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FORUM: Many achievements despite the pandemic (Jan. 2022)

February 4th, 2022 · No Comments

Government must be proactive to protect cyclists, pedestrians 

By Mike Layton

Moving into 2022, and as hard as things are right now, I am incredibly grateful to represent a community that is full of people who work so hard to take care of their families, their neighbours, and everyone in our city. As I write this, I know that many of you are facing the stress of another hard winter season with rising COVID-19 cases and frequently changing plans when we were all really looking forward to time in the New Year with loved ones after another long year.

COURTESY MIKE LAYTON

I want to extend a huge thanks to all the city staff and healthcare workers who are right now working through difficult circumstances to run vaccine clinics and help keep us safe. If you have not already booked a booster shot, please considering doing so as quickly as possible.

At the council level, I want to thank all of you who have helped advocate for a more equitable city this past year. We have made huge changes in Toronto. 

The sheer number of improvements makes it hard to list, but my personal highlights include a made-in-Toronto climate action plan that commits to net zero by 2040, a huge expansion of affordable housing across the city (including hundreds of units in our ward), a vacant unit tax to target dwellings left sitting empty to begin this year, a massive expansion of permanent bike lanes across all major routes in our ward, a number of park renewals finished or wrapping up across Ward 11 including Art Eggleton Park and Joseph Burr Tyrrell Playground.

These achievements are something to be proud of, but 2022 will be no time to rest and we must keep pushing the City of Toronto and the mayor to continue to build a better city. That particularly means keeping pressure on Doug Ford to deliver on expanded access to rapid tests and vaccines in the immediate. It means keeping up the fight with Doug Ford to make him sign a deal with the federal government for universal and affordable childcare for all families. Neither of these pieces can wait and are key to a strong economic recovery.

I want wish you moments of peace this winter, and a renewed spirit for 2022. There’s so much to do going forward, and I am honoured to work with all of you to get it done.

Mike Layton is city councillor for Ward 11, University–Rosedale.

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Tags: Annex · Columns · Opinion