July 8 - Update

July 8: COVID-19 Updates 

Dear Friends and Neighbours, Parts of Toronto experienced severe flash flooding this afternoon, including several areas in York South-Weston. City and emergency crews continue to work as quickly & safely as possible to address problem areas and restore power outages. I urge everyone to please stay safe and follow any directives from local emergency crews as necessary. Reports of flooding can be made to 3-1-1 or by contacting my office.  Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) cameras will be placed in the following two new locations in York South-Weston in October 2020: Jane Street north of Lambton Avenue and at Rockcliffe Boulevard near Rockcliffe Court. There are two ASE cameras in each City Ward across Toronto and their locations change every few months. The current ASE cameras are located at Brookhaven Drive between Fox Point Road & Nordale Crescent and at Bicknell Avenue between Juliet Crescent and Avon Drive, and will remain there until October 2020 when they will move to the new locations. The ASE system was not in operation during COVID-19, but is now back to issuing tickets. If a vehicle is detected travelling in excess of the posted speed limit in an ASE-enforced area, the registered owner of the vehicle will receive a ticket regardless of who was driving. To find out more, please click here. Today, the City announced the proposed plan to expedite the implementation of priority bus-only lanes across the city, including Jane Street from Eglinton Ave W to Steeles Ave. The TTC’s 5-Year Service Plan & 10-Year Outlook released in December 2019, outlined a proposal to explore priority bus-only lanes and other service-enhancing measures on five of its busiest corridors. To find out more about this and other proposed accelerated lanes across the city, please click here.  For updates from the City on the progress made so far in Stage 2 of Toronto's reopening, please click here.

Metrolinx construction notice:Westbound Eglinton Ave W lane reduction at Caledonia Station on July 9, 2020

Please stay safe, everyone. Sincerely, Frances 

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Mandatory masks or face covering bylaw in effect  As of yesterday, masks or face coverings are required in all indoor public spaces in Toronto to help stop the spread of COVID-19. The temporary bylaw requires businesses to adopt a policy to ensure masks or face coverings are worn in indoor public spaces under their control. The bylaw applies to all indoor spaces that are openly accessible to the public, including:

• retail stores

• convenience stores

• malls, shopping plazas

• grocery stores, bakeries, farmer’s markets (enclosed areas)

• restaurants, bars (when permitted to open for indoor service)

• indoor recreational facilities, gyms, swimming pools (when permitted to open)

• libraries

• community centres

• community service agencies

• personal service settings

• churches, mosque, synagogue, temples and faith settings

• art galleries, museums, aquariums, zoos

• banquet halls, convention centres, arenas, stadiums, and other event spaces

• real estate facilities such as open house, presentation centres

• common areas in hotels, motels and short-term rentals (e.g. lobbies, elevators, meeting rooms)

• entertainment facilities including concert venues, theatres, cinemas, casinos

• business offices open to the public.

The bylaw includes exemptions for those who cannot wear a mask for medical reasons, children under the age of two, and other accommodations. The bylaw also permits the temporary removal of a mask or face covering when receiving services, having a meal, or engaging in athletic or fitness activity. The bylaw does not apply to apartment buildings and condominiums, child care facilities and schools, and areas that are not enclosed (i.e. restaurant patios). 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. A fact sheet on how to properly and safely wear and care for a non-medical mask is available on the City’s website. Additional information and resources for businesses and facility operators are available at toronto.ca/facemasks. For more information, please read this news release. City of Toronto launching online business licensing and permit application portal The City of Toronto has launched a new online Business Licences & Permits Application Portal so businesses can apply for new licences and permits virtually. The new portal allows business owners or operators requiring new licences or permits to fill out an application, submit documentation, and complete payment in one convenient online space. The portal is one of many new tools vital in the safe restart of City of Toronto business. It pivots what was once a face-to-face process to completely online – reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission and creating new process efficiencies.  To access the portal, applicants can select the licence or permit they are applying for on the toronto.ca Permits and Licences webpage, review the list of requirements, and an application link will be available on the specific licence or permit webpage. Licensing staff are available by phone at 416-392-6700 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday to assist business owners and operators with licensing questions. City of Toronto reopens outdoor sport and multi-use fields The City of Toronto’s outdoor sport and multi-use fields are now open for team training and permits will be issued to organizations for the remainder of the 2020 summer season. The City offers almost 700 sport fields at more than 170 locations across Toronto. With the City of Toronto moving into Stage 2 of the provincial reopening, Parks, Forestry and Recreation staff have worked to quickly open many of the City’s outdoor recreation amenities including, but not limited to, fields that serve soccer, softball, lacrosse, baseball and cricket. Permits for outdoor sports facilities and multi-use fields will resume this week. Both the types of activities and the number of people allowed on the field will be restricted to further contain the spread of COVID-19. In order to allow for physical distancing and comply with provincial orders restricting gatherings, the capacity at the City’s outdoor sport and multi-use fields will be significantly reduced to 10 people per field. That includes participants and coaches as well as parents and guardians, and no additional spectators are permitted. At this time, scrimmages and games are not permitted, even in the course of training or among teammates. Activities that are likely to result in individuals coming within two metres of each other must not be practised or played on the field. For more information, please read the news release.

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.