In our coverage
amendedTTC must reinstate eight workers and revise drug-testing policy after arbitrator rules random testing unlawfulAn arbitrator has ordered the TTC to reinstate eight employees and struck down the transit agency's random drug and alcohol testing policy as implemented. The board voted 5-3 to accept this decision, which removes a safety tool the TTC had relied on and requires the agency to negotiate a compliant testing regime with the union.Deputy Mayor Malik announces United Way employee campaign kickoffDeputy Mayor Malik announced the 2026 United Way of Greater Toronto employee campaign, highlighting upcoming events including the 16th annual Civic Run, the CN Tower climb, and a December gala. The announcement recognized city staff, union leadership, and volunteers involved in the annual fundraising campaign.Council releases six held items on live music, Section 37, solicitor duties, waste receptacles, loading zones and Ontario Line artCity Council on July 30 released six items held by individual councillors, adopting amendments to two and staff recommendations on one. The items span commercial regulations, development agreements, and city services. Most passed without recorded debate.Councillor Perks departing council; multiple member motions processedCouncillor Gord Perks is recognized and departing from Toronto City Council at the end of his term. Council processed a series of 17 members' motions (43.3–43.17), most waiving referral to committee and passing unanimously or by recorded vote. Motion 43.7 was held by Councillor Saxe; motion 43.16 failed to achieve the two-thirds threshold required to waive referral to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee.City council directs staff to find ways to ban surveillance pricing in grocery storesMayor Chow moved that city staff identify all possible mechanisms to ban or restrict surveillance pricing, a practice where retailers use personal data to charge different customers different prices for the same item. The motion cites rising grocery costs and references similar practices already being used by major US retailers. Council passed it without opposition.Councillor Myers marks retiring city lawyer Wendy Walberg's serviceCouncillor Myers, speaking during council, praised Wendy Walberg, a senior city lawyer, on her retirement after more than three decades of service. Myers highlighted Walberg's legal skill, work ethic, and integrity. No decision was made; this was a personal tribute.City directed to explore bans on surveillance pricing in retailDeputy Mayor Malik moved a motion directing city staff to identify legal mechanisms to ban or restrict surveillance pricing, the practice of charging different customers different prices based on personal data and shopping habits. The motion passed with support from multiple councillors who cited the real harm to residents, particularly low-income shoppers and families buying essentials like baby formula and milk.Petitions received on Bathurst and Shepherd protests and data center applicationsCouncil received two petitions: one from 4,870 residents opposing data centre applications across the city with particular concern in Birchcliff, and one describing weekly pro-Palestinian protests near Bathurst and Shepherd in a Jewish neighbourhood as a public safety and police resource crisis. Neither petition resulted in a decision; both were formally received.City Council order paper review and urgent motions processingToronto City Council conducted routine procedural business at the start of its July 30, 2026 session, approving the day's order paper with 150 items, releasing holds on various development and policy items, and processing 18 urgent motions without notice. The session included quick releases on zoning amendments, TTC ticket refunds, and community facility matters, with most items moving to substantive debate or decision later in the meeting.City Council recognizes retiring City Solicitor Wendy Walberg after 34 yearsMayor Chow and council members gave formal recognition to City Solicitor Wendy Walberg, who is retiring after 34 years of service to Toronto, including 9 years as city solicitor. Walberg reflected on her career navigating complex legal challenges including COVID-19, governance changes, and Charter litigation, and thanked council, staff, and her family.FIFA World Cup 2026 Toronto: council received a report and advanced audits of spending and intimate partner violence dataCity Council adopted measures on July 29 and 30, 2026, to make permanent several traffic and transit improvements that were implemented during the FIFA World Cup 2026, including maintaining new traffic cameras, expanding transit signal priority, and continuing parking restrictions that benefited congestion management. The council directed city staff to review mobility results and identify operational learnings from the tournament that can improve ongoing services and efficiencies. The council also directed staff to include in the final post-tournament report an analysis of whether incidents of intimate partner violence and gender-based violence changed during the tournament period compared to the same period in 2025, with findings to be reported in the first quarter of 2027. Additionally, the council requested the Auditor General to conduct a value for money audit of Toronto's hosting of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.City Council authorizes release of Section 37 greening funds for tree fencing in YorkvilleThe council authorized the release of Section 37 funds for protective tree fencing in Yorkville Village. On July 29, 2026, Toronto City Council adopted the measure.Council to release Section 45 developer funds for Elm Street streetscape improvementsCity Council is considering releasing contributions collected from two downtown developments to fund streetscape design and improvements on Elm Street in the Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area. The funds were required under development agreements and represent completion of a pipeline Council approved earlier this term.TTC to assess whether transit capacity exists for new buildings, not just construction impactsCouncillor Saxe is asking City Council to direct the TTC to evaluate whether the transit system has capacity to serve residents in new developments during the development review process, rather than only measuring construction-period impacts. College station already operates over capacity during rush hours. City Council has not yet voted on this motion.City Council authorized accepting donations exceeding $50,000 from Midtown Ravines Group for Yellow Creek ravine projectCity Council voted to allow the city to accept cash and in-kind donations from the Midtown Ravines Group, a charity formed by ten local residents' associations, to fund erosion control, trail improvements, and ecological studies in the Yellow Creek ravine near Yonge and St. Clair in University-Rosedale and Toronto-St. Paul's wards. The project is bounded to one ravine system and does not change city policy or operations beyond accepting private funding for the specified work.City Council authorized release of Section 37 funds for Clock Tower Trail wayfinding and placemaking pole wrapsCity Council approved spending collected developer fees on wayfinding signage and utility pole wraps along the Clock Tower Trail, a pedestrian walking loop in downtown Toronto. The funds come from Section 37 community benefits agreements with developers. The project aims to improve navigation and visual cohesion for the route connecting downtown neighbourhoods.Council asked to study heritage designation for Sneaky Dee's live music venueCity Council voted to waive referral to Scarborough Community Council and direct staff to begin a heritage designation study for Sneaky Dee's, a College Street live music venue that has operated for decades. A heritage designation, if granted, would prevent demolition and constrain future redevelopment of the property.City Council authorizes release of $10,000 in Section 37 funds for CHUM Radio heritage plaque at Yonge and JackesCity Council authorized Heritage Toronto to spend $10,000 from Section 37 community benefits funds on a commemorative plaque honouring CHUM-AM radio's historical role in Toronto music from 1957 onward. The plaque will be installed at Yonge and Jackes Avenue. Council waived the standard referral to Executive Committee to expedite the decision.Council extends construction staging permit at 49 Ontario Street by one yearCity Council reopened and amended its previous approval for a construction staging area at 49 Ontario Street downtown, extending the permitted end date by one year to accommodate changes to the developer's timeline. The staging area affects street access and traffic near the Distillery District.Council releases $5 million to build park at Yonge and Church with Indigenous Place Keeping focusCity Council is authorizing release of $5 million in development-secured funds to build a new park at 819 Yonge Street and 876 Church Street, emphasizing Indigenous Place Keeping. The park was previously authorized; this motion funds full completion including demolition, site servicing, construction and public art.Toronto to plan curbside management for autonomous vehiclesCouncillor Saxe is asking city staff to develop a strategy for managing curb space as autonomous vehicles become more common, responding to current complaints about inadequate loading zones. The proposal anticipates increased competition for parking, loading, and vehicle pickup zones downtown. If adopted, staff will study the challenge and report back, but no decision on actual management changes has been made.City Council authorized release of Section 37 funds for Karma Co-op garbage storage upgradesCity Council waived standard committee referrals and approved the release of community benefits funds to support capital improvements at Karma Co-op, Toronto's only non-profit community food cooperative in Ward 11. The co-op sought urgent assistance for garbage storage infrastructure work.Council authorized to release $700,000 in Section 37 funds to Toronto Chinatown Land Trust for mixed-use affordable housing and cultural hubCouncillor Dianne Saxe released her held members motion authorizing the city to give developer contributions to the Toronto Chinatown Land Trust to help acquire 81 Huron Street in Ward 11. The property would provide two affordable residential units, cultural exhibition space, and a commercial storefront, addressing displacement in West Chinatown. The motion now moves to City Council for a vote.Council asks staff to assess data centre expansion against new AI guidance before it gets approvedCouncillor Kandavel moved that the proposed STACK Infrastructure data centre expansion in Scarborough Southwest be assessed against forthcoming city guidance on AI data centres, with clarity required on ownership, data sovereignty, and community benefits before Site Plan Approval. Over 100 residents attended a community meeting expressing concerns about scale, power and water demands, noise, employment, and the lack of public process.Council directs study of safer intersection markings for high-collision locationsCouncillor Chernos Lin moved that staff study ways to improve visibility and safety at dangerous intersections using pavement markings and alternative signage, starting with Bayview Avenue and Bayview Heights Drive in Don Valley West where collisions are recurring. The motion asks for research into best practices from other jurisdictions within Highway Traffic Act constraints. This is a direction to staff, not a final safety decision.Council corrects zoning error at 149 College Street tower; institutional uses now count toward commercial minimumCity Council is re-opening and amending a zoning by-law approved in December 2025 for a college tower at 149 College Street to fix an unintended drafting error. The error excluded institutional uses from counting toward a required 4,500-square-metre non-residential floor area minimum, contrary to what was recommended. The correction does not change the project itself, only clarifies what was already approved.City demands province reverse land takeover and restore Toronto Islands controlMayor Chow moved an urgent motion demanding the province repeal Bill 110, return Little Norway Park and the Toronto Islands to the city, and restore Toronto's seat at a tripartite agreement governing Billy Bishop Airport. The motion responds to the federal government's announcement that it will not support the province's proposed expansion of the island airport, following months of public opposition and city staff analysis.Parking exemptions granted for ambulance access at University Health Network, 750 Dundas Street WestToronto City Council approved amendments to parking and stopping regulations in front of the University Health Network building at 750 Dundas Street West to allow ambulances unrestricted access for patient pickups and dropoffs, including a curb cut to prevent stretcher lifting. Paramedics requested the change to improve emergency response efficiency at a major trauma centre.adoptedConfirmation of minutes from June 2026 meetingCity Council formally adopted the official minutes from its previous regular meeting. The session included routine procedural motions, declarations of interest by several councillors, and the submission of a petition from residents near 989 AB Kennedy Road regarding proposed rental housing construction.receivedDeclarations of interest at City CouncilCouncil members declare conflicts of interest at the start of the July 29 meeting, a procedural requirement under the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act. Several councillors hold or release items from the order paper based on declared interests.adopted148-158 and 162 Soudan Avenue, 53-storey residential tower with 640 units; rental demolition and heritage alterations; referred to council without recommendationA large residential development at Soudan Avenue (53 storeys, 640 units, replacing 17 rental units) was referred to City Council without committee recommendation. Staff recommended approval with a holding bylaw pending infrastructure studies. Councillor Saxe deferred the item citing ongoing negotiations with the applicant and concerns about podium massing, setbacks, and infrastructure capacity in an already-intensely-redeveloped area.adoptedCouncil approves Official Plan Amendment for 24-storey mixed-use building at 237 Victoria Street, securing Ronald McDonald House on siteCity council approved an Official Plan Amendment allowing a 24-storey residential and commercial building at 237 Victoria Street, with 256 dwelling units and 416 square metres of retail or office space. The approval includes a block plan securing Ronald McDonald House's continued operation on the larger property and setting building heights and setbacks for future development of adjacent sites.amendedInterim zoning for 65 Ookwemin Street community uses while towers await tribunal rulingToronto and East York Community Council approved a zoning by-law amendment to temporarily allow community, cultural, recreational and retail uses at 65 Ookwemin Street while a separate Ontario Land Tribunal case proceeds on a proposed four-tower mixed-use development. The interim zoning does not change height or density limits. This item was dispatched to City Council, which did not discuss it on the record.500 Dundas Street East zoning amendment; staff recommended approval but councillor sought referral to councilPlanning and Housing Committee considered a staff recommendation to approve a zoning change allowing a 35-storey, 413-unit mixed-use residential and commercial building at 500 Dundas Street East near College subway station. A councillor moved to refer the item to council without adopting the staff recommendation, citing questions about TTC capacity and housing affordability. The record does not show whether the committee voted on this motion or what the outcome was.Council authorized a study of Yorkville Village Core for potential heritage conservation district statusCity Council voted to commission a formal study examining whether the Yorkville Village Core should become a Heritage Conservation District under Ontario law. The area contains Victorian houses, mid-20th-century buildings, and laneways central to Yorkville's character. If the study proceeds, staff will analyze heritage features and conduct public consultation before any designation decision.receivedTTC CEO report: FIFA success, permanent Bathurst/Dufferin transit lanes, and a $13.5M revenue gapThe board received the July CEO report, which was dominated by a FIFA World Cup wrap-up (3.6M+ trips, 42% match-day ridership bumps, 90%+ satisfaction). Buried in the discussion, staff confirmed the Bathurst and Dufferin RapidTO transit-priority lanes will stay installed permanently, and disclosed the TTC is running about $13.5M under its revenue budget with an $80M efficiency target for year-end. A nine-month camera pilot recording vehicles passing open streetcar doors began July 20.amendedTTC lost its random drug-testing case; the board's response was decided behind closed doorsAn arbitrator issued a ~380-page ruling striking down the TTC's random drug and alcohol testing policy as unconstitutional and ordered fired workers reinstated. ATU Local 113 president Marvin Alfred deputed publicly, urging the board to accept the ruling rather than seek a judicial review. The board debated the deputation in open session but made its actual decision behind closed doors and adopted those recommendations without disclosing their content.adoptedTTC Board orders a study to speed up the College (506) streetcar, and it turns into an election-flavoured fightCommissioner Saxe, seconded by Chair Myers, moved to direct TTC staff to report back in Q1 2027 with recommendations to speed up and make more reliable the 506 College/Carlton streetcar. Seven residents deputed in support, with several urging dedicated lanes and faster action; Saxe cross-examined advocate Gabriel Leblanc at length over his roughly $1M cost claim, and staff put much larger figures on the record. The motion was adopted, but Commissioner Bravo voted against it despite College serving her ward, arguing the board should stick to its existing system-wide plan rather than single out one line.adoptedTTC Board directs staff to urgently study, and possibly implement, weekly fare cappingCommissioner Bravo's motion directs TTC staff to urgently study weekly fare capping (capping what riders pay per week, as Brampton, MiWay and Hamilton already do) and to potentially implement it. The motion carried, but a commissioner pressed hard on why staff would be delegated authority to implement before the cost is known. Staff said financial implications will be spelled out and the CEO can decline if the cost is too large.amendedTransit capacity flagged against new towers as College Station trains overflowAn update on provincial transit projects in delivery that carries a buried procedural win: TTC development-application comments must now flag whether the subway can actually absorb new residents. The prompting example is stark, roughly a third of peak trains at College Station already cannot pick everyone up while council weighs adding 3,200 more residents nearby.City Council backs investigation into banning algorithmic price targeting at grocery storesCity Council asked city staff to identify ways Toronto can ban or regulate surveillance pricing that raises grocery prices, including online and delivered groceries. The Executive Committee recommended on July 21, 2026, that the City Manager consult with the City Solicitor and other officials to report back by the first quarter of 2027 with options, and that staff analyze existing regulatory authorities to develop measures ranging from requiring clear consumer disclosure to full prohibition of algorithmic pricing that raises prices for individuals. City Council adopted the recommendation on July 29, 2026, by a vote of 26-0, and also requested that the Province of Ontario ban surveillance pricing and strengthen consumer protection laws, and that city staff seek advice from federal agencies on current privacy and competition law and whether updates are needed.amendedBilly Bishop Airport Proposed Expansion: Response to Council Request for Information on Housing and Transportation ImpactsCity staff reported on environmental, transportation, housing, and corporate-ownership impacts of a proposed jet expansion at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport announced by the Toronto Port Authority and Ontario. The report found serious concerns about water quality, air pollution, housing constraints, and hidden corporate beneficiaries. The federal government announced on the day of this council meeting that it would not support the expansion, limiting it to necessary safety measures only.Council backs faster restoration of crosswalks and bike lane markings after utility cuts; hires 34 inspectorsThe item asks the city to strengthen requirements for restoring road safety markings after utility cuts and other work in public rights-of-way. The Infrastructure and Environment Committee amended and recommended the measure on July 15, 2026. City Council adopted it on July 29 and 30, 2026, requiring applicants to reinstate all safety markings within two weeks of closing excavations between April 30 and October 31 (weather permitting) and as soon as weather allows at other times, with photographic proof required for permit closeout.adoptedCity updates land-acceptance policy to comply with Ontario rules while keeping environmental standards tightCity Council adopted amendments to the policy governing how the city accepts potentially contaminated lands conveyed as a condition of development approval. The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommended the amended policy on July 15, 2026, with changes clarifying requirements for transit infrastructure conveyances, subsurface investigations near TTC facilities, municipal water and wastewater infrastructure, and risk assessments for future land use. City Council adopted the amended policy on July 29, 2026.adoptedCity extends Parkrun Canada agreement for free Saturday morning runs on Martin Goodman TrailThe city is authorizing an extended agreement with Parkrun Canada to hold a community running program on city trails and parks. The Infrastructure and Environment Committee adopted the recommendation on July 15, 2026. City Council adopted the authorization on July 29 and 30, 2026, allowing the General Manager of Parks and Recreation to negotiate and sign an agreement extending the existing nominal fee licensing arrangement for up to two years with two optional one-year renewal terms, with the program to begin in fall 2026.referredPedestrian access to laneway houses in Ward 11 during snow events referred for broader reviewThe item asks the city to review pedestrian access to laneway houses in Ward 11 during snow events. On July 15, 2026, the Infrastructure and Environment Committee referred the matter to the Deputy City Manager, Infrastructure Services and requested a broader review of snow clearing options for laneways with laneway housing, including financial implications, to be included in a report back as directed by City Council's prior decision. The referral carried 5-1.amendedToronto Fire Services 2025 Annual Report; strong operations but severe staffing emergency from WSIB and provincial mandatesCity Council amended the Toronto Fire Services 2025 Annual Report on July 29, 2026. The Economic and Community Development Committee had recommended on July 14, 2026 that the Fire Chief and General Manager analyze the financial impacts of provincial legislative and regulatory changes affecting Toronto Fire Services workforce costs and report findings to the City Manager. The committee also recommended that the City Manager negotiate with Ontario to recover those financial impacts and mitigate budget effects on Toronto. City Council carried the amendment by a vote of 25-0.
Every story we have published that names this member, whether they moved the item, amended it, pressed on it, dissented, or were quoted in the room. Stories exist for the meetings the pipeline has covered, so this list reflects our archive rather than the member’s full activity. Their whole voting record is on the vote log.
In the news
- Toronto’s election sets stage for several intriguing council battles
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- Councillor ditches ward at last minute for vacant Danforth seat
- Councillor ditches ward at last minute for vacant Danforth seat
- Toronto municipal election: Councillor Saxe switches wards as registration deadline passes
- Toronto municipal election: Councillor Saxe switches wards as registration deadline passes
- Mike Layton running for city council in upcoming municipal election
- Mike Layton looking to re-enter municipal politics
- Toronto says it’ll fight surveillance pricing – but can it?
- World Cup’s financial 'failure' deserves audit: Toronto Councillor
- 'Unexpected breakthrough': Coun. Saxe credits community effort to save Sneaky Dee's
- Despite objections, RapidTO rollout squashed parking spots
- Future of Sneaky Dee's appears safe after proposal to redevelop land withdrawn
- Data centres as good citizens? Toronto councillor’s motion shot down
- Speeding increases in Toronto significantly after province turns off cameras
- Indigenous icon idea gets lukewarm response from TTC board
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