Mayor's Monthly Newsletter - August 2025
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Town of Whitby
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Hello, Whitby! My monthly newsletter keeps residents informed about what’s happening in our town and encourages engagement and communication. I’m always open to hearing your feedback! Email mayor@whitby.ca or call 905-430-4300 ext. 2203 to connect with me. -- Elizabeth Roy
| Join me this month for Coffee with Mayor Roy and Meet Up with Mayor Roy |
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There’s still time to chat with me over coffee (or milkshakes) this summer! My July Coffee with Mayor Roy events were a huge success with many fantastic conversations taking place at local coffee shops. I introduced this initiative in 2023 as a way for residents to connect with me in a casual setting. Drop by to ask questions, share feedback…or just chat! New this summer, I also expanded on the concept by introducing Meet-Up with Mayor Roy. Coffee With Mayor Roy
Meet-Up with Mayor Roy
Boardwalk Burgers, 3050 Garden St. Unit 106 |
| New 2025 Whitby Food Guide is here! |
 I'm thrilled to share that Whitby's new 2025 Food Guide has been released and features over 100 local restaurants, cafés, and eateries -- plus a brand new section dedicated to Brooklin. Congratulations to Portobello Road for landing this year's cover spot!
The Food Guide was first introduced in 2022 and has been instrumental in highlighting Whitby's growing culinary scene. The guide also supports several of the Town’s strategic plans and initiatives. Culinary tourism is one of six areas of focus in the Town’s Tourism Strategy and enhancing Whitby’s food and drink scene is part of the Town’s Culture Plan. The Food Guide is also one of 62 action items in Whitby’s Community Strategic Plan. Check it out at Whitby.ca/Foodguide
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| Whitby Sports Complex is looking amazing |
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Council recently had the opportunity to tour the Whitby Sports Complex construction site and get updates on the progress of this major project -- I’m pleased to share that everything looks amazing so far. The pool structure is almost complete, and work is set to start on building and finishing the outside walls, which includes metal panelling, glass, and stonework. Inside, next steps include drywall, tiling, painting and installing the pool systems. Visit https://connectwhitby.ca/SportsComplex for more information and to subscribe to receive project updates. |
| Updates on hospital, hospice and Habitat for Humanity |
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| Sharing Whitby priorities with Ontario’s Minister of Transportation |
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In July, I was pleased to be part of a positive and productive meeting with Minister of Transportation Prabmeet Sarkaria and Whitby MPP Lorne Coe. We had the opportunity to speak directly about several key priorities for Whitby, including: • Connecting links to support revitalization in Downtown Brooklin • Future development of the Hwy 407/412 corridor lands • Progress on hospital lands at Lake Ridge Road and Hwy 7 • Opportunities tied to MTO employment lands in Whitby These conversations are critical to shaping Whitby's growth and ensuring our infrastructure keeps pace with our needs. We’ll continue working together to move these important files forward. |
| Summer is the perfect time to visit Whitby's farmers markets |
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If you haven’t checked out Whitby’s Farmers Markets this summer, what are you waiting for? The Whitby Farmers Market runs every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Celebration Square, 405 Dundas St. W. The Brooklin Farmer’s Market runs Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the municipal lot at 3 Vipond Rd. in Brooklin. Explore fresh produce, baked goods, handmade artisan items, honey and maple products, sweet treats, local beer and wine -- and more! Visit https://www.whitbyfarmersmarket.ca/ for more information. |
| Cash-back incentives available for Durham Greener Homes participants |
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The Durham Greener Homes deep retrofit incentive provides eligible residents with a rebate of up to $5,000 towards the cost of reducing their home’s energy use. This incentive jumps to $10,000 for Whitby residents, thanks to the Town of Whitby allocating Housing Accelerator Funds to match funding. Durham Greener Homes is a Regional Municipality of Durham program administered by Windfall Ecology Centre and designed to help homeowners overcome the challenges of completing energy retrofits. Visit https://durhamgreenerhomes.ca/ to learn more. |
| We're proud of these Whitby Community Builders |
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This is my monthly shoutout to those who make Whitby proud. If you know a person, group, or organization that has accomplished something noteworthy or is helping to make Whitby a better place, email follertj@whitby.ca
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| Because You Asked: Improvements and initiatives in Whitby’s downtowns |
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Because You Asked is an opportunity to provide helpful context and information about issues the community is asking about. Got a question? Email Jillian Follert at follertj@whitby.ca Residents often ask me about revitalization of our two downtowns -- and I’m excited to share that both Downtown Whitby and Downtown Brooklin are experiencing tremendous momentum with projects, programs, and events that are helping to bring new life and energy to these historic areas. In Downtown Whitby, we recently celebrated the opening of Station No. 3 – the largest residential development in the core in more than 30 years. This milestone is just the beginning. Public consultation has now begun on a major redesign of Brock Street – stretching from the Highway 401 exit all the way north to the CP rail line near Maple Street. Watch for opportunities to have your say this September. Brock Street has also been designated Whitby’s “Cultural Corridor” in our Culture Plan – a place where arts, heritage, and culture converge. We’re already seeing exciting public art installations along this corridor, including:
To support local business and preserve heritage character, our Façade Grant Program is helping property owners improve their storefronts – from new signage and paint to restored historic masonry. In Downtown Brooklin, placemaking has been front and centre. In 2022, we piloted the seasonal closure of Roebuck Street to create a more vibrant and people-friendly space. Thanks to overwhelmingly positive feedback from residents, businesses, and visitors, this is now an annual summer initiative. The space features Muskoka chairs, picnic tables, planters, a foosball table, corn hole boards – and even hand-painted concrete barriers created by local artists. We know that events are essential to bringing people downtown – and both areas are buzzing with activity this summer. Events in Downtown Brooklin include Music in the Park on Thursday evenings throughout the summer in Grass Park, and the award-winning Harvest Festival on Sept. 20 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The inaugural Home Sweet Home Festival took place in Downtown Whitby on July 26, and was a huge success featuring live entertainment, food, vendors, interactive activities, trolly rides – even an Adventure Zone with a 300-foot zipline! Introducing a new signature event is one of the 62 action items in Whitby’s Community Strategic Plan and I’m thrilled that we delivered on this in such a big way. The Downtown Whitby BIA also hosts amazing events throughout the year. This month’s events include the Summer Art Series Aug. 9 and 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. each day and a free outdoor movie night Aug. 14 at Celebration Square, 405 Dundas St. W. with giveaways, free popcorn, games, face painting, vendors and more. Visit https://whitbybia.org/bia-events for details on BIA events. Looking ahead, Doors Open Whitby will return in 2025, featuring a number of Downtown Whitby locations – and in 2026, the spotlight will shift to Downtown Brooklin. To support tourism and help residents and visitors explore all our downtowns have to offer, new tear-off tourism maps are now available at Town facilities! The maps highlight local attractions, businesses, and community spaces. Installations are planned for Downtown Whitby in Fall 2025 and Downtown Brooklin in Spring 2026. The maps will also be available at the new seasonal Visitor Centre pop-up at the Whitby waterfront and in local hotels and motels. There’s a lot to be proud of – and even more to look forward to – in our downtowns. |
| Making a Difference: Fruitful Connections |
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Making a Difference is my monthly spotlight on local not-for-profit organizations, which are such a critical part of our community. To suggest a not-for-profit to feature, email Jillian Follert at follertj@whitby.ca Every year, countless fruit trees in our own backyards overflow with apples, pears, plums, and cherries -- fruit that often falls and rots, ultimately going to waste. Meanwhile, many of our neighbors struggle to access fresh, nutritious food. It’s a heartbreaking contradiction, but it’s also an incredible opportunity for us to come together as a community and make a difference. Fruitful Connections was founded by local resident Heather O’Shea, who was inspired by her experience volunteering with Not Far From the Tree, a Toronto-based urban fruit picking organization. After moving to Durham Region and seeing the same abundance of unharvested fruit in her new neighborhood, Heather envisioned a program that could turn this overlooked resource into a source of nourishment, connection, and community resilience. Fruitful Connections brings homeowners with fruit-bearing trees together with volunteers who help pick the fruit. Harvested produce is shared between the homeowners, the volunteer pickers, and local food banks, shelters, and community programs -- ensuring fresh, local fruit reaches those who need it most. It’s a simple idea with a big impact: reducing food waste, strengthening local food security, and creating moments of connection among neighbours. Picking fruit together isn’t just practical; it’s joyful. Volunteers have the chance to meet new people, learn about fruit tree care, and make a tangible contribution to their community. Homeowners benefit by keeping their yards cleaner and their trees healthier while knowing their surplus fruit is helping others. As we continue to face rising food costs and environmental challenges, local, community-based solutions like Fruitful Connections are more important than ever. If you have a fruit tree that produces more than your household can use -- or if you’d like to volunteer your time to help harvest -- consider joining Fruitful Connections. Visit up at heatheroshea.ca/fruitful-connections to sign up. |
| Whitby Business Spotlight: The Souk |
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Located at 124 Dundas St. in Downtown Whitby, The Souk is a warm and welcoming café where you can find traditionally made chai and coffee as well as baked goods made by local/newcomer Canadian bakers. But it’s more than just a place to enjoy a great cup of coffee. The Souk is a vibrant community space offering a wide range of events and workshops, from book clubs and painting classes to tatreez embroidery and the innovative Darzee sewing program. Darzee is a social enterprise that empowers newcomer Canadian women by helping them develop skills in sewing, embroidery, crochet, and textile arts. Over the course of eight weeks, participants not only hone their craft but also learn the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, with opportunities to sell their creations through The Souk’s in-house retail shop. Darzee’s impact has been recognized with the prestigious Jane Goodall Award for Volunteerism and a feature at Nuit Blanche. The Souk is also the home of Reh’ma Community Services, a registered nonprofit organization serving aging and newcomer populations since 1991. Reh’ma is behind a number of innovative and culturally inclusive programs such as Halal Meals on Wheels (now operated by the Muslim Welfare Centre), the Seniors Network for Integration, Saheli Social Networking Group for Senior Women, Seniors Overcoming Social Isolation (SOS), Scarborough Seniors Socials, and the Senior Business Boomers initiative. Visit https://thesouk.ca/ to learn more and follow them on Instagram @thesouk.whitby |
| Coming up in August |
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| How to subscribe and September newsletter sneak peek |
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Did you know there are two ways to subscribe to my monthly newsletter? Go to whitby.ca/subscribe to receive an email notification each month when the newsletter is published on whitby.ca -- or click here to subscribe via Constant Contact and get the newsletter right to your inbox. Here’s a sneak peek of what’s coming up in my September newsletter:
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