November 2024 Welcome Letter

The weather may have cooled, but the work of improving Toronto Centre continues to keep us active. Thank you so much to everyone who attended one of our six Neighbourhood Town Halls in September and October. They are an incredible amount of work to organize, but my team continues to rise to the occasion and create new opportunities for you to meet and connect with me and my office. I hope to see you at our 2025 town halls!

I also hope you had a terrific Hallowe’en. You may not know this, but this was the first year since the pandemic halted a lot of annual events that the children at the Hester How Daycare visited the 2nd floor of City Hall to visit me and my fellow councillors. There were some amazing costumes!

While Hallowe’en brings us scares in October, November brings us chills. That is because it’s the traditional beginning of flu season!

Humans are social creatures, which is why viruses are able to spread so easily. We also have a bad habit of interacting with others when we’re sick, helping viruses spread at work, on transit and when shopping. This is not a criticism; many of us do not have the luxury of staying at home and resting when they get a sore throat or runny nose.

But while many can shrug off the flu, over 12,000 people are hospitalized and 3,500 die in Canada each year due to complications arising from the influenza virus. That is more people than die per year in Canada from homicide and car accidents. So it becomes incumbent on us all to collectively minimize the spread.

There are many reasons why people choose to skip getting their flu shots. We may feel that the flu vaccines don’t work, that we’re too busy or we may have an aversion to needles. On the whole, only about 40% of adults get a flu vaccine. As the Chair of the Board of Health, I’m here to pitch to the other 60% of adults why it’s important to get your shots.

The data supporting the effectiveness of flu vaccines is well developed: people who receive the flu vaccine are 50 percent less likely to get the flu. Yes, a flu shot is not a guarantee you won’t get sick, but for the sake of a single needle you are dramatically increasing your chances of escaping the holiday season flu-free. It also decreases the chance of spreading the flu to your friends, family, workmates and others. So that vaccination is not just protecting you, but your loved ones as well.

Booking a flu vaccination can easily be done through your family doctor or at most participating pharmacies. Major pharmacies, such as Shoppers Drug Mart and Rexall have online booking portals which allow you to schedule an appointment for you and your family in under 10 minutes.

No one likes needles, but if you find them uncomfortable there are techniques you can use to reduce discomfort. The first step should be to let your doctor or pharmacist know of your discomfort or fear; they are there to support you. Secondly, you can use techniques such as looking away, distracting yourself and breathing techniques to reduce and sometimes eliminate pain and discomfort. Thirdly, you can plan to go with a friend or family member who is also getting a flu shot to support each other. 

And while you’re getting a flu vaccine, you can and should also make sure you are up to date with your COVID vaccinations. COVID continues to circulate, and has many symptoms that overlap with the flu. Updated vaccinations have begun to roll out, and are available for free ti anyone at least six months old. Please visit the province’s website for more information.

There are other steps that are important to take outside of vaccinations to reduce the spread of the flu and COVID. Review your workplace policies related to sick days and–where available–working from home, so you can stay put if you’re not feeling well. Learn and practice proper handwashing techniques, and mask up if you’re going to be in public. While we may not officially be in a pandemic anymore, the same steps we were all taking in early 2020 will serve us well as we move into 2025.

One area you sadly cannot get a vaccine for is provincial overreach. I wrote about how provincial directive to close many supervised consumption services in September. In October, I made the case for why cycling infrastructure is critical for combating traffic congestion. In both cases, the province’s actions will make Toronto a less livable place and - without hyperbole - cost lives. I encourage to reach out to Premier Ford and let him know how you feel.

Yours in Service,

Chris Moise
City Councillor
Ward 13 - Toronto Centre

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With the colder weather, I hope you and your family have been able to find joy with activities like sledding and skating that are only possible this time of year. There are many opportunities across the city for drop-in ice skating, such as in Regent Park and in Nathan Phillips Square. There are always plenty of people learning for the first time, so If you’ve never skated before, you’ll be in good company! So I encourage you to get out and hit the ice this February while the weather cooperates.

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