Canary Scooper Heroes!
Forgot a poop bag? No problem!
You'll notice these decals in some of our Canary District businesses. This is the soft-launch of one tactic in our pet poop strategy, Canary Scooper Heroes. Local businesses have poop bags on hand to give out for free to pet owners who may not have one handy. We've signed up 8 local businesses to serve as the first business partners. Can you spot them?
This is one part of a larger strategy that includes education, promoting good habits, lobbying the City for more disposal receptacles, and finding a sponsor for poop bag dispensers and pet relief areas around the neighbourhood.
Stay tuned for more developments!
Billy Bishop Airport Expansion
There's still time to tell our MP Evan Solomon what you think of the proposed expansion
Bill 110 passed on May 28. This legislation enables the province to take over Toronto's role in the airport's tripartite agreement and expropriate City-owned lands around Billy Bishop Airport and will probably pass.
HOWEVER the federal government has to approve for the airport expansion to go forward.
(Heads up: if you've already taken it, it will just take you to Survey Monkey)
If you're wondering about the issue, FOSTRA (Federation of South Toronto Residents Associations) has developed a policy statement on the proposed expansion of the Billy Bishop Airport that outlines the issues very clearly and well. Click here to read it.
TL;DR: Here's the Executive Summary.
"The recent passage of the Ontario government’s Building Billy Bishop Airport Act, 2026, and the imminent designation of the Toronto Islands as a "Special Economic Zone," represent an unprecedented, anti-democratic assault on the City of Toronto's autonomy. By stripping the City of its lands surrounding Billy Bishop Airport (BBA) and effectively removing the City from the Tripartite Agreement governing the airport, the Provincial government and the Toronto Port Authority, a Federally-controlled agency, are forcing through a massive, $5 billion airport expansion to accommodate commercial jets.
"This policy position paper outlines FoSTRA’s opposition to this scheme. The proposed expansion completely sidelines local democratic governance, lacks concrete plans, has no credible business case, and based on past assessments by Toronto Port Authority (TPA) and airlines using the facility, can be expected to inflict severe environmental and noise damage on our waterfront. Decades of waterfront revitalization and redevelopment work, backed by all three levels of government, stands to be undermined. Desperately needed, 12,000 new homes, with 3,000 new affordable housing units, are at risk of being sacrificed to meet the operating requirements of jets. A key plausible explanation for the expansion, based on massive corporate lobbying efforts at all levels of government, is to provide a taxpayer-and-traveler-funded bailout for US private equity investors in the underutilized airport terminal facility."
Two sites that will help you write a letter to our MP Evan Solomon:
Indigenous Arts Festival
Biidaasige Park
Saturday June 20 • 11am-9pm
This year, the annual Indigenous Arts Festival comes to our end of town, right next door at Biidaasige Park on Saturday June 20.
This is a great opportunity for us Downtown East residents to enjoy the festival AND the new park. Definitely plan to go. It's free, community-focused and family-friendly, with traditional and contemporary music, dance, artisan and culinary experiences of the First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples of Turtle Island.
There will be artisan and food market stalls, offering authentic handmade crafts, artwork and delicious food. Stay into the evening as the celebration continues with live musical performances. Here's a link to more details.
Metrolinx Don Yard Open House
June 25, 5:30 to 7pm • Soulpepper Cabaret Room • Registration Required
Got something to say, or ask, about the construction of the Ontario Line to the south of us? Register for the Don Yard Open House and connect with actual humans to have your say or ask questions. Note that registration is required... click this link to get your name in.
Toronto Fringe Festival
June 30-July 12, 2026 • Distillery District
Theatre starts here!
The Toronto Fringe Festival is Ontario's largest performing arts festival with 123 shows on 27 stages all around the city. Founded in 1989, the 38th festival features comedy, dramas, dance, drag, new musicals, and more. And don’t miss the free events at the Festival Hub, and family-friendly programming at KidsFest.
All Fringe shows are selected by lottery or first-come-first-served processes, and all ticket revenue goes straight to the artists. Come Fringe with us!
Festival Hub & Patio: Soulpepper Theatre, 50 Tank House Lane, Distillery Historic District
Link to our 2026 Program Guide for information on everything our festival has to offer
Link to our Box Office - Tickets and passes on sale now!
Listings of Free Community Events at the Fringe Hub
Outdoor Movies
Our favourite outdoor movie event starts up again July 2! Toronto Outdoor Picture Show returns to Corktown Common for another year of great movies al fresco. Click here for more details.
In addition to the outdoor movies in Corktown Common (TOPS, Thursdays in July) you can head across Cherry Street and enjoy outdoor movies in Distillery District! Click here for details and tickets: https://icff.ca/
Found a needle? Pile of garbage? Discarded furniture?
These folks have got you covered.
The Harm Reduction Community Care Project is an initiative funded by the City in response to discarded drug use supplies in the downtown east neighbourhoods. If you see a discarded needle— or even litter, discarded furniture, unwanted graffiti — go to https://downtowneast.ca and start a request. It's much more straightforward than 311: they either deal with it themselves or triage your request to the right City service.
Photo by Jon Starchuk. Included with permission.
We just wanted to end with this gorgeous photo. There are so many great walks (or cycles) we can take right from our own neighbourhood. Here's a gorgeous view looking north on Bayview just by the Audi service centre. Explore!
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