As we slowly approach the year 2024, I found it fitting to recapture some of Toronto’s highlight moments of 2023 in hopes of gaining a newfound perspective. While Torontonians are used to yearlong inconsistent weather, traffic congestion and construction, these should not deter our appreciation of some of the positive moments that have taken place.

New Leadership:
Mayor Olivia Chow won the historic mayoral by-election, which involved 102 candidates and nearly 15,000 election positions filled to support its implementation. Most recently, the Toronto City Council unanimously endorsed a once-in-a-generation change to Toronto taxpayer responsibilities in the Ontario-Toronto New Deal.


Affordable Housing:
Toronto housing has been one of the most pressing topics in the past few years. However, Toronto, in partnership with the federal and provincial governments, made deep inroads in housing development, including providing geared-to-income portable housing benefits to 3,315 households (3,061 households from shelters and 254 Indigenous households) and creating 468 new supportive housing opportunities through the Rapid Rehousing Initiative in conjunction with Toronto Community Housing Corporation. Toronto also secured $169.4 million in funding for 416 new homes in 2023 through Phase 3 of the Government of Canada’s Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI). In short, more homes, housing benefits and a roadmap to strengthen Toronto’s housing system by building more homes faster, increasing housing affordability and establishing a stronger role for the government in the housing system were created.

Toronto Community Crisis Response Service:
Toronto Community Crisis Service (TCCS) — a non-police-led, community-based, client-centred and trauma-informed service — had a successful pilot and will expand in 2024. The TCCS provides free, confidential and in-person mental health support — 24 hours a day, seven days a week — via mobile crisis teams and can be accessed by calling 211 or 911. Client feedback indicated 95 per cent were satisfied or very satisfied with the service they received, and 90 per cent of clients indicated that the service positively impacted their perception of community safety and well-being.

Openings of Parks, Community and Child Care Centres:
Lillian McGregor Park, Love Park, Ethennonnhawahstihnen’ Community Recreation Centre, One Yonge Community Centre, the Aquabella Child Care Centre and The Macaulay Centres for Children – Tippett Child Care Centre (the Centre) in North York — all opened this year.

Health and Wellness:
FitnessTO launched, providing greater access to city fitness locations and services.

Shelter System and Refugee Response:
More than 5,000 people moved from the shelter system to permanent housing and is currently providing support for more than 11,200 people in and outside the shelter system.

Advancing Reconciliation:
In efforts to strengthen the reconciliation with the Indigenous, 68 new rent-geared-to-income homes were announced to be built by an Indigenous housing provider, and the Indigenous Climate Action Grants pilot program successfully funded 19 Indigenous-led climate action projects and initiatives.


Climate Leadership:
The PollinateTO program funded 44 community-led projects, which will create 110 new gardens and an estimated 5,700 square metres of pollinator habitat, and the Eco-Roof Incentive Program helped create more than 44,000 square metres of new eco-roof area.