Innovative Program to Support Oakwood & Vaughan At-Risk Youth Launched Amidst Pandemic Community Service Agency to focus on providing opportunities and Counselling for at-risk young people starts online Toronto – The City of Toronto, in partnership with the For Youth Initiative (FYI) took a step toward addressing the roots of youth violence in the Oakwood and Vaughan neighbourhood [...]

Council Approves New Youth Space in Oakwood-Vaughan Neighbourhood Community Hub will focus on providing opportunities and support for vulnerable young people City Council took a step toward addressing the roots of youth violence in the Oakwood & Vaughan neighbourhood by approving a new space to support vulnerable youth in the community. The program will offer [...]

MEMBERS MOTION Moved by Councillor Matlow, Seconded by Councillor Ainslie Summary: The 7-stop Scarborough LRT would provide more service, for fewer dollars, and can be up and running sooner. It’s finally time for Council to make the right decision to serve Scarborough residents. The LRT was approved, funded, and shovel-ready when it was cancelled in [...]

Re: Questions Regarding Police & School Board Safety Communications Dear Superintendent Narine, Dr. Kathy Witherow and Dr. Brendan Browne, As a City Councillor, and local parent, I want to express my gratitude and support for the police investigation that took place yesterday and continues to take place today in the Allen Road and Eglinton Avenue [...]

Clearing the Path Towards a Safe & Accessible Winter- by Councillor Josh Matlow, seconded by Councillor Mike Layton Recommendations: City Council direct the General Manager of Transportation Services to provide an update on the Winter Maintenance Program Review that includes, but is not limited to, a plan on harmonizing sidewalk clearing standards for neighbourhoods in [...]

Supporting Black-Owned and Operated Businesses & Preserving the Cultural Heritage of Eglinton Avenue West's "Little Jamaica"- by Councillor Josh Matlow, seconded by Councillor Michael Thompson Recommendations Councillor Josh Matlow, seconded by Councillor Michael Thompson, recommends that: 1. City Council request the Province of Ontario to introduce rent control legislation for commercial units along Eglinton Avenue [...]

September 14th, 2020 Ministry of Education 5th Floor 438 University Ave. Toronto, ON M5G 2K8 Re: Request for Smaller Class Sizes Dear Minister Lecce, As a City Councillor and parent myself, I am writing to respectfully request that smaller class sizes be mandated for elementary students from grades K to 8 throughout the duration of [...]

September 11th, 2020 Re: Extend Protecting Small Business Act & Rent Support for Small Business Owners and Landlords Dear Premier Ford and Minister Sarkaria, On behalf of many small business owners, I want to commend each of you for your efforts on passing the Protecting Small Business Act, which temporarily halted or reversed evictions of [...]

Planning and Housing Committee 10th West Tower, City Hall 100 Queen Street West Toronto, ON M5H 2N2 July 13, 2020 Re: PH15.10 City of Toronto Submission on Bill 184 - Protecting Tenants and Strengthening Community Housing Act, 2020 Dear Chair & Committee Members, City Staff have provided a strong and thorough submission to the Province [...]

The provincial government needs to provide support for tenants who are unable to pay their rent due to lost income because of the COVID – 19 crisis. Renters and Landlords in Ontario are in need of assistance to ensure that they are not in financial ruin when the crisis is over. It is unacceptable that [...]

Under the leadership of the Mayor, the Medical Office of Health and the Executive Director of Municipal Licensing and Standards, the City of Toronto urged Landlords and Owners of multi-tenanted buildings to adopt new health and safety guidelines and a rigorous cleaning routine to reduce the risk of residents from COVID-19. Unfortunately, several months later, [...]

MEDIA RELEASE June 22nd, 2020 Councillor Matlow and SEIU Healthcare call for public judicial-inquiry and transformational change in Ontario's Long Term Care homes Toronto – Councillor Josh Matlow, Toronto-St. Paul's, is joined by SEIU Healthcare, the union that represents over 60,000 frontline healthcare workers in Ontario, in calling for a full public judicial-inquiry into the [...]

Planning and Housing Committee 10th floor, West Tower, City Hall 100 Queen Street West Toronto, ON M5H 2N2 June 15, 2020 Re: PH 14.3 Housing Now Initiative - Annual Progress Report Dear Chair and Committee Members, I am writing to request that you consider the accompanying recommendations to protect tenants from unfair rent increases on [...]

I watched the video of George Floyd being murdered by a Minneapolis police officer with horror, sadness and anger. I watched the video of Amy Cooper in New York weaponizing white privilege by calling the police on a Black person who was birding in Central Park. I’ve seen citizens peacefully protesting police brutality met with [...]

This motion requests that the province give back control of construction by-laws as granted in the City of Toronto Act. Specifically, Limitation 2 to Ontario Regulation 130/20 , enacted April 7, 2020, does not allow the City to regulate or prohibit noise in connection with construction to the detriment of our residents. Limitation 2 allows [...]

May 26th, 2020 Hon. Doug Ford Premier of Ontario Legislative Building, Queen’s Park. Toronto, ON M7A 1A1 Re: Open Letter To Premier Ford Regarding Need For Public Inquiry Into Long Term Care Homes Dear Premier, As Toronto’s Seniors Advocate, I am following up on my letter dated May 19th urging you to call a full Public Inquiry [...]

May 19th, 2020 Hon. Doug Ford Premier of Ontario Legislative Building, Queen’s Park. Toronto, ON M7A 1A1 Re: A Call to Reform Ontario's Long Term Care Homes Dear Premier, As Toronto’s Seniors Advocate, I commend today's announcement by Minister Fullerton that your government is proposing the launch of an independent Commission into Ontario's long term [...]

April 24, 2020 News Release Ontario renters impacted financially by COVID-19 crisis left vulnerable with May rent due in a week Tenants and Landlords both still waiting for Province to provide a plan Toronto – The provincial government is being called on to provide support for tenants who are unable to pay their rent on [...]

Hon. Doug Ford Premier of Ontario Legislative Building, Queen's Park. Toronto, ON M7A 1A1   Re: Changes to City of Toronto Act regulations concerning construction by-laws Dear Premier Ford, I am writing to respectfully request that you provide the public with a rationale for Limitation 2 to Ontario Regulation 130/20 of the City of Toronto [...]

Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade 7th Floor, 56 Wellesley St. W Toronto,ON M7A 2E7 March 31st, 2020 Re: Rent support for small business owners and Landlords Dear Minister Sarkaria, I am writing to you as the Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction on behalf of [...]

March 31st, 2020 Toronto – The provincial government needs to provide support for tenants who are unable to pay their rent tomorrow, April 1st, due to lost income because of the COVID – 19 crisis. While Premier Ford took a good first step by freezing eviction orders during the course of the pandemic, renters and [...]

March 26, 2020 Hon. Steve Clark Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing 17th Floor 777 Bay St. Toronto,ON M5G 2E5 Re: Premier Ford's Statement on Providing Immediate Rent Relief for Tenants Minister Clark, I am writing to seek clarification on Premier Ford's comment regarding support for Ontario tenants during the COVID – 19 crisis. In [...]

How To Protect Yourself: There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to this virus. Prevention measures include: Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 15 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer Avoid [...]

Toronto - I have just been informed that I came into contact this past Thursday, March 5th, with an individual who has tested positive for COVID – 19 (Novel Coronavirus) upon their return from a conference in Washington, DC. While I am completely asymptomatic, out of an abundance of caution, and on the advice of [...]

MEDIA RELEASE                                                                   March 3rd, 2020                       Councillors Proclaim Tuesday March 3rd, "Shop Eglinton Day" Ontario’s [...]

MEDIA ADVISORY                                                                                                            [...]

MEDIA RELEASE New Colour-Coded Rating System for Toronto's Apartment Buildings Has Renters Seeing Red Councillor and Tenant Groups that initiated program raise concerns about City roll-out Toronto – The long-awaited RentSafe signage program has been released by City Staff. The apartment building rating system, similar to the City's "Dinesafe" program, will require landlords to post [...]

MEDIA ADVISORY Councillors Call for a 3-Point plan to address Eglinton Crosstown Delay Toronto, ON - Councillors Mike Colle and Josh Matlow will be holding a press conference today at 5:00 p.m. at the RioCan Yonge Eglinton Centre, at the northwest corner of Yonge and Eglinton, in response to today's announcement by Metrolinx that the [...]

January 8, 2020 Infrastructure and Environment Committee 100 Queen Street West Toronto, ON M5H 2N2 Re: IE 11.8 - Logistical and Legal Implications of Eliminating Right of Way Occupancy for Private Construction Projects and Potential Provision of Construction Management Plans at Rezoning Stage Dear Chair and Members, I am writing to request that you consider [...]

December 6th, 2019 Dear Residents, As your new City Councillor, there is nothing more important to me than the safety of our community. The repeated acts of violence committed over many years in our Oakwood-Vaughan neighbourhood is extremely upsetting and unacceptable. The fear and vulnerability residents in our community, and across our city, feel as [...]

November 26, 2019 Will Council Stand up to Protect Toronto's Tenants? RentSafe program and Rent Controls to be debated at Council tomorrow Toronto – Councillors will have an opportunity to protect tenants tomorrow through approving a strengthened RentSafe program and enforcing rent control on properties that have received City funding. Both of these measures are [...]