After years of opposition, many Annex residents relished the defeat of a proposed development on 64 Prince Arthur Ave. The proposal was brought to the City of Toronto twice – the first time as a 29-storey condominium building with luxury rentals, the second time as a 19-storey building. In both instances, the design was one of twisting steel and glass that would have stood in stark contrast to the low-rise brick and vine neighbourhood. At the end of January, the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) wholly dismissed the developers’ appeal.
CHATTER: “One-legged stool” build plan quashed on Prince Arthur (Mar. 2021)
March 26th, 2021 · Comments Off on CHATTER: “One-legged stool” build plan quashed on Prince Arthur (Mar. 2021)
NEWS: Parking versus housing (Oct. 2020)
November 2nd, 2020 · Comments Off on NEWS: Parking versus housing (Oct. 2020)
Kensington Market considers a change
By Mary An
Priorities are shifting in Kensington Market, according to a recent motion adopted by Toronto City Council that declares the parking lot at 25 Bellevue Ave. a surplus location that could be used to build affordable housing.
EDITORIAL: Ford’s angry budget (May 2019)
May 28th, 2019 · Comments Off on EDITORIAL: Ford’s angry budget (May 2019)
The most recent Ontario budget targets Toronto for over $177 million in annual provincial funding cuts. The targeted cuts are to Toronto’s programs in healthcare, child care, legal aid, tourism, and transit. In exchange, Premier Ford’s province-wide base gets a few shiny trinkets, and as a whole the budget still fails to resemble the kind of plan that could lead our province in the direction of fiscal balance.
Tags: Annex · Editorial · Opinion
NEWS: New approach to local democracy (Dec. 2018)
December 30th, 2018 · Comments Off on NEWS: New approach to local democracy (Dec. 2018)
Newly-elected representatives say community is key
By Hannah Alberga
University-Rosedale’s newly-elected representatives plan to tackle their sprawling ward using a bottom-up approach. Some of the issues they’ll have to tackle include how to approach the recent handgun violence in Toronto, the affordable housing crises, and how the legalization of marijuana will affect public schools.
NEWS: Election chaos (October 2018)
October 16th, 2018 · Comments Off on NEWS: Election chaos (October 2018)
Council cuts a concern
By Ellie Hayden
Local residents’ associations, business improvement areas, and community organizations are concerned that reducing Toronto City Council from 47 to 25 seats will wreak havoc with the business of the city in their neighbourhoods.
NEWS: Hundreds protest cuts to council (Aug./Sept. 2018)
September 11th, 2018 · Comments Off on NEWS: Hundreds protest cuts to council (Aug./Sept. 2018)
Defending downtown democracy

Joe Cressy (Ward 20, Trinity-Spadina) speaks at an emergency public meeting at Scadding Court Community Centre on August 13. ELLIE HAYDEN/GLEANER NEWS
By Ellie Hayden
“Shame!”
Hundreds of people huddled shoulder to shoulder shouted the rallying cry at an emergency public meeting on August 13 at the Scadding Court Community Centre.
NEWS: Freshening the field (Spring 2018)
May 1st, 2018 · Comments Off on NEWS: Freshening the field (Spring 2018)
Improving Huron Street to make a positive impact

Huron Street Junior Public School’s Big Tree, a heritage tree that is about 150 years old, is at the centre of a plan to revitalize the schoolyard. School representatives want to create a welcoming space around the tree, clean up the tennis courts, and remove the fences. GEREMY BORDONARO/GLEANER NEWS
NEWS (Nov. 2017): Collateral damage
November 24th, 2017 · Comments Off on NEWS (Nov. 2017): Collateral damage
Community outreach suffers with TDSB ban on SROs

COURTESY JESSICA LEE/TORONTO DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD School Watch Officer Andrea Harris (front row, third from left) was part of a group of officers from 14 Division who celebrated the Day of Pink at Harbord Collegiate Institute in April 2016. The Day of Pink is a worldwide event aimed at raising awareness to stop discrimination, gender-based bullying, homophobia, and transphobia.
FORUM (DECEMBER 2016): How our politicians celebrate the holidays
December 20th, 2016 · Comments Off on FORUM (DECEMBER 2016): How our politicians celebrate the holidays
Favourites include carol singing, winter solstice
We asked our local representatives how they spend the holidays. Councillors Joe Cressy (Ward 20, Trinity-Spadina) and Mike Layton (Ward 19, Trinity-Spadina), Toronto District School Board Trustee Ausma Malik (Ward 10, Trinity-Spadina), and our MPP Han Dong (Trinity-Spadina) shared their favourite traditions, their proudest achievement of the year, and what they are looking forward to working on in 2017. Also, the book they’re looking forward to reading in 2017! Answers compiled by Noelle Defour.
NEWS (SEPTEMBER 2016): Provincial investment falls short
September 16th, 2016 · Comments Off on NEWS (SEPTEMBER 2016): Provincial investment falls short
TDSB repair backlog reflects critical state of infrastructure
By Annemarie Brissenden
With both the federal and provincial governments making significant investments in public infrastructure, the Ministry of Education’s release of information detailing the maintenance backlog in Ontario raises a serious question: are we doing all that we can to maintain our buildings once they are built? The evidence suggests that we are not, and that our penchant for funding new infrastructure while ignoring our existing capital assets is ringing in a very high cost.
FROM THE ARCHIVES (SEPTEMBER 2016): A look back at one attempt to lease a local school
September 16th, 2016 · Comments Off on FROM THE ARCHIVES (SEPTEMBER 2016): A look back at one attempt to lease a local school
TDSB reverses Essex Junior and Senior Public School decision after community uproar
Budget cuts plague TDSB… Again.
November 6th, 2012 · Comments Off on Budget cuts plague TDSB… Again.
Trustees uneasy as further cuts made to schools
Provincial government recently froze funding approvals for more than a dozen TDSB building projects after the board went $11 million over budget on Regent Park’s Nelson Mandela Park Public School rebuild. Photo by Samina Esha.
By Samina Esha