Today at Toronto and East York Community Council I, along with Chris Moise and Paula Fletcher, established a new Ontario Line Sub-committee with unanimous support from our Council colleagues.
This comes in response to concerns from residents and community stakeholders who have expressed frustration about the lack of public engagement and communication from Metrolinx and the Provincial government on construction, traffic, tree canopy, and business impacts of this important new transit infrastructure.
As a public agency leading a large-scale and transformational project with city-wide impact, Metrolinx has to do better.
It is possible to build public transit for all, protect our public and green spaces, and minimize disruptions, by making the choice to work cooperatively with residents, community stakeholders, and local elected representatives. Metrolinx can make the choice to work with us.
This Sub-committee allows for residents’ concerns to be heard as work on the Ontario Line is scheduled to begin in May. And, it will allow the City of Toronto to set clear recommendations to Metrolinx and the Provincial Government on how to build and implement the Ontario Line to ensure the best results are achieved for Toronto residents in terms of design, construction and community benefit.
I am looking forward to our first meeting in March, which will begin with a staff report on the status, timeline, pedestrian and traffic management, and community involvement related to the Ontario Line.
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June is here and there is lots to celebrate - the good weather and communities across the city.
Toronto is feeling busy with some of our big markers of spring coming back. All this good weather means that construction season is underway, but we are seeing the important work we’ve done at the City to better coordinate construction and speed up projects pay off.Just this week, construction at Bathurst St and Lake Shore Blvd wrapped up two months ahead of schedule.
As the sun stays out longer and the temperature (finally!) rises, I’m excited to share a few ways to enjoy our parks this spring. This weekend, we have our first Community Environment Day on Sunday, April 27, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at Stanley Park South (700 Wellington St). Two neighbours are joining us to run workshops!
Early on Wednesday April 2, Toronto Fire Services responded to a fire at Canoe Landing Park, and unfortunately, the beloved public sculpture – the red canoe – by Canadian artist Douglas Coupland, called Tom Thomson’s Canoe, was destroyed by a fire. Share your favourite memories of it with me and commit to it's legacy.
We’ve protected vital arts, culture and community space at Youngplace! Working together, we helped 5 organizations purchase their units that were put at risk by the Artscape receivership process and completed the first acquisition by a cultural land trust in Canada for 2 units, through partnership between Inspirit Foundation and the Community & Cultural Spaces Trust. I was proud to move over $1.2 million dollars of local Section 37 money to contribute to these purchases.
