Voting Record
“The Rockcliffe-Smythe area is located in Ward 5 (York South—Weston) and is the most flood vulnerable area in the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority's jurisdiction. There are hundreds of buildings within the regulatory floodplain of Black Creek and Lavender Creek; many of these properties experience frequent surface and basement flooding during severe storms.”
“Since colonization, Indigenous People have experienced many traumas, including displacement from their land, erasure of language and culture, residential schools, and systemic racism at every level of government and institution. The impacts of these traumas are present today, and are evidenced in the higher rates of houselessness, violence, suicide and poverty. Despite this, Indigenous People have shown incredible resilience and strength… The Reconciliation Action Plan is a living document and will continue to grow and evolve as needed in order to respond to changing needs of Indigenous communities in Toronto.”
“The City offers low-interest loans to help homeowners make their homes more energy efficient and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in support of the City’s TransformTO climate action strategy and net-zero emissions target.”
“The planned 22,000 sq. ft. Indigenous Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship facility will be situated in a commercial space located at 200 Dundas Street East. The first of its kind in Ontario, when it opens in 2023 the Indigenous Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship will become one of only a handful of incubators in Canada dedicated to Indigenous economic empowerment and business development. As such, the Indigenous Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship presents a significant opportunity to support and connect First Nations, Inuit and Métis entrepreneurs across Toronto, Ontario and Canada to critical resources and each other.”
“The climate crisis grows more urgent every year. The window to make significant and lasting change is disappearing. Action must happen immediately and it must be at the necessary scale required to respond to this crisis.” In response, the Net Zero Strategy triggers new and accelerated implementation actions to drive down community-wide emissions, particularly in the short term, and establishes the trajectory needed to reach net zero by 2040.
A sidewalk installation on Dwight Avenue between Birmingham Street and Maple Street in Ward 3 will result in the removal of twelve trees in the work zone, adjacent to Second Street Junior Middle School. Project staff have explored alternative options, and confirmed that there is no way to accommodate the sidewalk, and maintain the existing trees. There is significant concern among the local community that too many neighbourhood trees are being removed through various building and construction projects.
Ten of the twelve trees are tree species that are no longer being planted due to various impacts such as susceptibility to forest pests, like the Emerald Ash Borer or invasive qualities. As we know, because of these types of pests, it is likely that Ash trees in the City will require removal in the future. While the loss of these trees is significant, there is an opportunity to offset the removal, and bolster our tree canopy by increasing the replanting ratio, and planting healthier trees now.
Toronto is known around the world for its abundance of parks, expansive greenspaces, and sprawling ravine network. With an estimated 11.5 million trees, Toronto's canopy coverage is an impressive 28-31 percent and provides annual benefits worth over $55 million, including carbon sequestration, pollution removal, energy savings, and runoff reductions. When healthy, mature trees are removed, it takes decades or even centuries for saplings to restore their benefits.
The City has invested significant resources in protecting and enhancing Toronto's tree canopy. In 2017, City Council adopted the Toronto Ravine Strategy, providing an interdivisional framework for the management of our precious ravine system. City Council has also taken numerous steps to emphasize the importance of trees in the development review process, including introducing annual training for Committee of Adjustment members on Tree By-law related considerations in development applications.
“The HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan established a target of approving 40,000 new affordable rental homes, including 18,000 supportive homes by 2030. In October 2020, City Council approved an allocation of 5,200 of these new homes for Indigenous Peoples to be directly delivered by Indigenous housing providers and supported by the City and other orders of government.”
“Through the Home Energy Loan Program (HELP), the City offers low-interest loans to help homeowners make their homes more energy efficient and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in support of the City’s TransformTO climate action strategy and net-zero emissions target.” New funding “will be used to enhance the City's current HELP program and help Toronto homeowners undertake home energy efficiency retrofits and support the local economy.”
“We can't wait any longer for action. Our youth and future generations have the most to lose from a lack of immediate action to stop fossil fuel expansion as they face major and lifelong health, ecological, social and economic impacts from prolonged and cumulative effects of climate change, including food and water shortages, infectious diseases and natural disasters and entire communities are impacted by the health and safety risks of fossil fuel expansion, especially those who also face socioeconomic and health inequities.”
Building on the city-wide work embodied in TransformTO, the City has developed a comprehensive Net Zero Existing Buildings Strategy that will chart a path to a decarbonized and net zero emissions building sector. The Strategy presents the background information and set of recommended building-scale actions and city-wide policies necessary for the City of Toronto to transform its existing building sector.
On May 27, 2021, the Tk’emlups te Secwépemc First Nation announced the discovery of 215 Indigenous children on the grounds of a former residential school in Kamloops. This discovery has retraumatized many First Nations, Métis and Inuit across Turtle Island, who have long been dealing with the intergenerational trauma and lasting impacts of being forcibly removed from their families and communities, put into residential and day schools and forced to abandon their traditions, cultural practices and languages in order to assimilate them.
Residential schools operated in Canada for more than 160 years, up until the late 1990s, were Federally funded, and church-run. The last school closed in 1996. This discovery must move our Country and our Governments beyond words of condolences and toward actions that advance truth and reconciliation. We must recommit to advancing the Calls for Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and the Calls for Justice from the MMIWG2S Final Report - Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
These actions must be far reaching and must work to advance access to housing, clean water, prosperity and justice for all Indigenous people, in partnership with Indigenous communities.
“Plastic pollution is recognized by the Government of Canada, as well as governments and scientists around the world, as damaging to the environment. Residents of the City of Toronto are seeing the impact, now more than ever, of the amount of waste and recycling we create every week when we put out our bins having stayed at home during the pandemic…Municipalities bear a significant burden of managing plastics - as collectors of plastics in the recycling and garbage streams, and as the collector of plastics that end up in the environment in our greenspaces and Waterways. This requires substantial investment in waste management and clean-up costs both from the City and its residents.”
The purpose of this report is to recommend that City Council request the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to make two Minister's Zoning Orders in order to permit the creation of supportive affordable housing in existing buildings at 222 Spadina Avenue and 877 Yonge Street.
“The Surface Transit Network Plan is a roadmap to guide the planning, implementation, operation, maintenance, and monitoring of Toronto's transit priority measures…Once Council approves the Surface Transit Network Plan, City staff will undertake corridor-specific studies to determine the feasibility, benefits and impacts of various transit priority measures, informed by community consultation.”
“Urgent action is needed to establish a robust network of electric vehicle charging stations; and to achieve carbon-neutral targets by 2050, Canada Post must greatly accelerate the electrification of its fleet. This will help continue to push Toronto toward its goal to eliminate GHG emissions.”
“The Province of Ontario has revived a proposal to build the Greater Toronto Area West Highway (413), a fully separated 400-series highway in the northwest Greater Toronto Area. Its construction threatens critical agricultural lands, sensitive waterways, protected Greenbelt lands and conservation areas, as well as tens of thousands of jobs and billions in agriculture-related economic activity.”
“The carbon footprint of this highway will drive up greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles, which have been steadily increasing in recent years. The highway is also in direct opposition to the City of Toronto's climate emergency declaration and commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”
The Toronto Transit Commission has informed the residents of Toronto that the Scarborough Rapid Transit – Scarborough Line 3 – will no longer run past 2023. This is 3 years sooner than what City Council was previously told and would leave Scarborough residents on long bus rides for 7 years if the province builds the still unfunded Scarborough Subway on time…The Toronto Transit Commission has estimated that the discontinuation of Scarborough Rapid Transit service will result in a loss of ridership due to an eighteen minute average increase in commute time. It is estimated that this inferior service will cost over $300 million in additional capital and operating costs. Further, the Toronto Transit Commission states that the increase in buses will cause traffic delays and impacts on local residential neighbourhoods
“The Government of Ontario is planning to increase its reliance on gas-fired electricity to replace the output of the Pickering Nuclear Station (its operating licence expires on December 31, 2024) and to meet a rising demand for electricity.” Toronto “must join 13 municipal governments across Ontario, to ask that the Provincial government develop and implement a plan to phase-out all gas-fired electricity generation as soon as possible, to help municipalities in Ontario meet their climate targets.”
This document discusses the recommendation of recruiting individuals "for the Board of Directors for the seniors housing corporation." This “corporation will operate affordable rental and social housing for approximately 14,000 low and moderate-income senior households in 83 senior-designated buildings. These housing units are currently operated by the Seniors Housing Unit of Toronto Community Housing Corporation.”
The Light Rapid Transit was approved, funded, and shovel-ready when it was cancelled in 2013 for a subway that was designed on the back of a napkin. Since that time there have been many different plans and promises to deliver a subway, but Scarborough residents are no closer to being delivered transit than they were seven years ago.” “The 7-stop Scarborough Light Rapid Transit would provide more service, for fewer dollars, and can be up and running sooner. It’s finally time for City Council to make the right decision to serve Scarborough residents
On November 5, 2020, the Government of Ontario introduced Bill 229, Protect, Support and Recover from COVID-19 Act (Budget Measures), 2020, an Omnibus Bill that proposes limitations to Conservation Authorities’ permitting, planning and enforcement powers if passed, will work to diminish Conservation Authorities’ ability to fulfill the Act’s purpose and objects.
Conservation Authorities are tasked with protecting life and property and the preservation of significant natural features within our watersheds and fastgrowing communities in the Greater Toronto Area. The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority plays a crucial role in the permitting process, often on behalf of our partner municipalities.
As a part of an initiative by the Government of Canada to “create new affordable rental housing in response to the urgent housing needs of vulnerable and marginalized individuals” including modular housing, the contribution made by the city of Toronto to the “The Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI)” must “create a minimum of 417 units of new
permanent affordable housing” which will be accomplished through $203,265,729 in funding from the “Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).”
“The ActiveTO initiative has played a vital role in Toronto’s recovery and rebuild process, providing city residents of all ages and abilities with new, temporary and permanent, bikeways, which allow them to enjoy fresh air, obtain healthy exercise, and safely get around the city. The benefit of these cycling facilities must now be expanded to reach other parts of the city. Building a resilient city not only means providing clean and safe transportation alternatives during the current pandemic but achieving existing city policies, including the Vision Zero Road Safety Plan, the Cycling Network Plan, TransformTO’s climate mitigation plan through the reduction of short trips travelled by car, as well as the City’s equity and public health initiatives.” The City highlights that it is “crucial [to] prioritize a temporary bikeway along Yonge Street in Midtown, aligned with TTC’s Line 1.”
“Gasoline-powered leaf blowers and other types of small engine equipment are powered by inefficient two-stroke engines. The process of incomplete fuel combustion generates dangerous hydrocarbon 500 times that of an average automobile and produces toxic aerosol (including carcinogenic particulates) for us to breathe in.”
Historically, Toronto has lost much of its native biodiversity due to urbanization, including the destruction of forests, filling of ravines, and damming of waterways. While Toronto has made progress in protecting and managing natural habitats, challenges remain. Approximately "75% of the City's ravines and natural areas surveyed contain invasive species," with one-third severely impacted. With this is mind, Toronto’s first Biodiversity Strategy aims to foster healthier, more robust biodiversity and increase awareness of nature through a comprehensive vision, ten principles, and 23 actions under the themes of Protect, Restore, Design, and Engage. The strategy seeks to position Toronto as a leader in protecting and restoring urban biodiversity by developing an ecological integrity framework, advancing invasive species management, and joining the Biophilic Cities Network.
To support reducing difficulties regarding homelessness and housing, “the HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan” was adopted with a plan to “to help over 340,000 households through the approval of over 40,000 new affordable rental homes, including 18,000 supportive housing units over the next 10 years” and “increase housing stability for Toronto residents.” This policy also involves generating a “a six-month action plan to address the urgent issue of homelessness in the City” completed through the formation of two working groups of staff: Intergovernmental (in collaboration with provincial and federal governments) and Inter-divisional (collaborating with additional stakeholders). The Action Plan also involves assisting to “support a 24-month plan for the delivery of 3,000 affordable and supportive homes as part of recovery planning.”
Based on a 2019 motion “Expanding Housing Options in Toronto - Tackling the Missing Middle and the Yellowbelt,” City Planning was directed by City Council “to report on options and a timeline to increase housing options and planning permissions in areas of Toronto designated as Neighbourhoods.” “The term “missing middle” refers to housing types ranging from duplexes to low-rise walk-up apartments, all of which can be found in many parts of Toronto today, but which are also limited in where they can be newly built.”
This Bill was established by the provincial government in March 2020 which amends various Acts (e.g., Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, Building Code Act, 1992, etc.). This document discusses the connection between this policy and “the HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan” and how housing is a human right. The proposed alterations made to this policy have been acknowledged by the city to “have the potential to impact peoples' access to adequate, safe, secure and affordable housing and as such the recommendations in the City's submission reflect the need to balance affordability and tenant access to the justice system.” In addition, “Bill 184 introduces amendments that would see tenants receive increased compensation for illegitimate activity or for no-fault evictions.”
The Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area's fare integration offers an "opportunity to increase transit ridership and improve affordability" for residents. The Provincial funding for the "$1.50 co-fare between GO Transit and the Toronto Transit Commission," was first introduced in 2018 and expired later on March 31, 2020. Despite this, demand was high, with "over 4.5 million more rides than were budgeted for in 2019-20." Toronto City Council supports the co-fare program and aims for "full and affordable fare integration," including a "single fare for all transit trips within the City of Toronto."
"The Cycling Network Plan Update names Bloor Street as a Major City-Wide Cycling Route. In summer 2019, Council directed Transportation Services to initiate planning, design and consultation for an extension of the Bloor Street West cycle tracks from where they currently end at Shaw Street, to continue west to High Park Avenue, with implementation targeted to take place as early as summer 2020."
As a response to the COVID-19 pandemic contributing to higher levels of homelessness and other housing issues that occurred even before the pandemic, city council urged the creation of a report to “increase the supply of affordable housing” which includes recommending “Council approve the purchase and installation of 110 modular units to be used as supportive housing for homeless individuals within the City's shelter system by September 2020 and another 140 units in 2021.” In order to fund building these homes, “$28.75 million in City funding and about $12.76 million in Open Door program incentives” has been requested for approval.
Every Tree Counts: A Portrait of Toronto's Urban Forest was first published in 2010 and subsequently revised in 2013. Toronto's first-ever tree canopy assessment provided necessary baseline data to help the City make management decisions to meet urban forestry objectives. The 2008 canopy study made use of two distinct approaches to quantitatively determine the extent and distribution of urban forest cover: (1) the manual photo-interpretation of land cover class for approximately 10,000 randomly distributed sample points using 2009 leaf-on aerial imagery, and (2) a forest cover estimate derived through a semi-automated land cover classification process using 2007 leaf-on satellite imagery.
Toronto's canopy cover was estimated to be between 26.6 and 28 percent. The random point sampling method estimated 26.6 percent canopy cover while the semi-automated land cover classification method estimated 28 percent canopy cover. The semi-automated method included post-classification manual corrections by USDA Forest Service staff.
Tree canopy studies of this kind are an important part of the adaptive management cycle for Urban Forestry. They allow City staff to work with reliable data to adjust program activities that reflect the changing nature of the urban forest and evolving management issues.
“Residents throughout the City have been waiting for years for upgrades to municipal infrastructure that will help reduce the risk of flooding to both public and private property. Basement Flooding Investigation Environmental Assessments have been carried out throughout the City to develop plans to reduce the risk of flooding. In some cases these Environmental Assessments, some of which are still underway, have taken years to complete. Communities throughout the City and across Ontario would benefit from a similar process so that measures to reduce the risk of flooding can proceed to design and eventually construction as soon as possible.”
The Update on Flood Mitigation and Damage Repair for Toronto's Waterfront and Toronto Island Park report addresses City Council's request for an update on the Toronto Islands Flood Characterization and Risk Assessment Project, which aims to assist the City and TRCA in planning for future flooding through "flood characterization, flood risk assessment, and flood mapping." It also updates on repairs and mitigation efforts from 2017 and 2018 weather events and provides a preliminary assessment of the 2019 high lake effect.
The cost of Toronto Transit Commission fares on a student’s monthly budget can be prohibitively expensive. Given the recent cuts to OSAP this can consume a significant portion of a student’s budget, with university tuition alone hovering around $7000-8000 for domestic students and $38,000 for international students…Unlike seniors and youth ages 13 to 19, students over the age of 19 are not eligible for discounted single Toronto Transit Commission fares. While university and college students who are enrolled full-time could receive a discount through the existing Post-Secondary Metropass, it is too expensive for many students
“Hundreds of governments around the world and major cities across Canada have recognized the urgency of the climate threat by declaring a climate emergency. It is time for Toronto to do the same and to take bolder action to meet our goals of reducing emissions and building a City that is greener, healthier and resilient.”
“Toronto Community Housing Corporation undertakes revitalization projects in communities across Toronto. Revitalization projects aim to address issues relating to long-term maintenance costs associated with aging housing stock, generate funding to renovate and replace social housing stock, and provide opportunities for community development and investment through improved design, additional facilities and services, and community economic development initiatives.” The Service Manager (i.e., sole shareholder of the corporation involved) sees an opportunity for the creation of a “transparent framework for approvals and consents to better align revitalization projects with the objectives of the upcoming Toronto Housing Strategy 2020 – 2030.”
“Toronto is the most diverse City in the world and home to approximately 70,000 Indigenous persons, making it one of the largest Indigenous urban populations in Canada. Indigenous people’s history can be traced back thousands of years, yet, unlike neighbourhoods such as Chinatown or Little Italy established by newer immigrants and recent Business Improvement Area organizing, there is no formally recognized Indigenous business and cultural area in the City, despite Toronto being a City historically created on treaty and Indigenous land…[I]n 2013, the ward Councillor worked with City Planning to identify a new development at 200 Dundas Street East as a potential location for the Indigenous business centre and incubator.”
“The purpose of this [item] is to have the City of Toronto take a leadership role in eliminating single-use plastic waste in all City of Toronto facilities.”
King Street is a significant east-west corridor in the Downtown, serving the largest concentration of jobs in the entire country. The neighbourhoods along King Street have experienced tremendous growth in the past ten years, and will continue to grow in the future. King Street is also a key destination for culture, heritage, entertainment, and retail. The 504 King streetcar is the busiest surface transit corridor in the entire city and now moves more than 84,000 riders on an average weekday
“Toronto's Ravine System is one of the world's largest urban ecosystems and covers nearly 17 percent of our City at an area of over 11,000 hectares. It is a primary source of habitat for Toronto's terrestrial biodiversity, provides tremendous economic benefit to the City and is internationally renowned as one of Toronto's most unique and defining features. A recent scientific study from the University of Toronto's Faculty of Forestry has demonstrated the immense ecological decline Toronto's Ravine System has endured over previous decades, concluding that widespread, science-based action must be taken immediately.”
“Community Environment Days are an important part of the City's waste reduction strategy. From 2014 to 2017, by going to their local Community Environment Day, Torontonians recycled and/or diverted from landfills” over 2 million kilograms of electronics, household hazardous waste, reusable household goods and arts and crafts supplies.
In July 2017, City Council authorized the implementation of the proposed King Street Transit Pilot between Bathurst Street and Jarvis Street with a goal of improving transit reliability, speed, and capacity on the busiest surface transit route in the city…[Furthermore], the King Street Transit Pilot was launched on November 12, 2017 and includes a robust monitoring and evaluation program. A wide range of data was collected both before and during the pilot to assess the impacts and benefits and inform the final evaluation for Council's consideration.