Dear Neighbours,
Some good things are happening in our community! The tunnel boring for the Ontario Line has started at Exhibition Station. The board of Exhibition Place launched a proposal to redevelop the grounds into a dynamic and green public space. And the long awaited East Waterfront LRT now has funding to get started.
Thanks to everyone who joined me at the Easter Scramble at CityPlace on April 5th. Despite the cool and drizzly weather, it brought hundreds of children and neighbours together for a fun afternoon of egg hunting at Canoe Landing Park.
Lots of fun at the CityPlace Easter Scramble
April is Earth Month, and it’s hard not to be concerned about the environmental challenges facing our riding. The province is eyeing Billy Bishop Airport using Bill 5 which allows them to declare the airport a Special Economic Zone, granting the power to override any provincial or municipal law environmental protections. This could put sensitive habitats at risk and weaken safeguards around environmental assessments and species conservation.
Toronto’s waterfront is already under pressure, with the redevelopment of Ontario Place, a proposed artificial island for a new convention centre, and potential expansion of the Island airport operations to include jets. Adding to these concerns is the Premier’s recent announcement of a $30 million, publicly funded private jet. At a time when families need better access to education, affordable housing, and health care, many will question whether this is the right priority.
Join me for two important events coming up this month: A Waterfront Town Hall on Monday, April 20, 7:00 pm at East Bayfront Community Centre, and The Future of Recycling Virtual Town Hall on Monday, April 27 at 6:30 pm. See details on these events below.
Four major bills are moving through the Legislature that will impact Toronto and surrounding communities. If you are interested, you can speak to three of them at committee hearings. The bills are:
Bill 97, Plan to Protect Ontario Act: This is the 2026 budget bill, but buried within it, is a provision to gut the Freedom of Information Act so that the Premier does not have to abide by a court order to release his phone records. The government has introduced legislation so that the public will not have an opportunity to speak at committee on this bill.
Bill 98, Building Homes and Improving Transportation Infrastructure Act: Gives the provincial government the power to set fares and make service delivery decisions for the TTC. More information below.
Bill 100, Better Regional Governance Act: This bill takes away the right of community members to elect regional chairs in Durham, Halton, Muskoka, Niagara, Peel, Waterloo, York and Simcoe. The appointed chairs and one third of elected councillors would then be able to overrule a vote of two thirds of elected councillors. The bill goes further. Some councillors will have more than one vote. The minister will assign how many votes each councillor has. The bill is truly an attack on our democratic rights.
Bill 101, Putting Student Achievement First Act: This bill proposes to reduce the number of TDSB trustees so that 12 trustees making an honorarium of $10,000 each, would be responsible for overseeing 370,000 students at 600 schools. More information below.
To speak at Committee Hearings on Bills 98, 100, or 101, visit: https://www.ola.org/en/apply-committees
Touring the construction site of the new Ontario Line Exhibition Station
My team and I had the opportunity to tour the Ontario Line construction site at Exhibition Station in Liberty Village, where we saw firsthand the progress being made. This week marks a major milestone, as tunnelling has officially begun: two tunnel boring machines have started their journey 40 metres below ground at Exhibition Station, excavating twin tunnels that will stretch 15.6 kilometres to the Don Yard in the east end of the riding near the Distillery District. You can find more information about the tunnelling process here and an updated Construction Notice here.
The names for the downtown stations have also been finalized:
- King-Bathurst is now King West
- Queen-Spadina is now Chinatown
- Corktown is now Distillery District
Congratulations to West Camera for 40 years of service
There are plenty of Earth Day events and neighbourhood cleanups happening in the riding! Be sure to check out my updated list of Fun Things to Do.
As always it is an incredible honour to serve as your MPP.
Sincerely,
Latest News
Waterfront Town Hall Apr 20
Join me for an important town hall on the future of Toronto’s waterfront. The Ontario government is considering changes to expand Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. This proposal could have significant impacts on our community—from increased noise and pollution to broader questions about the future of our waterfront.
Join myself, Chris Glover (MPP for Spadina—Fort York), Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik (Ward 10 City Councillor), and other Toronto MPPs and City Councillors for a conversation about what this could mean for our community.
This town hall is an opportunity to get the facts, ask questions, and have your voice heard.
Monday, April 20, 2026 – 7:00 pm
East Bayfront Community Centre
261 Queens Quay E (at Merchants’ Wharf)
Located on the main floor of the Aqualuna (copper building)
RSVP for the In-Person Town Hall
Future of Recycling Town Hall Apr 27
Join MPP Chris Glover (Spadina-Fort York) and MPP Peter Tabuns (Toronto Danforth), Shadow Minister for Environment, for this important discussion on the state of the recycling program in Ontario.
Guest speakers:
Karen Wirsig, Senior Program Manager, Plastics, Environmental Defence
Rein Maynard, University of Toronto Trash Team
Michael Skaljin, Project Director (Acting), Business Transformation, Solid Waste Management Services, City of Toronto
This town hall with try to answer the following:
- In what ways is our current system working?
- In what ways is our current system ineffective?
- What is producer-responsibility recycling?
- How is Circular Materials handling recycling in Ontario differently?
- Is our current system effective with respect to climate impact?
The Future of Recycling in Ontario
Monday, April 27 at 6:30 pm
Register here (Zoom link will be emailed the day of the event.)
Exhibition Place Reveals New Vision Plan
I’m encouraged by the new vision for Exhibition Place, which focuses on creating a vibrant, year-round public space with expanded green areas, local vendors, and cultural events. The plan was revealed yesterday by CEO Don Boyle, and aims to make the grounds more welcoming and accessible for residents and visitors alike.
Key elements include Festival Plaza, offering flexible space for up to 20,000 guests, along with Nexus Park, an updated Food Building, and a market area, all designed to support year-round use. Together, these features will strengthen Exhibition Place as an accessible, active, and well-connected public destination.
This city-led approach focuses on community use, accessibility, and meaningful public consultation, ensuring Toronto residents have a real say in how this project evolves. I’ll continue advocating for a process that respects the community and protects our shared public assets.
I remain concerned with the Ontario government’s plans for a massive convention centre and expanded Island airport on the waterfront. I encourage you to join the public discussions underway about the future of Toronto’s waterfront.
Ontario Budget Increases Debt, Doesn’t Help Ontarians
A new report from Ontario’s Financial Accountability Office (FAO) highlights growing concerns about the province’s finances and the impact on public services. The FAO projects that Ontario’s debt could approach $500 billion within the next 18 months, with rising interest payments taking up a larger share of the budget.
Budget 2026 was an opportunity to deliver hope and relief for Ontarians during difficult times, but failed to deliver. With all of these cuts, where is all the money going? I am concerned that billions of taxpayer dollars are being spent on vanity projects while critical services remain chronically underfunded.
Key Numbers:
- Total program spending: $227B. This is slightly up from 2025, which was $222.4B
- Total Revenue: $231.9B (projected)
- 2025 revenue up $6.7B from original projections
- Total deficit: $13.8B, up from the projected $7.8B for 2026-27 in the previous budget
- Contingency fund: $1.5B
- Total Net Debt: $485B (2026 projected). Up from $323B in 2017/2018
Cuts:
- $147.9M cut to Education
- $69.2M in cuts to Post Secondary Education. Underspent $385M last year.
- $118.9M cut to Attorney General
- $446.4M underspent for Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade and cut it a further $40M in Budget 2026
- $39M cut to Energy and Mines
- $116M cut to Finance
- $56.3M cut to Infrastructure
- $344.7M cut to Municipal Affairs and Housing
- $175.5M cut to Natural Resources
- $219.9M cut to Public Business Service Delivery and Procurement
- Underspent “Other programs” by over $4 billion in 2025
- $121M cut to Emergency Forest Fighting
- $1.7M cut from Francophone Affairs
What’s Missing:
- Nothing for renters, nothing on grocery prices, no real relief
- Cuts to education and no plan to address staffing shortages
- $347 million cut and no plan to deliver affordable homes
- $486 million cut to job creation and training with no support for workers
Province Makes Sweeping Changes to Education
The Ontario government has introduced Bill 101, Putting Student Achievement First Act, legislation that will significantly change how school boards operate.
The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) is the third-largest school board in North America. It currently has 22 trustees making $25,000/year that oversee 370,000 students, 40,000 staff, 600 schools, and a $4.1 billion budget. The plan is to cut this down to 12 trustees at $10,000/year.
The government’s biggest criticism of trustees is that they weren’t making cuts fast enough to make up for the provincial funding shortfalls. So they will now be appointing a CEO who will make the cuts faster.
I’m concerned that this move shuts parents and communities out of our own schools. By further controlling appointments, budgets, and restricting what trustees can discuss, this government is centralizing decision-making in Queen’s Park and sidelining local voices.
Key measures of the bill include:
Trustee changes
- Reduce Toronto District School Board trustees from 22 to 12
- Cap trustee pay at $10,000 and limit expenses
- Scale back trustee decision-making powers
New leadership roles
- Director of Education now known as a CEO (with a business background) to oversee budgets and operations
- Introduce a Chief Education Officer to focus on student achievement
- Shift key financial decisions away from trustees to these roles and the province
Increased provincial oversight
- Greater authority over school board finances, communications, and capital projects
- Ability to intervene in or redirect major projects
Classroom changes
- Grade attendance and participation (15% for grades 9/10; 10% for grades 11/12)
- Mandatory written exams on official exam days
Board communications
- New policies to govern school communications that limit trustees and other elected officials
Negotiating collective agreements
- Legislation suggests the Council of Ontario Directors of Education as the central bargaining agency for provincewide negotiations
- CEOs ratify local agreements
If you’d like to have your say about this bill, see the information in the article below.
Community Hearings: Bill 98 & Bill 101
The Ontario government has tabled a time allocation motion that outlines committee process for Bill 98 (Building Homes and Improving Transportation Infrastructure) and Bill 101 (Putting Student Achievement First).
Members of the public can participate in the committee process by requesting to appear or submitting written comments through the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Full details here.
Bill 98
Toronto is the only major city in North America that does not receive transit operating funding from higher levels of government. Even without providing funding, the Province is asserting greater authority over how municipal transit systems operate, including setting fare structures, integration requirements, and service standards through legislation.
Dates & Deadlines:
- Deadline to request to appear at hearing: Thur, Apr 23, 4 pm
- Prioritized list of presenters due: Fri, Apr 24, 2 pm
- Hearings: Mon, May 4, 9 am-10:15 am; 1-6pm
- Deadline for written submissions: Mon, May 4, 6 pm
- Deadline for filing amendments: Mon, May 4, 7 pm
- Clause by Clause: Thur, May 7, 9 am-10:15 am; 1-6 pm
Bill 101
Our schools have faced 30 years of cuts to staff and programs because provincial funding has not kept up with inflation to maintain the same level of service year to year. The government has been critical of school trustees for not making cuts fast enough to keep up with the funding shortfalls.
Dates & Deadlines:
- Deadline to request to appear at hearing: Wed, Apr 22, 4 pm
- Prioritized list of presenters due: Thur, Apr 23, 2 pm
- Hearings: Mon, Apr 27, 10 am-12 pm; 1-5 pm
- Deadline for written submissions: Mon, Apr 27, 6 pm
- Deadline for filing amendments: Tue, Apr 28, 12 pm
- Clause by Clause: Thur, Apr 30, 10 am-12 pm; 1-6 pm
Toronto Prepares for Court Fight Over Ontario Place and Island Airport
Toronto City Council has voted to seek intervenor status in a Supreme Court case challenging the province’s redevelopment of Ontario Place and takeover of Billy Bishop.
The Ontario Place case, headed by Ontario Place Protectors, is now headed to the Supreme Court of Canada, and calls for a full environmental assessment of the government’s mega-spa plan. Ontario Place Protectors’ legal challenge centres on the Rebuilding Ontario Place Act, passed by the Ontario legislature in 2023, which gives the province sweeping powers to transform the grounds on Toronto’s waterfront. New lands, including Exhibition Place, were added to the law in fall 2025.
The Supreme Court will consider whether the law restricts court oversight and raises broader issues about governments’ responsibility for public lands. Toronto is one of several governments seeking to participate.
The motion now before council instructs city lawyers to report back by the next council meeting in late April. Stay tuned!
Transit Coming to the East Waterfront
The Government of Canada, Province of Ontario, and City of Toronto have committed to a cost-sharing agreement to advance Waterfront East Transit. The $3 billion funding agreement secures the Waterfront East Light Rail Transit (WELRT) project, connecting Union Station to the Port Lands, including Quayside and Ookwemin Minising.
This 3.8 km extension will feature a dedicated route along Queens Quay East to Cherry Street and Commissioners Street, aiming to support 75,000 new homes, 150,000 residents, and 50,000 daily riders by the early 2030s. The project, managed by Waterfront Toronto in partnership with the City of Toronto and TTC, is a critical step in building the Waterfront Transit Network Expansion.
Exhibition Station Virtual Open House Apr 22
Metrolinx will host a virtual information session for community members to learn more about the next phase of construction work for the future Exhibition Station.
Ontario Line Exhibition Station Virtual Information Session
April 22, 2026 – 6:00-7:30 pm
Register for the session here.
Ombudsman Dubé Wraps 10-Year Term with Final Report
Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dubé has marked the end of his 10-year term with a special report released March 24. A Decade of Promoting Fairness: Expanding Access, Impact and Value highlights major expansions to the Office’s mandate, dozens of investigations and hundreds of thousands of cases, and the impact on Ontarians.
With Ombudsman Dubé’s departure, Deputy Ombudsman Barbara Finlay will be designated as Interim Ombudsman until the Legislative Assembly appoints a new Ombudsman.
Ontario Line Community Art Pilot
This spring, the Ontario Line will launch a Community Art Pilot with the Ontario Transit Group and STEPS Public Art, turning construction hoarding at four sites – King-Bathurst, Queen-Spadina, Moss Park, and Corktown – into public art.
Shaped by community feedback, the program will support local artists and reflect neighbourhood identity while making construction areas more welcoming. A call for artists is expected in late April-early May, with installations planned for Fall 2026.
The upcoming artist call will be announced at akimbo.ca so keep your eye on it!
YongeTOmorrow Public Consultation
Yonge Street, a key destination in downtown Toronto, is being considered for improvements to pedestrian space and mobility between College/Carlton and Queen Streets. The City of Toronto is holding a public consultation where the community can provide input at key stages throughout the project. Details here.
Public Drop-in Event
April 21, 2026 – 5:30-8:30 pm
Presentation: 7-8 pm
Central YMCA, 20 Grosvenor Street, Auditorium/Second Floor
Survey
Complete the survey before May 5.
Toronto Air Conditioner Program for Low-Income Seniors
This year, the Air Conditioner Assistance Program has expanded. In addition to supporting seniors, it now includes a new eligibility stream for pregnant individuals and parents or legal guardians of infants. Last year, 500 air conditioners were distributed to Toronto seniors. This year, the program has been expanded to provide a minimum of 1,000 units.
The City is offering a limited number of free air conditioners to low-income eligible tenants, aimed at helping vulnerable people stay safe during extreme heat. The application period is now until April 21, 2026. Details here.
Check eligibility and apply at: toronto.ca/ACprogram
2026 Census Coming in May
The next Census of Population will begin May 4, 2026. Census data provides essential insights that help elected officials understand the needs of their communities, supporting effective planning, representation, and delivery of government programs and services.
Starting in May, Canadian households will receive a census invitation letter in the mail with a Secure Access Code and instructions on how to complete their questionnaire. All information is collected under the authority of the Statistics Act and will be kept strictly confidential.
Find out more by visiting census.gc.ca.
Award for Advancing Democracy Through Education
The Elizabeth Dowdeswell Award for Advancing Democracy Through Education honours the legacy of Ontario’s 29th Lieutenant Governor by recognizing educators who use innovative teaching to promote democratic values and civic engagement. Two recipients will each receive a one-time award of $7,500 to support further education or educational initiatives.
Eligibility: Nominees (including self-nominations) must be Ontario residents and active elementary or secondary school educators (full- or part-time) in a public or private institution. The deadline for nominations is May 31, 2026. Details here.
Stay Safe and Informed This Spring
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) reminds residents to stay cautious and aware of changing water conditions during the spring season. Warmer air temperatures and melting snow and ice can create hazardous conditions near rivers, lakes, and streams.
Follow these safety tips around water:
- Call 911 in an emergency. Rescuing someone from cold or fast-moving water is extremely dangerous.
- Exercise caution around all water bodies.
- Avoid recreational activities in or around water.
- Keep family and pets away from rivers and streams.
- Never drive through flooded roads. Even shallow water may be deeper than it appears.
TRCA’s Flood Forecasting and Warning Program monitors watershed and weather conditions and issues flood messages to municipalities and emergency services and members of the public who subscribe. Sign up to receive real-time flood information at trca.ca/floodmessages.
MPP Scrolls for Special Occasions
Turning 30, 40, 80, 90 or 100? Celebrate a significant birthday with a certificate from my office.
Is there a new addition to your family? Send the name of your baby, the parents’ names and other relevant information and we’ll send a “Welcome to the World” certificate to celebrate this special event.
