Celebrate the season at St. Lawrence Market’s Winter Market! Stroll along Market Street lined with twinkling lights, cozy huts and live entertainment. Enjoy festive bites, sweet treats and local gifts that capture the holiday spirit. Open Thursdays to Sundays until December 22. Free admission, visit stlawrencemarket.com for details!
The average Canadian household wastes over $1,300 worth of edible food each year. Knowing the difference between best before dates and expiration dates can save you money, reduce food waste and protect the environment. The best before date is a guide, not a goodbye. Learn more on how to reduce food waste on the City’s Food Waste webpage.
Winter is approaching — it's time to protect your pipes from freezing. Throughout the winter, the City receives “no water” calls due to frozen pipes on residents' private property. Prevent the headaches that come with burst pipes – from water shortages to expensive property damage. Find steps you can take now to reduce your risk of frozen pipes on the City’s Prevent or Thaw Frozen Pipes webpage.
Toronto Community Crisis Service (TCCS) workers are now available on TTC subway line 1 (between Spadina and Bloor stations). TCCS provides free mental health supports citywide for Toronto residents 16 years of age or older and is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Find more information on the City’s Toronto Community Crisis Service webpage.
The City has launched its annual Leaf Maintenance program, which will run until mid-December, depending on weather conditions. Fallen leaves can block storm drains, leading to flooding on streets and private property. The City collects leaves from public spaces only. Residents should never rake or dump leaves onto roads or sidewalks, as this creates hazards and may result in a $200 fine. Find more information about proper yard waste disposal on the City’s Yard Waste webpage.
The holiday season is a time to come together and support the people, places and programs that make Toronto shine. Residents, businesses and community organizations can give back in ways that make a meaningful difference. There are opportunities for everyone to give to the causes that matter most to them—showing care for people experiencing homelessness, brightening a child’s holiday with a new toy, supporting animal shelters, investing in arts and literature or protecting Toronto’s natural spaces and parks. For more details on how to give, go to toronto.ca/HolidayGiving.
As we head into the winter season, City staff are working hard to get outdoor ice rinks ready for another season. Some rinks will be open for November 29, with the rest expected to open by December 6. Residents are encouraged to check the status of a rink in case there is a temporary change in operations due to weather, repairs or maintenance at toronto.ca/skate.
Starting in early December, Toronto residents will be able to register for over 143,300 winter activity spaces available for a variety of ages, interests and skill levels. Activities include swimming, fitness, sports, skating, arts and technology classes and more begin in January 2026. Browse the list of winter recreation activities and register at toronto.ca/WinterRec.
Cavalcade of Lights, presented by Desjardins Financial Group, is a free, annual winter festival that transforms Toronto City Hall and its surroundings into a dazzling wonderland from Saturday, November 29 to Wednesday, January 7. Attend the opening night celebration on November 29 starting at 6:00pm for a festive lineup of live entertainment including a Candlelight Concert, headline performance by Tyler Shaw, the lighting of Toronto’s official Christmas tree and more. Enjoy public outdoor skating, light and sound installations and more.
As we move into winter, snowfall and high winds will become more frequent and lead to adverse conditions for travel. Learn more about the City’s winter plan, stay updated on winter operations and find everything you need to make the most of the season at toronto.ca/winter.
As a big supporter of public libraries, I’m thrilled to announce that the St. Lawrence Library Branch will be moving to 339 Queen Street East! For many years, the Toronto Public Library (TPL) has been working to relocate the branch, currently located at 171 Front Street East, elsewhere as the space was relatively small and the building itself was subject to frequent water leaks and heating issues. The new space will allow the library to transform into a larger district branch and bring exciting new opportunities to the Corktown, Regent Park, and St. Lawrence neighbourhoods it borders.
I hope everyone is well. As the weather gets colder and winter gets closer, let’s use this time to recharge, stay connected, and keep showing up for each other, our schools, and our communities.