January 5, 2015
Dandyhorse Magazine
Jenna Campbell

UPDATE: The report back on lower speed limits from transportation services will now be brought to the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee in April. The City needs perform further analysis in light of some potential Provincial legislation.

The death of a seven-year-old girl who was struck by a van last July has been the catalyst for city Councillors to push forward new safety measures to make Toronto’s streets safer. It has also spurred the community-run Leaside “Kids at Play” signs movement, which has since spread across the city.

Councillor Josh Matlow, (Ward 22, St. Paul’s), is pushing for lowering the speed limit to 30 km/h on all residential roads across Toronto. Lower speed limits would save lives as Toronto’s “Road to Health” report on pedestrian safety recently noted: A pedestrian hit by a vehicle travelling at 50 km/h has an 85 per cent chance of dying, while a pedestrian struck by a vehicle at 30 km/h has a 5 per cent chance of dying.

January 6th, 2015

City News

Cynthia Mulligan

A crackdown is coming for private condo developers who block a lane of traffic during construction, which contributes to massive gridlock on downtown streets.

Mayor John Tory, who has pledged to tackle the city’s congestion, says developers have taken advantage of the privilege for too long.

“They may not need to close these lanes at all,” he said. “They’ve been allowed to do so in the City of Toronto so of course they’ve taken advantage of that.”

Currently there are more than 1,000 construction projects across the city that are blocking live lanes of traffic and sidewalks.

Tory isn’t the only one demanding a change to this practice.

Coun. Josh Matlow introduced a motion at city council last August, asking for developers to either pay significantly more to block the lanes or have them work within their own property lines.

December 30, 2014
Toronto Star
Katrina Clarke

Genteel green space coveted by the city was sold off before the city made an offer, former leaders say, but Councillor Josh Matlow smells something “fishy.

December 12, 2014
City Centre Mirror
Justin Skinner

A year after being shut down due to an ammonia leak, midtown Toronto’s Hodgson ice rink is back up and running better than ever.

Even prior to the leak, which would have posed serious health and safety problems for families had the rink not been shut down, Hodgson was in dire need of repairs.

“It was 30-year-old infrastructure and it was failing,” said Ward 22 councillor Josh Matlow, who worked to mobilize the community and broker a deal to get the rink up and running when the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) was talking about shutting it down completely.

“(Last year) the TDSB was giving the city a hard time about even renewing the lease there,” Matlow said.

Thanks to the community’s efforts, and with help from TDSB Trustee Shelley Laskin, the midtown rink was completely rebuilt, allowing local leagues and families to continue to enjoy the facility. Two ice pads will allow for permitted league games and shinny games or free skates to take place simultaneously.

November 27, 2014

Inside Toronto

Justin Skinner

While the new makeup of council under mayor-elect Mayor John Tory has its work cut out for it on city-wide issues, St. Paul’s councillor Josh Matlow will also have a full plate when it comes to issues within his own ward.

One of his top priorities will be to boost transit options in the city to ease congestion on the Yonge subway line, as riders in his ward often have to wait two or three trains just to find a subway that is not packed to the brim during rush hours.

“I’ll be continuing my advocacy for relieving the Yonge subway line overcrowding in every way,” he said, adding he does not see the much-ballyhooed Downtown Relief Line proposal and Tory’s SmartTrack plan as an either/or proposition.

“We need both a downtown relief line and electrified rail moving forward.”