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FORUM: Council still at work (July 2025)

September 5th, 2025 · No Comments

Moving ahead on city building projects

By Dianne Saxe

Thanks to everyone who cheered and waved at the Pride Parade, enjoyed a Taste of Little Italy, revelled at the Jazz Fest, browsed the Rosedale Arts Fair, cheered for Orphan Annie, waved a flag on Canada Day, and decluttered at our Community Environment Day. I really appreciate your enthusiasm and support and your great questions at the door and at the town hall. 

Our June council was dominated by a downtown versus suburb dispute about missing middle housing. To gently increase density and to qualify for federal housing funds, staff proposed  allowing low-rise houses in neighbourhoods across the city to be converted into or replaced by buildings with up to six residential units (sixplexes). The existing limit is four. Staff predict that this would mean a gradual introduction of more housing choices. Perhaps one percent of houses will add more units each year. 

Multi-unit homes are already common in Ward 11 and are part of what many love about it. In Ward 11, sixplexes will be no taller than one to four-unit homes; our neighbourhoods already have height limits that are higher than the suburbs. Other zoning rules, such as setbacks, will remain unchanged, making many lots too small for sixplexes. After a difficult debate, sixplexes were approved for downtown (Wards 4, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 19) and for Ward 23 (Scarborough North). Other wards can opt in. 

Other notable items on the council agenda included: 

More paramedics to bring down ambulance delays: Our city recently authorized the recruitment of hundreds more frontline staff and ambulance workers to help address delays and other system-wide issues, subject to provincial funding.

More school meals for hungry kids: We’ve recently expanded school food programs, including a phased implementation of a universal morning meal program in all Toronto school communities by the 2026/2027 school year. We want to use this as a blueprint for a universal lunch program by the year 2030.

Turning money-losing parking lots into housing or parks: The city has been looking at repurposing underperforming city-owned assets like parking lots and other facilities to meet housing and financial goals.

Appointing two great people to the Toronto Hydro Board: A hearty welcome to Lisa DeMarco and Paul Doyle, the newest members of the Toronto Hydro board of directors.

Annual reports on TransformTO (climate action) and Vision Zero (road safety)

Getting strategic about parking: The city has proposed a strategic plan to modernize parking management, aligning parking policy with broader city goals like climate action, housing, and traffic management.

Privacy issues relating to Magna’s robot cars recording faces for private use and profit: Ward 11 residents may notice a new type of vehicle on our roads: self-driving autonomous robots and their chase cars. Despite protests from the city, this pilot project is being run by Magna International and its subsidiary under a secret permit from the Ford government. It raises serious concerns about privacy, safety, and congestion. Residents should know that these vehicles are recording and storing facial data for private profit. Your only recourse is to complain to the Federal Privacy Commissioner at: https://www.priv.gc.ca/en/report-a-concern/. If you and many of your neighbours complain, the privacy commissioner may take appropriate action. Pass it on!

A downtown-east Homelessness Addiction Recovery and Treatment centre: The new centre is aimed at promoting treatment and recovery as part of a wider framework for tackling homelessness.

Better security in GreenP parking lots: A risk-based, multi-layered approach to improving security in parking lots usiusing technology such asCCTV, and a collaboration with Toronto Police and community safety officers.

Reducing salt pollution: The City of Toronto is calling upon the Province of Ontario to act forcefully to reduce road salt pollution from private contractors.

Improving traffic during repairs at King and Church: Accommodating transit during the King and Church intersection closure.

Meanwhile, climate breakdown brought our first miserable heat wave. Our office protested unwarranted pool closures and supported people suffering from extreme heat. Knowing that much more extreme weather is coming, I was delighted to launch Ward 11’s first mini forest on the west edge of Queen’s Park North. Trees provide clean, cool air and water and make our city more liveable. We need many more of them. If there is a young tree near you, please help by watering it deeply in hot weather.

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

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Tags: Annex · Columns · Opinion