July 17, 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 physical distancing bylaw and the new mandatory mask or face covering bylaw!
City of Toronto launches ParksPlayTO and Summer in the 6IX to provide free outdoor programs for children and youth in Toronto
Today, the City of Toronto launched two new outdoor recreation initiatives for Toronto children and youth. ParksPlayTO and Summer in the 6IX will engage Toronto youth, children and their families and help animate up to 100 local Toronto parks and outdoor spaces this summer.
Beginning Monday, July 20, ParksPlayTO will offer free drop-in and activity-based, recreation programming Monday to Friday each week at multiple locations. ParksPlayTO will offer activities such as nature exploring, gardening, active games, arts and crafts, family fitness, story-telling and music circles for children and their caregivers. Any child age 12 and under accompanied by a caregiver age 18 or older can participate in ParksPlayTO. Caregivers can bring up to four children and must remain at the park to participate in the program. ParksPlayTO morning sessions will begin at 9:15 a.m. and afternoon sessions will begin at 1:30 p.m.
Summer in the 6IX, which will also begin on Monday, is a free program designed for Toronto youth, aged 13 to 24, offering opportunities to drop in, meet up with friends and participate in fun, themed activities. Summer in the 6IX will offer a range of programming including dance, fitness, ecology and sports as well as leadership, employment, arts and media. Summer in the 6IX will be available to all Toronto youth at a variety of Toronto parks. There will be three sessions offered a day at multiple locations across the city seven days a week. For more information please read the news release.
City to open 14 Emergency Cooling Centres during Heat Warning
Environment and Climate Change Canada has declared a Heat Warning for Toronto starting Friday, July 17 to Monday, July 20. Extreme heat is associated with negative health impacts ranging from heat stress to heat stroke and death.
It is mandatory for the public to wear non-medical masks or face coverings, with some exceptions, at all ECCS. A mask will be provided at the ECC to those without a mask who want to enter. An interactive map is available to help those who need to locate an ECC, as well as other cool spaces, such as swimming pools, wading pools and splash pads near them. Tips to protect yourself from the heat are available on the City’s website.
ActiveTO road closures, cycling network and Quiet Streets
The following ActiveTO major road closures will be in place this weekend, from Saturday, July 18 at 6 a.m. to Sunday, July 19 at 11 p.m.:
- Lake Shore Boulevard West (eastbound lanes only) from Windermere Avenue to Stadium Road. As a result, the eastbound Gardiner Expressway off ramp to Lake Shore Boulevard West (exit #146) will also be closed
- Lake Shore Boulevard East (eastbound lanes only) from Leslie Street to just south of Woodbine Avenue (Kew Beach Avenue)
- Bayview Avenue from Front Street East to Rosedale Valley Road, and River Street from Gerrard Street East to Bayview Avenue
More information, including an online map of all locations, can be found on the ActiveTO webpage: www.toronto.ca/activeTO.
Restaurant not obeying provincial orders
Toronto restaurants and bars continue to be open for delivery, takeout and outdoor dining only. Customers can only be inside a restaurant or bar to access an outdoor dining area (i.e. walk through to a back patio), pick up food, pay or use the washroom; while within the enclosed public space, customers and employees must be wearing a mask as required by the establishment’s mask policy and the City’s Mask or Face Covering Bylaw.
The City has received many complaints regarding restaurants and bars not following physical distancing requirements, as well as illegally offering customers indoor dining. Enforcement officers from Municipal Licensing & Standards, Toronto Public Health, Toronto Police Service, and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario will be teaming up to increase inspections of liquor-licensed establishments in the city this weekend to address businesses that, despite widespread efforts to educate them on public health requirements to keep their customers, employees and the public safe, continue to disobey provincial orders.
City of Toronto update on COVID-19
There are 15,037 cases of COVID-19 in the city, an increase of 81 cases since Wednesday. There are 139 people hospitalized, with 29 in ICU. In total, 13,377 people have recovered from COVID-19, an increase of 118 cases since Wednesday. To date, there have been 1,133 COVID-19 deaths in Toronto. Case status data can be found on the City’s reporting platform.
Mandatory Face Coverings on the GO Transit and UP Express
As of July 21, Metrolinx is making face coverings mandatory on GO Transit and UP Express as they’re essential to keeping everyone safe on transit. As more customers are returning to GO and UP services each day and as the Greater Toronto Area prepares for Stage 3 of the recovery process, now is the right time to bring in a mandatory face-covering policy. Learn more about GO Transit’s COVID-19 safety measures by visiting their website.
Toronto Zoo Welcomes Birth of Endangered Red Panda Cubs: First Red Panda Cubs Born at Your Toronto Zoo in 24 Years
In the late afternoon of Tuesday, July 14, 2020, Ila, your Toronto Zoo’s two-year-old female red panda, gave birth to two healthy cubs. This is the first red panda pregnancy at the Zoo since 1996, and this is the first offspring for mother Ila with father Suva, a three-year-old male.
Both mom and cubs are doing well, and Wildlife Care Keepers continue to monitor Ila and cubs closely, using cameras for minimal disturbance, to ensure cubs continue to nurse from Ila regularly. To catch a glimpse of Baby Reds in their nest box click HERE. To find out how you can support the endangered red pandas and other wildlife conservation work at your Toronto Zoo, please CLICK HERE.
Manifesting Amazing Dreams
The Manifesting Amazing Dreams program is an initiative of the CTI and is funded by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS). The program supports youth between the ages of 12 and 20 who are experiencing multiple barriers, including, but not limited to, involvement/risk of involvement in criminal activity, the justice system, and gang activity. The program is delivered twice per week for 10 weeks. The youth receive an honorarium of $20 per session for their participation. The program will commence on August 4. If you have any questions please contact mad@cantraining.org or call 416-206-6050.
Additional Surveys for Residents
Social Planning Toronto is coordinating an opportunities for residents, community members and grassroots groups to provide input to the Toronto Office of Recovery and Rebuild (TORR) Consultations. These surveys are designed specifically for residents/grassroot groups in NIAs, Toronto Community Housing tenants, and seniors living in Long-Term Care Homes. Please see different options to provide input below:
- One on One Survey (for individuals)
- Group Discussion (for grassroot organizations)
- Share your story
- RecoveryRebuild@toronto.ca (Please cc: lnicholson@socialplanningtoronto.org)
The deadline for all consultations is 5:00 PM, Friday July 24th.
ActiveTO Quiet Street Feedback Survey
Select streets around the city have been designated as a Quiet Streets in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as part of the City of Toronto’s ActiveTO initiative. ‘Shared Space’ on Quiet Streets is intended to help residents maintain physical distancing while walking, running, using wheelchairs and biking. Tell us what you think about ActiveTO’s Quiet Streets Initiative HERE.
Boys’ and Girls’ Club of East Scarborough Soles and Steps Walkathon needs your support!
Amidst the ongoing worldwide conversations surrounding systematic racial barriers, Boys and Girls Club of East Scarborough is raising donations to continue their work surrounding diversity and equity while enhancing the services and programs currently provided for the racialized families residing in underserved areas of East Scarborough. If you would like to donate, please click on this GoFundMe link.
Community Food Drive TOMORROW
TOMORROW July 18 from 10AM to 2PM a Community Food Drive hosted by the Knights of Columbus will be held in the parking lot of St. Martin de Porres Church (4179 Lawrence Ave. E.). Appropriate physical distancing protocols will be observed. All community members are invited to bring non-perishable food items that will be taken from the trunks of your car by the members of the Knights of Columbus, so you will not have to leave your vehicle. The food donations collected will be delivered on Monday to the West Hill Food Bank (4205 Lawrence Ave. E.)
Please click here for a list of food banks and soup kitchens in the Ward 24
Please click here for a list of food banks in East Scarborough
Please click here for a list of food banks in Scarborough
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.
insidehousing: News from Toronto Community Housing
Check out their latest issue HERE. Subscribe HERE.
BusinessTO Newsletter: BusinessTO’s upcoming webinars and online events
Check out their latest newsletter HERE. Subscribe HERE.
What’s On at the Library: Home Edition
Check out the latest copy HERE. Subscribe HERE.
Our KGO Updates: East Scarborough Storefront’s crowd-sourced e-newsletter
Check out their latest issue HERE. Subscribe HERE.
TDSB Trustee Update by Ward 19 Scarborough-Guildwood Trustee Zakir Patel
Check out the latest issue HERE. Subscribe HERE.
Toronto Zoo Press Releases
Latest issue HERE. Contact achambers@torontozoo.ca to subscribe.
Confronting Anti-Black Racism Summer Newsletter 2020
To read the latest news from the City’s Confronting Anti-Black Racism Unit please click here.
Essential Government Information for COVID -19
Public Health’s information line & 311 are experiencing high call volumes. Residents can get the information they need online at www.toronto.ca
The City’s website has a tool that can translate pages into 51 different languages.
If you need info on COVID-19, please visit the following websites:
Official Global Travel Advisory
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.
City Services are regularly updated as services come back online. The city recommenced attending to noise complaints July 2nd with a target response within 2-4 days. With over 800 complaints received since July 2nd staff doing their best to respond within the timelines. Short Term Rentals complaints have been responded to throughout the pandemic. Property Standards complaints will recommence on the 3rd week in July. More information can be found here.
The City of Toronto’s website can be translated into many languages using the GoogleTM Translate tool. This tool gives residents and visitors who speak other languages a way of accessing City information featured on the website. To change languages on the City of Toronto website, please click here: https://www.toronto.ca/home/translate/
I am continuously updating my social media platforms and my website with up to date information:
Website: www.paulainslie.com
You can also reach me by: telephone at 416-396-7222 or email me at councillor_ainslie@toronto.ca
All my Best,
Paul