July 22 - Update

Dear Friends and Neighbours, The swimming pool at York Recreation Centre has been repaired and is now open for all scheduled programming! Keep up to date with pool closures, aquatic programs' cancellations or other service interruptions at City swimming pools by checking the Pool Closures and Service Alerts. Please be advised of the latest updates on the following local park improvement projects: Keele-Mulock Play Enhancement Project Construction is nearly complete and Parks Staff will be holding a final walkthrough meeting on site later this week. It is anticipated that the playground will be ready to open in the next couple of weeks (pending final review, acceptance by Parks and completion of the sod establishment phase).  Haverson Play Enhancement Project Construction of this project is anticipated to start in late summer (July/August). Parks Operations and Forestry staff have removed 4 trees, the old timber play structure, old benches and a utility shed to prepare the site for construction. Project notice signs will be posted on site shortly.  Gaffney Park Erosion and Drainage Project Staff are in the process of reviewing the Toronto Region Conservation Authority's proposal for a Phase 2 scope of work for the erosion and drainage project for the upper trail section of the park. This phase of work would include the management of the design of the project.   UrbanArts is presenting the 2020 CultureShock Community Arts Festival as A Virtual Experience! This is their signature event and this year it will feature online panel discussions, pop up performances, a talent show, and giveaways. Tune in from August 5-7th on Instagram and Facebook Live. Check out this flyer or their website for more details. The BusinessTO newsletter is available and features multiple resources for business owners. Please click here to check it out.  Local youth-serving organization Frontlines experienced significant damage to the roof of their building during the July 8 storm. If you are able to support this incredible local organization to maintain youth programming while they settle at a new location, please consider making a donation here​. Thank you. Sincerely, Frances

CITY-WIDE UPDATES  Changes to visitor guidelines at City of Toronto’s long-term care homes make visiting loved ones easier Starting today, it will be easier for loved ones to visit residents in long-term care homes directly operated by the City. As part of the Government of Ontario’s most recent announcement on changes to visitation guidelines in long-term care homes, families can now visit residents through indoor pre-scheduled visits under certain conditions. Up to two visitors at a time per resident can visit as long as the home is not experiencing an outbreak and that the visitors can attest they have had a negative COVID-19 test within the past two weeks. Indoor visitors will be provided with a surgical mask that they must wear at all times.  There are currently no positive cases of COVID-19 among the residents living in the City’s directly-operated long-term care homes. Read the full news release here.

Toronto Mayor and Medical Officer of Health recommend apartment buildings and condos adopt mask policy for common areas

To protect the health and safety of our communities, today Mayor John Tory, on the advice of the Medical Officer of Health, again urged all apartments and condominiums to adopt a mask or face covering policy for common areas of shared residential buildings.

The recommendation comes following discussions with building residents, Toronto Public Health, and the Greater Toronto Apartment Association. Building owners and operators are strongly recommended to adopt a policy requiring anyone who enters or remains within the building, including residents, guests, property management and maintenance workers and other visitors who can wear a mask or face covering in areas including lobbies, laundry rooms and elevators, to do so. Toronto Public Health has created guidance documents for commercial and residential buildings. The City of Toronto has created signage that building operators can print off and display in common areas. Read the full news release here.

City of Toronto joins RBC-led Canada United to support local businesses and accelerate small business recovery

Today, the City announced that Toronto is joining Canada United, a campaign to support local businesses in communities across the country. As part of the campaign, RBC has brought together more than 50 of Canada’s leading brands, Business Associations and the national Chamber network to rally Canadians to buy, dine and shop local.

Toronto residents can watch the Canada United videos online at GoCanadaUnited.ca, like posts from @GoCanadaUnited on social media and use #CanadaUnited to demonstrate their support. For each of these actions until August 31, RBC will contribute 5 cents up to a maximum contribution amount of $2 million to the new Canada United Small Business Relief Fund. The Fund will provide small businesses with grants of up to $5,000 to cover expenses related to personal protective equipment, renovations to accommodate re-opening guidelines and developing or improving e-commerce capabilities.

Toronto small business owners who are interested in the program can visit GoCanadaUnited.ca to learn more and find out if how to apply. Read the full news release here.

City recommends next steps on the legacy of Dundas Street and other public assets

The City of Toronto is committed to addressing the legacy of Dundas Street and establishing a process to more broadly understand and respond to how systematic racism and discrimination are embedded in City assets, commemorative programs and naming policies. 

In response to a petition in June calling for Dundas Street to be renamed, Mayor John Tory asked City Manager Chris Murray to form a working group, including the City’s Confronting Anti-Black Racism Unit and Indigenous Affairs Office, and to make immediate recommendations on next steps.

Yesterday, the City of Toronto released a briefing note that concludes any decision to rename a major arterial road like Dundas requires careful consideration of its potential impacts and an equitable and inclusive public process that responds to the community at large, including Black and Indigenous communities, and addresses neighbourhood considerations as appropriate. The process should be coordinated across the City government to review the full range of Dundas-named assets and ensure consistent, coherent community consultation and communications. For more information, please read the news release. 

Toronto’s Executive Committee approves report to authorize the installation of priority bus lanes on Eglinton Avenue East

Today, the City of Toronto’s Executive Committee approved a report that will enact the traffic and parking regulation amendments needed to install approximately 8.5 kilometres of priority bus lanes on Eglinton Avenue East, Kingston Road and Morningside Avenue. The report will be considered by City Council at its next meeting scheduled for July 28, 2020.

On July 14, the TTC Board approved a report to fast-track the installation of priority bus lanes and other service-enhancing measures on five of its busiest corridors. The report is part of the TTC’s 5-Year Service Plan & 10-Year Outlook, a multi-year action plan for service-related improvements to public transit in Toronto between 2020–2024 and beyond. The five corridors, which had a combined pre-COVID-19 ridership of approximately 220,000 passengers per weekday, include:

• Jane Street from Eglinton Avenue West to Steeles Avenue West

• Dufferin Street from Dufferin Gate to Wilson Avenue

• Steeles Avenue West from Yonge Street to Pioneer Village Subway Station

• Finch Avenue East from Yonge Street to McCowan Road

• Eglinton Avenue East/Kingston Road/Morningside Avenue from Kennedy Subway Station to the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus

• Lawrence East (East of Victoria Park to Rouge Hills Drive) was subsequently added as the sixth priority corridor

Eglinton East is among the TTC’s most heavily used corridors and, during COVID-19, continues to play a significant role in moving people around the city. It emerged as the top candidate for the accelerated installation of priority bus lanes based on an assessment of several factors including improvement to transit reliability, available right-of-way and considerations for transportation equity and inclusion of Neighbourhood Improvement Areas. For more information, please read the news release. 

“Masks Are Now Mandatory” Public Education Campaign

The City of Toronto has launched a “Masks Are Now Mandatory” public education campaign that will run until September. The purpose of this campaign is to raise awareness and educate about the new temporary requirement to wear a mask in all indoor public places to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and introduce the City’s new web page that outlines what people can expect when taking part in activities or frequenting services and businesses as they begin to reopen.

Advertising overview:

• Residential elevator screens

• Multilingual static and video ads on popular, local and ethnic websites, including the Score, Spotify and YouTube

• Radio ads on Spotify music streaming app.

• Transit shelter ads 

• Social media ads on Facebook and Instagram 

As of July 7, wearing a mask or face covering is required in all indoor public spaces under the Mandatory Mask or Face Covering Bylaw. A mask or face covering is also recommended outdoors when physical distancing is not possible. There is more you need to know at toronto.ca/ReopenTO.

City of Toronto update on COVID-19

There are 15,202 cases of COVID-19 in the city, an increase of 17 cases since yesterday. There are 108 people hospitalized, with 24 in ICU. In total, 13,584 people have recovered from COVID-19, an increase of 52 cases since yesterday. To date, there have been 1,141 COVID-19 deaths in Toronto. Case status data can be found on the City’s reporting platform. Provincial Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act orders and the City bylaw on physical distancing remain in effect. Yesterday, the City received 109 complaints related to parks use and physical distancing. Officers have cautioned more than 4,850 people this month about physical distancing, alcohol, bonfires and littering bylaws. Bylaw officers issued five tickets yesterday.

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.