Opening Letter

Dear Friends and Neighbours, 

It's officially fall in Toronto, with students settling into their new classrooms and colder temperatures upon us. 

As you've likely noticed, payment on the TTC has become a lot easier – just in time for back-to-school. Open payment is now in effect on all TTC vehicles, meaning that riders can tap their credit cards, debit cards, or mobile payment methods to pay their fare. I championed open payment over my tenure as Chair of the TTC and I am thrilled to see it now implemented system-wide. On a related note, the Federal government recently announced new spectrum license conditions that will require all carriers to provide cellular connectivity on the TTC no later than October 3, 2023.  

In September, City Council had an important conversation about Toronto's Long-Term Financial Plan. As it stands, the City is facing an estimated $1.5 billion starting budgetary pressure for the 2024 Operating Budget and a $46.5 billion shortfall over the next ten years. City staff proposed several actions to address this financial reality in their Updated Long-Term Financial Plan report. 

Although I did not support all of the measures put forward, it is clear that we need to re-think our long-term financial planning. During the debate at City Council, I spoke about the importance of taking a hard look at our spending at the municipal level. While the City of Toronto needs a new fiscal framework and interim funding support from the Provincial and Federal governments, City Council must do our part to find efficiencies and practice fiscal responsibility at the municipal level. 

In addition to important City Council updates, this newsletter contains information about local programs and services, including an overview of the newly opened Thorncliffe Park Youth Wellness Hub. You can also find a detailed summary of the local parks projects currently underway across Ward 15 – Don Valley West. 

Thank you for your continued support of these local initiatives and engagement on the significant challenges facing our city. 

As always, please feel welcome to contact me with any questions, concerns, or suggestions. 

I look forward to hearing from you! 

Warm regards,