Day: April 6, 2020

April 6, 2020

Dear Neighbours, 

I want to thank everyone for your efforts during this very difficult time. It is very important for all of us, to the best of our ability to follow the mandatory social distancing bylaw! 

Please see the following End of Day Update regarding (COVID-19) key messages and resources from the City of Toronto: 

Food security and access

The City is working with 211, United Way Greater Toronto, and other Toronto agencies to ensure low-income and vulnerable residents continue to have food access – a need that has increased dramatically with the COVID-19 pandemic.  Up-to-date information on food access is available by calling 211 or going online to: https://covid19.211central.ca/.  Corporate partners have stepped up with significant contributions to help ensure that community food programs in Toronto – including food banks, multi-service centres, home delivery programs, meal drop-ins – can continue. Additionally, the City is working with several community programs to address the multiple issues associated with food access during the pandemic. More information is available in today’s news release: https://bit.ly/3dZ2SZ3 

Food donations

Residents who are able, are encouraged to donate non-perishable food to food banks or drop off food donations at local fire halls. Restaurants or food businesses with surplus food are encouraged to donate to Second Harvest’s FoodRescue.ca. Those interested in volunteering are encouraged to register with VolunteerToronto.ca or SPARKOntario.ca  

City of Toronto urges residents to adapt faith-based holiday observances during COVID-19 pandemic

In the coming weeks, people across our city will be observing Passover, Easter, and the start of Ramadan. Normally an opportunity to spend time with family and faith-based communities, the City urges everyone to continue to follow provincial orders closing places of worship and limiting gatherings as well as the public health recommendations to remain at home, leaving only for essential reasons. The holidays are important spiritually and emotionally for many and to support this people are encouraged to connect with loved ones, friends, and vulnerable members of the community online or by phone. Residents should also check with their place of worship for information on online services and other innovative ways to connect while staying physically apart.

Grocery shopping in advance of the holidays

Grocers are anticipating that tomorrow and the upcoming Thursday and Saturday will be busy and ask people to limit shopping on these days. General advice for grocery shopping remains:

• Grocery shop only one day per week and buy only what you need for up to two weeks
• Respect store hours dedicated to seniors, vulnerable persons, and essential service workers (normally the first hour stores are open)
• Have a list of items, shop efficiently, and do not casually browse
• Do not touch food or products you are not intending to buy
• Practise physical distancing
• When possible, pay with a card or phone tap rather than cash

Yard waste

Yard waste collection resumes today for two weeks (April 6 –April 17). Please place yard waste out before 7 a.m. on your collection day and it leave out until it’s collected. Please bag your yard waste and refrain from using open-top bins to ensure the health and safety of our workers. Information and updates are available here: https://www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/affected-city-services/?accordion=garbage-recycling-and-organics 

A list of food banks and soup kitchens in Ward 24 can be found here: https://bit.ly/2RcvdRV

Please remember to call ahead to book to ensure they are properly stocked. For those interested in volunteering, food banks are always looking for volunteers, so please feel free to save and share this information.

The City’s website is updated daily with the latest health advice, and information about City services and social supports. Check https://www.toronto.ca/covid-19/ for answers to common questions before contacting the Toronto Public Health COVID-19 Hotline or 311.

You can also reach me by telephone at 416-396-7222 or email me at councillor_ainslie@toronto.ca 

All my Best,

Paul

April 6, 2020

Dear Ward 24 Neighbours,

The Toronto Public Library has partnered with the North York Harvest, Daily Bread Food Bank and Second Harvest to set up food bank distribution from library branches across the city to provide alternate service locations for existing food banks that are now closed. The City’s Chief Librarian Vickery Bowles made a call out for additional volunteers last week because requests increase almost daily for Toronto Public Library’s food bank support. Within a few short hours of making the call for more volunteers, over 50 staff had responded.

Nine food banks are open or are scheduled to open at Toronto Public Library locations:• The first one opened on March 25 in partnership with North York Food Harvest at our Albion branch. • Eight more locations (Agincourt, Cedarbrae, Eatonville, Kennedy/Eglinton, Steeles and Taylor) are operational or near operational in partnership with Daily Bread, and two more (Don Mills and Jane Sheppard) with North York Harvest.• Toronto Public Library’s book delivery and sorting hub on Ellesmere Road has also been transformed for food bank support, with physical distancing embedded in the design. There were 27 skids of food received last week, and library staff have been sorting the food into hampers for delivery to the library branch food bank locations. This activity is being expanded to include sorting of food for the Red Cross allowing them to deliver food directly to people in their homes.

Here is a link to the Global TV interview that took place at Ellesmere with Neil Hetherington, Head of the Daily Bread Food Bank:

https://twitter.com/JennValentyne/status/1246048298479366144?s=20

I want to thank everyone with the Toronto Public Library who is involved in this!

All my Best,

Paul

April 6, 2020 

Dear Neighbours,

I want to thank everyone for your efforts during this very difficult time. It is very important for all of us, to the best of our ability to follow the mandatory social distancing bylaw!

Please see the following update regarding COVID-19 key information and resources: 

Canada Emergency Relief Benefit (CERB) Portal 

Applications for the Canada Emergency Relieve benefit is now available and can be accessed here: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/benefits/apply-for-cerb-with-cra.html. You can also apply over the phone at 1-800-959-2019 or 1-800-959-2041 

CERB will provide $2000/month to workers impacted by COVID-19 for up to 4 months. See below for recommended dates: 

Questions about applying for CERB with CRA? You can find answers to common questions with this automated help line: 1-833-966-2099. 

“Don’t flush it!” — Learn where to put COVID waste!

Masks, gloves, disinfectant wipes, facial tissues, so-called “flushable” wipes, soiled tissues, sanitary napkins — are all meant for the Garbage Bin, diapers continue to go into the Green Bin. They must be bagged, to help keep the virus from blowing around, and keep frontline workers safer.

Please bag your yard waste and refrain from using open-top bins to ensure the health and safety of our workers. Updates on waste and recyclables can be found at www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/affected-city-services/ 

Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre Online Classes 

At the direction of Public Health experts, the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre will remain closed until further notice. This is a difficult time for you and your families, Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre team hopes that you can take part in some of their online classes which are expanding this week to include more children’s programs, more fitness classes, an instructional cooking class and community coffee. Details on online classes can be accessed here: https://tpasc.ca/live-classes 

Diabetes Canada Donation Bin Crisis

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and crucial physical distancing orders by governments that non-essential services be stopped, pick-up of all textile donations by Diabetes Canada from homes and donations bins across Canada stopped on March 23rd. The City of Toronto will update its Clothing Drop Box page with further information as soon as possible. https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/public-notices-bylaws/bylaw-enforcement/clothing-drop-box/ 

A list of food banks and soup kitchens in Ward 24 can be found here: https://bit.ly/2RcvdRV

Please remember to call ahead to book to ensure they are properly stocked. For those interested in volunteering, food banks are always looking for volunteers, so please feel free to save and share this information.

The City’s website is updated daily with the latest health advice, and information about City services and social supports. Check https://www.toronto.ca/covid-19/ for answers to common questions before contacting the Toronto Public Health COVID-19 Hotline or 311.

You can also reach me by telephone at 416-396-7222 or email me at councillor_ainslie@toronto.ca 

All my Best,

Paul