Recent Updates

Toronto Public Health issues Section 22 Order to education providers limiting in-person attendances of school-aged children

Today, Toronto's Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa is issuing a Section 22 Order, under the Health Protection and Promotion Act, as an additional measure to reduce community transmission. The relevant section of the act is available at www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90h07.

The Order defines how and when school-aged children can attend school premises or other educational settings. The Order applies to all persons and businesses providing education to school-aged children, regardless of whether or not they qualify as a school within the meaning of the Education Act.

Toronto City Council votes unanimously to support safety and accessibility by opting out of e-scooter pilot

Toronto City Council has unanimously voted to reinforce the City’s commitment to safety and accessibility for people, especially seniors and those living with disabilities, in Toronto by voting not to opt-in to the provincial e-scooter pilot.

Today’s decision by Council, which supports Toronto’s Vision Zero Road Safety plan and a recommendation from City staff, applies to both shared and privately-owned e-scooters and means that e-scooters will remain prohibited on public streets, bike lanes, sidewalks, pathways, trails and other public spaces.

Team Toronto vaccination Sprint Strategy getting results in 13 high priority postal codes, adding four more areas

Following a successful first two weeks rolling out the Toronto Sprint Strategy, the City of Toronto and Team Toronto vaccination partners continue to prioritize postal code areas with high rates of COVID-19 for mobile and pop-up clinic vaccinations.

The Sprint Strategy targeted 13 postal code areas last week and tripled the number of per-week doses available to the prioritized communities. Over the course of the week, vaccine coverage of adults age 18 and older in the 13 areas moved from approximately 12 per cent to more than 35 per cent. In the M1G and M1J postal codes, coverage moved from approximately 14 per cent to almost 45 per cent for those age 18 and older, surpassing the city-wide 36 per cent coverage for people age 18 and older during this time.

City of Toronto closes Drop-Off Depots to ensure the safety of staff and the public

The City of Toronto continues to modify its services and operations to respond to COVID-19 and align with provincial regulations and orders and direction from Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health. There has been an increasing number of COVID-19 cases among the City’s Solid Waste Management Services’ staff. To ensure the safety of

Time for Ford to lift ban on lawn bowling, tennis

By Joe Warmington, Toronto Sun April 28, 2021

It’s not enough to say you’re for the people. You need to show it.

The provincial government reconsidered playground closures and cancelled powers that would allow random police stops.

Now, in East York, many are hoping Premier Doug Ford will soon bring back lawn bowling.

“It’s a game that already has social distancing,” said Councillor Paula Fletcher. “We understand the risks of COVID-19, but this is an example of something that could be taken off the lockdown list.”

City of Toronto confirms CaféTO curb lane installations will begin May 8

Today, Mayor John Tory confirmed the City of Toronto’s CaféTO curb lane installations will begin on Saturday, May 8, as planned to ensure there will be no delay for participating restaurants when outdoor dining is permitted again.

CaféTO curb lane locations provide expanded outdoor dining space by reallocating the public right-of-way on Toronto streets for use by restaurants and bars that have registered and been approved for the program. Installation of these locations takes time and requires crews, equipment and the preparation of detailed traffic plans. Installing these locations on schedule ensures that they will be immediately available to operators when public health orders permit outdoor dining.

Mayor John Tory welcomes Netflix to its new Canadian home in Toronto

Today, Mayor John Tory welcomed Netflix to its new home in Canada when Netflix announced the opening of an office in Toronto.

Netflix officials delivered the news to Mayor Tory in a virtual meeting this morning with Deputy Mayor Michael Thompson (Scarborough Centre), Chair of the City's Economic and Community Development Committee, and Councillor Paula Fletcher (Toronto-Danforth), Chair of the City's Film, Television and Digital Media Advisory Board.

City of Toronto vaccination clinic bookings now open to residents age 45 and older from 53 provincial hot spot postal codes

As of 8 a.m. today, anyone 45 or older living in one of the 53 postal codes across Toronto designated as a high-risk hot spot by the Province of Ontario is eligible to book a vaccination appointment at a City of Toronto operated vaccination clinic. This change makes an additional 206,169 Torontonians eligible for vaccination at a City-run clinic.

A small number of first dose appointments are available at City-operated clinics next week, with greater availability starting the week of May 10. For anyone age 45 or older who has a postal code that starts with the following, registration through www.toronto.ca/covid-19 or the provincial booking call centre at 1-833-943-3900 is now open:

Mayor John Tory announces first ActiveTO major weekend road closures of 2021

April 26, 2021

Today, Mayor John Tory announced that the first ActiveTO major weekend road closures of 2021 will be in place this weekend along Bayview Avenue and Lake Shore Boulevard East.

The following closures will be in place beginning Saturday, May 1 at 6 a.m. until Sunday, May 2 at 9 p.m.:

• Bayview Avenue, between Front Street East and Rosedale Valley Road, as well as River Street between Bayview Avenue and Spruce Street

Future of Gerrard East Market uncertain given increased COVID-19 restrictions

April 22, 2021 By ALEXANDROS VAROUTAS, Beach Metro News

Last year, a group of east end businesses got together and opened Gerrard East Market (GEM) as a way to work within COVID-19 lockdown rules.

String lights went up, picnic tables were built, and 22 tons of sand were dumped, turning the once unassuming parking lot on Gerrard Street East by Marjory Avenue into a tropical vacation spot where patrons could enjoy local food and beer and forget the pandemic for a while.