Voting Record
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.
"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."
“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 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
“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.