Toronto to prioritize TDSB schools requiring programming, supports after violence
The City of Toronto will be working with the Toronto District School Board to prioritize schools that need enhanced youth programming, mental health supports and food security initiatives, the mayor said on Monday.
Mayor John Tory said he met with representatives from the board as well as Toronto police and city staff to discuss what he calls troubling violence involving young people.
Toronto has seen a series of violent incidents at and around several high schools recently, including a shooting that left one dead and another injured outside a school in the city's east end and a stabbing that left one student in critical condition.
Tory said the city committed to increased co-operation with the TDSB in responding to violent incidents, as well as increased partnerships with community-based organizations.
"We all agree that violence in schools is unacceptable and we must do everything we can to stop it," he said.
"The City will work with the school board to prioritize schools that require enhanced youth programming, mental health and well-being supports as well as food security initiatives in schools."
Tory said the city and the TDSB will also work together to secure and deploy targeted funding from other governments to help address violence in schools.
It will take a co-ordinated effort between school boards, police, community organizations and residents to end school violence, he said.
"Beyond the direct impact on victims and their families, these incidents create tensions and insecurities among students, teachers, and parents which simply shouldn't be prevalent in our schools or in our communities," Tory said.
A 17-year-old student was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries after a stabbing inside Birchmount Park Collegiate in Toronto's east end on Nov. 14 as students were being dismissed for the day.
That came two weeks after a shooting outside Woburn Collegiate Institute, another high school in the east end, left one student dead and injured another.
The stabbing at Birchmount Park Collegiate was the second stabbing at that school this year, after a 14-year-old student was stabbed outside the high school in April.
- with files from Tyler Griffin.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 28, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
BREAKING McGill University seeks emergency injunction to remove pro-Palestinian encampment from campus
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.