Newsletters

TDSB Trustee Shelley Laskin will be hosting a St Paul’s Provincial Candidates Debate on Education Issues. It will be at Northern Secondary School on September 20th from 7:00 to 9:00pm, and will be moderated by Toronto Star Education Reporter Louise Brown.

For more information please email Shelley Laskin at [email protected] or you can call her office at 416-397-3094.

You are invited! Join City Staff at one of the six Open Houses being held across Toronto in September. These Open Houses are part of the first stage of the Official Plan and Municipal Comprehensive Reviews. This is a great opportunity to help shape your city, and share with them your observations and ideas on planning in Toronto.

Open House Format

You can attend at any time between 3:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. to view displays and share your insights with City staff. A presentation and facilitated discussion will occur at 4:00 p.m. and again at 7:30 p.m. so you can attend the session that works with your schedule. See below for schedule dates and locations.

If you're unable to attend an open house, you will be able to review the open house material on-line. Display boards, handouts and the presentation along with a summary of each open house will be posted on this page. You can also complete a survey or submit your comments at any time.

For more information please visit the City website at www.toronto.ca/opreview/index.htm.

Solid Waste Management continues efforts to increase efficiency by maximizing the automated truck collections.  The reconfiguring of the collection routes will require a change in residential collection days for some areas.

All households in Ward 22 BETWEEN YONGE AND BAYVIEW will have a change in their pickup.  This affects approximately 4,500 homes.

(click on the image for a larger picture - the boundary between "Wednesday 2" and "Thursday 2" is Mt. Pleasant Rd.)

If your new pickup schedule is now "Wednesday 2", you will start the cycle on Wednesday, September 7 with putting out your GARBAGE and Green Bin.  You can find the "Wednesday 2" calendar at www.toronto.ca/garbage/single/calendars/wednesday_2.pdf If your new pickup schedule is now "Thursday 2", your date stays the same but your garbage and recycling weeks will switch, with GARBAGE and Green Bin being picked up on Thursday, September 8.  You can find the "Thursday 2" calendar at www.toronto.ca/garbage/single/calendars/thursday_2.pdf.

The Davisville (June Rowlands) Park Splash Pad construction has been delayed by two weeks.

While I've been told that weather was the cause for the delay, like many of you, I am frustrated that we were told that this splash pad would be ready for the community by a deadline that has come and gone- as I expect that when Parks staff provide us with information, it will be accurate.

This morning I spoke with Tony Nagy, Senior Project Coordinator with Parks, Forestry & Recreation,and he assured me that the splash pad will indeed be open for use by  the July 16th weekend, weather permitting. I consider this a hard deadline and told Mr. Nagy that the community will expect so too.

I very much appreciate your patience and understand your justified frustration, which I have shared, and I am determined to see this project through to fruition.

Our new splash pad will be a wonderful asset for the Davisville Village neighbourhood and our entire community and I look forward to seeing our local children enjoying it very soon

Dear friends,

I hope you had a fun and relaxing Canada Day weekend.

For your information, I'm providing you with a brief update on three items that may be of interest to you.

1. TOMORROW, July 5:  Eglinton 2020 (LRT) Forum
2. Oriole Park Update
3. Summerlicious - July 8 to 24, 2011

1.  Eglinton 2020 (LRT) Forum

Date:  Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Time:  7:00 to 8:30 pm

Place:  Forest Hill United Church - 2 Wembley Road - off Bathurst, 1 block North of Eglinton Ave W

I invite you to join me, other community leaders and interested stakeholders interested in participating in the planning and shaping of Eglinton Avenue both above ground as under ground work begins on the Eglinton Crosstown LRT.  We will be talking about shaping the middle of the city – Eglinton Avenue – in a sustainable, neighbourhood and business friendly way where pedestrians, motorists, cyclists and people of all ages can live and move on the street.

Seating is limited and RSVP is required - please contact the Office of MPP Mike Colle by phone at (416) 781-2395 or email at mcolle.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org.

Please visit the Eglinton 2020 website or check out their page on Facebook.

2.  Oriole Park Update

At long last, our new playground at Oriole Park is now open! Thank you to everyone, including local residents and parks staff, who I've worked with to see this through to fruition by the Canada Day deadline I set. This is possibly Toronto's most beautifully designed playground. And it now belongs to our community.

3.  Summerlicious - July 8 to 24, 2011

Take advantage of the incredible value of 3-course prix fixed menus at 150 of Toronto's favourite restaurants, whether it is for lunch or dinner.  Reservations recommended.  For more information on participating restaurants, please visit the City of Toronto website.

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me at (416) 392-7906 or reply to this email.

Best regards,

Josh

1. Funding for Northern School Field Approved By Community Council

2. Garbage Debate Far From Over

3. Avenue Road Watermain Update.

4. Toronto Service Review

5. Doors open Toronto

1. Funding for Northern School Field Approved By Community Council

I'm happy to report that today at City Hall, Toronto East York Community Council approved a development on Roehampton Avenue that will result in $500,000 toward a new field at Northern Secondary School, along with an additional $500,000 toward a new local park. The funding will be secured through a section 37 agreement between the City of Toronto and K & G Construction, owner of 299 Roehampton.

The Clarke Pulford Field, named after a former Northern physical education teacher, has long been in need of revitalization. The playing surface is patchy, full of holes and can be unusable at times. While working with the Northern community as a School Trustee, I saw first -hand the passion and dedication that students, alumni and parents have for this project. Through countless fundraising events including a "taste of the town" evening, raffles for Maple Leafs tickets and a 24 hour camp out on the field, the Northern Secondary School Foundation has remarkably raised over $1 million.

The new field will consist of a 400-metre, four-lane running track and a full football and soccer field built to professional standards. The grass will be replaced by high-quality artificial turf while bike racks and fencing will also be installed. The playing area will be used by physical education classes, Northern's many successful athletic teams and will provide recreational opportunities for the wider community. Through hard work, a consensus was reached on a Community Use Agreement at a recent meeting at City Hall with the support of Shelley Laskin, our School Trustee, the Sherwood Park Residents' Association as well as Northern students, staff, parents and alumni. When not in use for school activities, the field will be available for neighbourhood residents to play soccer, frisbee, running and many other activities.

I am honoured to be in the position to complete this project through City Council next month where I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure that the remaining $500,000 needed for the field is approved.

We're nearing the end of a long journey to create a field that will merit the excellence of Northern's athletes and will be accessible to local residents. Thank you to our entire school and residential community for your support.

2. Garbage Debate Far From Over

Despite media reports that have suggested otherwise, garbage pick-up has not been privatized. Council voted to allow staff to issue a Request for Quotations (RFQ) from private bidders. Once those bids are received Council will vote on whether to accept, reject or amend the contracts.

Please read my column from Monday's Toronto Star for further information:

http://joshmatlow.ca/josh-in-the-news/city-hall-diary.html

During last week's debate on whether to accept private bids for waste collection, all four of my amendments were supported by Council. They helped to ensure that the environment, public service and taxpayer protection would be paramount if we choose to go down this path. I believe these amendments reflected much of the feedback I've received from residents.

Please click this link to view the amendments:

Motions by Councillor Matlow

3. Avenue Road Watermain Update.

I have some good news with regards to the Avenue Road Watermain reconstruction project.  While this is a necessary project for our city's infrastructure, it has also greatly impacted the amount of gridlock in the area and has understandably frustrated many local residents – including myself.

I can report that as of last week several lanes were re-opened to traffic including:

1) Along Avenue Rd. from Poplar Plains to just south of Balmoral

2) Along Avenue Rd. from just north of St. Clair to Lonsdale

3) Along Lonsdale from Avenue Rd. to Oriole Parkway

4) Along Oriole Parkway from Lonsdale to just north of Wilberton

There are lanes that are still closed along Avenue Road across the intersection of St. Clair.  These should be re-opened until work is completed in that area by the end of June.

I have been informed by Water that the City was considering replacing watermains on Mt. Pleasant and Eglinton West

I have requested that the construction be finished on Avenue before either one of the other projects begins and, if possible, to wait for the construction of the Eglinton Crosstown before moving ahead with that project so the work can be done at the same time.

City staff has confirmed that those projects will be delayed.

4. Toronto Service Review

To address Toronto's 2012 budget gap of $774 million, City Council has launched a review of all of its services and implemented a multi-year financial planning process.The City of Toronto is reviewing the services it provides and looking at how they can best be delivered to Toronto residents.

As part of the review, a public consultation process has been launched called the Toronto Service Review.  This is your chance to send a strong signal to City Councillors and the Mayor about the kind of Toronto we want to live in and pass on to our children.  To find summary and detailed information on each service, facts and figures about the City's budget and decision-making processes, please go to:  http://www.toronto.ca/torontoservicereview/.  You can also fill in the online feedback form to directly provide your input.

5. Doors open Toronto

Finally I would encourage you to participate in Doors Open Toronto on Saturday and Sunday May 28th and 29th.  This is one of the city's most popular annual events, which provides free access to buildings of architectural, historic, social and cultural significance.

Some of the buildings you can visit in Ward 22 include;

City of Toronto Archives at 255 Spadina Road

Empress Building -  at 124 Merton Street

Fire Station 311 -  at 20 Balmoral Avenue

Frontier College -- Gzowski House at 35 Jackes Avenue

Grace Church on-the-Hill at 300 Lonsdale Road

Spadina Museum: Historic House & Gardens at 285 Spadina Road

Most buildings will be open from 10:00am – 5:00pm on both days – but some building hours do vary so please visit the Doors Open website at www.toronto.ca/doorsopen/buildings.htm

I particularly would like you to join me at Fire Station 311 at 20 Balmoral.  The station is celebrating its 100th Anniversary – and I will be there for a special ceremony at 1pm.

I hope you found this informative. For additional information, please do not hesitate to contact my office at (416) 392-7906 or email [email protected].

Best Wishes,

Josh

Dear residents,

This morning, Premier McGuinty and Mayor Rob Ford announced a new plan for rapid transit expansion in Toronto. The mayor’s plan replaces the previous Transit City initiative which would have seen Light Rapid Transit (LRT) lines on Eglinton, Sheppard, Finch and through Scarborough with some portions built underground.

Mayor Ford has put forward a transit plan that will put the entirety of the Eglinton LRT line underground and a replace the Scarborough Rapid Transit line with an LRT. The Mayor has also proposed to construct a $4 billion subway on Sheppard Ave using private financing.

The original Metrolinx plan for the Eglinton LRT, funded by the provincial government, called for the line to be underground from Black Creek to Laird. The difference between the plans is that an 8km portion of the Eglinton line from Laird east to Kennedy will now also be underground at an additional cost of $2 billion. To bury this portion of the line, Toronto will have to reallocate funds away from the proposed Finch West LRT, as the City would no longer have the capital dollars to construct a rapid transit line there. However, there is some discussion about enhancing bus service along that route.

It is important to note that there is no additional money from the Province towards today's announcement. The City will be required to fund the Sheppard subway on its own. The Mayor has mused about various private financing schemes but has yet to provide formal details. While I strongly support transit expansion for Toronto, without ensuring that the revenue needed for the ongoing operating costs can be found, I am concerned that constructing subways through suburban areas of Toronto with low densities will become a long-term liability for taxpayers. The current stretch of the Sheppard subway is already subsidised by our property taxes due to low ridership.

I applaud the provincial government’s commitment to fund rapid transit expansion for our city and am delighted that work will begin on the Eglinton line this year- something we’ve been waiting for far too long. In addition, when funding is made available, I'd like to see the Eglinton line extend to Pearson airport and beyond as part of a regional transit strategy.

I am concerned, however, about the process in which this plan has been delivered as Toronto residents have not been consulted and there is no surety that this plan, nor its finances, will be debated at Council. It is also prudent to consider the estimated $49 million that Toronto will have to pay to cancel the Transit City plan at a time when there is a projected $784 million gap in the 2012 City operating budget.

Public transportation is the primary mode of travel for many of us and affects the planning of our neighbourhoods. Toronto residents deserve an opportunity to provide their input regarding the future of transit as it is an integral part of our lives.

Ultimately, I believe we need to have a thoughtful, evidence-based debate at Council to achieve a financially feasible transit plan with a detailed, transparent budget that will be accessible to as many Torontonians as possible.

To ensure your ability to have your voice heard, I plan to co-host a town hall meeting on transit in the coming weeks with fellow midtown city councillors to hear your feedback and answer any questions you might have. We will send you details about the date and location very soon along with posting on my website at: www.joshmatlow.ca. Meanwhile, always feel free to send me an email to [email protected]

Sincerely,

Josh Matlow
Toronto City Councillor
Ward 22, St. Paul’s

The following are the Ward 22 highlights from the past month for your information. I will be archiving past updates soon at www.joshmatlow.ca for your reference.

Community Budget Consultation

On February 17th, I hosted a Town Hall Meeting on the 2011 City of Toronto budget at the North Toronto Memorial Community Centre to hear from our community and to share information. I invited Josie Lavita, Director of Financial Planning for the City of Toronto, who gave a detailed presentation on the composition of our proposed revenues and expenditures for 2011. After the presentation, everyone in attendance engaged in a candid and thoughtful discussion. There were excellent questions and comments on topics ranging from libraries, garbage privatization, transit and the need to bring more jobs into Toronto and much more.

Make your voice heard!

The following route service changes will be considered by the TTC on February 2nd, 2011. If you will be affected by one or more of these proposed changes, and would like to appear before the Commission, contact the Coordinator - Secretariat Services who is responsible for coordinating the meeting process. You can do this by sending an e-mail to [email protected].

Requests to appear as a speaker for items on a meeting agenda will be accepted in writing until 12:00 noon the day preceding the day of the Commission meeting.

Some important facts to know prior to making your appearance:

Each appearance is limited to five minutes to give as many people as possible the opportunity to speak. Members of the Commission may ask you questions. A written submission may be submitted when you make your deputation, but it is not necessary. Written comments may also be given or sent without speaking to the Commission.

Routes throughout Toronto that may be affected by the proposed changes. Please note, routes that run through Ward 22 are in bold.

5 AVENUE RD – No service after 7:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. No service on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

61 AVENUE RD NORTH – No service after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.

6 BAY – No service after 10:00 p.m., every day.

9 BELLAMY – No service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. No service after 7:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

8 BROADVIEW – No service after 10:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.

120 CALVINGTON – No service after 10:00 p.m., Monday to Saturday. No service on Sundays and holidays.

20 CLIFFSIDE – No service after 10:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

42 CUMMER – No service east of Kennedy Road after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. No service east of Kennedy Road on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

127 DAVENPORT – No service after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.

105 DUFFERIN NORTH – No service after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.

26 DUPONT – No service after 10:00 p.m., every day.

32 EGLINTON WEST – No 32D (Eglinton West Stn-Jane & Emmett) service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Saturday. No 32D (Eglinton West Stn-Jane & Emmett) service after 7:00 p.m. on Sundays and holidays. No 32A (Eglinton Stn-Renforth & Skymark) service west of Renforth on Saturdays.

15 EVANS – No service after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.

33 FOREST HILL – No service after 7:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. No service Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

135 GERRARD – No service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Saturday. No service after 7:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.

14 GLENCAIRN – No service after 10:00 p.m., every day.

122 GRAYDON HALL – No service after 10:00 p.m., every day.

169 HUNTINGWOOD – No service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. No service after 7:00 p.m., Saturdays. No service on Sundays and holidays.

110 ISLINGTON SOUTH – No service on Horner Avenue or Browns Line to Long Branch Loop after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.

43 KENNEDY – No 43B (Kennedy Stn-Scarborough Centre Stn via Progress) service after 7:00 p.m., Monday-Saturday. No 43B (Kennedy Stn-Scarborough Centre Stn via Progress) service on Sundays and holidays.

30 LAMBTON – No service after 10:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

162 LAWRENCE-DONWAY – No off peak service. Service to operate Monday-Friday morning and afternoon peak only.

56 LEASIDE – No service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. No service after 7:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. No service west of Laird Drive to Eglinton Station Sunday/holiday daytime.

51 LESLIE – No service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Saturday. No service after 7:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.

59 MAPLE LEAF – No service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. No service after 7:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

130 MIDDLEFIELD – No service after 10:00 p.m., every day.

132 MILNER – No service after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.

116 MORNINGSIDE – No 116A/E (Kennedy Stn-UofT Scarborough Express/Conlins) service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. No 116A/E (Kennedy Stn-UofT Scarborough Express/Conlins)service on Saturday, Sundays, and holidays.

62 MORTIMER – No service after 10:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

74 MT PLEASANT – No service after 7:00 p.m., every day.

103 MT PLEASANT NORTH – No service after 10:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

72 PAPE – No 72A service south of Eastern Avenue to Commissioners and Union Station after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Saturday, September-May. No 72A service south of Eastern Avenue to Commissioners and Union Station after 7:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays, September-May.

101 PARC DOWNSVIEW PARK – No service, September-May.

167 PHARMACY NORTH – No off peak service. Service to operate Monday-Friday morning and afternoon peak only.

80 QUEENSWAY – No off peak service east of Humber Loop, every day. No service after 10:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

48 RATHBURN – No service after 10:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

73 ROYAL YORK – No 73B (Royal York Stn-Eglinton & La Rose) service after 7:00 p.m., every day.

76 ROYAL YORK SOUTH – No 76B (Royal York Stn-Queensway & Grand Ave) service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. No 76B (Royal York Stn-Queensway & Grand Ave) service on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

78 ST ANDREWS – No service after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.

86 SCARBOROUGH – No off peak 86D (Kennedy Stn-Beechgrove via Lawrence) service. Service on 86D (Kennedy Stn-Beechgrove via Lawrence) to operate Monday-Friday morning and afternoon peak only.

115 SILVER HILLS – No off peak service. Service to operate Monday-Friday morning and afternoon peak only.

60 STEELES WEST – No off peak service west of Martin Grove to Highway 27. Service west of Martin Grove to operate Monday-Friday morning and afternoon peak only.

124 SUNNYBROOK – No service after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.

55 WARREN PARK – No service after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.

94 WELLESLEY – No service west of Wellesley Station after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.

112 WEST MALL – No 112C (Kipling Stn-Disco Rd) service north of Eglinton Avenue after 10:00 p.m., Saturdays. No 112C (Kipling Stn-Disco Rd) service north of Eglinton Avenue after 7:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.

98 WILLOWDALE-SENLAC – No service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Saturday. No service after 7:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays. No service east of Sheppard-Yonge Station, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

96 WILSON – No 96C/F off peak service to Tandridge Crescent or Thistle Down Boulevard. Service on 96C (York Mills Stn-Tandridge & Thistle Down via Albion) to Tandridge Crescent or Thistle Down Boulevard to operate Monday-Friday morning and afternoon peak only.

You may also contact a member of the commission at:

• Karen Stintz, TTC Chair  [email protected]
• Peter Milczyn, Vice-Chair  [email protected]
• Maria Augimeri [email protected]
• Vincent Crisanti [email protected]
• Frank Di Giorgio [email protected]
• Norm Kelly [email protected]
• Denzil Minnan-Wong [email protected]
• Cesar Palacio [email protected]
• John Parker [email protected]

Update on the Budget Process

With the initial release of the proposed capital and operating budgets, I will share all city documents available to me pertaining to the 2011 budget with Ward 22 residents. For your information, please click here to review budget presentation and materials prepared by City staff.

At the Mayor's direction, this year's budget process is starting a little earlier and will be more condensed than Toronto residents are accustomed to. Council plans to vote on its budget on February 28th. To ensure that you are well informed and able to provide feedback about your priorities for Toronto, I will regularly update this website.

You can also express your thoughts on this year's budget at a special session of the Toronto/East York Community council.

This public meeting being held for the Toronto and East York residents will be:

Date: January 19, 2011
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: East York Civic Centre Council Chamber
850 Coxwell Ave.
(North-west corner of Coxwell Ave. and Mortimer Ave. Public transit: subway to Coxwell, then O’Connor bus #70 north on Coxwell)

Moreover, I am organizing a town hall meeting specifically for Ward 22 residents. I'll provide you with details as soon as the date and location are confirmed.

I hope that you take the opportunity to become involved in the budget process so we can work together to ensure that the priorities of Wardd 22 residents are heard at City Hall.

Personal Vehicle Tax Elimination and Refund

As many of you are aware, City Council voted to eliminate the Personal Vehicle Tax (PVT) at it's December 16th meeting. Please click here to read the PDF memo I received from Cam Weldon, the City's Chief Financial Officer that outlined the implementation of this repeal:


Those whose renewals were due on or after January 1, 2011 are not required to pay the tax. If the tax has been paid in advance (such as for those who renewed their vehicle plates in December 2010) it will be refunded by the City
Those whose renewals were due on or before December 31, 2010 are required to pay the tax. If a two-year renewal is purchased, the collection system will apply the tax for both years and the City will automatically issue a PVT tax refund for the second year (the year starting on or after January 1, 2011)
There is no need to apply for refunds related to overpayment of the PVT due to the termination of the tax. The City will send all refunds by April, 2011 to the eligible PVT taxpayers at their home addresses

Insufficient Heat in Apartments

As the temperature has dropped over the past couple of weeks, my office has received several calls from tenants in St. Paul's who are suffering in apartments with substandard heating. Many of these residents are elderly or have small children especially vulnerable to the cold. Landlords are required to keep every apartment unit at, or above 20 degrees celsius during the winter months.

I have already taken action for several Ward 22 residents with the help of City inspectors. If you, or someone you know is living in a rental unity with inadequate heat, please do not hesitate to contact my office.


Green Toronto Awards

The City of Toronto's environmental awards of excellence honour and celebrate the individuals, organizations and companies that are helping lead the way to a cleaner, greener and more liveable Toronto.

2011 Awards open for nominations!

Learn how to apply
Apply now!
Nominations close Feb. 7, 2011 at midnight.


Let's stay in touch!


To contact my office, please call  416-392-7906 or email [email protected]

You can also easily find me on twitter and facebook.