Hi friends and neighbours,

Late last Friday evening, the feds announced that they would be halting the expansion of Billy Bishop airport for now, citing the overwhelmingly negative response to their begrudging public consultation survey. The survey that was so slanted in its framing it was basically “what part of expanding an island airport are you most excited about” got 87,000 responses, about 80,000 of which were from within the city of Toronto. An incredible 87% of those responses were against the expansion. You simply love to see this kind of hater energy.

Sean Marshall had a good write-up of the whole saga. The fight isn’t over - we now need to pressure Ford to give back the waterfront land that he unceremoniously expropriated from the city, provincial MPPs are throwing a tantrum about the feds giving in to “fringe groups” (they’re so mad you guys), and our own homegrown tech billionaire oligarchs are crashing out so hard at the idea of losing a downtown spot for their private jets that they’re coming out against the basic tenets of democracy. Certainly Bay Street has not given up on the idea and I'm sure this issue will crop back up. But it's also important to celebrate wins where we get them, especially when they're fun.

Much like the Sneaky Dee’s saga I wrote about a few weeks ago, this victory came as a bit of a surprise. I know my heart sank when I saw how biased the survey was; I was sure it was a done deal. (Ford himself certainly seemed to think so—he was counting on a handshake deal between himself and Carney to trade Billy Bishop in exchange for supporting the Alto high-speed rail proposal, which is just so bleak and transactional.) I did not think the feds would reverse course, and who knows why they truly did - maybe they were worried about the Beaches-East York by-election that was just announced, maybe Carney just got sick of being yelled at.

But these two events are good reminders that you never know what will work and what will break through. Organizing is not about putting coins in a change vending machine. It’s about trying things and throwing stuff against the wall and building networks of care that sustain to the next fight, whether you win this one or not. The things that won last time may not win this time. The things that lost this time may win the next. The point is, you gotta try even when it seems pointless, as long as you try together.

Thanks for showing up.

Jenny

Events this week

Friday, July 31, 2026 🔗

3PM — Fridays 4 Palestine (Yonge & Bloor)
Fridays4Palestine - Come show your support for Palestinians every Friday at the Israel Consulate. Stand up for human rights and say no to genocide.

6PM — Volunteer at Scarborough Ribfest (Thomson Park )
Progress Toronto - Join Progress Toronto at the Scarborough Ribfest! You will be talking to people at the festival about Doug Ford’s plan to take over the TTC and help them take action.

6:45PM — FilmSocial Presents: I AM CUBA (College Street United Church)
Leo Panitch School for Socialist Education - The Leo Panitch School for Socialist Education is very pleased to present I Am Cuba (1964) as the first entry in the FilmSocial series showcasing films on Cuba. It is more important than ever to keep attention on Cuba and the suffering experienced by the Cuban people due to U.S. aggression.

10PM — Toronto Against Apartheid II (1650 Dupont St)
DJs Against Apartheid - Toronto Against Apartheid returns to raise funds for the displaced people of Palestine & Lebanon with an all-star lineup of local DJs. Join hands with the people of the world and with the heroic people of Palestine to stop this genocidal war and put an end to 75 years of occupation and apartheid.

Saturday, August 1, 2026 🔗

9AM — Emancipation on Bloor (Christie Pits)
Blackhurst Cultural Centre - Emancipation Day commemorates the 1834 abolition of slavery in the British Empire. Celebrate with Blackhurst Cultural Centre with a walk from Christie Pits to Bathurst and Bloor, featuring live music, dance, and lots of community spirit! All ages welcome.

10AM — Kids & Family Community Gathering (DM on Instagram for Location)
Toronto Families and Kids 4 Palestine - Want to support kids and family-centered organizing? This is a gathering to reconnect and start organizing another Back to School fundraising market.

10AM — Friends of Tom Riley Park Community Clean Up (Tom Riley Park)
Friends of Tom Riley Park - Join for this local community park clean-up! Grab a pair of gloves, meet your neighbours, and help make this park cleanup. Meet by the community garden near the Bloor St Entrance.

11:50AM — Global Walk for Sudan (High Park)
Parkdale-High Park for Palestine - Join the Global Walk for Sudan High Park! Let’s walk together to raise emergency funds to keep Sudanese charity Hope and Haven Refugees open.

12PM — Prisoners' Justice Day Signs Making (163 Queen St E 2nd floor)
Boxes for Our Sisters - Inviting community members to join an afternoon of sign making in advance of the 51st Annual Prisoners’ Justice Day. Whether you’ve organized around Prisoners’ Justice Day before or are joining for the first time, everyone is welcome.

1PM — Volunteer at Scarborough Ribfest (Thomson Park)
Progress Toronto - Join Progress Toronto at the Scarborough Ribfest! You will be talking to people at the festival about Doug Ford’s plan to take over the TTC and help them take action.

Sunday, August 2, 2026 🔗

10AM — Virtual Tech Worker’s Coalition Coffee (Virtual)
Tech Worker's Coalition Canada - Drop by for a virtual coffee hour on Sunday mornings to chat with fellow tech workers about what’s on your mind and to learn more about the Tech Worker’s Coalition. Whether you are a gig worker, data labeler, designer, software engineer, or content moderator, labour solidarity for all!

11AM — Gaza Square (371 Wallace Ave)
Davenport 4 Palestine - Daveport 4 Palestine invites you to come hang out at Gaza square on Sunday mornings with hot chocolate and coffee, buttons and posters, lawn signs and colourful chalk. Come say hi and meet your fellow neighbours/organizers as they make their presence known and continue to build safety in their community!

Monday, August 3, 2026 🔗

1PM — Summer Community Day & BBQ (To be announced)
ELDV for Palestine - Join ELDV for Palestine for some fun in the sun at this community day and BBQ. This event is completely free! There will be hang out, have some great food, and get to know each other.

6PM — TWC Bookclub: Imagination A Manifesto Part 1 (Fred Hamilton Park and Playground)
Tech Worker's Coalition Canada - Are you tired of the collective imaginaries being shaped by the techno-oligarchs? Do you want to suspend your disbelief for few hours and imagine an alternative? Come discuss with likeminded tech workers! Please read chapters 1-4 of Ruha Benjamin's "Imagination: A Manifesto"

7PM — DSC Orientation (virtual)
Democratic Socialists of Canada - In this one-hour session, you will listen to a brief presentation outlining the DSC's mission, structure, and activities, and learn how to get involved in your local Chapter and/or on a National level. Following the presentation, they will have a discussion period and the organizers will answer any questions.

Tuesday, August 4, 2026 🔗

8AM — Talk & Tours: Black Food Sovereignty (333 Sherbourne St)
Supporting Our Youth - Join the Toronto Black Farmers and Food Growers Collective for a farm tour and learn about food justice, food security, and food sovereignty. Priority given to Black 2SLGBTQ+ youth!

2:30PM — Canvassing at Trinity Bellwoods Farmers Market ( Trinity Bellwoods Farmers Market)
TTC Riders - Join TTCriders in tabling and sharing information at the Trinity Bellwoods Farmers Market

6PM — In Person Know Your Rights Workshop (720 Spadina Ave, Unit 202, Toronto )
Workers Action Centre - Have you ever had a problem at your job? Join this free and confidential workshop to learn about your rights, how to protect yourself, and how to take action if you’re having an issue at work!

6PM — Talk to Transit Riders (Mount Dennis Station)
Progress Toronto - Doug Ford wants to take over the TTC—taking full control of TTC fares, routes and service. After mishandling Toronto’s transit projects through Metrolinx, we can’t risk it. Join Progress Toronto and TTCriders to take action to keep Ford’s hands off our public transit.

6:30PM — TCTU Reading Group: Reform or Revolution (Virtual)
Toronto Centre Tenant Union - Join fellow tenant organizers in the TCTU to discuss "Reform or Revolution" by Rosa Luxemburg and learn about how to deepen organizing skills.

7PM — Civic Meetup: How The ArQuives is preserving queer history online (Hybrid)
Civic Tech Toronto - Join Natasha Fisher, Digital Archivist at The ArQuives (Canada's 2SLGBTQIA+ Archives), for an accessible introduction to queer and digital archives. We will discuss how digital preservation helps future-proof digital materials for long-term preservation and access.

Wednesday, August 5, 2026 🔗

2PM — Choke Points of Empire (Available upon registration (downtown))
Al-Ahrar Palestinian Prisoner Support - A teach-in presentation and discussion followed by a letter writing workshop, introducing the Strait of Hormuz as a vital choke point in the circulation of global capital and examining what it means for Iran to assert sovereignty over a strait that empire treats as a corridor for uninterrupted flow. Dinner provided!

6PM — Naloxone Training with Toronto Street Medics (Christie Pits park)
SURJ Toronto - A free hands-on workshop, hosted by Toronto Street Medics, to teach the practical skill of administering naloxone and when to use it.

6PM — Naloxone Training with Toronto Street Medics (Christie Pits)
Showing Up for Racial Justice Toronto - A free hands-on workshop, hosted by Toronto Street Medics, to teach the practical skill of administering naloxone and when to use it.

7PM — Community Climate Action Group Meeting (Skey Room, St. Anne's Parish Hall)
Green Wave West - Connecting with others at the local level to push for solutions and government leadership is a powerful way to fight climate change!

7PM — TCTU Orientation (Virtual)
Toronto Centre Tenant Union - An orientation session on Zoom for anyone who wants to learn more about TCTU's work and tenant organizing. Discuss how tenants can work together to stand up against bad management and rent increases.

Thursday, August 6, 2026 🔗

1PM — Students Rights & How to Navigate the School System (virtual)
Muslim Legal Support Centre - Join MLSC for a session on understanding Ontario education law, student rights, and navigating the school system. This workshop will provide practical information about students' legal rights, school policies, and the processes for addressing concerns or resolving disputes within the education system.

4:30PM — 81st Anniversary Commemoration for Hiroshima and Nagasaki (The Peace Garden, Toronto City Hall)
Canadian Voice of Women for Peace - Cesar Jaramillo, Executive Director of the SANE Policy Institute, will speak of the road to nuclear weapons abolition in a world of increased global tensions. Perspectives of Canadian youth on the topic of nuclear disarmament will be shared.

5:30PM — Make Calls for a Progressive Toronto (Online)
Progress Toronto - Join Progress Toronto to talk to people across Toronto about issues that matter to them and help them take action.

Down the road

Friday, August 7, 2026 🔗

4PM — Rec Hub Volunteer Orientation (Evergreen Brick Works Rec Hub)
4PM — Solidarity with Cuba (Christie Pits Community Oven)
5PM — Solidarity with Cuba (TMU Student Centre)

Saturday, August 8, 2026 🔗

10AM — Toronto East End Park Meet-Up (Withrow Park - McConnell Avenue Playground)
11:30AM — Free Clothing Swap (The Hub - Mid Scarborough)
11:30AM — Free Clothing Swap (The Hub - Mid Scarborough)
11:30AM — Mid-Scarborough Repair Hub (Mid-Scarborough Repair Hub 2660 Eglinton Ave E)
12PM — 9th Annual Youth Gathering: Resilience (Regent Park)
12PM — Anti-Asian Racism Workshop (526 Richmond Street East)
12PM — Keep Water Public (19 John St., Brampton)
12PM — Shut Down Maple Maga Counter Protest (Queen's Park War Memorial)
2PM — Crip Cinema (Tarragon Theatre)
3PM — Undocumented Care Worker Meeting (Unit 221, 720 Spadina Avenue)
3:30PM — TTU Summer Block Party 2026 (York Jets Soccer Club)
5PM — Palestine Is Our Moral Compass: Hope from the Present and Past (Saint Jude Anglican Church)
8PM — CRIPtonite (Tarragon Theatre)

Sunday, August 9, 2026 🔗

4:30PM — Terra Elysium's Community Cleanup (Ellis Avenue and Morningside Avenue)
6PM — Alam, the Flag: Outdoor Screening & Souq (Christie Pits Park)

Monday, August 10, 2026 🔗

7PM — Mass Incarceration in El Salvador: State of Exception, State of Repression (College Street United Church)
7PM — Livestream for 51st Prisoners' Justice Day (Virtual)

Tuesday, August 11, 2026 🔗

6PM — In Person: Know Your Rights Workshop (720 Spadina Ave, Unit 202,)
7PM — Civic Meetup #555: It's time to change the Mediums or the Messages will keep getting bleaker (Online)

Wednesday, August 12, 2026 🔗

11:30AM — Youth Leading Change: Empowering the Next Generation for Poverty Reduction, Climate Action, and Shared Prosperity (Virtual)
6PM — TfD - Monthly Volunteer Planning Meeting #10 (virtual)

Thursday, August 13, 2026 🔗

12PM — Trans Inclusion in Sport: Evidence, Equity, and Policy Considerations (Online)

Friday, August 14, 2026 🔗

5PM — Ride the Track 2026 on the Markham Indy Track (Markham Pan Am Centre, Markham, ON)

Saturday, August 15, 2026 🔗

9AM — How to Organize your Workplace (TBA)
11AM — Zine Dream 16 (Parkdale Hall 1605 Queen St. W.)
11AM — Decolonial Art Circle (Rhythm Cafe)
1PM — Community Kick Back (Children's Peace Theatre)
4PM — Socialist Reading Group (427 Bloor St W)
7PM — Everybody to Kenmure Street (Redwood Theatre)
8PM — Tacos for Tomorrow (The Moonlight Lounge)

Sunday, August 16, 2026 🔗

1PM — Friends and Families for Safe Streets Peer Support Meeting (401 Richmond St)

Monday, August 17, 2026 🔗

9PM — Democratic Socialists of Canada: Orientation (Online)

Tuesday, August 18, 2026 🔗

6PM — Uncovering "Invisible" Barriers: Discrimination in Hiring & Promotions (Virtual)

Wednesday, August 19, 2026 🔗

6PM — Scarborough Community Art Social (2660 Eglinton Ave E)

Friday, August 21, 2026 🔗

4PM — Zine Making Workshop (Evergreen Brickworks)
7PM — Toronto Spring Karaoke Fundraiser (720 Spadina Ave, Suite 221)

Saturday, August 22, 2026 🔗

9AM — How to Organize your Workplace - Higher Education Edition (TBA)
7:30PM — Summer Slaughter: A Benefit for All Peoples Fighting Oppression (651 Dufferin St)