A new condo neighbourhood is rising on Davenport Road between Dupont Street and Avenue Road. With the completion of the 35-storey AYC condos and townhouses at Bedford Road, and another seven builds ranging in size from 7 to 35 storeys, the L-shaped curve at the northeastern edge of the Annex is set to boom.  But the Annex Residents’ Association is concerned that a liveable neighbourhood has not been planned for.  

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“Support local” has been a COVID rallying cry, but business groups say owners like Peluso faced bureaucratic and financial challenges before the pandemic. And they are saying the city’s new 15-per-cent property tax reduction goes some way toward addressing barriers for small businesses and repairing a strained relationship with the city—but it’s only a start.

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The University of Toronto officially broke ground at the site of a yet-to-be-named 23-storey student residence at Spadina and Sussex. Concessions to city planning and the HVRA allowed the development to proceed: preserving the heritage building at 698 Spadina, and creating the new Robert Street Park.

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lass? Never fear — this month there’s a lot that you can catch up on, particularly in commemoration of Black History Month. Prepare to explore the stories you thought you knew alongside the ones you were never told through books, movies, and coins. 

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An estimated twenty protesters from Pax Christi Toronto gathered in front of Minister Chrystia Freeland’s office, at Bloor Street and Spadina Road, on March 2. The international Catholic organization chose Ash Wednesday to pray and fast for peace in Ukraine.

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SEE MORE BY BRETT LAMB: EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Jan. 2022) EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Dec. 2021) EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Fall 2021) EDITORIAL CARTOON: Fourth wave funnies! (Aug. 2021) EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Jul. 2021) EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Apr. 2021) EDITORIAL CARTOON: Pandemic Response (Mar. 2021) EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Feb. 2021) EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Jan. 2021) EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice! (Dec. 2020) EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Nov. 2020) EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Oct. […]

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Policing is largely a provincial matter, but faced with massive trucks and bouncy castles clogging up central Ottawa, plus blockades at key border crossings, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had to invoke the Emergencies Act. As usual, Ontario Premier Doug Ford was too focused on the next election to do his job, and he should have to answer for it.

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The 2022 budget process will have wrapped up by the time this publication goes to print, but I still thought I could provide an update on some of the policy pieces I have been working on advancing through my role on the budget committee. 

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Up to 400,000 Ontarians are waiting too long for necessary surgery – a surgery backlog that doctors are describing as catastrophic. This means people are experiencing anxiety, pain and a reduced quality of life as they wait too long for cataract surgery, MRIs, hip replacements, heart bypass surgery, and even cancer surgery.

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A four-alarm fire at 828 Shaw St. on January 15 displaced all 11 occupants. Four were sent to hospital, one in life threatening condition. The building is owned by Rakesh Gupta of Gupta Realty, who has been charged 12 times since 2018 for not completing city-issued work orders at the site in a timely fashion

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If the West Annex Heritage Project follows in the footsteps of the East Annex, the area between Bedford Road and Bathurst Street could become a Heritage Conservation District (HCD) as early as 2024. In September and October, consultants connected with local residents at two virtual meetings to discuss the project and the changes it might bring.

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guest, and just might forget that you are visiting a food bank. The Avenue, located at the Church of the Messiah on the corner of Dupont and Avenue Road, moved from Walmer Road Baptist Church in 2018. This past year, they helped to feed 6,484 households. However, the people behind this institution are hoping the food bank can put itself out of business – they want to do more than give people food when they’re having a rough time – their goal is to build relationships and help people re-build their lives.

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