Budget has a strong focus on community safety
Thank you to everyone who came out for our community skate on Family Day! We are happy that the Heron Park Ice Rink is reopened. I encourage you to visit the arena and take advantage of the free skate offered every Sunday from 2-4 p.m. I look forward to joining you at the Annual CCRA Dance on March 28.
Safety of the members of our community is my top priority as your City Councillor. I’d like to take this opportunity to share recent initiatives of the City of Toronto to improve community safety.
Investing in Community Safety
The City of Toronto 2020 budget has a strong focus on community safety. This budget is investing in a net-new 188 Toronto Police officers. This is great news for our city, and includes 40 new neighbourhood community officers who will build community relationships, as well as eight officers dedicated to enforcement of the city’s Vision Zero strategy, to reduce pedestrian injuries and fatalities on our roads. The city is also investing $6 million in Community Youth Violence Prevention Grants. These grants will be offered to local agencies working to maintain safe neighbourhoods and will be made available via an open grant call this year. I look forward to working with grant recipients and continuing to improve all parts of our neighbourhood.
Vision Zero – Mid-Block Crossings
The city is also investing in infrastructure to keep pedestrians in Scarborough safer. This includes accelerating the installation of mid-block crossings. Forty-four percent of pedestrians killed or seriously injured in Scarborough occur when pedestrians cross mid-block. Our community is one step closer to the installation of a traffic signal at Lawrence Ave. East and Meadowvale Road. With overwhelming support from both the CCRA and members of our community, Scarborough Community Council unanimously adopted staff recommendations to install the traffic signal. I look forward to seeing the installation sometime in 2021.
Automated Speed Enforcement
As of March 1, the City of Toronto has finished installation of 50 Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) systems in Community Safety Zones across our city. These cameras will begin ticketing on April 1. ASE is an automated system that 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 and tickets are issued to the owners of the vehicle, regardless of who was driving. Upon conviction, the only penalty is a fine – no demerit points will be issued nor will the driving record of registered owners be impacted. Two ASE systems will be placed in our ward. To learn more about these safety zones view the map at www.toronto.ca/ase.
Coyote Information Session
Thank you to those who have been in touch with my office regarding concerns of coyotes in our neighbourhood. Please join us for the information session being held in partnership with the CCRA on March 26 at the West Rouge Community Centre from 6-7:30 p.m.
Let’s Stay In Touch
Our new office is now open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday to Friday at 4630 Kingston road, Unit#20. We are also available at 416-338-3771 and councillor_mckelvie@toronto.ca. To keep up to date with local news, please sign up for our e-newsletter at www.jennifermckelvie.ca, and follow me on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter via my handle, @McKelvieWard25.