Vaccines, Port Union Road widening, road safety and green buses
The City of Toronto is working with health-care partners, pharmacies and Toronto Public Health to administer all available COVID-19 vaccines. At the time of writing this article, registration was open for Scarborough residents 50 years old and up. Toronto Public Health follows the province’s prioritization plan. Eligibility for vaccines and available locations will continue to expand throughout the year.
Clinics operated by the city are open seven days a week. Residents can book appointments at ontario.ca/bookvaccine or by phone through the Provincial Vaccine Information Line at 1-888-999-6488. The Scarborough Health Network (SHN) is also operating clinics in Scarborough. To register for clinics operated by SHN, visit scarbvaccine.ca or call 1-888-385-1910.
We will continue to promote local opportunities for vaccination in our e-newsletter, which you can sign up for at jennifermckelvie.ca.
Port Union Road Info Session
A Public Information Session for the Port Union Road widening will be held on May 10 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The public information session is an opportunity to learn about the final design and construction timelines. The design will include the addition of a second northbound lane, wider sidewalks and bike lanes along the entirety of the corridor, consistent with Toronto’s guidelines. To learn more about the design and register for the Public Information Session, please visit toronto.ca/portunion.
Local Road Safety
Vision Zero is the city’s five-year action plan (2017-2021) focused on reducing traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries on Toronto’s streets. Local safety improvements include lowering speed limits and implementing technology to make our streets safer. Residents concerned about speeding can request digital “Watch your Speed” signs in our neighbourhood. These large signs are installed against existing hydro poles or streetlights to show drivers the speed that their vehicle is travelling, while encouraging them to slow down. You can request one of these signs by visiting toronto.ca/watchyourspeed.
In Centennial, an automated speed enforcement camera will be installed on Centennial Road in May. This system uses a camera and a speed measurement device to detect and capture images of vehicles travelling in excess of the posted speed limit. Each image is reviewed by a Provincial Offence Officer prior to issuing an offence to the owner of the vehicle. Upon conviction, the only penalty is a fine – no demerit points will be issued and there will be no impact to the registered owner’s driving record. The intention is to slow drivers down.
Our office is also distributing “WHOA! SLOW DOWN” signs. If you would like one, please call us at 416-338-3771 or email our office at councillor_mckelvie@toronto.ca to request a delivery.
TTC’s Green Bus Program
Toronto has North America’s largest fleet of green buses. At the April Toronto Transit Commission Board Meeting, my colleagues and I took the next steps towards a zero-emissions fleet by approving the procurement of an additional 300 long-range, battery-electric buses (eBuses), to be delivered between 2023 and 2025. This purchase accompanies approval to purchase 300 hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), which was authorized by the Board in October. Together, the orders would allow eBus and HEV technology to displace about 40 percent of the diesel fleet. The current bus fleet numbers 2,113 vehicles of which 1,404 are diesels.
Our goal is to have a zero emissions fleet of 2,600 e-buses by 2040. This translates to a savings of 250,000 tonnes of CO2 annually. These actions are aligned with the city’s climate action strategy, TransformTO, which includes a set of long-term, low-carbon goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve our health, grow our economy, and improve climate resilience.
We’re Here to Work for You
For local updates, please sign up for my weekly e-newsletter at jennifermckelvie.ca. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, via my handle @McKelvieWard25. My office continues to serve our residents. Please email me at councillor_mckelvie@toronto.ca.