Mayor John Tory has proclaimed today National Child Day in Toronto. The day has been observed across Canada since 1993 to acknowledge the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and to raise awareness of children’s right to be active participants in their communities.
To recognize National Child Day, an event was held today at City Hall with local students and City leaders. The students shared how they have contributed their ideas and opinions through civic projects to make their communities and Toronto increasingly child-friendly. The goal is to promote awareness of the rights of children to have a say in decisions that affect them, to illustrate the power of children to influence change, and ultimately to advance Toronto as a nurturing, supportive, equitable and healthy place for children to live and grow.
The projects highlighted include:
• Maximum City’s KidScore, an interactive tool that allows children to assess the child-friendliness of their neighbourhoods, based on emotional health and wellbeing, safety, green space and the environment, mobility and activities
• Evergreen’s Placemaking with Children, a landscape master plan for the schoolyard of Lord Lansdowne and daVinci School led by a design team of 10 children, ages 9 to 12
• Holland Bloorview’s Children’s Advisory Council, a broad group of child-clients who help inform programs, policies and operational decisions at the hospital and other community organizations to better serve children
Deputy Mayor Michael Thompson (Councillor Ward 21 Scarborough Centre), City Manager Chris Murray, Deputy City Manager Giuliana Carbone, Deputy City Manager Josie Scioli, Dr. Eileen de Villa, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health, Shanley McNamee, General Manager of Children’s Services, and other senior City staff, attended the event to hear the students’ unique perspectives.
National Child Day is recognized as part of the City’s Child-Friendly TO project. The Child-Friendly TO initiative is led by a group of City staff with the intent to build a culture that encourages and allows children to have an expanded and more active and vocal role in municipal affairs. The initiative also promotes the rights of children across Toronto in areas as diverse as community safety, health care, and urban planning and design.
More information about Child-Friendly TO is available at https://www.toronto.ca/childfriendlyto/.
Quotes:
“I’m proud to proclaim November 20 as National Child Day in Toronto. The City of Toronto values children as important residents who have unique ideas and perspectives to share about their neighbourhoods and the future of our city. It’s important that they have a voice in civic affairs.”
– Mayor John Tory
“Including young people in public discussions and decision-making helps to bolster the culture of participation essential to maintaining a healthy democratic society. The contributions they make to our decisions now, while important, will pale by comparison to those they will make as more confident, informed and engaged adults in the future.”
– Deputy Mayor Michael Thompson, Chair of the Economic and Community Development Committee
“The perspectives shared by these youth from our communities are key to building a healthier city for everyone. Young people are the future, and are already at the forefront of creative and innovative ideas to make our city better. It is critical to encourage and support them to continue to become involved in this important work.”
– Councillor Joe Cressy (Ward 10 Spadina-Fort York), Chair of Toronto’s Board of Health
“Building a city that is friendly and nurturing for children requires an understanding of what living in the city is like from a child’s perspective. As our youngest residents, children have a unique perspective on the world that can help address some of the modern challenges we face that can help inform actions to improve life in the city for all.”
– Dr. Eileen de Villa, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health
“We can help children feel engaged and heard right from the beginning when they are in our early learning and care centres. The City aims to provide welcoming and inclusive spaces where all children have the opportunity to thrive. Engaging children and knowing how they view and experience our programs, services, and the city as whole, helps the City better serve them and their families.”
– Shanley McNamee, General Manager of Children’s Services
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