Today, Mayor John Tory announced a City of Toronto staff report will be going to Executive Committee next week recommending a tax levy on vacant Toronto homes starting in 2022.
A vacant home tax increases the housing supply by encouraging homeowners to sell or rent their unoccupied home, and if they choose to continue to keep the home vacant, a tax is levied. This revenue can then be used to fund affordable housing projects.
The holiday season is officially here as Mayor John Tory has switched on the 60-foot Christmas tree on Nathan Phillips Square at City Hall. The tree and the lights on the Square will be lit for the season and into part of 2021.
The City’s 54th annual tree lighting was filmed in advance this year to comply with public health guidelines and avoid large crowds gathering on the Square. In previous years, the Mayor lit the tree during the Cavalcade of Lights. With this year’s Cavalcade of Lights cancelled due to COVID-19, residents can watch the tree lighting on the City’s YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/eA77rjweTc4.
The City of Toronto will re-open registration for CurbTO temporary parking pick-up zones to help support main street businesses while Toronto is in the Grey – Lockdown category of the Province of Ontario’s COVID-19 response framework.
Throughout the summer, around 200 Temporary Parking Pick-Up Zones helped by re-purposing parking locations along main streets for short-term parking (no more than 10 minutes). Potential customers and delivery agents have used them to expedite food, medicine and other merchandise pick-ups by making parking spots immediately available near main street businesses offering curbside pick-up and delivery.
Today, Mayor John Tory launched the City of Toronto’s Welcome T.O. Winter parks plan.
Throughout the pandemic, the City has remained committed to providing people with safe opportunities for recreation. To help people stay active this winter season, the City is highlighting its offering of new and enhanced exercise-based recreation activities in parks locations across Toronto.
The City of Toronto today moved into the Grey – Lockdown category of the Province of Ontario’s COVID-19 response framework. These new provincial regulations cover the requirements of the Section 22 order under the Health Promotion and Protection Act issued by Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Eileen de Villa, last week; accordingly, the Section 22 order has been revoked. The City supports all efforts to reduce and eliminate the transmission of COVID-19.
The City of Toronto today updated facility and service information with changes to come into effect tomorrow, Monday, November 23, when the city moves into the Grey – Lockdown category of the Province of Ontario’s COVID-19 response framework. The City supports all efforts to reduce and eliminate the transmission of COVID-19 and is acting to protect the healthcare system and save lives.
The Province of Ontario today announced further measures in Toronto and Peel Region to slow the spread of COVID-19, effective this Monday, November 23. The City of Toronto supports all efforts to reduce and eliminate the transmission of COVID-19 in the city to protect the healthcare system and save lives.
There are 36,821 cases of COVID-19 in the city, an increase of 420 new cases today. There are 174 people hospitalized. In total, 30,838 people have recovered from COVID-19. To date, there have been 1,515 COVID-19 deaths in Toronto. Case status data can be found on the City’s reporting platform: www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/covid-19-latest-city-of-toronto-news/covid-19-status-of-cases-in-toronto/. As part of Toronto Public Health’s ongoing data updates, information on deaths of people experiencing homelessness is also now available online: https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/health-wellness-care/health-inspections-monitoring/monitoring-deaths-of-homeless-people/.
The City of Toronto will more than double its supply of winter park washrooms from 64 to 143 as part of its ongoing response to COVID-19.
City staff are presenting a plan and report to November City Council that will add 79 new winter washrooms across the city on top of the 64 locations typically available. The report comes in response to a request by City Council last month to explore expanding the number of public washrooms available throughout the winter.
November 17, 2020 By Ali Raza, Beach Metro News
New cycling track upgrades are being installed on Dundas Street East, following a collaborative effort from Toronto-Danforth Councillor Paula Fletcher and the city’s transportation services.
Installation began on Monday, Nov. 10 with pre-marking of the cycle track.
The upgrades to lanes on Dundas Street East between Broadview Avenue and Kingston Road come after a city council motion that passed on July 28, 2020.
