(AGENPARL) – Fri 19 December 2025 City of Toronto Media Relations has issued the following:
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News Release
December 19, 2025
What was new in the City of Toronto in 2025
In 2025, the City of Toronto advanced affordability by reducing household costs, protecting renters and expanding access to essential services. The City also continued to advance priorities across transportation, housing, safety, climate action, community services and preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2026™.
Improved travel, reduced congestion and expanded transit service
– Reopened all six lanes of the Gardiner Expressway ahead of schedule, completing work in roughly half the original timeline, with support from the province.
– News release: http://www.toronto.ca/news/gardiner-expressway-temporary-closures-coordinated-with-blue-jays-world-series-schedule.
– Improved traffic flow and road safety by adding more Traffic Agents (www.toronto.ca/services-payments/streets-parking-transportation/traffic-management/traffic-agent-program) at key intersections and advancing targeted Vision Zero (www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ie/bgrd/backgroundfile-255810.pdf) investments, including new crossings, traffic signals, speed-management measures and cycling infrastructure upgrades.
– Kept transit affordable by freezing TTC fares for a second consecutive year, adding 500,000 service hours to improve reliability, advancing major capital investments including 55 new Line 2 subway cars, beginning construction on the Scarborough Busway and opening Line 6 Finch West LRT.-
– TTC Corporate Plan 2024–2028: Mid-Year 2025 Progress Update: http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ttc/bgrd/backgroundfile-257235.pdf
Strengthened Toronto’s economy
– Launched the Mayor’s 10-Point Economic Action Plan to protect jobs and local industries amid shifting U.S. trade policies, including the Love Local campaign to encourage residents to buy Canadian and support local businesses.
– News release: http://www.toronto.ca/news/city-of-toronto-launches-industrial-property-tax-deferral-program-to-support-local-manufacturers-impacted-by-u-s-tariffs.
– News release: http://www.toronto.ca/news/city-of-toronto-launches-love-local-campaign-to-support-businesses-and-strengthen-canadas-economic-resilience.
– Provided a 15 per cent property tax reduction to 28,000 small businesses.
Built more homes and strengthened renter protections
– Strengthened housing delivery by creating the Housing Development Office, launching the Toronto Builds Policy Framework for City land, completing more than 700 new affordable and rent-geared-to-income homes, beginning construction on more than 3,400 rent-controlled homes and approving more than 2,900 additional rent-controlled homes under the Rental Housing Supply Program.
– Protected renters by implementing a Rental Renovation Licence Bylaw to prevent renovictions and increasing funding for the Toronto Rent Bank (www.toronto.ca/community-people/employment-social-support/housing-support/financial-support-for-renters/toronto-rent-bank) and eviction prevention programs, keeping more than 3,800 families housed.
– News release: http://www.toronto.ca/news/city-of-toronto-set-to-roll-out-new-renovictions-bylaw.
Strengthened emergency response services
– Hired 263 new first responders, improving emergency response times and reducing 911 call wait times by nearly 70 per cent.
– Expanded the Toronto Community Crisis Service city-wide, responding to more than 35,000 calls, and launched a TTC pilot embedding crisis response teams on Line 1 to enhance transit safety.
– News release: http://www.toronto.ca/news/city-of-toronto-recognizes-service-award-recipients-in-celebration-of-the-toronto-community-crisis-services-one-year-anniversary-expanding-city-wide.
– News release: http://www.ttc.ca/news/2025/November/Mayor-Chow-announces-new-strategy-with-increased-safety
Strengthened climate resilience and energy efficiency
– Advanced climate resilience and infrastructure by completing phase one of the Fairbank–Silverthorn Trunk Sewer to protect thousands of homes from flooding, issuing more than $5 million in basement flooding subsidies, planting approximately 136,000 trees,136,000 shrubs (www.toronto.ca/services-payments/water-environment/trees/tree-planting) and launching Toronto’s first wastewater energy project, cutting natural gas use by about 90 per cent.
– News release: http://www.toronto.ca/news/city-of-toronto-proposes-new-supports-to-help-property-owners-protect-their-homes-from-flooding.
– Supported residents in adapting to extreme heat and reducing home energy costs through the Air Conditioner Assistance Program (www.toronto.ca/community-people/employment-social-support/support-for-people-in-financial-need/air-conditioning-assistance-for-low-income-seniors), providing portable air conditioners to low-income seniors, and by launching a Furnace Upgrade Program offering low-cost financing and free energy coaching to help homeowners switch to energy-efficient heat pumps.
– News release: http://www.toronto.ca/news/city-of-toronto-provides-low-cost-financing-and-free-coaching-to-help-homeowners-switch-their-furnaces-to-heat-pumps.
Expanded community spaces, recreation and library access
– For the first time, all 100 Toronto Public Library branches are open on Sundays, expanding access to books, technology and community space.
– News release: http://www.blogs.tpl.ca/news-releases/2025/10/all-100-toronto-public-library-branches-now-open-sundays)
– Opened Biidaasige Park, the largest new park in a generation, the East Bayfront and Rouge Valley Community Recreation Centres and the Mount Dennis Early Learning and Child Care Centre, the City’s largest City-run and first net-zero child care facility.
– News release: http://www.toronto.ca/news/largest-park-in-a-generation-opens-on-city-of-torontos-new-island-through-transformative-port-lands-flood-protection-project.
– News release: http://www.toronto.ca/news/city-of-toronto-celebrates-the-opening-of-east-bayfront-community-recreation-centre-to-support-growing-neighbourhood.
– News release: http://www.toronto.ca/news/city-of-toronto-officially-celebrates-largest-city-run-child-care-centre-and-first-net-zero-building.
– Opened 15 outdoor pools and 15 wading pools early and extended daily hours by two hours during the summer.
– News release: http://www.toronto.ca/news/city-of-toronto-opens-15-outdoor-pools-early-to-help-residents-beat-the-heat,
– Enhanced access to recreation by delivering 20 new or expanded parks and upgrading 18 playgrounds and improved 38 tennis courts and added 31 pickleball courts (www.toronto.ca/city-government/planning-development/construction-new-facilities/park-facility-projects/city-wide-tennis-pickleball-court-improvements). The City also opened Toronto’s first indoor cricket practice facility and is set to open eight new cricket facilities in 2026 (www.toronto.ca/city-government/planning-development/construction-new-facilities/parks-facility-plans-strategies/cricket-strategy).
– News release: http://www.toronto.ca/news/city-of-toronto-opens-94000-square-foot-community-recreation-centre-in-scarborough.
Expanded youth nutrition, safety and summer programs
– Supported student well-being by delivering nutritious meals and snacks through the Toronto Student Nutrition Program (www.toronto.ca/community-people/health-wellness-care/health-programs-advice/student-nutrition-program) and CampTO, reaching hundreds of thousands of children and youth across the city.
– News Release: http://www.toronto.ca/news/city-of-toronto-introduces-campto-nutrition-program-providing-grocery-cost-relief-to-toronto-families.
– Advanced community safety and youth development through more than 140 Summer Safety Plan initiatives focused on violence prevention, mental health, skills development and summer employment opportunities.
– News release: (www.toronto.ca/news/city-of-torontos-summer-safety-plan-promotes-community-safety-through-violence-prevention-and-youth-development)
Advanced FIFA World Cup 2026™ preparations
– Advanced preparations for the FIFA World Cup 26™ by confirming Toronto will host six matches at Toronto Stadium, completing Phase 1 stadium upgrades and beginning Phase 2 construction with MLSE, opening the FIFA World Cup 26™ Volunteer Centre at Humber Polytechnic and announcing Fort York and The Bentway as the City’s official FIFA Fan Festival™ locations.
– Final match schedule news release: http://www.toronto.ca/news/torontos-fifa-world-cup-2026-final-match-schedule-is-now-available
– Toronto Stadium fact sheet: http://www.toronto.ca/news/city-of-toronto-and-mlse-complete-phase-1-upgrades-at-toronto-stadium-ahead-of-fifa-world-cup-26.
– Volunteer Centre fact sheet: http://www.toronto.ca/news/fifa-world-cup-26-volunteer-centre.
– FIFA Fan Festival news release: http://www.toronto.ca/news/city-of-toronto-announces-fort-york-and-the-bentway-for-its-fifa-fan-festival-location.