Dear Neighbours,
I would like to continue to thank everyone for their efforts during these difficult times. It has been difficult for everyone. We must continue to fight the spread of COVID-19 and keep ourselves and our community safe by following the public health measures in place. Remember, our mental health is paramount, we need to continue to take care of ourselves and seek support if needed.
I would like to thank everyone who tuned into last night’s Scarborough-Guildwood Live Town Hall! Thank you to my colleagues Hon. John McKay MP, Mitzie Hunter MPP and our special guest Dr. Shovita Padhi. We had a very informative discussion on vaccine planning and distribution. If you missed the live event, you can watch the full meeting on my YouTube Channel. Be sure to like, subscribe and hit the bell notification!
*UPDATED* City of Toronto Immunization Clinic Eligibility Groups: Book through the provincial booking system at www.toronto.ca/covid19 or by calling 1-833-943-3900.
- People age 18+ living in any of the 53 provincial hot spot postal codes – Scarborough-Guildwood hotspot postal codes include M1E, M1G, M1H, M1J and M1M
- People age 50+ older
- First Nations, Inuit and Métis individuals
- People who are pregnant
- People with high-risk health conditions
- People with highest risk health conditions
- Employees unable to work from home listed by the Province of Ontario as Group One
- Elementary and secondary education workers living or working in any of the 53 provincial hot spot postal codes or supporting students with special education needs (booking by phone only)
- Child care workers working in licensed child care settings (booking by phone only)
The full list of eligible groups with information on how to register for appointments is available on the City’s COVID-19: How to Get Vaccinated webpage.
*NEW* City of Toronto opens more than 3,500 new vaccination appointments for next week – News Release. This afternoon, 2,430 new vaccination appointments between May 10 and 12 at the City of Toronto immunization clinic at Malvern Community Recreation Centre in Scarborough were added to the provincial vaccine booking system. In addition, more than 1,000 appointments have also been added on May 11 at the City-operated Metro Toronto Convention Centre clinic.
COVID-19 Vaccine Pop-Ups – NO APPOINTMENT NEEDED – First come first serve basis by Postal Code. Proof of address is required (drivers license or utility bill). Bring your health card if you have one or other government issued ID.
Scarborough Health Network is hosting COVID-19 vaccine pop-up clinics for Scarborough residents 18+ years old who live in in M1B, M1W, and M1T this week:
| M1G, M1H & M1P Residents 18+ Tredway Woodsworth P.S. (112 Sedgement Dr) Fri, May 7 | 9am to 9pm | M1B Residents 18+ Malvern Christian Assembly (6705 Shepard Ave E) Sat, May 8 | 9am to 5pm |
Proof of address is required (drivers license or utility bill). Bring your health card if you have one or other government issued ID. Tickets will be provided for same-day appointments starting in the morning of the pop ups on a first come first serve basis. For more information please visit www.scarbvaccine.ca
East Toronto Health Partners is operating pop-up COVID-19 vaccine clinics for adults ages 18+ who live in M1L, M1J, M1K, M1M & Crescent Town:
| M1L, M1J, M1K, M1M & Crescent Town Residents 18+ Warden Hilltop Community Centre (25 Mendelssohn Street) May 7 & 8, 2021 from 8am until supply lasts |
There will be approximately 2,700 doses available each day. This is a drop-in only clinic. No appointment is required. Please bring your health card and proof of address. (Health card not required for vaccinations if you do not have one.) See this post for more details.
Unity Health Toronto has expanded its eligibility for it’s COVID-19 Vaccine clinic at Woodbine Racetrack to 18+ who live in Toronto (M) hot spot postal codes:
| 18+ who live in a Toronto (M) hot spot postal code & 18+ who live or work in M9R, M9V or M9W will be prioritized Woodbine Track (555 Rexdale Blvd) May 6 & 7 from 10am to 8pm |
Proof of address is required. See this post for more details.
*NEW* Toronto Public Health issues Section 22 Order to education providers limiting in-person attendances of school-aged children – News Release. The Order defines how and when school-aged children can attend school premises or other educational settings. The Order applies to all persons and businesses providing education to school-aged children, regardless of whether or not they qualify as a school within the meaning of the Education Act.
The Order will be effective Monday, May 10 at 12:01 a.m. The Order is available on the City website.
The City of Toronto remains subject to a provincial wide Stay-at-Home order. The provincial wide shutdown requires all residents to remain home except for essential purposes. I encourage everyone to review the Province’s COVID-19 public health measures and advice, the City’s Guide for Toronto Residents and Changes to City Services for the most up-to-date information on public health guidelines and regulations.
Where to get accurate COVID-19 vaccine information
There is a lot of incorrect information about the COVID-19 vaccines on social media and group chats, such as WhatsApp. Accurate and trusted information can be found on the City’s COVID-19: Vaccines webpage. If you have questions about the vaccines, you should speak with your doctor or health care provider.
City of Toronto-Vaccine Hunters Canada to help residents quickly find available vaccine appointments at City-run clinics.
Vaccine appointment availability at all nine City clinics and will be displayed @VaxHuntersCan. More information is available on the City website.
Vaccine Eligibility Chart
The City of Toronto has created a vaccine eligibility chart to assist residents in clarifying eligibility stages and registration questions. You can find the vaccine eligibility chart here. Visit the VaccineTO website regularly to see if local clinics have available appointments.
Ontario Pharmacy Vaccination Booking, Eligibility and Locations. Participating pharmacies and primary care settings are now offering vaccination appointments to individuals age 40 and over. In addition, 16 Shoppers Drug Mart locations in the hot-spot communities of Toronto, Peel and York Region, will begin offering the vaccine 24/7, starting as early as today. Eligible residents can contact a participating pharmacy directly to make an appointment. Find your closest pharmacy to register to get the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on the Province’s website.
City of Toronto COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic – Locations Map
All COVID-19 Immunization Clinics across the city, including City-run facilities, pharmacies and hospitals, are now mapped on the City’s website. Residents can search for the clinic closest to them by location or address. Additional Ward 24 specific vaccination sites can be found here. Residents must register for an appointment.
Do you need help getting to your vaccination appointment? The City’s Vaccine Equity Transportation Plan is piloting transportation services for individuals age 55+ who may be unable to access or afford existing transportation options to get to their vaccination appointments. Eligible residents can book their vaccination appointment at www.toronto.ca/covid-19 then book a ride contact with Toronto Ride, iRide or Scarborough Ride.
Vaccine Appointment booking for residents without OHIP Cards
Resident without OHIP cards who meet current vaccine eligibility criteria can request assistance to book their vaccination appointment at a City-run immunization clinic by contacting FCJ Refugee Centre, Access Alliance or Toronto Public Health. Residents without an OHIP card may use other forms of identification to book their COVID-19 vaccination appointment through agency partners. For more details and contact information please see this page.
In-Home Vaccination for Homebound Persons
If you are a homebound person receiving care through a Primary Care Provider, Family Health Team, Home or Community Care or Community Support Services or Agencies, please contact your provider to learn whether they are able to offer in-home vaccination.
If you are homebound person who does not have a Primary Care Provider, Family Health Team, Home or Community Care or Community Support Services, please contact the Toronto Seniors Help Line at 416-217-2077 or by webchat at www.torontoseniorshelpline.ca/web-chat
COVID-19 tests are available at assessment centres, pop-up and mobile testing facilities and pharmacies. Learn more about COVID-19 testing locations and eligibility, including locations of upcoming pop-up testing sites, by visiting toronto.ca/COVID19Testing.The website features a map to help you easily find a testing location near you.
City of Toronto COVID-19 Case Update: (Data as of May 6, 2021) There has been an increase of 1,047 COVID-19 cases in the City with 71 newly reported hospitalized cases. Through the pandemic the City has seen a total of 154,121 cases of COVID-19, of these, 139,073 cases have recovered. To this date, there have been 3,149 COVID-19 deaths in Toronto. Case status data can be found on the City’s reporting platform.
City of Toronto COVID-19 Vaccination Update: Together, the City of Toronto, healthcare partners, pharmacies and Toronto Public Health have now administered more than one million COVID-19 vaccines. To date 1,290,708 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in Toronto. Toronto is the first local health region in Canada to administer more than one million doses of vaccine. Vaccination dose data can be found on the City’s COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard.
COVID-19 Vaccination Tracker Canada: You can review regular data on doses administered, doses delivered and percentage of the Canadian population that has received at least one dose on the COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker page.
City of Toronto endorses plan to rapidly create affordable supportive housing at 222 Spadina Ave. and 877 Yonge St. – News Release.
Education Bank COVID-19 Update: In response to the new Provincial guidelines, the Education Bank will be closed for the month of April. The Education Bank has shifted to a curb side pickup model which will allow families to select materials for pick up at the Family Service Centre. You can complete the following Google Form to select items for pick up.
Public Art is Back at Guild Park! A live tour via Google Meets exploring the recent arrival of art and artifacts to the grounds of Guild Park and Gardens in East Toronto, atop the Scarborough Bluffs. The live tour will take place on Saturday, May 8, 2021 from 11:00am to 12:00pm. For more information and to register please visit this site.
Scarborough Business Association – After 5 Networking Magic on May 12, 2021 from 6:30pm to 8:00pm. Register for a 90 minute online networking session. You’ll meet new business community members, find opportunities, share and learn. Register here.
Scarborough Business Association – Cyber Breakfast on Social Procurement on May 19, 2021 from 9:15am to 10:00am. Attend an SBA Breakfast from your home or office and be back to work by 10:00am. Connect, share information and gain knowledge. Register here.
Public invited to provide feedback on proposed City of Toronto regulations for multi-tenant houses. Tell us what you think about multi-tenant housing! You can attend a virtual public meeting on May 11. You can also complete this questionnaire, open until May 18. For more information on how to attend the virtual public meetings please visit this site.
Garden Suites Survey & Consultation: The City of Toronto is seeking public and industry opinions about Garden Suites in Toronto. To provide feedback and help shape the future of Gardens Suites in Toronto, please fill out this survey. You can also participate in a series of virtual community consultations on May 11, May 12 and May 13. Pre-registration is required. Learn more about Garden Suites and register for a consultation meeting here.
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 – Subscribe HERE.
East Scarborough Storefront: Our KGO Updates – See the latest issue HERE. Subscribe HERE.
insidehousing: News from Toronto Community Housing – Subscribe HERE.
What’s On at the Library: Home Edition – Check out the latest copy HERE. Subscribe HERE.
If you need info on COVID-19, please visit the following websites:
Official Global Travel Advisory
The City of Toronto’s website can be translated into many languages using the GoogleTM Translate tool. To change languages on the City of Toronto website, please click here.
I am continuously updating my social media platforms and my website:
You can also reach me by: telephone at 416-396-7222 or email me at councillor_ainslie@toronto.ca
All my Best,
Paul