Happy Spring Toronto Centre!
I hope everyone had a wonderful week, and to all parents with children - I hope you had a wonderful March Break. It continues to be a busy time in Ward 13, and I encourage residents to head over to Toronto Centre Projects to stay updated on new projects in your neighbourhoods!
Recently, I had the pleasure of connecting with residents in the Garden District during our meet and greet. I heard many concerns about safety in our city, outrage over the trees Metrolinx cut down at Moss Park and growing concerns about our city’s affordability. I will continue to work hard in my capacity as City Councillor to address these concerns and come up with appropriate solutions. The Ontario Line Subcommittee met for the first time today, and we heard voices from across Toronto and East York raise concerns about how Metrolinx has come into our communities and disrupted them. I moved a motion today at the Subcommittee to direct the City's Transit Expansion Executive Director to reach out to the Provincial Minister of Transportation, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Metrolinx, and the President and Chief Executive Officer of Infrastructure Ontario, to ensure that the City of Toronto receives open communication on traffic management, pedestrian management and safety, and construction management for each station along the Ontario Line. You can see the rest of the recommendations in my motion here.
Along with Deputy Mayor McKelvie, I raised the Toronto FC flag to celebrate their home opening game on March 11th. Join me in wishing the team all the best this season!
I was also able to join residents at the public design presentations for the re-imagining of the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts. I am excited to see the winning submission from the team led by Hariri Pontarini Architects come to life. The design honours the building’s legacy while ensuring an accessible and versatile cultural centre that will serve and strengthen the community.
If you found this e-newsletter informative, please share it with your neighbours and encourage them to sign up for monthly updates and other notices at www.chrismoise.ca. You can now sign up for our SMS updates as well by texting (647) 424-3257.
Yours in service,
Chris Moise
- Constituency Office Grand Opening
- New Parks in the Moss Park Neighbourhood
- TPH's Report on Deaths of People Experiencing Homelessness
- 233 Carlton Construction Update
- Bond Place Hotel Update
- Join the 2SLGBTQ+ Advisory Committee
- Vaccination Options
- Programs, Grants and Awards
- Upcoming Community Consultation and Survey Deadline
- Mayoral By-Election Dates
Constituency Office Grand Opening
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Great news! The Ward 13 team will have our very own constituency office at 329 Parliament Street. We will be able to connect with residents in the community and host meetings outside of our City Hall office. I’m excited to connect with residents in a more local setting when our office opens. We will host a grand opening on April 29th, 2023 at 1:00PM. Please RSVP below!
New Parks in the Moss Park Neighbourhood
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Two new parks are coming to the Moss Park neighbourhood! One will be on Richmond Street East, west of Ontario Street, and another on King Street East. Please share your feedback to help shape the new park's design.
Visit the Toronto Centre Projects to review draft park design options, provide your feedback, and learn more about park design and naming opportunities!
Online Survey: Friday, March 3rd to Sunday, March 26th
Survey Link: Here
Virtual Community Design Workshop: Thursday, March 23rd, from 6:30PM to 8:00PM
Link to register for attendance: Register Here
If you require accessibility accommodations to participate please contact 416-318-1887 or email [email protected].
TPH's Report on Deaths of People Experiencing Homelessness
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Every year since 2017, Toronto Public Health (TPH) releases its report on the Deaths of People Experiencing Homelessness. Every year, residents across the city learn of over 100 deaths of unhoused individuals and the complex circumstances leading up to them.
As a former Addictions Counsellor, I witnessed the impacts homelessness has on people’s well-being and increases their vulnerability to drug use. Homelessness has a complex, long-lasting and devastating impact on people, and contributes to, and exacerbates existing health inequities. Approximately half of the 187 deaths reported were due to drug toxicity.
These deaths are the culmination of crises our city has been facing, and the failure of not only our different levels of government to act but also the failure of neighbouring regional governments as well. All of these deaths were preventable. We need to build a regional drug strategy, decriminalize the use of drugs and offer robust treatment services. As Chair of the Board of Health, I endeavour to build these services.
233 Carlton Construction Update
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I am happy to share that construction at 233 Carlton remains on schedule and began in January this year. The Centre is expected to open in the first quarter of 2024. 233 Carlton will replace the existing Adelaide Resource Centre for Women, operated by Fred Victor, currently located at 67 Adelaide St. E. The site will focus on providing 24-hour drop-in and support services for vulnerable women who are at risk of gender-based violence and experiencing homelessness. The Centre will provide much-needed services in our ward that is uniquely affected by the City-wide housing crisis.
As part of the Downtown East Action Plan, the City purchased the Bond Place Hotel at 65 Dundas Street East for the purpose of creating affordable housing with supports for vulnerable people. This project will deliver approximately 280 self-contained studio and one-bedroom apartments, each with its own bathroom and kitchenette. At least 15% of the homes will be accessible. I am proud to say that rents for all units at this site will be rent-geared-to-income (RGI) with no tenant paying more than 30% of their income in rent.
The temporary shelter programming at the site will close in phases; so it will not disrupt the housing of any residents. With help from Dixon Hall Neighbourhood Services, all residents are supported to move into either permanent housing, another room in the building or another shelter with support as renovations go on. Currently, floors nine and up continue to be used for emergency shelters while renovations take place up to floor eight.
The City will be issuing an RFP for an experienced housing operator to lease and manage the building once renovations on the first phase of units are completed.
Join the 2SLGBTQ+ Advisory Committee
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Are you a passionate member of, or an ally to, 2SLGBTQ+ communities in Toronto, who wants to champion 2SLGBTQ+ priorities and equity in Toronto? Help shape your city by applying for the City of Toronto’s Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (2SLGBTQ+) Advisory Committee for its 2023 – 2026 term. Learn more and apply by Sunday, April 2.
Toronto Public Health (TPH) provides appointment and walk-in vaccination opportunities for individuals who are yet to be vaccinated or are eligible for a COVID-19 booster dose. Bivalent booster vaccines are available for anyone five years of age and older. Health cards are not required.
All TPH immunization clinics are open Tuesdays through Fridays from noon to 6 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Details are available on the City's COVID-19: City Immunization Clinics webpage.
TPH is also helping Toronto students catch up on lifesaving vaccines they may have missed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents and guardians of children from four to 17 years of age can book vaccinations for diphtheria, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, meningococcal disease, pertussis (whooping cough) and varicella (chickenpox) at TPH immunization clinics. Ontario's Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) requires these nine children's vaccines. Students in grades 7 to 12 can also continue to access vaccines for human papillomavirus, meningococcal and hepatitis B at these clinics. There is no fee for children to receive these vaccines, and a health card is not required.
Appointments are preferred, though walk-ins will be accommodated based on capacity. Appointments can be made online through the TPH appointment booking system.
Mobile clinics continue to offer COVID-19 vaccines for eligible residents ages five and older. Vaccines for children six months and older are also available at select mobile clinics. A health card is not required. Appointments are not necessary to visit a mobile clinic. Book here.
Programs, Grants and Awards
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Summerlicious 2023 restaurant applications being accepted until today, Wednesday March 22. The City of Toronto’s Summerlicious program is returning from July 7 to 23. This year’s program continues to support the recovery and revival of Toronto’s restaurant scene with modified features, including reduced fees; an expanded range of price-point categories for 3-course prix fixe Summerlicious menus; and a simplified online application process. Restaurant owners — learn more and apply below!
Great news for small businesses-- CafeTO Applications have opened! Local restaurant and bar owners and operators interested in expanding outdoor dining space into curb lanes and sidewalks through the City of Toronto’s CaféTO program can apply for permits online below until Tuesday, March 28 at 11:59 p.m.
The City of Toronto’s CaféTO Property Improvement Program provides restaurant, bar, and café owners with a matching grant covering 50%, up to $7,500 towards the cost of improvements to patios in the curb lane, on sidewalks and on private property. Funded by the Federal Economic Development Agency for South Ontario, this program is part of the Toronto Main Street Recovery and Rebuild Initiative. Applications are now open and will be accepted until Friday, June 30, or when funds are expended. Priority will be given to applicants with temporary curb lane platforms.
The City of Toronto implemented a small business property tax subclass that provides a reduction in the tax rate for eligible small business properties. For 2023, the applicable tax rate reduction is 15 percent of the commercial rate for both the municipal and education portion of taxes. If your property is eligible for the small business tax subclass there is no need to apply – the reduced tax rate will be reflected in your final property tax bill. You can search by address to find out if your property is located within the small business subclass designated areas. Property owners who believe they have an eligible property that has not been included can file a Request for Reconsideration by Monday, April 3rd.
The Pam McConnell Award for Young Women in Leadership is now accepting applications! The award is open to young Toronto women, between the ages of 16 and 29, who demonstrate exceptional leadership, and a commitment to social justice and inspire other young women. Applications are due by April 3, 2023, at 11:45PM.
The City of Toronto is accepting applications for the Youth Violence Prevention Grant to support the de-escalation of violence in priority Toronto communities. The Grant, which will be open for applications until Tuesday, April 11 at 12:00p.m., will see $2.2 million in total funding allocated to approved local community agencies in priority community zones that have been identified across Toronto.
Upcoming Community Consultations and Survey Deadline
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The City of Toronto has recently received a number of development applications for tall buildings in the Upper Jarvis Area. In response to these applications, on April 21 2022, City Council directed planning staff to conduct a Study of the Upper Jarvis Area with the goal of creating a Planning Framework to help evaluate current and future development proposals in the area. There is a survey closing tomorrow March 23rd, 2023 regarding the Upper Jarvis Neighbourhood Study. Please see more information regarding the Upper Jarvis Neighbourhood Study and fill out the survey here.
There is an upcoming Community Consultation Meeting for a new development in our ward, please see below for more details:
Development Address: 33-37 Maitland Street
Date: Thursday, March 23rd, 2023
Time: 6:00PM to 7:30PM
Link to register for attendance: Register Here
Mayoral By-Election Dates
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The Mayoral By-election Dates have been set, please see below for nomination dates and schedule a day to go vote!
- Nominations will open Monday, April 3 at 8:30 a.m.
- Nominations will close Friday, May 12 at 2 p.m.
- Advance voting will take place Thursday, June 8 to Tuesday, June 13
- By-election will be held Monday, June 26
