The Vacant Home Tax (VHT) is an unabashed debacle. The City of Toronto just sent 167,000 homeowners tax bills that include a one per cent VHT levy based on the values of their properties. If, for example, their Municipal Property Assessment Corporation valuation is $800,000, then the city just added a surcharge to their tax bill of $8000. Payable when? Now.  Read more

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Many environmental initiatives getting the green light

By Dianne Saxe

Spring has arrived. Flowers are pushing up and there are so many ways to enjoy beautiful University-Rosedale. This spring we want to highlight great local music venues, festivals, parks, and environmental events. Hot Docs, Fringe, Jazz Fest—these and other Toronto arts organizations need your support if they are to survive.  Read more

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• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Fall 2023)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Summer 2023)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (May/June 2023)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How nice (April 2023)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: Scale of badness (Mar. 2023)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: Winter’s not as cold as these deals! (Feb. 2023)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice — Can dreams come true? (For John Tory) (Dec. 2022)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Nov. 2022)

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In an annual report, Ontario’s Acting Auditor General (AG) Nick Stavropoulos contradicts the conclusions of the government’s stated “business case” for moving the Ontario Science Centre to Ontario Place. It turns out the “savings” the government promises taxpayers is anything but.  Read more

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Housing, new greenspaces, traffic, and construction dominate

By Dianne Saxe  Read more

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Students are particularly vulnerable to weak rental laws

By Jessica Bell

Justin is a graduate student studying pancreatic cancer at the University of Toronto. He’s one of thousands of students who live in our downtown neighbourhoods. When his building was bought by corporate landlord, Harrington Housing, he became a victim of neglect and harassment designed to drive him out of his rent-controlled home.  Read more

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• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Summer 2023)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (May/June 2023)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How nice (April 2023)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: Scale of badness (Mar. 2023)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: Winter’s not as cold as these deals! (Feb. 2023)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice — Can dreams come true? (For John Tory) (Dec. 2022)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Nov. 2022)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Oct. 2022)

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When announcing his latest reversal of plans to develop parts of the Greenbelt, Premier Doug Ford said he was “very, very, sorry.” It’s not clear what exactly he is sorry for, or if he is indeed sorry at all. After months of ignoring his critics, including damning reports from the Auditor General and the Integrity Commission, Ford forced his flying monkey cabinet to line up behind him to try and rationalize his latest u-turn on the Greenbelt file.  Read more

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Over 100 development files pending in this ward alone

By Dianne Saxe

I hope you are enjoying the beautiful fall weather as much as I am. Thank you to everyone who helps to look after Toronto school children returning to school, including teachers, cleaners, cooks, bus drivers, and crossing guards.   Read more

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A Greenbelt victory

By Jessica Bell

Ontarians were outraged when the Conservatives reversed their election promise and approved development on 15 parcels of Greenbelt land owned by developers with ties to the government.  Read more

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SEE MORE:  Read more

• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (May/June 2023)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How nice (April 2023)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: Scale of badness (Mar. 2023)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: Winter’s not as cold as these deals! (Feb. 2023)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice — Can dreams come true? (For John Tory) (Dec. 2022)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Nov. 2022)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Oct. 2022)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Sept. 2022)

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No sleepy summer in University-Rosedale

By Dianne Saxe

I hope you’ve had a good summer, even if it has been the hottest in at least 120,000 years. Here are a few of the issues we have been working on for you.  Read more

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Crisis underscores a larger housing crisis that Ford refuses to help fix

By Jessica Bell

Refugees and asylum seekers who arrive in Canada have been forced to flee their homes for many reasons, including war, violence, and natural disasters made worse by the climate crises.  Read more

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