July 16, 2020
Dear Ward 24 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 to open 14 Emergency Cooling Centres during Heat Warning
Environment and Climate Change Canada has declared a Heat Warning for Toronto starting tomorrow, Friday, July 17 to Monday, July 20. Extreme heat is associated with negative health impacts ranging from heat stress to heat stroke and death.
During periods of hot weather, the safety of all residents is the priority. The City of Toronto will open 14 Emergency Cooling Centres (ECCs) tomorrow for the duration of the Heat Warning. Please note that the ECC Parkdale location has changed from the Parkdale Library, 1303 Queen St. W., to Masaryk-Cowan Community Recreation Centre, 220 Cowan Ave. The ECC at Wallace-Emerson Community Centre is no longer open due to previous low attendance and to make additional space for camp.
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.
City invites applications for Women4ClimateTO Mentorship Programme
The City of Toronto has launched the Toronto edition of C40’s international Women4Climate Mentorship Programme to encourage and inspire women’s leadership in responding to climate change. This program matches mentors from local government, the business sector, international organizations and social agencies with emerging women leaders. Mentors share their knowledge and experiences, supporting the mentees in becoming powerful advocates in addressing climate change. Three Canadian cities are participating in the program: Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.
Over seven months, Women4ClimateTO will engage 12 women who live, work or attend school in Toronto and provide a program that combines mentorship, networking and collaborative learning opportunities. Following the formal mentorship program, mentees will participate in a pitch competition to showcase their ideas. The application deadline has been extended to July 31. More information about Women4ClimateTO is available at toronto.ca/livegreen. For more information, please read the news release.
New COVID-19 health and safety regulations for landlords of rental apartments in Toronto
On June 29, 2020, City Council adopted new health and safety rules for apartment building owners and operators to follow during the COVID-19 pandemic. These rules aim to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 in multi-tenanted buildings. Until October 31, 2020, apartment building owners and operators registered in the RentSafeTO: Apartment Building Standards bylaw enforcement program are required to:
- provide hand sanitizer in all common areas that remain open, such as building entrances and laundry rooms.
- ensure non-essential common areas, such as gyms and playrooms, remain closed in compliance with provincial restrictions
- clean frequently-touched surfaces in all open common areas with household cleaners and disinfectants twice daily and when visibly dirty, and
- post Toronto Public Health signage on physical distancing and shared laundry rooms.
More information on the new requirements for landlords is available on the RentSafeTO for Building Owners webpage. If tenants have health and safety concerns, they are advised to talk to their landlord or building manager first and submit a service request. If the landlord does not take action and the problems persist, tenants should contact 311 for the RentSafeTO team to respond.
City of Toronto update on COVID-19
There are 14,956 cases of COVID-19 in the city, an increase of 59 cases since Monday. There are 145 people hospitalized, with 30 in ICU. In total, 13,259 people have recovered from COVID-19, an increase of 111 cases since Monday. To date, there have been 1,126 COVID-19 deaths in Toronto. Case status data can be found on the City’s reporting platform.
Public Safety Alert, Fraud Investigation, Online Employment Scam
The Toronto Police Service would like to make the public aware of an ongoing fraud investigation regarding an online employment scam that reports, the employee is directed to pick up and deposit a cheque, turn the money over to another person or be directed to take the cash and deposit it into a bitcoin machine. Police would like to remind the public there are no delivery jobs that involve picking up cheques made out to employees and depositing them into their own accounts.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-1400, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, online on our Facebook Leave a Tip page, or text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637). For more information please read the news release.
Toronto Public Services Board concludes virtual Town Hall Sessions
The Board, today, concluded a series of virtual town hall meetings held on July 9, 10, 15 and 16, 2020. These meetings were created in response to the thousands of messages that the Board has received, as an opportunity to hear directly from the public on matters concerning police accountability, reform, and community safety priorities.
The submissions the Board received are being compiled and will be accessible here before the next Board meeting. The Board wishes to thank all members of the public and organizations that participated in these Town Halls, viewed them online, or otherwise made their views on these important issues known. In addition, please be advised that the Board meeting originally scheduled for Thursday July 30, 2020 has been cancelled, a newly scheduled Board meeting to be held on August 18, 2020.
Toronto Arts Council Upcoming Webinar
TAC is teaming up with EDC and Toronto Public Health to present a Digital Update with the latest information and answers to your questions. Please join the conversation with Pat Tobin (Director Arts and Culture Services), Claire Hopkinson (Director and CEO, Toronto Arts Council), David Absalom (Toronto Public Health). The intent of this session is to provide updates on the impact of Stage 3 on Toronto arts organizations. The Webinar takes place on Thursday July 23, 2:30-3:30pm. Register HERE.
360 Stories E-Anthology Launch: Magic Mayhem & Me
The 360° Stories Online E-Anthology Launch will be hosted on Zoom on Thursday July 23rd, 2020 from 11:00 AM -12:00 PM and will feature:
- Readings from the e-magazine by some of the young authors
- Q&A with the authors
- Sneak peek of the e-Anthology & opportunities to purchase your copy
Join student authors, their families, and program partners to celebrate! Register now by clicking HERE.
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. Your input is valuable to the Recovery and Rebuild Strategy to ensure the needs of Toronto communities hardest hit by the pandemic are prioritized through the City’s recovery and rebuilding process. 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
On Saturday 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.
*NEW* 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