Housing and flood mitigation are at the top of the list

By Dianne Saxe

Summer is such a wonderful time in University-Rosedale, and as it draws to a close, I’ve found myself reflecting on all there has been to enjoy. Whether it was taking advantage of free access to the ROM’s first floor, exploring a local market, savouring a fresh dessert in the Annex, or exploring the sounds and foods of Kensington, Koreatown, or Chinatown, there’s always something new to discover in familiar places.

Amidst the bustle of council business, I’ve made sure to take some time to be in nature, as well as catch up with friends in University-Rosedale. Thanks again to the residents of 250 Davenport for having me at their annual barbeque. I equally enjoyed meeting with members of our Indigenous community for a discussion and to review the Indigenous Placemaking designs for a new park at 51 Sussex Ave. I’m very excited for these and other projects to come to fruition!

As many of you are aware, I am an avid bike rider and have been hard at work improving accessibility and safety for this mode of travel. This isn’t just because it’s healthy and climate-friendly, but because cycling throughout Toronto opens up a whole different version of the city. It should be available for everyone to take advantage of, particularly young people. To this end, I am also very excited to report that my motion broadening Bike Share usage passed city council. The age for Bike Share usage has now been lowered to 16 for classic (non-electric bikes), and to 14 for those accompanied by a parent or guardian.

We are also progressing on making upgrades throughout the Ward. We’re closer to refurbishing tennis courts at Moore Park Tennis Club and Tom Riley Park and creating an arts space for a new theatre and rehearsal space at St. Clare’s Multifaith Housing. We are also designing a streetscape vision for Elm Street between Yonge and Bay streets, one that accommodates new development while maintaining its historic character.

Yet for all there has been to celebrate and enjoy, events this summer have laid bare the important work at hand to adapt our city to the effects of climate change. Many parts of the city, including City Hall itself, were damaged by the massive rainstorm, in what may have been the third “100-year storm” since 2013. Evergreen Brickworks, an indispensable institution in the life of our city, is recovering from flooding.

These events have underscored how important it is to continue the work on upgrading our city for future generations. I am happy that substantial progress has been made during the last sitting of city council.

The City of Toronto is continuing to make record investments in housing. Uploading the Gardiner and DVP to the province has freed up nearly $2 billion which we are using to invest in priority areas and projects throughout the city. These include infrastructure development, housing maintenance and repairs, TTC, parks, and additional funds for the Broadview Eastern Flood Protection.

We have passed legislation taking a hard look at Toronto’s stormwater mitigation infrastructure and how we can best address future flooding. Of course, your humble servant made sure that the city takes all available steps to ensure that all newly constructed buildings reduce flood risks by adhering to the new version of the Toronto Green Standards. I also passed a motion whereby the city will look into accessing ways to reduce stormwater runoff from nonresidential properties that are built in a way that drives up flooding, stormwater costs, and water pollution.

I am also excited that as part of our infrastructure upgrades, the city is exploring the construction of two fully electric ferries. This is an important development which will not only reduce our carbon emissions and make our waterfront cleaner, but will provide better service for Torontonians than the current fleet. The capacity of the newly proposed vessels is far more impressive, holding up to 1000 people at a time and virtually eliminating long, time-consuming queues at Jack Layton Ferry terminal!

Finally, I am very excited at all the events happening this fall. Be sure to check out the city’s website for all the latest happenings in University-Rosedale. Be sure to follow me on social media for more updates, including on the next episode of my new podcast – Saxe and the City!

Dianne Saxe is city councillor for Ward 11, University-Rosedale.

READ MORE BY DIANNE SAXE:

• FORUM: Saxe and the City (Summer 2024)
• FORUM: Tackling road congestion, noise, and safety (June 2024)
• FORUM: Undoing vacant home tax debacle (May 2024)
• FORUM: A busy agenda at city council (Apr. 2024)
• FORUM: University-Rosedale update from the councillor’s chair (Mar. 2024)
• FORUM: Eventful new year at city council (Feb. 2024)
• FORUM: A hectic first year in University-Rosedale (Dec. 2023)
• FORUM: Keeping it green and safe in University-Rosedale (Fall 2023)
• FORUM: Fighting on five fronts (Summer 2023)
• FORUM: Addressing a housing shortage (May/June 2023)
• FORUM: Leveraging a green agenda (April 2023)
• FORUM: Budget passes in a consensus vote (Mar. 2023)
• FORUM: Bike lanes made permanent, more warming centres open (Feb. 2023)
• FORUM: Turbulent time to take a seat (Jan. 2023)