Supporting Youth in the Rustic Neighbourhood Improvement Area - by Councillor Frances Nunziata, seconded by Councillor Ana Bailão

In 2019 alone, the Jane Falstaff community experienced five shooting incidents, the most recent on August 1, 2019 when 16 year old Hanad Abdullahi Ali was fatally shot in the stairwell of his building. Residents are worried about their safety and the safety of their children, and youth continue to experience trauma as a result of exposure to community violence. On October 2, 2019, through the adoption of MM10.2- Addressing the Root Causes of Violence - TO Wards, City Council approved an increase to the 2019 Operating Budget for Social Development, Finance and Administration to implement year one of the TO Wards Peace program which leverages the lived experience of affected communities to develop and implement effective community engagement approaches, innovative communication tools, social media strategies and targeted investment geared at violence prevention and interruption. In July 2018, the Board of Health recognized exposure to community violence as a social determinant of health. Violence prevention initiatives need to focus on the root causes of violence and youth already involved in community violence must be engaged in identifying the programs and services they need to help them succeed. I have been actively engaging youth of the Jane Falstaff community and they are asking that the City invest in their future and provide alternatives to violence. The issues in the Jane Falstaff community have perpetuated for far too long. As a City we can and must do better for our young people.

Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to consult with youth from the Jane Falstaff community to develop a local plan for the provision of recreation programs and services to respond to local need, and report through the Economic and Community Development Committee on the resources required for the implementation of the plan.