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Next month, we’ll be kicking off another annual City Budget process. Last year’s process was challenging on a number of fronts as I put my Budget Chief hat back on in a new administration. I heard from thousands of Torontonians who wanted to see things get better here in our city, particularly when it comes to making housing more affordable, transit more reliable, and our city safer. Those were the shared priorities that drove last year’s budget. Now, it’s time to take look at what we’ve achieved. I know we asked you to invest a lot to help get our city back on track. It’s my job to review the investments we made in the 2024 Budget and ensure that we are making progress in the areas Torontonians care about most. Every year I remind you, readers, that the City’s budget is extremely tight. Unlike our Provincial and Federal counterparts, we don’t have access to revenue tools that grow with the economy, like sales tax or income tax . Instead, we have to fund a big city transit system, major infrastructure investments, and thousands of day-to-day city services with your property tax dollars. To ensure that every one of those dollars is being spent for maximum impact, we not only adopt an overall budget amount but also a list of all the actions that will be taken with those funds. We also pore over every line to find savings and efficiencies wherever possible. Last year, we found a record $600 million in savings before the formal Budget process even began.   Every quarter, each division of the City and all of our agencies must prepare a report to show the City Finance department how well they are tracking against their budget. I take a close look at these quarterly reviews in the fall before hearing budget requests for the following year. Down the hall, our City Manager and Chief Financial Officer are doing the same. Sound fiscal management is an essential part of our budget process, and we are also using a keen eye to find efficiencies and other savings for the upcoming year wherever possible.   I’m proud to say that our increased investments in City services are paying off. Long-term care is a perfect example. In the 2024 Budget, we invested in hiring 293 new care staff. By mid-year, we had hired 122 of those new positions and are continuing to increase our staffing complement throughout the fall. As a direct result of this investment, we are getting very close to achieving our goal of providing four hours of direct care per day to residents in our City-run long-term care homes. When I meet with our Seniors Services division this year, I’ll ask how close we can get to hiring the full 293 new staff by the end of 2024 before contemplating any additional increases in 2025. We’ve also made significant investments in our emergency services to improve response times across the city. We will have 101 new firefighters on the job by the end of this year, as well as 8 new fire inspectors who are dedicated to newly licensed multi-tenant houses (rooming houses). We’ll also have 106 new paramedics ready to respond to your calls, and are on track to achieve our year-end target of 300 new police officers hired by the end of 2024. As Budget Chief, I’ll need to remember that training first responders takes time, so we will really feel the impacts of these investments in the months ahead and into 2025. These new positions in our three core emergency services will help lower response times across the board and keep all of us safer in the city we call home.   Transit was one of the most prominent areas we heard about the in 2024 Budget consultations. The TTC received a significant funding boost from the Mayor’s New Deal with the Provincial government. $27 million in operating funding was invested to improve community safety and well-being on our transit system. We’ve used that money to hire 130 customer service agents who are visible and active throughout our transit system to assist with health and safety issues. The presence of additional customer service agents and senior supervisors helps improve riders’ sense of safety on the system, as well as improving overall customer experience.  These funds also allowed us to expand our Multi-Disciplinary Outreach Teams (MDOT) who help unhoused persons seeking shelter on the transit system access essential housing and health resources .   In part due to these investments, complaints about safety and security on the TTC have decreased by 57% and customer satisfaction is up to 73%. We continue to review the TTC security model to keep our transit system as safe as possible but, just as I hoped, the presence of additional dedicated transit workers has improved safety. The 2024 Budget also focused intently on improving the community infrastructure and services that make our neighbourhoods vibrant and liveable. Our libraries are the perfect example. We’ve started taking steps to implement the “Toronto Public Libraries Open Hours Plan”, which is increasing hours of service at 16 branches across the city this year. That includes our very own Hillcrest Library here in Don Valley North, which is now open an additional 22 hours per week. Of course, these extra hours are not a one-time cost. We must be prepared to pay those additional staff in 2025 and onwards. Fortunately, we have the data to show that it was worth the investment. Circulation in those branches has jumped significantly since extended hours have been implemented.   Of course, there are always areas where we have a significant amount of work to do even with enhanced investment. I know that road construction has been a real frustration this summer, but that is because we are making tremendous progress on a number of major projects. We’re catching up on a big chunk of our state-of-good repair work before we host the FIFA World Cup in 2026. It’s a no pain, no gain situation. Rest assured my fellow Budget Committee members and I will take a detailed look at what has been spent on road work and how we can make the most use of those dollars next year. We’ll be interested in your experiences travelling in our city when we launch the 2025 Budget consultations, so be sure to come out and share your feedback. Finally: Housing. When we talk about housing in the budget, we mean everything from getting homeless and underhoused people into appropriate housing, to making sure City Planning has the resources to respond to all the development applications we receive here in Toronto. A huge amount of time and effort has gone into this area since the 2024 Budget was adopted, but demand continues to increase every single day.   For instance, we have created 450 new supported beds for refugee response, but as we open them up we know that the Canadian Red Cross will wind down some of its emergency hotels. We’re also on track to disperse all of this year’s funds in the Toronto Rent Bank to help over 2200 households avoid eviction. Despite this progress, we know that the housing crisis continues to rage on and that more and more households are struggling to make ends meet. As we continue to find efficiencies and savings in other departments, all of us will benefit from investing in and stabilizing the housing we need. By investing in housing and homelessness services, we prevent people from falling into homelessness and making the challenges on our streets worse.  I know there is always more work to be done here at City Hall, but I feel confident in saying we’ve made some real progress this past year. What set this budget apart from previous years is the deep and detailed feedback we heard from you, the people of Toronto. Mayor Chow, my Council colleagues and I worked together to create a 2024 Budget based on your priorities. It’s essential that we get that feedback again as we start working on the 2025 Budget. We’ll be launching the 2025 Pre-Budget Survey in just a few weeks, and I hope all of you will take the time to complete it. Be warned, it’s not all multiple choice. There’s a longer question where I need your input: What more do we need to do to get back on track?

Welcome back! I hope everyone got some time to rest this summer and that the first week of school is moving along as smoothly as it can. The Don Valley North team and I kept the office running here at City Hall, “popped up” in a few local parks, and knocked on doors to check in with neighbours. We carved out some breaks for ourselves as well. I spent time cheering on Team Canada and trying to figure out those Olympic opening ceremonies, and even more time cleaning up a massive flood in my basement that resulted from our intense July storm. As too many of you already know, that can be a real headache. Now that our calendars have turned over to September, I thought I’d share some local updates to get us all back in the swing of things. Read on for updates about our roads, parks, local developments, and some fun news about events coming up here in Don Valley North. Traffic, Safety & Road Work After many requests from local residents, speed bumps will be installed on Brian Drive and Kingslake Road. These two local arteries have become very popular as speedy shortcuts. Transportation Staff did a thorough review and found that speed bumps are warranted on both roads. The bumps and accompanying speed limit reductions (down to 30 km/h) will help reduce traffic volumes and make both streets safer, especially for the kids who use them to get to and from school. We also have a permanent Automated Speed Enforcement camera coming to Sheppard Avenue East immediately west of Don Mills Road. Be sure to watch your speed heading westbound as you move through the intersection and start down the hill. For future traffic safety planning, we’re doing a transportation walk in Parkway Forest. Residents have highlighted a number of safety challenges throughout the neighbourhood, and the best way to tackle them is to do a comprehensive in-person walk with Transportation staff. The walk is scheduled for September 27 from 2:00 – 4:00 PM and we’ll be meeting outside Parkway Forest Community Centre. Finally, we have local road work happening across Don Valley North. There is an ongoing road reconstruction on Foxwarren Drive , and sewer upgrades will be completed on a number of local roads in the weeks ahead. If you’re on an affected street, you should have received a construction notice in your mailbox a couple weeks back. I’ve listed out the streets here in case you missed the notice: Ashtead Pl & Deerford Rd Cliffwood Rd & Hawleaf Cres Clovercrest Rd Don Mills Rd (north of Highway 401) Don Mills Rd (south of Seneca Hill Dr) Equestrian Court Farmingdale Rd Longhope Pl Nymark Ave Rollingwood Dr Shippigan Cres (north) Shippigran Cres (south) Whittaker Cres You can click on each of the street names above to view the corresponding pre-construction notice. If you have any questions about the work, you can call (647) 362-9464 or email fieldambassador@andrews.engineer . Dogs Off-Leash Areas & Recreation Improvements I’ve received requests for dogs off-leash areas (OLAs), commonly known as dog parks, in neighbourhoods across Don Valley North since the City of Toronto first started creating them almost two decades ago. We’re lucky, in a way, that it’s taken some time to find appropriate spots and secure all the necessary funds here in DVN. Parks staff have learned a lot about OLAs over the years and are very well equipped to properly locate and design them. We have two OLAs in the works here in Don Valley North. Staff are finally set to proceed with the construction of the new OLA in Parkway Forest Park . The consultation for this OLA took place back in 2020 and 2021, and I appreciate the community’s patience in finally seeing this project realized. The OLA will be located south of the school parking lot and will include a number of upgrades to make the park more enjoyable for all park users, including new benches, a water bottle filling station, and a new pathway that will help make the park more accessible. Staff will soon be ready to proceed with community consultation for the proposed OLA at Old Sheppard Park . This was voted on by the community in a past Participatory Budgeting process, and I’m glad we’re finally moving forward to gather more community feedback. I’ll share the consultation details as soon as the date is finalized. We have some other great recreation upgrades happening across DVN. This includes a new running track around the Sparroways basketball court, and a playground renewal coming up at McNicoll Park . Parks staff will be sharing a survey for the local community to give input on the proposed improvements in October. The best playgrounds are designed by kids, so keep an eye out in my E-Blast for the survey link and get the whole family to help answer once it’s available. Development News You all know how much I hate it when local development applications end up at the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT), the Provincial body that hears development appeals. The process of reaching a settlement with the developer at the OLT really cuts the community out of the process. The development application at 2500 Don Mills Road (the Esso Station at Don Mills & Sheppard) was appealed to the OLT, and I’ve been pushing hard to represent community wishes in this now confidential process. In July, I moved to defer the settlement with the developer, Marlin Springs, because it would not have provided the combined future park the community needs. I’m happy to say that we’ve arrived at a revised settlement that solves this problem. It was considered at the special City Council meeting today, and I’ll have more details to share in a few weeks once the City Solicitor makes them public. We also have an opportunity coming up later this month for you, the community, to stay involved in local planning matters. The latest draft of ReNew Sheppard East , the plan to guide growth and development along Sheppard Ave from Bayview to Leslie, is complete and staff want your feedback. You can come to the community consultation on Tuesday, September 24 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at the Evangelical Presbyterian Church to share your feedback before it is presented to our Planning and Housing Committee. Mark Your Calendars! There is an incredible number of events coming up across Don Valley North this fall. For starters, we have our second Community Environment Day coming up on Sunday, September 22 from 10 AM – 2 PM at the Enbridge lot (500 Consumers Road). If you didn’t get the garage cleaned out in time for spring, we’re giving you a second chance to dispose of household waste and donate items you no longer use. The Bayview Village Association (BVA) is hosting an event that same weekend that pairs very well with our Environment Day. Their annual Shredding Day is taking place on Saturday, September 21 from 9 AM to 12 PM at 15 Morewood Crescent. You can bring confidential documents for secure shredding and disposal. The cost is $5 per box for BVA members and $10 per box for non-members. I can always tell that fall is around the corner when I get an invitation to join Oriole Foodspace at their annual Harvest Festival. If you want to experience the joy of community gardening, be sure to drop by their event on Friday, October 4 from 4:00 – 7:00 PM at the Oriole Community Garden (2800 Don Mills Rd). Finally, our local North York General Hospital is hosting their annual Rally in the Ravine on Saturday, October 5. Due to the construction happening in the ravines around NYGH, this year’s rally will be held at G Ross Lord Park, closer to the Branson Hospital. If you haven’t rallied in a while, this is a chance to experience a whole new ravine together. NYGH is a cornerstone of our community and I encourage everyone to get out and support this important fundraiser. No matter what you and your family are interested in, there are so many fantastic events to enjoy here in Don Valley North over the next few weeks. If you feel like venturing downtown, you can also catch a movie at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) this week. The festival kicks off today and runs until September 15, so get your tickets while you can and enjoy some brilliant new cinema.

Sewer upgrades will be completed on a number of local roads in the weeks ahead. If you’re on an affected street, you should have received a pre-construction notice in your mailbox. You can also access the pre-construction notices at the links below: Ashtead Pl & Deerford Rd Cliffwood Rd & Hawleaf Cres Clovercrest Rd Don Mills Rd (north of Highway 401) Don Mills Rd (south of Seneca Hill Dr) Equestrian Court Farmingdale Rd Longhope Pl Nymark Ave Rollingwood Dr Shippigan Cres (north) Shippigran Cres (south) Whittaker Cres If you have any questions about the work, you can call (647) 362-9464 or email fieldambassador@andrews.engineer .

The City of Toronto will reconstruct the road on Foxwarren Drive from Hawksbury Drive to 150 metres west of Hawksbury Drive. Our inspection of the road shows that the asphalt surface and granular road base at some locations need replacement, and the curb needs to be replaced to bring them to a state of good repair. This project is part of the Council-approved 2024 Capital Works Program to renew aging City roads and sidewalk for current and future needs. View the full construction notice below:

I like to think Mother Nature got the worst of the weather out of the way yesterday so we can all enjoy the sunshine this weekend at what is undoubtedly my favourite event of the year: Summer Celebration! I started hosting our annual Summer Celebration with one simple goal: celebrating the amazing community we have here in Don Valley North. It is truly a privilege to represent you all at Toronto City Council. From the 401 up to Steeles, Bayview across to Victoria Park, every pocket of Don Valley North has something special to offer. While each of our neighbourhoods has its own unique flavour, as your Councillor I can vouch that they all have one important thing in common—residents who care deeply about their communities. And that’s why I want to celebrate you, the residents of Don Valley North. This event is a chance for all of us to come together and celebrate the wonderful part of Toronto we get to call home. Last year’s Summer Celebration was a smash hit, and I know that this year’s will be even better. Of course, we’ll have our signature barbeque and ice cream truck, but we’re trying out a new system this year. When you arrive at Summer Celebration, you’ll see my bright pink tent front and centre where the Don Valley North team will sign you and your family in. Then, my team will give you tickets—one for the barbeque and one for the ice cream truck. This will help the lines flow as smoothly as possible and make it easier for us to know when we run out. Be sure to sign in right when you arrive to get your tickets! We also have a water trailer to make sure everyone stays hydrated throughout the event, so bring a reusable water bottle that you can fill up. We’re bringing back some favourite family activities, but bigger and better! We’ll have a fabulous new bouncy castle this year that fits right into the Summer Celebration theme, slide and all! We’ll also have music, face painting, and basketball programming in the community centre gym courtesy of the Ontario Basketball Association. There really is something for everyone to enjoy. We also have over a dozen incredible community partners joining us at this year’s celebration. If you’re looking for fun, interactive events to enjoy all summer long, stop by the tables for Toronto Public Library, North York Arts, or Toronto Nature Stewards. If you want to connect with organizations that provide a wide variety of supports to our communities in North York, you can chat with North York Toronto Health Partners, North York Harvest Food Bank, Willowdale Community Legal Services, Working Women Community Centre, and North York Seniors Centre. We’ve got great local and cultural groups you can connect with, including Advent Lutheran Church, the Iranian Women’s Organization of Ontario, and Build a Better Fairview. We’ll also be joined by our local TDSB Trustee James Li and our local MP Han Dong. Partway through the event, Toronto Fire Services will pull up in a shiny red fire engine to share some resources with the community. Our local Toronto Police Division 33 will have a couple of police cruisers on site, along with our Neighbourhood Community Officers. The City will also have a handful of tables set up with representatives from divisions like 311 and Solid Waste Management. These are great places to stop by and chat if you have questions about City services. If you’ve recently arrived to Canada, you can also chat with the Toronto Newcomer Office to access resources on education, employment, healthcare, housing and more. Whether you’re a young family who’s just settled into a new home in Don Valley North, or a senior who’s lived here for decades, there will be so much for you to enjoy at Summer Celebration. We’ll be at Oriole Community Centre (2975 Don Mills Rd W) from 1:00 – 4:00 PM, so be sure to come out and enjoy free food, activities, and helpful services right in your own backyard. I can’t wait to see you there!

Last week, I met with our local officers at Toronto Police Service Division 33 to talk about how we can best work together to keep our neighbourhoods safe. They shared very valuable information about the programs and initiatives the police are working on to take a proactive approach to community safety. I want to share that information with you, the residents of Don Valley North, so that we can all work together to make our neighbourhoods as safe as possible. I also want to walk you through  SafeTO, Toronto’s Community Safety and Well-Being Plan , and the work being done across sectors to take a holistic approach to safety in our city. Let’s dive into it. I know community safety is a top priority here in Don Valley North. Our local officers at Division 33 shared some positive statistics right at the top of our meeting—Major Crime Indicators are down across the board, including a 70% reduction in break and enters and a 16% reduction in auto thefts. As many of you may know, we have had two tragic incidents happen here in Don Valley North in just the past month. Police assured me and my team that these were targeted incidents and there is no broader concern for public safety. That doesn’t mean these incidents aren’t deeply unsettling for neighbours, and that’s where the City’s safety response comes in. When these types of events occur, the City deploys  Community Crisis Response teams to support the impacted neighbourhood. These teams are made up of dedicated Community Development Officers who are trained to help communities with the recovery and healing process after violent and traumatic incidents. They work with neighbours to develop hyper-local strategies to enhance safety, doing everything from training and education sessions to community safety audits and innovative safety projects that are tailor-made for the neighbourhood. They also have staff who can provide assistance and resources in many languages to ensure communities are receiving culturally relevant support. The Community Crisis Response Program is reflective of the City’s broader approach to community safety through SafeTO. The reality is that the root causes of crime run deep and need to be addressed through dozens of sectors including education, justice, healthcare, community services, and more. We recently made a huge step in strengthening our community safety response with the launch of the   Toronto Community Crisis Service (TCCS) .  Dedicated E-Blast readers have seen me write about this before , as I moved the motion to create this new service back in 2020. The TCCS is our new, non-police led emergency response to persons in mental health crisis. The program started as a pilot in 2021 and was hugely successful. As of September 2024, the program will be expanded city-wide to ensure people in crisis are receiving comprehensive and sensitive care. SafeTO also outlines the many other avenues we can take to enhance community safety. Some of the most impactful investments we can make come in the form of youth programs that help equip our most vulnerable young people with the skills and social connections they need to thrive. We need to make proactive, impactful investments where possible to stamp out the root causes of crime and build healthy communities. The Toronto Police Service sees the value in a proactive approach to community safety as well. Division 33 told me about a number of programs and initiatives that are in place to help our officers connect with communities to create safe neighbourhoods. Chief amongst them is the   Neighbourhood Community Officer Program . This program started back in 2013 and has grown exponentially over the past 10 years. Its focus is on proactively building relationships between police and local communities. Neighbourhood Officers work with residents and community-based organizations to identify local concerns and prevent crime. For many years we had one Neighbourhood Officer who was spread very thin—Officer Dale Swift, who some of you may remember. Officer Swift has since moved on to support the Neighbourhood Officer Program at a higher level, and we now have four dedicated Neighbourhood Officers here in Don Valley North. Our local Division 33 also offers programs and supports that you may not yet be aware of. Recently, they have begun inviting neighbourhoods into the station to meet officers and discuss any safety concerns happening at the hyper-local level. This month they were joined by neighbours in Henry Farm, including the Henry Farm Community Interest Association (HFCIA). If you have a group of neighbours interested in meeting with our local officers, you can reach out to 33 Division at 416-808-3300. Another asset we have is a local Crime Prevention Officer, Constable Joel Roberts, whose work largely focuses on proactive responses to community safety. My office has worked with Constable Roberts to set up  community safety audits at the request of local residents. During a safety audit, officers will do a thorough walk-through of a specific area—for example, a townhouse complex or a local street—and suggest safety measures that you can implement to better secure the area. Constable Roberts also does safety talks for community groups, schools, retirement communities and more. He is a great resource if you’re looking for tips and resources to make your home safer.  Finally, our Division 33 officers stressed the important role that every single one of us plays in keeping our communities safe. It is essential that you report any crime you see to the police. Officers also suggest that neighbours get together and form  Neighbourhood Watch groups. The premise is simple—you and your neighbours keep an eye out for any suspicious activity in your neighbourhood and report it to the police. The more connected we are with our neighbours, the better able we are to identify local concerns and address them head on. The Division 33 team is positioned to help you access any resources needed to assist with starting up a local group. Keeping our communities safe truly takes all of us—Toronto Police, Councillors and City staff, and you, the local residents who know the most about what your neighbourhood needs. Know that my office is always here to support you with any local safety concerns. We can connect you and your neighbours with our local police division and City programs that can help make your streets safer. I’ll also be hosting another Community Safety Town Hall this fall—keep an eye on this E-Blast for more details in the coming weeks. My number one goal as your Councillor is to keep lines of communication open to help make Don Valley North as safe as it can be. Let’s all work together to build the safe, healthy communities we want to call home.

Tuesday’s massive storm saw more rain fall in three hours than usually falls in the entire month of July . These are referred to as “100-year storms” because historically, they’ve had a 1% chance of happening in any given year. These days it’s a much different story—Toronto has weathered three such storms in just over 10 years. I know many of you are still dealing with the effects of this week’s downpour in your homes. I am too—it hit the Carroll household, despite our back flow valve and other flood-mitigation measures. There is no denying that these extreme weather events are happening much more frequently and with much greater intensity than in the past, and this is a direct result of climate change. Work to adapt our infrastructure and reduce our emissions is absolutely essential, not only to keep our city liveable for future generations but to keep it liveable now.   There is a lot of environmental work underway to mitigate the impacts of climate change and get our carbon emissions to Net Zero by 2040. Our climate change strategy, known as TransformTO , spans almost every Committee of Council, allowing every Councillor to engage with environmental work in a number of ways.   In addition to the work happening at Council and in Committees, I sit on the Board of Directors of the Toronto Atmospheric Fund (TAF) . This is a very effective organization that is uniquely positioned to have maximum impact environmental across sectors. TAF’s is unique because all of its operations are funded by an endowment fund rather than the City’s tax dollars. TAF uses that endowment in two ways: First, it makes financial investments into green companies and projects, serving the dual purpose of supporting green innovation and generating returns that continue supporting TAF’s work. Second, it offers grants and programs to help scale low-carbon solutions across the Greater Toronto & Hamilton Area. This is smart, cutting-edge work that is instrumental in helping us reach our Net Zero target on time. I want to highlight a local project that TAF has partnered on here in Don Valley North. TAF has partnered with Toronto Community Housing (TCHC) to complete a deep, multi-measure retrofit at Field Sparroway and Tree Sparroway , a townhouse complex in our ward that is home to about 175 families. The project kicked off earlier this month, and targets a 50% reduction in energy and carbon emissions.   Construction is now underway to install efficient heat pumps, baseboards and smart controls, better ventilation, new LED lighting, and water-saving measures. A second phase will convert the current gas-powered water heating to electric, and will eliminate gas combustion from the complex.    This project is the perfect example of the myriad of benefits that result from environmentally focused projects. At the hyper-local level, this retrofit will help safeguard Sparroways residents from Toronto’s increasingly extreme summer heat, and make indoor living environments healthier and more comfortable for families year-round. For our city, the retrofit is expected to save over $5 million in utility costs for TCHC over 20 years. The project will also create local employment opportunities—TAF is partnering with Building UP , a non-profit social purpose builder and TAF partner, to ensure our local workforce is engaged in the project. TAF-led retrofits are also a way we can lead by example. We engage in these retrofits on City properties to demonstrate their effectiveness to private landlords. Owners of multi-residential buildings across the City could be saving money and helping the environment at the same time, and we want to show that TAF and the City have the expertise to help them do it. The City has programs like the High-Res Retrofit Improvement Support Program (Hi-RIS) , which makes low-cost financing available for owners of apartment buildings constructed before 1990 who are looking to make improvements that reduce energy and water consumption. The more examples we can point to of just how effective and financially-savvy these projects are, the more uptake we’ll see.   And of course, projects like the one currently underway at the Sparroways help our planet by reducing energy use and carbon emissions. It really is a win at every level. Building retrofits are just one example of the important work that TAF is engaged in. TAF was an early supporter of electric vehicles, investing in the start-up that developed the first plug-in hybrid battery for personal vehicles. Now, the roads are full of electric vehicles (EVs) and the Federal government is partnering with TAF to build charging stations across the GTHA. Each time the Federal government contributes to TAF’s EV Station Fund , TAF moves quickly to take applications for new stations. If you are an owner or board member of a multi-residential building without EV charging capacity, I highly encourage you to look into this fund. You can receive rebates of up to 50% of your EV charging station installation cost. You can learn more about this great program at the link below: While I could fill pages with all the great work TAF is doing, I want to end off by highlighting one last project. TAF has made a very strategic $1.25 million investment  in Assembly Corp , a growing Toronto-based company that creates modular, prefabricated mass timber housing. Assembly’s development process looks a lot like building Lego. The easiest way to explain it is to show you: Assembly Corp builds these standardized parts in a factory and then assembles them onsite. This can achieve as much as a 60% reduction in construction time compared to traditional methods. Assembly Corp projects also integrate several environmental practices, including geothermal heating and cooling, smart thermostats, and other “passive house” design principles that make buildings more energy efficient. Their projects are also affordable for non-profit housing providers, with a focus on midrise developments, infill housing, and laneway housing, all of which are in high demand.   This partnership with Assembly Corp is another way for TAF to lead by example. Prefabricated mass timber is a relatively new construction method, and requires new expertise from professionals in design, construction, and manufacturing. TAF and Assembly Corp share a commitment to developing these much-needed skills in the market—Assembly Corp by sharing key learnings and best practices, and TAF by investing in companies and projects that share knowledge across the sector. The Toronto Atmospheric Fund started all the way back in 1991. Toronto Councillors Tony O’Donohue, Dan Leckie, and Jack Layton led Toronto City Council to establish the Toronto Atmospheric Fund with a $23 million endowment. The endowment came from the proceeds of a sale of rural lands that could no longer be used for future landfills. Now, 33 years later, it’s amazing to see just how far TAF has come.   The endowment has been so successful in investing in energy saving projects, building retrofits, and environmental innovations that, after watching its success for 25 years, both the Provincial and Federal governments have added to the endowment, allowing TAF’s work to spread beyond the City of Toronto. Here in our city, I used to track how much TAF projects were saving in the City budget. Whether it was an HVAC retrofit, a solar neighbourhood pilot, or a renewable energy installation, I would make note of the financial benefits and offsets. I remember getting to $55 million in utility cost savings each year alone, and then I lost count. There are more savings found and more progress made every year, and not a minute too soon. These investments don’t just solve pressing present-day challenges, though they’re great at that. They’re true investments in our city’s future. Much like Councillors did back in 1991, I can only dream of how far TAF will go in the next 30 years.

Housing continues to be the top story in the Council Chamber this month. Rent increases, evictions, skyrocketing rents - people are feeling less secure than ever in their homes and record-high numbers are considering leaving Ontario. With the Province repealing rent control on new buildings and vacated units, it’s harder than ever to find an affordable place to live in our city. Renoviction By-law Last week, City Council made significant moves to address this challenge in both existing and new rental buildings. Council voted to protect renters by developing a Renoviction By-law to stop evictions when a landlord illegitimately evicts a tenant by alleging that a unit must be vacated to undertake renovations or repairs. The policy is meant to compel landlords to sufficiently prove to the City that repairs require tenants to vacate. More work is being done on implementation guidelines and this policy will report one more time to Council in October to close this illegal eviction loophole. Rental Housing Supply Program Council also supported the new, ambitious  Rental Housing Supply Program  which will lead to a boom in the non-profit and co-operative housing sector. This program will help non-market housing providers build rent-geared-to-income, affordable, and market-rent units that have rent control, unlike any other new apartments in our city. There will also be vacancy control: a limit to how much rent can go up between vacating a unit and rental to new tenants. This program immediately funds 6,000 new rental homes, including 2,600 new affordable units, that will start construction this year and next. Importantly, this program links the definition of “affordable” to people’s income, rather than market trends. This is a major game changer for our city’s housing supply. Examples of Modular Housing: Reiderman Residence (Vancouver) Shelter Infrastructure Plan  and  Modular Housing As we all know, Toronto is grappling with a homelessness crisis. Our unhoused population, made up of singles and families in financial crisis, persons in various health and mental health crises, and a steady flow of unsponsored refugees, refugee claimants, and asylum seekers, are currently finding refuge in a range of settings, including the City’s permanent shelters, drop-in centres, emergency shelter hotels, and most frustratingly, in illegal encampments. This month, Council made significant progress in expanding our stock of base shelter and supportive housing beds to work toward addressing the crisis. First up: Council adopted funding and a plan to develop 5 new shelter sites over the next 18 months. Staff now have the funds to develop some lots or to acquire sites with buildings that could be renovated. We know that if we are ever to empty out our temporary shelter hotels, we need a sufficient number of these new facilities. Each is being designed to provide much more appropriate shelter programming that is conducive to getting people back on their feet and able to be independently housed. The new permanent shelter in Don Valley North, opened in 2022, is a good example of this new model. What is key is to develop multiple shelter spaces, each with fewer than 100 beds. When facilities are this small and manageable, the intensive case management necessary to get someone ready for their own home is much more likely to succeed. At the same time, Council voted to proceed with phase two of our Modular Supportive Housing program. 175 Cummer Ave will soon become home to 60 people in need of support programs and finishing touches can proceed on Dundalk Drive where 60 residents began living in modular supportive housing last year. These modular projects have been successful wherever they have been installed. At 60 independent units, these buildings knit very easily into any community and can be fully constructed in around 3 months. I asked the head of the City’s Housing Secretariat if more of these could be in the City’s future. We agreed it is worth looking at the field of suppliers, as modular construction techniques are a growing industry. There are more businesses every year that can help us make housing progress quickly. Toronto Parking Authority Income Share Agreement During the City’s pandemic financial struggles, every division and City corporation was asked to contribute to our financial picture. The Toronto Parking Authority (TPA) generates a significant amount of revenue for the City and over the last few years, was asked to return a greater share of their earnings to the City. While this was essential to addressing our pandemic and affordability challenges, it has put them behind on their capital repairs to their parking lots around the city and other services that allow us to continue to generate non-tax revenue. Now it is time to rebalance. On the recommendation of our Chief Financial Officer, Council adopted a new revenue share agreement with the TPA that will see the Green P return 75% of their earnings to the City every year. Over the next three years that could amount to $95 million, a huge contribution to the City’s budget needs while still ensuring we are prudently preserving these assets for our community. An image of the Ontario Science Centre which is now closed. These last two items created quite the swirl of controversy in the week leading up to our June council session. Both were quite frustrating items from my perspective. I know there are those that don’t share my opinion on these matters but I remain committed to honestly discussing them. Sankofa Square Thank you to the residents who called my office about Sankofa Square and shared their opinions. The facts are such that my opinion has not changed and it would appear that neither have most of my colleagues. I support the option to rename the Square (instead of the much more expensive plan from Mayor Tory to rename all of Dundas Street) with the name chosen by a community consultative group that included Black community leaders in Toronto and Indigenous partners – Sankofa. That this was put forward by these community leaders is meaningful to me and many of my colleagues. We appreciated that they chose a sentiment rather than the name of a person because individuals' names have proven to be an endless source of debate. A fact that often gets lost in this discussion is that property tax dollars are not being used to effect the name change. I mention this because callers tend to lead with the issue of spending their tax dollars. Once informed of the fact, they reach for other reasons to be against the change. I have voted to finalize the change of the name, and I am proud to stand by it. We talk a lot in this town about fighting anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and healing the wounds of First Nations people. Sankofa asks us to spare a moment to think of the slavery past of Black people; those whose ancestors were forcibly brought here. I have room in my heart for all of these things. Not just some of them. Ontario Science Centre When it comes to the Science Centre issue, I have room in my heart for every wonderful memory there from my parenting years. I’m grateful to the Province for all the years they have run this attraction. Unfortunately, there has been a severe lack of transparency and communication from the Provincial government regarding the future of the Science Centre, demonstrated by its sudden closure a couple of weeks ago. Many in the community, the Mayor and many of my council colleagues included, want to explore options for the City to be part of solving the future of the Science Centre. With everyone wanting that so much, I voted to have staff report back after studying the possibilities. However, as a Budget Chief, I need to make it clear up front that I’m not prepared to support any proposed solutions that come back to us that drain City dollars. The City is best at running more modest museums and attractions. The largest example under our management is the very popular Toronto Zoo. Each year it costs about $13 million of your tax dollars. I get very stressed when faced with the fact that the Science Centre costs the Province an annual net loss of $20 million and by the Provincial government’s claims that a capital investment of nearly $500 million is required to preserve the Science Centre at its current location. Given the City’s structural financial challenges and the many priorities City Council is currently trying to address, this renovation would need to be undertaken by the Provincial government alone. What the City can do is take every action possible to help support the local economy in the neighbourhood, including those who may lose their jobs as a result of this closure. The forthcoming  Action Plan for Toronto’s Economy  needs to provide opportunities for people in the suburbs. As the Mayor’s Economic Development & Culture Champion, I am deeply committed to this work. So here is my ultimate promise: I’m willing to be open minded about the possibilities report by City staff but I remain equally open to solutions that may come from the Provincial government.  If you haven’t already, I would encourage you to write to your Member of Provincial Parliament, Vincent Ke, to voice your views on the Province’s plan. He can be reached at  Vke-CO@ola.org  or  416-494-8778 .

Summer is officially here! We're in for some beautiful sunny days next week, and what better way to enjoy summer than exploring our own backyard right here in Don Valley North? Let’s take a look at the exciting events and great amenities that Don Valley Northerners of all ages can enjoy in the months ahead. Canada Day Canada Day is right around the corner, and there are fantastic events happening across the City. If you feel like venturing a little further east into Scarborough, you can enjoy a full day of Canada Day activities at Thomson Memorial Park. There will be a free pancake breakfast, live music and performances, carnival games, face painting, an artisan market, and much more. The festivities will take place from 9 AM to 4 PM, so you can drop by any time and enjoy the celebration. If you’d rather stick around Don Valley North, stop by our local history museum at Zion Schoolhouse (1091 Finch Ave E). From 11 AM to 5 PM, they’ll be hosting outdoor and indoor activities for the whole family to enjoy, including paper crafts and the opportunity to try your hand at stilts! Of course, there are a number of other Canada Day events taking place across the City, including nighttime fireworks displays at Ashbridges Bay, Centennial Park (Etobicoke), Milliken Park and Stan Wadlow Park. If you’re planning to set off your own fireworks, remember that they are only permitted on your private property until 11 PM on Canada Day. Fireworks are not allowed in parks or on beaches, or in a street, a parking lot, on a balcony, or on any private property that is not your own. The City has a helpful website with everything you need to know about setting off fireworks safely: Don Valley North Summer Events My office has also planned a few fun events so far for the summer months. To kick off the season, we have Summer Celebration at Oriole Community Centre on Saturday, July 13! Stop by any time between 1 PM – 4 PM for a community barbeque, ice cream truck, face painting, a bouncy castle, and so much more. We’ll have tables from local community organizations and some fabulous basketball programming happening in the gym. This is one of my favourite events of the year and I can’t wait to see our community come together a few weekends from now. We’re also hosting three outdoor movie nights in parks across Don Valley North: Monday, July 22nd: Ruddington Park Monday, July 29th: Linus Park Friday, August 23rd: Parkway Forest Park Each movie night will feature a different family favourite—keep an eye on the E-Blast for more details in the coming weeks. I think there’s no better way to spend a summer evening than enjoying a free movie in your local park and always love seeing neighbours enjoy a film under the stars. Finally, my signature Park Pop-Ups are back this summer! It’s my favourite way to chat with the community about what’s going on in your neighbourhood. Be sure to check your mailbox for a flyer letting you know where I’ll be setting up my pink tent next. Summer Recreation There are also so many fabulous outdoor and indoor amenities that you can enjoy right here in Don Valley North this summer. We have wonderful parks all over the ward that include everything from playgrounds to outdoor sports amenities like tennis and pickleball courts, baseball diamonds, soccer fields, basketball courts, and more. Some of them also have pools, wading pools, or splash pads, including: Bayview Village Park McNicoll Park Bellbury Park Oriole Park Allenbury Park Ethennonnhawahstihnen' Park Parkway Forest Park Van Horne Park If you’re looking to cool off and get out of the sun, you can also take a trip down into our incredible ravine system. I wrote about our ravines in depth a few weeks back, and encourage you to get out for a stroll along one of the trails sometime this summer. It’s a great way to enjoy the natural beauty of Don Valley North and learn a bit about our local waterways. There are also great indoor summer programs on at our local public library branches and community centres.  Our community centres offer everything from family board game nights to yoga, sports and open gym activities. Toronto Public Library has a great summer program called “Summer Wonder” that offers free programs for kids 12 years and under, including arts, STEM workshops, a summer reading club, camps, and more. And of course, they’re also a great spot to sit and relax with a summer read. Remember, you can also utilize Toronto's Heat Relief Network if you need access to a cool space: Summer Reminders With all the fabulous things happening in Don Valley North in the coming months, you’re bound to be out in the neighbourhood more often and might notice a few things that need attention. I wanted to end off by sharing a few reminders so we can all enjoy Don Valley North as much as possible this summer. First off, I’ve heard a few complaints about overgrown grass and weeds in our parks and along the City’s right-of-way over the past month. We had some rainy weather in May that prevented our maintenance crews from sticking to their usual grass cutting scheduled—if the ground is too soft, the mowers will dig deep trenches that no one wants in their local park. We should be back on track for our cutting schedule this summer, but if there are any issues with overgrown grass in a park or along a road near your home, please let my office know. The DVN team will be more than happy to have it attended to. I also wanted to remind folks about the property standards expectations for your own lawns. “Turfgrass” (regular grass) on your lawn must be kept below 20 cm, and this includes on your boulevard, too. Property owners are responsible for cutting the grass on the strip of land between the sidewalk and the road in front of their homes. If you live on a corner lot, this applies to the side of your property as well. Remember that we all play a part in making sure our neighbourhoods are up to shape. Finally, a quick reminder about parking. I know that some of us host more visitors in the warmer months, but remember that almost all streets in North York are subject to an unsigned three-hour parking maximum. Streets with different parking rules will have the appropriate parking signs. Be aware of parking on your street, and report any ongoing concerns to Toronto Police Parking Enforcement: I hope that these reminders help you make the absolute most of summer in Don Valley North, or wherever you live in the city. As I send this out, we’re still in the midst of a busy Council session. I’ll share my regular Council Updates in the E-Blast next week.

"Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods". That's not just the title of this week's E-Blast. It's the name of a major, multi-pronged initiative being led by City of Toronto Planning. As always at City Hall, we've shortened it to an acronym: EHON. A specific prong of EHON, the Major Streets Study, is going out for consultation next week, and it isn't really anything new. It is a type of housing that North York used to be very good at. We just got away from it somehow. When I was ten years old, my family moved from Vancouver to Toronto. My dad's company had moved us so many times in the previous five years that he decided we would not be buying a house this time. We moved into a rental townhouse in the Don Mills area. A photo of the street my family moved to when I was 10. As you can see, the townhomes blend right into the neighbourhood. Our townhouse complex, called Horizon Village, was a great place for me and my sisters to make friends. Neighbouring tenants included some of the earliest arrivals of 60s multiculturalism, American professional families avoiding the Vietnam draft, and a few single-parent led families, despite divorce being less common at the time. My parents chose Horizon Village because it was affordable. My father had lost a bit of ground in the buying and selling of homes every time he got a transfer, and we needed a place that didn't tighten the purse strings. These townhomes sat at the bottom of Cassandra Boulevard, surrounded by large, single-family houses. My sisters and I could walk to school on our own, as the traffic didn't really start until you got to Underhill Drive, the major street that ran through the middle of our subdivision. North on Underhill Drive, a few blocks away from Lawrence Avenue, was a little strip mall with a Loblaws store that all the local families relied on. Right across the street stood the Denewood and the Nouville, two apartment blocks of four storeys with about 32 apartments in each of them. At school, everyone knew someone who lived in one of these apartments—a grandmother, an old babysitter, or maybe a big sister and her newlywed husband. My classmate Margaret Carrick, who had just arrived from Scotland, lived there with her family. The Denewood apartment building as it stands today. We little girls from the townhouses and from the larger, single-family homes all thought those apartments must be the coolest place to live ever. Some units cost as little as $75 a month. If a big sister could get married and move there, then so could we. These buildings represented our freedom. We knew that if we worked hard at school and college, we too would one day rent a Denewood apartment as our first independent place to call home. Horizon Village, the Denewood, and the Nouville are still standing. Certainly, they cost more than $75 a month these days, but in their quiet, low-tech way, the Denewood and the Nouville provide great "missing middle" housing in our city. With their small number of units, the two buildings are accommodated by a modest surface parking lot and not much more. They don't need a lot of amenities, as they are nestled right into a subdivision with nearby parks, a community centre, and an arena. The value of single-family homes in the same neighbourhood has skyrocketed over the years. The presence of small-scale, multi-residential properties on a major street did nothing to detract from property values. The latest EHON proposal is to encourage these types of modest buildings on major streets in neighbourhoods for the first time in many years. The theory is that by allowing buildings of this type as-of-right, meaning that the applications will be approved as long as the developer adheres to the guidelines, we will get a lot of new housing built faster and more affordably. Staff think that as many as 30,000 sites across the city and inner suburbs may lend themselves to a building like the Denewood. These smaller buildings can be built faster because they take far less engineering and infrastructure upgrades. Builders like to complain about the time and expense of getting a tower built in Toronto, but there is a vast difference between allowing the construction of a building that will bring 60 people and maybe 30 cars, and one that will bring 500 people and hundreds of cars. This also means they can turn over more quickly, which can be a real appeal in our current economic climate with borrowing costs at an all-time high. There is another example of this style of building right here in Don Valley North that has long intrigued me, just the way those apartments of my childhood used to. At 22 Elkhorn Drive, nestled between a tennis club and an elementary school, sits Elkhorn Suites. 22 Elkhorn Drive right here in Don Valley North. Elkhorn is a short street, but it is considered major because it's a connector street that leads away from Bayview Village Mall. In the long-ago North York Official Plan, this street made sense for large community amenities, so in went a school and a church. A leftover lot beside the school was too deep for a single-family home but perfect for an apartment of three or four storeys. Elkhorn Suites is a long, low-rise apartment building with about 90 units. It extends deep into its lot but avoids being too overbearing for the single-family homes behind it. When the EHON team consults us in North York on October 18, I think we should keep this building top of mind. Staff are proposing a limit of 30 units in these low-rise apartments. I'm inclined to say that we should allow builders to go over that number as long as we never compromise on height guidelines. However, I need to hear your opinion first. That's why I'm hoping as many Don Valley Northerners as possible will attend this important EHON session. We can tell City Staff that we are willing to look at low-rise apartments and townhouses on major streets in neighbourhoods, provided they are done as well as they were back in North York's heyday. You can find all the details about this consultation at the link below. I'll be there with my team and we really do hope to see you come out and share your thoughts on this proposal. I know that change in our neighbourhoods can be challenging, which is why I think it's important to remember that we used to build this way. Generations before ours knew it was important to provide a variety of housing options so everyone could find a place to call home. I want my grandkids to be able to dream about getting their first apartment right here in the city the way I was able to when I was a little girl. So let's all come out on October 18, share our feedback, and get moving so that we can start to see more affordable homes crop up in every neighbourhood in our city.

It’s no secret that Don Valley North is changing. Some of us can remember when the intersection of Finch and Leslie was mostly farmland, with just a few new residential pockets popping up here and there. Now, it’s a bustling intersection that serves tens of thousands every day. These photos show the intersection of Finch & Leslie in 1964 (left) versus today (right). Change is always happening in a big city like Toronto, and it’s part of what makes cities such a great place to live. Of course, as we grow and change, we have to make sure our amenities keep pace. To make a neighbourhood truly feel like home, and to make sure everyone who lives there has the supports they need to succeed, there’s a lot we need to deliver. This week, I want to walk you through all the work happening to make Don Valley North a place where people at every stage of life can thrive. Whether you’re a senior, a student, a new family who’s just moved to Toronto, or you’ve lived here for decades, we’re hard at work to make sure your neighbourhood is liveable for generations to come. One of the first things that comes to mind when people think about liveable neighbourhoods is green space. It’s something we’re lucky to have a lot of here in Don Valley North, and it’s important that we make the most of those spaces to animate our neighbourhoods. There are a number of park enhancements in the works across Don Valley North, including at Elkhorn Parkette and Leslie Park. We also have dozens of park and other neighbourhood improvements underway resulting from our Participatory Budgeting processes in Bayview Village, Henry Farm, and Pleasant View over the past few years. These are some of my favourite projects to see realized because they came directly from the community. You are the local experts, and I always want to hear your ideas to make your neighbourhoods the best they can be. These improvements include everything from playground enhancements to the creation of pollinator gardens, new benches, lighting fixtures, and more. We’ll soon see two new dog parks in Parkway Forest Park and Old Sheppard Park. I know how important these spaces will be to accommodate the growing number of pets here in DVN, especially in our growing communities along Sheppard. Having designated off-leash areas in our parks ensures that everyone can enjoy the space, and they’re often a great place to socialize and meet your neighbours. This is always a central aim of the work we do at the City—creating spaces and amenities that help make your neighbourhood feel like home. Speaking of growing communities, we have to make sure our densifying neighbourhoods have access to green space, too. I’m pushing for more quality greenspace at Bayview Ave & Sheppard Ave, where Provincial planning policy is directing a lot of our intensification (as we’re seeing along the rest of Sheppard). I am always looking at options to use land swaps and other tools to make sure our high-rise neighbourhoods include park access. Another important piece in keeping our neighbourhoods liveable is school capacity. A new TCDSB school may soon be a reality at the base of the proposed development at 1001 Sheppard Ave E. I am also hard at work on a partnership to build a new TDSB public school in the neighbourhood. Integrating schools into tower neighbourhoods would go a long way in making those spaces into complete communities that support growing families. Our new child care facility at Ethennonnhawahstihnen’ CRC will open soon, providing even more support to families in DVN. For folks already living in our many apartment buildings, like the dozens of older buildings in and around The Peanut, we’re taking steps to improve liveability in your units. Last summer, I directed City Staff to design an Adequate Temperature Bylaw that will ensure tenants are better protected from extreme heat and our changing seasons. I know this has been a growing challenge as we grapple with climate change, and I look forward to seeing a comprehensive report come back later this year. The other major factor that is essential to creating liveable neighbourhoods is making sure folks can get around safely. Our community in Don Valley Village recently shared their first round of feedback on the Peanut Neighbourhood Streets Plan, which will deliver a host of traffic solutions to make some of most dangerous streets much safer to travel along, especially for school kids and seniors. We also have major road work happening and upcoming along a number of thoroughfares to ensure our roads are in good condition and are designed with the safety of all road users in mind. As our neighbourhoods grow, we need to increase transit options if we want to carry more people on our roads without worsening traffic. That’s why I’ve spent years pushing for an extended subway along Sheppard. The Province has committed to extending this transit line, but they haven’t said in what form. We need a transit line that can support our community for decades to come and provide the connections to transit in Scarborough that could radically change mobility in the east end of our city. I’m also pushing to see greater progress on the relocation of Oriole GO Station with Leslie Subway Station to better facilitate transit connections for riders in Don Valley North. Of course, there are a number of other things that go into making a neighbourhood liveable. We need to support economic growth and create an environment where local businesses can thrive, which is why I’m looking at ways to support the creation of a local Businesses Improvement Area here in DVN. That proposal would be even stronger if we could open more small-scale retail and shops in communities to provide options and access to necessities in neighbourhoods. To me, a liveable neighbourhood is one where you can grab your groceries, prescriptions, and go out for a nice bite to eat right around the corner. Finally, all of these amenities and neighbourhood spaces don’t mean much if the people in our neighbourhoods feel disconnected. As your Councillor, part of my job is to bring people together and build strong communities across Don Valley North. This was the main goal when I started my Park Pop-Ups, which are back this summer. They started as a safe way to gather and connect during the pandemic, and have become a wonderful opportunity to bring neighbours together and hear about your priorities right in your neighbourhood. I’m also thrilled to once again be able to host our annual Summer Celebration and offer a full afternoon of free food and activities for all ages to enjoy. We’ll also have a number of fantastic community organizations there that you can connect with. It’s always such a delight watching hundreds of Don Valley Northerners come out to the celebration and enjoy a summer afternoon at Oriole Community Centre. My goal is that when you step outside your home, whether it’s a standalone bungalow, apartment unit, or brand-new condo, you can access everything you need: You can wake up and take a nice stroll through your local park, drop the kids (or grandkids) off at school or daycare with ease, get to and from work without headache, and return at the end of the day to a neighbourhood that feels like home. Our suburban neighbourhoods here in Don Valley North deserve just as much care and attention as any other part of our city. I know that this is never a final destination, it’s something we must always keep working towards as our neighbourhoods continue to grow and change. At every step of the way, remember that my job is to hear from you and put in the work to improve Don Valley North in every way we can.

In last week’s E-Blast, I talked about how much the arts and culture sector does for our city, including acting as a major draw for tourists and conferences. This week, I want to take a deep dive into the other factors that impact Toronto’s “visitor economy”. This is a vital part of our city’s success—it drove over $12 billion in economic activity last year. Much like arts and culture, there is a two-way relationship between Toronto and tourism: People come to Toronto from all around the world because of our city’s vibrancy and unique identity, and those very tourists help make our city vibrant and unique. Let’s look at the work going on behind the scenes to keep drawing visitors to Toronto and what it means for the future of our city. I can’t talk to you about the visitor economy without talking about Destination Toronto, the arms-length non-profit that drives our tourism industry. As the Mayor’s Economic Development & Culture Champion, I sit on the Destination Toronto Board and get to weigh in on the deeply impactful work they do to shine a spotlight on Toronto internationally and support the tens of thousands of workers employed in the hospitality business. Last week, I welcomed a few hundred of those hospitality industry members to Destination Toronto’s Annual General Meeting (AGM). At the AGM, Destination Toronto’s CEO Andrew Weir unveiled a new study that analyzed the impact of the visitor economy on Toronto and the GTA from 2019 – 2023. This study was able to trace the full economic impacts of every dollar spent by tourists visiting Toronto. The three main types of impacts they measured to highlight the importance of tourism are: Direct Impacts: Tourists spend money directly on things like hotels, dining, recreation, and transportation. Indirect Impacts: The sectors that serve tourists also purchase good and services, (wholesale food, utilities, cleaning supplies, etc.), impacting other industries. These are called supply chain effects. Induced Impacts: Employees in tourism-related industries go out and spend their wages in the local economy. Together, the impacts of the visitor economy are huge. In 2023, 26.5 million people visited Toronto and spent $8.4 billion. All of that visiting supported 67,000 jobs and generated over $12 billion in total economic activity. It also generated $2.1 billion in various tax revenues. These number are within 5% of 2019 tourism levels, showing a strong recovery for the sector. The one facet of the visitor economy that’s still lagging at about 70% of pre-pandemic levels is the conference and special events business. Imagine the economic benefits Toronto and the GTA could reap if we fully recover the conference and events sector, or even grow it beyond 2019 levels. Conference goers have a proven tendency to return to Toronto as leisure travellers with their families. They also tend to be more hotel-focused while travelling on company expenses, which means Toronto is more likely to fully collect its Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT). Because you live in Toronto, you may not be aware of the MAT. It’s the only real way the City is able to collect tax dollars from tourists. The MAT pays for the operations of Destination Toronto and returns a small amount to the City, which helps offset what we spend to support tourism and major events. Last year, Council raised our MAT from 4% to 6%. While it’s not unusual to pay some form of visitor tax when you visit any world-class city, Toronto is now at the higher end of the range amongst the cities we compete with for tourist and conference business. In terms of tax benefits overall, the Federal and Provincial governments benefit the most from a healthy tourism industry, which is why there is also a Destination Canada and a Destination Ontario. The other orders of government know they will see solid tax revenue from both sales tax and the income tax that flows from tourism jobs. Toronto, on the other hand, makes just enough to cover the expenses we incur promoting our tourism industry through Destination Toronto and other City initiatives by collecting the MAT. Of course, the visitor economy has more benefits to our city than just the taxes we collect. A city needs the vitality and vibrancy that comes from tourists buzzing around the downtown core. We also need the wide range of employment opportunities that come from the sector, including excellent entry-level jobs. Perhaps most importantly, tourism helps boost our international profile and attract investors, entrepreneurs, and businesses from around the globe. So how do we make sure leisure and business tourists leave Toronto with a smile on their face? It starts with their journey to Toronto. It has to be easy to get here and enjoyable at the arrival point. As an example, I was at Pearson Airport recently and heard a group of visitors from the UK chatting about how to get over to the UP Express and head downtown. A dedicated, reliable train service running between our major airport and downtown core ensures that visitors start their trip to Toronto on the right foot. Speaking of downtown, Billy Bishop Airport continues to offer one of the best small airport experiences around and visitors are noticing. They recently announced passport pre-clearance, which will make quick business trips to places like Boston and Chicago almost effortless. Nieuport Aviation, the owners of the Billy Bishop terminal, have also started to add visual art installations and live music to the airport to give visitors a taste of what’s in store for them in Toronto. They’ve also made great strides improving the pick-up and drop-off in front of the terminal for shuttle buses, taxis, and family chauffeurs. Very soon, we will need to grapple with the future of Billy Bishop Airport. New federal aviation rules mean that adjustments will need to be made for planes to continue landing. To make these critical investments, the airport needs certainty that it will be able to continue operating its great service. For instance, it’s currently limited in the types of planes it can land. Imagine if instead of the outdated turboprop planes, it could accommodate modern aircraft that are greener and quieter. This would dramatically improve sustainability and livability near the airport while enhancing a key asset of our local visitor economy. Billy Bishop is the perfect tie-in to the last point I wanted to dive into: business travel & conferences. Our Destination organizations at every level advertise our city globally to promote what a great place we are for a conference. We’ve already locked in a couple of major tech conferences for the next calendar year. Next week, Toronto will once again host Collision, a super-sized tech conference where tens of thousands of attendees from around the world showcase their tech concepts to top investors. Next year, we’ll host Consensus, another tech showcase specializing in Web3, blockchain, and cryptocurrency. All three levels of government and their tourism corporations will make sure the conference attendees have a great time, bringing new investments to Toronto and flooding the hospitality industry with revenue along the way. Whether visitors come here for business or pleasure, we want to make sure they see the very best of Toronto. A strong visitor economy directly translates into a strong local economy, creating jobs and income across sectors. Rest assured that we are working around the clock to grow our visitor economy and create more opportunities for Torontonians in every corner of the city. And if you have friends or family visiting soon and aren’t sure what to show them, Destination Toronto’s website is never short on ideas. Let’s show visitors from near and far just how much Toronto has to offer.