Dear Neighbours,
COMING SOON: SCARBOROUGH-GUILDWOOD TOWN HALL WITH MAYOR JOHN TORY
Please join me, Hon. John McKay M.P., Mitzie Hunter M.P.P. and Mayor John Tory for another Scarborough-Guildwood Live Town Hall on Monday November 2nd at 7:00pm!
I’d like to remind everyone to stay safe and follow Public Health advice this weekend as families across the city celebrate Halloween. Torontonians have been called to take a different approach to Halloween this year to help stop the spread of COVID-19, including recommending against door-to-door trick-or-treating. There are several fun and creative alternative ways to celebrate Halloween this year, including encouraging kids to dress up and participate in virtual activities; organize a Halloween candy hunt with people living in their own household; carving pumpkins and more.
It is vitally important residents follow Toronto Public Health advice to limit contact as much as possible to members of their own household only, practise physical distancing, wash hands often, wear a mask or face covering in all indoor public spaces or when physical distancing cannot be maintained and stay home when ill. The choices made this weekend have the potential to impact everyone.
As we continue to fight against of COVID-19, it is very important that we continue to take steps for self-protection, including, practicephysical distancing, wash hands as often as possible, wear a mask or face covering where mandatory or when physical distancing cannot be maintained, consider only leaving home for essential activities such as work, education and fresh air and exercise. As much as possible, residents are asked to limit contact with people not in the same household and to remain at home when ill.
Getting a flu shot is one of the best ways to protect yourself and others from the flu. It is especially important this year to help protect our healthcare system during the fight against COVID-19. Learn more about the flu online at www.toronto.ca/flu and book your flu shot appointment at www.tphbookings.ca
City of Toronto COVID-19 Case Update: (Data as of October 29, 2020) There has been an increase of 345 COVID-19 cases in the City of Toronto. Through the pandemic the City of Toronto has seen a total of 28,284 cases of COVID-19, of these, 23,598 cases have recovered, an increase of 292 cases from the day before. There are 127 people currently hospitalized, an increase of 9 cases from the day before. To this date, there have been 1,364 COVID-19 deaths in Toronto, an increase of 2 deaths from the day before. Case status data can be found on the City’s reporting platform. Province of Ontario status of COVID-19 Cases can be found here.
City Council moves to rapidly build new affordable and supportive homes for Toronto’s most vulnerable with $203 million federal investment. This follows this week’s announcement from the Government of Canada on the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI). The RHI is delivering $1 billion in grant funding nationally to rapidly create new affordable rental housing in response to the urgent housing need of vulnerable and marginalized individuals. More information can be read in the news release.
The City of Toronto is proclaiming October 31 as John Candy Day in Toronto. Mr. Candy’s contributions to the Canadian entertainment industry have made him one of Canada’s greatest and funniest character actors. Mr. Candy has deep roots in Toronto and played a big role in elevating the comedy and acting scene in the city. John would have turned 70 tomorrow as he was born on October 31, 1950. More information can be read in the news release.
City of Toronto received federal funding commitment to help address flooding in the Rockcliffe-Smythe neighbourhood. The federal government’s funding commitment is being made through its Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF) for Jane Street crossing improvements to mitigate Black Creek flooding in the area. The City of Toronto is contributing $28.5 million to the remaining costs of the project. More information can be read in the news release.
Your Toronto Zoo hosted its 18th Annual Oasis ZooRun virtually for the first time this year, raising over $40,000 for its new outdoor orangutan habitat. This much-loved fundraising event took place from Tuesday, September 1st to Monday, October 12th, 2020, allowing participants the opportunity to complete their 10K, 5K Walk/Run or Cub Run in one day or over a few weeks. Runners connected with the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy and Canada Running Series (CRS) online sharing photos of their race times and routes, wild costumes and race medals – which featured Puppe, one of the Toronto Zoo’s beloved Sumatran orangutans. Learn more here.
Scarborough Swim Team is hosting a Halloween Food Drive TOMORROW October 31, 2020. from 7:15am to 7:45am and 8:45am to 9:15am in the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre North Parking Lot, 875 Morningside Ave . This food drive will support Feed Scarborough, a Scarborough Food Security Initiative. Visit this post for more information.
Vision Zero is hosting a Virtual Senior Safety Zone Review for Lawrence Ave E and Markham Rd on Friday November 13, 2020 from 2pm to 3pm. You can join by phone or computer! For more information and how to register please visit this website.
The Knights of Columbus is hosting a Community Food Drive on Saturday November 14, 2020 from 9am to 12pm in the parking lot of St. Boniface Church (142 Markham Rd). This will be a drive-through event observing appropriate COVID-19 protocols (face masks and coverings, sanitizer, physical distancing). Members of the Knights of Columbus will take donations from the trunk of your car, so you will not have to leave your vehicle. The food items will then be delivered to their community Food Bank. Thank you in advance to all who are able to participate.
Scarborough Civic Action Network (SCAN) 2020-21 Action Mandate Survey. SCAN is seeking broad community input from Scarborough residents and stakeholders to decide SCAN’s 2020-21 Action Mandate. Please visit this LINK to fill out the survey by TOMORROW October 31, 2020.
CafeTO Survey EXTENDED. We want your feedback on CaféTO! We need your input on possible changes, improvements, and other supports for the program. Please take a few minutes to fill it out and share. Please visit this LINK to fill out the survey by TOMORROW October 31, 2020.
The Toronto Police Services Board (Board) is pleased to invite members of the public to a Public Consultation on the draft Body-Worn Camera (BWC) Policy. You can provide written comments to the Board online. Submissions should be submitted no later than November 5, 2020. Submissions will form part of the public record and will be made public on the Board’s website at a later date.
Community-Based Crisis Response Model Development Survey. The City of Toronto is looking to re-imagine ways of responding to crisis calls that are collaborative, innovative and grounded in community needs and desires. To do this, the City wants to understand your priorities for what a community-based crisis response could look like. Complete this online survey before November 9, 2020.
The City hosting a number of Community Roundtables with residents and service providers across Toronto that started October 19 and run until November 13. These roundtables are topic-specific, and residents interested in joining should visit the website for details.
The Toronto BIA Office is now accepting applications for Stream 6 of the BIA Innovation Fund. Awards range from $5000 to $25000. Finding is Limited. Descriptions of projects previously funded under the program can be found here, along with feature stories. Special consideration will be given to projects that address economic support and recovery in the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic. Deadline to apply is Thursday December 10th, 2020 4:30pm. Apply NOW.
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.
Check out all Scarborough-Guildwood’s past Live Town Meetings on my YouTube channel!
Scarborough-Guildwood’s Live Town Halls provide the community with up to date information, supports and resources throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Boys’ and Girls’ Club of East Scarborough Scoop
Check out the ESBGC latest Bi-Weekly School HERE. Subscribe HERE.
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. Fall TPL live and online programming is available online.
Our KGO Updates: East Scarborough Storefront’s crowd-sourced e-newsletter
Check out their latest issue HERE. Subscribe HERE. Please take a moment to fill out this Community Check-In Survey!
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.
City of Toronto Waste Wizard. The City of Toronto’s Waste Wizard helps you find out what waste items go where! You can visit the Waste Wizard online or download the TOwaste app.
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
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 www.toronto.ca/covid-19/ for answers to common questions before contacting the Toronto Public Health COVID-19 Hotline or 311.
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: www.toronto.ca/home/translate/
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