CITY COUNCILLOR
LILY CHENG
WILLOWDALE WARD 18

There were very few dry eyes at Randall Linton’s book launch for This Little Light of Mine: A Father’s Memoir on His Daughter’s Brief but Deeply Significant Life. Randall, a local community leader and former President of the North York Rotary Club, shared heartfelt excerpts that beautifully captured his daughter Elisa’s spirit and the profound impact she had on her family and everyone fortunate enough to know her. Elisa was diagnosed at the age of four with Sanfilippo syndrom

As another school year comes to a close, it was wonderful to celebrate with students, families, and community partners at Avondale Public School's Bike to School Day. Seeing so many families choose to bike together was a great reminder that active transportation not only supports healthier lifestyles but also creates meaningful opportunities to spend quality time together and connect with neighbours. Parents and students also had the opportunity to share their ideas for futur

On June 15, 2026, City Planning hosted a Community Consultation Meeting on a development application at 11 to 21 Johnston Avenue, located east of Yonge Street and south of Sheppard Avenue. Thank you to everyone who attended and shared thoughtful feedback. The applicant is proposing a 48-storey purpose-built rental building with 524 residential units, including: 334 one-bedroom units, 136 two-bedroom units, and 54 three-bedroom units. The proposal also includes retail at gra

I recently met with the team at Interval House, Canada’s first shelter for abused women and their children, to learn more about their critical work supporting survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV). Since opening in 1973, Interval House has provided safety, advocacy, and hope to thousands of women and children across Toronto. As a provincially funded violence against women shelter, it relies on both government funding and private partnerships to deliver essential servic

Many thanks to the incredible team of moms at Avondale Public School who help distribute snacks to 1,000 students as part of the Student Nutrition Program, which has now been expanded city-wide. This is the first year of the city-wide expansion, and there is still much to learn as we work to improve and strengthen the process moving forward. These volunteers put in tremendous effort each day, including washing and preparing produce, carefully managing allergy restrictions, an

Getting active at Edithvale Park is now easier than ever! The City of Toronto has launched its first-of-its-kind self-serve sports equipment lending pilot, giving residents free access to equipment for outdoor recreation. Using the Equip Sport app, you can unlock the locker, borrow equipment, and return it when you're finished so others can enjoy it too. This innovative pilot makes it easier for everyone to get outside, stay active, and make the most of our local parks. If yo

This past Sunday, I joined members of our community in observing the procession honouring fallen Toronto Police Service Constable Marc Pinizzotto. The motorcade travelled from the Office of the Chief Coroner in North York to a funeral home in Thornhill, as colleagues solemnly escorted him with dignity and respect. Constable Pinizzotto, an 18-year member of the Toronto Police Service, a husband and father of two, and a dedicated member of the Emergency Task Force, lost his lif

Last week, I attended a public drop-in consultation at Newtonbrook Secondary School alongside residents and City Staff about how to make our streets safer. Here’s a glance: Ongoing improvements in North Newtonbrook West include:Speed limits on local roads are now 30km/h Speed limits on collector roads are now 40km/h School Safety Zones have been designated and signed at the front of all nine schools School crossing guards at two locations: Drewry Avenue and Norwin Street Cact

On June 9, I joined students, parents, and community members gathered to speak out against proposed cuts to essential school services prior to the TDSB Parent Involvement Advisory Committee (PIAC) meeting, where a new budget was announced. Particular concern was raised about reductions to outdoor education programming. These experiences provide students with unique, hands-on learning opportunities that cannot be replicated in a classroom. Local schools will be especially affe

Last week, I attended a safety town hall at a Toronto Community Housing complex at 415 Willowdale. Some may be surprised to know that Willowdale has community housing. This vibrant community has been part of Willowdale’s unique landscape for many decades and is one of the few in Toronto with a low violent-incident count. Despite this, many safety concerns are still being raised with our office. I decided to ask staff to join me in a safety-focused meeting, where we can meet d

I joined City staff and members of the North York Garden Club for a site visit at Mel Lastman Square last week to select the location of a commemorative plaque marking the Club’s 100th anniversary. For a century (!!!), the North York Garden Club has brought people together through a shared love of gardening, environmental stewardship, and community building. Their contributions have helped shape beautiful, welcoming green spaces across our community, and their dedication cont

Last Wednesday, I attended the WCRA Annual General Meeting at the historic John McKenzie House. The AGM was an important opportunity for residents to come together, reflect on the Association's work over the past year, discuss issues affecting the neighbourhood, and elect members of the Board of Directors who will help guide the Association’s work moving forward. They also served chocolate-dipped strawberries, which were a lovely treat! Thank you to Stephen Boyle and the WCRA

This past weekend, I attended two graduation celebrations within the Azerbaijani community, and both left me inspired by the dedication, care, and commitment being poured into the next generation. The first celebration was hosted by the Azerbaijan House in Willowdale (first picture), where students delighted everyone with creative performances that shared important values and life lessons. We also celebrated one of their graduates for her meaningful contributions to strengthe

It has been difficult to watch the marked rise in antisemitism across our city and across our country. Many Jewish community members who were born here, raised families here, and felt a part of the fabric of our country are now questioning whether it is safe for them to stay here. For this reason, I felt it was important to walk with our neighbours at the Walk with Israel. My participation was an expression of solidarity with members of our local Jewish community who are expe

A month ago I met with residents at Kempford Seniors Housing, one of our neighbourhood’s Toronto Seniors Housing Corporation (TSHC) communities. Many residents brought up concerns that I realized required a town hall. As such, we brought together: Toronto Seniors Housing Corporation CEO, Tom Hunter Community Safety Unit from TSHC Program Coordinator for TSHC NeighbourLink North York Yonge Street Foot Patrol North York Seniors Centre Some of the issues we discussed included: L

I recently joined the Yonge North York BIA for a behind-the-scenes tour of Rendez-vous Canada 2026 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, hosted by Destination Toronto. As Canada's largest international tourism trade show, Rendez-vous Canada brings together tourism operators, destinations, and travel buyers from around the world. This year's event features more than 60,000 business-to-business appointments and is expected to generate over $100 million in future tourism sales

Last Friday, I had a productive and collaborative in-person meeting with Minister Stan Cho, MPP for Willowdale, focused on some of the most important opportunities and challenges facing Willowdale and North York Centre. I am grateful for Minister Cho’s willingness to engage on a wide range of issues that will help shape the future of our community and improve quality of life for Willowdale residents. Our discussion covered 10 key priorities: A visionary refresh of Mel Lastman

It was a pleasure to celebrate the release of Behind Five Willows, the fifth novel by Toronto Korean author June Hur, alongside an enthusiastic auditorium of readers, fans, and supporters at North York Central Library. June Hur (허주은) is a New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-winning author of acclaimed young adult Korean historical mysteries, including The Silence of Bones, The Forest of Stolen Girls, The Red Palace, A Crane Among Wolves, and now Behind Five Willows. Bo

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our 8th Climate Action Roundtable, where residents came together to participate in a Climate Fresk workshop. Through an interactive card game and group discussion, participants explored the causes and impacts of climate change, while reflecting on our individual and collective circles of control and influence. We also discussed how our actions can connect with and build upon the work others are already doing in the community. These were

Despite a full day of heavy rain, our community showed up in incredible spirit for the fourth installment of our popular Repair Café on May 23. Over three busy hours, 49 dedicated volunteers worked tirelessly to assess and repair 116 items brought in by residents, successfully fixing 62 of them. From electronics and clothing to small household items, the range of repairs reflected the community's diverse needs. This time, we also expanded our impact, helping tune up bicycles