News and Updates

City of Toronto staff report recommends a public consultation and next steps on renaming Dundas Street and other public assets

A City of Toronto staff report going before Executive Committee on September 23 provides recommendations, which includes a public consultation, on the City’s response to the petition to rename Dundas Street and address other civic assets with the Dundas name.

The petition was created following global discussions on racial injustices, inequality and anti-Black racism, which led the public to scrutinize the origins and history of monuments, street names, parks and buildings across Toronto. The petition objects to the street’s namesake, Scottish politician Henry Dundas, who was involved in delaying the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade, causing more than half a million more Black people to be enslaved in the British Empire.

Plan to allow use of heaters to extend outdoor patio season at restaurants welcomed by local councillors

By Ali Raza, Beach Metro News

Restaurants in East Toronto and across the city can keep their patios open as the cold weather approaches.

The City of Toronto recently announced plans to allow restaurants, bars, and cafes to allow portable heaters in all outdoor patios.

It’s aimed at making outdoor dining appealing to customers in the colder weather and to help give business owners a chance to generate revenue in the face of economic challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

City of Toronto calls for Federal-Provincial-City partnership to create 3,000 permanent, affordable homes over the next 24 months

The City of Toronto has issued the COVID-19 Housing and Homelessness Recovery Response Plan -- an urgent appeal to the federal and provincial governments to create 3,000 permanent, affordable homes, within the next 24 months, for homeless, vulnerable and marginalized residents. These investments will support the Council-approved HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan aimed at helping more than 340,000 households in Toronto over the next 10 years.

Mayor John Tory launches ShowLoveTO to help Toronto businesses, neighbourhoods and residents safely recover and rebuild

Today, Mayor John Tory and Deputy Mayor Michael Thompson (Ward 21 Scarborough Centre), Chair of the Economic and Community Development Committee, launched ShowLoveTO in association with Founding Sponsor American Express and in partnership with Destination Toronto, to encourage local tourism and foster community engagement and economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Invitation to Secondary Teachers facing the 2020-21 school year! Join an innovative, 3-part solution-based Support group designed by Teachers for Teachers!

• Learn about the neurobiological impact of Covid-19 on students’ behaviour/motivation, and teachers’ mental health.
• Work through the challenges of delivering a trauma-sensitive, SEL curriculum in the quadmester model. Leave with ‘how to’ tools for early interventions, assessments and evaluations.
• Discuss and practice coping strategies for managing anxiety and stress in these uncertain teaching times.

City of Toronto maximizes patio season by allowing portable heaters for CaféTO, streamlining overall restaurant patio heater process

With cooler fall weather approaching, the City of Toronto has announced plans to allow portable heaters to be placed in all outdoor patios, including CaféTO curb lane closures, to help keep outdoor dining spaces open longer and provide additional support for local restaurants.

The CaféTO program is due to end in late fall (pending snowfall in weather forecasts) and allowing restaurant operators to safely introduce portable heaters will help make outdoor dining more appealing to customers, encourage physical distancing to help stop virus spread, and give restaurant operators the chance to maximize outdoor patio season and generate revenue.

Ensuring a safe return to school for Toronto children

The City of Toronto is encouraging families to follow safe practices to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 now that children are returning to school. Whether or not children are attending school in person this year, residents are reminded that in order for schools to operate safely, everyone needs to do their part in helping to reduce the spread of the virus.

Registration for City of Toronto’s fall recreation programs begins this weekend

Registration for City of Toronto fall recreation programs as well as December holiday camps starts Saturday, September 12 and continues next week. Torontonians can expect to see many of their favourite registered recreation programs, including swimming and skating lessons, on offer this fall.  The City is Toronto’s largest provider of safe, fun and high-quality recreation programs for people of all ages, skill levels and interests.

I heART Main Street Art Challenge

To support our city and the culture that brings our communities together, STEPS recently launched the "I heART Main Street Art Challenge."  STEPS is providing artists and Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) with the opportunity to increase feelings of trust and community through DIY art installations.

The 42 new artworks currently underway were brought to life in collaboration with 25 local creatives; many of whom identify as emerging or BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour) artists who have been impacted by a loss of income as a result of the pandemic.

Automated Speed Enforcement cameras issue more than 22,000 tickets during first month of operation

For the first time in Toronto’s history, the City’s 50 Automated Speed Enforcement cameras will be fully operational throughout the back-to-school season to protect the health and safety of children returning to school by curbing speeding and providing an opportunity to walk and cycle in a safe environment.

On July 6, 2020, all 50 speed cameras began issuing tickets to vehicles traveling in excess of the posted speed limit. Between July 6 and August 5, one month following the start of issuing tickets, the speed cameras issued a total of 22,301 tickets.