Opening Letter

Dear Friends and Neighbours,
 
Earlier this month, Mayor John Tory announced that he would be resigning as of February 17. Effective immediately, Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie will assume many of the duties and responsibilities of the Mayor, which include presiding over City Council meetings and representing the City at official functions. We have been advised by the City Clerk that the Deputy Mayor will not be permitted to exercise the "Strong Mayor powers" set out in Provincial Bills 3 and 39. You can find more information about the mayoral transition process on the City's website, here.

At the upcoming March 29 meeting, City Council will declare the Office of the Mayor vacant and initiate a by-election. Once a by-election has been initiated, the Municipal Elections Act requires a window of 30 to 60 days for mayoral candidates to file their nomination papers, and for the by-election to be held 45 days after nominations close. In order for the City to begin recruiting election staff and booking voting locations as soon as possible, the City Clerk has set the date for the by-election as Monday, June 26, 2023.

Prior to the Mayor's resignation, City Council passed the 2023 Operating and Capital Budgets. From the lasting financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic to rising inflation rates, this was one of the most challenging budget years in the City's history. You can find more information about the 2023 Budget on the City's website, here.

In this newsletter, I have also included an important update on City Planning's Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods Multiplex study. Supplemental to the city-wide consultation events that took place last week, I have asked City Planning to hold a ward-specific meeting for the residents of Ward 15 - Don Valley West to learn more about the proposed changes and share feedback with staff. I am pleased to advise that the meeting will be held on the evening of Monday, March 6 – you can find more information below. 

Thank you for your continued engagement. As always, please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.