August 26 - eNews & COVID-19 Update

Upcoming Events

Sunday, September 27 Community Environment Day  This year, Community Environment Days will be set up as drive-thru events at the City’s seven Drop-Off Depots. The York South-Weston edition takes place on Sunday, September 27 at Ingram Drop-Off Depot (50 Ingram Dr) from 9 AM-1 PM. This is a great opportunity to help reduce the amount of reusable or recyclable waste going to landfill and to safely dispose of household hazardous waste.  At the event, you will be to drive to different stations across the City to drop off clothing, books and unwanted items for donation and to dispose of batteries, old paint and other household hazardous waste. Free bagged compost will be available (limit of two bags per vehicle while supplies last). A list of event dates and more information is available at http://www.toronto.ca/environment_days. Check out the flyer here. 

News

Pop-up COVID-19 Testing Clinics on Jane St

There are two pop-up clinics operating in Toronto's northwest area this week. Anyone can get tested, there is no appointment necessary. The information is as follows:

Thursday August 27, from 3-7 PM at Sheridan Plaza (2200 Jane St, Just north of HWY 401 at Wilson Ave)

and

Friday, August 28, from 3-7 PM at Jane Finch Mall (1911 Finch Ave W, at Jane and Finch).

Saturday Road Work Added on Ralph St

Construction work on Ralph Street is ongoing as part of the local road reconstruction and Basement Flooding Prevention Programs. A component of this project includes the installation of a sidewalk on the east side of Ralph Street, which the school and local residents have been asking for to ensure the safety of students and pedestrians. In order to ensure that work is completed in time for the start of the school year, the contractor will be on site on Saturdays for the next three weekends. 

TTC Wheel-Trans Access Hub at Jane & Eglinton The Jane and Eglinton Access Hubs are now open to the public! Located at 3700 Eglinton Ave W and 1000 Jane St (NE & SW Corners), the Hubs will serve as transfer-points that provide customers and Wheel-Trans customers a comfortable place to await their next ride. All Access Hubs will be dry and well-lit; spacious enough for multiple mobility devices; have automatic doors and provide generous seating. To see a photo of the access hub, please click here.  Transportation Services COVID-19 Newsletter  The City's Transportation Services division has issued a COVID-19 newsletter edition to provide an update on all of the city-wide programs that have been put in place throughout the pandemic to support physical distancing, physical activity, and businesses. Lower vehicle volumes have been an opportunity to accelerate cleanups and road work, and you can read all about the work that was completed between March-July 2020. Click here to check out the newsletter.  Registration of short-term rentals to launch September 10 

This September, the City of Toronto will launch a new online registration system for short-term rental operators who are renting their homes on a short-term basis for a period of less than 28 consecutive days. Beginning September 10, 2020, short-term rental operators will need to start registering with the City in order to operate in Toronto. Registration is a necessary first step to allow the City to effectively administer the new rules applicable to short-term rentals. People who are currently renting their home on a short-term basis, or planning to do so, must be registered by December 31, 2020. After this date, all new operators will be able to register on an ongoing basis and must register prior to short-term renting their homes. Find out more here.  Toronto Public Health Resumes Home Visits for Healthy Baby Healthy Children Program Toronto Public Health (TPH) nurses have begun a phased-in approach to resume in-person home-visiting services to eligible priority families as part of the Healthy Babies Healthy Children (HBHC) program. As with many other organizations across the city, TPH had to temporarily pause some programs and services due to COVID-19 physical distancing requirements and had to suspend in-person home visits to protect the health of clients and staff. Given the importance of this program, TPH provided a modified virtual model over the past few months to support residents during the pandemic. A key focus of resuming in-person visits is ensuring adherence to required public health measures, including COVID-19 symptom screening of clients and staff. More info available here.  City of Toronto update on COVID-19 There are 15,866 cases of COVID-19 in the city, an increase of 33 since yesterday. There are 44 people hospitalized. In total, 14,401 people have recovered from COVID-19, an increase of 32 since yesterday. To date, there have been 1,167 COVID-19 deaths in Toronto. Case status data can be found on the City’s reporting platform: http://www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/covid-19-latest-city-of-toronto-news/covid-19-status-of-cases-in-toronto/. COVID-19 continues to circulate in the community. Residents are reminded to continue adhering to Toronto Public Health’s advice to practise physical distancing, stay within their social circle of no more than 10 people, wash hands often and wear a mask or face covering where mandatory or when physical distance cannot be maintained. Wearing a mask or face covering is required in indoor public spaces in Toronto. As parents, caregivers and children prepare for back-to-school, Toronto Public Health is stressing the need to maintain physical distance and wear a mask or face covering when shopping in a store, mall or flea market for back to school supplies. Those shopping in person are encouraged to shop at times stores may be quieter or to try shopping online, when possible. Always wash or sanitize your hands after being in a store or public place and do not go out if you feel ill. More information and guidance for retail spaces is available online: https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/9084-COVID-19-Guidelines-for-Malls-and-Shopping-Centres.pdf. Provincial orders under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act and the City bylaw on physical distancing remain in effect. Yesterday, the City received 34 complaints related to parks use and physical distancing. Officers have cautioned more than 4,200 people this month about physical distancing, alcohol, bonfires and littering bylaws. This month, enforcement officers have issued 42 tickets related to liquor, open fires and social distancing.          As more of the city’s businesses continue to reopen, residents can learn about what to expect and what is required as Toronto moves into the new normal and they begin to visit more establishments and take part in more activities at https://www.toronto.ca/ReopenTO. Safe reopening guidelines for businesses and organizations are also available at http://www.toronto.ca/Reopening. The City’s website is updated daily with the latest health advice and information about City services, social supports and economic recovery measures. Check http://www.toronto.ca/covid-19/ for answers to common questions before contacting the Toronto Public Health COVID-19 Hotline or 311. Ontario Releases COVID-19 Management Plan for Schools As part of Ontario's plan for students to safely return to the classroom in September, the government has released the Operational Guidance: COVID-19 Management in Schools document. The guidance document will help school boards and school authorities consistently implement prevention measures, maintain accurate records of staff, students and visitors, work with their local public health units, and take appropriate action when staff, students, or visitors become ill during the school day. It includes detailed instructions for a variety of different scenarios. It also outlines recommendations for what parents should do to support their children. Find out more here.  Federal Funds Enhance Ontario's Back-to-School Plan The Ontario government's back-to-school plan is being further enhanced by additional federal investments and resources to support the return to class in the fall. Today's federal announcement of $2 billion for provinces to help reopen schools provides $381 million to Ontario, on top of the nearly $900 million provided by the province to support provincial back-to-school plans.

The federal funding will support several priority provincial initiatives: 

Reopening Plan Implementation - $200 million

• $100 million to complement the health and safety components of school reopening plans, in consultation with local public health units, including the hiring of custodians, HVAC, improvements, internet connectivity for students and other local needs.

• $30 million to support additional PPE for schools.

• $70 million for the temporary hiring of educators as required.

Student Transportation - $70 million

• $44.5 million in support of the Driver Retention Program (DRP).

• $25.5 million for route protection and to help reduce the number of students on buses.

Special Education and Mental Health Supports Enhancement - $12.5 million

• Will allow boards to hire and train additional staff and provide more mental health supports for students.

Additional Public Health Nurses - $12.5 million

• Supports up to 125 additional nursing positions in public health units across the province to help schools manage potential COVID-19 cases.

Remote Learning - $36 million

• Ensures that every school board offering virtual learning has a dedicated principal and administrative support for both its secondary and elementary virtual schools. 

The province is also setting aside $50 million for any future pandemic learning needs, to ensure that Ontario is prepared for every scenario this Fall. Find out more here.