News & Updates

Toronto Public Health has updated its Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) program for 2025–2026. ISPA suspensions are paused for the remainder of the school year and as a result, students will not be suspended. Requirements remain in place, with a focus on helping families report records and get students up to date, minimizing learning disruptions while strengthening immunization coverage in school communities

Mark your calendars, as we'll be hosting our fourth annual Community Environment Day at Regent Park on July 4.  Every year, I’m so happy to see so many community members come to drop off and recycle their hazardous waste, electronics and shredding. Regent Park will have bagged compost again this year. Last year, it was so popular that we ran out by 1:00 pm, so mark your calendars and come early! 

 

This is an update and Call to Action. Ontario school board takeovers are a distraction from chronic provincial underfunding. By not even keeping up with inflation since 2018, Ontario schools have been underfunded by $6.35  Billion - leaving many school boards in deficit, facing rising costs, growing student needs, and major special education shortfalls.

This year, the clocks “spring forward” at 2:00am on Sunday, March 8. The start of daylight saving time means fewer daylight hours in the morning hours and reduced visibility for all road users. As the clocks “spring forward”, I am reminding all Torontonians, especially those driving, to stay alert, obey the speed limit and help keep Toronto’s streets safe for everyone.

St. James Town Community Arts (SJTCA) is looking for new board members to build a stronger foundation and increae the impact to the community. Board members would be supporting their mission to make arts education free and accessible to children and youth. By empowering the next generation of artists, you can help uplift the St. James Town community.

Spring recreation activities are now available to view and add to your wish list ahead of registration opening in early March. Early Local Registration begins on Tuesday, February 24 for eligible residents living near participating Free Centres. Registration for Older Adult 60+ programs starts on Monday, March 2. Other registrations open on Tuesday, March 3 for Etobicoke York and Toronto East York and on Wednesday, March 4 for Scarborough and North York. Most registered programs begin on Saturday, March 28.

A huge thank you to everyone, including residents, business leaders and their associations, who wrote to Mayor Chow and the Budget Committee to demand that the Downtown East Action Plan (DEAP) be fully funded. Thanks to your support, funding for the DEAP will increase from $756,000 to $1.4 million this year. The plan will need a full $2.2 million in 2027, so I hope you will continue to support this significant work next year. This critical funding supports our Clean Streets teams and Community Safety initiatives to ensure our neighbourhoods are clean, safe, and welcoming.

Last December, I wrote about the impact of Premier Ford’s Bill 60, Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025’s impact on renters. The impact of Bill 60 goes beyond the Premier’s  fight against bike lanes in Etobicoke; it threatens to derail any current or future transportation project in Toronto that dares impact a lane of traffic. 

The City is accepting applications for its new Material Exchange Directory, a user‑friendly online resource that will showcase local programs helping Torontonians sell, buy donate or trade materials instead of sending them to landfill.  Launching later in 2026, the directory will help residents, community groups and businesses find local organizations that support the reuse, resale or donation of excess goods and materials, including household items, equipment and building materials.   

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