Councillor Matlow's City Hall & Community Update: September 2025

EVENT TIMELINE

Hillcrest Park Ice Cream Pop Up (CANCELLED)
Sunday, September 21st 
1pm to 3pm
Hillcrest Park - 950 Davenport Rd

Davisville Village Community Fair 
Saturday, October 4th
Noon to 4pm
June Rowlands Park - 220 Davisville Ave

Raccoon Park Ice Cream Pop Up
Sunday, October 5th 
1pm to 3pm
Raccoon Park - 86 Soudan Ave

Coffee in Hillcrest Park (NEW DATE)
Tuesday, September 30th
6pm to 7:30pm
Hillcrest Park - 950 Davenport Rd

Fighting For Fare Capping to Make Transit More Affordable

I’m advocating for a TTC that’s safe, reliable and more affordable. It’s time to cap fares to replace the antiquated monthly pass, make your monthly budget more affordable and predictable, and boost ridership on our transit system. Let’s do it, Toronto!

Support our Campaign to Demand the Province Invest in our Schools and Students

Join our campaign to tell Doug Ford to take responsibility for properly funding public education, stop the political games and support our schools. Read the petition below and sign on here: https://www.joshmatlow.ca/fix_education

"To Premier Doug Ford, Minister Paul Calandra and the Government of Ontario,

Your recent decision to take control of four school boards and eliminate elected trustee representation is an alarming and undemocratic overreach. If your government is concerned about the financial health of our school boards, you should look in the mirror. This funding crisis was really created at Queen’s Park. You have systematically defunded, destabilized, and devalued public education in Ontario. This move doesn’t address the real problems facing Ontario’s education system - it distracts from them.

Since 2018, Ontario schools have been underfunded by $6.3 billion, with per-student funding still below 2018–19 levels. When adjusted for inflation, schools are receiving an estimated $1,500 less per student. In Toronto, the impact is even more severe: TDSB funding has dropped by $400 per student, while TCDSB funding is down by $370 per student compared to 2018–19, further straining our already overburdened schools. This isn’t just a budget issue, it’s a deliberate attack on our education system.

In your first year in office, you cancelled $100 million in school repair funding, leading to increasingly unsafe and inadequate school facilities. There are now 5,000 fewer classroom educators than there were in 2018, causing daily teacher and staff shortages. Class sizes have grown, making the learning environment worse for both students and teachers. 

This government has cut hundreds of special education roles and drastically limited funding for children with autism through the Ontario Autism Program (OAP), leading to a waitlist of over 60,000 families waiting for core services and support. This is not “efficiency”, it's abandonment.

Elected school board trustees are the voices of their communities and ensure public accountability in education.  Removing them silences communities, especially the most vulnerable. 

Right now students are overheating without air conditioning in the summer, music programs are being slashed, school pools are getting shut down, and critical services for children with special needs are disappearing. This crisis was not sudden. It is the result of years of your efforts to undermine school boards’ effectiveness and capacity. If you truly care about students, restore funding and respect the democratic representatives that empower our communities."

Click here to add your name to this petition.

Support our City Charter Campaign

We are advocating for a City Charter to ensure City Hall can provide effective and accountable local government that can get results. Please sign the petition here: joshmatlow.ca/charter_city to demand the powers Toronto needs to be an effective and accountable local government that can get results for you. 

Especially when the economy is facing challenges, federal funding is being tightened, and provincial debt and deficits are ballooning out of control, Doug Ford’s reckless tunnel needs to be stopped. When it comes to Ford, follow the contracts. His friends benefit with your money.
 

TDSB Programming: Fall Registration Now Open

African Heritage (AH)

International Languages – Elementary (ILE)

Message from The Toronto Public Library: 
Oakwood Village Library & Arts Centre Renovation

The Oakwood Village Library & Arts Centre is being prepared for a state of good repair. The renovation will bring much needed accessibility updates to the building, as well as a refresh to shelving, seating, and the interior of the building.

View hours and location of Oakwood Village Library & Arts Centre branch.

Community Consultation

In the coming months, staff will engage in focus groups for parents & caregivers; teens and the general public.

Please join us for a virtual consultation on Tuesday September 30, 2025 at 6:30 pm to 8:00 om. Please register on Eventbrite.

We want to hear from you

We are interested in your ideas and opinions about the Oakwood Village and Arts Centre branch renovation project. Tell us what you think!

From September 16 to October 3, our Thought Exchange survey is open for you to share your thoughts and view other people's thoughts and ideas! The proposed floor plans can be found in the survey. It will take approximately 5 to 10 minutes to complete.

Seeds of Hope Foundation

Small Business Month Event

Join us Tuesday, October 21 at 2:30 p.m. to celebrate Small Business Month with local resident and communication strategist PJ Wade, host of WHAT’S YOUR POINT? This free 40-minute LIVE online event focuses on an important but overlooked niche of small business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals.

“We have an important support gap to fill for small business in this tariff-driven economy,” says Wade, author of "What’s Your Point? Cut The Crap, Hit The Mark & Stick!". “Not all small business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals operate bricks-and-mortar stores. Based in their house or apartment, many work digitally, online and off, from home or through their cell phone. They may be isolated from other businesses and practices and a wealth of customers and clients in their neighbourhood and City.”
    
To help these businesses and practices connect, this free event, which kicks-off a series and is part of the book’s soft-launch, explores how to expand local markets by emphasizing true value in the ‘Made in Canada’ rallying cry.

‘Canadian Made’ is not the only point to make. Businesses benefit from expanding their depth and breadth of communication to clarify their often-overlooked value to customers and clients.

”Local businesses and professionals are valuable, but are they valued?” asks Wade, whose book supports business owners who are accomplished at their work, but who may not have as much training in effective business communication as in their chosen field.

Connect with PJ Wade at The Catalyst [https://www.thecatalyst.com]

Check Out the Midtown Ravine Group's New Website


 

Let's Support our Youth Rather than Blame Them

Doug Ford’s flippant accusation that youth are to blame for high unemployment numbers is both dishonest and offensive. Rather scapegoat young people and tell them to “look harder” for a job, Ford should do his job and support them.

New Public Art in Hillcrest Village

“Yellow Oasis”, an 8-storey mural in Hillcrest Village was shaped by months of community input. Led by STEPS and artist Yasaman Mehrsa, it transforms a once-empty wall into a vibrant landmark celebrating the cultural and environmental heritage of our St. Clair West neighborhood.

Visiting The Neighbourhood Group (TNG)

The Neighbourhood Group provides services to address our community’s most pressing issues including poverty, homelessness, mental health, unemployment, social isolation, substance abuse, conflict, violence, youth alienation & newcomer settlement. I appreciated our visit this month.

TTC Staff BBQ at Hillcrest Yard

The TTC has serious challenges including safety, affordability & reliability. It needs better & predictable financial support from higher levels of government. But what it gets right are the people who work hard for Torontonians every day. I went by Hillcrest Yard to thank them.

Event: Nina Sparrow Arts Foundation