Like many of you, I am deeply disturbed and I mourn with you the murder of George Floyd, the tragic death of Regis Korchinski-Paquet, the shooting of Chantel Moore in New Brunswick and the continuing pattern of police violence against Black, racialized and Indigenous people.
At the same time, I am inspired by the spontaneous and ongoing peaceful uprising of thousands and thousands of so many young and determined Torontonians who are standing up for our highest values and saying: This Must Stop.
Today, Mayor John Tory announced that the City of Toronto is working with market organizers to safely reopen farmers' markets usually located on 22 City sites.
Farmers’ markets are valued members of the food supply chain and provide Torontonians with access to fresh fruits and vegetables, encourage residents to get outside and be physically active, and support the local agriculture sector.
The City of Toronto will begin to offer summer camps across the city starting on July 13 as part of its CampTO initiative, following the Province of Ontario announcement that summer day camps can operate during the Province’s Stage 2 reopening.
CampTO will offer more than 32,000 registered camp spaces for children between the ages of 6 and 12, over eight weeks of camps at approximately 150 locations across the city.
Today, Mayor John Tory announced SwimTO – a quick-start program that will expedite the opening of the City’s beaches, outdoor pools, wading pools and splash pads. City staff are preparing now so that outdoor aquatic amenities can be opened when Toronto enters Stage 2, to help people cool down during hot summer temperatures.
The plan will help ensure that all Torontonians can safely access outdoor aquatic recreation and cool down during hot summer temperatures as Toronto begins to reopen. With the approach of hot summer weather and the extended closure of many indoor public spaces, it’s vital that Torontonians to have opportunities to cool down outdoors. When permitted, the City plans to open its outdoor aquatic amenities to prevent heat related-illnesses while continuing to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Since April 1st, Main Street businesses in Toronto have been strongly urging the provincial and federal governments for commercial rent relief and a ban on commercial evictions. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, small businesses in Toronto-Danforth, across Toronto and across Ontario have been asking for help.
Six weeks ago on April 24th the federal government announced the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) for small business, however the portal to apply did not open until May 25th. Small businesses were left on their own to pay rent for May and June with no relief or protection.
With the arrival of warmer temperatures, the City of Toronto is sharing an update on its Heat Relief Strategy for the 2020 hot weather season, in response to COVID-19, to ensure that emergency heat relief opportunities are available and accessible to those who may need them.
Many facilities that were part of the City’s 2019 Heat Relief Network of cool spaces across Toronto are closed due to COVID-19. For this reason, the City’s plan for heat relief this year has been modified and includes 14 Emergency Cooling Centres that will open across Toronto during Heat Warnings.
The City of Toronto continues to safely and gradually open services and amenities for residents to enjoy this weekend, following guidance from Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health.
With nice weather approaching, residents are encouraged to head outside in their local neighbourhood for fresh air and exercise, but are reminded to follow public health advice to practise physical distancing or wear a face covering or non-medical mask to protect others when in settings where physical distancing cannot be maintained.
Today, Mayor John Tory launched CaféTO a quick-start program that will make it easier for restaurant and bar owners to open patios, to expand them, and to access additional space for physical distancing and for that matter revenue generation during the summer months ahead.
The program will provide more outdoor dining areas by identifying space in the public right-of-way and expediting the current application and permitting process for sidewalk cafés and parklets.
For immediate release June 4, 2020
Toronto, ON – A new survey of small business tenants and landlords across Toronto, Ottawa and Guelph shows that many landlords are not applying for the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program, leaving many small business owners without support.
Small businesses have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, forced to either close or offer curbside pick-up or delivery only. Their revenue has decreased drastically, but they still have to pay rent. On April 24th the federal government announced CECRA for small business. A month later, on May 25th, the portal to apply finally opened, much too late for many.
Since January, the City of Toronto has faced the most significant and complex infectious outbreak our city has ever experienced. As our local response to the spread of the virus continues, Toronto Public Health's case and contact management program remains one our most critical tools to curb this virus spread.
There are 11,652 cases of COVID-19 in the city, an increase of 139 cases since yesterday. There are 378 people hospitalized, with 83 in ICU. In total, 8,948 people have recovered from COVID-19, an increase of 165 cases since yesterday. To date, there have been 845 COVID-19 deaths in Toronto. Case status data can be found on the City’s reporting platform at https://www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/covid-19-latest-city-of-toronto-news/covid-19-status-of-cases-in-toronto/.
