Have your say: 5¢ bag fee

The City of Toronto currently has a bylaw (Municipal Code Chapter 604, Packaging bylaw) which states that all retailers are to charge a minimum of 5¢ on all plastic bags. This money is collected by the retailer, and is not received by the City. Mayor Rob Ford has discussed plans to repeal section of the bylaw in the future.

We'd like to ask you for your opinion on this issue. Click on this link to send us your thoughts on whether this fee should or should not be repealed. Please include your full name, address, and phone number as anonymous comments will not be considered. All information collected will always remain confidential.

Alternatively, you can give our office a call at 416-392-1374. Once again be sure to leave your full contact information.

Useful Links
City of Toronto: 5 cent bag bylaw page
Municipal Code Chapter 604, Packaging bylaw

A message from Councillor Mike Del Grande

The 2010 Toronto Municipal Election is now over, and I'd like to thank all of those who supported me throughout the campaign. I pledge to continue serving Ward 39 and its residents in the coming four years.

Fact Sheet on Parking in Driveways and the New Zoning Bylaw

The topic of the new zoning bylaw and how it affects driveway parking has been receiving a lot attention in the media as of late. In response, the City has put up a fact sheet clarifying some of the issues involved. The fact sheet can be downloaded here (.pdf format).

TTC service change to 39 Finch East routes

A variety of service changes are coming to the 39 Finch East TTC bus routes, effective October 12th, 2010.

• General increase to 39 Finch East local non-express service.
• A brand new 199 Finch Rocket route, which stops at major express stops between Finch and Scarborough Town Centre.
• Some changes to the 139 Finch-Don Mills, which will now serve Senaca College westbound.

For more information, visit the TTC's website, or read on below.

What should I know about walking my dog off-leash? **UPDATED**

Can I walk my dog without a leash?
The city has designated off-leash parks which have special signage and designation, which can be seen here. Off-leash dog walking is prohibited in all other parks unless otherwise signed.

Where are the off-leash parks?
A list of off-leash dog parks can be found on the City's website, here.

Are there any off-leash parks in Scarborough?
At the moment there are no off-leash sites in Scarborough, however two sites have been proposed; Botany Hill Park at 277 Orton Park Road, and Wanita Park at 5 Meadowvale Road. Both sites are still in the evaluation process, and may or may not be converted into an off-leash area in the future. Blantyre Park at 180 Fallingbrook Road has already been denied application.

At the current moment, the off-leash park closest to our ward is Sunnybrook Park near Eglinton Avenue and Leslie Street.

What can we do to get an off-leash park in our neighbourhood?
The process for creation of an off-leash site is resident-driven. To establish an off-leash park, the area must have a local dog-owner association, and the association must then submit an Off-Leash Area Application Form.

**NEW** Ursula Hummel, a certified dog trainer and resident of our ward, is starting up just such an association. If you would like to help out, you can get in touch with her here.

What do I do if I see people walking their dogs without a leash in our ward?
Please give our office a call at 416-392-1374, or email us; we will forward your complaint to Toronto Animal Services. Be sure to include your name, address, and phone number so we can contact you, as well as the time and location of the incident.

Useful Links
Parks, Forestry, and Recreation
Toronto Animal Services
People, Dogs, and Parks
Off-Leash Dog FAQs
List of current off-leash areas
Off-Leash Area Application Form
List of proposed off-leash areas
List of denied applications for off-leash areas

Community Council Approves 975 Units at Bridlewood Mall on August 17th

Dear Friends and Neighbours

I had originally sent out an e-mail to all my councillor colleagues last month to defer this item until the neighbourhood got a good deal. Not one councillor responded to my e-mail.

I was told point blank by a councillor that my position would not be supported. From this, it was evident that lobbying had occurred by the Developer.

Consulting with members of the Citizen's Advisory Group and Stand Up Bridletowne I embarked to get a visible benefit for our community.

Subject to both City Council and Library Board Approvals:

The Bridlewood Library which is the 3rd busiest Community Library in Toronto will expand. It will move next to Shoppers Drug Mart commencing October 1st. Funding of $2.4 million dollars will be dedicated to the Library with $300,000 coming from Councillor Kelly's ward.

It will temporarily occupy 8,000 square feet with a further 1,200 square feet to be occupied. The Library will sign a 20 year lease.

Further the Advisory Group will have one last opportunity for changes and comments on the Finch Warden Revitalization Report which will go to Council.

The 975 units will be in two phases. The first will be 475 however, the Developer indicated that he would start with a 200 unit building to see how well he can sell units. There is still discussion that the full development can take 2-15 years. In the short term, Any building would commence in 2012. One amendment was accepted by Community Council to provide 1 car spot instead of a .9 spot for all one bed room units. I do not want to see cars overflow onto side streets.

Along with you, I was shocked that any development would occur on a parking lot. Unfortunately the Official Plan allows for this and without any height restrictions. The original proposal asked for about 1400 units with included tall towers of up to 38 stories. The tallest under this plan will be 25.

We could not stop this development and in addition, with the support of the Planning Department we did not have the resources to hire Community Planners and fight this at OMB. With Councillors on side it was a done deal.

I am grateful to Mr. Adam Brown, who while doing his job for the Developer, acknowledged my push to have something of substance (the Library) for the Community. A last minute agreement prior to the Community Council was worked out with the Library Staff, Developer and Mall Management.

The anxiety is over and a conclusion while not popular was rendered. I will have to monitor the effects of Traffic, Sewers, Electric Power,TTC service, social and other issues that may arise from this decision. As always, I ask you to help be my eyes and ears to alert me to problems or potential problems that may arise.

Thank you for working with me to make the best out of a very unpopular situation.

Mosquitoes test positive for West Nile Virus

With the warm summer weather also comes mosquitoes. While mosquitoes have always been pests, this year they also post a threat to our health. City Staff have informed me that a mosquito bearing the West Nile Virus has been found near our own ward, in the Birchmount and Sheppard area.

We urge all residents to take extra precautions when going out:
- Apply mosquito repellant to exposed skin
- Wear light coloured clothing
- Avoid being outdoors past dusk if possible
- Drain standing water where mosquitos can breed

For more information, see City's news release concerning mosquitoes below.

What should I know about parking on the street?

Whether it be from the people worried about their neighbours parking on the street, or those who receive tickets themselves, one of the issues we hear most often about concerns parking on the street. We've compiled some of the important information here so you can be prepared; whether it be to keep your streets clear or to avoid fines in the future.

Can I park on the street?
In the City of Toronto, unless otherwise signed, you are allowed to park on the street for up to three hours at a time. If you exceed that limit, whether it be at your house or not, you risk being fined. This includes overnight parking.

What do I do if neighbours are parking on my street for more than three hours?
As a resident, you can call Parking Enforcement at 416-808-6600. Give them all the information you can (where the car is parked, when and how long it's been parked, and if possible, the make, model, and license plate of the car.), and they will send out an officer to investigate.

If it is a recurring problem, call our office at 416-392-1374. We will contact Parking Enforcement on your behalf, and set up an extended parking detail.

What do I do if I've been issued a ticket?
You have two options, pay the fine, or dispute the ticket. You can make the payment online, in person, by mail, or by telephone. If you choose to dispute the ticket, you must bring the ticket to one of four Parking Tag Operations offices, and schedule an appearance in court. More information on both of these can be found in the links below.

I've been parking on the street for years, why did I only get a ticket now?
Parking on the street for over three hours has always been illegal. Because of the complaint-driven nature of enforcement, street parking may not always be ticketed right away.

Can I apply for a parking permit to let me park on the street?
Parking permits allow the holder to park in specified areas on-sreet at designated hours. Unfortunately, parking permits are not issued for the Scarborough area at the current moment. The permit program is only in effect for the cities of Toronto, East York, York, and limited parts of Etobicoke; generally in areas where driveways are not common. Plans for expansion are under consideration.

Why have I received a notice of violation when I was parked on my own driveway?
If you are parking on a widened portion of your driveway, this is a Property Standards violation. A good rule of thumb is that you should not be parking more vehicles side-by-side than will fit in your garage. You may also receive a Parking Enforcement for parking over the sidewalk or on the boulevard portion of your driveway, both of which are City property. We will be exploring both these issues in more depth a future article.

Useful links:
Parking offences that do not require signs
What to do if you've received a parking ticket
Online parking ticket payment system
Permit Parking in Toronto
Toronto Police Services: Parking Enforcement

Valleyview Garden Awards Nominations

We're working once again this year with our friends Valleyview Gardens to present Valleyview Garden Awards to some of Ward 39's best looking gardens. Each of the ten winners of the Valleyview Garden Awards will receive a $25 gift certificate donated by the garden centre. If you or someone you know have a great looking garden, drop us a line at 416-392-1374 or send us an email. Be sure to provide your name, address, and home telephone number so we can contact you. Entries close July 1st, so don't delay!

Useful Links
Valleyview Gardens
Email a nomination

Washing wisely - what you need to know when washing your car this summer

Before you wash your car this summer, you should know that the City of Toronto has by-laws regulating what can and can't be done to wash your vehicle. Read on to find out how you can avoid a stiff fine.

June 15, 2010

Washing wisely - what you need to know when washing your car this summer

With the warm weather upon us, many Toronto residents are taking the opportunity to add car washing to their list of weekend chores. Unfortunately, the water that comes from washing your car often contains dirt, oil, grease, heavy metals, hazardous chemicals and soaps - all of which enter local streams, rivers and Lake Ontario and can then harm aquatic habitat.

It is important to be aware that there are two types of sewer systems in the City of Toronto. The sanitary system takes the used water from homes and businesses to a wastewater treatment plant for cleaning. The storm sewer system - the square grates on the side of the road - takes rainwater and melted snow from the streets and releases it, untreated, into local streams, rivers and Lake Ontario.

To avoid having dirty water run into the storm sewer system, consider these options for washing your car:
• Use a commercial car wash facility. These facilities are required to follow a set of practices determined by the City, including treating wastewater and discharging it into the sanitary sewer system where it will receive further treatment.
• Find a location where the wastewater won’t flow into the storm sewer. For example, washing cars on a grassy lawn or gravel surface allows the wastewater to be absorbed by the soil. Washing the car on your lawn doubles the water use by giving your lawn a good watering at the same time.
• Dispose of the wastewater into the sanitary sewer. By using a pail, washcloth and only a small amount of water, and then wiping the car dry, the waste water can be contained in the bucket and disposed of into the sanitary sewer through a laundry sink or toilet.

When choosing one of the above car washing options, here are a few tips to stay green:
• Don’t use soap. Instead, use a small amount of environmentally friendly water-based detergent that is phosphate and NPE free. Many other car-care products also contain harmful chemicals which should be avoided.
• Don’t wash your car during drought conditions.
• Re-think the need to wash your car if rain is in the forecast.

The City of Toronto has a Sewers Bylaw that prohibits the discharge of any water other than storm water or melted snow into the storm sewers.

For more information, visit http://www.toronto.ca/water or call 311.

Toronto is Canada's largest city and sixth largest government, and home to a diverse population of about 2.6 million people. It is the economic engine of Canada and one of the greenest and most creative cities in North America. Toronto has won numerous awards for quality, innovation and efficiency in delivering public services. Toronto's government is dedicated to prosperity, opportunity and liveability for all its residents. For information about non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can dial 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Tax & Water Relief Programs for Low Income Seniors and Low Income Persons with a Disability

The City of Toronto offers tax and water relief programs for low income seniors and low income persons with a disability. If you are a senior and interested in this program, contact our office at 416-392-1374 as soon as possible to request an information package and application form. Application must be submitted by August 31, 2010.

Useful Links
City of Toronto: Property Tax

"Secret" Parking Ticket Cancellation Guidelines Revealed (UPDATED)

Toronto Parking Enforcement's secret parking ticket cancellation policies were made public by City Council yesterday, so here is your chance to take a look.

Download (18 pages, pdf format)

Update! The City of Toronto has published a press release concerning this document. A seperate version of the document can also be found within it.

News Release

June 9, 2010

City of Toronto releases guidelines on parking ticket cancellation

Toronto City Council yesterday approved the public release of the City's parking ticket cancellation guidelines. The guidelines outline the circumstances in which a City of Toronto parking ticket may be cancelled and the evidence required to support a parking ticket cancellation.

The City of Toronto uses established guidelines to help staff make informed, consistent decisions about parking ticket cancellations. Reasons for cancellation may include bylaw exemptions, an error in a parking ticket, an individual having a valid permit, or a medical emergency.

City staff at parking ticket counters review each disputed ticket and the evidence presented to understand the nature of the infraction and the circumstances surrounding the ticket issued, and to determine whether a cancellation is warranted.

Publishing the cancellation guidelines will help streamline the process for disputing a parking ticket and may reduce the number of requests for trials to dispute parking tickets. If a parking ticket does not meet the requirements for cancellation, or the proper evidence cannot be provided, individuals may choose to pay the ticket rather than request a trial.

The guidelines are available at http://toronto.ca/pay-toronto-tickets/pdf/cancellation_guidelines.pdf.

Toronto is Canada's largest city and sixth largest government, and home to a diverse population of about 2.6 million people. It is the economic engine of Canada and one of the greenest and most creative cities in North America. Toronto has won numerous awards for quality, innovation and efficiency in delivering public services. Toronto's government is dedicated to prosperity, opportunity and liveability for all its residents. For information about non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can dial 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Take A Load Off Toronto

Take A Load Off is a project from Toronto Hydro to help you to save $140 on an Energy Star qualified clothes washer at your local Home Depot or Caplan's Appliance store. When you purchase a qualified washing machine, you will receive an $80 instant rebate, a $60 mail-in rebate, and a free drying rack as well. For more information, visit the Take A Load Off Toronto website, but act soon, the offer expires June 30th.

Useful Links
Take A Load Off Toronto
Toronto Water: Water Efficiency
Toronto Hydro
The Home Depot Canada
Caplan's Appliances

Noise from Bank of Montreal Building

In the past few years, neighbours have complained to my office about noise in early mornings from the Bank of Montreal building at 4100 Gordon Baker Road. In response, I met with two BMO representatives on May 25. They explained the noise is created by diesel generators located in a trailer outside the building. The generators are necessary to provide back-up power in the event of a power outage.

Regular testing of the generators occurs every Tuesday at 5 p.m., and scheduled tests are conducted early in the morning three times a year. The next scheduled test is on June 12th. Neighbours have raised concerns to our office that these tests are performed too early in the morning, and as such BMO has agreed to push back the scheduled test time from 5 a.m. to past 8 a.m.. Be advised, however, that should there be a power outage, the generators may start at any time.

BMO has also agreed to conduct a noise audit to assess noise levels and ensure that they are within regulations. Neighbours have also suggested relocating the generators, to which BMO representatives explained that they are required to stay in their current location, due to the location of their power facilities.

Planning proposal for Bridlewood Mall from Bousfields Inc.

Urban planning and design firm Bousfields Inc. has submitted a planning proposal for the potential development at Bridlewood Mall. The complete document can be downloaded below. We have also provided a highlighted copy of the document which draws attention to some of the more pertinent points.

Highlighted Document
Original Document
Phasing Diagram

For more background, please see the Bridlewood Mall section of our website.

Careers in Toronto Public Service

The City of Toronto has an ongoing job postings section on the City website. Whether you are a student looking for a part-time summer job, or a professional looking for a full-time commitment, check the board regularly, as postings continue to cycle.

Community Clean-up Day

Community Clean-up Day was a great success this year. Concerned citizens of all ages from all over the ward came to pitch in on Saturday, April 24th, to make their community a better place to live.

Our office would like to extend a warm thank you to all the groups that helped out, including the Heathwood Ratepayers Association, the Bridletowne Park Church, the 5th & 13th Agincourt Scout Group, and Action for Neighbourhood Change Toronto

Waste Wizard - learn what to do with your waste materials

Need help sorting your garbage? Don't know what to do with a broken couch, or an old standing lamp? The City is here to help! The City's latest online project, the Waste Wizard, is a searchable database of what goes where on garbage day.

Give it a spin here.

If you need any additional help, please feel free to contact our office at 416-392-1374, or via email.

Ward 39 Grass Cutting Schedule

Spring is here, and the City of Toronto is commencing its grass cutting schedule this week. Weather permitting, the mowing crews will clear grass on major boulevards and islands throughout the ward on the specified dates, while a trimming crew will dispatched two days later.

The schedule for the next month in our ward is as follows:

April 27 - 28
South of Finch, north of Sheppard, between Birchmount and the railroad tracks east of Kennedy.

May 14 - 17
North of Finch, south of Steeles, between Birchmount and the railroad tracks east of Kennedy.

May 18
North of Finch, south of Steeles, between Victoria Park and Birchmount.

For grass cutting schedule for other parts of Scarborough, please see links below.

Useful Links
2010 Scarborough Grass Cutting Schedule: April 26 - May 18

Coffee with the Councillor

Our office would like to extend a warm thank you out to all residents who came out to Coffee with the Councillor on Saturday, April 11th. We were able to share some coffee with a variety of residents from across the ward, who each brought their own unique perspectives, opinions and issues to our table.

If you weren't able to make it out to our event or still have some issues and questions, please feel free to contact us here at the office at 416-392-1374.

City of Toronto reminds residents about its level of snow clearing service

Though it's been a relatively mild winter, we should never forget that snow is a fact of life here in Canada. The City of Toronto has issued this press release to let all residents know exactly when it will deal with snow on streets and sidewalks.

News Release
February 24, 2010

City of Toronto reminds residents about its level of snow clearing service

With a sizeable snowfall expected over the next few days, the City of Toronto is reminding residents and businesses about the levels of snow clearing the City provides.

Large snowfalls require a coordinated approach by the Citys staff and contractors to ensure that City streets and sidewalks are safe.

As soon as the snow begins, Transportation Services sends out its fleet of salt trucks to the expressways and the main roads. After this, the salt trucks will then move on to the local roads. If the City receives five centimetres of snow, the plows are sent to the expressways and main roads and plowing will take place for the duration of the storm.

When the snow stops and if the snow accumulation reaches eight centimetres, plows will be sent to the local roads. Normally, local road plowing will be completed between 14 and 16 hours after the storm has ended.

The City will clear snow from sidewalks on local roads where it is mechanically possible to do so after eight centimetres (five centimetres in January and February) of snow has fallen. In the central core of the city, property owners are required to clear their sidewalks of snow 12 hours after a storm has taken place. To learn more about sidewalk snow clearing in Toronto and to view a map of where the service takes place, click on http://www.toronto.ca/transportation/snow.

The City of Torontos levels of service for snow clearing meet or exceed those set by the Province of Ontario for municipalities and road authorities. These levels of service were adopted by Toronto City Council in 2009.

Residents who have questions about snow clearing efforts in their area can call 311.

The City has 600 snow plows, 300 sidewalk plows and 200 salt trucks ready to tackle the winter season.

If you experience any additional difficulty with your snow removal service, please feel free to give our office a call at 416-392-1372.

TTC Online Trip Planner

The TTC has recently released the latest beta of their online Trip Planner. By inputting a starting point and a destination within the city, the service will attempt to find the most efficient TTC routing to get you there the Better Way.

Give it a try here.

Remember to always give yourself enough extra time for walking distances and to be mindful of traffic situations, as they are not included in the system's trip calculation.

Your Opinion Counts! - Rooming houses

In response to an opinion article printed in the Toronto Star (Uniform rules for rooming houses, Jan 11, 2010), I have drafted this letter:

As the Chair of the Scarborough Community Council I have the task to represent the unanimous position taken by Community Council to voice our concerns against the debate of allowing rooming houses "as a right" in any neighbourhood.

There is no opposition for uniform rules for rooming houses where they are allowed. In Scarborough, legal second suites plus the housing of up to two boarders as a right has addressed the argument of affordable accommodation.

The notion of illegal rooming houses becoming legal is a fantasy. There is no right of entry for inspection. These units whether legal or illegal are a business, yet, classified as single family homes paying the same taxes. They also create issues in the neighbourhood which, with limited City By-law Resources, can be addressed usually in a non timely manner.

The City has spent millions on affordable housing. To pretend that nothing is being done is wrong.

Councillor Milczyn pointed out in debate, that the proponents for rooming houses stoop to condemn those opposed as racists, bigots, uncaring etc. These insults are typical when points or concern are raised and are answered with name calling. The Star has joined that name calling by saying "these councillors have shirked their responsibilities and delayed much-needed change, that we have our heads in the sand".

I would remind the name callers that our responsibility is to represent the communities that we serve in a balanced and fair manner.

The version that was printed in the Toronto Star can be found here (Clearing air on rooming houses, Jan 18, 2010). My letter was also printed in the Scarborough Mirror.

I want to ask you, my constituents, what you think of this issue. Your opinion counts in Ward 39, so click here to let me know how you feel in the comments section of this post.

Finch Warden Area Study status report

Item SC31.20 (Finch Warden Area Revitalization Study & 2900 Warden Avenue Official Plan and Zoning By-law Ammendment - Status Report) was presented this week in Scarborough Community Council. The item contained a status report (link) concerning both the Finch-Warden Revitalization Study and the building application.

Staff have been directed to finalize the report and continue to evaluate the proposed development in accordance with the report. A meeting will also be convened between the developer and myself concerning Section 37 monies. The finalized report will be presented at a future Scarborough Community Council meeting before heading to council.

Useful links:
Scarborough Community Council decision document
Staff status report
Finch-Warden Area Revitalization Study Report

Real estate agent jailed, fined $1M for grow-op scheme (Toronto Star)

Reprinted from The Toronto Star, December 22nd, 2009:

"A Markham real estate agent who turned 54 rented homes into Canada's largest-known illegal marijuana grow-op was sentenced Tuesday to five years in prison and fined more than $1 million."

Read more...