admin – Cabbagetown Residents Association

EXCITING NEW CRA BOARD POSITION

The CRA is looking for someone to join the board to head up a brand new ‘environmental and social’ portfolio. If this interests you, and you’re able to commit to a few hours to the CRA every month, we’d love to hear from you. Please Email us at info@cabbagetowner.com.

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TORONTO RECOMMENDS NO TRICK-OR-TREATING

Halloween may be different in Toronto this year, as traditional door-to-door trick or treating is officially being discouraged by Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, reports Raneem Alozzi at BlogTO.

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TPH LAUNCHES ONLINE BOOKING FOR FLU VACCINE CLINICS

In response to local COVID-19 circumstances, Toronto Public Health TPH flu vaccine clinics will only be available through online appointments to ensure that appropriate physical distancing and infection prevention.

However, getting a flu shot is already a challenge in itself, according to CBC News.

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TORONTO POSITIVITY RATE 2x HIGH ALERT RANGE

Toronto’s positivity rate on COVID-19 tests hit 4.4 per cent last week and is now nearly double the “high alert” threshold previously cited by the province, reports Chris Fox, CP24.

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CRIME UPTICK IN CABBAGETOWN?

We’ve received a few more emails about crimes in Cabbagetown recently. So be vigilant about your safety and security when you’re out and about in the neighbourhood.

Here’s how you should report any crimes you see or experience.

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HELP US GROW THE CABBAGTOWNER AUDIENCE

This newsletter reaches over 650 Cabbagetowners every week and consistently has a read rate of well over 50%. We’re happy that it has resonated with so many of you. If you know friends and neighbours would might also like to receive it, please get them to hop over to our web site to sign-up. Membership is only $20/year, or they can just sign up for the newsletter for free.

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COVID-19 TRANSMISSION WILL CHANGE OVER THE WINTER

Winter is coming and it is expected to have an impact on how people transmit COVID-19. York University microbiology associate professor Dasantila Golemi-Kotra said a big reason for the change in transmission is colder and drier air, reports Beth Macdonnell, CTV News.

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ActiveTO CONTINUES THIS W/E

River Street from Gerrard to Bayview and Bayview from Rosedale Valley Road to Front will be closed over the weekend (From 6 am on Saturday October 24 to 11 pm on Monday October 25).
Thanks to Doug Fisher for this article.

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COVID-19 VACCINE APPROVAL WON’T BE AN OVERNIGHT SOLUTION

There’s going to be a significant amount of time required to distribute the vaccine and then have enough doses prepared to administer to the population, reports Lauren Pelley, CBC News.

Over the last few weeks we’ve received a number of emails from residents across Cabbagetown, advising us of safety and security issues in our neighbourhood. Our partner residents associations in Winchester Park and Cabbagetown South are also seeing an uptick in crime in their catchment areas.

Some of the things we have heard recently:

People following delivery trucks around Cabbagetown in their own cars and stealing boxes off of porches – directly after they’ve been delivered!

An increase in the number of:

Home invasions, during the day and night.
Assaults/sexual assaults on streets and in parks, sometimes in broad daylight.
Bicycle thefts, back laneway car break-ins/thefts and garage break-ins/thefts.

I should point out that most of the more serious crimes identified above are not, to our knowledge, occurring regularly in the CRA catchment area (St James Cemetery to Gerrard, Parliament to the Don River). However, if you are out and about in the neighbourhood, it’s simply a reminder to stay vigilant, safe and sound.

TIPS ON THINGS TO DO TO REDUCE CRIME

Here are a few commonsense tips on how to stay safe and secure:

Don’t walk or take pets out late at night/very early in the morning. If you have to, walk with someone else.
Parking on the street? Make sure nothing is visible in you car. Even a small amount of change can be enough for someone to smash your window.
Make sure that your back gates and garages are securely locked and bolted at all times.
Store bicycles out of site and securely locked, ideally indoors.
Ensure that all entry/exit doors and downstairs windows are locked at all times.
Secure outdoor furniture and garden decor whenever possible to deter thieves from stealing them.
Invest in an alarm system if you don’t have one, ideally connected to a monitoring provider.
Install video cameras at the front and back of your house, or at least a video doorbell (well known brands include Ring, Arlo, Blink, Nest).
Lighting is a great way to deter intruders from coming onto your property. Go outside your residence after dark and do an audit. Are there dark spots? Do the bushes and trees need to be trimmed? Consider installing security lights in back laneways and/or front and back gardens. You can now get inexpensive and effective solar-powered options with motion detection that are a breeze to install.
Have parcels delivered to local depots like Penguin Pick-up or the Post Office (for Amazon), or elect for signature on delivery, so the parcel is not left on your doorsteps.
Report any streetlights that are out in your neighbourhood. Especially the lights in our alleyways They all have individual numbers and it’s important that they all remain operational.

REPORTING A CRIME IS CRITICAL

It’s really important to report ALL crimes. The more the police know about them, the more local police we have and the more patrols they do. But remember, getting an incident number assigned is all important. Once your report has an incident number, it becomes part of the crime statistics. Here’s all the different ways you can report crimes in our neighbourhood.

2020.10.24

HOW TO REPORT A CRIME

IF IT’S AN EMERGENCY
If it is a life threatening emergency (e.g. fire, medical emergency, crime in progress, etc.)
CALL 911.

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IF IT’S A NON-EMERGENCY
Non-emergency issues (e.g. property theft or damage, driving complaint, damage to a vehicle, etc.) call non-emergency response at 416-808-2222. Always be sure to get the incident number, to ensure it has been logged by the police.
You can also report non-emergency crimes online at: www.torontopolice.on.ca/core
NOTE: This form allows you to append any pictures you may have.

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GOT AN ONGOING COMMUNTY ISSUE?
Want to report noise complaints, aggressive panhandling, trespassing or nuisance issues, etc.? You can complete a Community Police Complaint Form. To do this, either call in to 416 808 5200 and request a Community Complaint Form (again, be sure you get an incident number.) Or simply complete the form online.
NOTE: This form does not allow you to append pictures but if you add “I have pictures” to your message, the police will reach out to get them.

If you feel there is a need for someone to actually come out (for a non-urgent community matter), you can reach out for assistance from the Community Response Unit, by phone at 416-808-5119 or by email: 51division@torontopolice.on.ca.

Our Community Response Unit Officers are:
Henry Dyck
Henry.Dyck@torontopolice.on.ca
Todd Gowan
Todd.Gowan@torontopolice.on.ca

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WANT TO REPORT A CRIME ANONYMOUSLY?

If you have ANY information on a crime you want to report anonymously contact CrimeStoppers:
1-800-222-TIPS (8477)
www.222tips.com
Text: CRIMES (274637)

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LASTLY….

Please let the CRA know about crimes you report so we can alert the neighbourhood about them (info@cabbagetowner.com).
Here’s a handy dandy leaflet from Councillor Wong-Tam’s office listing all these communication channels.
And remember… whenever a crime or a suspicious incident occurs, it’s important that you report it. The more official crime reports the police receive, the better able they are to determine the number of officers assigned to each division. And the more calls they receive from a particular neighbourhood, the more patrols that neighbourhood gets.

2020.10.24

TORONTO CENTRE BY-ELECTION

Election day is approaching. Voters who are self-isolating, or quarantining are strongly encouraged to apply to vote by mail.

Advanced voting dates are 16, 17, 18 & 19 October.

Need information on: Where to vote? What ID do I need? Registering to vote? Who are my candidates? Visit elections.ca.

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LANEWAY PARK-ING IN THE GARDEN DISTRICT

The Laneway Project would like to invite you to participate in an upcoming improvement project in Central Hospital Lane. (Between Carlton and Gerrard, East of Sherbourne)

Project Kickoff E-Meeting
October 20, 2020, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Site Analysis Meeting
October 27, 2020, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm

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COVID-19 ANTIBODY DERIVED IMMUNITY HAS LIMITS

Antibodies may feel like an extra shield of protection for recovered COVID-19 patients, but experts warn against relying on them to stop the spread, reports Jonathan Forani, CTV News

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WILL COVID-19 BECOME ENDEMIC?

No one knows when the pandemic will end, but one possibility is that COVID-19 never really goes away but becomes another endemic infectious disease that scientists learn to anticipate and control, reports Graham Slaughter at CTVNews.

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ONE CLEAR PUBLIC HEALTH MESSAGE NEEDED FOR HALLOWE’EN

The mayors and chairs from the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) asked for provincial guidance this week to help communities prepare for the day, reports CBC News.

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FLU SHOT REQUESTS OVERWHELM TORONTO PHARMACIES

The flu shot is now available across the province and pharmacies are dealing with a huge demand for the vaccine as Ontario copes with a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and enters flu season, reports Kerrisa Wilson at CP24

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MAKING CENTS – WITH KRISTYN WONG-TAM

In advance of Council budget season, our Councillor will be hosting a series of five virtual panel events, discussing critical issues facing Torontonians. Subject matter experts, will help unpack the budget process and explain how investing in community supports sustains healthy neighbourhoods.

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ENOUGH WITH COVID-19 – LET’S GET CREATIVE!

Too much COVID-19 doom and gloom in this newsletter I curate got me looking for ways to raise some spirits, which brought me to this article in Toronto Life. If you love to eat and drink, this one’s for you.

NEW, TIGHTER RESTRICTIONS TO BEAT THE SURGE

Ontario is imposing stricter measures in Toronto, Ottawa and Peel Region in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19 as the province’s curve climbs ever steeper.

Read the City news release.

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HEALTH MINISTER SAYS DO VIRTUAL THANKSGIVING

Canadians are being advised by health officials to hold virtual Thanksgiving celebrations this year as COVID-19 cases continue to surge in several parts of the country, reports Brooklyn Neustaeter at CTV News.

The City of Toronto is saying this now as well.

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ActiveTO STILL GOING THIS WEEKEND

River Street (Gerrard to Bayview) and Bayview (Rosedale Valley Road to Front Street) will be closed from 6 am, Saturday Oct. 10 to 11 pm, Monday Oct. 12 as part of the ActiveTO program.

(Thanks to Doug Fisher and the CNR for this post)

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NEW RULES FOR BARS AND RESTAURANTS

From Thursday October 10, if you’re drinking or dining out in Toronto, you’ll notice that things will be a little different at bars and restaurants now that they are adhering to the new rules put forth by Toronto Medical Officer of Health, says Becky Robertson at BlogTO.

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REUSABLE TAKEOUT CONTAINERS COME TO CABBAGETOWN!

If you order takeout locally, hate the waste, and want to help the environment, an exciting new pilot is coming to Cabbagetown.

Here’s a short news article from City News on this great new service.

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SPOTLIGHT ON NEW CABBAGETOWN FOOD OUTLET

Noushe just moved into 200 Carlton. They are a Persian-inspired kitchen offering catering, a new Food Market and, in November, private dining on site for 6-14 people and cooking classes for up to 5 people. You can order meals online, with delivery in Cabbagetown on Thursdays and Saturdays and curbside pickup on Fridays.

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ONTARIO’S NEW COVID-19 TESTING RULES

New rules for getting a COVID-19 test in Ontario come into effect this week, meaning you can no longer just show up to an assessment centre, get in line and expect to get tested, reports Mira Miller at BlogTO.

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REMINDER – ROOMING HOUSE INFO SESSION FROM DIXON HALL

Dixon Hall has been tasked with renovating and then running all services at the vacant rooming houses at 502-508 Parliament (just South of the LCBO). They are holding a community information session on Wednesday October 14 to provide an overview of project plans; an anticipated timeline; and a chance for questions from the community.

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THINKING TAKE-OUT FOR THANKSGIVING DINNER?

Can’t be bothered cooking this weekend? A bunch of local restaurants are offering Turkey with all the trimmings. Doug Fisher at The Cabbagetown Neighbourhood Review created a comprehensive list. Just scoot on over and scroll all the way to the bottom. Thanks Doug!

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CABBAGETOWN BIA – COMMUNITY UPDATES

The Cabbagetown BIA has progressed in leaps and bounds since Rick Matthews took over as Executive Director. Here’s his latest Community Update.

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THE LATEST EDITION OF ‘LIVE GREEN NEWS’ JUST CAME IN

Thought it might be of interest to those of you that like to read about local climate action news around Toronto.

If you order takeout locally, hate the packaging waste, and want to help the environment, an exciting new pilot is coming to Cabbagetown. Suppli provides a reusable takeout container service that allows consumers to order food in reusable stainless steel containers, like the ones pictured here.

The service includes pick-up of used containers from your front porch, apartment front, or condo concierge, which Suppli then cleans and sanitizes through its accredited partner, Event Rental Group.

They’re starting out with a small cohort of food merchants as they run through an initial pilot. Here’s the latest list:What’s the cost of all this? There is no cost to create an account, and Suppli has set rates at $0.99 per order as they build out the offering.

The service goes live starting October 20th and will initially serve consumers living in postal codes beginning with M5A and M4X. They’re working hard to expand their line-up of container sizes to meet restaurants’ needs, and are keen to receive feedback from consumers that will inform updates and improvements to the service.

As mentioned in our weekly newsletter on September 26, the Council was set to meet September 30 – October 1 to discuss Motion MM23.28, brought by Councillor Wong-Tam.

In advance of this meeting, the CRA sent a letter to all Councilors and the Mayor, in which we reiterated our concerns about neighbourhood safety and security:

“The Cabbagetown Residents Association’s objection to the siting of a drop-in and respite centre at 233 Carlton Street (in the heart of the commercial strip in Cabbagetown) has been driven, from the outset, by an overriding concern for the safety and security of residents and local businesses. Council is surely aware of the challenges brought about by pimps and drug dealers operating in the Sherbourne and Dundas neighbourhood around the Margaret’s Respite Centre. Our concern is that these same predators will migrate north to prey on the female clientele of this new respite centre. This is a real community concern, born out by the troubles that arose so rapidly, so extremely and so publicly in midtown communities adjacent to the Roehampton Hotel.”

In this letter we asked Council to demand clear, detailed, and unequivocal responses to each of Councillor Wong Tam’s questions. We also asked them to consider addressing a number of other questions that have gone unanswered since the 233 Carlton Street project was kicked-off by the Shelter, Support & Housing Administration (SSHA) in mid 2019.

Similar letters were also submitted by other local residents associations and concerned neighbours.

In advance of the Council session, the city published a ‘Report for Action’, as a response to the three questions in Motion MM23.28. Unfortunately, this report provided no substantive or objective insights into the SSHAs decision making process when leasing this property.

The Cabbagetown Coalition sent an email response to this ‘Report for Action’ to its own subscriber database, pointing out the various deficiencies in the report. This email was also copied to members of the Council.

All of these communications were appended to the supporting documents related to Councillor Wong-Tam’s Motion. Unfortunately, the Council meeting was extended through October 2, and Councillor Wong-Tam’s motion came up 5 minutes before the end. To ensure proper review, she deferred the motion to the next Council meeting, scheduled for October 28-29.

This is an ongoing story and we will provide additional updates as they become available.

233 CARLTON STREET UPDATE

Read about recent community activities in the run up to the Council meeting of Sep. 30.

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RENOVATION OF ROOMING HOUSES AT 502-508 PARLIAMENT STREET

Dixon Hall has been tasked with renovating and then running all services at the vacant rooming houses at 502-508 Parliament (just South of the LCBO). They are holding a community information session on Wednesday October 14 to provide an overview of project plans; an anticipated timeline; and a chance for questions from the community.

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PUMPKIN PARADE CANCELLED 🙁

Toronto Parks Forestry & Recreation emailed us this week saying that permits for pumpkin parades will not be issued this year, following the City’s reduction in allowable gathering size to 25 people outdoors. Boo Hoo!

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COUNCIL VOTES UNANIMOUSLY TO STRENGTHEN COVID-19 BYLAWS

City Council voted unanimously in favour of stronger measures to protect residents from COVID-19 and slow the ongoing resurgence of the virus in the community.

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NEW COVID-19 MODELLING SHOWS CASES CONTINUING TO SPIKE

The number of new cases reported daily are doubling every 10 to 12 days and Ontario could see it spiking to as many as 1000/day by October 30, new data modelling shows.

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OPEN DOOR PROGRAM TO SUPPORT AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING

The City has released the 2020 Call for Applications for the Open Door program. The program provides an opportunity for private, co-op and non-profit affordable housing organizations to apply for support from the City to create affordable rental housing for low- and moderate-income households in Toronto.

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CITY EXTENDS ActiveTO ROAD CLOSURES INTO OCTOBER

Major streets in Toronto will continue to be closed to make room for socially distanced cyclists and pedestrians thanks to the ActiveTO program being extended, says Amy Carlbery at BlogTO.

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TPH RECOMMENDS ADDITIONAL MEASURES TO CONTAIN COVID-19

In a recent report to Council, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health stressed the need for more actions to mitigate the impact of the resurgence of COVID-19 cases.

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NUIT BLANCHE UNVEILS VIRTUAL PROGRAM

The 15th annual Nuit Blanche Toronto will be reimagined as a virtual experience on Saturday, October 3 starting at 7 p.m. until October 12. The online event will present five streams of programming that will include talks, podcasts, a release of the 14-year archive called Nuit History, live streams, and artworks in augmented and virtual reality.

Read the City News Release.

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LET’S TALK FALL COLOURS!

Fall colours in Ontario simply can’t be beat, and the province is full of beautiful remote spots where you can both observe and appreciate them, says Mira Miller at BlogTO.

Admittedly, it’s still a little early in the season to catch the foliage in its prime, but leave it to the Ontario Parks Fall Colour Report to tell you when and where the colours have already started to change.

TPH ENHANCES COVID-19 REPORTING

Toronto Public Health launches an enhanced reporting dashboard in response to COVID-19 resurgence. This updated dashboard will provide more detailed information to help residents better understand how this virus is affecting their community.

Read the City News Release.

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CITY EXTENDS CANCELLATION OF MAJOR OUTDOOR EVENTS

To slow the spread of COVID-19, the City of Toronto is extending the cancellation of City-led and City-permitted outdoor major events to December 31.

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WILL HALLOWEEN BE CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19?

Understandably Toronto has been reluctant, so far, to give trick-or-treating the green light, reports Calum March of the National Post.

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NEW, STRICTER SOCIAL GATHERING RULES EXPLAINED

What’s allowed and not allowed, according to Sean Davidson at CTV News.

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DISTILLERY CHRISTMAS MARKET CANCELLED

The Toronto Christmas Market at 55 Mill Street is one of the biggest holiday draws, with more than 700,000 people attending the market annually. Due to COVID-19 the market is cancelled for 2020.

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MORE CHALLENGING SECOND WAVE COMING

Doug Ford said a “more challenging” and “more complicated” second wave of COVID-19 is on its way as he announced the government’s first part of a fall preparedness plan on Tuesday.

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COVID-19 SALIVA TESTS INTRODUCED

Starting this week, an easier, more painless saliva test will be available in Ontario. – well at least in three hospitals in downtown TO: Mount Sinai Hospital, Women’s College Hospital and the University Health Network.

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INTRODUCING StrollTO

Starting this weekend, residents can participate in StrollTO, part of the City’s ShowLoveTO initiative. StrollTO features self-guided itineraries for each of the City’s 25 wards to encourage residents to actively discover shops, stops, places and spaces on their local main streets.

Spoiler alert, the Toronto Centre itinerary leaves out Cabbagetown completely. What’s with that!

Read the City News Release.

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GET YOUR COVID TEST AT A PHARMACY….?

Doug Ford has announced COVID-19 tests will be available in up to 60 pharmacies across the province starting on Friday.

However the closest ones (currently) are Shoppers at 1630 Danforth or 107 Yonge. So the St Mike’s testing centre at Bond and Shuter is still the quickest one to get to.

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233 CARLTON STREET UPDATE

Responses to three questions regarding the proposed women’s drop-in and respite centre at 233 Carlton Street posed in Councillor Wong-Tams Motion MM23.28 will be reviewed at the City Council meeting at the end of September. The questions are:

How did the property first come to the attention of senior City Officials;
Who from the WE-related organizations communicated with the senior City Officials that may have affected final delegated decision-making on site location and financial terms; and
If the value paid for the lease agreement is inline and competitive with fair market valuation for comparable properties.

The TLAB appeal following the Committee of Adjustment meeting has not yet been scheduled but is still likely months away.

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ADVENTURES IN REAL ESTATE FROM TORONTO LIFE

Upsize, downsize, flee to the country, live on a boat, buy an RV, get a farm, shack up with the in-laws, and other life-altering changes Torontonians are making in these crazy times.

CITY INVITES RESIDENTS TO BECOME CLIMATE ACTION CHAMPIONS

Participants in this new City program will receive virtual training and support to empower them to support residents in developing innovative climate action projects that reflect the needs and values of their communities.

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ONTARIO SLASHES SOCIAL GATHERING LIMITS

Ontario rolls back social gathering limits in Toronto, Peel Region and Ottawa to 10 people indoors and 25 outdoors as of Friday, September 18, says Katherine DeClerq at CTV News.

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TELEMEDECINE IS HERE TO STAY

COVID-19 has taken the concept of telemedicine from pipe dream to fixture across Ontario and many doctors the hope the change is here to stay, says Michelle McQuigge at The Canadian Press.

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BigArtTO LAUNCHES ACROSS THE CITY

BigArtTO is a City-led ShowLoveTO initiative that turns local landmarks and buildings in each of the City of Toronto’s 25 wards into art canvases using large-scale projections. Runs thru Dec. 5.

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US-CANADA BORDER CLOSURE EXTENDED

The federal government will extend the Canada-U.S. land border closure for another 30 days until Oct. 21, CBC News has learned. Source says Canadians should expect the possibility the border will remain closed for longer, says Katie Simpson, CBC News.

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STAFF RECOMMEND PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON DUNDAS ST. RENAMING

City staff are recommending that some action needs to be taken in response to a petition calling for the renaming of Dundas Street but they say that further public consultation will be needed to determine next steps., says Chris Fox at CP24.

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CITY TRIES TO CREATE 3000 AFFORDABLE NEW HOMES

The City of Toronto is calling for a multi-level government partnership, with the goal of creating 3,000 permanent, affordable homes over the next 24 months, says Kayla Gladysz at TorontoStoreys.

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ActiveTO EXPANDS TO INCLUDE YONGE STREET

ActiveTO major weekend road closures will include full closure of Yonge Street, between Davenport Road and Queen’s Quay, on the final two Sundays in September.

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DIXON HALL PUBLISHES 2019-2020 IMPACT REPORT

Dixon Hall provides social services to the street-involved and homeless in our neighbourhood. They area also the lead service provider working on the revitalization of the four big rooming houses at 502-508 Parliament St, just S of the LCBO. Read their 2019-202 Impact report.

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MAYOR LAUNCHES ShowLoveTO

ShowLoveTO is a City initiative to encourage residents to support local businesses and artists to help rebuild the social and economic fabric of Toronto.

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CORMORANT HUNTING A NO-GO IN TORONTO

Surprised to see this news release from the City announcing that hunting season for double-crested cormorants is now underway in Ontario. The colonies at Tommy Thompson Park remain safe, due to Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 463 (Firearms).

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