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City Hall Update: January 2025
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City Hall Updates: December 2024
Focusing on Real Solutions to Toronto's Traffic Gridlock
Every day, too many Torontonians find themselves stuck in traffic gridlock, this is unacceptable. While there are many reasons for this, such as a lack of much-needed transit expansion over generations, along with the continuing need to provide people with more options to get around. I am actively calling for change. Far too many of our city's curb lanes are occupied for 2 or 3 years at a time for construction staging. I don't believe this is acceptable and I am calling for change.
Please read this thoughtful Toronto Star story about this priority.
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City Hall Update: November 2024
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City Hall Update: October 2024
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.
City Hall Update: August 2024
Save the Science Centre!
In 2022, the Provincial Government announced their intention to move the Ontario Science Centre to a much smaller location at Ontario Place. This announcement was done without consultation with residents of Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon Park who rely on the Centre for employment and education opportunities.
Recently, the Ford government used an engineering report that inflated the cost of roof repairs, and other maintenance needs, as a pretext to shamefully shutter the Science Centre down unnecessarily. That’s why it was vital that Staff reported back to Council last week on my motion to have the City take a lead role in saving this important cultural institution that is located on land partially owned by the City of Toronto.
We have an obligation to explore all possible means to keep the Science Centre at its current location. I’m pleased that my additional motion was supported to establish a working group with the province in the Toronto Region Conservation Authority (the other primary land owner) to review the lease agreement signed with the City stating the province would operate a Science Centre until 2064 and other matters.
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City Hall Update: July 2024
Save the Ontario Science Centre
Last spring, the Provincial Government announced their intention to move the Ontario Science Centre to a much smaller location at Ontario Place. This announcement was done without consultation with residents of Thorncliffe and Flemingdon Park who rely on the Centre for employment and education opportunities. Then, in late June, the government opportunistically used the pretense of roof repairs to unilaterally close the Science Centre for good - even though a closer inspection of the report shows that the roof could be fixed for a relatively modest cost.
I doubt that there is anybody who has a child or has been a child themselves in Ontario since 1969 who does not love the Ontario Science Centre. This is a place that has spurred our creativity, our imagination, our sense of childhood, and our sense of wonder. It is an incredibly important place and an important economic driver for the local community as it brings visitors from across the city and around the world to Don Mills and Eglinton. It would be a real blow to this community to lose the Science Centre just as the opening of the Eglinton Crosstown’s “Science Centre” station is about to make the attraction more accessible to the entire city.
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City Hall Update: May 2024
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City Hall Update: April 2024
Action Needed to Address Toronto’s Surge in Auto Theft Incidents & Home Invasions
The surge in auto theft incidents and home invasions over the past several months are significantly impacting our neighbourhoods. I know many of you are going to bed not knowing what you’ll find when you wake up and often fear that your families will be victimized by home invasions. Many believe auto thieves have the upper hand and that this issue isn’t being taken seriously enough. This has even led to, in some cases, residents hiring private security at their expense- personally spending tens of thousands of dollars in enhancing security measures for their own properties and those of their neighbours.
I’ve personally spoken with the Toronto Police Service and appreciate the efforts being made by the Provincial Carjacking Joint Task Force and the attention this issue has been given at the National Summit on Combatting Auto Theft and last week’s police chiefs summit held in Mississauga.
While there have been increased measures at our national borders and ports, and additional funding has been allocated and spent to help curb auto theft, there is much more that needs to be done.
Please see my letter to the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic Leblanc and Minister of the Solicitor General Michael Kerzner.
To review my letter, please click here.
City Hall Update: February 2024
Budget 2024 Reinvests in Vital City Services
On February 14th Council considered Mayor Chow’s budget. The last 10 years has seen deteriorating City services as a result of lower than inflation property tax increases. We’ve all experienced overflowing garbage cans, longer wait times for transit, locked park bathrooms and roads in disrepair. That's not good enough for Toronto.
Council had a choice this year: allow Toronto’s decline or get our city back on track. The budget was initially proposed by city staff to have a tax rate increase between 10.5% - 16.5%. I was pleased to see that the rate that was ultimately decided on was only 2.5% higher than the previous years budget. This amounts to an increase of $285 annually for the average Toronto home or the equivalent to a monthly increase of $23.75. This rate both recognized what we need to do for our city but also acknowledged the impact the economy is having on so many residents.
New investments in the 2024 Budget include:
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City Hall Update: December 2023
City Secures Much-Needed Funding from Province
Mayor Olivia Chow and Premier Doug Ford recently announced that they had reached an agreement to that would see the Ontario government provide $400 million per year until 2026. The money will be directed toward our over-capacity shelter system, operating funding for the TTC including the Eglinton and Finch LRT projects, when they finally open, and capital dollars for new streetcars.
This funding is vital in the face of a $1.5 billion deficit heading into the 2024 budget. But it does come at a cost. I am deeply saddened that the announced agreement accepted the provinces ability to move forward on their plan to build a massive private spa at Ontario Place and acknowledges the prerogatives of the Ford government to move the Science Centre out of Flemington Park to Ontario Place. I continue to actively support both Ontario Place for All and Save the Science Centre's efforts.
Moreover, part of the funding is derived from the Ontario government agreeing to upload the Gardiner and the DVP from the City. This will free up approximately $200 million per year out of the $400 million negotiated. This is obviously a financially boom for Toronto. However, this move will likely eliminate the possibility of opening up an additional 5.6 acres in the Portlands for housing and greenspace through rebuilding the Gardiner east of Jarvis on the ground as Ford is likely to keep it an elevated expressway.
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City Hall Update: September 2023
New Ontario Place Proposal Still Privatizes our Waterfront
Austrian spa company Therme and the provincial government’s revised proposal for Ontario Place is still the wrong project for our waterfront. While the redesign has slightly reduced the footprint of the proposed facility, the project would still require cutting down hundreds of mature trees and privatizes much of the West Island.
While everyone agrees that Ontario Place needs revitalization, the province should listen to Torontonians and create an iconic, modern new park on the waterfront, building on the 2018 Celebration Common plan for a year-round destination public space.
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