Words From Eastern Toronto

Dear Scarborough-Guildwood Residents

I would like to wish everyone a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year and hope everyone had a joyful holiday season. There are many opportunities to take part in and look forward to this year.

Starting off right, on Wednesday January 8^th, I brought forward a number of items to the Scarborough Community Council, including a request to re-open an item heard in December 2019 where I had asked for the reduction of speed limits, I was able to gain support on my motions to reduce speed limits on specific minor and local arterial roads and collector roads in Ward 24 Scarborough-Guildwood. The purpose of this item is to bring awareness and address the very important safety concerns on our roads. SC11.8 – Scarborough Minor Arterial and Collector Road Speed Limit Reductions as Part of Vision Zero Speed Management Strategy.

The City’s Speed Management Strategy aims to reduce the number of traffic-related injuries and fatalities associated with speeding through short and long-term measures, which includes revised speed limit setting practices, road design improvements, automated speed enforcement and more. More details about the City of Toronto’s Speed Management Strategy are in the June Vision Zero 2.0 – Road Safety Update.

Also part of the City’s Speed Management Strategy is the installation of Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) cameras and signage on our streets in an effort to increase road safety, reduce speeding and raise public awareness about the need to slow down and obey posted speed limits. 

In addition, items also adopted were the SC12.19 – All-Way Stop Control Review – Dale Avenue and Cromwell Road and the SC12.20 – Compulsory Stop Controls – Botany Hill Road Area

Lastly, I would like to invite you all to my Annual New Year’s Celebration on Saturday, January 11 at the Cedar Ridge Creative Centre (225 Confederation Dr.).

All my Best,

Paul W. Ainslie

Dear Scarborough-Guildwood Residents

I would like to wish everyone a wonderful merry Christmas and a happy holiday season, and also a friendly reminder to stay safe and warm during our colder months.

The City of Toronto’s Holiday Wish List is live on the City’s website. The Holiday Wish List is a perfect way for you, your family and friends to spread a little holiday cheer and for ways to help people who are homeless and vulnerable this holiday season, you can make a donation to a community agency that serves them.

The Holiday Wish List provides details about agencies’ name, location, and about what type of donations they need. You can also volunteer with a community agency. The City of Toronto’s Holiday Wish List can be found here.

Toronto residents and visitors will be able to take advantage of many City programs and attractions this holiday season, from outdoor winter recreational activities to indoor seasonal traditions. Details can be found here.

The Toronto Zoo’s Terra Lumina: An Enchanted Night Walk into a Bright Future opened on December 13^th taking visitors on a journey through a luminous vision of our planet’s future. For tickets and more information on the outdoor immersive multimedia experience here.

The CNE presents this year’s Aurora Winter Festival. Toronto’s Ontario Place will be transformed into a magical winter wonderland with beautiful skating rink, a tube park, massive light displays, a Christmas Market and more. For tickets and more information visit this website.

The City of Toronto’s Transportation Services’ winter operation plans are in full effect this winter season. Full details on the City’s Winter Operations can be found here.

You can follow the City’s Transportation Services on Twitter @TO_WinterOps and the PlowTO Map where you can track real time locations of plows, sidewalk plows and salt trucks which also identify which roads have been serviced by winter snow clearing vehicles and crews. The PlowTO Map can be found here.

To report any snow related concerns, please call 311, email 311@toronto.ca, or use the 311 app available online.

I wish everyone safe, warm and happy holidays.

All my Best,

Paul W. Ainslie

Dear Ward 24 Residents,

Welcome to the new and enhanced PlowTO Map (Version 2.0)!

It can be found at www.toronto.ca/plowTO !

The City has a fleet of more than 1,100 snow clearing vehicles as well as more than 1,500 personnel (contracted and City staff) on standby 24 hours a day and seven days a week ready to respond to snow at a moment’s notice. Residents can track real time locations of plows, sidewalk plows and salt trucks below and identify which roads have been serviced by the City’s winter operations crews.

PlowTO allows users to follow winter equipment in real-time and provide an approximate time frame within which an area was last serviced.

New for the 2019/20 winter season:

• ESRI based mapping and design enhancements
• Real-time location of sidewalk equipment
• New map layers (wards, traffic cameras and cycling network)
• Enhanced search functionality by ward, address and intersection

Please refer to the Twitter feed Follow @TO_WinterOps for more on how snow is managed in Toronto, on the second tab for equipment activation times and updates on the status of winter operations.

The site will continue to undergo testing and will evolve based on user feedback. Please send comments, report any bugs, glitches or problems with the site to smp@toronto.ca.

***Disclaimer: Please note that the data and information on this website is for informational purposes only. While we strive to provide accurate information, errors may be present and information may not be complete. Accordingly, the City of Toronto, Transportation Services Division make no representation as to the accuracy of the information or its suitability for any purpose and disclaim any liability for omissions or errors that may be contained therein.***

All my Best,

Paul

Good Morning Everyone,

For the snow event of December 1, here is an update on Transportation Services’ winter operations plans as of December 3 at 9am.
Note: These plans are estimates only and subject to changing conditions such as timing of the event and the amount/type of precipitation.
Weather: A series of weak system will move over the region with scattered flurries and a few periods of snow through Tuesday afternoon and evening and again for Wednesday afternoon lingering through the night.

Possible trace – 1cm accumulations through Tuesday and another trace – 2cm possible through Wednesday.
Roadway Salting:

– Spotsalting only today on expressways, arterial, and collector roads as part of cleanup operations.

– 3rd round of salting today on local roads.
Roadway Plowing

– AM cleanup today on arterial and collector roads.

– Local road plowing completed late Monday evening / early Tuesday morning in all areas.

– 311 is now taking SRs
Trails & Separated Bike Lanes

– Cleanup only today, where required, on Martin Goodman Trail, Humber Bay Waterfront Trail and separated bike lanes
Sidewalks & Bus Stops

– 3rd round of high and low volume sidewalks commenced on Tuesday morning, where required, following the completion of local road plowing and will continue throughout the day

– 1st round of bus stop clearing is underway following the completion of arterial road plowing. This will continue for approx. 24 – 48hrs.

– 311 is now taking Srs

For up to the minute updates please follow Transportation Services on Twitter at @TO_WinterOps and on our newly re-launched real-time public GPS site at www.toronto.ca/plowto

Please remember to check on elderly and physically handicapped neighbours.

All my Best,

Paul

December 2, 2019 11AM

Good morning everyone,

For the snow event of December 1, here is an update on Transportation Services’ winter operations plans as of December 2 at 9am.

Note:  These plans are estimates only and subject to changing conditions such as timing of the event and the amount/type of precipitation.

Weather:  Periods of snow lingering over the region through to 6am then tapering back to flurries for the remainder of Monday morning. Also wind gusts up to 40 km/h will linger through to Monday afternoon. Flurries will diminish and winds ease with dry conditions expected for Monday night. Dry conditions will continue throughout the day on Tuesday before a series of weak systems will move through with mainly flurries and only a few periods of snow for Tuesday night lingering through to Wednesday afternoon with a trace – 1cm possible every 12hrs.

Roadway Salting:             

–              Multiple rounds of salt have been applied to expressways, arterial, and collector roads.  Roads are being salted again Monday morning.

–              Local roads were salted on Sunday.  A second round commenced through the overnight period and will continue through Monday morning.

Roadway Plowing

–              1^st round of plowing operations on arterial and collector roads, were completed by approx. 12am Monday.  2^nd round of plowing commenced overnight and will continue through the am rush hour.

–              As a result of the overnight snow, we have reached the required 8cm threshold to begin plowing local roads.  Local road plowing will begin at approx. 9am and continue into late Monday evening.

Trails & Separated Bike Lanes

–              The Martin Goodman Trail, Humber Bay Waterfront Trail and separated bike lanes have been salted/plowed again this morning.  Cleanup will continue throughout the morning.

Sidewalks & Bus Stops

–              First round of mechanical sidewalk clearing on high pedestrian volume sidewalks and bus stops commenced at approx. 10am Sunday and will be completed Sunday evening

–              Second/third round commenced overnight and will continue through the day Monday.

Snow Event Update # 6 will be distributed at approximately 5pm Monday.

For up to the minute updates please follow Transportation Services on Twitter at @TO_WinterOps and on our newly re-launched real-time public GPS site at www.toronto.ca/plowto    

Please look in on your elderly and physically handicapped neighbours!

All my Best,

Paul

Good Evening Ward 24 Neighbours,

For the snow event of December 1, here is an update on City of Toronto Transportation Services’  winter operations plans as of December 1 at 6pm.

***Note:  These plans are estimates only and subject to changing conditions such as timing of the event and the amount/type of precipitation.***

Weather:  Light snow becomes spotty and intermittent late this afternoon and continues overnight ending by mid Monday morning. Wet snow amounts of 2 to 4 cm are possible by late in the day with the highest amounts on grassy and elevated surfaces. An additional 2 or 3 cm is possible overnight along with some patchy freezing drizzle before it ends Monday morning. Winds will continue to gust to 60 km/h at times this afternoon diminishing to gusting 40 km/h overnight and through the day tomorrow.

Due to insufficient snow accumulation, it is unlikely that local roads will be plowed in response to this snow event.  High & low pedestrian volume sidewalks, as well as separated bike lanes, will be cleared/salted multiple times.

Roadway Salting:             

–              Salting operations in all areas of the city commenced at approx. 8am – 9am Sunday. 

–              Multiple rounds of salt have been applied to expressways, arterial, and collector roads.

–              Salters will complete their first round of salting on local roads later this evening.  As second round will be applied through the overnight period and into Monday morning.

Roadway Plowing

–              Plowing operations on arterial and collector roads, where required, commenced at approx. 1pm – 2pm and will be completed by approx. 12am.  There may be some cleanup operation through the overnight period.

–              No plowing operations on local roads due to lack of accumulation.

Trails & Separated Bike Lanes

–              Approx 3 rounds of salting & plowing of the Martin Goodman Trail & Humber Bay Waterfront Trail since approx. 8am Sunday

–              Approx 3 rounds of salting & plowing of the separated bike lanes since approx. 8am Sunday

–              Approx 3 rounds of salting & plowing on trails and bike lanes since approx. 8am Sunday.

Sidewalks & Bus Stops

–              First round of mechanical sidewalk clearing on high pedestrian volume sidewalks and bus stops commenced at approx. 10am Sunday and will be completed Sunday evening

–              Second round will commence overnight and continue through Monday.

For up to the minute updates please follow Transportation Services on Twitter at @TO_WinterOps and on our newly re-launched real-time public GPS site at www.toronto.ca/plowto    

All my Best,

Paul

Good Afternoon Ward 24 Neighbours,

For the snow event of December 1, here is an update from City of Toronto Transportation Services’  winter operations plans as of December 1 at 1pm.

Note:  These plans are estimates only and subject to changing conditions such as timing of the event and  the amount/type of precipitation.

Environment Canada has issued a Weather Advisory –  https://weather.gc.ca/warnings/report_e.html?on61#2006086492130422201201911300503wo1171cwto

Weather:  A winter storm has moved in with the risk of ice pellets for mid-late Sunday morning before mixing with snow into the early afternoon. Ice pellets will taper with light-moderate snow dominating for the remainder of the day and night then tapering to on and off flurries for the day on Monday. Generally speaking the farther west you travel the less snow and more ice pellets and the east the less ice pellets and more snow.  All models have the freezing rain line over the Oakville to Milton area with ice pellets mainly affecting the Etobicoke to western Toronto while the downtown/north/eastern areas should see mostly snow. That being said areas to the west and could see from 1-3cm of ice pellets and 5-12cm of snow while the downtown/north/east could see trace-2cm of ice pellets and 7-15cm of snow. Snow rates should be in the range of 1-2.5cm/hr through the afternoon and 0.5-1cm/hr through Sunday night.

Given the forecast accumulation, it is likely that multiple rounds of salting and/or plowing will be required  on expressways, arterial and collector roads.  Local roads will also be plowed when snowfall has reached 8cm and has substantially stopped.  High & low pedestrian volume sidewalks, as well as separated  bike lanes, may also be cleared/salted multiple times.

Patrol:

–          Transportation maintains a 24/7 patrol to constantly monitor road and sidewalk conditions.

Roadway Salting:             

–              Salting operations in all areas of the city commenced at approx. 8am – 9am Sunday. 

–              Salter are just completing their second round of salt on arterial roads.

–              Salters are currently on their first round of salt on local roads.

–              Multiple rounds of salt will be required.  Salting will continue through the morning/afternoon until plowing thresholds are met.

Roadway Plowing

–              Plowing operations on expressways will commence at 2.5cm of accumulation

–              Plowing operations on arterial and collector roads will commence at 5cm of accumulation

–              Timing of plowing operations on arterial and collector roads will vary throughout the city due to the amount of freezing rain & snow received

–              Plowing operations on local roads will commence when accumulations have reached 8cm and are substantially complete – approximately 6pm Sunday.

Trails & Separated Bike Lanes

–              Salting & plowing of the Martin Goodman Trail & Humber Bay Waterfront Trail commenced at approx. 8am Sunday

–              Salting & plowing of the separated bike lanes commenced at approx. 8am Sunday

–              Multiple rounds of plowing & salting on trails and bike lanes will be required

Sidewalks & Bus Stops

–              Mechanical sidewalk clearing on high pedestrian volume sidewalks and bus stops commenced at approx. 10am and will continue through Sunday evening

–              Multiple rounds of sidewalk salting & plowing may be required.

Snow Event Update # 4 will be distributed at approximately 6pm Sunday.

For up to the minute updates please follow Transportation Services on Twitter at @TO_WinterOps and on our newly re-launched real-time public GPS site at  www.toronto.ca/plowto    

Please remember to check on meighbours who are elderly or physically challenged by this weather!

All my Best,

Paul

Dear Ward 24 Residents,

I am providing the following update I have received from City of Toronto Transportation staff in advance of the expected snowfall we will be receiving tomorrow.

For the forecast snow event of December 1, here is an update on Transportation Services’ winter operations plans as of November 30 at 3pm.

***Note: These plans are estimates only and subject to changing conditions such as timing of the event and the amount of precipitation.***

Weather: Dry and chilly through Saturday night but a winter storm is going to bring a mixture of freezing rain, ice pellets and snow. The uncertainty is in how much of it will fall as sleet/ice pellets and snow in the morning. Generally speaking, the farther west of the GTA, the more mixing initially and could hinder the snowfall totals a bit. Areas to the east should be mostly snow and snow amounts should be higher. All models have the freezing rain/sleet line through Oakville, Milton or farther west in the morning so it’s quite unlikely Toronto will see freezing rain with this. Likely beginning around 7 or 8 am, high confidence that weather will be poor from 9 am through 4 pm with snowfall rates of 1 to 2 cm/hour ( If falling as Ice pellets would make that less than 0.5 cm per hour). The risk for ice pellets abates by 11:30 am and only snow is expected into the afternoon. Confidence in the forecast in the evening and early overnight is LOW. Models diverge and there is no consensus if drier air moves in or if lighter snow of 1 cm / 2 or 3 hours could persist. Snow amounts could be as low as 6 or 7 cm west of the GTA but up to 13 or 14 cm isn’t out of the question to the east.

Environment Canada has issued a Special Weather Statement https://weather.gc.ca/warnings/report_e.html?on61#2048073611717005266201911290503ws1171cwto

Given the forecast accumulation, it is likely that multiple rounds of salting and/or plowing will be required on expressways, arterial and collector roads. Local roads will also be plowed when snowfall has reached 8cm and has substantially stopped. High & low pedestrian volume sidewalks, as well as separated bike lanes, may also be cleared/salted multiple times. There is currently low confidence in the forecast as to the amount of freezing rain and/or snow that we may receive so our equipment activation times listed below may be revised.

Patrol:
– Transportation maintains a 24/7 patrol to constantly monitor road and sidewalk conditions.

Roadway Salting:
– Salt brine has been applied to bridges and steep hills on Friday evening
– Transportation has approximately 200 salt trucks on standby that can be on the road within one hour of notification.
– Salting operations will commence at approx. 6am – 7am Sunday
– Multiple rounds of salt will be required. Salting will continue through the morning/afternoon until plowing thresholds are met.

Roadway Plowing
– Plowing operations on expressways will commence at 2cm of accumulation
– Plowing operations on arterial and collector roads will commence at 5cm of accumulation – approximately 12pm Sunday
– Plowing operations on local roads will commence when accumulations have reached 8cm and are substantially complete – approximately 6pm Sunday.

Trails & Separated Bike Lanes
– Salting & plowing of the Martin Goodman Trail & Humber Bay Waterfront Trail will commence at approx. 6am – 7am Sunday
– Salting & plowing of the separated bike lanes will commence at approx. 6am – 7am Sunday
– Multiple rounds of plowing & salting on trails and bike lanes will be required

Sidewalks & Bus Stops
– Mechanical sidewalk clearing on high pedestrian volume sidewalks will commence approx midday Sunday
– Multiple rounds of sidewalk salting & plowing may be required.

Snow Event Update # 2 will be distributed at approximately 9am Sunday

For up to the minute updates please follow Transportation Services on Twitter at @TO_WinterOps and on our newly re-launched real-time public GPS site at www.toronto.ca/plowto

I will provide more updates as I receive them.

Please remember to check on any elderly or physically challenged neighbours.

All my Best,

Paul

Dear Scarborough-Guildwood Residents

In the spring of 2016, City Council supported my motion on Data regarding deaths in Toronto’s Homeless Community. This motion recommended the following:

• That appropriate staff collect all relevant data related to deaths within and outside of the City’s homeless shelters;
• That this data be shared publicly to City divisions, agencies and Provincial ministries; and
• To introduce and gain support of a provincial mandate to track all homeless deaths for further policy and legislation purposes

More information on this item can be found here.

At the November 14^th Executive Committee meeting, recommendations for City Council to adopt a 2019-2022 Poverty Reduction Strategy Term Action Plan was approved, to be considered at the November 26^th City Council meeting. This item is in part to follow the adoption of a 20-year (2015-2035) Toronto Poverty Reduction Strategy which was approved by City Council in November 2015.

The 2019-2022 Term Action Plan recommends to include a series of actions and activities aligned with the strategy’s original recommendations which focus on housing stability, service access, transportation equity, food access, quality jobs and livable incomes, and systematic change. More information on this item can be found here.

Moreover, the Executive Committee supported my motions requesting appropriate staff to create Open Data datasets on the following areas:

• Tracking information on homeless deaths, including medical cause of death, date, gender, Indigenous status and location of death;
• Information in individuals and families placed in time limited emergency housing during crisis or illness; and
• Outlines on unsheltered street homeless to general population ratio for Toronto and other major Canadian cities, after each Street Needs Assessment.

The absence of data on the number of homeless individuals that pass outside the boundaries of the City’s shelter systems provide a false account of the true circumstances facing those who live on the streets of Toronto.

People in the City and in Canada should not be dying on our streets. If they do, we should understand why, so that it never happens again. Every person counts. Every person has a right to live with dignity, and unfortunately, if they pass away, to pass with dignity as well.

All my Best,

Paul W. Ainslie

Dear Scarborough-Guildwood Residents

In April 2016, I brought forward a motion to the, then, Economic Development Committee requesting appropriate staff to explore the creation of a Night Mayor Ambassador Program for the City of Toronto. Participating cities across Europe have embraced the installation of such program and have found ties between the program and a growth in economic and civic importance of cultural life in urban areas. Details on this motion can be found here.

In July 2019, I put forward additional recommendations to City Council and supported the staff recommendation requesting the Mayor to designate a Member of Council as Toronto’s Night Ambassador. This ambassador would serve as a voice for Toronto’s entertainment related and nighttime economy activities. Details on this motion can be found here.

This week Mayor John Tory announced the appointment of Deputy Mayor Michael Thomson as the City’s Night Economy Ambassador.

I am really pleased the Economic and Community Development Committee with the support of Mayor Tory has moved my overall concept forward to fruition.  I am anticipating that Toronto’s night life will thrive with this collaboration.

The term night time economy describes the social, cultural, and economic activities that take place between 6pm and 6am within the city. The City of Toronto is always striving to boost its entertainment economy through tourism through its vibrant nightlife.

Currently the City’s nightlife sector employs tens of thousands of people. Implementing a system to help positively cultivate it will benefit the entire city including our many unique communities that make up Toronto.

The Night Mayor Ambassador role began in Amsterdam, with the concept growing to include Paris, London, the Netherlands and several cities in Belgium.

All my Best

Paul W. Ainslie