening with our very own Toronto International Film Festival, better known as TIFF. Part of my role as the Mayor's Economic Development and Culture Champion is promoting the growth of Toronto's film business. Attending the festival also helps me stay connected with the artists and organizations that help make Toronto such a vibrant global city. City Hall and Queen's Park share a goal with Toronto's film industry. Currently, it directly employs over 35,000 people and generates $2.5 billion in direct investment into our city and province. That doesn't even factor in the ancillary economic impact the industry has on our hospitality and tourism sector. Our Premier shares our ambition to double this annual investment to $5 billion. We're also hard at work supporting workforce development in the sector. The City of Toronto Film Office works closely with unions, guilds, and community groups to provide training that will help fill gaps in the film labour market. This work is essential to the strength of the entire sector. Without an adequate workforce to staff studios, less production will come to Toronto which will result in fewer jobs for existing workers and less investment in our city. In 2022, the Film Office's Workforce Development Program helped train up 220 participants to meet critical needs in the sector. This program also focuses on helping people who are Black, Indigenous, people of colour, and/or members of the LGBTQ+ community enter the sector. Not only does this advance our city's equity goals, it also helps give Toronto a competitive edge as major studio and streamer clients have been clear they support greater diversification of the workforce. Now, back to TIFF. TIFF provides an opportunity to remind the world that we produce some of the finest film, television, and streamed product every year. You've probably stumbled across an on-location shoot as you've travelled around the city over the years, but Toronto is also a leader in post-production and special effects. The city also has a growing suite of state-of-the-art studio space, and we make sure that industry leaders get to see these spaces while they are attending TIFF. The festival has also built the careers of some of Canada's greatest artists, including filmmaker Atom Egoyan and filmmaker/screenwriter Sarah Polley. Polley most recently wrote and directed the 2022 film Women Talking, for which she won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. Egoyan clinched two Oscar nominations for his 1997 film The Sweet Hereafter, and he recently spoke to the Hollywood Reporter about how instrumental TIFF was in launching his career. There is one thing unusual about TIFF this year—it's missing the usual parade of Hollywood stars on the red carpet due to the American SAG-AFTRA strike. I hope and pray that this dispute can be resolved ASAP, because it's putting so many folks in the industry out of work all over the world. In the meantime, let's take a quick look at the other valuable things that TIFF does all year round once the red carpets are rolled up. Some might be of interest to you. PARTNER FESTIVALS Toronto has long been known for our community of many other film festivals that happen at a smaller scale. These showcase various cultural groups and bring films from around the world to Toronto's diverse audiences. What many may not know is that TIFF is often the supportive older sibling that helps these festivals along in a variety of ways. Whether it's by providing the TIFF Lightbox as a venue for special events, letting partner festival programmers know about a film that may fit their program, or just promoting the festivals through their broad social media reach, TIFF is instrumental in supporting these smaller festivals. You can check out the partner festivals here: SHARE HER JOURNEY There is a considerable lack of women storytellers in key creative and decision-making roles in the film industry. Here are some telling numbers: Of the 51 top-grossing films of 2021, only 12.7% of the 55 directors involved in creating those films were women — only three of whom were women of colour. Of the 100 top-grossing films from of 2021, only 11 had a woman or girl of colour as their protagonist. In 2021, only 7% of movies featured more women than men on screen, and only 8% featured equal numbers of men and women. This has not gone without notice by TIFF and its board of directors. In 2017, the festival launched 'Share Her Journey' with a handful of women working in film, including Toronto's brilliant Sarah Polley. The Share Her Journey promise means that ever since its launch, TIFF has had an equal gender split in all of its talent development initiatives, including TIFF Filmmaker Lab, TIFF Writer's Studio, and TIFF Rising Stars. At last year's Industry Conference, 53% of the speakers were women. TIFF also makes a point of regularly showcasing work by women artists at its year-round Cinematheque programmes and at the annual international festival. TIFF's programmers spend the year scouring the globe to discover and showcase more women filmmakers that might otherwise struggle for prominence against the male-dominated blockbuster culture. FILM CIRCUIT Film Circuit is TIFF's film outreach program, bringing the best of Canadian and international film to communities across the country since 1989. TIFF partners with 100 cinemas across the country to make sure that these Canadian and international movies can reach communities affordably. For many Canadian filmmakers, this is their best shot at growing their audiences to make future projects possible. Many of these cinemas are located in the GTA just outside of our Toronto borders, which may be more to a Don Valley Northerner's liking than trekking downtown to the TIFF Lightbox. I do highly recommend that you also take a look at the year-round films showing at the Lightbox—it is dedicated to showing only films of the highest quality. SILVER SCREENINGS: A FILM COMMUNITY FOR SENIORS Each month, Silver Screenings brings seniors together to connect with fellow film lovers and participate in a variety of events, including peer-led film discussions, interactive workshops, and classes. These activities focus on specific themes to encourage community-building around shared experiences and provide a safe and supportive environment for creative self-expression. This program can help you develop new skills, meet new people, and find your next favourite movie. If you are a senior, or if you represent a seniors’ group, and you would like to receive email updates about this series, please contact toursandtalks@tiff.net to be added to the mailing list. As you can see, TIFF brings a slew of benefits to our city and our communities all year round. From giving Toronto a spot on the international stage, to uplifting diverse communities across the city, to supporting our lucrative film industry, TIFF continually helps Toronto grow into the cultured, vibrant city it is meant to be. The festival is on until this Sunday, so take a look at their offerings and take part in this storied Canadian film festival if you can.

The first week of September always feels like back to school, no matter how old you get. Here at the City, back to school means putting out reminders and continuing our work to make our roads as safe as possible for residents of all ages. Back to school always increases vehicle traffic and the number of people walking and cycling, particularly in our school zones. It's why moms and dads always start the year by teaching their kids of all ages to be mindful of their surroundings. Today, I want to remind us adults to do the same. It's time to stay alert, obey the rules, and share the road to ensure everyone's safety as the days get shorter and our travel happens with less and less light. I also want to give you an update on the Vision Zero Road Safety Plan work that is underway. We have made a lot of progress on this plan even though the work had to be stretched out over a longer period of time due to our ongoing budget constraints. It includes lots of action to protect road users taking every mode of transport, including: AUTOMATED SPEED ENFORCEMENT (ASE) The City’s 75 mobile speed cameras continue to rotate through Community Safety Zones and issue tickets to vehicles travelling in excess of the speed limit. Here in Don Valley North, they're currently stationed at: Shaughnessy Boulevard near Rochelle Crescent Don Mills Road south of Seneca Hill Drive Freshmeadow Drive west of Applegate Crescent You can find a map showing all current and future ASE camera locations here: It's important to remember that the locations of the cameras rotate every three to six months. The goal is to remind drivers to travel the speed limit in that critical area, and then move to a new Community Safety Zone to do the same. Warning signs are posted 90 days before ticketing begins at any new ASE location, so be sure to check the map and, of course, keep an eye on your speed no matter where you're travelling. THE SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS PROGRAM School crossing guards are placed at 851 intersections across the city, reminding drivers and cyclists of the presence of pedestrians at key intersections. These crossing guards not only help keep our school kids and other pedestrians safe—they can become beloved neighbourhood figures and help build a sense of community around our schools. We've been able to increase the number of crossing guards across the city by transferring this service out of police management and over to City staff. SCHOOL SAFETY ZONES The City has installed 413 School Safety Zones around Toronto and aims to complete 80 more by year’s end. We have dozens of installations already completed in Don Valley North. School Safety Zones include safety signs, pavement markings, and driver feedback signs. These are quick and affordable installations, but they yield big changes in driver behaviour around our schools to help keep kids, parents, and teachers safe. PEDESTRIAN HEAD START SIGNALS Close to 1,200 intersections across the city are equipped with a Pedestrian Head Start Signal, allowing pedestrians to begin crossing the street before vehicles are permitted to proceed. This delay gives pedestrians the increased visibility they need while requiring cars and bicycles to pause and take note of those pedestrians’ intentions. Another 50 signals are planned to receive this safety treatment before the end of 2023. IN-ROAD FLEXIBLE SPEED SIGNS The City continues to install In-Road Flexible Speed Signs in high-priority areas, including in School Safety Zones. You may have seen a few around Don Valley North. These signs are installed in the middle of the road and serve as both a visual reminder of the posted speed limit and a physical device to slow down vehicles. Recently, my team worked with the Henry Farm Community Interest Association (HFCIA) to have one installed to curb speeding on Havenbrook Boulevard. SPEED LIMIT REDUCTIONS You may have seen my reminder about this at the bottom of the E-Blast a couple weeks ago. A few years back, the City began reducing speed limits on major and arterial roads across Toronto, as well as on local roads downtown. Currently, we're working to reduce the speed limit on local roads in Etobicoke, North York and Scarborough to 30 km/h on a systematic, ward-by-ward basis. The local speed limit has already been reduced in six wards, with work continuing in the remaining 11 wards. Don Valley North was scheduled to have this work start next year. Of all the measures outlined above, this is the one I believe is the most impactful. My office gets calls from every corner of Don Valley North asking us to get people to slow down on local roads, whether they're in a car, on a bike, or riding an e-scooter. I think it is easy to forget what speed we should be travelling in our neighbourhoods because our community is designed such that we spend a lot of time on high seed roads on the way back to our own neighbourhood. Given the level of concern around speeding in our neighbourhoods, Councillor Robinson and I moved a motion at North York Community Council today asking staff if they can find affordable ways to move up the installation of new speed limits in our wards. Don Valley North and Don Valley West were last on the list of an already delayed program. While we understand the challenges, we have seen what a difference this consistent approach to speeds makes in reducing dangerous and sometimes fatal incidents. Together, all of these measures help us adjust our behaviour and keep our roads safer for all road users. Of course, in terms of changed behaviour, nothing beats a good old fashioned speeding ticket from a police officer. With an emphasis on enforcement, education, and community engagement, the Toronto Police Service started conducting a Back-to-School Traffic Campaign this week, looking out for drivers who choose to speed or drive distracted, impaired, or aggressively. Members of the Toronto Police Service will also be stationed in School Safety Zones, targeting vehicles parked illegally. Consider yourself warned. With fall in the air and students back at school, we want to make sure everyone is as safe as possible on our roads. Feel free to forward this E-Blast along to anyone who might benefit from a quick refresher on the measures we're taking to keep folks safe. And, if you have kids back at school this week, take a look at the City’s Safety Guide for School Children and Parents. It includes important information and advice on walking, cycling, wheeling, driving or taking the bus to and from school: The first couple of weeks back to school tend to be the busiest and you might notice some traffic jams or other issues around your home or school. If any of these continue into October, be sure to talk to the school's principal or get in touch with our office so we can investigate further. By working together and staying alert, we can make sure everyone feels safe on our local streets.

Last week, Mayor Tory launched another "TO" program. We already have ActiveTO, CaféTO, CampTO, BigArtTO and now, there is MoveTO: a City staff action plan to help manage congestion and build a more resilient, modern and safe transportation system. The plan went through the formality of being considered today at the Infrastructure and Environment Committee. It proposes five key measures that will help make the City’s transportation system more resilient in response to the effects of COVID-19 on Toronto’s overall transportation network. The five key proposed actions that can launch starting early next year include: ‘Smart’ traffic signals – automatically adjusted signal timing based on actual traffic demand. Staff are proposing 500 locations over the next five years. ‘Intelligent’ intersections – helps to improve safety at intersections for pedestrians and cyclists. Staff are proposing 100 locations over the next two years. Advanced Transit Signal Priority (ATSP) – detects buses running behind schedule and extends green times when necessary. Staff are proposing the first 100 priority locations be installed over the next two years with a focus on key TTC corridors across the city and to develop a strategy to enable transit signal priority at all 2,400 signals within the city. Continue and grow the Construction Hub Pilot Program – a program that helps manage traffic and reduce congestion caused by construction work zones, and works to improves communication with the local community so that these areas are safer to navigate no matter what your mode of transportation. The next step is a focus on working with developers to do more to reduce the amount of time the right-of-way is closed to construction. Transportation Demand Management Strategy – a set of measures to help avoid congestion at specific times, locations, and on certain modes of transportation. Staff propose building on the existing Smart Commute program with local employers to provide additional supports for commuters, while developing strategies to address more localized instances of congestion. These five recommended strategies aim to reduce travel times for cars, improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists at intersections, improve transit operations, and coordinate construction activities to minimize impacts on the transportation network. Transportation Demand Management refers to working with major employers and logistics firms to reduce travel demand at peak times. This can lower their costs due to shortened trip times and reduces idling in traffic to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for all of us. MoveTO really speaks to a lot of the feedback I get about transportation and travelling around the city. There is a tendency to propose solutions that can improve the situation for one mode of travel but may make things worse for another. Our Transportation managers have tried to review the whole, city-wide grid and where there are pinch points, they first consider how the area is working for all modes of travel and then use technology, enforcement and some road and intersection redesign to improve the area for all users. Local opportunities Our ward is truly the biggest winner of MoveTO. Our major arterial roads — Bayview, Steeles, Don Mills and Victoria Park — will be Smart Signal Corridors. Here's the map: The area circled in red is Don Valley North. Our busiest roads are all there, and this plan will help traffic move smoothly along these corridors as traffic flows change. This means that when we see accidents on the DVP/404 or 401, or when the workday ends in the Consumers business park, these smart signals will be able to adapt to move people faster through intersections and to their destinations. In short, we've really hit the jackpot here and I'll be looking to make sure we see these changes implemented in an expeditious manner. In closing, I’ll let the Mayor’s words at the announcement of MoveTO speak for themselves: “MoveTO will keep Toronto moving now and into the future. This plan will help the city better manage traffic congestion in Toronto and deploy smart, common sense approaches that will help pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders, and drivers. We are implementing this plan as fast as possible to make sure we have a modern and safe transportation system that responds and adapts to traffic in real time. These are realistic solutions that I know will make life better for everyone as they move around our city whether they are walking, cycling, riding transit, or driving.”