Statements from the Office of the Mayor

We have just been informed that the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Steve Clark, has amended York Region’s Official Plan to allow a minimum 12 storeys – more than double the current allowable height on a parcel of land in Aurora through a “special provision.

4.2.30 Special provisions for the lands known municipally as 1289 Wellington Street East in the City of Aurora (PIN 036425499). Notwithstanding any other policies in this Plan to the contrary, the minimum density target to be achieved is 330 units per hectare and minimum building height of 12 storeys."

This decision begs a serious question: why this specific parcel of land? It isn’t in a transportation corridor – it’s barely serviced by a bus!

Neither members of Aurora Town Council or York Regional Council – elected officials who know their communities best – were consulted prior to this drastic change to our Official Plan. I am extremely concerned about the precedent this could set for future planning decisions and the impact it could have on our residents.

I have sent a letter to Minster Clark requesting a meeting immediately to discuss alternatives that would work in the best interest of current and future residents of Aurora.

• Statement from Mayor Tom Mrakas - Provincial Amendment to York Region's Official Plan Impacting the Town of Aurora

The Province has announced drastic changes to planning legislation that effectively wipes out the power of the municipality to manage growth and development within our communities. 

The proposed changes outlined in the legislation being tabled are simply huge:

• The legislation will remove planning responsibilities in Simcoe, Halton, Peel, York, Durham Niagara and Waterloo. Local Official Plans to be updated and will be approved by the provincial Minister of Municipal affairs and Housing, not Region 
• Limits the role of conservation authorities, in particular as it speaks to commenting on pollution and land conservation 
• Significantly reduces development charges and parkland requirements which will severely impact a municipality’s ability to provide future services, amenities and infrastructure and will negatively impact residential tax rates 
• Heritage Act changes 
• Eliminates site plan control for residential development plans up to 10 units 
• Limits scope of site-plan control by removing ability to regulate architectural control and landscape design. This will mean that in Aurora we will no longer be able to impose site plan control on infill housing in our stable neighbourhoods 
• Eliminates the need for public hearings for every development draft plan 
• Limits third-party appeals on any planning applications, including minor variances and consents. Community groups and even neighbours will no longer be able to appeal applications. They can only appeal to their local municipal council which will now have limited to no authority to deny an application. 
• OLT can dismiss cases without a hearing and may award costs 
• Additional residential units will be permitted as a right, up to three units in primary building or two units in primary building and one in ancillary building.
  

While I applaud the Province for taking bold steps forward to address the housing crisis affecting communities across the province, I don’t agree that a one-size-fits all approach is the way to achieve it. Aurora is NOT Toronto, or Mississauga or Brampton. We are a small community where these type of “as of right” decisions will have a devastating impact on our community. Instead of giving municipalities the tools necessary to incentivize the building of attainable housing, we have instead found ourselves being bludgeoned with Toronto centric planning legislation, yet again.

For the past four years, we have been working hard to achieve the right mix of housing in our community. Aurora already has inclusionary zoning. Aurora already has provisions in our Official Plan to afford the construction of the missing middle. What we don’t have is the power to enforce our Official Plan. 

And now, with these new changes, local planners and municipal leaders – those who understand the needs of their communities the best – will have even less authority to affect meaningful change in local land-use planning. 

Will this legislation lead to more housing being built? Perhaps. But I think a better question is to ask what type of housing will be built and at what cost?

• Statement from Mayor Mrakas on province's more homes, build faster act

I appreciate the Provincial Government looking at how new legislation can help create more affordable housing including curbing speculation and making it easier to build more community housing by making better use of provincially-owned lands.

The Bill presented by Minister Clark today is welcomed as it abandons the Housing Affordability Task Force’s 55 recommendations and commits to delivering short term solutions and long-term commitments including working with and supporting municipalities. I was encouraged to hear that the Minister has seen the importance and need for the Provincial Government to have meaningful consultation with municipalities to find the best approach to the housing crisis. If we are to find solutions to the housing crisis we need to work together – all levels of government.

I look forward to working with this and the next Provincial government to create vibrant, thriving communities to not only spur growth and create affordability but continue to maintain the uniqueness of each of the 444 municipalities in our province.

• Statement from Mayor Mrakas on Provincial Housing Plan

“I am truly disappointed in the housing task force report. Apparently, the solution to the housing affordability crisis is to limit public input and allow developers to build whatever they want, wherever they want. Profit driven public planning won't solve the affordability crisis in our communities. This is not a plan for the people.”

• Statement from Mayor Mrakas on the report of the Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force

“While I applaud the Province for hosting a Housing Summit and taking an important step forward to identify strategies to address the housing needs of Ontarians, we don’t need to wait a year for their report on barriers to housing development – we already know the source of red tape that is delaying development of the “missing middle” in housing – the Ontario Land Tribunal.

I have brought forward the following motion to eliminate the OLT (Ontario Land Tribunal) to Aurora Town Council on Feb 22nd. I hope that all 444 Municipalities will join this fight to “cut red tape” and streamline land use planning in Ontario. Let’s, finally, recognize the authority of municipalities to uphold their own provincially approved Official Plans.”

WHEREAS Municipalities across this province collectively spend millions of dollars of taxpayer money and municipal resources developing Official Plans that meet current Provincial Planning Policy; and

WHEREAS an Official Plan is developed through months of public consultation to ensure, “that future planning and development will meet the specific needs of (our) community”; and

WHEREAS our Official Plan includes zoning provisions that encourage development of the “missing middle” or “gentle density” to meet the need for attainable housing in our community; and

WHEREAS our Official Plan is ultimately approved by the Province; and

WHEREAS it is within the legislative purview of Municipal Council to approve Official Plan amendments or Zoning By-law changes that better the community or fit within the vision of the Town of Aurora Official Plan; and

WHEREAS it is also within the legislative purview of Municipal Council to deny Official Plan amendments or Zoning By-law changes that do not better the community or do not fit within the vision of the Town of Aurora Official Plan; and

WHEREAS municipal planning decisions may be appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT; formerly the Ontario Municipal Board or “OMB”), an unelected, appointed body that is not accountable to the residents of Aurora; and

WHEREAS the OLT has the authority to make a final decision on planning matters based on a “best planning outcome” and not whether the proposed development is in compliance with municipal and provincially approved official plans or consistent with provincial plans and policy; and

WHEREAS all decisions—save planning decisions—made by Municipal Council are similarly only subject to appeal by judicial review and such appeals are limited to questions of law; and

WHEREAS Ontario is the only province in Canada that empowers a separate adjudicative tribunal to review and overrule local decisions applying provincially approved plans; and

WHEREAS towns and cities across this province are repeatedly forced to spend millions of dollars defending Official Plans that have already been approved by the Province in expensive, time consuming and ultimately futile OLT hearings; and

WHEREAS lengthy, costly OLT hearings act as a barrier to the development of attainable housing.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED THAT Aurora Town Council requests the Government of Ontario dissolve the OLT immediately thereby eliminating one of the most significant sources of red tape delaying the development of more attainable housing in Ontario;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT a copy of this Motion be sent to the Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Leader of the Opposition, the Leaders of the Liberal and Green Party, all MPPs in the Province of Ontario; the Large Urban Mayors’ Caucus of Ontario, the Small Urban GTHA Mayors and Regional Chairs of Ontario; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT a copy of this Motion be sent to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) and all Ontario municipalities for their consideration.

• Motion to dissolve the Ontario Land Tribunal and cut red tape by upholding Municipal Official Plans

The Province is holding a “Housing Summit” today with "municipal leaders" to “help solve the Housing Affordability Crisis” but didn’t include any representation of Municipal leaders from the Small Urban GTHA Mayors.

This despite the explosion of growth in smaller urban communities in the GTHA, despite the desperate need for attainable housing in our communities, it seems our voices don’t matter.

I would think it would be obvious by now that what works for large urban centres, such as Toronto or Brampton may not necessarily work for our local communities.

Attempts to generate a “one size fits all” approach is not the solution to the current crisis in housing.

If we are to find workable solutions we need to work together to create a tool box of options that municipalities large and small can use to address the needs of their specific communities. That cannot be achieved by limiting participation to big city mayors. I call on the Provincial government to include representatives from a broad range of municipalities across the Province. Our voices matter. Our experiences matter. Let us be heard and lets work together to find solutions to the crisis in attainable housing that work for ALL of us.

• Provincial Housing Summit Excludes Small Urban Communities

“Far too often we hear governments talk about “cutting red tape”, “streamlining the approval process” for new housing. I agree. But the way to achieve that is to, finally, recognize the authority of Municipalities to uphold their Provincially approved Official Plans.

If we had a process that recognized the authority of municipalities in land use planning decisions, then thousands of housing units could be built immediately. Permits could be issued tomorrow! Much needed supply could be increased by simply building what is allowed. No more endless battles, pitting developers against communities, over and over and over again at a cost of millions of dollars and untold wasted time.

Sure a property owner has rights; it’s their property after all. But they purchased the property knowing what can be – and can’t be – built… so build what is allowed and let’s get shovels in the ground to increase and diversify our housing stock today.

If the Applicant wants a zoning change? well then, work with the Town and residents to put forward a development that enhances our community not just their bottom line.

The current situation in municipalities across our Province is simply untenable.

The time for change is now.

If a provincial government is serious about cutting red tape, streamlining the planning process and increasing housing supply, the simple solution is to limit the scope of powers of the Ontario Land Tribunal and recognize the authority of municipalities to uphold their Official Plans. #OLTReform.”

• Mayor Mrakas calls for reform on the Ontario Land Tribunal

Today’s announcement of a return to step 2 restrictions, which will see our local businesses shut down and schools moved to remote learning once again, is truly frustrating and disappointing.

Unfortunately, we can’t change this decision but what we can do is support each other while we continue to follow the guidance of public health.

As we have demonstrated throughout this crisis, we as a community need to, once again, pull together to support our local businesses. So please, wherever possible, visit our local businesses and make a purchase. They all need us now.

We must also take care of ourselves. If you are able, get outside and stay active! Go for a walk with your families and enjoy the time together. For those who want to skate - we are working hard to get the outdoor rinks up ASAP (stay tuned for more news on rinks).

Staff will be reviewing the regulations and the impact they have to all our programs and services and will provide updated info as soon as possible.

Let’s all do what we can to ensure our children, our families, our businesses – our community – can withstand the impacts of these restrictions

• Statement from Mayor Mrakas on Provincial announcement of return to Step 2 restrictions

I am pleased to announce the Santa Under the Stars Parade will be returning to the Town of Aurora, travelling along Yonge Street, on Saturday November 27 at 6 p.m.
With the province’s recent loosening of outdoor event capacities I have asked that our traditional parade be brought back.

Santa and his reindeers cannot wait to visit our Town and see all of our residents, families and young children lining our sidewalks excited to once again celebrate this magical season.
As always, public health measures will be adhered to in order to ensure the safety of all participants.

Last week at Regional Council we discussed intensification targets and engaged in a long debate about appropriate intensification. The staff recommendation was to start with 50% intensification and phase to 55% by 2051. During the discussion, a proposed amendment was made seeking a 60% target.

Intensification rates reflect the amount of new residential growth directed to existing built-up areas with the idea that “..directing a significant amount of new residential growth to existing built-up areas makes the best use of infrastructure, including transit, water and wastewater. It also minimizes outward growth into York Region’s agricultural areas.” While it sounds great on paper, a larger percentage of intensification would stop urban sprawl and this ‘top-down’ regional approach to planning may have negative impacts on individual communities. In this case, one size certainly does not fit all.

Region wide intensification targets impact each municipality differently. Thus, how each municipality intensifies should be the decision of each individual community, not a Region decision. By having the target at 50% it opens ‘white-belt’ lands for development. But what if those ‘white-belt’ lands are not needed to hit those targets? Shouldn’t the municipality decide this as opposed to the Region? It may be a bit of a moot point in Aurora as we don’t have any ‘white-belt’ lands. However, the larger issue of meeting regional intensification targets remains.

Intensification will occur, it is provincially mandated; but, the amount, the rate, how high we must go to accommodate this growth should be Aurora’s decision. No town, no individual community should be required to overdevelop to meet region wide intensification targets.

This is the problem with setting the target too high. I believe that each municipality should have a greater say in what percentage they believe to be appropriate for their community. Some communities will see 80, 90 or even 100% intensification… But at the same time a few will struggle to even meet the 50% target.

As such, I was unable to support the proposed 60% intensification target. I don’t think we in Aurora should tell our York Region neighbours how and what is appropriate for their community. Just as I am sure all of Aurora would agree they would not want those neighbours to make decisions affecting how our community should grow.

This brings me to my larger point – the need for a rethink of Regional Planning. I know the Region and the local municipalities are intertwined, so some aspects of planning need to be at the Region level. However, I do believe the scope of regional planning should be narrowed. Regional planning should be limited to regional issues – issues that require integrated planning decisions: policing, transit, major infrastructure like water/wastewater etc., which spans all 9 municipalities (and it should include regional fire as well but that’s a discussion for another day). For planning matters which are not region wide or do not impact multiple municipalities, there should be more autonomy for local municipalities’ planning processes.

I’m repeating myself, but a one size fits all approach to planning does not work.

Not everyone wants to live in a city…. The beauty of the Region is we are all different communities. That there is variety…. people choose where they want to live and raise a family not out of necessity… but because they fall in love with what the community has to offer. Top-down region wide planning decisions can have unintended, negative impacts on our communities; potentially eroding what makes each community unique, one decision at a time.

We need a conversation about what Regional planning should look like as we plan our community’s futures – individually and collectively as a Region.

• Statement from Mayor Mrakas on York Regional Council special meeting planning for growth 2051

I am pleased to inform everyone that starting Friday October 15th all Town facilities will move to 100% capacity for spectators. This will allow entire families to once again be able to watch their loved ones participate in their activities.

While this is great news for our residents, I would like to remind all visitors to our facilities that, with the increased capacity and the requirement to complete screening, contract tracing and confirm proof of vaccination status, we anticipate longer lines to enter our facilities. We ask for your patience during this time. To help expedite the process, I would recommend you arrive early and have your information ready to present to our staff and we will get you inside and ready to see the activities.

• Statement from Mayor Mrakas on capacities at all Town facilities

The Town of Aurora is proud to join communities across Canada in the commemoration of the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

The terrible actions that were inflicted on the Indigenous Peoples of this land are a blight on our collective history and leave us with a painful legacy.

It is the duty of each of us to take this Day for what it is intended to be – an opportunity to learn, to grieve, to grow, and to reflect on who we are as individuals and as a community.

It is not enough to be content with the status quo; we must commit to strengthening our understanding of our history, and our present, so that we can together build towards reconciliation.

We all have a role to play in reconciliation, and it starts here, it starts now. I encourage all Aurorans to join in today, and every day, to learn from our past to build a better and more truthful future.

• Statement from Mayor Mrakas on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Our CAO has informed us that, in alignment with recent announcements made by many public and private sector organizations, the Town of Aurora is moving forward with a mandatory vaccination requirement for all Town employees. We believe that it is our responsibility to take this additional step to protect everyone, given the rapidly changing COVID-19 situation and the pressure that we are under as a region and a province. With today’s announcement, all Town staff will be asked to provide proof of a first vaccination dose before October 1, and of both a first and a second dose by November 1, unless they have a valid medical or human rights-based exemption.

As an organization, we believe that this is the best possible approach to ensuring the health, safety and well-being of both staff and members of the public.

• Town of Aurora implements mandatory vaccinations for all employees

Today, I have revoked the State of Emergency that was declared on March 18, 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is a huge milestone for our community, signalling light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel. I declared the State of Emergency to give our staff and organization the agility and flexibility to address the unprecedented nature of the challenges posed by the pandemic. I am thrilled that, with the high vaccination rates in our community, resulting in a drop in case numbers and reduced stress on our health care system, we are able to make this next step towards a state of new normal.

This emergency declaration followed the Ontario government’s announcement that a province-wide state of emergency was in place and allowed the town to access additional resources where needed to help control the spread of the virus.

I want to caution everyone that although we are in a very positive position, we must all continue to play our part in maintaining our low rate of infection and in supporting our community’s recovery from the pandemic. Respect all the guidelines established by health authorities. Be smart, be safe, and be healthy.

• Town of Aurora revokes State of Emergency

I am devastated beyond words about the discovery today of 751 unmarked graves at a Saskatchewan residential school. Coming so soon on the heels of the identified of 215 unmarked graves in Kamloops, this discovery tells us that this heartbreaking, sobering and shameful past will demand to be seen, heard, and felt until and perhaps beyond when we are able to make true amends and restitution as a nation.

It is my solemn hope that all levels of government come together to seek a true reconciliation.

My heart goes out to the families and friends of the 751 who never came home; my heart goes out to the Indigenous communities so deeply affected by this newest tragedy; and my heart goes out, too, to all Indigenous peoples across Canada who grieve these losses and so many others.

Town of Aurora facility flags will be lowered to half-mast to honour and mourn the 751 children’s lives lost.

• Statement from Mayor Mrakas on 751 unmasked graves at residential school

I applaud the Province’s efforts in taking a cautious approach to ensure we remain safe as we continue to fully vaccinate residents and it is welcome news that the Province has just announced we are moving to Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen at 12:01am on Wed, June 30. This will allow for personal care services to reopen with the proper protocols in place which I have advocated for.

However, while I am pleased with the progression, with the vaccination progress and reduction in hospitalizations, I feel this roadmap is overly cautious. We need to be looking at moving to Step 3 as all of the provinces previously indicated requirements have been met. Moving to Step 3 is not rushing as the entire Province has met the requirements of Step 3 and as it is as restrictive as the former “red Zone “ this is the proper balance and cautious approach that continues to keep everyone safe while we allow our businesses to begin to recover. The data supports this opening and the time is now to make this move.

• Statement on Step Two of the roadmap to reopen

I am pleased with the announcement that Ontario will be moving to Step 1 this Friday. With the number of COVID cases, hospitalizations and patients in the ICU in decline, and the number of vaccinations on the rise, I have been advocating for Ontario to reopen. We still need to take a cautious approach and continue to follow the public health guidelines, but I believe this is an indication of the first step toward going back to a more normal life for our residents and businesses. I encourage our residents to continue to support our local small businesses as more non-essential retail stores and restaurant patios open.

• Statement on Provincial Announcement

I was both horrified and heartbroken to hear about the tragic discovery of the remains of 215 children buried on the Kamloops Indian Residential School grounds. Our condolences and prayers are extended to the families of the victims and to the Indigenous community. The Town of Aurora grieves with you.

The flags at all town facilities are flying at half-mast in memory of the tragic deaths and will fly at half-mast for 215 hours, one hour for each child found buried near the former school.

• Statement on site of former Kamloops Residential School

Staff investigated water level control and flow devices used in a few other municipalities such as London and Ottawa; measures that allows for harmony between the natural environment and our infrastructure.
As Lake Simcoe Regional Conservation Authority (LSRCA) has legislative authority in matters as they relate to storm flow and capacity in our storm water management systems, staff brought forward the suggested alternative management practice to LSRCA.
LSRCA would not approve the use of alternative flow diversion measures.
This unfortunate decision leaves us with only 3 choices: do nothing, continue with trapping or continuously remove the dams.
As we do not want to return to the proposed last resort measure of trapping the beavers, I have immediately put forward a motion to Council to direct staff to discontinue the return to trapping and instead implement dam removal, as it is the only humane beaver mitigation option available to us. This option comes with added costs and may see some trees being removed by the beavers as they look to rebuild their dam. But as the other option is untenable, I believe it is the right thing to do.

• Statement on Beavers

Well here we are again…This is not what anyone wants, but it is the position we are in. It is natural that some will be looking for someone to blame…but placing blame will not solve anything. We need to stick together to get through this as a community, province and country. Some think the new restrictions are still not strong enough, others think they are just right and some think they go too far. These are differences of opinion which we must not allow to create divisiveness.

The next 5 weeks will be a struggle for many residents, both physically and mentally. For those that need someone to talk to please, please, please, seek the support you need. For businesses that are hanging on by a thread, we know your livelihood has been threatened and the supports are not enough to keep you going, we will continue to push hard for additional support and to ensure the supports which are in place can be accessed by all businesses.

I ask that we all have patience through these next 5 weeks and be kind…even on social media. Remember, you don’t know what someone else is going through or what their circumstances are. Let’s truly ALL work together and help each other as we navigate the next 5 weeks and if I can provide support in any way, send me a message or call me at tmrakas@aurora.ca or 905-727-3123 ext 4746.

• Statement on navigating the Emergency Orders and the next five weeks

It is with great sadness that I learned of the passing of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, this morning. On behalf of the Council of the Town of Aurora, I want to express my deepest sympathies to The Queen, and to the entire Royal Family, as they mourn the loss of a loved one.

His Royal Highness Prince Philip served the public faithfully for over seventy years - a lifetime by any measure - and his legacy will live on.

Flags at all Town facilities will be lowered to mark Prince Philip’s passing.

• Statement on the passing of His Royal Highness Prince Philip

With respect to today’s stay-at-home order announcement, while I am disappointed we need to move in this direction, I appreciate that the Premier’s approach is closer to an actual lockdown. I have maintained that if you are to “lockdown”, it should be across the board and not penalize a select few businesses. This stay-at-home order will be different as it limits big box stores to just groceries and pharmacies. Something that I along with other Mayors have been asking for. A level playing field that truly limits any openings to the core essentials.

I recognize the next several weeks will be difficult. However, for the continued safety of our residents and to take the pressure off the hospitals, we must effectively use this time as communities and as a Province to ‘ramp up’ our vaccinations. We are ready at the municipal level with the infrastructure to get the vaccines into as many willing arms as possible. We have clinics, mobile sites and pharmacies ready to go and administering the vaccine with capacity for much more. But we need our Federal Government to get us the much needed supply. During this stay-at-home order let’s get all of our most vulnerable and essential workers vaccinated so that when we get out of this stay-at-home order it will be the last time we ever have to shut anything down.

• Response to the Provincial Government announcement on the "Stay-at-Home Order"

As I have maintained all along, we need to put the proper protocols in place to manage the spread of the virus. I also understand there is an urgency with respect to hospitalizations and ICU capacity. However, what I am struggling with is how this most recent set of restrictions will address this.

There are several regions which have been under these same restrictions for the last few months, yet the case counts and hospitalizations in those areas are growing. If we want to address the issue of ICU and hospital capacity, we need to target the right places. While I respect the decisions of the Premier and Cabinet; these are tough decisions for the province as a whole, I am truly disappointed in this decision that will do nothing but hurt our small local businesses (restaurants, gyms, personal services).

This is being called a province wide ‘shutdown’, yet retail is open, malls are open, industrial and manufacturing are open, you can go play a round of golf with 3 others…what exactly is being shut down? This is not a shutdown; it is a closure of a select group of business who are largely not responsible for the spread. How many cases have been in a manufacturing/industrial setting? How many in local grocery stores? Many more examples and yet they have not been shut down.

Why are we shutting these select businesses and penalizing them? Why take away their incomes? Dr. Kurji has told us, we know these closures have a huge impact on people’s well-being and mental health. Let’s focus on enforcing protocols and restrictions where the data shows the transmission is occurring. We all want to keep everyone safe as we continue to vaccinate, but we need to revisit our approach to this and not just close certain select businesses. This approach, in my opinion is not going to help, and only hurt our small businesses who are hanging on by a thread.

• Response to the Provincial Government announcement on the "shutdown"

The Small Urban GTHA Mayors held a meeting today to discuss the impacts of Bill 23, More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022. The Bill was introduced at the Legislature on October 25, 2022 in response to the current housing crisis that exists within the province of Ontario.

The Small Urban GTHA Mayors agree that housing availability and affordability is a priority issue in each of their municipalities. Although we collectively agree with some aspects of the Bill, there are several unprecedented implications for small urban communities that need to be discussed. According to AMO the financial implication to Ontario’s municipalities could be as much as $5.1 billion over the next nine years.

The Small Urban GTHA Mayors are therefore calling on the Province to pause on proceeding with the proposed Bill in its current state and instead take the time to engage in meaningful consultations with local municipalities to achieve its objectives for sound decision-making for housing growth that meets local needs.

• Small Urban GTHA Mayor's call on province to pause on proceeding with Bill 23, More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022

The Small Urban GTHA Mayor’s group would like to state that we support the goals and principles of increased missing middle housing, more rental housing, transit oriented development and intensification, which are outlined in the Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force report. We believe there are more balanced and moderate ways to achieve the outcomes than many of the methods suggested. We urge the Province to consult directly and meaningfully with municipal leaders before implementing any of the recommendations.

In general we believe:

1. The report has some promising policy outcomes for further investigation, in particular, increasing the supply of rental housing, missing middle housing, increasing second suites and garden suites and increasing density particularly in Major Transit Station Areas (MTSAs).
2. The Province should achieve these policy objectives at the macro level by setting intensification targets, unit targets and tenure targets through their approval of municipal official plans and then let municipalities achieve those targets as they see fit based upon their significant understanding of their communities and their own official plans.
3. The OLT should only hear cases that are based upon a claim that the municipality did not adhere to its own official plan in the planning decision it made. The OLT should not entertain De Novo hearings.
4. The Province must take a more comprehensive approach to housing affordability which focuses on issues beyond just housing supply but also explores issues such as: innovative funding options, rental housing incentives and policies, investor speculation, social housing, innovative financial tools, and use of Provincial Land including surplus school sites.

Our concerns with the report in general are:

1. It places an undue focus on Municipal process and politics thereby erroneously suggesting that there is lack of support for housing options and increased housing supply at the municipal level and erroneously suggesting that the housing affordability challenge could be meaningful addressed if municipalities would only ‘allow builders to build’ or by removing heritage protections or public consultation.
2. It fails to recognize that the majority of municipalities and municipal councils are fully and significantly engaged in supporting more housing options, intensification, transit oriented development and increased the supply of rental housing.
3. The report seems to suggest that local planning is best achieved at the Provincial level and fails to recognize the deep understanding that local elected officials and staff have in relation to their communities, including how best to achieve housing targets and intensification.
4. The report suggests, without evidence, that municipal red tape is responsible for the slow progress of new housing options yet fails to recognize that the greatest element of red tape in the planning process is the OLT.
5. The report fails to examine, in a meaningful way, the role the Province could play in addressing housing affordability through direct funding, financial incentives, or the provision of Provincial land for affordable housing projects.

6. The report suggests without evidence that housing supply is being limited as a result of
   the abuse of the OLT process by the public. The report calls for an end to the
   “politicization” of the planning process. This approach could result in the limitation of
   legitimate public participation and the ability of local elected officials to respond to the
   concerns of the public. Democracy and public participation cannot be seen as a barrier
   to development but should be seen as a part of a healthy and respectful dialogue.

7. The report suggests without evidence that Development Charges and Planning Fees are
   a cause of lack of housing supply and/or affordable housing supply. Artificially limiting or
   reducing development charges and planning fees will result in towns and cities that do
   not have the recreational or community infrastructure that is necessary for a healthy and
   vibrant and livable community and could in the long run undermine the financial stability
   of municipalities. There is no evidence that reduced fees will be passed onto the
   homeowner, but the community will be left without the financial resources to provide the
   required infrastructure and services to their growing community.

• Small Urban GTHA Mayor's response to the Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force

The Small Urban GTHA Mayors met with the Honourable Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education today to discuss the current state of Education within their communities.

The Minister provided an update regarding the importance of a safe return to school for all students and steps being taken to support their transition back into the classroom. Making available high speed internet in all schools, providing increased mental health supports, additional tutoring, and the return of extracurricular activities, are just a few of examples of what the Province is doing to help bring a sense of normalcy back to our schools. The Minister also highlighted changes to the Ontario curriculum that will align with current market needs, such as in the area of Skilled Trades by expanding the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program and introducing Financial Literacy in the primary grades.

The Mayors requested the Minister consider reviewing the process for declaring and disposing of surplus school properties and access to those properties by municipalities for possible future affordable housing projects. The Mayors emphasized the need to plan the building of new schools based on future growth targets to better meet the needs of their growing population and consider innovative modulated designs in those areas of intensification.

The Mayors also raised safety concerns with the transportation of school children in rural communities on dead end streets and the importance of equitable access to capital resources in all schools across the Province.

• Small Urban GTHA Mayors meet with The Honourable Stephen Lecce, MMP, Minister of Education

Today the Small Urban GTHA Mayors met to discuss the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 across the GTHA.

The Small Urban GTHA Mayors are pleased that the Province is proceeding with Step One of the Road Map to Reopen due to the recent decline of new Covid-19 and ICU cases. As the supply of vaccines is increasing across the GTHA, we continue to ask residents to get vaccinated, with either the first or second dose as this is the best form of defence against this pandemic and the variants.

It is important that we still are vigilant and take the necessary precautions as advised by our public health units as we move forward towards a more normal way of life for our residents and businesses.

We would also like to call on the Province to consider allowing personal services businesses and gyms to a maximum of 10 people or as deemed appropriate to re-open as of 12:01 am on Friday, June 18, 2021 as part of Step One with strict limited capacities.

The GTHA Mayors would like to express their condolences to the City of London and Mayor Ed Holder on the tragic event that occurred recently in their community. We stand with you during this difficult time.

We encourage the Federal Government and all levels of Government to fully implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action to help heal this nation in light of the tragic discovery of the remains of 215 children at the former Kamloops residential school. Our condolences and prayers are extended to the families of the victims and to the Indigenous community.

• Small Urban GTHA Mayors pleased with reopening

Today the Small Urban GTHA Mayors met with The Honourable Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation.

The Small Urban GTHA Mayors thanked the Minister for the recent announcement and financial investment made by the Federal and Provincial government to move transportation projections forward across the GTHA. The Province’s $28.5 billion dollar transit plan will see four priority subways being constructed. In addition, the Provincial and Federal government have committed $3.4 billion towards the Hamilton Light Rail Transit (LRT) project. Both these projects will have a significant impact on relieving grid lock while improving connectivity across the entire Golden Horseshoe Area.

The Small Urban GTHA Mayors also took this opportunity to engage in productive conversations about critical transportation infrastructure specific to their communities.
Today’s meeting could not have come at a better time. It is evident that all levels of government are committed to investing in rapid transit projects benefitting those that live and work across the Greater Toronto Area and the Small Urban Mayors applaud this initiative.

The Mayors also discussed the recent extension of the Stay-At-Home order to June 2. We understand the need for continued restrictions until our new infections and hospital ICU occupancy continues to come down. The Mayors encourage the Province to open outdoor recreation amenities prior to the June 2nd extension date. The COVID Science Table, Ontario Medical Association and many doctors and health experts have advocated for opening outdoor amenities. We add our voices to their call to return outdoor activities, which are necessary to the physical and mental wellbeing of our residents.

• Small Urban GTHA Mayors met with the Honourable Caroline Mulroney, Ministry of Transportation

Today the Small Urban GTHA Mayors had the opportunity to meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Members of Parliament representing the GTHA.

Some of the issues discussed were the need for greater broadband connectivity, vaccine rollout, travel bans, addressing gun violence, licensing of cannabis facilities, and the current
housing market. The dialogue was productive, and collaborative as the Prime Minister addressed each of the issues raised.

It is only through open dialogue and communication with our Federal partners that municipalities can respond to concerns as a result of changes in legislation impacting our communities. We are grateful to the Prime Minister and our Federal Members of Parliament for their continued partnership and support and look forward to continuing to work together in response to the issues raised today.

• Small Urban GTHA Mayors meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

The Small Urban GTHA mayors met today with Deputy Premier Elliott, Solicitor General Jones and Dr. Tien, Chair, Vaccine Distribution Task Force.

The Mayors discussed the fact that residents 60+ in the GTHA are now at or nearing 70% having received 1 dose vaccination and as supply has increased, the time is now to move to a much more aggressive vaccination approach that better reflects and addresses the needs of our community.

With so many of our essential workers under the age of 18 – grocery store clerks, drive through food service workers, checkout staff – it is absolutely vital that they get access to the vaccines.

Further, as eligibility criteria changes weekly depending on which region you live, it is frustrating and confusing for residents. The Small Urban GTHA Mayors have requested that the Province examine and consider changing eligibility for vaccinations and bookings to the age of 15+ across the entire GTHA starting next week. This will add clarity and simplicity to the process by which residents can get their shots.

The Mayors are thankful for the time and consideration Deputy Premier Elliott, Solicitor General Jones and Dr. Tien have taken to discuss this important matter.

• Small Urban GTHA Mayors encourage vaccination eligibility for those aged 15+ across the entire GTHA

The Small Urban GTHA Mayors met today to discuss the current stay-at-home order, vaccine rollouts and the importance of getting vaccinated.

It is imperative for people to book their vaccination appointment based on the eligibility criteria as established within the public health unit where they reside. Regional variations in eligibility criteria can occur due to various circumstances such as the location of identified hot spots. The Mayors remind their residents that the best vaccine is the one first available to you.

We are grateful to the Federal and Provincial governments for taking a targeted approach during Phase 2 of the vaccine distribution plan and call on them to consider vaccinating those residents living in small urban communities that require travel to and from identified “hot spots” for employment purposes. Furthermore, we call on our Provincial and Federal partners to provide additional clarity on where and how the vaccines are being distributed across Ontario.

We remind residents that during the stay-at-home order, only socialize with those living in your household, enjoy the outdoors within your local community while following your local public health regulations and only go out for essential items.

• Small Urban GTHA Mayors remind residents to get vaccinated based on eligibility

The Small Urban GTHA Mayors met this past Friday to discuss how vaccine rollouts are occurring in each of the communities they represent.

We encourage each person to receive a vaccination to protect themselves from Covid19 and we are grateful that the Federal Government is expecting over 2 million does of vaccines by the end of March. Distribution details will be forthcoming but rest assured that vaccines are on the way and we are ready to administer them.

The Province also announced that to date over 1,000,000 vaccines have been administered and between April 2021 and July 2021, it is estimated that nine million more Ontarians will be vaccinated.

Further details can be found at: https://news.ontario.ca/en/backgrounder/60570/populations-eligible-for-phase-twocovid-19-vaccination

Be assured that we will not rest until all of our residents that want the vaccine are vaccinated.

In the interim, residents are reminded to follow public health guidelines and take the vaccine that is recommended by their public health units based on eligibility.

Please be patient and remember to stay safe at all times.

• Small urban GTHA Mayors welcome vaccine rollouts across communities

The Small Urban GTHA Mayors met yesterday and were encouraged by the lockdown changes announced by the Province. Lockdown restrictions have been lifted in several Regions represented by the Small Urban GTHA Mayors, and York Region and Peel are expected to open February 22nd. The diligence and patience by both residents and small business owners has helped make this possible, but we must continue to follow the safety protocols whether we are in Grey, Red, Orange, or Green.

Our goal has been and continues to be the safety of our residents and supporting our local businesses to bounce back from this pandemic. Small businesses are the economic backbone of our communities and we must support them by continuing to be vigilant and avoid a potential third wave of this pandemic.

The Small Urban GTHA Mayors meet regularly to discuss issues of importance to their communities, and in the coming months we will be discussing transportation infrastructure, broadband connectivity, and provincial planning matters. By working collectively, while advocating for our residents, we are able to better respond to emerging issues.

• Small urban GTHA Mayors encouraged by lockdown measures lifted

The Small Urban GTHA Mayors met yesterday with Premier Doug Ford and Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Christine Elliott, about impacts of Covid-19 in each of their communities, specifically as it relates to provincial regulations, vaccine rollouts and small business.

The Small Urban GTHA Mayors called on the Premier to consider vetting proposed regulation changes with Heads of Council as there is often confusion as to what is and is not permitted, such is the case with outdoor recreational activities. The Premier continued to urge people to stay at home as much as possible, but confirmed that some outdoor leisure activities are permitted as long as they’re not organized team sports, and masks and appropriate distancing are in place. The same can be said about residential construction, inspections can proceed by local building officials on open residential construction projects.

The Small Urban GTHA Mayors reiterated their commitment to supporting the Province on vaccine rollouts and are ready to work with Public Health Units in ensuring that the most number of residents receive the vaccine as soon as they are made available. There will be no shortage of staff to help administer the vaccines in a timely and organized manner and it is imperative that we reach everyone, including those living in group settings. Rapid testing is available to these groups and testing should be done each and everyday to stop the spread of Covid-19 and its variants.

The Small Urban GTHA Mayors agree with the decision to test and screen incoming travellers for Covid-19 and support the Premier in urging the Federal government to implement changes to Paid Sick Leave regulations for those affected in order to help stop the spread of the virus through local transmission.

The Small Urban GTHA Mayors reminded the Premier of the toll this pandemic has taken on small business and emphasized considering small business to reopen by appointment only as soon as possible while still abiding by the appropriate safety measures.

It is only by working collaboratively with all levels of government that we will move ahead of this pandemic and are grateful for the partnerships established in reaching the common goal of keeping our communities safe and healthy.

• Small urban GTHA Mayors meet with Premier Doug Ford and Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Christine Elliott

Today the Small Urban GTHA Mayors met virtually with Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Christine Elliott and President and CEO of Southlake Regional Health Centre, Arden Krystal for an update on the impacts of Covid-19 on our provincial health care system and reiterate our steadfast commitment of support.

We informed the Minister that our communities remain ready to spring into action to help roll out the vaccine to our general population. With our facilities currently closed, set up should start immediately so that we will be ready to get our residents vaccinated without delay once supply is available.

We also echoed the concerns of our local small businesses who have been disproportionately impacted and call on the provincial government, to level the playing field and only allow essential items to be sold in big box stores during the lockdown. Also, that they consider implementing shopping by appointment and/or revisiting capacity in local businesses based on building square footage. We hope to see these measures considered at the earliest appropriate time to ensure equality for all businesses.

On behalf of the Small Urban GTHA Mayors, we reaffirm our commitment to our government partners, residents and small businesses and remain committed to supporting and promoting the public health guidelines currently in place and at all times following the data and science.

• Small urban Mayors call on the province for equality for all of our businesses

The Small Urban GTHA Mayors met virtually yesterday to discuss the Provincial lockdown measures currently in place until January 23rd.

Positive Covid-19 cases are mounting in our communities at an alarming rate and there is an ongoing concern that these are primarily attributed to social gatherings occurring within private residences and through travel abroad. We would remind residents to only socialize with those living in your own household and to limit your outdoor visits to essential shopping for groceries and medical items. The Mayors call on the Federal government to clamp down on unnecessary travel to and from Canada in order to help curb the spread of Covid-19 across the Country.

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed every facet of our lives, from how we work, go to school, and even how we shop and access services. Small businesses are an essential component to the economic vitality of small urban communities and have been hit particularly hard, especially new businesses that opened after March 15, 2020. The Federal Covid-19 business relief programs exclude these businesses, leaving them with no financial lifeline. We call on our Federal partners to amend guidelines to allow new businesses equal access to the financial supports available.

With the vaccines being rolled out in the coming months, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. We will continue to work together to ensure our municipalities and facilities are ready to be used as vaccinations centres when the Province needs them.

As always, we continue to rely on the expert advice from our Chief Medical Officers of Health and together with our Federal, Provincial and Municipal partners, we are optimistic that we will find long term solutions that provide economic opportunities for our local businesses while working to ensure we overcome this second wave to emerge stronger and healthier.

• Small urban GTHA Mayors statement on impacts of increased COVID-19 cases

Today the Small Urban GTHA Mayors met virtually to discuss Covid-19 restrictions and their impacts across our communities. We want to assure our residents that we hear the concerns being expressed; from shoppers leaving their lockdown zones to shop elsewhere, to businesses struggling to keep up with ever-changing rules.

Together, we are responding to these concerns and have written to The Premier and The Honourable Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, asking for information on what criteria is used to determine moving out of a Grey Lockdown Zone.

It is only by working together that we can best respond to our residents and businesses and implement plans that will guide us towards recovery from this pandemic.

On behalf of the Small Urban GTHA Mayors, I would like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season. We remind you to follow Health Unit guidelines and remain vigilant during this time. Practice physical distancing, wash your hands and do not socialize indoors with anyone outside of your household, unless it is one family member that may be living alone. Shop locally, using curbside pick-up, and support local small
business.

• Small urban GTHA Mayors remind residents to stay safe during the holidays

Today the Small Urban GTHA Mayors met for the first time to discuss several issues affecting each of our communities from Covid-19, pandemic recovery to the removal of Schedule 6 within Bill 229.

Section 6 within Bill 229 is being considered in the legislature today without any consultation with Conservation Authorities or Heads of Council.

If passed, the Province will have the ability to issue any permits directly to applicants that could threaten environmentally sensitive protected lands and wetlands. Conservation Authorities are in place to assess development applications on a case by case basis using scientific measures that will positively impact and protect our naturally sensitive areas.

We are calling on the Province to immediately remove Section 6 of Bill 229 and instead, begin a dialogue and consultation with Heads of Council, and Conservation Authorities on issues and concerns impacting our communities across the Province. Open consultation and dialogue between our levels of government have proved to be a valuable exercise to reach our mutually common goals in the past and we believe the contents of Section 6 are significant and require more consultation.

Moving forward The Small Urban GTHA Mayors will be meeting on a regular basis to discuss and respond to issues affecting our communities as a collective including Protect, Support and Recover from COVID-19, broadband, and the greenbelt.

It is imperative that our voices are heard by all levels of government in order to best serve our residents and protect our communities.

• Small urban GTHA Mayors call on province to remove Section 6 within Bill 229

Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area met to discuss a number of current issues of concern.

During the meeting, the Mayors and Chairs discussed how they continue to see a decline in COVID-19 activity across the GTHA. This is good news and it comes at an important time as we see the return of so many spring and summer events and traditions.

There continues to be a concern about some of the directly COVID-19 related financial shortfalls experienced by our municipalities. We are heartened by the commitment made by the newly elected Government of Ontario to allocate additional COVID-19 relief funds if they can renew a partnership with the Government of Canada. Discussions with the Government of Canada continue but have thus far been inconclusive.

We believe it is time for a tri-government meeting to discuss this matter as the combination of the calendar, the inability of municipalities to incur a deficit and our limited revenue raising capabilities make dealing with these large emergency related expenses almost impossible.

We also discussed work underway to support the arrival of Ukrainians fleeing their homeland. Today's discussion largely focused on the work underway to support the arrival of Ukrainian refugees. The Mayors and Chairs are all committed to working together – with the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario, and many other organizations including the Canadian Red Cross – to help people coming to our region from Ukraine.

The GTHA regional plan proposes to provide temporary accommodation in a managed and coordinated way for up to 200 arrivals in each municipality, or 1,200 individuals at a time across the six municipalities. We expect to see the number of Ukrainian refugees increase steadily in the next two to three weeks and will likely have to begin implementing the regional program.

We have been in close touch with the Government of Canada about their agreement with this regional plan and their financial support for it and we hope their commitment will be forthcoming shortly.

The Mayors and Chairs also discussed the challenges being experienced at Pearson Airport. The airport is a huge driver of investment and tourism and is also the front door to our Region. We have offered our help to the Government of Canada in resolving these issues as soon as possible.

Finally, we as a group of Mayors and Chairs extend our congratulations to the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, Premier Doug Ford and his colleagues on their election victory. We look forward to continuing our work with them on many important files. We also extend our thanks to Andrea Horwath and Steven Del Duca for their public service.

• GTHA cities and regions ready to implement regional plan to support Ukrainian refugees arriving in Canada

Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area met to discuss the ongoing response to COVID-19 and the Omicron variant across the region.

During the meeting, the Mayors and Chairs discussed how they continue to see the Omicron surge subsiding in their municipalities and the ongoing commitment to helping residents get vaccinated, with a focus on kids' vaccinations and third doses for eligible residents.

A strong economic recovery is so important for the future of the GTHA, and the Mayors and Chairs are committed to working with the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario to support that recovery over the coming months.

This involves, most importantly, continued support from both governments for ongoing COVID-related budget shortfalls, driven primarily by a drop in ridership across transit systems and extraordinary costs to shelter residents. This matter is urgent, as some municipalities have recently passed their 2022 budgets, and others will do so in the coming weeks. Without further support, cities will soon be forced to consider service reductions, or reductions in capital budgets, both of which will be detrimental to residents as they continue to face the pandemic, and as the region’s economy recovers.

The GTHA benefitted immensely from support from both governments in 2020 and 2021 to ensure we can continue delivering critical services, respond to the pandemic, while continuing to deliver capital programs that build up communities and keep the economy moving.

A vibrant economic recovery and a fair chance for many of our essential workers both require strong transit systems and fully funded capital programs across the GTHA. Cities and regions will drive that recovery and therefore it is imperative that both federal and provincial governments commit to continuing COVID-19 relief funding to municipalities on an urgent basis.

• GTHA cities and regions call on Federal and Provincial Governments to continue COVID-19 transit relief funding

Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area met to discuss the ongoing response to COVID-19 and the Omicron variant across the region.

The Mayors and Chairs remain absolutely committed to continuing to work with each other along with the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, to save lives and keep people safe.

This week, in-class learning resumes in schools across the GTHA. The Mayors and Chairs strongly support in-class learning and thank the province and the school boards for working to reopen schools. All the GTHA municipalities are committed to helping deliver ongoing vaccination efforts to help kids and education workers get vaccinated.

All municipalities have worked to ramp up third dose vaccination efforts in the face of the Omicron surge. We want to thank the millions of residents who have already stepped forward to get their booster dose and encourage all those who are eligible to get their third dose as soon as possible.

Along with the vaccination efforts, all GTHA municipalities have worked throughout this pandemic with the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario to protect services, invest in crucial areas that need it and to keep costs affordable for residents. Cooperation between all governments, especially as we confront the Omicron variant, and support for all municipalities must continue this year. The GTHA Mayors and Chairs are confident that support will continue but want to reiterate the importance of that support as we enter a new financial year for municipalities which cannot run a deficit, securing this funding will help make sure that the entire GTHA comes back stronger than ever.

Continued COVID-19 relief funding will protect frontline services and our ongoing recovery so that we can continue providing frontline, essential services.

• Continued COVID-19 relief funding for municipalities important for strong recovery in 2022: GTHA Mayors and Chairs

Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area met to discuss the ongoing response to COVID-19 and the Omicron variant across the region.

The Mayors and Chairs remain absolutely committed to continuing to work with each other along with the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, to save lives and keep people safe.

GTHA municipalities have been focused on rolling out COVID-19 vaccinations for more than a year and have made good progress delivering first, second, and now third doses. The effort to make sure all eligible residents have access to third doses is continuing across the GTHA. At the same time, we are working to help kids and education workers get vaccinated to support the province and school boards to safely return to in-person learning on January 17. We share the view that in-class learning will be beneficial to all concerned including especially the students and will do everything we can as cities and regions, including special vaccination efforts for our school communities, to allow the province and school boards to reopen the schools on January 17.

We strongly reiterate the view expressed previously that the province, perhaps in partnership with the federal government, should reinstate a form of pandemic pay. This was just successfully done in 2020 during another intense period of the pandemic and for some sectors such as long term care and healthcare workers including paramedics, the extraordinary challenges we are facing again today would more than justify such a measure. We also discussed the desirability of looking at the prioritization of the healthcare, education and other frontline workers in the distribution of rapid tests.

The Mayors and Chairs continue to express their gratitude to all front line workers who continue to serve residents in an exemplary fashion even in the face of extraordinary challenges.

We continue to urge all residents across the GTHA to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Along with the vaccination efforts, all GTHA municipalities are also working non-stop to protect essential and critical services that are being stressed by Omicron with increasing staff absences due to COVID-19 illness and isolation requirements. In comparing our experiences in this area the Mayors and Chairs expressed a wish to see the province work with the hospitals and with us to address some of the issues which have arisen affecting EMS services.

• GTHA Mayors and Chairs focused on boosting vaccination rates

Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area met to discuss the ongoing response to COVID-19 and the Omicron variant across the region.

The Mayors and Chairs are committed to continuing to work with each other along with the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, to save lives and keep people safe.

As the Omicron variant continues to spread, all GTHA municipalities are working to protect essential and critical municipal services as we see increasing staff absences due to COVID-19 illness, isolation requirements, and caregiving.

The rapid spread of the Omicron variant here and around the world has created a challenge for hospitals across the GTHA. We are committed to helping confront this challenge including continuing the rollout of vaccinations – first, second and third doses – and doing everything we can to support school boards and the province to safely return to in-person learning in two weeks.

We know this is an incredibly difficult time for residents and businesses across the GTHA. We continue to encourage both the federal and provincial governments to urgently provide as much direct support as possible to those impacted by public health measures, especially smaller businesses including those in the hospitality sector. We encourage all GTHA residents to support their local restaurants and shops – order take out and shop local.

• GTHA Mayors and Chairs working to protect essential and critical Municipal services, continue vaccination rollout in wake of Omicron variant

The Mayors and Chairs are committed to working with each other along with the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada to continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, to save lives and keep people safe.

All GTHA municipalities are adjusting operations and services in response to the Omicron variant and the need to ramp up the delivery of third dose booster vaccinations as soon as possible with staffing being a central challenge.

To assist with the expansion of vaccination capacity the Mayors and Chairs look forward to working with the provincial government to incentivize more pharmacies and doctors to offer vaccinations and to mount a province-wide campaign to recruit retired health care workers to join local vaccination teams.

Given the real threat posed by the Omicron variant, the Mayors and Chairs are requesting the other governments to immediately consider the reinstatement of pandemic pay for paramedics, public health nurses along with redeployed employees working in long term care homes and emergency and temporary shelters. This previous temporary measure, which was in effect for a period of time in 2020, has once again become a priority vital to the continued provision of these services in the coming months as we continue to ask more and more of our frontline workers.

The Mayors and Chairs also expressed the hope that priority can be given to many of those same frontline workers when distributing rapid antigen test kits given their greater exposure and their inability to work from home.

The Mayors and Chairs from across the GTHA urge all residents to continue to follow the public health advice through the holiday season. Please be safe and cautious. Please continue to wear a mask in public places. And please if you are eligible, make arrangements to get your booster vaccine dose.

By getting vaccinated and following public health measures, including responsible holiday celebration, together we will blunt the impact of Omicron, keep more people healthy and be able to get back to a more normal life including the ever important task of generating a strong economic recovery.

• GTHA Mayors and Chairs urge residents to be cautious as Omicron cases continue to rise

Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area held their regular meeting to discuss the ongoing response to COVID-19 across the region.

The Mayors and Chairs welcome the province's Fall Economic Statement last week which contained good news for cities, including millions more to support operating budget deficits for vital services impacted by the pandemic, including transit.

The Mayors and Chairs are continuing to advocate for additional support from the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario for municipalities' 2022 budgets as the frontline response to the COVID-19 pandemic continues; and they thank the Province for recognizing the ongoing financial impacts of COVID-19 on transit systems and municipalities and for the commitment in the Fall Economic Statement to continuing to work with municipalities and the Government of Canada to address these acute operating pressures.

Without a doubt, the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine over the last year has helped us protect our residents and make tremendous progress reopening the GTHA economy. We continue to urge all GTHA residents to get vaccinated so they can have the best protection available against the virus and we can protect the progress we have made as a region lifting public health measures. We acknowledge and support the province's recently announced framework for the administration of third doses.

We also thank the thousands of eligible residents across the GTHA who are at increased risk of contracting COVID-19 and who are stepping forward to get their third doses.

• GTHA Mayors and Chairs welcome continued support from the Government of Ontario's fall economic statement

Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area held their regular meeting to discuss the ongoing response to COVID-19 across the region.

The Mayors and Chairs support the province's move effective today to lift capacity limits in restaurants and gyms and the further reopening plan outlined last week. This is a sign of the progress we have made across the GTHA and the entire province combatting COVID-19 and getting residents vaccinated.

We are determined to keep moving forward and out of the pandemic – we do not want to go backwards and we know residents and businesses also want our progress to continue. The best way to protect our progress is for all residents to get vaccinated and we are continuing to urge residents who haven't been vaccinated yet to get their two doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

We also strongly urge residents to continue to support local businesses including restaurants. Despite the re-opening which is a positive development, many businesses have a COVID hangover from the earlier stages of the pandemic and need our support by shopping, eating and drinking local.

We also discussed the importance of substantive discussions with the other orders of government with respect to a backstop for municipal financial shortfalls caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Budget preparations in GTHA cities are well advanced and greater certainty is required.

• GTHA Mayors and Chairs support continued reopening

Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area held their regular meeting to discuss the ongoing response to COVID-19 across the region.

This week, we will be advocating with our municipal colleagues from across Ontario and Canada for continued support from the provincial and federal governments into 2022.

As we all look ahead to our 2022 municipal budgets, we are forecasting challenges similar to 2021 caused by the pandemic, including in particular reduced transit ridership.

Throughout the pandemic and with the support of other governments, municipalities have invested emergency funding in much-needed services that were crucial to the effort to fight COVID-19 including public health, housing and homelessness, and support for residents and businesses. At the same time, we have worked to keep all frontline municipal services, including our transit systems, operating. This continued delivery of essential services will be needed as we finish delivering the largest vaccination effort in Canadian history and work to make sure the economy comes back stronger than ever. The continued financial support of the other governments is more crucial than ever in allowing us to continue this work.

Many of the GTHA Mayors will be participating this week in the Big City Mayors Caucus meeting in Ottawa with federal counterparts and the Ontario Big City Mayors meeting. We will be raising the need for continued support which benefitted all residents and businesses over the last 18 months of the pandemic.

Every government has worked together throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to help residents and businesses through these tough times. It is our hope that cooperation will continue into 2022 for the good for the entire GTHA and all the residents and businesses who call this region home.

In this regard we welcome the opportunity to work with the Government of Ontario to map out a broader and more encompassing reopening plan including the initiation of consistent and easily administered standards for all sectors of the economy and all Ontario residents.

• GTHA Mayors and Chairs call for continued Federal and Provincial COVID-19 emergency financial support

Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area held their regular meeting to discuss the ongoing response to COVID-19 across the region.

All GTHA municipalities have seen strong uptake of COVID-19 vaccinations and are continuing to make steady progress towards the province's goal of having 90 per cent of eligible residents vaccinated.

The Mayors and Chairs discussed the ongoing work across the region by their respective health units to help unvaccinated residents receive their first and second doses. They compared targeted vaccination initiatives and will explore the possibility of a region-wide program to continue to drive vaccination numbers up.

We continue to urge all eligible residents to get vaccinated so they will have the best protection possible against COVID-19 and so we can bring this pandemic to an end and protect our progress reopening the region. We want schools, businesses, sports and entertainment venues to remain open and vaccinations are the key.

In their first meeting since the 2021 federal election, the Mayors and Chairs congratulated Prime Minister Trudeau on his election win and committed to continuing to work with the Government of Canada on the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This will include stepped up discussions with both provincial and federal governments with respect to anticipated 2022 municipal budget shortfalls caused by the pandemic including in particular reduced transit ridership.

• GTHA Mayors and Chairs focused on local vaccination efforts

Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area held their regular weekly meeting to discuss the ongoing response to COVID-19 across the region.

The Mayors and Chairs discussed the ongoing work underway to drive up vaccination rates across the GTHA. All municipalities are committed to supporting vaccination efforts to reach the province's target of 90 per cent of eligible residents being fully vaccinated.

Throughout the pandemic, we have all relied on our frontline healthcare heroes to save lives and help people. Hospital workers across the GTHA deserve our collective thanks and should not be made the target of anti-vaccine protests and the spreading of misinformation. People go to hospitals because they need medical help – they also don’t deserve to be harassed or intimidated by protests. The Mayors and Chairs strongly condemn protests intentionally targeting hospitals and support our enforcement officials in taking any action they deem necessary to protect our hospitals and keep patients and healthcare workers safe.

During today's meeting, the Mayors and Chairs also discussed initiatives underway to help refugees from Afghanistan expected to settle in the GTHA over the coming months. The Mayors and Chairs support the work underway by community organizations on this resettlement effort and look forward to all governments working together to help people.

• GTHA Mayors and Chairs condemn protests targeting hospitals

Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area held their regular weekly meeting to discuss the ongoing response to COVID-19 across the region.

With COVID-19 cases continuing to rise across the GTHA and the province, the Mayors and Chairs discussed the work each municipality is doing to drive up vaccination rates and support school boards as kids go back to school.

The Mayors and Chairs understand the Province is developing plans for a proof of vaccination program and we should hear about those this week. We are pleased that the Government of Ontario is moving in this direction and look forward to hearing more details very soon.

We believe such a province-wide system accompanied by appropriate guidelines for implementation will be crucial to protecting the progress we have made fighting COVID-19 and will help us all combat a fourth wave and the Delta Variant – both of which represent continuing challenges to the significant progress made to date.

• GTHA Mayors and Chairs look forward to details of provincial proof of vaccination program

Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area held their regular weekly meeting to discuss the ongoing response to COVID-19 across the region.

The Mayors and Chairs welcomed the coming move by the Government of Ontario to mandate vaccines for hospital and long-term care workers. This would be a good step forward that will better protect some of our most vulnerable residents and our frontline heroes who work in hospitals and long-term care homes.

The Mayors and Chairs also welcomed the Government of Canada's move last week to proceed with a proof of vaccination system and to mandate vaccinations for federal workers and air and interprovincial train passengers.

We believe it is important for all governments to move as quickly as possible to address this health issue and do everything we can to further encourage residents to get vaccinated.

We also remind our residents of the very important continuing need to respect other public health measures that remain in place including the wearing of masks and capacity limits, especially as they relate to indoor settings.

Our public health officials are clear that a fourth wave is here and that the Delta Variant poses a real threat to our progress.

The impact of another lockdown would be devastating to the economy of the GTHA so we support any actions taken by the relevant governments to protect the health of all residents and encourage vaccination.

• GTHA Mayors and Chairs welcome Provincial and Federal Governments taking action to protect public health

Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area held their regular weekly meeting to discuss the ongoing response to COVID-19 across the region. 

More than a week after the province moved into Step Three of the reopening, the Mayors and Chairs discussed how their municipalities continue to see lower COVID-19 case counts and ever increasing vaccination rates. 

The Mayors and Chairs are committed to making sure as many people across the GTHA get fully vaccinated over the coming weeks to help protect the region from the Delta variant and the threat of a fourth wave. We are encouraging all residents to get vaccinated to help ensure the reopening continues unabated. 

We know that the province will remain in Step Three for at least 21 days and until 80% of the eligible population aged 12 and over has received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 75% have received their second, with no public health unit having less than 70% of their eligible population aged 12 and over fully vaccinated. The Mayors and Chairs want the GTHA to hit those important milestones as quickly as possible. 

Those percentages are crucial to making sure the GTHA and all of Ontario can move beyond Step Three so the Mayors and Chairs strongly encourage all residents to get their first and second shots and to encourage everyone they know – their family, their friends, their neighbours – to get vaccinated now. This will go a long way in ensuring the GTHA can move beyond Step Three and come back stronger than ever.

• GTHA Mayors and Chairs readying municipalities for moving beyond Step Three of the provincial reopening

Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area held their regular weekly meeting to discuss the ongoing response to COVID-19 across the region.

Right now, the GTHA continues to see declining COVID-19 case rates and strong uptake in vaccinations. The Mayors and Chairs thank all residents who have already stepped forward to get both their first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

The reopening underway right now is thanks to the sacrifices residents and businesses made to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and thanks to those who are getting vaccinated and encouraging others to also get their shot.

As we look ahead beyond the summer and into the fall, we support the safe return to school for young people. To help the return to in-person classes, the Mayors and Chairs encourage all young people – age 12 and older – to get vaccinated as soon as possible. The Mayors and Chairs also compared notes on the evolving methodology for delivering vaccines with a goal of increasing access and removing barriers of all kinds.

The Mayors and Chairs continued their discussion concerning the backlog in the Provincial Offences Courts created by the ongoing pandemic. We will be supplying information to the Government of Ontario to help target and facilitate action which might be taken to reduce this backlog which carries with it judicial and financial consequences.

• GTHA Mayors and Chairs encourage young people to get vaccinated

Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area held their regular weekly meeting to discuss the ongoing response to COVID-19 across the region.

The Mayors and Chairs continue to urge residents to get fully vaccinated as soon as they are eligible. While there continues to be a steady supply of vaccines, residents are encouraged to book their first and second dose regardless of which vaccine is available. Medical health professionals have been clear that the best vaccine is the first one available and that both the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech are interchangeable and will help protect against COVID-19 and further protect against the Delta variant.

A week into Step 2 of the provincial government’s reopening plans, the GTHA Mayors and Chairs are pleased to see a safe reopening is underway. The planned and cautious approach is meant to ensure that we can stay open and soon open further without the risk of further restrictions in the future.

As vaccination rates continue to rise and COVID-19 infection rates decrease, the GTHA Mayors and Chairs are hopeful that we are well on the way to entering Step 3 of the province’s reopening plan. We are hopeful that if vaccination and health data and prevailing circumstances permit, consideration might be given to slightly earlier safe re-opening of various indoor activities.

To ensure industries and businesses are prepared and ready to re-open whenever Step 3 arrives, the Mayors and Chairs urge the Province to provide clear guidance for Step 3 as soon as possible. This includes gathering limits for larger outdoor events, arts and culture events and concerts. Businesses, partners, teams, individual artists and venue operators are eager to know the rules and guidelines well ahead of Step 3 and the Mayors and Chairs are prepared to help the province implement these changes and ensure a seamless transition into the next phase when it is safe to do so. But the guidelines themselves, even in draft form, are needed on an urgent basis for planning purposes and we know the Province understands the needs of these hard hit businesses and individuals.

The Mayors and Chairs also take positive note of changes made effective today as related to the border and hope this is part of a continuous process of normalization that will see further progress as soon as circumstances permit.

Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area held their regular weekly meeting to discuss the ongoing response to COVID-19 across the region.

The Mayors and Chairs welcome the beginning of Step 2 this Wednesday and thank the Government of Ontario for moving ahead with the reopening earlier based on increasing vaccination rates and decreasing COVID-19 infection rates. This is an important step forward that will allow thousands of businesses across the GTHA to open their doors.

To protect the progress we are continuing to make and to make sure we move as quickly as possible into Step 3 of the reopening, the Mayors and Chairs continue to encourage all GTHA residents to get vaccinated – first and second doses. Our health officials have been clear that all of the approved vaccines are safe and effective and the best vaccine to receive is the one that is available.

The Mayors and Chairs also stated their serious concern with regard to a backlog with the Provincial Courts. There is a need for some action to be taken in weeks not months as this pandemic related backlog has a negative impact on justice, finances and a number of other areas.

• GTHA Mayors and Chairs welcome the beginning of Step 2 this week and hope vaccine progress continues

Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area held their regular weekly meeting to discuss the ongoing response to COVID-19 across the region.

All the GTHA municipalities continue to make excellent progress getting people vaccinated and continue to see a decline in COVID-19 case numbers.
This progress is thanks to our residents who are stepping forward to get vaccinated – first and second doses – and who have followed the public health advice to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

We are encouraged by the fact the province has indicated it may allow personal service settings to open earlier than July 2 and understand they are reviewing this daily with the health and science advisors as we move towards the beginning of Step 2 of reopening. Steadily improving vaccination numbers offer encouragement this could be considered as being consistent with safety.

As vaccine clinics across the GTHA move to offer Moderna and Pfizer vaccine interchangeably, the Mayors and Chairs encourage residents to get vaccinated with the vaccine available and offered to them and not vaccine shop. Vaccines are offered only in a way that is completely safe and decisions in this regard are made totally on the basis of available supply.

Our public health officials have been clear: Both Pfizer and Moderna brands are mRNA vaccines and are extremely effective against COVID-19 transmission. These Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines are interchangeable, equally effective and safe for everyone over 18 years. We encourage residents who have an appointment to get vaccinated to please keep that appointment.

We need every resident to get fully vaccinated as quickly as possible to make sure we are prepared to confront the Delta variant and get on with reopening our Region.
The Mayors and Chairs also discussed the backlog created by the lengthy period during which courts have been closed and look forward to necessary provincial actions to address this.

• GTHA Mayors and Chairs encourage all residents to get fully vaccinated with the vaccine dose available

Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area held their regular weekly meeting to discuss the ongoing response to COVID-19 across the region.

The Mayors and Chairs welcomed the first weekend in Step 1 of the province's Roadmap to Reopen and the continuing progress on decreasing COVID-19 case counts across the GTHA and the increasing vaccination rates.

We continue to encourage all residents to get vaccinated against COVID-19 – first doses and second doses – to help bring this pandemic to an end. We note that in virtually all locations across the region additional capacity is available which could be utilized if planned supply was to be increased.

Vaccination rates are also crucial to moving forward with further reopening. The province requires 70 per cent of adults to have one dose of the vaccine and 20 per cent of adults to be fully vaccinated as part of the conditions for moving forward with Step 2.

The Mayors and Chairs confirm that the GTHA is on track to hit those milestones ahead of the province's July 2 target. This progress is encouraging and we hope that continued success on vaccination, thanks to residents stepping forward and continuing supply from the province, could allow the province, in consultation with public health officials, to consider opening personal service settings earlier than July 2.

While we are at a very positive place in our fight against COVID-19, the Mayors and Chairs note that all public health advice makes it clear that the Delta variant is a real threat to that progress. All of our residents can help protect that progress by making sure they get their first dose of vaccine and making sure they get their second dose as soon as they are eligible. Equally important is continued adherence to distancing rules especially as they relate to large parties which are still contrary to the rules and should be avoided.

• GTHA Mayors and Chairs encourage all residents to get fully vaccinated to protect our progress fighting COVID-19

The Mayors and Chairs commended the province for its decision to move to Step One of the Roadmap to Reopen this Friday in light of positive indicators such as the decline in new COVID-19 cases and a strong uptake in vaccinations.

They believe that the slightly advanced though still cautious timetable reflects continued concern for public health but also allows some first important steps in the direction of a more normal life for people and businesses. The advance notice given is a very positive step since it will allow businesses to plan.

Municipalities and their healthcare and community partners are continuing to administer COVID-19 vaccines – first doses and second doses – as quickly as vaccine shipments can be provided from the federal and provincial governments. We support the province's move to allow accelerated doses for our older residents so that we can ensure they are fully vaccinated as soon as possible.

The Mayors and Chairs urge the Ontario government to give consideration to the allocation of extra vaccine supply to hotspot areas in the province, including the GTHA, so as to better equip the province as a whole to contain the Delta variant in areas of greatest risk. Any failure to contain the Delta variant poses one of the biggest risks to improved public health and safe reopening.

The more vaccine that is provided to GTHA municipalities, the more second doses can be administered, second doses being important in the fight against the Delta variant.

The Mayors and Chairs want to thank the thousands of people working on the ongoing vaccination effort and all those who are doing the right thing and getting vaccinated.

• GTHA Mayors and Chairs support reopening

Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area held their regular weekly meeting to discuss the ongoing response to COVID-19 across the region.

The GTHA Mayors and Chairs want to thank all those who worked over the weekend to vaccinate as many people as possible. Vaccine clinics and mobile pop-ups helped achieve vaccine dose administration records in hot spot areas across the GTHA. These efforts are playing a vital role in getting as many residents vaccinated as quickly as possible with the vaccine supply we have available.

Starting tomorrow, residents 18+ across the province will be eligible to register to get vaccinated. While we welcome this news, we know this will create increased demand for vaccine appointments and we will therefore require additional supply of vaccine from the provincial and federal governments if we are to be able to meet the increased demand for appointments. The Mayors and Chairs thank the federal and provincial government for their earlier work securing and distributing vaccines to hot spot areas in the region and we commit to administering as much additional supply as they can provide.

Since the last meeting between GTHA Mayors and Chairs, the province announced the extension of the Stay-At-Home order until June 2 to stop the spread of the virus. We want to thank residents who continue to do the right thing by following the public health guidelines.

• GTHA Mayors and Chairs welcome lower age eligibility for vaccines and request additional supply to accompany demand

Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area held their regular weekly meeting to discuss the ongoing response to COVID-19 across the region.

We wish to acknowledge that this week is National Nursing Week and we join in expressing our gratitude to nurses as they continue to demonstrate such courage and professionalism alongside all healthcare workers.

COVID-19 case counts are going in the right direction across the GTHA while vaccination rates continue to rise. Credit is due to our residents who have exhibited patience in following public health guidelines. We are making progress stopping the spread of the virus and getting people in our hottest hot spots vaccinated. The Mayors and Chairs reaffirmed their willingness to share in the risks and benefits of our shared citizenship.

The Mayors and Chairs welcomed the fact that this week the GTHA municipalities will be undertaking their biggest and busiest week of vaccine dose administration so far. This work is thanks to increased supply from the federal and provincial governments to hot spot areas and we would welcome further additional supply over the coming weeks to ensure we can vaccinate as many people as possible, as quickly as possible. We are all anxious to meet or exceed the target set by Premier Ford to have 65 per cent of eligible residents vaccinated by the end of May. Any additional supply would help us make that happen. We also rely on the federal and provincial governments for transparent explanations with respect to vaccine supplies.

The current vaccination effort is made easier with a predictable timeline laid out by the province when eligibility will open up to different age groups, professions, and those with health conditions. We believe these clearly communicated timelines have helped people plan their lives and have helped everyone manage expectations.

The GTHA Mayors and Chairs are asking the Province to provide predictability for the current provincial Stay-At-Home order and what is to follow. As the Victoria Day long weekend approaches, people and businesses have begun to ask perfectly reasonable questions as to where things will stand as of that time, so they can make plans of all kinds, business and pleasure. Accordingly, we think it is important that the Ontario government communicate clearly and as soon as possible whether or not its order will be extended further or modified based on public health advice.

• GTHA Mayors and Chairs look forward to busiest week of COVID-19 vaccinations so far

"Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area held their regular weekly meeting to discuss the ongoing response to COVID-19 across the region.

The Mayors and Chairs acknowledge and thank our frontline hospital workers continuing to confront a third wave. The hard work and sacrifice of our frontline healthcare workers cannot be in vain so we continue to urge all residents to continue to follow the public health advice. We need to stop the spread of COVID-19 and its variants.

Municipalities across the GTHA anticipate increased vaccine supply this week for hot spot postal codes. We are committed to working with our healthcare partners to make sure we are administering these doses as quickly as possible to residents who live in hot spot neighbourhoods. While the committed vaccines for regional hot spots will help the cause, more vaccines will be needed to permit
us to meet the demand created by expanded eligibility now including many residents as young as 18.

The Mayors and Chairs also want to acknowledge the degree to which both governments of Canada and Ontario have included municipalities in implementing the course of action we are collectively taking to defeat this virus. We are hopeful that this collaborative and cooperative tone and spirit between all governments will continue as it is through working together that we can be most effective."

• GTHA Mayors and Chairs thank our frontline healthcare workers and welcome additional vaccine doses for hot spot areas, with need for more

Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area held their regular weekly meeting to discuss the ongoing response to COVID-19 across the region.

We express our sincere condolences to the family and friends of 13-year-old Emily Victoria Viegas. Every COVID-19 death represents a tragedy but this loss does confirm the extreme threat the variants pose to all of us.

The GTHA, like the rest of Ontario and much of Canada, is in the third wave with all our hospitals experiencing increased strain on health care resources. The Mayors and Chairs continue to urge all residents to keep following the public health advice to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and limit the strain on our overburdened health care system.

Given the limited vaccine supply right now, municipalities across the GTHA are absolutely focused on deploying as much of the available vaccines as possible to local hot spots. By following this strategy, we are seeing success when it comes to increasing the number of people vaccinated in hot spot postal codes and we know this will make a difference in the long term. We encourage the Province to continue to increase the vaccines made available to hot spots across our region consistent with medical and scientific advice.

Last week, the province pledged to come forward with an improved sick pay system. The Mayors and Chairs welcome this commitment and look forward to seeing the system in place as soon as possible to help protect more of our essential workers.

• GTHA Mayors and Chairs support development of more vaccines to hot spots and sick pay improvements

Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area held their regular weekly meeting to discuss the ongoing response to COVID-19 across the region.

We are thankful that Prime Minister Trudeau and Premier Ford are working together to get more help in place to help combat the third wave of this pandemic. In particular, we commend Prime Minister Trudeau for his efforts in reaching out to the rest of the country to help Ontario in general and the GTHA in particular. And we express our thanks to Premier Ford for his announced increased allocation of vaccines to GTHA hot spots.

The Mayors and Chairs welcome any additional health resources that can be deployed in the GTHA right now. We also anticipate continuous discussions between ourselves, the Province, and health and science advisors with respect to the public health measures in place from time to time.

All GTHA municipalities have additional capacity in their vaccination delivery systems that would benefit from increased vaccine supply. All of us have the capacity to do more and we will continue to work with the other governments to obtain more doses. The more vaccine doses we receive, the more shots we can get in arms in our hotspot areas. We also urge the Province to maintain as much certainty as possible with respect to committed vaccine allocations and to ensure as much advance notice as possible in the event of any changes.

We welcome the fact that the province has opened up AstraZeneca vaccinations to all residents age 40 and older. This will lead to more people getting vaccinated at pharmacies across the GTHA.
We strongly encourage the Province to accelerate the signing on of more pharmacies and encourage all residents who are newly eligible for this vaccine to sign up and get their shot.

• GTHA Mayors and Chairs urge all eligible residents to get vaccinated especially in COVID-19 hot spots

Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area held their regular weekly meeting to discuss the ongoing response to COVID-19 across the region.

As the GTHA faces a third wave and our hospitals work to help people, our municipalities continue to administer all vaccine available from the provincial and federal governments. We remain fully committed to our job as municipalities which is to put as many vaccines into as many arms as we can, as quickly as we can, vaccine supply permitting. As much clarity as possible with respect to vaccine supply is obviously central to our ability to carry out this task.

We support the efforts announced by the province to make sure residents in postal code hot spots have increased access to vaccine. We strongly support any action by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario to increase vaccine supply right now so that we can vaccinate more people in these hot spot areas and on the provincial priority list.

We are also very supportive of Premier Ford's goal of vaccinating 40 per cent of Ontarians by May 5 and we await further details on how we can collaborate together to make that happen, including on questions of vaccine supply. We believe that achieving this goal will require increased supply for the GTHA and the deployment of additional human resources.

Recognizing the scale of this undertaking means it will take time, we want residents across the GTHA to get vaccinated as soon as possible. The GTHA Mayors and Chairs continue to urge all residents who are eligible to receive the vaccine right now to sign up for their vaccine appointment.

• GTHA Mayors and Chairs call for additional COVID-19 vaccine supply

The cities represented by the GTHA Mayors and Chairs are extremely concerned about the third wave and the increasing case counts we are seeing in the region. We look forward to continuing dialogue with the province concerning public health measures as we try to win the war against this virus.

As the Province enters the second stage of the vaccine rollout, the Mayors and Chairs, who are proud to have led in the effort to administer hundreds of thousands of vaccines so far, would appreciate greater clarity on the matter of the vaccination of different groups of essential workers.

We all share the view that essential workers and vulnerable populations and communities should be prioritized for purposes of vaccine distribution. People who have no choice but to go to work are often by definition going to be placed at greater risk and we look forward to achieving greater clarification with the province to ensure we can prioritize these groups while still continuing to vaccinate progressively younger age groups.

The GTHA Mayors and Chairs urge all residents who are eligible to receive the vaccine right now to sign up for their vaccine appointment. We want residents across the GTHA to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

• GTHA Mayors and Chairs encourage people to get vaccinated when they are eligible

Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area held their regular weekly meeting to discuss the ongoing response to COVID-19 across the region.

The cities represented by the GTHA Mayors and Chairs are making considerable efforts to vaccinate residents laid out in the provincial government’s priority list as quickly as vaccine supply permits.

The GTHA Mayors and Chairs raised the need for a more reliable and increased supply stream of the vaccine from the federal and provincial governments with a focus on hot spots that are facing larger case counts. During the meeting, the participants called on the provincial and federal governments to work together to prioritize regions, including the GTHA and other areas across the country, that are facing greater impacts from the virus by increasing their supply of the vaccine. Current numbers clearly indicate this region is a COVID-19 hot spot and we believe vaccine allocation should take that into account, in the GTHA and in other hot spot areas in the country.

The GTHA Mayors and Chairs urge all seniors age 70 and older to sign up for their vaccine appointment. We want our seniors to get vaccinated as soon as possible. With availability of appointments across the region, the GTHA Mayors and Chairs made a request to the province to increase marketing and advertising efforts to encourage people to sign up and to address vaccine hesitancy. We will also be staying in close touch in the days ahead with respect to ongoing provincial eligibility requirements.

GTHA Mayors and Chairs discussed their concerns about the high case counts over the past week and the increased number of cases that are being identified as the variants of concern. In response to these increased case counts, and as cities continue to move forward in the provincial framework, the GTHA Mayors and Chairs are reminding residents to stay vigilant and to continue to follow the public health guidelines.

• GTHA Mayors and Chairs request additional COVID-19 vaccine supply

Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area held their regular weekly meeting to discuss the ongoing response to COVID-19 across the region.

The Mayors and Chairs continue to work with the provincial and federal governments to administer the COVID-19 vaccines to residents across the GTHA. While we await larger supply of vaccines, municipalities are moving forward in efforts to vaccinate priority groups laid out by the provincial government.

There was considerable discussion concerning the rollout of vaccinations in pharmacies. Mayors and Chairs in areas not yet part of the pharmacy vaccination program strongly urged the provincial government to expedite the equitable expansion of this initiative especially in light of increased security of vaccine supply. Local health authorities have strong existing relationships with pharmacies from programs like flu vaccinations.

The GTHA Mayors and Chairs welcome the news announced last week that allows for seniors age 75 and older to sign up for their vaccine appointment. Recent news from the federal government shows lower case counts among 80 and over residents across the country which demonstrates how vital the vaccine is in lowering case counts and spread among vulnerable residents.

On the matter of re-opening, the request to consider modifications to the Grey category restrictions on outdoor fitness and recreation was reiterated.

By increasing vaccination efforts in the GTHA and the commitment to stay vigilant in following public health guidelines, we will ensure a safer reopening for the region. The Mayors and Chairs are strongly encouraging residents to get vaccinated as soon as they are eligible and as vaccine supply allows.

There was also a request made for more consistent messaging and more timely communication by the province to local governments including advance notice to Mayors and Chairs of changes in policy or new initiatives.”

• GTHA Mayors and Chairs continue to encourage residents to get their COVID-19 vaccine when eligible

Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area held their regular weekly meeting to discuss the ongoing response to COVID-19 across the region.

The Mayors and Chairs are committed to working with the provincial and federal governments to administer COVID-19 vaccines to residents across the GTHA. The federal government acquires and supplies COVID-19 vaccine, the provincial government rolls out the vaccine and sets the vaccination framework, and municipalities are committed to doing the on the ground work to get shots in arms. We are ready to ramp up our efforts as supply increases.

Right now, municipalities across the GTHA are focused on working with their hospital and healthcare partners to get residents 80-years-old and older vaccinated. Vaccine supply continues to be an issue which constrains our pace but prospects look brighter provided supply numbers are reliable.

The Mayors and Chairs strongly encourage all residents to get vaccinated as soon as they are eligible and as vaccine supply allows. We recognize that the overall vaccination effort will take time and hope our residents will continue to be mindful of public health guidance including avoidance of St. Patrick's Day parties later this week.

Following the rules and getting vaccinated will protect you and your loved ones and help us stop COVID-19 so that the entire GTHA can move ahead with a safe reopening."

• GTHA Mayors and Chairs encourage all residents to get the COVID-19 vaccine when eligible

Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area held their regular weekly meeting to discuss the ongoing response to COVID-19 across the region.

The Mayors and Chairs are committed to working with their local public health units, hospitals, and community health partners to distribute COVID-19 vaccine to residents. They urge residents to obtain local information on vaccinations from the municipality in which they live, to understand there will be differences between municipalities in a big region and that all local vaccination efforts are dependent upon vaccine supply.

Late last week, the Government of Canada announced additional vaccine supply would be arriving in the coming days and weeks and the Government of Ontario confirmed it would be distributing that vaccine as quickly as possible along with providing extra doses to communities hit hard by COVID-19. The Mayors and Chairs stated that as soon as that supply of vaccine is in hand, they will deliver.

This is great news for our efforts to get shots in arms. We want our residents to have access to vaccine as quickly as possible but all of our efforts do depend on vaccine supply.
The vaccinations work. We are already seeing the benefits of vaccinations in our long-term care and retirement homes. But they must be combined with a continued cautious approach to public health guidance and common sense as this is a battle which is not yet over.

During today's meeting, the Mayors and Chairs also discussed the importance of coordinating our efforts around communications across municipalities and with the province to help inform residents about the safety of the vaccines, the importance of being vaccinated when eligible, and how to get vaccinated.

The Mayors and Chairs also expressed their gratitude for the financial assistance, including transit funding, received primarily from the Ontario Government last week. Together with vaccinations, this funding will clearly put us on the road to recovery, knowing some additional assistance will be needed for 2021 since property taxes cannot on their own finance the extraordinary burdens caused by the pandemic.

• GTHA Mayors and Chairs welcome additional supply of COVID-19 vaccine

Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area held their regular weekly meeting to discuss the ongoing response to COVID-19 across the region.

All GTHA municipalities are working to support the provincial and federal governments in the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine and preparing for the arrival of what we anticipate will be substantial additional supply. The Mayors and Chairs urge all residents to get vaccinated when they are eligible. The vaccine will protect you and your loved ones. The safe reopening of the GTHA for the long-term with no further threat of lockdowns will ultimately rely on as many people being vaccinated as possible. We believe it is important that the people we collectively serve receive consistent messaging with respect to the availability of vaccinations (including information around when, who, where, why).

All municipalities on the call, representing millions of people, are anxiously awaiting confirmation by the Province that they will be compensated for the millions of dollars in expenditures involved in delivering the vaccinations.

Supporting the vaccine rollout is one more example of the important work municipal governments and their local health units are doing in the fight against COVID-19. We are continuing to have good, positive discussions with the federal and provincial governments about additional support for municipalities facing other financial pressures (ie. transit and housing) due to the pandemic.

• GTHA Mayors and Chairs Committed to COVID-19 vaccine rollout