The Mayor's Toronto: You Belong Here Recovery Task Force has completed its mandate and is no longer active. The following document is provided for archival purposes.

This page highlighted the progress of The Mayor's Toronto: You Belong Here Recovery Task Force.

On May 9, 2003 - just in time for Mother's Day and the Victoria Day weekend - Mayor Mel Lastman unveiled the slogan to be used in a print, radio and television advertising campaign to promote Toronto:

Conceived by the advertising firm BBDO, phase one of the campaign will go until June, 2003. It will engage Torontonians first, then the Greater Toronto Area. A campaign in conjunction with the provincial and federal governments will focus on promoting Toronto to the world.

Speaking at the news conference on May 9, Mayor Mel Lastman said, "This simple slogan shows that Torontonians are the warmest, most welcoming people on earth. I like the slogan so much, I'm changing the name of the "SARS Recovery Task Force" to the "The Mayor's Toronto: You Belong Here Recovery Task Force".

Mayor Mel Lastman established the Task Force on SARS Recovery on April 23. "This task force will help us co-ordinate with our partners in Queen's Park and Ottawa and act as a clearing house for all of the different initiatives that are coming forward," said Mayor Lastman.

On April 28, Mayor Lastman, along with federal and provincial politicians, met with representatives of seven Chinese business associations in the Greater Toronto area. Later the same day, the Task Force had their first meeting.

In the first week, the Task Force heard ideas from the following groups to determine how best to launch the SARS recovery effort:

• Canada's financial services sector, including Canada's major banks
• the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association
• Toronto's Association of Business Improvement Areas
• Toronto Theatre Alliance
• Toronto Board of Trade
• Ontario Deputy Minister of Tourism
• Tourism Toronto
• Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel Association
• Greater Toronto Hotel Association
• Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership
• Hotel Employees Restaurant Employees International Union, Local 75

Task Force membership:

• Mayor Mel Lastman, Chair
• Deputy Mayor Case Ootes
• Budget Chair David Shiner
• Diversity Advocate Sherene Shaw
• Works Committee Chair Brad Duguid
• Planning and Transportation Chair Gerry Altobello
• Community Services Committee Chair Olivia Chow
• Administration Committee Chair Doug Holyday
• Economic Development and Park Committee Chair Denzil Minnan-Wong
• Chair of the Board of Health Joe Mihevc