Councillor Matlow's City Hall & Community Update: October 2024
Happy Thanksgiving!
I wish you and those you love a very happy Thanksgiving. I have so much gratitude for our incredible and vibrant community, and am honoured to represent you at City Hall. May your thanksgiving weekend be filled with warmth, joy and family.
Best regards,
Josh
Wishing our Jewish Community Shana Tova and an Easy Fast
My family and I hope that our city’s Jewish community had a wonderful New Year’s celebration and we wish you Shana Tova. To everyone observing Yom Kippur tomorrow, I wish you a meaningful day and an easy fast. May this year be sweet, peaceful, and a better one for us all as we commemorate a year since the horrific attacks and hostage-takings on October 7th, 2023.
Community Events Wrap Up
In September, I organized events across our ward, bringing our community together for free ice cream, raffles, face painting and more. We had great turn outs and couldn't have done it without our community partners. Thank you to everyone who joined us, I really appreciate the many friendships I have made in every one of our neighborhoods!
Oriole Park Pump Park
Wells Hill Park Cedarvale Park
Raccoon Park Opening Celebration
I really love our community. We created a new playground for Yonge and Eglinton and named it “Raccoon Park”. This week I hosted an opening celebration, a neighbor decided to show up wearing a full out raccoon costume while carrying a massive slice of pizza. Absolutely amazing.
Calling for a Public Inquiry into the Eglinton LRT Delays
The recent news that the Eglinton Crosstown LRT won’t open until 2024 is yet another disappointing setback for the many Torontonians that live and work along the line, which is a billion dollars over budget and years behind schedule. Communities across the line have endured over 12 years of hardship due to the endless disruptions from construction. Businesses have lost revenues due to lower foot traffic, forcing many to close, while residents have suffered incredible disruption and unmanageable traffic and safety issues.
Despite repeated calls by City Council demanding greater transparency and accountability, Metrolinx refuses to explain the reasons for the repeated delays. In fact, they won’t even provide a forecasted opening date. It is completely unacceptable that residents who need to make critical personal and business decisions be left in the dark and are still stuck waiting for the bus.
That’s why I moved a motion at City Council calling on the province to launch a full public inquiry into the line’s failures, and to appear in front of the City’s executive committee with their findings. When residents of the City have been so profoundly impacted by the failures of government, it is of the utmost importance that Council take a stand to fight. Furthermore, it is of the utmost importance that we don’t repeat the same mistakes with future projects like the Ontario Line and the Eglinton East LRT Extension. I am grateful to my Council colleagues for voting in support of my motion for transparency and accountability at October’s Council.
Fighting Gridlock, and Raising Fines on Curb Hogs
Transit riders, drivers & cyclists are too often blocked by selfish curb hogs stopping in the middle of traffic to grab a coffee. If they don’t care about the rest of us getting to work or school on time, maybe they’ll care about their wallets. The fine is now $300.
This increased fine to reduce congestion for all road users is a long time coming. My friend Mike Layton and I first moved this motion in 2011 to create real consequences for clogging traffic. Let’s get Toronto moving. Click this link or the image below to watch my remarks at council.
Automated Enforcement for Drivers who Fail to Stop at Open Streetcar Doors
The failure of vehicles to stop for pedestrians entering and exiting TTC streetcars is a serious and ongoing issue, exemplified by a recent incident where a rider was hit by a car that failed to stop for a disembarking streetcar along College street on September 8, 2024. Unfortunately, this issue is difficult to enforce without automation given the scale of streetcar service and frequency of stops. Despite the TTC streetcars running with active external cameras since 2019, the TTC has not proceeded with automated camera enforcement for motorists who fail to stop for open streetcar doors. It’s time that we levied stronger penalties for drivers who take the lives of pedestrians in their hands when they recklessly speed past streetcars.
That’s why I moved a motion at the September TTC requesting that the TTC approve automated ticketing enforcement for motorists that fail to stop for open streetcar doors, and report back to the October TTC Board meeting with implementation plan. Thanks to TTC Commissioner Chris Moise for seconding the motion and to my Board colleagues who voted in favour of it. The TTC will be working on implementing the program and will be expected to report back to the TTC Board’s October meeting with next steps.
Doug Ford Destroys 800 Mature Trees at Ontario Place
Last week, Doug Ford’s provincial government ordered work crews to chop down 800 trees under the cover of darkness at Ontario Place. Residents woke up to see confused birds circling the now clear cut island. This callous destruction was only allowed to move forward because the province exempted itself from the Environmental Assessment process that would usually apply to large projects in sensitive environmental areas.
This is the most brazen step yet that Ford has taken toward building his billion dollar Austrian mega spa that is privatizing a cherished piece of our waterfront.
This past month it was also revealed that the lease agreement with Therme, the Austrian Corporation that received the spa contract, will be charged minimal rent on a 95 year lease despite the public spending hundreds of millions for site preparation and a giant parking lot to facilitate the project. If that wasn’t enough, documents also showed that as part of the agreement Therme has had a stage pipe reoriented so that it will now dump raw sewage into a portion of the lake popular with swimmers and rowers.
For more information, please see this article: "Ford government draws public criticism for destruction of Ontario Place tree grove"
To fight back against Ford’s destruction of Ontario Place, please visit Ontario Place For All’s website: Ontario Place for All – Say Yes to Public Space and No to a Private Spa at Ontario Place!
Accountability Demanded for $150 Million Metrolinx Railpath
This summer it was was revealed that Metrolinx charged the City of Toronto $150 million dollars for a 2km extension of the West Toronto Railpath. While the current railpath from Davenport to Dundas, along the UP Express corridor, is well used and should be extended, the cost is completely unreasonable.
That’s why I was pleased to support a motion at Council this week by local Councillor Alejandra Bravo to demand answers on how the cost was approved in the first place and an independent third party review of Metrolinx’s astronomical price tag.
For more information, please see my article in the Toronto Star from earlier this year: Toronto's $150 million walking path is a symptom of a much larger problem
Keeping Reggae, Gospel and Children's Music at the JUNOs
I joined my friend MP Michael Coteau in calling on the JUNOs to reverse their decision to remove the reggae, gospel & children’s music categories. These awards are meant to celebrate a diversity of Canadian culture and these categories are an important part of who we are. Little Jamaica, an area I’m proud to represent, has been a global center of reggae music, and gospel could be heard from church on Sunday mornings- even out on the streets. I was also delighted to name a playground to honour Sharon, Lois & Bram because of how much their music touched so many of our childhoods.
I thank the JUNO Awards for reversing the decision to drop these categories. I’m grateful to the artists, the many Canadians who supported our efforts and the amazing Michael Coteau. We beat the drums, and they listened.
Read more here: "'A PR nightmare of epic proportions’: Juno Awards reverse controversial decision to pull 2025 categories, including reggae and gospel"
Volleyball in Davisville
A few years ago, a small group of Davisville Village residents, who had immigrated here from India, started a volleyball league at June Rowlands Park. Initially, there were complaints about them playing there, and they were told by the City to leave because they weren’t playing on an “official” volleyball court. Babu, one of the organizers and a local resident, reached out to me and we worked together to ensure that not only would they be able to remain in the park, they wouldn’t be told to leave again- as it’s their park too! Since then, their league has expanded to teams in Etobicoke, North York, Brampton and beyond. And each year, their families celebrate a championship tournament together over samosas in the park, a trophy awards ceremony, and a children’s dance performance. They make the park better, more animated and vibrant. I’m grateful to join our neighbours every year for this celebration, as this is what our community is all about.
Visit from Cedarvale Community School
It was a great pleasure to have 5th and 6th graders from Cedarvale Community School here at city hall this week as my motion to formally demand transparency and accountability of Metrolinx and the province for the Eglinton Crosstown LRT fiasco was approved by City Council.
Mount Pleasant Village Harvest Fair
I appreciated having conversations with so many residents, including some of our youngest, at the Mount Pleasant Village Harvest Fair.
No Longer Taking Crap from Pigeons at Yonge and Eglinton
This bench at Yonge & Eglinton was being used as a toilet by pigeons for far too long, so we took care of business. Along with a request for enforcement, there are now signs informing people to stop feeding them. And so far, it’s working. The birds have left the bench and it’s been cleaned up. The feathered culprits have now moved nearby into the Metrolinx’s work zone, at least until the LRT is completed (so in other words, they may never get out of there).
A Message from Seeds for Hope
Join us for "Songs For Hope" - An Evening of Music and Giving, in support of Seeds of Hope, on Saturday evening, October 26th at the Drake Underground. Songs For Hope will feature 2 fabulous musical acts: Sisters & Brothers, a much-loved trio that has over a decade of experience performing together; and Every Second Tuesday, Toronto's premiere Dive Bar Band, bringing classic rock of the 60's and 70's back to our collective consciousness (after all, if you were remember the 60's, you weren't really there!).
As an adjunct to the show, there will be an extensive silent auction, featuring many amazing items including original art, wines, memorabilia, restaurant gift certificates, and other exciting items. Food and drinks will be available.
The event is being sponsored by local businesses, and many of the auction items are donated by members of our community. The auction table is growing rapidly, and we have Art, Wines, Leafs and Raptors tickets, Restaurant Gift Certificates, Signed Memorabilia, Jewelry, Sporting Goods, Professional Services and more.
We are hoping to raise $50,000 for our charity, which as you likely know is a grass-roots organization, working in the trenches with those living in poverty, suffering food insecurity, and experiencing homelessness. Never has it been so hard for this vulnerable population, and our help has never been more crucial. 100% of the funds raised will go to supporting our work. Lean more here.
100 Years Celebration with St. Matthew's
The sanctuary at St. Matthew's church at 729 St. Clair Ave. W. is 100 years old on Nov. 23, 2024. Join us to celebrate with an organ recital at 4.30 p.m. on the 23rd, followed by a reception and gala dinner. Tickets can be reserved for $25 each with an etransfer to [email protected]. See our website for more details.
Free information session: All about the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP)
Canada’s unique RDSP is a savings tool that people with disabilities can use to save for their future. During this session, learn how to open this long-term savings plan and hear how to access the federal government’s matching grants, and for low- and modest-income individuals, the bonds.
Proudly presented by IC Savings, a community credit union in the heart of Hillcrest Village.
Who should attend:
• People with disabilities
• Family members and friends
• Caregivers
Date: November 8, 2024, from 1 to 2pm
Location: Aviv Immigrant Kitchen, 779 St. Clair Avenue West at Arlington
Registration: While free to attend, space is limited. Register by calling the branch at (647) 504-0637.
To learn more about the credit union, visit our website. Download the event flyer here.