December 1, 2020
Dear Neighbours,
I want to thank everyone for their efforts during these difficult times. Let us all remember COVID-19 will hopefully be stopped, but we all must continue to keep following the mandated rules. We also need to remember, our mental health is paramount, and it is important we take care of ourselves and seek support if needed. For information on COVID-19 community supports please visit this link.
Town Hall Meeting Thursday December 3
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Check out all Scarborough-Guildwood’s past Live Town Meetings on my YouTube channel – like and subscribe for more meetings and videos! Scarborough-Guildwood’s Live Town Halls provide the community with up to date information, supports and resources throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Toronto has now entered the Grey-Lockdown level of restrictions in the Keeping Ontario Safe and Open Framework. Please stay home as much as possible, except for essential trips for groceries, healthcare, child care, school and work. Remember to practicephysical distancing, washing your hands as often as possible and wear a mask or face covering. Residents are asked to limit contact with people not in the same household and to remain at home when ill. I encourage you to read the Grey-Lockdown level guidelines and the province’s news release for more information.
To help residents understand the new Grey-Lockdown category measures, the City has created a simple Do and Don’t guide. This guide communicates what is – and what is not – permitted under the province’s lockdown stage, to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
City of Toronto COVID-19 Case Update: (Data as of November 30, 2020) There has been an increase of 761 COVID-19 cases in the City of Toronto. There are 258 people currently hospitalized. Through the pandemic the City of Toronto has seen a total of 42,312 cases of COVID-19, of these, 35,580 cases have recovered. To this date, there have been 1,603 COVID-19 deaths in Toronto. Case status data can be found on the City’s reporting platform. Province of Ontario status of COVID-19 Cases can be found here.
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
Today, Scarborough Health Network launched its COVID-19 Assessment Centre located on the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus, 1256 Military Trail. The assessment centre is located at Highland Hall and will operate from December 2020 through April 2021. For more information on Scarborough Health Networks assessment centres please visit www.shn.ca/covid19-assess/
Today is Giving Tuesday, an important time for us to come together, empower each other and rally for favourite causes. Giving Tuesday is a global movement dedicated to giving, join the following community organization – and others across Canada and around the world – and give a gift and support the community.
- Join the Scarborough Health Foundation in shaping the future of care for patients and their families – for more information and how to give your gift please visit this link.
- Join the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy & the Toronto Zoo’s Home for the Holidays campaign – for more information please visit this link!
- Join the Storefront and share your favourite way to do good with their “unselfie” template! Learn more information and how to donate at this link!
- Join 5N2 Kitchens in helping those in need throughout Scarborough, for more information please visit this link!
- Parents Engaged in Education is fundraising to establish Canada’s First Education Bank. See this flyer for more details. Visit this link to donate!
For more information on Giving Tuesday and how to get involved, please visit www.givingtuesday.ca
The City of Toronto gives thanks and kicks off “12 Days of Giving” campaign to celebrate Giving Tuesday. The City of Toronto extends its sincere thanks to all the gracious residents and businesses who have donated gifts, goods and services to help support Toronto’s most vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 12 Days of Giving is a social media campaign on the City’s twitter account used to highlight different ways people can give on each of the 12 days. Examples of ways to give back this holiday season include DonateTO, the City’s Holiday Wish List, making donations to the Daily Bread Food Bank, making donations to Toronto Animal Services for pets living in low-income families or participating in the Firefighters Toy Drive. For more information please read this news release.
Desmond Cole has been awarded the 2020 Toronto Book Award for his memoir The Skin We’re In: A Year of Black Resistance and Power. This is the 46th year of the Toronto Book Awards. Established by City Council in 1974, the awards honour books of literary merit that are evocative of Toronto. The annual awards offer $15,000 in prize money. Each shortlisted finalist will receive $1,000, with $10,000 awarded to the winner. This year’s Toronto Book Awards Committee was comprised of volunteer members Kate Cayley, Michael Fraser, Liz Howard, Ben McNally and Naben Ruthnum. For more information please read this news release.
The 43 Division and CPLC will be accepting new unwrapped toys from now until Christmas for the 43 Division Auxiliary Police Toy Drive. All toys will be distributed within the 43 Division community. Donations can be dropped off at the front desk of 43 Division, located at 4331 Lawrence Avenue East.
The Boys’ and Girls’ Club of East Scarborough Holiday Help Program is now accepting various forms of donations. Donate essential daily items, toys, non-perishables, and/or monetary donations. All donations are asked to be dropped off at their main site, 100 Galloway Rd, no later than Friday December 4th, 2020. More information on how to participate in the Holiday Help Program can be found here. If you have any questions please contact 416-281-0262 or email info@esbgc.ca.
People facing hunger in Toronto need our help! Toronto Miracle is inviting Toronto residents to leave a non-perishable food item on their doorstep (marked for Toronto Miracle) on December 5th at 10am. Volunteers will collect these donations and redistribute to those in need in the community. More information on how to donate or volunteer can be found at www.torontomiracle.org
Knights of Columbus is hosting a Christmas Community Food Drive on Saturday December 12th from 9am to 12pm at St. Martin de Porres Church (Parking Lot), located at 4179 Lawrence Ave E. This will be a drive-through food drive with appropriate COVID-19 protocols in place. Community members are invited to bring non-perishable food items, much needed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Members of the Knights of Columbus will take donations from the trunk of your car. The food items will then be delivered to community Food Banks.
Tell the City about your experience with accessing crisis and support services! The City of Toronto is developing a community-based crisis response service that is collaborative, effective, and community-centric. The City’s second survey is now live until December 14. The survey asks residents for their insights and experiences accessing crisis and supportive services, staying safe in a crisis, community safety and future investments that would provide care or support to prevent people from falling into crisis.
Go Expansion Program Public Information Centre #3 is now open. The GO Expansion consists of many different projects, three TPAPs – New Track and Facilities TPAP, Scarborough Junction Grade Separation TPAP, Stoufville Rail Corridor Grade Separations TPAP – and 2 addenda – the Network-Wide Structure Project and an Addendum to the GO Rail Network Electrification. To participate visit this page to review and learn more about what infrastructure is proposed near you, which TPAP or addenda the infrastructure falls under and provide feedback and ask questions. This public information centre will be open until December 11, 2020.
Durham-Scarborough Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Public Information Centre #3. The purpose of the Public Information Centre is to present and seek feedback on the preliminary design and results of the technical studies, including potential impacts and proposed mitigation measures. The Public Information Centre #3 will run until Friday December 18, 2020, please view the dedicated page and participate by using the Ask-A-Question box, please visit this link.
The City of Toronto is hosting a Virtual Community Consultation Meeting to discuss the proposed development at 5 Corporate Drive on December 7, 2020 6pm to 7:30pm. The Community Consultation Meeting will discuss an update on the status of the proposal including its process and potential outcomes; opportunities for community members to provide feedback; and next steps for the proposal. For more information on how to participate please see this notice or please visit www.toronto.ca/cpconsultations.
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. Deadline to apply is Thursday December 10th, 2020 4:30pm. Apply NOW.
Create a pollinator garden and help native pollinators from the threats of climate change, habitat loss, and other stressors. Grants of up to $5,000 are available to support community-led initiatives that result in the creation or expansion of pollinator habitat on public and private lands in Toronto. The deadline to apply for the City’s PollinateTO Community Grant is January 8, 2021. More information about the PollinateTO Community Grants is available at www.toronto.ca/PollinateTO
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.
Boys’ and Girls’ Club of East Scarborough Scoop
Check out the ESBGC latest Bi-Weekly Scoop 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.
TransformTO Update: Climate action for a healthy, equitable, prosperous Toronto.
Check out their latest update 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.
Toronto District School Board Update
Check out the latest issue 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.
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/
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