Toronto Council meets today! They’re set to talk protest bubble zones, access to Toronto Islands, a new High Park shuttle, crisis support workers on the TTC, and more. It’ll start at 9:30 a.m. You can watch the stream here. I’ll post what transpires. www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLkD...
For a full preview of the agenda, which also includes items about the bad-but-used-to-be-worse state of city infrastructure, easy bake ovens in parks, and replacing Jennifer McKelvie, check out the latest edition of my City Hall Watcher newsletter. toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/bursting-t...
Mayor Olivia Chow has designated an Ombudsman investigation into an incident where the city left rooming house tenants without heat and hot water for six months — not great! — as her first key matter, so it’ll be up first. Second will be an item about bolstering community crisis emergency response.
The meeting kicks off with a salute to Toronto Paramedic Services. They're celebrating their 50th birthday. Mayor Chow also thanks paramedics everywhere, because it's Paramedic Service Week. There are historic ambulances on display at Nathan Phillips Square.
We get a cool video of the history of Toronto paramedics. Fifty years ago, a bunch of services were amalgamated to create the agency.
Council takes a quick vote on the noisy matter of leaf blowers. Direction to go forward with a public education campaign instead of pursuing a ban on two-stroke engine equipment CARRIES 18-5. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
For those interested and playing along at home, Council has scheduled the bubble zone protest bylaw as the first item of business for TOMORROW. No bubble talk until then.
Up first: the Ombudsman's report on the city's failure to properly help out rooming house tenants who were left without heat and hot water for six months. Ombudsman Kwame Addo is in the room and he's got a presentation for us. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
The Ombudsman tells the story. After a rooming house fire resulted in the utilities turning off service, Municipal Licensing & Standards decided not to enforce a bylaw that would require restoration of service. "They were more sympathetic to the landlord than to the tenants."
Ombudsman: "As fall turned to winter, the tenants remained in unhabitable conditions. They slept under multiple blankets. Wore jackets to bed. Had their clothing and bedding ruined by mildew. And lived without running water to cook or bathe. One tenant described it as torture."
The ombudsman found that the city hall staff were not properly trained. "They didn't know they could compel the landlord to restore services and that the bylaw had been breached. They thought it was simply a landlord-tenant dispute."
"Taken together, the actions and omissions of city staff were not consistent with a human rights-based approach to housing. Staff, both in [Eviction Prevention] and MLS, were unaware of the Toronto Housing Charter which requires the city to act in support of vulnerable tenants."
Mayor Olivia Chow asks MLS Director Carleton Grant why it took "more than a week" to take action after they learned of the rooming house fire. "The officer and the supervisor did not follow established processes ... they failed miserably to meet the timeline," admits Grant.
Councillor Josh Matlow asks Grant if his department might get better results if they just went in and fixed issues themselves, charging landlords for the cost. Grant says that's a fair question, but notes his department gets "voluntary compliance" 93% of the time.
"We cannot become every building's property manager," says Grant. He also notes that when his department does take "remedial action" and bills landlords, some councillors tend to object and call it an overreach.
Councillor Paula Fletcher raises the spectre of work-from-home, asking Grant if some of his bylaw officers are working a "three-and-two" schedule (presumably three days in office, two days at home). Grant says his managers are in office "four days a week, sometimes five."
On the Ombudsman report, Mayor Olivia Chow moves for a report on switching things up so that City contractors just do the work required to fix high-priority tenant problems, billing the landlord for the cost of the job.
Chow says it's unacceptable that city workers heard the pleas of these tenants eight times, and did nothing. She said MLS staff "completely ignored — or didn't care — whether someone living in this city could survive in the middle of winter without heat, without running water."
"What does that tell us? What kind of culture do we have in our public service that ignores the essential needs of the public?" wonders Chow. "I am not confident we have fixed this kind of culture. But I will not stand by — I will not allow this kind of behaviour to happen."
"What kind of department are we running?" Chow wonders re: Municipal Licensing & Standards. "We have to root this out. We have to establish a system that makes people more accountable ... those that are not performing should not be tolerated."
Councillor Perks calls this a "terrible failure", adding that councillors need to "look in the mirror." "Between when the City of Toronto was amalgmated and 2023, this council ignored every opportunity to improve the services that we offer to people living in rooming houses."
Councillor Josh Matlow moves a couple of motions: - Expanding the scope of Chow's motion re: city-initiated repairs to include mold and pest management. - Provide an annual report of "priority one" bylaw violations.
"There are times for carrots, but there are times for sticks. And when a tenant is living in deplorable, unhealthy and unsafe conditions, it's time to wield that stick. To get a contractor in there and get it fixed — and charge [the landlord] after the fact," says Matlow.
"I think, above all, this is a report about how landlords exploit tenants for rent in the City of Toronto," says Councillor Alejandra Bravo. "And that this is happening all across this city."
Councillor Paula Fletcher moves to add some specific requests to the follow-up to the Ombudsman report scheduled for September. Notably, she wants to know what happened to the staffers who screwed this up. "I am assuming that will be an in-camera report."
Councillor Fletcher: "Normally I thank city staff, but I cannot thank city staff here. Because every single staff handling this file went home to heat, went home to water and went home to power, while these folks were living in these conditions. It is SHAMEFUL."
Fletcher: "Why would you need more training to keep people safe in their home? We should be a caring city. We don't need more training to know that somebody needs heat, light and power ... you just need common sense! And that's what was missing."
This is another example of the significant shift happening under Chow versus Tory. Under Tory, councillors rarely criticized staff in public like this. Matlow even got docked pay for doing it. There's definitely more appetite for demanding public accountability now.
Councillor Michael Thompson: "Let's call it what it is. It isn't simply a lack of training. It really is a lack of respect. It's really about the fact that people who don't have power are treated in a different way ... it's a systemic, racist system that fails people."
The part of Mayor Chow's motion to make additional investments in the Eviction Prevention program to support people in rooming houses CARRIES 21-1.
All other motions CARRY via show of hands. But Holyday also votes against the Ombudsman recommendations re: the Eviction Prevention program (21-1). All other Ombudsman recommendations CARRY unanimously, 22-0.
And that brings us to the matter of lunch. Council will return at 2 p.m. There are 53 items left on the agenda.
Council is back. They start the afternoon session with a moment of silence for the three children who were killed by a driver in a crash near Highway 401 over the weekend.
Mayor Olivia Chow takes a moment to congratulate a couple of new appointments: Councillor Paul Ainslie is the new (honourary) deputy mayor for Scarborough, while Councillor Paula Fletcher is the new chair of the Infrastructure & Environment Committee.
Up now: a pair of related items about public safety. Mayor Olivia Chow passed motions at committee calling for reports on ways to divert more 911 calls to the Community Crisis Service and put more crisis workers on the TTC.
Councillor Dianne Saxe says she's getting reports from the Kensington BIA that, following the closure of safe injection sites, "routinely there are 40-60 drug users and drug dealers congregating and basically intimidating at the entrance to Kensington Market."
Mayor Olivia Chow says she is "actively trying to push other levels of government" to support Toronto's community crisis service. She says mental health should really be funded by the provincial and federal governments.
Councillor Stephen Holyday moves to create an online toolkit that can help people create Neighbourhood Watch groups. He also wants to look at a process for installing Neighbourhood Watch signs.
Holyday says some neighbourhoods in his Etobicoke Centre ward have installed signs indicating the existence of a Neighbourhood Watch WhatsApp group. He says it's working well at preventing and reducing crime.
Mayor Olivia Chow says she likes the idea of Neighbourhood Watch signs, but doesn't love the WhatsApp reference on the sign. "Does it have to be WhatsApp?" Holyday says no. It's just an example.
Councillor Jon Burnside asks, given the city already has a ton of signs, "most of which are ignored", is there any evidence that Neighbourhood Watch signs work? "People breaking into houses, will they turn and go the other way if they see a Neighbourhood Watch sign?"
Holyday says he's heard that Neighbourhood Watch signs work because "they suggest that people are talking." "They're kind of fresh. They're not like some old sign that's rusty — that's been there for 50 years. They really show that the community is up to something new."
Councillor Burnside asks if these Neighbourhood Watch signs would not just push criminals into neighbourhoods without the signs. "Well, let's hope they get pushed into the 905," says Holyday. ("Oh my GOD!" says Perks.)
These are the Neighbourhood Watch signs I remember from my youth. I always thought it looked like the guy on the right had a big blue beard.
Councillor Paula Fletcher moves for a report on which swim programs aren't covered by the city's Welcome Policy program for no-cost access. She wonders if an expanded program could help more youth get jobs as lifeguards.
Fletcher also moves to amend Holyday's motion so that staff will first report on a potential plan for Neighbourhood Watch signage, instead of just pursuing the signage.
Holyday: Councillor Fletcher, you do realize [Neighbourhood Watch] signs are going up as we speak? Fletcher: I hope not on city property. Holyday: Yeah, well, that's the reality of life in the city, that people do all kinds of stuff.
Councillor Gord Perks says he recalls the reports made by old Neighbourhood Watch groups were "less about 'oh, there's someone who needs support', and more about 'there's someone who doesn't look like us and shouldn't be in our neighbourhood.'"
Councillor Alejandra Bravo moves for a report on any barriers to youth getting jobs with the city related to any requirement that they get a police record check. She notes some may have a cannabis conviction or something related to the old carding initiative on their record.
Councillor Fletcher's motion to first report back on a Neighbourhood Watch signage program before implementation CARRIES 21-3.
Holyday's motion to develop a Neighbourhood Watch toolkit for people who want to start a Watch CARRIES 22-1.
All other items on the SafeTO / 911 items CARRY via show of hands. So do the items as amended. Reports coming soonish on expanding the crisis service and putting workers on the TTC.
Up now: More ferries? A sea bus? A bridge? A tunnel? A gondola? A catapult? It's time to debate improving access to the Toronto Islands. A report recommends convening an Island Access Task Force. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Councillor Jon Burnside asks about timelines. Staff say they've estimated a fixed link, like a bridge, taking about 18-24 months for a study then ten years to implement.
Why ten years, Councillor Kandavel wonders. Staff say they're "erring on the side of caution" so timeline could be shorter, but warn that there's complex geotechnical work, likely an EA requirement, etc. All that stuff takes time.
Councillor Paula Fletcher wants staff to give her an exact square footage figure for the size of the footings needed for an eastern gap bridge. Staff say they'd need to do a design first to answer that question. Fletcher isn't happy about the lack of info.
Fletcher teeing up her argument against an eastern gap bridge, getting staff to acknowledge there are no bridges in Toronto with footings built on top of protected wetlands, and that a bridge would need to be built on land controlled by Ports Toronto.
Mayor Olivia Chow moves to freeze the ferry rates for 2025. Adult ticket would remain at $9.11. "People should not be asked to pay more for the same service, when the fleet of ferry boats are very old — and last year we saw some of them have broken down."
Councillor Jon Burnside moves for a report back in Q1 2027 on the work to improve Toronto Islands access.
Councillor Paula Fletcher asks Councillor Paul Ainslie to be her "Vanna White" and hold up a big map showing land ownership in the port lands. "Please hold it up, Vanna -- because we don't own that!" Fletcher says of land where a bridge or gondola would go.
"This is my side," says Fletcher of the port lands. "It's industrial. There's a movie studio." She points to 270 ships that come in to make deliveries. "We can't grow the port and shrink the port at the same time. We can't grow the port if you've got a big bridge there."
"I just want to say let's be visionary — and let's be fun," says Councillor Lily Cheng. "I don't know about you, but my favourite ride at the CNE is the sky train." She suggests island access could be similar, like a gondola or "a moving tram across the water."
Councillor Mike Colle says he is tired of hearing about "schemes about these megaprojects." "Leave the damn thing alone! Leave the island alone! Can't we just leave a part of the city in its imperfect, natural state?"
Councillor Mike Colle accuses people of trying to "reinvent the island" with "megaprojects." "Maybe we should call it Coney Island North and bring Joey Walnuts in here for a hot dog eating contest! Is that what you want?!"
"Let us not dream these technological dreams. Elon Musk would love this! Maybe he could bring a Starlink across to the island. Get him involved. I'm sure he'll finance it!" thunders Colle re: a bridge to the Toronto Islands. "Leave it alone!"
Anyway. All motions on the Toronto Islands access item CARRY via show of hands. Item as amended is ADOPTED 21-2. An Island Access Task Force will be convened, with a report back in Q1 2027.
Up now: an item about transferring some city land to Metrolinx to allow for Transit-Oriented Communities along the Eglinton West LRT. Some residents are concerned about losing parkland. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Councillor Holyday calls the TOC land transfer proposal "egregious" and moves to refer it back to staff. He displays some slides showing some of the land that would be transferred. "Why on earth would we give these lands away without going through a public consultation process?"
"Given the province has told us they're taking this land, how can we have a good-faith consultation?" asks Councillor Gord Perks. "We have to explain to the citizens of Toronto what has happened here," says Holyday. And he doesn't accept that council has to turn over this land.
Noting that this kind of land transfer for TOCs was part of the New Deal with the provincial government, Budget Chief Councillor Shelley Carroll says, "I just want to caution councillors that you have already spent the $4 billion." She warns against reneging on the deal.
Alas, council is not going to be able to finish this debate today. They adjourn for the evening. Back at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow with 51 items left on the agenda.
Council is back for day two. The debate on a "bubble zone" bylaw restricting protests is scheduled as the first thing for today. The meeting livestream is here. This thread shall continue. www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iLg...
Dealing with some housekeeping first, councillors are adding items to the agenda. Notably, Mayor Olivia Chow has a motion about improving TTC service during the detour caused by King-Church construction. Details to come.
Up now: Bubble zones! Staff have proposed a bylaw that would allow places of worship, schools and cultural institutions to apply to establish an "Access Area", where protests are restricted within a 20-metre buffer zone. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Councillor James Pasternak asks the City Solicitor if this proposed bubble zone bylaw is "charter compliant." City Solicitor recommends going into private session to get legal advice, but says, "we have done our very best to come back with a bylaw that can be defended."
Pasternak: Do the bylaws ban protests? Solicitor: The proposed bylaw would not be a complete ban on protest activity. Pasternak: Do they ban free speech? Solicitor: It would also not create a complete ban on free speech. It would create a limit.
Pasternak shows a video of protesters outside a synagogue last summer. He says they were "trying to get in and wrestling with police." He asks solicitor if this "mayhem" would be mitigated by the bubble zone bylaw. Solicitor says it's hard to say, but could create a deterrent.
Councillor Jamaal Myers asks about the process properties will need to go through to get bubble zone designation. Solicitor says they'll need to submit an attestation saying they've experienced a disruptive protest within the last 90 days.
Councillor Brad Bradford tees up an expected motion to increase the size of the bubble zones, asking staff about the size of the zones prescribed by other municipalities and by bubble zone laws related to abortion clinics. Staff confirm they're generally bigger than 20 metres.
Councillor Alejandra Bravo asks about Pasternak's video. "That was an event that had a political character, with real estate discussions, and some of the protestors were also of the same faith, correct?" Pasternak jumps in with a point of order. "She's misleading the council!"
Malik asks the cops, "What does this bylaw do that the criminal code doesn't?" "The criminal code ... the standard is quite high. Reasonable doubt, in terms of getting a conviction. The same is true for a bylaw, but this just finds the space in between," says police rep.
"There is some overlap with the criminal code. But again, if we're talking about enforcement ... we don't just want to just jump to the highest level of enforcement. We want to have a staged walk into enforcement," says police rep of bubble zone bylaw.
MLS Director Carleton Grant says his team of bylaw officers are not "immediate responders" and generally have response times of 24 hours or longer. Malik asks how these officers would be expected to handle protests. Grant says they're still working that out.
Councillor Gord Perks asks the police rep if this bubble zone bylaw would handle how police handle demonstrations. "I would answer that a bylaw would not change our operational approach to protests," rep says.
Perks asks if bylaw officers have the right to demand ID, detain people, or remove someone from a site. "The short answer is no," says Grant. "We can request identification. We do not have the authority for them to meet that requirement."
Councillor Cheng asks Grant how he'll enforce the bubble zone bylaw. "We'd start with education," he says, like asking people, "Are you aware that you're not permitted to do this activity?" and saying, "Please adhere to the bylaw." Escalated enforcement would lead to tickets.
Councillor Holyday asks if the bubble zone bylaw could actually reduce the police workload, because people would "see the rules, and there wouldn't be a barrier to access any longer." Police rep says he thinks a bylaw "sets an expectation" and "that's a good starting point."
"Does the proposed bylaw itself balance free speech and public safety?" asks Councillor Thompson. Solicitor says, "We have identified many arguments that could be made" to defend charter challenge but "one can never predict with certainty the outcome of a court proceeding."
Councillor James Pasternak has motions. - He wants to increase the size of bubble zones from 20 metres to 100 metres. - If that motion fails, he also has a motion for 50 metres.
"Bubble zones extend charter rights. They do not take any rights away. They protect people in prayer ... If the protestors are unhappy with the moves we're making, and other municipalities across Ontario, they only have themselves to blame," says Councillor James Pasternak.
Councillor Chris Moise moves to defer the bubble zone bylaw item, since PM Mark Carney has announced he'll support federal legislation. He thinks it makes sense to wait to hear about those plans before doing something at the municipal level.
Councillor Moise says, "I think we're asking too much of our staff — police and MLS — to deal with this issue. I believe the federal government has the resources. Hopefully, whatever legislation they bring forward eventually, hopefully that will accompany financial resources."
Councillor James Pasternak asks Moise if waiting on the federal gov is a "high-risk venture" given Carney just has a minority gov that could fall in "12-18 months." Moise says the Liberals are just a couple of seats short of a majority, and Carney has said this is a priority.
"We have an opportunity here to create a made-in-Toronto bylaw for our unique situation. Do we really want faraway Ottawa — out of touch Ottawa — to be doing it for us?" wonders Pasternak. Moise says he doesn't support this coming to Council at all, and thinks it's been divisive
Because Moise moved to defer the item, the main debate stops. Now we will see a mini-debate about whether to defer. A debate within a debate. If the vote to defer loses, the main debate resumes.
Councillor Bradford urges councillors to vote against deferral. He says it's a "dereliction of our duty" to "punt this to another level of government." "Nineteen months into this mess of what we've seen happening, further debate, further deferral, further delay is unhelpful."
Councillor Rachel Chernos Lin says she thinks is a "moment of moral clarity." She says she gets regular emails from people afraid to go downtown because of protests. "We don't know that the federal government will do anything," she says. "It is our responsibility."
Councillor Matlow amends to Moise's deferral motion, so that Council would get a report after federal legislation is passed, with analysis of whether it's taken precedence over any bubble zone bylaw.
Councillor Mike Colle urges councillors not to defer the bubble zone item. "It's a minor bylaw change we're trying to introduce here. Where the bylaw officers issue tickets to people who impede entrances." "If we can't do that as a City Council, what the hell are we doing here?"
"This council has to show some leadership. This council has to give direction to city staff and police services to make sure there is a rule of law in this city," says Pasternak, arguing against the deferral motion.
Councillor Dianne Saxe also argues against deferral. "It's the Jewish community that's being terrorized. You'd never know that from the Equity Analysis because we're not mentioned. But what we've seen is a pattern of harassing and intimidating the Jewish community."
"I think it's important that we do not forget what has spurred the protests to begin with," says Councillor Morley. "I think many people would agree that there's a lot more that Canada could and should be doing as it relates to the atrocities that are currently taking place."
Pointing out that the bubble zone bylaw could apply to 3,000 locations in the city, Councillor Paula Fletcher says she'll support deferral. "We're unclear what the cost of that would be" for police and MLS, she says.
Councillor Bravo is also on board with deferring the bubble zone bylaw. "This isn't the level of government where we should be considering these questions. These are federal questions."
Councillor Nunziata urges councillors to vote against deferral. "Councillor Moise is moving the deferral because he doesn't support the bylaw. If you don't support the bylaw, just vote against it!"
Councillor Cheng urges councillors to vote against deferral. "If we defer this, we are saying to the Jewish community, 'Your pain, your struggles, don't matter.'"
Councillor Myers says he doesn't support the bubble zone bylaw, but will vote against deferral. "I think we owe it to ourselves just to make a decision one way or another." He doesn't want further delay.
Back to the main debate on the Bubble Zone bylaw. And, hey, Councillor Stephen Holyday has a prop — a tape measure. He extends it across the Council floor. "I wanted to make sure Council is really clear on what 20 metres represents." Okay then.
"There's an old saying: good fences make good neighbours. When you establish the line — when you establish the limit — everyone understands and agrees what that is. That actually reduces sources of conflict," explains Councillor Holyday, on his support for a Bubble Zone bylaw.
"I fear the bylaw will be putting our staff in an impossible situation, will not have the desired effect of dealing with the safety of religious minorities, and is unlikely to survive a judicial review," says Councillor Jamaal Myers.
"I would venture to guess that the same people who are spinning misinformation, half-truths or full lies about bubble zones would run through a frigging wall to protect them around abortion clinics. And you know what? We should," says Councillor Brad Bradford.
Bradford says he'll support Pasternak's motion to expand the size of the Bubble Zones. He also says Councillor Rachel Chernos Lin will have a motion coming to change the bylaw, and he'll be supporting that too.
But for that, we'll have to wait until after lunch. Council will return at 2 p.m. See you then.
Council is back. Before they get back into the bubble zone debate, they'll do a run-through of member motions. These are items brought directly to council — in most cases, they'll need two-thirds support to formally make the agenda. I'll note what's noteworthy.
But before that, Council votes via show of hands to adopt a plan to replace the single-lane Unwin Avenue bridge in the port lands with a new two-lane design. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Councillor Pasternak's motion to direct staff to hold individual consultations for each proposed new shelter location gets added to the agenda but is held for debate by Councillor Perks. They'll come back to it. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Councillor Mike Colle's motion to re-open a previously-approved cycling decision to remove a plan to install bike lanes on Marlee Avenue gets added to the agenda and is ADOPTED via show of hands. No new bike lanes for Marlee. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Councillor Brad Bradford's motion to request the mayor livestream all her press conferences does NOT make the agenda. It's referred to Executive Committee after a 7-17 vote. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Councillor Rachel Chernos Lin's motion to find an old TDSB school the film industry can use for movie shoots makes the agenda on a 22-2 vote. But Councillor Holyday wants to debate it. So they'll come back to it. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Council votes 22-1 to rename the Sumach-Shuter Parkette as Louis March Park, in honour of the late founder of the Zero Gun Violence Movement. (Matlow was also a yes.) secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Councillor Carroll's motion to establish a Mayor's Savings Challenge to reward staff who find savings at city divisions CARRIES via a show of hands. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Carroll's motion to test out a Red Tape Hotline where businesses could report unduly burdensome rules and regulations gets added to the agenda but held for debate. They'll come back to it. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Councillor Fletcher's motion to annually report on the salaries over $100K from city agencies and corporations that are exempt from the Ontario Sunshine List CARRIES via show of hands. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Mayor Olivia Chow's motion to look at ways to speed up streetcars during the detour caused by the construction project at King & Church CARRIES via show of hands. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
After all that, there are just 20 items left on the agenda. Now back to bubble zones. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
As was foretold, Councillor Rachel Chernos Lin introduces a whole bunch of amendments to the bubble zone bylaw. There are ten in total. She says her motions "streamline the overly bureaucratic access area request process." Full text is posted here: secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Significant changes in Chernos Lin's motions on the bubble zone include: - No more requirement for properties seeking a bubble zone to attest to having a disruptive protest in the last 90 days. - Bubble zones will be in place for one year, instead of 180 days.
Councillor Bradford asks if Chernos Lin worked with the mayor's office on these motions. "I haven't worked directly with the mayor but I have worked with staff from the mayor's office," says Chernos Lin. She says this has been a "collaborative effort."
Councillor Perks moves to publicly release the confidential legal advice from the City Solicitor re: the bubble zone bylaw after this meeting.
"Every single right anyone in this chamber enjoys was won not by the charter — it was won by protest. Protest is not the enemy of any right that you have. Protest is the means with which that right was won and will be protected in the future," says Councillor Gord Perks.
"Nothing in this bylaw stops people from protesting. Nothing in this bylaw is about Gaza," says Councillor Dianne Saxe. She says this Bubble Zone bylaw is about designating "small areas where certain kinds of harassment are not allowed."
"What is not legitimate is to use the excuse of a foreign war, that Toronto Jews did not start, do not control and cannot stop, to intimidate toddlers, school children and people going into a synagogue," says Saxe. "My community has never been less safe in Toronto since 1933."
Councillor Alejandra Bravo calls this situation, where the Bubble Zone bylaw is being substantially amended on the floor of Council, a "Frankenbylaw."
"I'm afraid of where we're going. I'm afraid the dehumanization and polarization is going to grow," says Bravo. She wonders what message it will send when this Bubble Zone Bylaw is challenged in the courts as a charter violation.
"At least the Christie Pits riot was pretty truncated and short-lived," says Councillor Colle. "But what has happened since October a couple of years ago is that there is really an escalated form of systemic attacks of all degrees on people in Toronto who happen to be Jewish."
Colle urges his colleagues to vote against Perks' motion to make their legal advice public. "I think what that motion does, because we changed the bylaw, it could jeopardize our case if we have to defend this at a higher level," Colle says.
"Calling out our brothers and sisters in the Jewish community is NOT acceptable. But it is NOT true to say that every protest that is standing for the rights and freedoms of Palestinians, who are being subjected to atrocities, is anti-semitic and anti-Jewish," says Morley.
Councillor Josh Matlow moves further amendments to Councillor Chernos Lin's amendments to the Bubble Zone bylaw. It's amendments all the way down.
Matlow's motions dispense with a lot of the city administration and enforcement, and just ask the police to enforce against "targeted acts of discouragement directed at a specific person’s attendance" at a place of worship, daycare or school.
Matlow says bylaw officers would need to call cops to enforce the bylaw, so this is properly putting it in their purview. "But also the police have said repeatedly that, while they welcome all tools, they don't need this bylaw and most likely they'll never use this bylaw" he adds
Saying she's concerned about the last-minute nature of Matlow's motions, Councillor Shelley Carroll urges her colleagues to stick with the "consensus" of the motions moved by Chernos Lin.
Before they vote, Nunziata asks City Legal staff to comment on Perks' motion about making their legal advice public. Perks objects, saying the window to ask staff questions on this item has closed.
After some procedural confusion, Nunziata rules that she can request a comment from legal staff before council's vote on the bubble zone bylaw. Councillor Perks challenges her ruling. The ruling is UPHELD, 15-10.
The City Solicitor says she previously had no problem making her legal advice public, because she had reviewed the Bubble Zone bylaw as proposed. But now that it appears Council will substantially revise the Bubble Zone bylaw, she is less comfortable with making it public.
Councillor James Pasternak's motion to expand the bubble zones to 100 metres FAILS 8-17.
Councillor Matlow's motion to remove the city bureaucracy/enforcement and just ask the police to enforce the bubble zone bylaw FAILS 4-21.
Councillor Chernos Lin's motion to make the City Manager responsible for managing costs related to administering the bubble zone bylaw CARRIES 18-7.
Chernos Lin's motion to clarify that any "discouragement" of someone's attendance at a place of worship etc is a violation of the bubble zone bylaw CARRIES 19-6.
Matlow's motion to further clarify that it's only a violation of the bubble zone bylaw if a protest occurs when an institution is being used for its "primary purpose" FAILS 7-18.
Councillor Chernos Lin's motion to clarify that the bubble zone bylaw applies when daycares, places of worship and schools are co-located with other uses CARRIES 17-8.
Councillor Matlow's motion to make it extra clear that bubble zone restrictions do not prohibit lawful activities protected by the charter FAILS 6-19.
Chernos Lin's motion to define a "labour dispute" for purposes of trying to exempt picketing activities from the bubble zone bylaw CARRIES 19-6.
Matlow's motion to dispense with the administrative process of requesting bubble zones and instead just designate all relevant social infrastructure FAILS 4-21.
Chernos Lin's motion to remove the requirement that properties attest to having had a disruptive protest within 90 days before being designated a bubble zone CARRIES 16-9.
Councillor Chernos Lin's motion to extend the term of a bubble zone from 180 days to one year CARRIES 13-12.
Chernos Lin's motion to clarify that bylaw enforcement officers can request help from the cops when dealing with bubble zone violations CARRIES 20-5.
Chernos Lin's motion to further clarify that the cops can support bylaw officers when people are found in contravention of the bubble zone bylaw CARRIES 17-8.
Chernos Lin's motion to remove any penalty or consequence for making a false application for a bubble zone CARRIES 14-11.
Chernos Lin's motion to have emergency services work with property owners to create a Safe Access Plan when a bubble zone is declared CARRIES 17-8.
Perks' motion to make the original legal advice from the City Solicitor re: the bubble zone public following this meeting FAILS 12-13.
Motion to keep the original legal advice regarding the bubble zone bylaw confidential CARRIES 15-10.
The Bubble Zone Bylaw, creating the ability to restrict protests in front of places of worship, schools and daycares, is adopted by Toronto City Council, 16-9.
Anyway. In the fairly decent chance this thread is being read by any lawyers in the future working on a case about this, hi! I like your robes.
Life goes on. Council votes 17-0 to increase some application fees for developers. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
We've now travelled back in time a ways and finally resumed debate on transferring some lands along Eglinton West to the province to make way for some new Transit-Oriented Communities. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Mayor Chow urges council to reject Holyday's attempt to defer the land transfer, saying this is part of the New Deal she worked out with Doug Ford. "We are eager to start on New Deal Part 2," she says, but achieving that will require living up to the terms of Part 1.
Councillor Bradford, somewhat surprisingly, says he'll support Holyday on deferring the land transfers along Eglinton West to allow community consultation. "Support the folks out of Etobicoke, support Councillor Holyday's request here — I don't think it's that big of a deal."
Holyday's motion to defer the transfer of lands along Eglinton West to the Ontario gov for transit-oriented communities FAILS 6-16.
The deferral motion was defeated, but the debate continues. Councillor Mike Colle is unhappy with the provincial Transit-Oriented Communities program generally. "There's unbridled-hyper-extreme condo-warehousing taking place in the city," he laments.
"God help the people of Willowdale," says Councillor Mike Colle. "Luckily, they've got Councillor Cheng there trying to do her best, but they are overwhelming her with a tsunami of condo warehouses in Willowdale. You will never see the sun in Willowdale in ten years!"
Holyday's motion to remove 4600 Eglinton West from the land transfer deal FAILS 6-16.
Holyday's motion to request the province hold community consultations about the Transit-Oriented Communities on Eglinton West CARRIES 18-5. ("You got a motion! Yaaaaay" someone says to Holyday.)
Up now: the World Cup. It seems the city's share of costs for hosting some soccer games next year may have increased, because the province looks to be providing less cash than anticipated. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
The city was banking on the provincial government covering about $97 million of the $380 million cost of hosting FIFA. But the province has now indicated they're counting about $39 million of provincial services against that $97 million contribution. The mayor isn't happy.
Council decides to finish the agenda tonight, with a short break at 6:30. "Councillor Colle wants pizza," notes Nunziata. "Not Pizza Pizza!" Colle says. "I don't want Pizza Pizza!"
Mayor Olivia Chow has advance circulated a motion that would cap the World Cup hosting budget at $340 million, until a source for the missing $40 million is identified.
Speaking on her motion, Chow says her motion is about "living within our means" on the World Cup budget. She says the letter from the provincial government reducing their expected cash contribution "came with a bit of surprise." "I will now get more involved," mayor says.
Councillor Amber Morley says there's a five-on-five soccer match planned for Nathan Phillips Square to kick off the countdown to the World Cup. She challenges her council colleagues to take the field.
Councillor Mike Colle moves for an update report on the "community activation plan" for the World Cup.
Colle says he's looking forward to the visitors coming to Toronto for the World Cup. "Just imagine if we get the Serbians here! Oh boy. Or the Argentinians. God, they travel the whole world for these games!"
The mayor's motion to cap the World Cup budget at $340 million while this provincial funding issue is negotiated CARRIES via show of hands. Colle's motion carries too. The FIFA folly rolls on.
Up now: filling the vacancy in Ward 25 - Scarborough Rouge Park. Mayor Olivia Chow congratulates former councillor Jennifer McKelvie on her new gig as a Liberal MP. She moves to replace her with a by-election. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
(Councillor Kandavel didn't vote because he declared a conflict of interest -- I believe because his wife is planning to run?)
Councillor Lily Cheng attempts to introduce a motion about protecting sightlines for a performance stage at the Willowdale Manor seniors home. But the motion to add to the agenda FAILS to get the needed 18 votes. Result was 17-3.
That takes Council to the dinner break. No official word on whether pizza was ordered, or whether it was Pizza Pizza. I assume the worst. Back at 7 p.m. to finish off the ten remaining agenda items.
Council is back for some after-dinner debates. Nunziata says they have "bare quorum." Sounds spicy. There's a new meeting stream available for those who wish to watch. I will keep posting until there's nothing left to post. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sigb...
Up now: approving a contract for a new High Park transportation shuttle. The park was previously served by a "trackless train" amusement ride. This new shuttle is supposed to provide actual mobility. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Councillor Paula Fletcher wants to know what happened to the idea of providing a new shuttle service for Leslie Spit. "It was never a priority for parks?" she asks staff. "I wouldn't say it was never a priority. At the time, it was never a funded priority," Parks GM says.
Councillors Cheng and Crisanti expressing some concern that the new High Park shuttle will not be as fun as the current trackless train. Parks GM Howie Dayton says staff will be looking to work with the contractor to develop a fun name and design for the new service.
"I hate to do this. I really hoped this would go through easily. I hate it like a blazing sun in my head full of hate. That much hating that we have to do this," says Councillor Gord Perks, before proceeding to ask some questions to staff about the new High Park shuttle.
Perks points out that this proposed shuttle is just one piece of the larger High Park Movement Strategy. It doesn't preclude future TTC service from operating in the park. Not signing the deal today will just make it harder for people to travel in High Park, he says.
But Councillor Holyday has concerns. And a motion to deem this High Park shuttle as an "amusement." Perks laughs. "You're an amusement!" Perks says to Holyday. Holyday asks the speaker to make Perks stop insulting him.
"How can any reasonable person think that all this is doable?" Holyday says the requirements in the contract. He doesn't think the operator will make enough revenue to make for a viable business. And he doesn't think this will provide real transportation, hence: amusement.
Councillor Burnside has heard enough. He moves to end this High Park shuttle debate. That motion CARRIES 12-6.
Councillor Fletcher's motion to expedite the introduction of a new shuttle for the Leslie Spit CARRIES 18-1.
Councillor Holyday's motion to deem the new High Park shuttle as a mere "amusement" FAILS 5-14.
On Councillor Pasternak's motion about holding individual consultation meetings for each proposed shelter site, Perks moves a replacement motion to make sure any added consultation meetings take place before July 15. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Up now: Mayor Olivia Chow wants to develop a pilot project that'd provide air conditioning units for low-income seniors. Councillor Stephen Holyday has concerns about the cost. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
But almost everyone else is cool with the AC program. The pilot project to provide air conditioning units to low-income seniors is APPROVED 16-2.
Up now: a proposal to consolidate a bunch of the city's disparate housing programs — Housing Now, Modular Housing, ModernTO, etc — under a single policy framework, dubbed Toronto Builds. We could call it TB. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Chow says she and the City Manager had dinner last night with the CMHC Board. She'll be meeting with the new federal Housing Minister next week in Ottawa. "The new Liberal government plan is to build a lot of housing as fast as possible — and many of them affordable," she says.
"What we're doing here is saying we have the land, we have the people, we have the expertise, we have the experience, we have a little bit of money, and we will partner with you," says Mayor Olivia Chow of the new Toronto Builds policy framework.
We've reached the tedious procedural confusion portion of this meeting. Perks has moved this motion on behalf of Councillor Carroll. Kandavel is concerned it could apply city-wide. Perks says it's specific to a single site. Kandavel wants a guarantee. "Look into my eyes," offers Perks.
The eyes have it. Perks' motion (on behalf of Carroll) to look at an unspecified co-development opportunity CARRIES 17-1.
The Toronto Builds policy framework, consolidating many of City Hall's various housing initiatives, CARRIES 17-1.
Up now: a report on the Therme Spa project at Ontario Place, which basically concludes that there's nothing City Hall can do to stop it. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Council is ready to go home. Councillors are leaving, risking quorum. They vote to receive the Ontario Place item without any debate. Then Councillor Gord Perks moves to defer the rest of the items to next month.
Council votes to defer two items to next month: Pasternak's community consultations for shelters motion, and Chernos Lin's motion about securing an old school to use for film shoots. Vote to defer CARRIED 10-5.
Geez. Kind of an anti-climax of an ending. Anyway, that concludes Council's May 2025 meeting. They talked bubble zones, park shuttles, very bad landlords and bringing back the Neighbourhood Watch. Don't cry because it's over. Cry because it happened.
If you followed this thread all the way to the end, thank you for coming on this journey with me. If you want to show your appreciation for this kind of municipal coverage, consider a subscription to my newsletter, City Hall Watcher. It keeps me going. toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/subscribe