The City is marking Emergency Preparedness Week this May 4 to 10 by highlighting the importance of preparing a Grab and Go Bag. During an emergency, being able to grab a pre-prepared bag of essentials may help ensure a speedy evacuation for your household.
Every member of your household should have a Grab and Go Bag containing important items you may need in the event of an evacuation including photocopies of important documents, a household contact list, extra medication, seasonal clothing like a sweater, extra sets of home and car keys, cash, a phone charger, bottled water and snacks.
Everyone's Grab and Go Bag should be based on their individual needs. People with disabilities and seniors might include any mobility, hearing or other aids, a list of their medications and information about support services contacts or communication needs. Parents of young children should pack diapers, extra clothes, a bottle or sippy cup and a toy or book. Pet owners should include pet food and medications, an extra leash and waste bags or cat litter.
A Grab and Go Bag should be packed and easily accessible in case you need to leave your home in a hurry. An emergency kit is similar but is intended for use if you need to shelter in place during an emergency and should contain at least a three-day supply of food and water, as well as other items like a can opener, flashlight, radio and first aid kit.
Learn what to pack in your Grab and Go Bag on the City’s Emergency Preparedness webpage.
Lace up your skates and join the Friends of Regent Park, Parks and Recrearation and me for a free Family Day Skate in Regent Park! Saturday, February 14, 2026, 12:00-6:00 pm at the Regent Park Ice Rink, 480 Shuter Street.
A huge thank you to everyone, including residents, business leaders and their associations, who wrote to Mayor Chow and the Budget Committee to demand that the Downtown East Action Plan (DEAP) be fully funded. Thanks to your support, funding for the DEAP will increase from $756,000 to $1.4 million this year. The plan will need a full $2.2 million in 2027, so I hope you will continue to support this significant work next year. This critical funding supports our Clean Streets teams and Community Safety initiatives to ensure our neighbourhoods are clean, safe, and welcoming.
Last December, I wrote about the impact of Premier Ford’s Bill 60, Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025’s impact on renters. The impact of Bill 60 goes beyond the Premier’s fight against bike lanes in Etobicoke; it threatens to derail any current or future transportation project in Toronto that dares impact a lane of traffic.
The City is accepting applications for its new Material Exchange Directory, a user‑friendly online resource that will showcase local programs helping Torontonians sell, buy donate or trade materials instead of sending them to landfill. Launching later in 2026, the directory will help residents, community groups and businesses find local organizations that support the reuse, resale or donation of excess goods and materials, including household items, equipment and building materials.