Mayor's Monthly Newsletter - October 2026

You can check out details of the latest decisions and discussions at Whitby Council in the monthly Council Highlights.

The September 2026 Council Highlights include:

• Town to look at enhanced maintenance standards for dormant development sites
• Incoming Council to receive education session on the impact of data centres
• Report requested on how Whitby can position itself to attract defence investment

Council Highlights are published following every regular Council meeting.

The 2026 Municipal Election is coming up on Oct. 26, with advance voting available from Oct. 22 to 25. Voters can cast a ballot from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on advance voting days at the following three locations:

Abilities Centre | 1 Jim Flaherty Street

Brooklin Community Centre and Library | 8 Vipond Road

Town Hall | 575 Rossland Road East

Residents who are not able to vote at the advance polls or on voting day are also able to apply for a special mail-in ballot at https://www.whitby.ca/town-hall/municipal-elections/voters/

Learn more about election day voting locations, who is eligible to vote, and more at  https://www.whitby.ca/vote

Can you believe close to 10,000 people came out to the grand opening of the new Fieldgate Sports Comple on Sept. 12? What an incredible turnout!

Located west of Baldwin Street South and south of Hwy. 407, the approximately 15,200-square-metre will serve as a premier destination for recreation, sport, and community connection.

Regular programming is now underway.

Enjoy drop-in recreation opportunities, including swimming, skating, basketball, pickleball, badminton, volleyball, and preschool activities. Walking track memberships are also now available – learn more.

You can also register for Fall Registered Recreation Programs and community rooms. Gym space, ice and select outdoor amenities are available for rental or future-season permitting.

If you missed the grand opening, explore the facility from home through a virtual version of the self-guided tour featured at the Grand Opening. The online tour takes residents through different areas of the complex, sharing more about the design, features, and engagement behind the new facility.

Learn about the Fieldgate Sports Complex at https://www.whitby.ca/sportscomplex

I’m excited to share that Operation Cozy Toes is back for 2026!

I launched this initiative in 2024 to collect warm socks for people in our community experiencing homelessness – and in 2025 it expanded to include collecting toy donations for CTV’s Toy Mountain in support of the Salvation Army.

This year, we will again be collecting cozy socks and new unwrapped toys.

The campaign kicks off on Nov. 2, and donation barrels will be available at locations across Whitby until Dec. 4.

Watch my social media channels and my November newsletter for more details. including a full list of donation barrel locations.

On Sept. 29, the Town of Whitby hosted a community information session on coyotes with support from experts at Coyote Watch Canada. I have included a recap of some important information and resources:

Coyotes are an important part of our ecosystem and contribute to a healthy, necessary prey-predator balance. As Whitby's population grows, we encroach on the natural habitats of various wild creatures, prompting them to adapt to new surroundings and settle near us.

You can stay safe and help prevent conflict with coyotes by:

- Keeping your distance
- Never feeding them
- Keeping pets away from them
- Making loud noises and waving your arms if approached

Giving food to coyotes makes them less afraid of people. Often, when aggressive coyotes are reported in a neighbourhood, it is because someone in the area has fed them. This could lead them to attack small pets or children. Feeding coyotes is not permitted under the Town’s Public Nuisance By-law.

Community members can eliminate food sources by:

• Securing your garbage and green bins
• Keeping people and pet food indoors
• Cleaning up fallen fruit and spilled bird seed

Read the Town of Whitby's new Coyote Coexistence and Response Strategy here:

https://www.whitby.ca/media/uaum5wir/tow-coyote-coexistence-and-response-strategy.pdf

Report a coyote sighting and view Whitby's coyote sighting dashboard at: whitby.ca/coyotes

Read Coyote Watch Canada's information on coexisting with coyotes here:

https://www.coyotewatchcanada.com/site/coexisting-with-coyotes

This monthly feature highlights fascinating people, places and events from Whitby’s past, courtesy of local history buff Wade Szilagyi. He is the founder of the 25,000-member Vintage Whitby Facebook group and has supported heritage projects for the Town of Whitby as well as the Whitby and Brooklin Legion branches.

Long before the Highway 407 toll road, did you know that early Whitby residents were already shelling out for the privilege of passage?

As early as 1852, travellers heading through Whitby and beyond encountered toll gates along a “plank road” — a wooden roadway built to improve travel over muddy tracks. That route would later become today’s Brock Street. At the time, it was privately owned by the Whitby, Lake Scugog, Simcoe and Huron Road Company, one of several companies formed to finance and construct early transportation links across Upper Canada.

Users paid according to the distance they travelled, with rates varying for pedestrians, horse riders, wagons, and livestock. The fees supported maintenance and helped investors recover construction costs. In an era before publicly funded highways, toll roads were seen as an innovative solution to improving commerce and settlement.

Of course, human nature has not changed much over the years. Some farmers, reluctant to pay, detoured along parallel concession roads to bypass the toll gates — adding time to their journey but saving a few coins. It seems the debate over road fees has deep historical roots.

The early toll era in Whitby came to an end in 1876 when the County of Ontario assumed control of the road, transitioning it from private enterprise to public infrastructure.

So, the next time road tolls make headlines, remember: Whitby has travelled this road before — quite literally.

This is my monthly shoutout to those who make us #WhitbyProud. 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

• Thank you to the Tomei family for generously donating a Parliament Hill Peace Tower flag to the Town of Whitby. It is now proudly displayed at the new Fieldgate Sports Complex for our community to enjoy for generations to come. The waiting list for these flags can be over 100 years, and we’re so grateful to the Tomei family for sharing this piece of Canadian pride with our community.

• Congratulations to Whitby residents Eva Reti and Joyce Marshall on their recent recognitions by VON Canada, a not-for-profit that provides home care and community support services. Eva received the VON Canada Award of Distinction, and Joyce was honoured with the VON Canada Lifetime Associate Award. We're #WhitbyProud of both of these inspiring volunteers.

• Thank you to everyone who volunteered at the LEAF community tree planting at Fallingbrook Park on Sept. 26. It was amazing to see so many residents come out to support our urban canopy during National Forest Week! And a special thank you to the team at LEAF, which is celebrating 30 years of helping communities nurture the urban forest through planting, stewardship and education. Learn more at https://www.yourleaf.org/

• Congratulations to the Whitby Girls Softball Association U9 Select Lightning team, which was undefeated all season and capped off that success by winning gold at the provincial gold championship in September! We’re #WhitbyProud of these amazing young athletes and their coaches.

Located in Brooklin, Pulse Health & Fitness Studio is redefining what it means to take care of your body.

Pulse brings together movement and clinical care in a single, integrated space. On the performance side, Pulse offers Reformer Pilates, Mat Pilates, yoga, and personal training in a private boutique gym space, giving members a variety of ways to build strength, flexibility, and confidence at their own pace.

On the recovery side, the studio offers physiotherapy, chiropractic care, massage therapy, osteopathy, fascial stretch therapy, athletic therapy, and kinesiology -- a full team of health practitioners dedicated to helping clients heal, move better, and stay ahead of injury.

What sets Pulse apart is its integrated approach. Rather than treating movement and recovery as separate journeys, the studio was built around the idea that both belong together under one roof. Whether someone is recovering from an injury, training for a personal goal, or simply looking to feel stronger in their everyday life, Pulse meets them exactly where they are.

Since opening its doors in Whitby, Pulse has become a gathering place for the local community, hosting events like a Mother's Day "Petals & Pilates" reformer class and partnering with other local businesses to bring unique, memorable experiences to members. The studio's mission goes beyond fitness: it's about creating a true wellness hub where residents can access everything they need to live stronger, more balanced lives, close to home.

Pulse Health & Fitness Studio is located at 5949 Baldwin St. S, Unit 102, in Whitby and offers flexible intro packages for newcomers looking to try reformer Pilates, mat Pilates, yoga, or clinical services for the first time.

Visit www.pulsehfstudio.com or follow along on Instagram and TikTok @pulse.hfstudio

Securing a new hospital for Whitby has been one of my highest priorities as mayor, and important progress has been made over the past four years.

In January 2022, Lakeridge Health selected Whitby as the preferred location for a new hospital in Durham Region following an extensive site-selection process.

In February 2024, I kicked off a major community advocacy campaign aimed at encouraging the province to take the next step and confirm the planning grant needed to move the process forward.

Thousands of Whitby residents signed the call-to-action letter and shared personal stories about why a new hospital matters to them, and we secured significant media attention from across the GTA.

The campaign was a success and in August 2024, the province announced the planning grant, confirming Whitby as the location for the new hospital.

That was a significant milestone, but there are still several important steps required before construction can begin.

Lakeridge Health has submitted its capital planning grant applications, which are currently under review by the Ministry of Health.

The hospital site involves provincial land currently under the control of the Ministry of Transportation and work is continuing with the province, Lakeridge Health and its partners to complete the land transfer.

I have met with the Minister of Transportation and Minister of Health to highlight the importance of advancing this project. I also meet regularly with Whitby MPP Lorne Coe and senior leadership from Lakeridge Health to discuss progress, and I will continue to advocate at every opportunity to move this hospital from commitment to construction.

Making a Difference is my monthly spotlight on local not-for-profit organizations, which are a critical part of our community. To suggest a not-for-profit to feature, email Jillian Follert at follertj@whitby.ca

Girls Inc. of Durham provides a comprehensive, accessible, and evidence-based range of programs designed to inspire girls to be strong, smart, and bold.

Through school-based, after-school, summer, March Break, and community programming, the organization creates safe and supportive spaces where girls ages 6–18 can build confidence, develop leadership skills, strengthen resilience, and explore their potential. Programs run in Whitby, Ajax, Pickering and Oshawa.

A partnership with the Durham District School Board allows a professionally designed Girls Inc. curriculum to be brought directly into schools, removing barriers to participation and reaching girls where they learn and connect every day.

In 2025, Girls Inc. of Durham delivered programming to 36 schools across Whitby, Ajax, Pickering and Oshawa, providing more than 8,000 hours of in-school programming. The Summer Camp program served 1,536 girls and delivered 45,000 programming hours, while  after-school and community programs provided additional opportunities for girls to learn, grow, and build meaningful connections throughout the year.

The professionally designed curriculum, delivered by highly trained facilitators, combines age-appropriate learning with hands-on activities, mentorship, peer connections, leadership development, and community action. Programming addresses critical issues affecting girls, including literacy, bullying prevention, mental and physical well-being, healthy relationships, self-esteem, sexual health, violence prevention, and leadership.

Most importantly, Girls Inc. measures success not simply by how many girls participate, but by the change and growth they experience. Through the Strong, Smart & Bold Outcomes Survey, Girls Inc. measures more than 30 indicators of positive youth development, helping to understand whether girls are becoming stronger in their confidence, smarter in their decision-making and critical thinking, and bolder in using their voices, advocating for themselves, and seeing themselves as leaders.

This measurable approach allows Girls Inc. to demonstrate to funders and community partners that their investment is creating meaningful, lasting change, not simply delivering programs.

By combining accessible programming, strong partnerships, trained staff, and measurable outcomes, Girls Inc. of Durham creates a connected pathway of support that meets girls where they are and helps build the confident, resilient leaders of tomorrow.

• Whitby’s local farmer's markets wrap up for the season this month. Learn more at https://www.whitbyfarmersmarket.ca/

• Celebrate Navrati with Bollywood Garba on Oct. 2 at 6:30 p.m. at Brooklin High School, featuring a fusion of traditional Garba and Bollywood dance music -- learn more here – as well as Durham Garba Fest on Oct. 11 at 6 p.m. at the Abilities Centre, learn more here.

• On Oct. 3, join Little Forests Durham for a Mini Forest Tree Planting Day at Windsor Bay Park, 301 Front St. E. in Whitby. This event is supported by the Town of Whitby and the Rotary Club of Whitby Sunrise and is one of several mini forest projects in Whitby. Learn more and register at windsorbayparkplanting.eventbrite.com

• On Oct. 3 at 10 a.m., nine organizations serving women and survivors across Durham Region will come together to host the third annual Community Walk to End Intimate Partner Violence in Whitby at Durham Region Headquarters, 605 Rossland Rd. E. Learn more here.

• Doors Open Whitby 2026 takes place Oct. 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. offering the opportunity to take a behind-the-scenes look at some of Whitby’s most unique spaces. Learn more here.

• In recognition of Islamic Heritage Month, Muslim Women of Durham Region partner with the Whitby Public Library to host Islamic History Month Storytime at the Central Library (405 Dundas St. W) on Oct. 17 at 11 a.m.

• Downtown Whitby Trick or Treat is Oct. 31 from 12 to 3 p.m. in Downtown Whitby, hosted by the Downtown Whitby BIA. Dress up in your favourite costume and join this free community celebration including trick-or-treating at participating businesses, a guest appearance by the Toronto Ghostbusters, a scavenger hunt, photo booth, and more.

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:

• Municipal election follow-up and details on Whitby’s 2026-2030 Council
• Upcoming Christmas, Hannukah and holiday events in Whitby
• Timeline for Whitby’s 2027 Budget process and public engagement