June 1 - Update

Dear Friends and Neighbours,

This month is Seniors’ Month and it’s important that we come together to support our seniors as they continue to self-isolate due to the risk of COVID-19. Please reach out to relatives, friends and neighbours who are older or have a disability. By calling to chat or to offer to pick up their groceries or a prescription, you will help them through this difficult time.

The 29th Toronto Challenge Campaign was scheduled to take place on Sunday, June 14, but has been cancelled this year. Normally, this event is a fun, family-friendly run and walk that raises funds for local non-profit organizations that improve the quality of life for seniors in your community. Although the event is cancelled, community agencies still need your support! If you are able to, please consider making a donation. See the list of agencies that need your support at www.toronto.ca/challenge. In York South—Weston, we have the amazing Syme 55+ Centre on the list.

Have your say on how Toronto can recover, rebuild and emerge from this pandemic even stronger. While the City continues to work on reducing the spread of COVID-19 and ensuring the delivery of essential and critical City services, it is also working to prepare for Toronto’s recovery in the weeks and months to come. Residents, businesses and communities play a significant role in successfully restoring social and economic infrastructure. Share your ideas on reopening by taking this survey. Survey closes June 30. For more information on the City’s recovery and rebuild work, please click here.

The 59 Maple Leaf bus route will be temporarily diverted tomorrow from 8 AM to 8 PM to accommodate train track work being done by C.P. Rail. To view the notice and map of the diverted route, please click here.

Sincerely,

Frances

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UPDATES:

All waste Drop-Off Depots now open to the public

All Drop-Off Depots (Transfer Stations) have reopened to the general public. The sites are operating under regular hours, with the exception of the Bermondsey and Ingram Drop-Off Depots, which are only open to the public on weeknights and Saturday mornings. Get current hours for all Drop-Off Depots.

Residents are asked to limit visits to Drop-Off Depots and practice physical distancing when visiting. Cash will not be accepted at Drop-off Depots; payment must be made by debit or credit card. Compost will not be available for pickup at any Drop-off Depots. A face mask is recommended when one is unable to maintain a two-metre (six feet) distance from others. At Drop-off Depots, this includes interacting with staff at weigh scales or dropping off household hazardous waste.

City and UWGT partner to develop a COVID-19 Shelter Interim Recovery Strategy

The City and United Way Greater Toronto (UWGT) have partnered to develop a COVID-19 Shelter Interim Recovery Strategy. When complete, the strategy will guide City and partner agency response to homelessness over the next six- to 12-month interim recovery period.

The City and UWGT have launched a new task force of key homeless sector stakeholders, and from now until June 30 will engage with community providers, Indigenous communities, heath sector partners, regional municipal partners and the public about the actions needed to shape the next phase of our COVID-19 response for the shelter system in Toronto.

Over the course of the month, the City and UWGT will host virtual meetings, conduct surveys, and lead discussions with our partners in the health, housing, and shelter sectors. The interim recovery strategy will be developed in a consultative process with stakeholders who will play a central role in implementation. The input and feedback gathered will shape the development of a COVID-19 Shelter Interim Recovery Strategy that equips the City, led by the Shelter, Support & Housing Administration (SSHA) division, and community partners to continue to deliver the next phase of our homelessness response through 2020 into spring 2021.

Pride Month in Toronto

June is Pride Month in Toronto! This year’s festival, planned for June 1 to 28, runs virtually to celebrate Pride in a new, creative, and unique way to showcase the history, courage and diversity of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex, queer, questioning and Two-Spirit communities (LGBTQ2S+), while ensuring the safety of residents and proper physical distancing. The month-long festival will culminate with the Virtual Pride Festival Weekend from June 26 to 28. Information about Pride Toronto and the Virtual Pride Festival is available at prdetoronto.com.

Torontonians are encouraged to view Mayor Tory’s message, learn about the important milestones for LGBTQ2S+ communities, read the Pride Month Proclamation and access additional resources through the City’s Pride Month webpage.

Toronto Public Library reopening more drop boxes

This morning, Toronto Public Library (TPL) reopened 53 additional library branch drop boxes to accept the return of library materials, the next step in its rollout of curbside drop-off and pick-up service.

Library customers can continue to place holds online, through the TPL website at tpl.ca, and will be able to pick up their materials through the curbside pick-up service starting next Monday, June 8. While all library branches remain closed to the public for in-branch services, many online library services continue to be available.

City reopening washrooms in parks

The City will begin to open some of its approximately 200 parks washrooms this week, following the Province of Ontario’s amendments to an order under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act. The reopening will occur in two phases. The first phase will have roughly 50 washroom sites opening by June 6, followed by the remaining locations by mid-June.

Residents using park washrooms should maintain a distance of two metres or six feet from others at all times while waiting in line and should wash hands both upon entering the washroom and when leaving. It is also recommended that cloth face coverings are worn when entering.

The City already opened a number of City-operated facilities with showers, washrooms, and drinking water for all individuals in need of these services. These sites are listed on the City’s website under the Washroom and Sanitation Services section.

City of Toronto update on COVID-19 and enforcement

As of May 30 at 3 p.m. there are 11,174 cases of COVID-19 in the city. There are 386 cases in hospital, with 88 in ICU. In total, 8,446 people have recovered from COVID-19. To date, there have been 823 COVID-19 deaths in Toronto. Case status data and geographic maps can be found on the City’s reporting platform.

The City’s COVID-19 enforcement team remains focused on providing education about the physical distancing bylaw and provincial orders. Yesterday, the City received 94 complaints related to parks use and physical distancing. Officers have spoken to or cautioned nearly 7,300 people this month. Bylaw officers issued eight tickets yesterday.