Councillor Josh Matlow

“City Council has committed to a phased-in approach to a universal school food program, including a universal mid-morning meal by the 2026 to 2027 school year and a universal school lunch program no later than 2030. This matter is urgent as action is needed from all orders of government, particularly as the 2025 to 2026 budgets are prepared at the Federal and Provincial levels.”

“Research from various sources based in the United Kingdom, Australia, and Netherlands indicate that side guards could reduce cyclist fatalities by approximately 62%, pedestrian fatalities by 20%, and serious injuries for cyclists by 6%. However, there are currently no federal or provincial requirements for vehicles to be fitted with side guards. As the federal government sets national vehicle safety standards, the City of Toronto does not have the jurisdiction or authority to mandate all commercial vehicles operating within the City of Toronto be equipped with side guards. However, City Council, through Vision Zero 2.0, authorized the implementation of side guards and a comprehensive fleet safety and accountability program for all Solid Waste Management Services (SWMS) vehicles, both in-house and contracted. Currently, thirty (30) units in the City’s fleet are equipped with side guards.”

Densification is an important part of becoming more energy efficient and systemically reducing emissions from buildings in Toronto. Smaller homes require less energy for heating and cooling rooms. The recommended "As-of-right Zoning for Mid-rise Buildings on Avenues" is part of the Housing Action Plan to enable more housing along major streets and avenues. It includes updated "Rear Transition Performance Standards" and aims to allow "as-of-right heights and densities" for mid-rise buildings, potentially adding nearly 61,000 new dwelling units. These changes support the goal of meeting or exceeding the provincial housing target of 285,000 new homes over the next decade.

“In recent news that the Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail transit won’t open in 2024 is yet another disappointing setback for the many Torontoians that live and work along the line that is al least a billion dollars over budget and has delays for years…Residents and businesses along 19 kilometres of Eglinton Avenue hav ebeen enduring over 12 years of hardship due to the endless construction…Despite repeated calls by City Council demanding greater transparency and accountability, Metorlinx continues to refuse to explain the repeated delays, cost overruns and won’t even set a forecasted completion date.”

“Fossil fuel companies have a well-documented history of using their immense wealth for advocacy advertising to undermine public support for policies that reduce fossil fuel pollution. Such policies are necessary and urgent to preserve a liveable future for today’s young people. The Pathways Alliance, a coalition of six billionaire fossil fuel companies who produce 95% of tar sands bitumen, has actively advertised for this purpose in Toronto, eliciting a number of public complaints. Another fossil fuel lobby group, Canada Action, has also actively advertised across Canada.”

“At its meeting on July 24, 2024, City Council approved the award of a contract to construct and deliver two new fully electric ferry vessels for operations to and from Toronto Island. This [item is] in response to Council's request outlines the work plan to install shoreside infrastructure at Jack Layton Ferry Terminal ("Shoreside Infrastructure Project")”.

“The rising cost of groceries is putting pressure on families in our City. In Toronto, nearly one in three food bank clients are children and youth. The reality is, in our city with so much wealth, we have thousands of kids going to school every single day hungry. When you’re hungry, you can’t learn. We need our kids to be able to focus on their teacher, not their hunger. We know that student meal programs increase attendance, improve math, science and reading scores, reduce dropouts, and create healthier communities.”

“As a result of climate change, Toronto is experiencing more frequent and severe storms, resulting in flooding events that impact our road and transit network, our homes and businesses, and our infrastructure. While the City must invest in meeting our emissions reduction goals, we must also invest in mitigating the impacts of climate change a making our city more resilient.”

“The City of Toronto’s TransformTO Net Zero Strategy indicates that meeting our climate goals and reaping the benefits to health, equity, prosperity, and resilience, is heavily dependent on the availability of affordable, reliable, low-carbon electricity. The City identified that the need for all parties to work together to transition Ontario’s electricity system away from natural gas to a resilient system focused on low-carbon energy sources, distributed local renewable energy generation, storage, and energy efficiency.”

“Natural gas is a fossil fuel responsible for over half of Toronto’s annual greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions as the primary energy source for heating buildings…Enbridge Gas Inc. (“Enbridge”) is the utility serving Toronto's consumption of natural gas through a network of transmission and distribution pipelines that connect to over 550,000 gas customers in Toronto.”

“There is a history of community advocacy for change on Avenue Road. Narrow sidewalks and lack of bikeways, excessive vehicular speeds, and a history of collisions resulting in fatality or serious injury are highly vocalized concerns. Most recently, on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, a person was fatally injured while cycling on Avenue Road near Elgin Avenue.” The changes proposed in this item “would [help] improve both safety and mobility options by providing improved cycling connections to transit, parks, local schools, businesses, and residences.”

“A successful city requires a transportation system that is safe for people of all ages and abilities. Research and experience across North America have shown that when cities do not provide safe and comfortable alternatives to driving, the majority of residents travel by motor vehicle…Travel mode choice is a crucial aspect of creating healthy, livable cities, and requires investing in new transit, bikeway and pedestrian projects.”

“The Portlands Energy Centre is a 550 megawatt fossil natural gas electricity generating station located in the Port Lands. In September 2023, proposed upgrades to the facility were announced, which would expand its electricity generating capacity by 50 megawatts.”

Back in March 29, 2023, City Council adopted an item called ‘Place Names in the Port Lands’. “City staff have been working with an Indigenous engagement consultant and Elder to design the engagement process”. This includes a place naming advisory circle, which will recommend an Indigenous name for the Island and proposed names for streets and parks to be considered by City Council in fall 2024. The item also emphasizes future opportunities for the City to "collaborate with Indigenous communities" and integrate "Indigenous knowledge systems, oral histories, protocols, and connections to the land" into the waterfront revitalization process.

“In 2023, Toronto Parking Authority made recommendations to Toronto Parking Authority's Board and City Council to modernize Bike Share Toronto's rate structure…City Council's adoption of the new rate structure included several amendments regarding the development of new payment methods, special passes, an accelerated implementation schedule for a low-income pass and completion of an equity-based investigation into the impacts of the new rate structure on the inner suburbs.”

“In Toronto’s weather, because of…frequent fluctuations above and below zero, no bike lane is “safe and passable” unless it is cleared to bare pavement. Layers of snow/slush that are passable for cars quickly become icy and unsafe for bicycles. Last year, protected bike lanes (cycle tracks) were generally properly cleared after the first few weeks of confusion. However, on-road bike lanes were often left hazardous with frequent patches and barriers of ice, especially in the most dangerous locations such as curves and hills…[In addition], improved winter bike lane maintenance is necessary for Vision Zero and to support Toronto’s climate commitments.”

“While the majority of transit planning efforts in the City of Toronto are focused on higher-order transit initiatives, bus and streetcar routes provide transit services across most parts of the city as complements to, and extensions of, the higher-order transit network. Currently, 70% of all TTC journeys include a surface transit trip. Improving the reliability of bus and streetcar transit supports the City's priority of keeping Toronto moving. A reliable surface transit network is essential to enable people to move around the city and access employment, business/retail, education and recreational/cultural facilities, particularly for Neighbourhood Improvement Areas and equity-deserving communities.”

“Existing buildings are Toronto’s largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, accounting for approximately 58% of total community-wide emissions…Mandatory emissions performance standards for all existing buildings that will require improved emissions performance over time is the most critical of these actions to drive transformation.”

“The transportation sector as a whole represents an estimated one third of the city’s total emissions, of which the VFH industry contributes 4-6% of total transportation emissions. The VFH industry, which encompasses taxicabs, limousines, and private transportation companies (PTCs) such as Lyft and Uber, has a unique opportunity to be a leader in zero emission transportation, as VFH on a per-vehicle basis travel three to four times the number of yearly kilometres driven by private passenger vehicles.”

In May 2023, “City Council adopted “A Clean Energy Future for Toronto” which expressed City Council’s objection to any increase in the burning of fossil fuels in the City. Spurred on by a Provincial proposal to increase emissions at the Portlands Energy Centre, this Item underlined the commitment of the City to its climate goals. The Provincial Government then announced that their interpretation was that the increased emissions from the Portlands Energy Centre would not be subject to the requirement to obtain municipal consent.”

“The Government of Ontario is moving forward with plans to increase electricity generation in our province by including in the mix additional natural gas-fired power production despite the increase in greenhouse gasses this will bring. The Electricity Distributors Association, of which Toronto Hydro is a member, has produced studies showing that investment in conservation and efficiency would meet the Province's energy goals at a much lower price than adding more natural gas-fired power generation. Locally the new provincial policy could mean burning more fossil fuels at the Portlands Energy Centre on our waterfront when the City of Toronto has repeatedly committed to combatting climate change through reduced emissions.”

“The Line 3 Scarborough Rapid Transit will be decommissioned by [the end of]2023, with the Scarborough Subway Extension set to replace it by 2030. In the interim, the Toronto Transit Commission has approved a plan to serve the SRT's 35,000 daily riders with up to 70 express buses per hour, using transit priority measures such as priority bus lanes and transit signal priority on key roads. These measures will connect Kennedy Station and Scarborough Town Centre Station. Monitoring will guide improvements and inform long-term transit strategies under the RapidTO program” which may help improve transit service and reduce impact on road users.

“In recent months, Toronto has experienced an increased level of traffic gridlock. This does not only impact motor vehicles, but also other modes of transportation, especially public transportation. It is important to attract riders back onto the TTC and our vast public network. Not only will this reduce the number of vehicles on the road, but it would encourage a wider array of transit options for commuters. Gridlock can be reduced and improved without major street reconstructions.”

“Continued ambitious climate actions and programs will be critical to reaching the City’s 2025 target of 45 per cent GHG emissions reduction from 1990 levels. Further, these efforts must be scaled up to reach Toronto’s community-wide future targets of a 65 per cent reduction by 2030 and net zero by 2040.”

“The climate crisis and Toronto's TransformTO goals require that most local trips under 5 kilometers be made by active transportation, i.e. by walking, bike, wheelchair or similar means. This goal cannot be achieved if cyclists and wheelchair users must put their lives at risk to get around our City.”

On October 1 and 4, 2021, City Council received a report recommending that "City Council not proceed with a no-fault grant program," citing "practical and equity challenges" and noting that the City is "not legally obligated to provide" such a program. Despite this, Council requested a supplementary report on "criteria, funding, funding sources and an implementation plan" for a no-fault grant for Rockcliffe area residents experiencing basement flooding.

This Item takes steps “to establish a credit facility with the Canada Infrastructure Bank [to finance] the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) procurement of Zero Emission Buses. As part of the overall process, the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) requires the City and the TTC to enter into a non- binding Memorandum of Understanding before a final agreement for a multi-year credit facility is completed.”

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.

“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.

“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.

“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 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 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.”

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

“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.

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."

“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.