Category: News from Ward 23

City Finances & “Revenue Tools” – Consultation December 7.

Post Date December 2, 2016

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Category City Hall Debates, Local Events, News from City Hall, News from Ward 23

The City of Toronto needs to take a hard look at how it collects revenue, both to maintain and improve services and to finance major projects including public transit, affordable housing and other infrastructure needs. While finding spending efficiencies is an important part of this equation, capital priorities cannot continue to be funded almost exclusively from the property tax base. John strongly supports the City’s active exploration of additional revenue tools that would more fairly spread the tax burden. He also opposes the idea of selling off …

John Calls on Province to Broaden Camera Enforcement

Post Date November 30, 2016

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Author Markus O'Brien-Fehr

Category News from Ward 23, Transportation & Transit

Over the past several months, John and his staff have had conversations with local community groups and senior officers at TPS 32 Division discussing enforcement strategies in an overly congested traffic environment. Too often, even when a uniformed officer is available to observe a traffic infraction on a busy road like Yonge Street, they will avoid issuing a ticket as this process would take out a lane of traffic for 10-15 minutes. The recommendation from local Superintendent Sam Fernandes has been to work towards camera enforcement …

New Programs at Mitchell Field – Winter Registration December 6

Post Date November 28, 2016

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Author Markus O'Brien-Fehr

Category News from Ward 23

Have you checked out Mitchell Field Community Centre recently? Over the past several months there have been some great additions including a new youth lounge and expansion of many children and youth programs. New program highlights include Young Women in Action, an upcoming 3-on-3 basketball tournament, cooking programs for kids, drop-in volleyball programs for adults and much more. Staff are also working on developing a new advisory council for residents wishing to participate in programming. For more information call Jasmine at 416-395-0262. Or look for the …

Provincial Review of the Ontario Municipal Board

Post Date November 25, 2016

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Author Markus O'Brien-Fehr

Category Development Issues, News from Ward 23

A key item currently under review is the future role of the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB). The OMB is an un-elected body appointed by the Province that his final say over all planning decisions in our city. Ontario is the only province in Canada which has a body that takes planning approvals out of the hands of local representatives. In our community this has often led to large amounts of OMB approved residential development never considered by the City’s Official Plan.

John is a strong advocate …

From City Hall: New Ward Boundaries Approved

Post Date November 12, 2016

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Author Markus O'Brien-Fehr

Category City Hall Debates, News from City Hall, News from Ward 23

With the population of Ward 23 now over 100,000 – literally more than double other wards in Toronto – and development rates among the greatest in the City, John was pleased to see the City take action to re-align the City’s wards making population sizes more equitable. Either the 44 or the 47-ward models that went before Council would have broken up Ward 23. John voted with the majority to expand council slightly (to 47 wards) to accommodate the high growth rates being experienced across …

Yonge-401 Interchange (UPDATED)

Post Date November 7, 2016

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Author Markus O'Brien-Fehr

Category News from Ward 23, Transportation & Transit

Update:

In late October, John joined representatives from the Yonge Corridor Condominium Association, West Lansing Homeowners Associationand West Willowdale Neighbourhood Association for a meeting they arranged at Queen’s Park with Willowdale MPP David Zimmer and Ontario Minister of Transportation Steven Del Duca. The focus of discussion was the ongoing delays in proceeding to an Environmental Assessment (EA) of the Yonge Street/Highway 401 interchange improvements.

Residents, along with John, expressed their frustration over the stalling of a Feasibility Study in 2015. In the summer of 2016, the Province announced …

Updates to Olive Square

Post Date October 21, 2016

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Author Markus O'Brien-Fehr

Category News from Ward 23, Park Improvements

City parks are a place where children from all cultures naturally play together. John is looking to take this one step further by creating a simple way for residents of different communities to share their childhood games and celebrating the diverse culture of the North York Centre.

The first attempt to do so will be at Olive Square, located near the southeast corner of Yonge & Finch, a location with a very large number of residents of Korean, Persian, Chinese and other heritage. Many of these …

Lee Lifeson Art Park Opening – September 17

Post Date September 14, 2016

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Author Markus O'Brien-Fehr

Category Local Events, News from Ward 23, Park Improvements, Toronto Mayor

In recent years we have had the great fortune of opening a new park virtually annually in Willowdale. 2016 is particularly special as our community’s new Lee Lifeson Art Park – located between Princess and Hillcrest Avenues at Gladys Allison Place – will be not only celebrate the arts in our community and beyond, but will honour two hugely successful artists with local origins.

The initiative to create an art park, and to name it after Willowdale natives Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, originated with John in …

Toronto Ward Boundary Review (UPDATED)

Post Date September 7, 2016

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Author Markus O'Brien-Fehr

Category Local Events, News from City Hall, News from Ward 23

Update (Sept. 2016):

The City continues to tinker with ward boundary recommendations to resolve the current imbalance in Toronto ward populations. Our Ward 23 now holds more than double the residents of others in the city.

Council’s Executive Committee rejected the recommendation of its third-party consultant in May asking for a new proposal consistent with the current 44-ward system, or aligning where possible, with federal and provincial boundaries.

Another public consultation event has been planned in our community forMonday, September 19 at the North York Civic Centre from …

Registration for Recreation Programs – Sept. 13

Post Date September 5, 2016

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Author Markus O'Brien-Fehr

Category Local Events, News from Ward 23

Local families registering for fall recreation programs through the City should be ready to go! Registration opens in North York at 7 AM on Tuesday, September 13. To register, make sure you have your family and client numbers and visit http://www.toronto.ca/torontofunThe system has been upgraded this fall to allow for easier navigation finding programs of interest and expanded to allow 25% more traffic on the server at any given time.

The City also continues the process of replacing its online registration process expecting to have a …

Cultura Festival – July 8, 15, 22 & 29

Post Date July 1, 2016

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Author Markus O'Brien-Fehr

Category Local Events, News from Ward 23

The place to be every Friday night in July is Mel Lastman Square as Cultura returns for its seventh season. The festival, which John founded and still oversees is a free celebration of music, dance, food and film.

The show starts at 6 PM with strolling musicians, international street food, colourful buskers and family activities. It continues through the evening with a major musical act at 8 PM followed by top buskers and a feature movie in the Square’s amphitheatre at dusk.

Program highlights include:

Friday, July 8
Main stage: …

Ward 23 Community Environment Day – July 9

Post Date June 20, 2016

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Author Markus O'Brien-Fehr

Category Local Events, News from Ward 23

Our annual Ward 23 Community Environment Day has been scheduled for Saturday, July 9 from 10 AM to 2 PM at Earl Haig Secondary School (100 Princess Ave)

Reuse, Recycle and Safely Dispose

Do your part in creating a cleaner, greener and more liveable Toronto. Bring us your unused and unwanted household items and you will help to:

Extend the life of a product by offering it to someone for reuse.
Reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and ensure that it is properly recycled.
Ensure that hazardous waste materials are …