Pride Toronto Road Closures: Pride StreetFair, Pride Trans March, Pride Dyke March, and Pride Parade, Friday, June 28, 2024 to Monday, July 1, 2024

Pride Toronto Road Closures: 
Pride StreetFair, Pride Trans March, Pride Dyke March, and Pride Parade,
Friday, June 28, 2024 to Monday, July 1, 2024

Broadcast time: 09:52 AM
Date: Wednesday, Jun 26, 2024
Unit: Emergency Management & Public Order
Case #: N/A

Please see below for road closures associated with the following Pride Toronto events: Pride StreetFair, Pride Trans March, Pride Dyke March, and the Pride Parade. Vehicles should expect traffic delays during these events, which will take place rain or shine. TTC routes may also be impacted.

Pride StreetFair

Pride Toronto is celebrating Pride Month with a StreetFair in the Church and Wellesley Village community. Road closures for the StreetFair will begin on Friday, June 28, 2024, at 8 a.m., and will conclude on Monday, July 1, 2024, at 7 a.m.

On Friday, June 28, 2024, at 8 a.m., Church Street will be fully closed to all vehicular traffic from the north side of Dundas Street East to the south side of Hayden Street. Wellesley Street East will also be closed from Yonge Street to Jarvis Street during this time period.

Pride Trans March

The Pride Toronto Trans March is taking place on Friday, June 28, 2024. This event will commence with a rally at 7 p.m. at the north end of the Pride StreetFair at Church Street and Hayden Street. The march will step off at 8 p.m., from that location.

Road closures will take place along the route including:

• Bloor Street East from Church Street to Yonge Street 
• Yonge Street from Bloor Street East to Gould Street
• Gould Street from Yonge Street to Church Street
• Church Street from Gould Street to Bloor Street East

Pride Dyke March

The Pride Toronto Dyke March is taking place on Saturday, June 29, 2024. This event will commence with a rally at 1 p.m., at the north end of the Pride Street Fair at Church Street and Hayden Street. The march will step off at 2 p.m., from that location and will proceed along the following route:

• Bloor Street East from Church Street to Yonge Street 
• Yonge Street from Bloor Street East to Gould Street
• Gould Street from Yonge Street to Church Street
• Church Street from Gould Street to Bloor Street East

A full closure of these roads will take place at 1 p.m., and will remain in effect until the conclusion of the march at approximately 6 p.m.

Pride Parade

The Pride Parade is taking place on Sunday, June 30, 2024. The parade will start forming along Rosedale Valley Road at approximately 8 a.m.

Road closures will include:

At 8 a.m., road closures will come into effect on:

• Rosedale Valley Road, from Park Road to Bayview Avenue

At 12 p.m., road closures will come into effect on:

• Park Road from Rosedale Valley Road to Bloor Street East
• Church Street from Park Road to Hayden Street
• Bloor Street East from Yonge Street to Ted Rogers Way

At 1:30 p.m., road closures will come into effect on:

• Bloor Street West from Bay Street to Ted Rogers Way
• Yonge Street from Bloor Street West to Queen Street West
• Dundas Street West from University Avenue to Victoria Street
• Bay Street from Queen Street to Dundas Street

All roads are expected to be re-opened at approximately 8 p.m.

Happy Pride!

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Constable Sinderela Chung for Constable Matthew Harpell

Public Safety Alert, Overdoses Caused by a Suspicious Drug, Dufferin Street and Eglinton Avenue area

Public Safety Alert,
Overdoses Caused by a Suspicious Drug,
Dufferin Street and Eglinton Avenue area

Broadcast time: 08:52 PM
Date: Wednesday, Jun 12, 2024
Unit: 13 Division
Case #: N/A

The Toronto Police Service would like to warn the public of suspected overdoses that appear to be caused by a suspicious drug.

From June 9 to 11, 2024, police responded to four overdose calls in the Dufferin Street and Eglinton Avenue West area.

It is reported that:

• four people consumed a quantity of an unknown narcotic
• the narcotic is suspected to be an opioid
• three of the people died from ingesting this unknown drug
• as the drug was consumed before police arrived, there is no description of it at this time

Investigators are concerned there may be more of this suspicious drug sold or given to others.

The Toronto Police Service wants to remind people that if they are taking drugs to use extreme caution and do not take them alone.

If anyone suffers serious illness after consuming a narcotic, they should attend a hospital emergency room, call 9-1-1, or go to a walk-in clinic immediately for treatment. For a referral to a substance use treatment facility, visit Connex Ontario or call 211 or the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health at 1-800-463-2338.

For more information about overdose prevention and response, please visit the Toronto Public Health website.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-1300, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS(8477), or at www.222tips.com.

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Constable Laurie McCann for Detective Constable Patricia McRae

Toronto Public Health and Toronto Police Service launch Downtown CORE Team pilot program to support vulnerable groups in Yonge and Dundas area

Toronto Public Health and Toronto Police Service launch Downtown CORE Team pilot program to support vulnerable groups in Yonge and Dundas area

Broadcast time: 09:05 AM
Date: Wednesday, Jun 05, 2024
Unit: Corporate Communications
Case #: N/A

Today, Toronto Public Health (TPH) and the Toronto Police Service (TPS) launched the Downtown Community Outreach Response and Engagement (CORE) Team, a one-year pilot program to support vulnerable people, as well as other residents, visitors and businesses in the Yonge and Dundas area.

Designed to address the complex health, mental health, substance use and housing needs of vulnerable individuals in this neighbourhood, the Downtown CORE Team will provide proactive support to improve access to health and social services. The Downtown CORE Team is not an emergency crisis response service and is not reachable through 911 or 211.

Led by a specialized team of public health nurses and supported by a nurse practitioner, the program will provide short-term case managemen[ES1] t, health and social service referrals, as well as overdose and substance use responses. TPS officers will support these efforts to ensure safety for the team, members of the public and those receiving support. All team members will receive training in trauma-informed practices, harm reduction approaches and healing-centred engagement, to create environments that support holistic well-being for individuals.

The Downtown CORE Team will collaborate with organizations and initiatives already operating in the Yonge and Dundas area, including the Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area, Toronto Community Crisis Service, Gerstein Crisis Centre, Toronto Metropolitan University and Unity Health Toronto.

Data and feedback will be gathered throughout the pilot program through regular consultations with community partners, including individuals with lived experience of substance use and frontline services providers.

The City of Toronto is committed to strengthening and protecting the mental health, wellbeing and safety of all Torontonians.

More information is available on the Our Health, Our City webpage and the SafeTO: A Community Safety & Well-Being Plan webpage.

Quotes:

"The mental health and addiction crises in our city are not only chronic but complex, demanding immediate and innovative interventions. By fostering partnerships between healthcare professionals, the business community, Toronto Police Service and the City of Toronto, we demonstrate our shared commitment to treating these crises as health matters, rather than criminal ones. The Board of Health and Toronto Public Health remain steadfast advocates for holistic, evidence-based healthcare services, inclusive of prevention, treatment and harm reduction. We continue to urge the provincial government to increase funding and access to a wide array of treatment options, such as the essential implementation of 24/7 stabilization crisis centres. Together, we can turn the tide on these pressing issues affecting our communities."
- Councillor Chris Moise (Toronto Centre), Chair of the Board of Health

"Situations involving unmet health needs, mental health and substance use issues, and homelessness in Downtown Toronto create significant challenges for vulnerable populations, residents, visitors, and businesses, impacting the overall sense of safety and community well-being. The Downtown CORE Team addresses these issues with skill and compassion, improving access to vital health and social services for marginalized individuals to reduce their vulnerability and the need for emergency assistance."
- Dr. Eileen de Villa, Toronto Medical Officer of Health

"Community safety and well-being challenges across the downtown core are a prominent concern for our Service and we know that no single city service has the capacity to resolve this immediate and ongoing need. We look forward to working in partnership with Toronto Public Health on the Downtown CORE Team pilot program to help address this need. Our Service values this partnership, seeking to improve levels of community safety and wellbeing in the downtown core, while employing a public health framework and a collaborative and evidence-informed approach."
- Chief Myron Demkiw, Toronto Police Service

For more information please contact: Toronto Public Health Media Relations, TPHmedia@toronto.ca or Toronto Police Service Corporate Communciations corpcomm@tps.ca.

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Ashling Murphy for Staff Superintendent Kelly Skinner