| Development & Planning | Safety | Transportation & Transit | ||
| Airport Rail Link | City Finances & Services | Arts & Culture | ||
| Environment | Seniors | Youth | ||
| Parks | Tenants |
Let's Work Together for Ward 18 • Davenport
I am running to represent the communities of Ward 18 • Davenport in City Hall. Like many of you, I don’t like the way politics is being played right now at City Hall. I’ve heard from a lot of people in Ward 18 who feel they don’t have a say in decisions that affect our neighbourhoods, our city, and our lives.
I’ve felt this way for some time now, and that is why I am running to be your representative at City Hall – so that we can work together to strengthen our communities in Ward 18 • Davenport.
I want to keep the lines of communication open and the discussion going to make sure we’re making the right decisions.
As your City Councillor, I will:
- Host lunchtime teleconferences, where you can call-in and discuss issues of concern with me and your neighbours in Ward 18;
- Provide more opportunities to connect outside of regular office hours; and
- Increase online presence, available in many languages.
Too often, I have heard from neighbourhood residents that they didn’t know about changes happening just beyond their doorstep – about developments that are too large, too dense, too ill-suited for our streets. We have a right to shape our communities - it’s time that we bring residents to the table.
As your City Councillor, I will:
- Establish a local planning board that brings people in the community back to the table before development decisions are made so we can plan our communities together;
- Ensure that we work together to develop a vision for our neighbourhoods;
- Work to resolve issues that arise between residents and developers to avoid going to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB);
- Make sure that the vibrant heritage and character of our neighbourhoods are respected and maintained; and
- Ensure that development works for us, not against us, and that our neighbourhoods continue to feel like home.
We need to feel safe and secure in our neighbourhoods in Ward 18, whether we are at home, out for a walk, cycling to the park, or shopping in our stores.
As your City Councillor, I will:
- Keep owners of vacant property accountable to municipal by-laws to keep our communities beautiful and safe;
- Conduct personal safety audits and neighbourhood walks with local groups to identify and tackle areas of concern; and
- Make sure the City is doing its part, by maintaining street signage and keeping our streets clear and clean.
We need to coordinate our transportation networks so that pedestrian, public transit, cycling and driving routes are used with ease and efficiency. Our city's streets are too congested and changes need to be made.
As your City Councillor, I will:
- Make sure we work together to plan how we move around our neighbourhoods and on our streets;
- Adopt a Complete Streets policy that will include everyone in the conversation for transportation in our communities;
- Include local businesses in the conversation to understand how changes might impact them;
- Work with the TTC to ensure that our stations in Ward 18 (Dufferin and Lansdowne) and across the City are made accessible with the additions of elevators constructed on time and on budget; and
- Ensure that our transit systems are accessible to everyone – including seniors and young families with strollers.
» Hema Vyas scored 10/10 on the Public Transit Coalition survey »
» Read Hema Vyas' answers to the Toronto Coalition for Active Transportation survey »
Union Station - Pearson Airport Rail Link
It is important to have safe, reliable, and affordable ways for both residents and visitors to get to and from Toronto Pearson International Airport, but the Union Station - Pearson Airport Rail Link needs to serve our communities in a healthy, environmentally responsible way.
As your City Councillor, I will:
- Advocate for the electrification of the new Union Station – Pearson Airport link to stop the diesel trains before they arrive;
- Continue to work towards opening up the lines of communication between Metrolinx and our communities; and
- Support the campaign to make the Airport Rail Link a standard fare service.
The City’s Budget has increased significantly since amalgamation in 2001. With my years’ experience in the not-for-profit sector, I know how to stretch a dollar. We work hard to be able to pay our property taxes, and need to know if we’re getting value for money.
As your City Councillor, I will:
- Plan more appropriately by implementing multi-year budgets and consolidating the operating and capital budgets;
- Work with local residents to identify our priorities;
- Deliver programs and services that cater to our communities' needs; and
- Ensure the City is delivering the quality of service that we need.
In Ward 18 • Davenport, we are fortunate to have some of the finest artists, performers, and writers in Toronto and around the world. The creative industry in Davenport and across the City makes important contributions to our economy, our culture, and towards making our communities great places to live.
As your City Councillor, I will work to:
- Ensure Council stays committed to the recently approved increase in arts funding; and
- Plan for the future with a comprehensive Cultural Plan that supports and encourages local talent, galleries, festivals, and other cultural opportunities.
» Hema Vyas scored a 4 star rating on the ArtsVote survey »
A liveable city is a healthy and sustainable city.
As your City Councillor, I will work to:
- Advocate for the electrification of the new Union Station - Pearson Airport link to stop the diesel trains before they arrive;
- Encourage more local food strategies for healthier Torontonians and a greener environment;
- Create and implement a Complete Streets policy to make our streets more walkable and accessible for people of all ages;
- Create additional parks in Ward 18 • Davenport;
- Advocate for the extension of the beautiful West Toronto Railpath south to Strachan, creating a great new connection to downtown for walkers and cyclists;
- Work to extend the City's Green Bin composting program to apartments and multi-unit dwellings in Ward 18 • Davenport.
» Hema Vyas scored an A+ rating (20/20) on the Toronto Environmental Alliance survey »
Twenty-five years from now, our city is expected to have more seniors than it will children. We are getting older, and living longer. We need to work together to ensure that our communities in Ward 18 • Davenport are age-friendly now and for the future.
As your City Councillor, I will work to:
- Make our streets more walkable and accessible for people of all ages through the creation of a Complete Streets policy;
- Increase public transit accessibility through the expansion of the TTC’s WheelTrans program;
- Help our seniors that are struggling to retrofit and maintain their homes and quality of life; and
- Consider our seniors when making decisions about the shape of our neighbourhoods.
In my experience as the Past President of the June Callwood Centre for Women and Families, as your community representative at Culturelink, and as a volunteer tutor for Pathways to Education, I know how important it is to ensure that the youth in Ward 18 • Davenport and across Toronto have the best start.
As your City Councillor, I will:
- Work with the local Trustee and the Toronto District School Board to consider converting the schools slated for closure into flexible space for community use;
- Work to reduce or eliminate park permit rules for organized events, which can be a barrier to many recreational opportunities for youth; and
- Support the “Get Active Toronto” initiative, and bring opportunities for young people to Ward 18 • Davenport.
The parks in our communities and across Toronto are each unique and distinctive, and must stay that way. The City’s current “one-size-fits-all” approach doesn’t work. Each of our parks must be considered separately.
As your City Councillor, I will:
- Open the lines of communication between local residents, park users and the City’s Parks and Recreation department to discuss issues;
- Create additional parks in Ward 18 • Davenport and across Toronto; and
- Advocate for the extension of the beautiful West Toronto Railpath south to Strachan, creating a great new connection to downtown for walkers, cyclists, and more.
» Read Hema Vyas' chat with Jutta Mason of the Centre for Local Research into Public Space »
More than half of the residents in Ward 18 • Davenport rent their homes. It is important that renters’ rights are supported and that they have a positive relationship with their landlord, whether private or public.
As your City Councillor, I will:
- Work to extend the City’s Green Bin composting program to apartment- and multi-unit dwellings throughout our communities; and
- Insist the City develop a multi-sector response to understand and control bedbug infestations.
Support Hema Vyas, the change we need for Ward 18 at City Hall... |
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