From November 1 to December 1, our office initiated the Downtown East Safe and Inclusive Neighbourhoods Survey, garnering 867 responses and reaching a total of 1731 views. The survey aimed to address critical issues overlooked in the Downtown East Action Plan and identify topics missed in public consultations.
In September and early October, I hosted six Neighbourhood Town Halls across Toronto Centre to provide community updates and address challenging questions. Despite the difficulty of some queries, we welcomed them as they contribute to our office and the City of Toronto's efforts to formulate well-informed policies.
The report reveals that 95.1% of participants were Downtown East residents, with 66.8% identifying as homeowners and 30.8% as renters in the community.
Regarding general safety in the Downtown East over the past six months, 42% of residents noted little change. Homelessness, anti-social behaviour, and public intoxication emerged as the most pressing issues among the seven major problems discussed at the Neighbourhood Town Halls. Consequently, 99% of respondents identified 'more mental health & addiction treatment' as the most effective solution for fostering healthy communities in the Downtown East.
Notably, the survey uncovered that 86.5% of participants were unaware of the existence of the Here to Help crisis outreach team under the Downtown East Action Plan. This significant finding underscores the need for increased and regular community outreach to ensure residents are informed about available resources. We extend our gratitude to all who dedicated their time and energy to completing the survey. The results of this survey will be forwarded to City staff to guide the 2024 Downtown East Action Plan update–continuing to aim for safe and inclusive communities, cross-sectoral trust and collaboration, stability for marginalized people, and improved city response to complex issues.
The City is doing a survey of the Church Street Pedestrianization Project that my office and the Church-Wellesley Village BIA is operating on Church Street between Wellesley Street East and Alexander Street until August 21. Your feedback will help inform the City's response to future street closures here and across the City. If your a resident who has been to Church Street, take the survey! And if you haven't yet been, come see what you're missing then take the survey! The survey closes September 7, 2026.
The City of Toronto’s Identify ‘N Impact community grant helps promote youth engagement and community safety by providing up to $17K for youth-led (15-29) initiatives that help with violence prevention, mental health and well-being, skills development, arts and youth-friendly spaces. Applications are now open until September 15 at 12:00pm.
Opened last year, Biidaasige Park is expanding with 10 more acres of public waterfront space at 238 Cherry Street on Ookwemin Minising. With new places to walk, cycle, paddle, gather, enjoy public art and take in skyline views, residents and visitors are invited to come celebrate during opening weekend on July 25 and 26. See what’s happening this weekend and beyond, including free guided kayak tours, walking tours and art-making workshops.