News and Updates

Mayor John Tory announces first registration window for expanded CaféTO program will open this Friday

Mayor John Tory announced today that the first registration window for the expanded CaféTO program will open this Friday, February 26 at 9 a.m. The first window will remain open for a full month, until Friday, March 26, and the second window will open immediately afterward.

Starting on Friday morning, local restaurant and bar operators interested in expanding their outdoor dining space into the curb lane and onto sidewalks can register online using a clear process. Pending public health orders, approved CaféTO curb lane locations from the first window would be installed as soon as mid-May – almost two months earlier than last year and in time for the May long weekend.

City of Toronto supports provincial decision to keep Toronto in Shutdown Zone and subject to Stay-at-Home Order

The City of Toronto continues to respond to COVID-19. Today, in response to evidence presented by Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health, the Province of Ontario announced Toronto will remain in the Shutdown Zone under the provincial Lockdown Regulation and subject to the Stay-at-Home Order until at least March 9. The City supports the Province’s decision to extend the current orders to protect the healthcare system and save lives.

Toronto Public Health releases new data on variants of concern

Toronto Public Health (TPH) has added new data to the COVID-19: Status of Cases in Toronto dashboard to illustrate how cases of variants of concern (VOC) are spreading in Toronto.

The data provides further insight into VOC in the city, including the total number of confirmed VOC cases that have screened positive for a mutation, number of cases broken down by the specific variant and source of infection as well as case counts by gender, severity and age.

City of Toronto requests extension of Shutdown Zone and Stay-at-Home Order

The City of Toronto continues to respond to COVID-19. Today, Mayor John Tory, Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa and Fire Chief and General Manager of the Office of Emergency Management Matthew Pegg announced the City is requesting that Toronto remain in the Shutdown Zone under the provincial Lockdown Regulation and subject to the Stay-at-Home Order until March 9 at the earliest in order to protect the healthcare system and save lives.

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.