News and Updates

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City and Community Win Victory at OMB on South of Eastern Employment Lands

MEDIA RELEASE

Wednesday March 4, 2009

TORONTO – The City of Toronto and the residents of east Toronto have won a historic decision at the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB). After a 5-month hearing, the OMB has ruled against the conversion of employment lands to Big Box Retail.

“This is a victory for not only my community but also for anyone who supports good planning and good jobs for our City” says Councillor Paula Fletcher.

Queens Quay Revitalization Public Meeting

PUBLIC MEETING & DROP-IN CENTRE Queens Quay Revitalization Environmental Assessment & East Bayfront Transit Environmental Assessment March 25 & March 28

Waterfront Toronto, Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and the City of Toronto have undertaken comprehensive Environmental Assessments to revitalize Queens Quay from Parliament Street to Lower Spadina Avenue and introduce new transit services to the East Bayfront. The studies have explored how to implement long standing City of Toronto policy objectives to transform Queens Quay into a scenic waterfront drive, provide transit priority and complete the Martin Goodman Trail through the central waterfront. Together, the Queens Quay Revitalization Environmental Assessment and the East Bayfront Transit Environmental Assessment have undertaken the development and analysis of alternatives related to the urban design and functional plan for the overall Queens Quay corridor, and the evaluation of alternative streetcar tunnel and portal locations.

City Council meeting highlights of February 23 and 24, 2009

Freeze on development charges Council adopted a structure for development charges, freezing the fee at current levels for the next two years (until January 31, 2011). The intention is to give the development industry some predictability and to help protect Toronto’s prosperity. A new development charge bylaw will come into effect on May 1, 2009. It will replace the existing bylaw and will allow the City to continue to collect development charges to pay for a portion of municipal growth-related capital costs for municipal services. The new bylaw provides for a multi-year phase-in of updated charges on housing construction starting in February 2011 if construction activity reaches certain pre-determined levels - with exemptions such as affordable rental housing and industrial development. (More details in a news release dated February 25: http://wx.toronto.ca/inter/it/newsrel.nsf)

Paula in the Media - March 5/09

Paula speaks about the victory at the OMB on the TFS Appeal

It's Official: No Big Box in Leslieville Martiniboys.com - Toronto,Ontario,Canada Rather than positively bolstering employment, city councilor Paula Fletcher argued, the retail complex would create part-time minimum-wage jobs and also ...

OMB rejects big-box plans in Leslieville Toronto Star - Toronto,Ontario,Canada

Toronto Beaches Plan

Swimmable beaches are often used as an indicator of Toronto’s environmental

performance and quality of life. Over the past five years, the City has taken many steps to improve its 11 designated swimming beaches, and work continues on projects to reduce beach pollution from combined sewer overflows and stormwater discharges.

The Toronto Beaches Plan identifies actions to further enhance beach water

City Council meeting highlights of January 27 and 28, 2009

New downtown transit line a high priority

Council decided to encourage Metrolinx, the regional transportation planning agency, to make the construction of a downtown relief transit line a higher priority. Council sees merit in building a new downtown relief line before the more expensive construction of a Yonge Street subway extension north from Finch Station to Richmond Hill. The proposed relief transit line would address rider capacity challenges that will be intensified by an extended Yonge Street subway bringing many more transit riders into the system. Council also confirmed major features of the planned, provincially-funded 6.8-kilometre extension of the Yonge subway line north from Finch Station.

Toronto Council endorses plan to prohibit smoking at playgrounds in City parks

Toronto City Council approved a plan yesterday to make changes to the Municipal Code, Chapter 608, Parks, to prohibit smoking at playgrounds and other child-centred areas in City of Toronto parks.

"The health and well-being of children in our public spaces is a priority for the City," said Councillor Paula Fletcher (Ward 30 Toronto-Danforth), Chair of the Parks and Environment Committee. "Banning smoking in playgrounds ensures that children have healthy environments in which to play."

Toronto's bed bug infestation getting worse

Nov 17 - Public Health reports dramatic increase in Bed Bug calls, as funds are proposed to help vulnerable residents dealing with the pests.