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City Council - It was a Busy One for Me and My Team!
- Lily Cheng
- Aug 13
- 14 min read
Any motion moved at City Council is not simply drafting a motion and making a submission to the Clerks. If only it were that easy. Like a good pot of soup, there are many key ingredients, including:
Consultation with key stakeholders. For development-related motions, this includes locally impacted residents and the developer.
Consultation with city staff. Few motions can be moved without garnering staff support. This can also include advice from City Legal if necessary.
Consultation with Committee Chair. Getting support for a motion with the related committee chair is a key step towards getting support for a motion to be passed at council. They can also provide valuable input towards the motion to ensure a positive outcome.
Solicit feedback from the Mayor’s office. Their support can greatly impact the outcome of a motion.
Review of previous related motions to ensure there are no conflicts and to garner support if applicable.
Solicit feedback from experienced councillors. I often approach some of my more seasoned colleagues for feedback on motions. Their advice can make the difference between a successful or failed motion.
Garnering support across the council floor. This is a key reason why I avoid attending City Council meetings virtually whenever possible. Shopping my motions around to other councillors prior to a vote to answer questions or invite friendly amendments is part of the process of securing the votes necessary to pass a motion.
Considering the above steps, it was no easy feat for my team and I to amend or draft 10 motions total at council last week, all of which were adopted!
The public realm, our sidewalks, planters, and landscaping, plays a big role in making our neighbourhoods feel vibrant, welcoming, and sustainable. But when these features fall into neglect, they do the opposite.
On our stretch of Yonge Street, derelict tree planters have even made headlines in the Toronto Star. Despite years of effort, we’ve struggled to find a sustainable solution. The problem? There’s no clear responsibility, no dedicated budget, and no enforceable by-laws to ensure these planters are maintained properly.
The Yonge North York BIA has been hesitant to take on this responsibility, as they aim to limit levy increases for local businesses, especially with many office buildings still facing high vacancy rates post-COVID.
To address this city-wide issue, I introduced a motion at City Council, seconded by Councillor Josh Matlow, to bring clarity, accountability, and long-term solutions.
While we wait for further clarity, we are grateful to the volunteers who have taken on a handful of planters on Yonge Street to bring more beauty to our streetscape.
What the Motion Calls For
Clear Responsibilities for Maintenance. City staff will report back by late 2025 with recommendations to ensure developers, property owners, and condo boards understand who is responsible for maintaining public realm features next to their buildings.
Smarter, Sustainable Design Standards. Staff will also review current design requirements for planters and other streetscape elements—looking at things like irrigation and sustainability features to ensure plantings can thrive long-term.
Tools to Enforce Beauty and Maintenance. By mid-2026, staff will explore what tools, funding, by-laws, and enforcement mechanisms are needed to keep planters and public spaces beautiful and well-maintained. This includes clarifying the roles of the City, BIAs, condo boards, commercial tenants, and property owners.
Avondale Public School re-opened in 2019 with a brand-new three-storey building, but just a few years later, it’s already well over capacity. Built for 861 students, the school now serves approximately 1,000 students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8, with seven portables added on a nearby property to keep up.
This overcrowding reflects a broader challenge in the Avondale neighbourhood, where rapid population growth has outpaced the public infrastructure meant to support it. More than 14,400 people live within a short walk of the school, many in nearby high-rises. For them, the Avondale schoolyard can offer additional space for physical activities during evenings and weekends.
Recognizing this need, and to respond to the request made by Avondale Public School Parent Council, I introduced a motion to provide $50,000 in one-time capital funding to support improvements to the Avondale PS schoolyard. These funds, secured through Section 45 community benefits from a nearby development, will be combined with funding from the TDSB and funds raised by the parent council to help upgrade the yard to serve both students and the broader community.
The proposed upgrades include:
A pollinator garden to support environmental learning and community stewardship;
A turfed soccer field for physical activity;
A revitalized playscape designed to appeal to older students, with seating and shade.
Funding depends on an agreement between the Toronto District School Board and the City to make sure the space stays open for public use. City Planning and Parks staff will also review the design, working closely with the local Councillor. This is an important step to support students and families as the neighbourhood grows. I believe the new soccer field will be a great addition, especially with the excitement building for the FIFA games next year!
Toronto is facing an unprecedented housing affordability crisis that spans the entire housing continuum—from emergency shelters to market rental and ownership housing. The need for new rent-controlled, affordable, and rent-geared-to-income (RGI) homes is urgent and growing. In response, the City of Toronto has taken bold and transformative steps to reshape its housing system and accelerate the delivery of much-needed homes. To meet the complex and evolving housing needs of its residents, the City is adopting a more proactive and hands-on approach to housing development. The City’s new Housing Development Office and the Toronto Builds Policy Framework are designed to streamline processes, align resources, and facilitate the timely development of housing on land owned by the City and its agencies and corporations.
The staff report provided an update on the new housing delivery model to implement the Toronto Builds Policy Framework. I moved a motion directing city staff to consult early with local Councillors on Toronto Builds sites in their Wards to identify community needs and opportunities, prior to initiating a competitive process for those sites. City-owned land is precious and I want to make sure we leverage new building opportunities to address other gaps that may exist in local communities.
Council approved Toronto’s Early Years and Child Care Service Plan, 2025- 2030 (“Service Plan”). The Service Plan guides Toronto’s approach, in collaboration with sector partners, to planning and managing the early years and child care system over the next five years. As the early years and child care sector responds to new realities resulting from the implementation of the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) system and changes to the socio-economic landscape, the Service Plan provides a responsive, strategic framework with clear actions to support the sector as it navigates these changes.
Here are some of my observations on Early Years and Childcare:
Many years ago, EarlyON used to run programs at 415 Willowdale Avenue, our TCHC community. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case and I believe there should be more intentional partnership building to ensure some of our most vulnerable communities have access to these important programs for young families.
Several parents have told me it is very hard to secure program spots at the EarlyON at Yonge/Sheppard. Unfortunately, the budget for EarlyON has not increased with our population or inflation, forcing parents to experience Hunger Games like competition for limited program spots. The My Baby and Me program at EarlyOn defined my experience of early motherhood and set the foundation for North York Moms! Every new mom and dad should have access to these great programs.
While the cost of childcare has come down, before and after-school care can result in a significant cost to families. I believe the same type of approach taken with CWELCC should also cover care for school age children. Supporting families with children can help improve affordability, which could help counter shrinking birth rates.
Based on these observations, I successfully moved a motion requesting:
City staff to work with Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) to prioritize EarlyON growth in high-inequity neighbourhoods;
The federal and provincial governments to increase their EarlyON investment to reflect inflation, population growth and to create access to affordable before and after-school care;
The provincial government to fund increased wages and benefits for all early years and child care sector program staff to achieve parity with positions in the public sector in Toronto.
City Council approved one City-initiated Official Plan and six City-initiated Zoning By-law amendments for six municipal shelters, containing approximately 420 new shelter beds as part of the Homelessness Services Capital Infrastructure Strategy (HSCIS). The amendments have been drafted to enable the built form to be modified during the detailed design phase of the project and to ensure that each site could be repurposed to become supportive or affordable housing as community needs evolve in the future. While a municipal shelter is already permitted on all of the sites, amendments are needed to allow for the proposed built forms. For 68 Sheppard Avenue West, Council adopted an Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment for a 30-metre (6- storey) building.
In response to community consultation meetings and meetings with the shelter provider, Native Women’s Resource Centre of Toronto, I moved a motion with several recommendations to improve the implementation of Indigenous women’s shelter and its impact on the surrounding community:
To include where feasible, parking, loading and additional outdoor amenity space as part of the design of the shelter site,
To consider locating the main entrance to the building so that it is not visible from Sheppard Avenue West,
To assess the demand and supply of public and private parking, both on-street and off-street, to determine if there is a sufficient supply of public parking options based on current demand and forecasted growth, and through the 2027 capital planning process, determine whether any additional parking facilities are needed to support public parking demand in the area immediate vicinity around 68 Sheppard Avenue West,
To explore providing meaningful employment opportunities to Indigenous communities through shelter construction and subsequent operations, and
To explore the addition of a community space on the ground floor of the shelter facing Sheppard Avenue West.
To consider the acquisition of additional sites adjacent to 68 Sheppard Avenue West in connection with the development of the new shelter site,
To continue working collaboratively with the shelter operator to assess the optimal capacity of the new shelter, taking into consideration the operational model, staffing, long-term sustainability, and potential capacity adjustments if recommended by the operator.
These amendments were submitted in two parts, as part of the zoning motion and as a separate members motion if the amendments did not apply directly to the zoning.
While I disagreed with the process the city used with this batch treatment of zoning without a detailed design for the shelter, I had to choose between refusing the zoning or making helpful amendments to land a better outcome. I also wanted to make clear that I am trying to support a positive implementation of an Indigenous Women and Children’s shelter in our ward. I plan to stay closely connected to the process of designing this future shelter to ensure concerns from our community continue to be represented.
Councillor Moise introduced a motion recommending that City Council direct the Executive Director of Development Review to collaborate closely with BIAs across Toronto to develop tailored Streetscape Masterplans that reflect the unique character and needs of each area. This collaborative approach acknowledges the vital role BIAs play in community development and seeks to enhance the aesthetic and functional appeal of local streets, supporting vibrant business environments and stronger neighbourhood identities.
We asked Laura Burnham, Executive Director of the Yonge North York BIA, for her feedback on the motion based on challenges she has faced in trying to get the Yonge North York Public Realm Masterplan officially recognized by the planning department.
I worked closely with Councillor Moise to amend his motion to reflect feedback from our BIA to strengthen the motion by emphasizing the importance of recognizing existing Streetscape Masterplans that have been thoughtfully crafted for each neighbourhood.
The motion was also amended to request that City Council ask Metrolinx to review Business Improvement Area Streetscape Masterplans when designing current and future capital projects, ensuring a cohesive and unified urban design vision.
I would like to extend our sincere thanks to Laura for her insightful suggestions to improve the motion and to Councillor Moise for his willingness to amend his motion. We are grateful for the thoughtful Streetscape Masterplan developed by the Yonge North York BIA in consultation with the community that will help shape the future of Transform Yonge and any new developments that come in the area.
In 2021, the City of Toronto established the ConnectTO program, prioritizing its work to bridge the digital divide, as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and to address the need for residents to equitably access digital government services. The digital divide, which remains a persistent reality in Toronto, is defined as the gap between those who have internet access, along with the skills, and support to effectively engage online, and those who do not.
Approximately 2% of Torontonians, or 58,000 people, currently lack affordable in-home internet access. ConnectTO has successfully focused on expanding internet connectivity, growing the number of locations of public Wi-Fi from 100 sites exclusively in Toronto Public Library branches to a total of 252 locations across the City in various types of City facilities, with a focus on establishing sites in the City’s Neighbourhood Improvement Areas and Emerging Neighbourhoods as identified by the Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy 2020. By the end of 2025, the City will have approximately 300 public Wi-Fi locations. The program has successfully achieved coverage of public Wi-Fi in 88% of Neighbourhood Improvement Areas and Emerging Neighbourhoods, with each ward in the City hosting at least one public Wi-Fi location.
In 2025 and 2026, the ConnectTO program will focus on maximizing the impact of investments made to-date, by driving public awareness, digital literacy and utilization of public Wi-Fi, in cooperation with Toronto Public Library and Toronto Community Housing, as well as supporting broader awareness of subsidized internet access programs through the Human Services Integration program.
City Council adopted this item to request the Government of Canada:
enhance and expand federal programs that provide financial support to families and individuals who cannot afford in-home internet,
consult with municipalities, school boards, public libraries and community organizations to ensure that subsidies are accessible, well-publicized and meet the needs of vulnerable populations; and
review and update income eligibility thresholds for internet subsidy programs.
One idea to make wifi more accessible is to consider a model similar to LinkNYC implemented in New York City. These kiosks garner advertising revenue while promoting city initiatives, interactive information on city services, free wifi and phone charging, and free 9-1-1 phone calling while also hosting digital art. I believe this is a great model to consider. If there were kiosks like these distributed throughout the city, it could save us money in community important information like the Vacant Home Tax.
I always believe that sharing information with constituents is one of the biggest challenges our city faces with the multitudes of policies, surveys and work being done by our many divisions at any given time. This is why I moved the following motion which was supported by a majority of our fellow councillors:
1. City Council request the Chief Technology Officer and the General Manager, Transportation Services, in consultation with the Chief Communications Officer, Business Improvement Areas and the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, to review the feasibility of establishing city-run kiosks offering free public wi-fi, free 911 calling capability, communicating local events and consultations, city-wide communications and access to city services.
Last week a concerning quote was shared in a Globe and Mail article:
“While the provision of housing and supports to asylum claimants falls under provincial/territorial (PR)/municipal responsibility, as an emergency response, the federal government began to backstop overwhelmed shelters by directly running hotels in 2017,” the [Federal] briefing paper says.
It is concerning to hear the Federal government believes the provision of housing and supports for asylum claimants is not a Federal responsibility. I brought my concerns to Gord Tanner, the Director of Toronto Shelter and Support Services and the Councillor Bravo, the Chair of the Economic and Cultural Development Committee. Together, we drafted this motion to ensure the city’s perspective on this matter is considered and to mitigate impact on future budgets as the Federal government plans to scale back funding support.
Since 2017, the federal government has spent $1.1 billion housing asylum claimants in hotels and provided an additional $1.5 billion to provinces and cities through the Interim Housing Assistance Program. While these supports have helped relieve pressures in the City’s shelter system, there is an ongoing, pressing need for the federal leadership to develop a coordinated national response to refugee claimant arrivals.
This is a national issue and needs both a national plan and ongoing funding to support asylum claimants in Canada. Given the Federal government's delay in responding to the City's Interim Housing Assistance Program funding application, alongside recent comments in the media, this motion urgently requests commitment from the Federal government to continue supporting Toronto's refugee response.
The following motion was passed at council:
City Council reiterate its previous requests for the Federal Government to:
a. reverse the decision to wind-down the Interim Housing Assistance Program and continue providing support for municipalities for 100 percent of the cost of providing shelter for refugee claimants, and
b. establish a coordinated national system for responding to arrivals of refugee claimants.
Developments at Council:
The City received an application for an 11-storey mixed-use building at this site. While City Planning supported it, I asked to delay the vote so my office could work with the community, staff and the developer to get a better outcome for the neighbourhood.
Why? Because we need more than just housing, we need complete communities where people can live, work, and access services close to home. The community was very upset by this proposed significant change to the area. Because Finch Avenue West secondary plan is considered outdated, staff did not feel the OLT would uphold it if they refused the application. Instead, other policies including the Avenues policy which now allows as-of-right mid rises along avenues across the city.
After several meetings with local residents, the applicant and city staff, here’s what we achieved:
More street-level shops and services: At least 600 m² of non-residential space will be included along Finch Avenue.
More green space: The developer must try to provide off-site parkland near Ancona, Edithvale, or Strafford Park.
Community benefits: They’ll explore extra contributions like park upgrades or public art, guided by City Council.
Greener backyards: In addition to trees planted along the rear of their project, the developer will also offer to plan up to two trees in adjacent yards.
Better design and privacy: While councillors no longer have authority over site plan decisions as per provincial policy, the applicant has made a commitment to consider the following:
A higher privacy fence will be built along the back,
Enclose balconies on the south side
and use non-reflective materials on the south side of the building.
Reduce traffic impact: The applicant will install signage, as per City standards and Transportation Services approval, to restrict left turns from the driveway onto Finchurst Drive and reduce traffic on nearby residential streets.
Construction planning: A Construction Management Plan will be created with input from nearby residents.
Many residents wish I could simply turn down these applications. There is always a careful balance that is necessary between getting a better outcome versus leaving the outcome to the Ontario Land Tribunal - which historically rarely refuses an application and rarely results in less density.
5799-5915 Yonge Ave - M2M Development Update: What’s Changing and What’s Not
The developer of the M2M site has applied to change the rules for Phase One of the project. They want to replace the requirement for 10,000 m² of office space with a broader category of non-residential uses—like retail or community services. Importantly, this change does not increase the size of the buildings or affect the residential parts. It also reintroduces uses for services that were previously available at the plaza that was demolished for the development.
My office pushed for this to be a chance to improve livability, especially by securing year-round access to the pedestrian path from Averill Crescent to Yonge Street. This is something residents have asked for, especially in the winter. Unfortunately, the developer did not agree to these improvements. In my view, these community needs should have been addressed much earlier in the process.
City Council approved the zoning change—but only for Phase One (Buildings A & B). We’re continuing to work with City staff and the developer to explore keeping the pedestrian path open year-round. This would be a big win for the community and for the new grocery store set to open next year.
For those curious about the project: we’ve heard that HMart has officially received its building permit for their flagship store at M2M. Construction is moving ahead steadily, and we’re excited to see this much-anticipated addition take shape.
Thank you to the Silverview Community Association for your strong advocacy. We look forward to working together to keep building a better neighbourhood.
