The popularity of street festivals shows that there’s enormous public support for pedestrianized streets in Toronto. That’s why I’m bringing forward a motion to the next city council meeting, seconded by Councillor Chris Moise, who launched the Church Street pedestrianization pilot, to create a Pedestrian Streets Program for Toronto. Pedestrian streets are proven to contribute to the success of local businesses and residents’ quality of life. I’m asking city staff to identify the right streets for festivals, seasonal and permanent initiatives, and report on resource requirements, and where it works considering safety and functionality, to create pedestrianized streets across Toronto. Many global cities including Paris and Copenhagen, and as close to home as Montreal, have successful pedestrian streets - and it’s time that Toronto become the world class city we aspire to be.