Clearing a Path Forward: Snow & School Updates ... in July?
July 14 2025
Snow Plans In a Heatwave
This week, Toronto’s City Council - Executive Committee - will debate a major review of the city’s winter maintenance program—a conversation that feels especially urgent for us here in Etobicoke. The meeting is this Wednesday, July 16, and you can find the full agenda here - https://secure.toronto.ca/council/#/committees/2468/25777
If you remember February’s brutal snowstorms—over 50 cm in one week—you’ll remember the problem wasn’t just the record snowfall. It was how long so many of our local sidewalks sat buried. On some streets, it was days before a plow even showed up and others waited a week or more.
It wasn’t just inconvenient. It was dangerous. Seniors with canes or walkers had to choose between staying home or risking icy roads. Parents with strollers were forced into traffic lanes or simply gave up on outings entirely. Those who rely on mobility devices like wheelchairs were stuck in their homes for days—if not more than a week—because sidewalks were completely impassable.
And while it’s true that if you’re able, you should be a good neighbour and clear your sidewalk, we also know Etobicoke has many seniors and vulnerable residents who simply can’t manage that on their own.
That’s part of why this issue matters so much. A few years ago, we actually had pretty reliable sidewalk clearing from the city. But over the last three years or so, service has gotten worse and slower. That decline didn’t just happen by accident. It was a decision by city council—made during the John Tory era—to change how the city contracts and manages snow clearing.
It hasn’t worked so well for us out here.
And let’s not forget another familiar frustration:
So many of us would spend time and energy clearing our own driveways or sidewalks, only to have the road plow come through and leave a giant ridge of snow right back in them. It’s not just annoying—it’s one more way the system feels like it’s failing people who are trying to do the right thing.
This week’s City Hall report is refreshingly blunt about the problem:
Not enough surge capacity (too few sidewalk plows or haul trucks for big storms)
No permanent, year-round winter team at the city
Contractors with too little accountability for meeting service standards
No real-time monitoring or public reporting
Serious transparency concerns in how contracts were awarded
The report calls for big changes: a dedicated Winter Operations Unit, better contracts with surge capacity, clear communication plans for 311, and even a forensic audit of the current contracts.
But here’s the thing:
This wasn’t just a bad winter. Extreme weather is becoming part of our new normal. While we’re all focused on the heatwave right now, City Hall needs to be planning now for the next storm because if they wait until December to fix this, it’ll be too late.
We deserve city services that treat our sidewalks, bus stops, and local streets as essential infrastructure, not afterthoughts. We deserve planning that recognizes our aging population and supports vulnerable residents. And we deserve a system that doesn’t rely on residents doing the city’s work for them—only to see it undone by the next plow pass.
If you want to see improvements before next winter:
- Email or call your City Councillor this week.
- Tell them you support a serious plan with real investment and accountability.
- Tell them Etobicoke can’t afford to wait.
Because no one—especially those who use a wheelchair or mobility aid—should have to wait days or weeks just to safely leave their home.
Update - What’s Happening with Our Schools in Etobicoke
On June 27, 2025, the Ontario government took control of four major school boards by putting them under provincial supervision. This includes:
Toronto District School Board (TDSB)
Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB)
Ottawa-Carleton District School Board
Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board
For us in Etobicoke, this means our school boards are no longer run by the trustees we elected. Instead, a supervisor appointed by the provincial government now has the final say on all decisions—budgets, staffing, programs, and priorities.
What Does This Mean for Us?
Our local trustees can no longer:
Vote on school board budgets or policies
Advocate to board staff on behalf of families
Represent parents at meetings with school staff
Bring your concerns to the board
Speak publicly as trustees about what’s happening
In other words, they can’t do the job we elected them to do. Instead, all the power is with someone chosen by the province who doesn’t live here and isn’t accountable to us.
There’s no clear timeline for when this will end. It could last until at least October 2026, which means our kids could go another full school year without local representation.
Why Should We Care?
The people in charge now are not elected and do not know our local schools, our neighbourhoods, or our families. They do not know our kids!
They don’t have a background in education and they weren’t chosen to work with parents to solve problems. Their main job is to look at dollars and cents—not the real needs of our kids.
When I thought about running for trustee in 2018, I did it because I wanted to help families navigate what can be a really complicated system. Trustees are supposed to be a local, trusted voice who stands up for you and your children.
We can’t count on a government appointee to do that for us.
Now more than ever, we have to be the ones standing up for our schools.
Our trustees can’t advocate for us right now. That means it’s up to us—parents, caregivers, grandparents, educators, neighbours—to make sure our schools have what they need.
✅ We’re looking for parents from schools across the west end to help share the needs and concerns of their communities.
✅ We want to build a strong, connected network that can speak up for all Etobicoke students.
✅ Everyone is welcome to join us—if you care about kids and public schools, you’re invited.
If we don’t speak up, we risk losing programs, services, and supports that our kids rely on every day.
What “Save Etobicoke Schools” Believes
We believe decisions about our schools should be made by our communities, with input from parents and families.
We’re asking the province to:
✅ Give decision-making power back to elected trustees
✅ Properly fund our schools so every child’s needs are met
✅ Protect the programs and services our kids depend on
If you’re worried about what’s happening and want to stand up for our local schools, we’d love to have you with us.
👉 Email us at SaveEtobicokeSchools@gmail.com
Let’s work together to make sure every school, every student, and every family in Etobicoke has the support they deserve.
One Last Update For Today
It’s been a week since I shared our first look at the City’s plans for a new women’s shelter at 3838 Bloor St. W., and I want to thank everyone who’s taken the time to read, share, and respond. I’ve heard thoughtful questions, genuine concerns, and supportive messages from across Etobicoke Centre. I’m still collecting questions through the feedback form and will be sharing them with the engagement team to help get clear answers for everyone. If you haven’t shared yours yet, there’s still time to add your voice to the conversation. Let’s keep this dialogue going—open, respectful, and focused on real solutions for our community.
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