These updates are intended to keep members informed about the latest developments, decisions, and upcoming events within Woodsworth. Note the board is now meeting Monthly rather than Bi-weekly, and so these updates will be published to coincide with the new monthly cadence.
PODIUM DECK REPLACEMENT
This is an upcoming project scheduled to begin in summer 2025. Please see the article in this week’s The Weekly for all the details we know now. Stay tuned! Once the contract has been finalized there will be a member forum on this topic.
HUMAN RIGHTS TRAINING
The Board has been looking into Human Rights training options for the board and members. Here are some options:
The Ontario Human Rights Commission’s eLearning module, “Human Rights 101”.
https://www3.ohrc.on.ca/en/learning/human-rights-101-3rd-edition-2020
Another helpful training module is “Human Rights and Rental Housing”.
https://www3.ohrc.on.ca/en/learning/human-rights-and-rental-housing
As well, Board Liaisons will be reaching out to committees about mandatory AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act) training.
UNIT INSPECTIONS
The office has informed us that the Unit Inspections are 99% complete. Just a few units left. Thank you for accommodating the inspections.
2026 BUDGETS PLANNING
The Treasurer and Finance Committee continue to work on the 2026 Budgets (both Capital and Operating) for presentation to the membership at the next hybrid GMM (tentatively May 21,2025).
Thank you to those who provided cost savings ideas. Keep them coming!
PAPER REDUCTION
The board has been looking into the consumption of paper by the office, board and membership, and the cost of our photocopier. If you are interested in joining a sub-committee to examine this topic, please contact the board.
HANDRAILS
There have been some delays with this project due to weather, but it is in progress. Thank you for your patience.
BAIT BOXES
A reminder to those who have bait boxes for rats in their backyard – the boxes will be changed by the pest control company on a monthly basis and the pest control representative will enter the backyard to collect the boxes . Members DO NOT have to pick up the boxes and place them on the front porch.
RECYCLING
Please flatten cardboard boxes that are to be recycled. Our maintenance folks are spending a couple of hours a week working on flattening boxes. The maintenance team’s time is better spent looking after priority maintenance items.
And speaking of recycling, the city of Toronto offers an amazing 3Rs Ambassador program (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) for residents of condos, coops and apartments. There are some upcoming training dates in April and May.
You could be an ambassador for Woodsworth and learn more about Toronto’s waste management best practices and bring those back to our community! To apply to volunteer
See Toronto 3R’s Ambassador Program http://tiny.cc/5rah001
OFFICE AND BOARD CORRESPONDENCE
It is a member’s responsibility to update the office when you have new contact information (i.e. email address/phone number). You must explicitly notify the Office that you want to update your information e.g. saying “Update my email address on file to example@example.com” vs just emailing the Office a query from a new email address.
Messages from members will normally receive a prompt response from Woodsworth’s Office Staff, who handle virtually all administrative matters with little or no input from the Board. Staff have the skills and resources to resolve most issues. Matters that may require a Board decision are rapidly brought to the Board’s attention, along with background material that can speed the process.
The Board email address is to be used only for escalations from members where the office could not adequately assist, and for correspondence from committees. Note that the Reconciliation Committee has rebooted for assistance with issues between members. <ED: Renamed Conflict Mediation>
The Board reads all submissions to the inbox, and endeavors to respond quickly to business correspondence and official communications from co-op committees. Response to individual co-op members is limited to cases where Board intervention seems necessary.
The Board meets just once a month and typically intervenes only on matters of overall co-op policy, or in cases where it becomes convinced that all other channels have failed. The cut off for correspondence to be covered in a board meeting is 9 days before the meeting date.
LOOKING AHEAD:
The board’s next meeting will be May 20, 2025. Note that members can attend the “open” section of the board meeting.