Month: February 2020

Dear Scarborough-Guildwood Residents

On Tuesday February 18^th I held a Town Hall meeting in the South Cedarbrae Community. At this meeting we discussed community safety concerns, traffic concerns, community involvement and resources available to the neighbourhood.

In attendance were guests speakers from Toronto Police Services (TPS) and officers of its 43 Division. We spoke heavily on community safety and the resources that are available to residents such as the non-emergency number 416-808-2222 and online resources to report issues and view open data. We learned of the importance utilizing the non-emergency number in community engagement and data collection to help determine where resources are needed. Also available, are Community Officers from TPS’ 43 Division who are embedded in a few of Ward 24’s neighbourhoods. These officers work together with first responders to attend to community needs. 

Thank you to everyone who was able to attend. Please contact my office for any questions or concerns.

On Wednesday February 19^th Toronto City Council gathered for a special meeting for a final discussion in the 2020 City Budget process. City Council unanimously approved a 2020 tax-supported operating budget of $11.6 billion and a 10-year tax-supported capital budget of $27.9 billion. The budget ensures that the City is able to preserve all 150-plus existing services, while making new investments in key capital infrastructure, including funding for transit and housing.

I am proud to report that the Cities for Digital Rights motion that myself and Councillor Joe Cressy put forward has been approved. This motion supports a new position for the Toronto Public Library to lead Digital Safety and Literacy Programming.

This Digital Safety and Literacy Programming aligns with and supports Toronto’s Poverty Reduction Strategy goals to expand digital access and literacy to ensure residents can effectively access programs and services online and to increase services access and availability. This new position focuses on providing accurate information about the technological, algorithmic and artificial intelligence systems that impact the lives of Torontonians and providing training and access to supporting technologies for library customers. More details on the 2020 City Budget can be found here.

I would like to wish everyone good weekend!

All my Best,

Paul W. Ainslie

Dear Scarborough-Guildwood Residents

I would like to wish everyone a Happy Family Day in advance. The City of Toronto invites you and your families to celebrate the day at select City recreation facilities, historic museums, conservatories and the Toronto Zoo.

Nathan Phillips Square is hosting a skating party sponsored by Tim Hortons from 1 to 4pm on Monday February 17th. Outdoor rinks, skating trails and indoor arenas will also be open. Other winter activities like snowboarding, skiing, and tobogganing will also be available, details here.   

The Toronto Zoo will offer daily animal-keeper talks, carnivore feedings and other exhibits over the Family Day long weekend. Additionally, the Terra Lumina night walk is available to book from 6:30pm to 8pm on Family Day.

For more family day activities please visit this website.

This week the Executive Committee met to discuss the considerations and recommendations for the 2020 Budget from the Budget Committee. Over the last two months, the Budget Committee has collected comments and feedback from residents across the City through mail, e-mail and public deputations. More details on the February 13^th Executive Committee meeting here.

The City’s budget is the financial plan of how much money the municipal government will raise and invest and determine the level or services provided to Toronto residents, businesses and visitors. Over 150 City of Toronto services impact your life each day, this is why the City’s budget is so important.

Final recommendations to the 2020 City of Toronto Budget will brought to the February 19^th City Council meeting. More details on this City Council meeting will be posted here.

Again, I would like to wish everyone a happy, fun and safe Family Day!

All my Best, 

Paul W. Ainslie 

Dear Scarborough-Guildwood Residents

I hope that everyone is keeping warm and staying safe on the roads.

The City’s most recent snow event is expected to cross overnight into the early weekend expecting flurries and light snow with winds increasing to gusts of 40-60km/h. Saturday is expected to be mainly sunny and cold.

Up to the minute updates can be followed on Transportation Services twitter account at @TO_WinterOps. You can also track real-time locations of plows, sidewalk plows and salt trucks and identify which roads have been services by winter snow clearing vehicles and crews with the City’s PlowTO map here.

I am pleased to report that on February 5^th the Scarborough Community Council supported my request to look into the property damages as a result of mechanical sidewalk snow clearing in the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 winter season across Scarborough.

This item requests Transportation Services to report back to the Scarborough Community Council on June 9 2020 on the nature of the complaints, the number of received complaints, number of repairs required, the cause of issues and remedies, and of any cost the City would incur for the repairs and if the contractors are financially responsible.

Explore Toronto’s food culture at this year’s Winterlicious event up until February 13, 2020. The City of Toronto has over 200 restaurants participating across the city with 13 culinary events. Participating restaurants offer delicious three-course prix fixe lunch and dinner menus at three different price points. Participating restaurants, menus and reservation details here.

Scarborough, step up to the plate and let Toronto taste what you have to offer – if you know a restaurant in our community that’s interested in participating in the Winterlicious or Summerlicious programs check out the application process and details here.

All my Best,

Paul W. Ainslie