Month: January 2020

Dear Scarborough-Guildwood Residents

To date, our office and Ward 25’s Council office has received over 200 complaints regarding sidewalk snowplowing from December 19, 2019 to January 20, 2020. Majority of these complaints entail damages to private property, uncleared windrows (driveway entrances), and poor quality of work. I am confident that this issue spans across the entire City.

A high volume of the damaged property reports advise that either the blades of the sidewalk plows are the wrong size or the tracker itself is too large or in some cases the work has been done poorly. Given these claims, it would be beneficial for a report to come forward to aid Transportation Services’ snow operations as these services have an effect on the City budget for removal and repair of any damages.

An assessment is required to bring a report forward to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee clearly outlining the number and nature of complaints received by the City due to sidewalk snowplowing to determine the causes in order for them to be rectified to decrease future costs to the City and damage to residential and commercial private property.

It is recommended that the Scarborough Community Council:

Request the General Manager, Transportation Services report to the Scarborough Community

Council on April 7, 2020 on sidewalk snow clearing damages to private property in 2019/2020 across the City. The report is to clearly include:

1. Definitions of the nature of the complaints in categories;
2. The number and complaints received under each category of complaint;
3. The number of repairs that are required;
4. The cause of the issue and remedies to address them;
5. Outline the cost to the City, if any, for the repairs of the damages including a timeline for
6. repair and if the sidewalk snow plow contractor is financially responsible for the repairs;
7. If the contractor is not financially responsible, how the repair work will be contracted out.

This item will be presented at the February 5^th Meeting of the Scarborough Community Council – find the agenda here and tune in to the meeting here.  

All my Best,

Paul W. Ainslie

Dear Ward 24 Residents,

Toronto Community Housing would like to formally launch the 2020 Investing in Our Diversity Scholarship Season. Applications are also now live and open for tenants to apply, https://www.torontohousing.ca/IIODS.
Applications are due Thursday, March 26, 2020 at 5pm (electronically or hard copy).

Please note that applications are now open to students up to the age of 29 entering any year of study as long as they have not received an IIOD Scholarship in the past.

Investing in Our Diversity Scholarship Program
The Investing in Our Diversity Scholarship program offers up to $4,000 to deserving young leaders across Toronto entering/ attending post-secondary or trade school. The program also provides valuable employment support and professional networks that pave the way for academic and career development. These scholarships reward students who have shown leadership in diversity and anti-racism initiatives, demonstrate financial need, and represent different neighborhoods across the city.

Who is eligible?
High school students and/or high school graduates involved in anti-racism, diversity and/or building safe and healthy communities, AND those who can answer yes to all of the following:
• A Canadian citizen or permanent resident
• 29 years old or younger as of May 31, 2020
• Not a previous recipient of an IIOD Scholarship
• Toronto Community Housing (TCHC) tenant or person living in the Scadding Court Community Centre (SCCC) catchment area (Lake Ontario to the south, Bloor Street to the north, Yonge Street to the east, and Lansdowne Avenue to the west)
• Currently studying or planning to attend a recognized Canadian postsecondary education or training school (i.e., college, university, career academy or apprenticeship) in the upcoming academic year
• Able to demonstrate a need for financial assistance

If you have any questions, please contact youth@torontohousing.ca or 416-981-6300.

Please let anyone know who you think may qualify!

Let’s give our youth all the help they can get!

All my Best,

Paul

Dear Ward 24 Residents,

For the snow event of January 18, here is an update on Transportation Services’ winter operations plans as of January 20 at approx. 7am.

***Note: These plans are estimates only and subject to changing conditions such as timing of the event and the amount of precipitation.***

Weather: Dry and cold Monday with considerable sunshine. Dry Tuesday as well with sunny breaks. Looking ahead it’s looking dry Wednesday, Thursday and Friday with partly cloudy skies and high temperatures around 0C.

Roadway Salting:
– Salting on expressways & main roads are complete as of Sunday afternoon. Cleanup operations continue for bike lanes, layby parking areas, etc.
– Salting operations on local roads were completed Sunday evening but will resume Monday morning where required & continue throughout the day

Roadway Plowing
– Cleanup operations on main roads are continuing focussing on parking areas, centre left turn lanes, etc.
– Plowing operations on local roads were completed Sunday afternoon.
– Cleanup operations will continue through the day Monday focussing on missed streets, parked car locations, etc.

Trails & Separated Bike Lanes
– Salting & plowing of the Martin Goodman Trail & Humber Bay Waterfront Trail was completed on Sunday and will resume Monday if required.
– Salting & plowing of the separated bike lanes was completed on Sunday and will resume Monday if required.

Sidewalks & Bus Stops
– 2nd round of sidewalk clearing on high & low pedestrian volume sidewalks was completed Sunday evening.
– 3rd round of sidewalk clearing will be deployed on Monday am if required.

If you see areas which have not been cleared of snow properly please call my office at 416-396-7222 or contact 311

All my Best,

Paul

Dear Scarborough-Guildwood Neighbours

There are over 150 City of Toronto services that impact your life each day. From the delivery of clean, drinkable water to the paved roads we travel on. The City’s emergency response teams who keep our communities safe to the City’s waste management teams who keep our communities clean. The City creates countless opportunities from festivals, business and tourism growth to investments in new infrastructure and affordable housing.

From 311 to 911, the City government delivers programs throughout the day with many services available 24/7. That is why the City’s budget is so important, it is the financial plan of how much money the municipal government will raise and invest, and determines the level of service provided to Toronto residents, businesses and visitors.

City of Toronto launched a 2020 tax-supported budgets outlined below:

–          Maintains existing services plus $67 million in new and enhanced investment

–          Continues partnership with other levels of government including $77 million for refugee support expected from the federal government

–          City staff-recommended total 2020 operating budget of $13.53 billion

o   $11.59 billion tax-supported plus $1.59 rate-supported

o   Approved by City Council on December 17, 2019

–          City staff-recommended total 10-year capital plan of $43.46 billion

o   $27.94 billion tax-supported plus $15.52 billion rate-supported

o   Approved by City Council on December 17, 2019

Learn more about the budget here.

Have your say on what is important to you and get involved by making deputations at budget subcommittee sessions:

January 20, 2020

–          Toronto City Hall, Committee Room 1; 9:30am to 5pm and 6pm onwards

–          Scarborough Civic Centre, Council Chamber; 3pm to 5pm and 6pm onwards

January 21, 2020

–          Etobicoke Civic Centre, Council Chamber; 3pm to 5pm and 6pm onwards

–          North York Civic Centre, Council Chamber; 3pm to 5pm and 6pm onwards

If you cannot attend in person, you can submit a written deputation to the Budget Committee by email to buc@toronto.ca, or by mail to Toronto City Hall, 100 Queen St. W, 10^th floor, West Tower, Toronto, ON, M5H 2N2

You can also send an email to my office at councillor_ainslie@toronto.ca

All my Best

Paul W. Ainslie

Dear Scarborough-Guildwood Residents

I would like to wish everyone a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year and hope everyone had a joyful holiday season. There are many opportunities to take part in and look forward to this year.

Starting off right, on Wednesday January 8^th, I brought forward a number of items to the Scarborough Community Council, including a request to re-open an item heard in December 2019 where I had asked for the reduction of speed limits, I was able to gain support on my motions to reduce speed limits on specific minor and local arterial roads and collector roads in Ward 24 Scarborough-Guildwood. The purpose of this item is to bring awareness and address the very important safety concerns on our roads. SC11.8 – Scarborough Minor Arterial and Collector Road Speed Limit Reductions as Part of Vision Zero Speed Management Strategy.

The City’s Speed Management Strategy aims to reduce the number of traffic-related injuries and fatalities associated with speeding through short and long-term measures, which includes revised speed limit setting practices, road design improvements, automated speed enforcement and more. More details about the City of Toronto’s Speed Management Strategy are in the June Vision Zero 2.0 – Road Safety Update.

Also part of the City’s Speed Management Strategy is the installation of Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) cameras and signage on our streets in an effort to increase road safety, reduce speeding and raise public awareness about the need to slow down and obey posted speed limits. 

In addition, items also adopted were the SC12.19 – All-Way Stop Control Review – Dale Avenue and Cromwell Road and the SC12.20 – Compulsory Stop Controls – Botany Hill Road Area

Lastly, I would like to invite you all to my Annual New Year’s Celebration on Saturday, January 11 at the Cedar Ridge Creative Centre (225 Confederation Dr.).

All my Best,

Paul W. Ainslie