While much of City Council’s first session back from recess was spent discussing Billy Bishop Airport, there were also updates on the Student Nutrition Program, Vacant Home Tax and Congestion Management.
What’s New in Toronto Centre
The 2023 rollout of the Vacant Home Tax was undoubtedly a disaster. To improve the process for 2024, the following changes were adopted by City Council:
Update on the Congestion Management Plan 2023-2026
At the City, we are constantly monitoring and assessing processes, activities and infrastructure that impact congestion on our streets. Transportation Services has reported back on the Congestion Management Plan with the following recommendations:
As part of the next staff report on congestion management, we will also have an update on methods for minimizing bike lane obstruction by City-owned and contracted vehicles and unauthorized objects. You can read the full Congestion Management Plan here.
Expanding the Student Nutrition Program
As many families across the city are impacted by the cost-of-living crisis, food insecurity is a major concern. In Toronto, children and youth make up nearly one-third of food bank clients. Toronto’s Student Nutrition Program currently serves over 227,000 meals each day to students across the city, but because of lack of funding thousands of students do not have access to the program. Earlier this year, the Federal government announced the National School Food Program, which will allow us to significantly scale up operations here in Toronto and eventually realize a universal student nutrition program. The City Manager and the Medical Officer of Health will report back in spring of next year with a strategy for the delivery of a universal morning meal program by the 2026/2027 school year and a universal lunch program no later than 2030.
November 18 was a day I had anticipated with a heavy heart since Dr. Eileen de Villa first announced her retirement earlier this year. That day, we sat at the table together for the final Board of Health meeting with her as our Medical Officer of Health.
On November 16, I gathered at the Toronto Public Library’s Parliament Street Branch to celebrate the Moss Park Community Cookbook launch. The event brought together residents, community leaders and food lovers to honour the incredible stories and recipes that make Moss Park such a vibrant place. Below, please find my recipe for banana bread with ginger and blueberries!
City Council made progress in addressing the housing crisis at its meeting on November 13 and 14 by implementing a Rental Renovation Licence By-law and expanding incentives for purpose-built rental housing. They also had important conversations about the City’s economy and cultural plan.
