This month's City Council session was especially significant for me, as two initiatives I've worked on for a long time came to fruition.
Over two days and working into the evening on Thursday, City Council met to consider a number of key items. This Council saw the conclusion of a number of initiatives that I worked on for a long time, which I'm very proud to share with you.
We also took on some major issues. Council took a strong stand for road safety and against provincial overreach on bike lanes. We also considered the Auditor General's troubling report into the city's procurement of the PayIT software.
In 2019 residents, a Multi-Tenant Home at 28-30 Langley got in touch with my office when they received eviction notices from their then landlord (the building has since changed hands).
Through that process we learned that the proposed renovations were cosmetic in nature, and should not have required residents to leave.
However, at that time there were very limited protections for tenants. The neighbours came together to support their neighbours, but it was clear that we needed rules to protect against bad faith evictions.
Between 2019 and 2022, I chaired the Subcommittee on the Protection of Affordable Rental Housing. We heard from hundreds of tenants, advocates and experts and began developing a framework for a renovictions by-law, which was approved in 2022.
When Hamilton approved their renovictions by-law in 2023 I worked with colleagues on Council and on the Planning and Housing Committee to direct the staff to develop a by-law based on the work done in Hamilton.
Coming together with groups like ACORN, Don Valley Community Legal Services, ACTO, Right to Housing TO and others, we made it clear to the Planning and Housing committee that the time for a renovictions by-law for Toronto was now.
Over the summer, city staff consulted dozens of landlord and tenant groups as well as over 1,500 residents. They then brought forward a recommended by-law in October.
Thank you to Don Valley Legal Services for their analysis of the draft by-law, which allowed Planning and Housing Committee to remove a potential loophole.
The by-law requires anyone who issues an N13 to a tenant for renovations to apply to the city for a Renovation License. To receive a license, the landlord must show that the work is necessary and that an appropriate tenant relocation and assistance plan has been agreed to.
The by-law also carries significant fines and penalties for bad actors who violate the new rules.
It comes into effect on July 1st, 2025. In the interim, the city will increase funding to tenant support organizations and ensure they have the resources to help those who find that their landlord is trying to renovict them before the by-law comes into effect.
As we moved forward on the Port Lands Flood Protection Project it was always clear that we were going to need to formally name the new island that was being created.
Earlier this year, I asked the city to bring together a circle led by Indigenous Elders working with Knowledge Providers and language speakers to help find a new name for what will be a thriving new community.
Learn more about the process here.
The new island is called Ookwemin Minising (Oh-kwhe-min Min-nih-sing), which translates as "place of the black cherry trees."
This name recognizes the history of the area where black cherry trees used to thrive at the mouth of the river.
The name also speaks to the future. As part of formally accepting the new name Mayor Chow and I, along with members of the Indigenous Advisory Circle, planted a new black cherry tree symbolizing that the re-naturalizing of the river comes with a commitment to promoting reconciliation.
The circle also gifted the city the name for the extensive new park, Biidaasige (Bee-daw-sih-geh), which translates as "sunlight shining towards us."
Honouring the relationship of land, water and sunlight, the name for the new park reflects the hope and possibility of reconciliation.
The province's recent decision to force the city to remove bike lanes on Bloor Street West, University Avenue and Yonge Street is very troubling and I have heard from hundreds of residents expressing their concern.
The removal of these lanes would reduce road safety, cost an estimated $48 million, and cause years of delays due to the construction needed to remove them.
A city staff report outlines the major risks with the plan and I would encourage you to review it. It makes clear that the province's plan is not supported by facts.
I was pleased to support Mayor Chow's motion that makes the city's positions clear.
The city opposes the attempt to remove these bike lanes, the city should not bear the costs, and once the regulations are enacted the City should consider a legal challenge.
Thank you to everyone who wrote in about this. I will follow up next week with more information for those interested in this issue.
Council also considered another report that moves forward Mayor Chow's game changing housing strategy.
Council authorized using city resources to immediately identify and approve 7,000 new rental homes, including 5,600 purpose-built rental homes and at least 1,400 affordable rental units.
This report looks to address the slowing of condominium building by accelerating a number of purpose-built rental projects. The fund is already garnering interest from the development industry and will stimulate the building of rental and affordable housing.
Read more here.
I, along with a few of my Council colleagues and many in the local tech sector, raised continual concerns in 2020 and 2021 about the City's procurement of the PayIT platform for digital online payments.
Conducted through a very unusual process, it was adopted by a vote of 17-8 at Council in 2021.
An investigation by the Auditor General released earlier this month found the process was deeply flawed.
Senior staff, all no longer with the city, failed to keep proper records or follow correct purchasing processes nor did they provide Council with all the information when we were deliberating the awarding of this contract.
The PayIT contract has not provided the benefits that were promised and has, in fact, cost taxpayers more than the previous systems.
I moved a motion requesting the Auditor General to continue her investigation and focus on some key remaining questions raised by this report.
We also approved an extension of the CaféTO BIA Pilot Program, which allows for larger cafés within BIAs where a restaurant may be next to a business that doesn't have a patio, allowing them to easily extend their space and giving BIA's more freedom over designing their cafés.
This year's CaféTO program was a success story. I've worked with Mayor Chow since she was elected to make sure that the issues we saw in 2023 were addressed. Making this program work for businesses is a key way we can continue supporting our small businesses.
We also approved two new actions plans, one focused on culture and one on Toronto's economy.
These ten year plans will underpin the city's work in these two sectors and are built on two sets of basic principles:
Cultural Action Plan:
Economic Action Plan:
Read the Cultural Action Plan and Economic Action Plan to learn more.
Danforth Pizza House celebrating 60th anniversary today with special guests.
City Council to consider a report recommending the approval of a renovictions by-law.
Major items at City Council this week included the Vacant Home Tax, island airport and traffic congestion management.
