Recent Updates

Select City of Toronto recreation facilities to open for individuals with disabilities to access physical therapy

Beginning Tuesday, February 16, 10 of the City’s recreation facilities will open to allow individuals with disabilities to access physical therapy while Toronto remains in lockdown. Under provincial regulations, participants will be required to provide a medical certificate issued by a regulated medical practitioner attesting to a disability as defined by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

City of Toronto seeks members for Public Art Commission and Design Review Panel

The City of Toronto is seeking members for two volunteer boards, the Toronto Public Art Commission and the Design Review Panel.

Toronto Public Art Commission (TPAC)

The TPAC is a City of Toronto arts advisory body and peer review group, made up of citizen volunteers with diverse backgrounds, that works collaboratively with the City’s Urban Design and Community Planning staff to provide recommendations and assist in the review of public art projects and policies. TPAC members provide feedback about public art plans from private developers as part of the Percent for Public Art Program. Projects include large-scale development, district public art plans, secondary plans, master plans, as well as contributions for private property and/or off-site locations. Members of the commission do not select the final artwork and are not members of any selection juries.

Toronto Public Health releases COVID-19 workplace outbreak data

Starting today, following the Board of Health decision on January 18, 2021, at http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.HL25.3, Toronto Public Health (TPH) will increase reporting of active COVID-19 outbreaks at local workplaces. This information will be published on the COVID-19 Monitoring Dashboard, which is updated weekly on Thursdays: https://www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/covid-19-latest-city-of-toronto-news/covid-19-status-of-cases-in-toronto/.

City of Toronto readying nine COVID-19 immunization clinics for when vaccine supply re-established

Today, Mayor John Tory announced the locations of City-operated COVID-19 immunization clinics. The City of Toronto’s Immunization Task Force is working to ensure all nine City-operated clinics will be ready to open once the Province of Ontario provides direction, and vaccine supply is secured by the Government of Canada.

The nine City-operated clinics will be located at:

A budding concern: The growth of pot-shop clusters in Ontario

Many municipalities are now home to neighbourhoods with multiple competing dispensaries — and some say they threaten the diversity of community main streets

By Kelsey Rolfe - Published on Feb 09, 2021

Gwen Bang isn’t opposed to cannabis retailers. But seven shops in a less than 350-metre stretch of Toronto’s Kensington Market is a bit much, she says.

Metrolinx on collision course with residents, council over building part of Ontario Line above ground

Philip Lee-Shanok · CBC News · Posted: Feb 06, 2021 4:00 AM ET | Last Updated: February 6

Despite opposition from many in the community and from Toronto city councillors, it may be full steam ahead to run the Ontario Line above ground through Leslieville and Riverside.

Phil Verster, the CEO of the province's regional transit agency, Metrolinx, says five options were considered and the benefits of using a portion of the existing Lakeshore East rail corridor outweigh digging a tunnel underneath the two neighbourhoods.

City Council approves program to increase access to affordable high-speed internet in Toronto

Today, Toronto City Council approved ConnectTO – a City-driven collaborative program that aims to leverage the use of municipal resources and assets to increase digital equity and expand access to affordable, high-speed internet to underserved Toronto residents.

By approving the creation of a City broadband network, ConnectTO will help ensure Torontonians are not being left behind because of the high price of reliable internet service and gaps in the availability of high-speed internet in some areas. Bridging this growing digital divide supports Toronto's most vulnerable and marginalized residents in accessing vital services and resources.

City of Toronto issues its 2021 Interim property tax bills

The City of Toronto has issued 2021 interim property tax bills – the first of two tax bills mailed annually.

Payment due dates for the interim tax bills under the regular three-instalment plan are March 1, April 1 and May 3. For property owners enrolled in the Pre-Authorized Tax Payment (PTP) program, the 2021 interim tax due dates are:

• Two-instalment plan: March 1

Toronto City Council approves bigger and better CaféTO program to help local restaurants

Toronto City Council today unanimously approved a bigger and better CaféTO program to help Toronto’s main street restaurants and bars during the City’s ongoing pandemic response.

The first wave of registration for the expanded CaféTO program will begin in late February and, pending public health orders, the first approved CaféTO curb lane closure locations for 2021 would be in installed as soon as May – almost two months earlier than last year.

City of Toronto updating COVID-19 enforcement direction to allow some pet grooming services

The Province of Ontario today announced that pet groomers are now permitted to operate in some limited circumstances and under strict conditions. The City of Toronto has informed COVID-19 enforcement officers of the amended direction and conditions for groomers to operate in compliance with provincial regulations.

Under provincial regulations, pet grooming businesses are only permitted to open to provide grooming services that are strictly necessary to prevent an animal from requiring foreseeable and reasonably imminent veterinary care or that the pet owner has been ordered to obtain for their pet under the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act. When these limited services are provided, grooming appointments must be scheduled in advance and businesses must use curbside pick-up and drop-off. Only one appointment for one animal at a time is permitted. Guidance for pet groomers and other businesses offering curbside services can be found on the City’s COVID-19 Guidance: Employers, Workplaces & Businesses webpage: https://www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/covid-19-reopening-recovery-rebuild/covid-19-reopening-guidelines-for-businesses-organizations/covid-19-guidance-employers-workplaces-businesses/.