NNNow News Blog

Friday, May 30, 2008

Great Photo of City Hall


From the always interesting http://wvs.topleftpixel.com/

Help for the Toronto Humane Society

The Toronto Humane Society is in danger of losing their name / designation of "Humane Society" in the upcoming Bill 50. Link to help is here:

http://www.torontohumanesociety.com/newsandevents/council.asp

Text from the Humane Society's website explaining the issue below.

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The Premier is to be congratulated for having promised animal welfare reform, and by all rights you and I ought to be able to support all of Bill 50 which was introduced in the Legislature by Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services Rick Bartolucci on April 3, 2008.

But there is a serious flaw in Bill 50. Section 6 requires the Legislature to strip away the name of any humane society that doesn’t want to be a Member of the Ontario SPCA or the name of any humane society that the Ontario SPCA itself doesn’t want or has expelled.

If The Toronto Humane Society has its name taken away, it will lose its identity of 121 years. Animals will suffer because those needing our services won’t know where to turn. Our income will plummet, depending as it does on name recognition. Severe cuts in services to animals and staff lay-offs will be inevitable.

And for our beloved Toronto Humane Society, the sting of section 6 of Bill 50 is not academic, but real.

On May 10, 2008, through an official by-law, the Ontario SPCA told The Toronto Humane Society to stop Agent Tre Smith and our other cruelty police, our veterinarians, our adoption and other staff, our rescue officers and our volunteers from serving 3/4 of the City of Toronto or face expulsion as an Ontario SPCA Member.

Since The Toronto Humane Society is an Ontario-wide institution, statistically 1/3 of all Ontarians and animals we serve come from now prohibited areas both in Toronto and elsewhere in Ontario. We will be forbidden to serve Etobicoke, Scarborough and North York, and the new Victoria Park Avenue Adoption Centre may wind up padlocked.

It is not as if there are other choices for the animals because there is no humane society in the GTA remotely as busy or serving so many as do our hospital and shelter at 11 River Street. Last year, we gave special care to 12,613 pets, wild animals, and wild birds who because of us – and only because of us – are alive and well today.

It will be heartbreaking to see our work decimated, to see our rescue vehicles garaged, or up for sale, and our staff let go. As supporters, you and I erected the sign in our lobby: “We help all animals”. How can we now say “no” to lost and hurt animals arriving at our door day and night seeking safety and veterinary treatment?

WHEN HE INTRODUCED SECTION 6 OF BILL 50 IN THE LEGISLATURE, MINISTER BARTOLUCCI PROVIDED THE CLOUT TO ENFORCE THESE CUTBACKS. WE MUST STOP SECTION 6 OF BILL 50 FROM EVER BECOMING LAW.

The good news is that section 6 is superfluous to animal protection and won’t be missed. In fact, removing section 6 from Bill 50 will strengthen animal protection.

Cutbacks undermine reform. The strength of Ontario’s animal welfare movement is in providing services locally in a way that reflects the many voices of diverse communities across Ontario. Mr. Bartolucci’s support for curtailed services, and for one voice for animal welfare in Ontario as favoured by the Ontario SPCA, will weaken our movement.

Whether you live across the Province or in Toronto, please join with me and email or write your MPP without delay and ask for the removal of section 6 of Bill 50.

Thank you on behalf of the animals.

Yours truly,

Tim Trow
President

Monday, May 26, 2008

New City Green Program

Toronto has launched a new Green Initiative:

http://www.toronto.ca/livegreen/

From the site:

Welcome to Toronto’s one-stop resource for living friendly. Here, you’ll discover hundreds of easy ways you can contribute to a healthier planet. Get inspired. Get motivated. Get a rebate!

Today, take one more small step to living green for a living Toronto.

Friday, May 23, 2008

Joe Pantalone Newsletter

Most recent newsletter from Joe Pantalone's office:


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Dear Neighbours,

As part of our environmental program, the City of Toronto passed Target70 (70% waste diversion by 2010) in June 2007 to divert organics and recyclables away from land fills. Presently, 58% of the garbage created by those in houses and only 13% of these in condos and apartments is being diverted. The replacement of blue boxes with new, wheeled Blue Bins and the introduction of Garbage Bins to our single and multi-unit residential properties (less than 8 units) are part of this initiative.

On June 2nd, Solid Waste Management Services will mail a newsletter explaining the new program and a bin order card to single family homes in the Ward. The order deadline for you to choose your new Garbage Bin is June 19th. You will be offered the choice of four sizes of Garbage Bins and there will be a corresponding fee for each size of Garbage Bin. Delivery of the new Garbage Bins will start in late August 2008 in Ward 19.

In order to help you really understand the Garbage Bin program and ask any questions you may have, I encourage you to visit one of the following information opportunities organized in our community:

  • On May 28, 2008 at the Trinity Bellwoods Recreation Centre (155 Crawford Street) from 5:30 to 8:30 pm;
  • On June 16, 2008 at the Bob Abate Community Centre gymnasium (485 Montrose Ave) from 6:00 to 8:30 pm.

As for the new blue bins, the new system will work perfectly well for 80% of Toronto, but the other 20% will need special attention to make it work. In order to make the system work for all residents of Ward 19, I have been connecting City officials with residents throughout our ward who require an individualized solution and will continue to do so while the blue bins are being distributed and throughout the upcoming garbage rollout. I know that this will require a significant adjustment for residents but I hope that we can work together to resolve the problems and make the program work. If you would like to trade your blue bin for a smaller one, please call 416-392-BINS (2467).

If you need support with either or both of these programs, please do not hesitate to contact me.

And finally, good news for those residents in the City of Toronto who already receive garbage pick-up in their laneways! In order to make it easier, your garbage, recycling and green bin will be collected in the laneway at the rear of your property on your scheduled collection day from now on. You will receive a flyer from the Solid Waste division with this information. If you have any questions or require more information please call 416-338-2010.

I strongly believe that by working together we can and will make Toronto a better place to live, work, and play. I hope this information is useful to you.

Sincerely,

Joe Pantalone

Deputy Mayor

City of Toronto

416-392-4009

councillor_pantalone@toronto.ca

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

FREE COMPOST FOR WARD 20!

(From Councillor Adam Vaughan)
Spring has sprung and we are ready to deliver your annual supply of free compost.
This year compost will be available for pick up at 6 locations on Tuesday May 20th and Wednesday May 21st. You can bring your buckets, barrels and shovels to pick up your compost after 3 pm, at these locations:
TUESDAY MAY 20th
Vermont Square Park
819 Palmerston Ave
(Bathurst and Dupont area)
Jean Sibelius Square Park
50 Kendal Ave (at Bernard)
(Annex area)
Margaret Fairley Parkette
Brunswick Ave and Ulster St
(Harbord Village area)
*****

WEDNESDAY MAY 21st
Lillian H. Smith Library Park
239 College Street (at Huron)
(park behind library)
Bellevue Square Park
Augusta Ave north of Dundas St
(Kensington Market area)
Little Norway Park
South-west corner of Queens Quay and Bathurst
(Bathurst Quay area)
*****
Free compost is also being delivered for community gardens at Toronto Community Housing locations at 250 Davenport and Hydro Block.
Each location will receive 13 tonnes of compost.
Happy gardening!

Neighbourhood Architecture Event May 28th

As part of this year's Festival of Architectural and Design (fAd) event in Toronto, HOK, a local planning, architecture and design studio, is hosting and facilitating a community workshop to envision the urban environment of its King and Bathurst neighborhood, bordered by Strachan, Spadina, Queen and Front Streets.

Residents, business owners and others involved in the community are invited to explore the issues impacting the future of their community, and how they relate to specific physical aspects of their neighborhood.

HOK believes that healthy, sustainable communities are created by small incremental change at a grassroots level. Share your thoughts about what issues you see in this neighbourhood. What needs to change and why?

If you are interested in participating in this event, please complete the pre-registration form at www.hokevents.ca/king. Participants must be a resident, a business owner and/or involved in the King and Bathurst community. Spaces are limited. You will be contacted by HOK to confirm attendance.

If you have any questions, please contact Darlyn Dimayuga at 416-342-7053 or via email at darlyn.dimayuga@hok.com .

Check out their blog at:
http://hokevents.typepad.com/king_and_bathurst/

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

More Recycling Bin Info from Councillor Adam Vaughan

Our neighbouring Councillor, Adam Vaughan, has sent out the following information to his constituents. Our Councillor for the Niagara Neighbourhood is Joe Pantalone - his office can be reached at 416-392-4009 or via email at councillor_pantalone@toronto.ca.

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Residents of single-family homes in Ward 20 are now starting to receive their new recycling bins. Many are also discovering that the bins do not fit well on their property. If your bin is too large for your property, there are a few options that the city can provide to try and fit your property’s physical requirements.

City staff are offering site visits to residents to help identify the approach that will work best for each property. This includes:

- trading your bin for a smaller bin
- dual use (garbage & recycling) bins
- the possibility of using clear plastic bags to put out recycling for pickup

To request a site visit to determine alternate options that would work best for you, please contact (Joe Pantalone's office for the Niagara Neighbourhood).

Please provide us your name, address and phone number to request a site visit to determine alternate options that would work best for you. Residents can also call 416-392-BINS (2467) however the line is extremely busy due to the bin roll-out and may have long waiting times. Please be advised that there is currently a three-week wait to receive a site visit.

If your neighbours have received their bins but you have not, this may because of different order sizes, as deliveries are taking place by size. Until you receive your new bin, you can continue to use your old blue and grey bins. You can also contact our office via e-mail or phone to check in on your bin delivery.

Friday, May 2, 2008

New Recycling Bins

Niagara Neighbourhood Now fully supports the City of Toronto’s push to increase recycling. We believe that recycling is not only vital in building a more sustainable and responsible city, but that it’s part of a wider movement to make Toronto a leader in environmental action.

Unfortunately, we do not believe the new larger bins proposed by the city are the best option: they do not take the unique living arrangements of those who live downtown into consideration.

In this “city of neighbourhoods” we live close to our neighbours: we have small spaces and limited storage that can’t always accommodate these new larger bins. They require awkward storage (dragging bins through houses) or unattractive containers littering our property.

Niagara Neighbourhood Now’s position is that these bins should be one of several choices rather than the only choice. We should be able to choose between the new larger bins, the current bins, or clear bags – whichever homeowners feel best suits their situation.

Toronto homeowners and Niagara Neighbourhood Now want to do their part for recycling and the environment, and we believe the City should do their part by giving homeowners the opportunity to participate in as many ways as possible.