July 13 - Update

Dear Friends and Neighbours, Today, the provincial government announced a regional approach for Phase 3 of Ontario's reopening. While Toronto hasn't been given the green light just yet, most parts of Ontario will be allowed to reopen nearly all businesses with strict public health guidelines, bring back indoor events and dining, and enjoy larger maximum capacities for public gatherings beginning this Friday. Click here to read the full news release. This is encouraging news on our road to recovery, and I very much look forward to when more businesses in Toronto will be able to safely open back up.  This morning, the City welcomed close to 2,500 young campers to their first day of summer camp! The City of Toronto is offering summer day camps across the city as part of its CampTO initiative. Beginning today, CampTO will run in weekly sessions over eight weeks this summer, until the end of August, at approximately 130 Toronto locations. Currently, CampTO is 70 per cent full and spaces remain available for caregivers who wish to send their children to CampTO this year. Registration for CampTO is available online at efun.toronto.ca and by phone at 416-396-7378. More information about CampTO is available at toronto.ca/camps. Riocan, the owner of Stockyards Village has obtained a contractor to restore the concrete sidewalks along St. Clair Ave W between Weston Rd and Gunns Rd. The construction work is anticipated to start tomorrow, July 14, and will require the closure of St. Clair Ave W until the end of October. The work will take place in four phases to minimize the impact on traffic and the open businesses at the westbound end of St. Clair Ave W. The first phase will start from the west at the intersection of Gunns Rd and move east to Weston Rd.  Please note the following new construction notices along Eglinton Ave W: Traffic Change at Keelesdale Station - July 14 Lane Reduction for Concrete Pour at Caledonia Station - July 14 Stay safe, everyone! Sincerely, Frances

City of Toronto launches DriveInTO to bring entertainment experiences across the city; Festivals and events adapting to new changes with City support Today, the City launched DriveInTO which will allow for temporary drive-in entertainment experiences across Toronto this summer. From films to concerts to sports broadcasts, drive-in entertainment will offer an opportunity for Torontonians to re-engage with their city. Toronto residents will be able to experience DriveInTO at the following locations:

• Ontario Place, featuring screenings. Free DriveInTO nights will include programming by Hot Docs, imagineNATIVE and TIFF.

• CityView Drive-In at 20 Polson Pier, featuring concerts, screenings and broadcasts. Free DriveInTO nights will include programming by Inside Out LGBTQ Film Festival, Reel Asian Film Festival, Reelworld Film Festival and Regent Park Film Festival.

• Friday Night Lights at Downsview Park, presented by Canada Land Corporation and MADE, featuring free made-in-Canada films.

• CF Movie Night at CF Sherway Gardens.

The City has partnered with local film festivals to provide free programming to the public at Ontario Place and CityView Drive-In at 20 Polson Pier this summer. As part of today’s announcement, the Mayor also made a series of other announcements regarding the future of festivals and events in Toronto. The City announced new funding opportunities for individuals and not-for-profit organizations to develop projects as part of ArtworxTO: Toronto’s Year of Public Art in 2021. More information on ArtworxTO Partnership Grant applications, including eligibility criteria, application requirements and deadlines, is available at toronto.ca/artworxto. To support festivals that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, on May 15, the City launched the Cultural Festivals Recovery Program. The program provides one-time emergency funding and advisory services to cultural festivals. More information about the City’s Cultural Festival Recovery Program is available on the City website. Read the full news release here.  Riverdale Farm, High Park Zoo and Toronto’s conservatories to open tomorrow Today, the City announced that Riverdale Farm, High Park Zoo and the City’s conservatories will reopen tomorrow, Tuesday, July 14.  Riverdale Farm is home to domestic farm animals and representative of a turn-of-the-century Ontario farm. The farm is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and admission is free. More information is available at toronto.ca/zoos or by calling 311. Toronto’s oldest zoo, the High Park Zoo, houses animals such as bison, llamas, highland cattle and reindeer. The High Park Zoo is open daily, with free admission, from 7 a.m. to dusk. More information is available at toronto.ca/zoos. Only outdoor areas of Riverdale Farm and the High Park Zoo will be open to the public. Signage is being installed to reinforce physical distancing and admission rules. Regular cleaning of common facilities such as washrooms and water fountains will take place. Residents can take in a wide array of flowers and other tropical plants at Allan Gardens Conservatory and Centennial Park Conservatory. Both conservatories are open daily from 12 to 4 p.m. Admission is free. Visitor capacity will be reduced at both locations to facilitate physical distancing. One-way foot-traffic will be in place to prevent crowding and bottlenecking. Visitors will be required to wear a non-medical mask or face covering at the conservatories. City of Toronto update on COVID-19 There are 14,897 cases of COVID-19 in the city, an increase of 120 cases since Friday. There are 151 people hospitalized, with 31 in ICU. In total, 13,148 people have recovered from COVID-19, an increase of 120 cases since Friday. To date, there have been 1,120 COVID-19 deaths in Toronto. Case status data can be found on the City’s reporting platform. Residents are reminded that masks or face coverings are required in all indoor public spaces to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Face masks and coverings do not replace the need to keep a distance of two metres or six feet from others, wash hands often and stay home when sick.  Provincial Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act orders and the City bylaw on physical distancing remain in effect. Yesterday, the City received 60 complaints related to parks use and physical distancing. Officers have cautioned nearly 3,500 people this month about physical distancing, alcohol, bonfires and littering bylaws.

For the latest updates from the City of Toronto, please click here.

For the latest updates from the Federal Government, please click here. 

For the latest updates from the Province of Ontario, please click here.