Toronto City Council held a lengthy meeting addressing multiple significant issues. A major focus was the provincial government’s plan to expropriate city land—including Little Norway Park—for Billy Bishop Airport expansion. Mayor Olivia Chow said the province would “seize city land without our consent and without our input,” adding: “They are taking our land. They are paving our park. They are dismissing the democratic voice of this council.” Council also expanded the RentSafe program, approved a 10-year LED street lighting conversion program, and adopted new street vending rules, including a mobile food vending program in parks. Council also marked the eighth anniversary of the Yonge Street attack and recognized recipients of the Toronto Community Champion Award.

Topics Discussed

Provincial Expropriation of Little Norway Park

Council debated the province’s announced legislation to take Little Norway Park and other city lands near Billy Bishop Airport. Chow described what is at stake at the park, including “matured trees where migrating birds rest every spring” and “a playground where children climb and splash in the wading pool every summer,” warning: “All of it now gone. Replace it with parking. Let that sink in.”

Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik framed the issue as one of local decision-making: “Torontonians deserve to have a say over our city and our waterfront,” and said council opposed “the unilateral expropriation of city land by any other level of government.”

City Legal told council they were “not familiar with a precedent like that” but confirmed it is “a request of the provincial government and they do have powers to do that sort of thing should they wish.” Council adopted a 14-point motion opposing the expropriation and urging federal involvement given the airport’s federal jurisdiction.

RentSafe Program Expansion and Tenant Protections

Council approved an expansion of RentSafe, including more enforcement capacity. Chow said: “Through this year’s budget, we’ve doubled the number of rent safe to bylaw enforcement officers from 36 to 73 with the authority to compel landlord to fix the problems. If not, we’ll fix it for them and charge them.”

Councillor Matlow connected the program’s intent to DineSafe-style public accountability: “When I first brought a motion…to create rent safe, we tried to make it resemble dine safe…Why should your home be treated any less seriously?” Speakers also raised concerns about tenants reporting problems when building staff are present, with one deputant saying: “if I start complaining… and the superintendent’s there… the superintendent’s going to make it worse for me… Those are the people that we need to help.”

LED Street Lighting Conversion – 10-year program

Council approved a citywide conversion of street lighting to LED as part of a broader state-of-good-repair push. Staff said the work targets aging infrastructure: “Cables are at this point…86% past their useful life,” and “the street lighting system is 33% past its useful life.” Staff also attributed the condition of the system to “historic underinvestment.”

Toronto Hydro said its focus is “roadway illumination… pedestrians, cyclists, automobiles… but also the sidewalks,” and emphasized that communication with councillors would be key: “people won’t know about it if we don’t communicate it adequately and part of communicating it adequately is working with counselors in their offices.”

Councillor Chang pointed to opportunities enabled by the new technology: “there is an opportunity for us to think how could we consolidate all of these uses into something that is smarter, more innovative, and something that could result in more remote capabilities.” Councillor Sachs pressed against delaying the rollout, saying: “We’re the last major city in North America to go to LEDs.”

Street Vending and Food Trucks in Parks

Council adopted new street vending rules and a mobile food vending program in parks. Malik argued the changes support street life and small business: “Street vendors provide that window into Toronto’s diversity and more options and what we love about being in the city.” Chow tied the program to neighborhood parks and local business opportunity: “Toronto is a city of neighborhoods and our parks are where those neighborhoods come alive… Mobile vending in our parks is more than just about being convenient. It’s about supporting local economy, creating opportunity for small businesses owners.”

Staff clarified the role of councillors in park vending decisions: “If a counselor doesn’t want it in their parks at all, we could say no. That is correct.” Staff also described how objections can affect licensing in BIA areas: “there are opportunities for BIAs, counselors, and members of the community to object… And if a particular threshold is reached… then we would not be issuing those licenses.”

Yonge Street Attack Memorial and Community Recognition

Council commemorated the eighth anniversary of the April 23, 2018 Yonge Street attack. Councillor Lily Cheng recalled: “Eight years ago was the first beautiful spring day after a very long and dreary winter… And we couldn’t imagine what would unfold that day.” Council also recognized organizations receiving the Toronto Community Champion Award, with Chow describing the nominations as community-driven: “People nominate organizations based on their own lived experience… they have seen firsthand the impact these groups have in their own neighborhoods and communities.”

Motions

Passed: - MM40.46 and CC40.4: 14-point motion opposing provincial expropriation of Little Norway Park (parts passed with varying votes; Part 6 carried 17–8) - PH29.4: RentSafe program expansion (including increased enforcement capacity and related program changes) - EX30.1: 10-year LED street lighting conversion and related infrastructure work - EC27.2: Street vending and artist bylaw review (multiple motions carried; Motion 1B defeated 3–19) - EC27.7: Mobile food vending in parks program - IE28.2: Allen and Eglinton intersection redesign study - IE28.13: Wilson Avenue infrastructure damage repair requirements - IE28.14: Water main construction timing restrictions - MM40.15: Strengthening racial equity in city programs (Parts 2, 3, 4 passed 17–1) - MM4.7: November 19 as Early Age Onset Cancer Awareness Day proclamation - EY30.11: Grand Avenue and Alma Street pedestrian crossing (adopted 17–1)

Deferred: - PH29.5: Affordable housing access system (deferred to May meeting)

Attendees

Mayor Olivia Chow; Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik; Councillors Burnside, Bradford, Chang, Cheng, Cole, Croanti, Fletcher, Holiday, Matlow, Moyes, Myers, Nada, Pasternack, Perks, Peruta, Sachs, Thompson, Turnis, Lynn, Bravo, Mantis, Bats, Panti, Madllo.