Item - 2025.RM32.6

Various presentations, introductions and announcements were made to City Council on July 23 and 24, 2025.

July 23, 2025

Speaker Nunziata, during the morning session of the meeting, called upon Mayor Chow to address City Council to recognize Vickery Bowles, City Librarian at the Toronto Public Library, on her retirement.

Mayor Chow addressed City Council and gave remarks to recognize and celebrate the contributions of Vickery Bowles, City Librarian, who has served the Toronto Public Library for over 25 years. Mayor Chow acknowledged Vickery Bowles’s sister, Alison Cook, and her brother-in-law, Corey Tkachuk, who were present in the Council Chamber. 

Mayor Chow thanked Vickery Bowles for her service and presented her with a commemorative scroll.

Vickery Bowles addressed City Council.

Councillor Myers, during the morning session of the meeting, advised Members of Council that Scarborough Community Council, at its last meeting, adopted his motion to rename Rosebank Park in Scarborough North to Cynthia Lai Park, and that the park will be officially reopened, with the late Councillor Cynthia Lai’s family staff, and supporters this fall.

Councillor Myers, during the morning session of the meeting, acknowledged Black July, a time of remembrance for Toronto's Tamil community of July 1983, when thousands of Tamils in Sri Lanka were killed in anti-Tamil violence, following which many Tamil families built new lives in Canada.

Councillor Pasternak, during the morning session of the meeting, welcomed summer interns from the Canadian Jewish Political Affairs Committee, and their leader Mitchell Gould, who were present in the Council Chamber. 

Councillor Perruzza, during the morning session of the meeting, welcomed guests visiting from Italy, Daniele, Anna, and Sara Mignardi, who were present in the Council Chamber.

Speaker Nunziata, during the afternoon session of the meeting, called upon Mayor Chow to recognize the service award recipients in celebration of the one-year City-wide anniversary of the Toronto Community Crisis Service.

Mayor Chow addressed City Council and gave remarks to recognize that the Toronto Community Crisis Service—the City’s fourth emergency service—marked one year since it expanded City-wide, and to celebrate the frontline workers who received service awards as part of this milestone.

Mayor Chow recognized the award recipients and all Toronto Community Crisis Staff who were present in the Council Chamber, and thanked them for their dedication and service.

Councillor Crisanti, during the afternoon session of the meeting, welcomed participants of the Trust 15 youth community support organization’s summer camp program and founder Marcia Brown, who were present in the Council Chamber.

Mayor Chow, during the afternoon session of the meeting, announced the appointment of Dr. Michelle Murti as the City’s new Medical Officer of Health, subject to the approval of the Minister of Health. Mayor Chow thanked Dr. Na-Koshie Lamptey for her leadership as the Acting Medical Officer of Health over the past several months.

Councillor Moise, as Chair of the Board of Health, welcomed Dr. Michelle Murti as the City’s new Medical Officer of Health and advised Members of Council about Toronto Public Health’s priorities and strategic plan, and that he looked forward to working with Dr. Murti to implement this plan.

Councillor Thompson, during the afternoon session of the meeting, welcomed Oliver Adolphus Samuels, a comedian and actor known as Jamaica’s “King of Comedy,” who was present in the Council Chamber.

July 24, 2025

Speaker Nunziata, during the morning session of the meeting, called upon Mayor Chow to address City Council to recognize Carleton Grant, Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, on his retirement.

Mayor Chow addressed City Council and gave remarks to recognize and celebrate the contributions of Carleton Grant during his 32-year career with the City. Mayor Chow acknowledged Carleton’s wife Kary Grant, who was present in the Council Chamber.

Mayor Chow thanked Carleton Grant for his service and presented him with a commemorative scroll.

Carleton Grant addressed City Council.

Councillor Holyday, during the morning session of the meeting, welcomed participants of the Hollycrest Parks and Recreation Summer Camp and their counselors and coordinator, Isabelle deVries, who were present in the Council Chamber.

Speaker Nunziata, during the afternoon session of the meeting, called upon Mayor Chow to address City Council to recognize John D. Elvidge, City Clerk, for receiving the 2025 AMCTO Prestige Award from the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario.

Mayor Chow addressed City Council and gave remarks to recognize and celebrate John D. Elvidge for receiving the highest honour presented by the Association, awarded to a member whose contribution has made a lasting positive impact on the municipal profession.

John D. Elvidge addressed City Council.

Mayor Chow, during the afternoon session of the meeting, welcomed the first cohort of the new Youth Climate Ambassadors program who will begin training at City Hall to support key climate and energy initiatives and who were present in the Council Chamber.

Councillor Saxe, during the afternoon session of the meeting, welcomed the Midtown Ravine Group, who were present in the Council Chamber.

Councillor Mantas, during the afternoon session of the meeting, welcomed the family of the late coach Darryl Harding, and the Wexford Twins baseball team, who were present in the Council Chamber.