Etobicoke Community Conversations Event Recap & a New Group Supporting Local Schools
July 4 2025
On June 16th, neighbours, local experts, and community advocates came together for our latest Etobicoke Community Conversations event: A Community Safety Town Hall on Rethinking Safety Together in Etobicoke Centre.
It was an evening of real, open discussion about what safety means here—on our streets, in our schools, and in our homes.
We heard from representatives of Toronto Police Services about everyday crime prevention and community collaboration. Victim Services Toronto shared moving insights on supporting survivors and building compassionate systems. We also explored how trauma, unmet needs, and lack of social supports—like food security for kids or youth-focused activities—can become root causes of crime if left unaddressed.
As your local Walk Safe Etobicoke advocate, I also spoke about road safety challenges many of us see daily: speeding on residential streets, missing sidewalks, and unsafe crossings—especially for kids and seniors.
What really stood out was the level of engagement. Residents asked thoughtful questions, challenged assumptions, and shared personal experiences that reminded us all just how many layers “safety” really has.
It was clear people want to keep talking. They want real answers—not just headlines—and real solutions shaped by local needs.
We know trust has to be rebuilt—not only between neighbours, but with the institutions meant to keep us safe. That’s exactly why Etobicoke Community Conversations exists: to create space for honest, local discussion that too often gets missed in big, city-wide debates.
This first event focused on Ward 2 / Etobicoke Centre, but our vision is to bring these conversations to Wards 1 and 3 as well—because every corner of Etobicoke deserves the same space to talk, learn, and lead.
Walk Safe Etobicoke Update
At the event, I shared the story of the creation of Walk Safe Etobicoke—which actually began as a seven-year push to get a single crosswalk installed near a local school.
That experience showed just how widespread—and preventable—these safety issues are in our neighbourhoods:
Speeding on residential streets
Lack of safe crossing where needed
Inaccessible infrastructure for anyone not in a car (everyone is a pedestrian sometimes)
Today, Walk Safe Etobicoke is focused on:
✅ Collecting resident stories
✅ Mapping danger zones
✅ Advocating for real, people-first safety improvements
We currently have a community survey open to gather your input on where you feel unsafe walking and what changes are needed:
👉Find Survey Here
We’re also forming a Community Advisory Group to help shape a final report and recommendations that truly reflect local needs.
If you'd like to get involved or ask questions, please email WalkSafeEtobicoke@gmail.com.
What’s Next?
We’re committed to keeping these conversations going—and making sure they lead to action.
✅ Want to help us plan future events? Just reach out!
✅ Stay tuned for details on upcoming conversations in Etobicoke Centre and beyond.
Thank you to everyone who showed up, spoke up, and made space for real dialogue. Together, we can keep building the trust, connections, and practical solutions Etobicoke deserves.
Introducing Save Etobicoke Schools
The TDSB Takeover: What It Means for Our Community
On June 27, 2025, the Ontario Minister of Education took an unprecedented step by placing the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) under provincial supervision. This means that the powers traditionally held by locally elected trustees—trusted community members who understand the unique needs of Etobicoke families—have been removed.
Instead, an appointed supervisor, Rohit Gupta, now holds full authority over decisions related to the board’s budget, programming, and priorities. This shift effectively suspends local democratic governance, cutting off meaningful input from parents, students, educators, and neighbourhoods.
While the government cites financial challenges uncovered by a financial investigation as the reason, many see this move as a response to long-standing provincial underfunding and cuts to education, rather than mismanagement by the Board itself.
For communities in Etobicoke, this takeover raises serious concerns:
How can we trust decisions made without those who know our local needs?
What happens to programs and supports critical to our children’s success?
How do we hold leadership accountable when our voices are sidelined?
Save Etobicoke Schools is a group of local parents, caregivers, grandparents, and concerned neighbours who stand firmly against this erosion of local control. We believe education decisions must be made with full community participation and transparency.
We’re calling on the province to:
Restore decision-making powers to locally elected trustees.
Increase funding to meet the real needs of students and schools.
Protect essential programs and services from further cuts.
Our children’s education and our community’s future depend on it.
If you share these concerns and want to defend strong, locally accountable public schools in Etobicoke, please reach out:
👉 SaveEtobicokeSchools@gmail.com
Together, we can raise our voices and advocate for the schools and supports our families deserve.