November 11th, 2021 · Comments Off on EDITORIAL: Doug Ford, the chaos king (Fall 2021)
Frustration. Nonsense. Chaos.
These are just a few words that are used to describe the situation for Ontario businesses following the release of the province’s plan to lift all Covid restrictions for businesses. You’d think there would be more celebration, but it’s hard, given the fact that small businesses are being impacted extra hard by policy that seems designed to hurt them.
Our premier likes to talk about how he’s the one looking out for the “little guy,” but this pandemic has proved that to be patently false as restaurants have been forced to wait at least two weeks before their pandemic restrictions were lifted while concert halls, sports venues, big box stores and theatres were allowed to open to 100 per cent capacity.
While the Ontario Chamber of Commerce said they welcomed the plan, the organization’s CEO, Rocco Rossi, took the opportunity to express his frustration at the rollout.
“Lifting capacity limits for some businesses and not others, without presenting data, public health indicators or a clear rationale has left many in the business community completely frustrated,” he wrote in a recent press release. “As we have said from the beginning, transparency and clear communication from the Government of Ontario are critical for confidence in public health measures during this time.”
When faced with heat after making questionable decisions, Premier Ford likes to deflect and blame his advisors. A favourite target is the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kieran Moore. But in this case Moore felt obliged to contradict the premier, “this a government decision, it is not mine. It is that of the government.”
The founder of the advocacy group SaveHospitality.ca John Sinopoli said many restaurants are teetering on the edge of bankruptcy with patio season ending and the onset of colder weather. Sinopoli accused Ford of again favouring large corporations such as Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), the owner of the Raptors and Leafs, while ignoring the plight of small businesses. MLSE partnered with the province in creating the newly minted vaccine app.
“Pure nonsense”, is what Sinopoli said about the premise that eating in restaurants is more of a risk than spending hours surrounded by shouting, often maskless fans. Data that suggested bars and restaurants were risk centres for COVID spread was gathered before the 84 per cent of the province’s eligible population were fully vaccinated and before food establishments required indoor diners to prove they had received both jabs.
Peter Juni, head of the province’s science table, was apparently not asked either about the sudden decision to open large sports venues, concert halls, and theatres to 100 per cent capacity. This seems to be the premier acting on his own which might explain why many of these rules continue to make no sense.
Restaurant employees still don’t have to be vaccinated, according to the province. Nor do the employees at the aforementioned large venues, though those businesses may require it. Personal service businesses such as hair salons, barber shops, nail spas and tattoo parlours don’t require vaccinations for either staff or customers. How can that be safe?
Ford did recently ask the science table whether it thought it was a good idea or not to require health care workers to be vaccinated. Are you kidding? Hospitals are suspending staff now who are not fully protected for the sake of vulnerable patients and co-workers, and the premier is only now pondering if it’s a good idea or not for the province to require it? That horse has left the barn.
November 11th, 2021 · Comments Off on FORUM: Status quo streets unsustainable (Fall 2021)
Government must be proactive to protect cyclists, pedestrians
By Mike Layton
As kids are finally settled into a new school year, road safety continues to be a priority for me. On one of my rides home this past month, I crossed paths with someone not older than 12 using the bike lane on Bloor Street to travel home from school with his backpack. This is not something we would have seen a few years ago and I was excited to see how many young people were making use of the new bike lane.
As we travelled along the bike lane my mind went to all the intersections and routes across the city where more needs to be done to make roads safer for pedestrians and cyclists.
Following the devastating news about the death of an 18-year-old cyclist on our streets and several other reports of poor pedestrian safety this summer, I am working to get immediate intervention on Avenue Road, and other essential streets in the ward.
This young person’s death could have been prevented. It took place along a stretch of Avenue Road which council has previously identified for study for ActiveTO intervention and the installation of basic cycling infrastructure. Investing capital into transforming our streets is essential. Other cities across the world have done this, challenging the status quo, and prioritizing substantially bolder, safer streets.
We need a broad-based approach to proactively address roads with similar characteristics as Avenue Road: major arterial roadways of six lanes or more with high speed limits to major destinations.
Our recent budgets have featured billions of dollars toward funding of repairs and construction on the Gardiner Expressway. Meanwhile we wait years for cheap, cost efficient cycling infrastructure that has been proven to make our roads safer for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians alike.
Immediately prior to the tragedy on Avenue Road, an area of cycling infrastructure just southeast on Bloor Street was obstructed by road work and insufficient signage, causing drivers to dangerously merge into the cycling lane, and leading to many near misses and other dangerous interactions. The following day, the same thing occurred at the southwest corner of the intersection. Council has repeatedly asked to review these issues, which come up frequently, and to make changes that would support the safety of residents. However, we continue to be met with delays.
I wrote a letter to the director of Transportation Services detailing the decisions council has made and how their implementation could have saved a life, and can save lives in the future. This letter advises staff to begin the installation of cycling infrastructure on Avenue Road; to expedite the Avenue Road Safety Coalition’s requests for intervention and extend this south of Davenport; to review the implementation of the 1-metre passing rule; and request a report on the existing construction practices and progress on fulfilling council’s directions.
I feel like a broken record due to the number of times I have said this, but we cannot stop fighting until we achieve change.
In the absence of regulatory changes, and the political will and dedication of resources needed to impact behavioural change, the physical environment must be altered to reflect the vision of safety that we purport to support through Vision Zero.
Speaking of Vision Zero, the city is in the process of renewing its contract for the maintenance of our red light cameras. I have learned that there are no planned expansions of this program for at least 5 years. This expansion cannot wait. We have seen many intersections, like that at Christie and Dupont streets, where fatal collisions have occurred. We must fund the expansion of this program to deter people from speeding through intersections.
Council has also received a report that the presence of Automated Speed Enforcement is having a positive impact. There are currently only 50 ASE systems installed in Community Safety Zones near schools and there are two systems per ward to ensure an even distribution.
City council must work to expand this program, in tandem with other measures to increase road safety and correct as many dangerous areas as possible in our continued work toward Vision Zero. I will be asking staff to report on costs to do so immediately in the hopes of having council support this important expenditure in the 2022 budget.
It’s been over 5 years of Vision Zero and we’re still missing the systemic, street-by-street approach that will prevent unnecessary deaths on our roads.
As always, please don’t hesitate to contact me with your questions and concerns at Councillor_Layton@toronto.ca
Mike Layton is the city councillor for Ward 11, University—Rosedale.
November 11th, 2021 · Comments Off on FORUM: A wasted election, now Mr. Trudeau please deliver (Fall 2021)
Many promises are now on the books that must be fulfilled
By Jessica Bell
Canada’s 44th election is over. The election cost $660 million, and delivered the same results as before, give or take a few seats. The Liberals got the minority they deserved.
Despite the status quo outcome, the political moment has changed. Here’s what I’m noticing:
Canadians are mostly comfortable with a minority government, they want political parties to work together, and no one wants another federal election any time soon. Canadians also want politicians to keep their promises. No one in our riding has forgotten Trudeau’s reneging on reforming our first-past-the-post electoral system back in 2015.
This is why the NDP now holds a strong bargaining position to hold the Liberals to account, and push for bold progressive change on the top election issues.
Here’s what Trudeau should do to address one key issue, the housing affordability crisis. Home prices increased by 38% last year alone, and over 40% of Canadian renters pay unaffordable rent. Federal action is vital.
On the demand side, Trudeau’s proposed two year ban on foreign buyers of residential homes should proceed, and be properly enforced.
The Liberal’s plan to impose a one percent annual tax on vacant homes owned by foreigners should extend to all vacant homes, with an exemption for primary residences.
Maverick researcher Jaco Joubet estimates the vacancy rates in Toronto’s biggest condos range from 5.5 to 13%. Joubet determined occupancy by photographing 15 Toronto condos every night for a year to monitor whether the lights were on.
To help existing renters, Trudeau should better regulate and fairly tax Real Estate Investment Trusts, or REITS.
These corporate financial landlords now own 20% of all purpose-built rental properties, including many buildings on Walmer, Spadina, St George and Bay.
To increase profit, corporate landlords cut maintenance and evict long-term tenants to raise the rent to market rates.
This business model makes home life miserable for our apartment-dwelling neighbours, and must be addressed.
To build new affordable supply, the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) should be reformed.
CBC recently investigated CMHC’s signature affordable home building program – the rental construction financing initiative.
CBC found this program is giving billions in loans to developers at extraordinarily favourable terms, like 50 year amortization periods, to build unaffordable rental units – sometimes asking rents double the neighbourhood average.
CMHC’s programs must facilitate the construction of permanently affordable homes, including homes built by non-profit providers and cooperatives.
The election results exposed Canada’s growing political instability.
While the People’s Party of Canada did not win a seat, they got six percent of the vote.
At the door, PPC-voting residents told me they were angry about the lockdowns and vaccine mandates because it threatened their civil liberties.
I observed anger, apathy, and a deep distrust of government and mainstream media.
This divisiveness will not subside with the pandemic. There are no easy answers, but I know listening and understanding is part of the solution.
I know that often a rejection of government can be driven by big social change, like the rise of unregulated social media and its loose relationship with the truth, and growing economic inequality that drives people to blame scapegoats for their misfortunes.
I also know the path to political peace and social cohesion will not be achieved by simply dismissing our neighbours as ignorant haters.
Canada’s major federal support programs ended on October 23, including the wage subsidy program, the rent subsidy program for businesses, the caregiver program, and the recovery benefit program, which provided income support for workers not eligible for EI.
It’s immoral that the fossil fuel sector got $18B in pandemic support.
Some of these support programs should end.
That said, Canada must continue to provide stable economic support to those in need. That is why I support a guaranteed liveable income, starting with seniors and people with disabilities. People need help, not hardship.
Direct support must be twinned with government intervention to ensure a fair economic recovery. Jagmeet Singh has said that securing NDP support in parliament is contingent on the liberals raising taxes on the wealthy to address Canada’s wealth and income inequality divide.
Economic recovery must also include wise investment into sectors that yield positive long-term economic and health outcomes, from affordable childcare to a green transportation system.
That’s what I’m watching for federally, and advocating for provincially.
November 11th, 2021 · Comments Off on GRADING OUR GREENSPACE (Fall 2021)
Albeit small and with no playground infrastructure Gwendolyn MacEwan park is a great spot to stop and have a rest.
As part of the Gleaner’s annual area park reviews, here is Part Two. We grade each park and compare the score with the prior year. We look for amenities, trees, gardens, and cleanliness. We also tell you something you may not know about how the space got its name.
Compiled and photos by Madeline Smart
Gwendolyn MacEwan Park
33 Walmer Rd.
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Grade: B- (last year B-)
Reasons to go: Gwendolyn MacEwan Park is right in the middle of a roundabout at Walmer Road and Lowther Avenue. Albeit small and with no playground infrastructure this is a really lovely park to have a rest in. With benches placed around the perimeter of the park facing inwards along with some big beautiful trees, this park feels like a little island. There’s lots of places to find in the shade and it’s not usually too busy. However, as a roundabout surrounded by multiple apartment buildings, it can be a little noisy, but is still a great place to take a break on your way home or to hang out and read a book.
Overheard: “That’s what you guys are wearing?” A woman says to her friends walking towards her. “You look so cute! You look like you’re in a summer Gap catalogue!”
Did you know: The park is named after Canadian poet and novelist Gwendolyn MacEwan who was a lifelong Toronto resident. She used to write her poetry in English but she also could write them in Egyptian hieroglyphics. MacEwan also co-owned a café on the Danforth with her husband in the early seventies called The Trojan Horse.
Jay Macpherson Park is well maintained, there are nice big trees, a couple benches line the pathway and is overall a nice place to stop and have a break outside.
Jay Macpherson Green
255 Avenue Rd.
Time: 7:20
Grade: B+ (last year B+)
Reasons to go: This park at face value is really nice; it’s well maintained, there are nice big trees, a couple benches line the pathway and is overall a nice place to stop and have a break outside. However, it’s located right beside one of the busiest roads in the city, Avenue Road. If you come during rush hour it’s pretty much guaranteed that you won’t be able to hear your friend talk or even your own thoughts. At other times, it can be a really nice place to relax or walk with your dog but the noise of the road is definitely a downfall.
Overheard: Nothing but traffic on Avenue Road.
Did you know: The advocacy group called the Avenue Road Safety Coalition is lobbying to have the outer lanes of Avenue Road closed and transformed into wider sidewalks to create more safe areas for pedestrians. If approved, traffic noise could be reduced, making the park more peaceful.
The fenced-in playground structure of Ryan Russell Parkette is tucked into the north corner which is smart considering how close it still is to busy Avenue Road and Dupont Street.
Sergeant Ryan Russell Parkette
250 Avenue Rd.
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Grade: B+ (last year N/A)
Reasons to go: Located right across the street from Jay Macpherson Park, this parkette is the more child friendly option. Tucked into the north corner there’s a fenced-in playground structure which is smart considering how close it still is to busy Avenue Road and Dupont Street. It’s well maintained with nice trees, benches and some small gardens scattered around. As with Jay Macpherson Park, it’s noisy from traffic and the Playa Cabana Hacienda restaurant right next door.
Overheard: “C’mon we gotta get it!” A little girl yells to her mom while jumping up and down trying to grab a leaf from a low hanging tree branch.
Did you know: This park was renamed in 2011 in honour of Sgt. Ryan Russell, a Toronto police officer who died in line of duty after being struck by a stolen snow plow that year.
Boswell Parkette was created in 1973 as a part of the “traffic maze” phenomenon of the 1970s which hoped to shield neighbourhoods from the sound of traffic
Boswell Park
4 Boswell Ave.
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Grade: B (last year B)
Reasons to go: A small parkette at the dead end of Boswell Avenue, connecting it to Avenue Road. Boswell Parkette is a great place to have a rest, take a shortcut or wait for the bus. Literally right behind a bus stop this parkette offers a much more scenic waiting area than most TTC stops. Sandwiched between two buildings, one of them being the popular restaurant, Blu Ristorante, this parkette usually gets a lot of shade but it can be a little noisy from the patio and Avenue Road. There’s lots of places to sit despite its small size, so if you need a place to recharge after a long day of shopping in Yorkville, this could be your spot.
Overheard: Jazz music carrying over from the Blu Ristorante patio and cars driving down Avenue Road.
Did you know: The parkette was created in 1973 as a part of the “traffic maze” phenomenon of the 1970s which hoped to shield neighbourhoods from the sound of traffic. It started as just three planters which is still the basic layout of the park but has since been landscaped with bigger trees and bushes.
The park and nearby school is named after Jesse Ketchum who was a tanner and philanthropist. After the war of 1812 he helped fund the rebuilding of the bridges over the Don Valley and contributed to the first common school at York.
Jesse Ketchum Park
1310 Bay St.
Time: 3:00 p.m.
Grade: A (last year A)
Reasons to go: Located on Bay Street and right beside a school of the same name, this park can get a little noisy but the beauty and size of the park makes it a worthwhile stop for sure. With tons of space, lovely trees and well maintained gardens, Jesse Ketchum Park is a great place to relax outdoors, just pick any of the many benches or grab a seat on one of the big stones lining the garden and take a deep breath. If you want to exercise instead there’s a full-size turf soccer field right behind the park that’s great to play a game with friends or do your own solo workout. There does seem to be an unhoused person living in a tent towards the south side of the park but it seems that they are coexisting nicely with park goers and have kept everything clean.
Overheard: “I don’t think there’s a train that runs to Prince Edward Island, is there?” Two friends chat over coffee on one of the benches while their dog relaxes at their feet.
Did you know: The park and nearby school is named after Jesse Ketchum who was a tanner and philanthropist. After the war of 1812 he helped fund the rebuilding of the bridges over the Don Valley and contributed to the first common school at York. He was known for his interest in schools and education and was affectionately nicknamed “Father Ketchum.”
Hillcrest Park has received an A+ rating from the Gleaner for the last three years and we’re happy to report it has continued its excellence.
Hillcrest Park
950 Davenport Rd.
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Grade: A+ (last year A+)
Reasons to go: Hillcrest Park has received an A+ rating from the Gleaner for the last three years and we’re happy to report it has continued its excellence. This park is truly a paradise for every type of person. Sports lovers, children, dog owners and everyone in between can find their place at Hillcrest Park. There’s a basketball court, tennis courts, a baseball field, a table tennis table made of stone, a playground, a wading pool and tons of open space for whatever else you want to do. The semi enclosed off leash dog area is also expansive, making it a popular place for owners to play fetch with their pups. The park earns its name by being located at the top of a hill at the corner of Davenport Road and Christie Street but the hillside is lined with trees which does a great job at neutralizing the noise of traffic from the streets. There’s lots of picnic benches, regular benches and beautiful trees to sit under which makes it a great place to picnic or to read a book. Literally anything you want to do outdoors can be done at Hillcrest Park.
Overheard: “Alright now try your hardest to touch your toes!” A woman instructed a small group of young children in a yoga class on the field.
Did you know: The park covers 2.1 hectares of land making it one of the larger parks in the city. You can also see Lake Ontario from the park.
Wychwood Barns Park features a beach volleyball court, a small dog park, a splash pad, playground and a still thriving community garden.
Wychwood Barns Park
76 Wychwood Ave.
Time: 4:00 p.m.
Grade: A (last year A)
Reasons to go: This is another gorgeous multi-use space for the community that’s spacious and very well maintained. Located around Wychwood Barns which hosts all types of events all year round, the park itself features a beach volleyball court, a small dog park, a splash pad, playground and a still thriving community garden. There are benches scattered all around the park and plenty of open green space available to sit and take a breather. So, whether you’re coming to Wychwood Barns for the weekend farmer’s market, taking your kids to cool off on a hot summer day, or even to play a game of volleyball, this park is the perfect place to spend whatever day you have planned.
Overheard: “C’mon dad, I want to be sprayed again!” A young kid yells at her dad to spray her again with a water gun feature at the splash pad.
Did you know: The barns were originally built and made to be streetcar repair facilities for the Toronto Civic Railway and later the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). Eventually in 1985 they were declared surplus and were boarded up until the redevelopment plan started in 2006.
Unlike many other public parks during the pandemic, Paul Martel Park actually seems to have received the care and attention it’s been desperate for in previous years, which is most evident in the thriving community garden.
Paul Martel Park
10 Madison Ave.
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Grade: D+ (last year F)
Reasons to go: In the past this park has been scored poorly due to an excess of litter, vandalism, and overall lack of maintenance. However, unlike other city parks that declined in quality over the pandemic, Paul Martel Park seems to have improved the maintenance it was previously receiving. There was almost no litter to be found and the community gardens seem to be thriving. The graffiti on the park’s entrance sign has unfortunately still remained and the sounds of traffic and construction can be heard, yet it maintains a calming atmosphere. There does seem to be a lot of pigeons, however, the gardens are looking quite luscious and this is overall, a nice place to sit and relax if you’re out and about in the Bloor and Spadina area.
Overheard: Pigeons clacking around on the gravel pathway.
Did you know: The park was formerly known as Ecology Park until it was renamed in 2014 after architect and community member Paul Martel who worked tirelessly volunteering his time towards revitalizing many Annex parks. Martel sadly passed away just last year at the age of 83. He was known for integrating social action and purpose into his architecture and urban planning.
A huge park with enough space to entertain any one of any age, Vermont Square Park is an expansive oasis hidden from busy Bathurst Street.
Vermont Square Park
819 Palmerston Ave.
Time: 4:00 p.m
Grade: A (last year A)
Reasons to go: Vermont Square Park is located at Palmerston and Olive avenues, tucked away from busy Bathurst street. It’s expansive, filled with big trees, small grassy hills, and even a separate area for children where a large playground structure is enclosed by long wooden benches. This has made a natural separation for adults and children. On most afternoons you can find local seniors gathered under the trees in their own lawn chairs while also having children playing on the playground or running around in the grass. There’s a small wading pool which is an added bonus on hot summer days. This park is a nice and quiet place for pretty much any summer day activity for any age group. The large rock placed conveniently right next to the picnic bench seems to also be a popular place for kids to climb and sit on top of.
Overheard: “C’mon, you can do it! Just grab my hand!” A kid yells down from on top of the large rock structure to their friend as they’re standing on top of the picnic bench trying to climb on top of the rock.
Did you know: The park underwent a revitalization in 2012 by Toronto architect and landscape collective PLANT.
Despite a project completion date of June, 2021, the Robert Street Park opened on Oct. 12. The delay was due to issues with groundwater management, according to construction workers executing emergency remedial measures at the site.
Robert St. Park
60 Sussex Ave.
Time: 4:00 p.m.
Grade: No Grade (last year n/a)
Reasons to go: After two years of construction, the Robert Street Park opened almost four months behind schedule, in late October. Delays were encountered due to issues with groundwater management according to construction workers executing emergency remedial measures at the site. The completed park features a winding path, grassy areas and seasonal plantings. U of T hopes it will bring enjoyment to residents of Harbord Village and surrounding neighbourhoods.
Overheard: People riding by on their bikes and taking walks.
Did you know: The park will also feature the country’s deepest and largest geothermal project underneath the adjacent field. The geothermal technology will aid in the University of Toronto lowering their greenhouse gas emissions for heating and cooling their new residence building.
The Doctor’s Parkette may not be the greenest park but it is often a valuable meeting place for those visiting Kensington Gardens next door.
Doctor’s Parkette
15 Brunswick Ave.
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Grade: C- (last year C)
Reasons to go: A nice resting spot but very easily missed. This is partly due to its location at College Street and Brunswick Avenue right beside Kensington Health. The design of the stone tiling and lack of big trees doesn’t exactly scream ‘park’ to the average passerby. The tile work is artful to be fair, but it’s currently being ruined by the copious amount of cigarette butts on the ground falling in between the paving stones. Due to the lack of older trees there’s little shade in the parkette during the day. At night the lighting is really beautiful, but most people aren’t looking for a place to relax and enjoy the outdoors at night. It’s a good place to rest, take a phone call or have your lunch break, if you can withstand the traffic noise.
Overheard: “See, that’s the same pigeon. He comes by every time you’re out here to see you I swear.” A man tells his elderly mother as they sit in the park chatting.
Did you know: The parkette was formerly known as the Brunswick-College Parkette but was renamed to recognize the many prominent doctors who have lived and worked in the neighbourhood over the years as well as to acknowledge the rich history of hospitals in the area.
At a time when indoor seating at coffee shops was still restricted, Village of Yorkville Park offered a sanctuary for remote workers with its bistro tables and chairs.
Village of Yorkville Park
115 Cumberland St.
Time: 3:00 p.m.
Grade: B (last year B)
Reasons to go: As the pandemic has continued and certain restrictions have remained, this park has been consistently busy. In the heart of Yorkville close to Bay station, it is always teeming with people having coffee, taking meetings, working on their laptops or having their lunch break while working at any of nearby businesses. The architecture and landscape is unique and pleasing to look at and the abundant café tables and chairs are convenient. There’s no grass to sit on and every tree and flower bush is strategically placed and sectioned off within the park which doesn’t necessarily give you the break in nature that other parks in the city offer. It’s also not a great place for kids: there’s no playground structure but there is a giant rock in the middle on which you can usually spot one or two kids climbing. It still provides a little bit of an oasis in a busy and very commercial area of the city and is a great place to take a break from the surrounding chaos, if you can find a spot to sit.
Overheard: “Look at the camera!” A woman says to a teenager who is feeding and training multiple pigeons to climb up her and sit on her shoulders and hands.
Did you know: Victorian row houses used to occupy the space where the park sits but were demolished to help build the Bloor subway line. The eleven garden plots that are throughout the park actually trace the property lines of the demolished houses.
Walmer Road Parkette kind of feels like it was meant to be a private courtyard type area for the people who live in the town houses so it can feel almost intrusive to hang out in.
Walmer Road Parkette
227 Walmer Rd.
Time: 4:00 p.m.
Grade: B (last year C+)
Reasons to go: This is a really beautiful and small parkette in the middle of a row of gorgeous townhouses. It’s very well maintained with beautiful flowers and large pine trees. Four wooden benches lining the pathway facing the gardens provide a nice place to sit and relax. Because it’s a small residential street it’s very quiet, but because of that as well it sort of feels like you’re sitting in people’s front yard. The parkette kind of feels like it was meant to be a private courtyard type area for the people who live in the town houses so it can feel almost intrusive to hang out in. It seems like a nice detour to take if you’re walking around the Casa Loma area where you can avoid the busy streets and maybe take a breather but it’s definitely not great for any big activities.
Overheard: “Do you like close ups or full body shots?” “Both.” A conversation between a photographer and the woman modelling for them while they took photos on a set of townhouse steps nearby.
November 11th, 2021 · Comments Off on FOCUS: Gleaner sits down with Jessica Bell (Fall 2021)
With less than a year before the provincial election our MPP reflects
MPP Jessica Bell has had an eventful first term serving her riding of University-Rosedale with the pandemic likely affecting at least half of her four years. Over a year into COVID-19 and less than one year left before the next election, Bell reflects on her term thus far and what’s to come. MADELINE SMART/GLEANER NEWS
By Madeline Smart
MPP Jessica Bell has spent her first term representing University-Rosedale mostly serving throughout the unprecedented times of the COVID-19 pandemic but she hasn’t let that dampen her experience.
Elected in 2018, Bell is also the NDP critic for urban planning and transit.
In an interview with the Gleaner, Bell said the pandemic has been challenging especially when the community engagement work that a politician would typically do like in-person events, door-to-door canvassing, and having people to testify at Queen’s Park, has been banned for a year-and-a-half.
“It’s been such an honour [to serve University-Rosedale],” says Bell. “I’m lucky because Queen’s Park is in the University-Rosedale area so I get to live and breathe legislative work and the community work at the same time every single day.”
With regular heat advisories happening in the city, MPP Jessica Bell (University-Rosedale) and MPP Suze Morrison (Toronto Centre) co-mediated a virtual tenant town hall to help renters know their rights when it comes to keeping cool during the summer.
The meeting was a forum for renters struggling to have an air conditioning (AC) unit in their apartment. Helle Hulgaard, a paralegal at West Toronto Legal Services, attended to debunk some of the legal misconceptions on installing an AC unit in your apartment. Prophetess Reid, a tenant organizer, spoke about the process of starting the tenant organization in her own building, the benefits of having one in these situations.
“Toronto city bylaws are very clear that tenants are allowed to have a window [AC] unit,” said Hulgaard.
The consensus of the meeting was that there are no bylaws against having AC in apartments and everyone is able to exercise that, despite what a landlord might say.
Being a long-term community advocate and the NDP critic for housing and tenant rights, this kind of tenant town hall fits perfectly into Bell’s wheelhouse.
The pandemic also created problems for her constituents and the riding’s economy that she could have never predicted when she was elected. Still, Bell says she’s grateful the pandemic made existing problems impossible to ignore so that resolutions could be made, like the situations in long-term care homes.
“The public’s awareness of the failings of our long-term care system has risen, people understand that we need to do a whole lot better,” said Bell.
One of her most memorable moments of serving during the pandemic was hearing first-hand about how dire the situation was in long-term care homes, not just for the residents but also for the people working in them. She adds that successfully petitioning the government into increasing the number of direct care hours residents of those facilities receive to four a day was a highlight.
Now with just under a year left of her first term, Bell’s main goal going forward is to push the NDP’s Green New Deal and get re-elected in order to “rapidly implement it.”
Her second goal is to address the city’s affordable housing crisis.
“There are whole generations of people, young people, newcomers, middle-income people. Even upper middle-income people who can no longer afford to rent or buy a home in our city,” Bell said. “The provincial government has the jurisdictional authority to take groundbreaking steps to make housing more affordable and we need to do it.”
Current polls are showing Liberals leading in popularity with 35.2 per cent, Conservatives have dropped down to 29.8 per cent and the NDP are sitting at 17.9 per cent despite being the official minority. Bell says she stands by her party and is confident that they will succeed in raising those numbers by the next election.
Bell also highlighted the drop in popularity for the Conservatives and Premier Doug Ford due to their handling of COVID-19.
“People no longer trust Doug Ford to do the right thing, he’s shown that he’s incapable of listening to public health, putting people first, as he navigated us through this pandemic,” said Bell.
“That is clear, his popularity is dropping and it should be our goal as a party to make it very clear that Andrea Horvath should be the next premier.”
Bell says she tries to ignore the polls and chooses to focus on being the best representative for her riding that she can be.
“It’s the voters’ job to decide,” she says. “My hope is that they will choose me but my job is to just do the best job I can.”
The next provincial election is set to happen on or before June 2, 2022.
November 11th, 2021 · Comments Off on ARTS: Get other-worldly at the Toronto Reference Library (Fall 2021)
Fall of 2021 is as good a time as any to escape planet earth
Science fiction writer Judith Merril in the Spaced-Out Library, then located at 566 Palmerston Ave., 1975. Courtesy Toronto Star Photograph Archive from the Toronto Public Library website
By Meribeth Deen
Back in 1969, Judith Merril, “the little mother of science fiction,” wanted to escape a world where anti-war demonstrators were persecuted, so she crossed the border and made Toronto her home. In that first year living in Toronto, she founded a library at Rochdale College, a free university where students and teachers lived together and learned from one another. In 1970, Merril donated the 5,000 books that made up that library to the Toronto Public Library to create what is now fondly known as the Spaced Out Library. From now until January 2, 2022, you can explore the vast repository of weird, wonderful otherworldly books at the Toronto Reference Library (789 Yonge St).
The Merril Collection of Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction and Fantasy, as it is officially known, has grown to include more than 80,000 items and is recognized as one of the world’s premier collections of the genre. It covers parallel worlds, dystopias, epic fantasy, horror, space fiction, ESP and more. The collection included not only fiction books, but also non-fiction critical works, biographies, pulp magazines, graphic novels, manuscripts, periodicals, original art and role-playing game books. Highlights include the first editions of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and HG Wells’ War of the Worlds. If you find yourself at the Spaced Out Library, you can also check out rare books like the Codex Seraphinianus, by the Milanese designer and artist Luigi Serafini, which is an encyclopedia of an imaginary world.
To get prepped for your visit to Spaced Out, staff at the Merril Collection have created a reading list of speculative fiction that spans 18 sub-genres. Maybe you’ve never considered yourself a fan of fantasy or sci-fi – but why not give it a try with some of these recommendations? And if you just want to step cautiously out of this world – just pick up a short story. The long-time head of the collection, Lorna Toolis (who passed away in August, 2021) said Ray Bradbury’s The Sound of Thunder was the most requested short story ever.
Authors including Neil Gaiman, Cory Doctorow and Lois Bujold have all visited this collection, so why not count yourself among them?
If you really don’t want to – but really love books, the Bloor St. Culture Corridor has plenty of other bookish events and activities to offer this month. Between October 14 and 16th, A Different Booklist will host the Black and Caribbean Book Affair Online, showcasing new books by some of the country’s foremost Black educators, poets, and novelists. Each event (live-streamed over Facebook) will host bold discussions on issues of race, colour, education, discrimination, identity, COVID-19, self-empowerment and more.
The Miles Nadal JCC will be hosting a book launch on October 14 for author David Weitzner, celebrating his new book, Connected Capitalism: How Jewish Wisdom Can Transform Work.
To find a complete list of events and offerings being put forward on the Bloor St. Culture Corridor, go to bloorstculturecorridor.comRoc and look on the “Things to Do” page.
Comments Off on ARTS: Get other-worldly at the Toronto Reference Library (Fall 2021)Tags:Annex · Arts
November 11th, 2021 · Comments Off on SPORTS: IBL Maple Leafs fall one win short of championship (Fall 2021)
Baseball’s return to Christie Pits provided fans with thrills and great memories
On Sept. 30 at Domicio Field, Sean Reilly is mobbed by his teammates after hitting a walk-off home run that gave the Toronto Maple Leafs a 6-5 win over the London Majors to force a deciding game in the IBL Championship Series. R.S. KONJEK/GLEANER NEWS
By R.S. Konjek
Toronto Maple Leafs baseball returned to Christie Pits this summer after a year away because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
For fans who weathered doldrums for 23 months, it was like the sun bursting through on an overcast day. At a recent game, many were happy to express what Leafs baseball means to them.
Brent Ruttan has been a regular attendee of Leafs games for over 20 years.
“Oh terribly,” he replied when asked if he missed watching live baseball. “There wasn’t anything to do.”
Like many, Ruttan was first drawn to the Pits out of curiosity, having heard that there was an Intercounty Baseball League team with the “Maple Leafs” moniker. Like many, he was hooked right away.
“It’s free for one thing,” he said. “The baseball is good, and it’s a terrific league.”
Unlike most sports clubs, the Maple Leafs do not sell tickets to games. This means that fans can sit, stand, or sprawl out anywhere around the diamond.
Craig Aikin loves the laissez-faire arrangement. Since attending his first game in 2010, Aikin has been bringing his camera kit to the Pits, where he can indulge his dual hobbies of both watching and photographing baseball.
“I like being this close to shoot baseball,” he said before aiming his camera over a fence planted mere metres away from third base. “You can’t do it with the Jays, and there’s no other pro league near here that would let me get this close.”
For newer fans, the unique character of the below-ground ballpark resonates.
Ken McFadden’s first visit to Christie Pits was in 2019. He tagged along to watch his friend – Leafs outfielder Marcus Knecht – take the field for the home team. After a summer away, he and Knecht were both back.
“It feels like you’re in a bowl, an amphitheatre” he said as he gazed around from the seats behind home plate. “It feels like you have sixty thousand people over you.”
The Leafs neither announce nor tally attendance, but when fans turn out in numbers as they did this summer, it can feel to some like being surrounded by multitudes.
Club owner Jack Dominico and general manager Damon Topolie treated their returning fans to a team that was big and brash. The 2021 Leafs featured a lineup of sluggers the likes of which has not been seen at the Pits in some time.
They signed a couple of big-hitting players from other clubs: 2019 league MVP Jordan Castaldo from the Barrie Baycats, and the league’s all-time leader in hits, home runs, and runs-batted-in, Sean Reilly from the Guelph Royals.
Each Wednesday night and Sunday afternoon in July and August, the Christie faithful watched their Leafs blast more home runs than any other team in the league – 59 in total, almost twice as many as the next-closest team.
The Leafs finished second in the regular season standings, their best finish since 2011.
August gave way to September and the IBL postseason.
In their opening round best-of-three series, Toronto faced the Hamilton Cardinals.
On September 9 at Christie Pits, the Leafs got the series off to a booming start. Sean Reilly did what he was signed to do, hitting two home runs en route to racking up five hits and five RBIs. The Leafs recorded 21 hits in total and won a 21-6 blowout.
The following night, Game 2 was played in Hamilton and it was clear that the Cardinals had not recovered from being demolished in the previous encounter. The Leafs took an early lead and cruised away to an 8-2 victory. The win sealed a series sweep and the Leafs advanced to the semifinals.
The Leafs’ next opponent was the Barrie Baycats, who were looking to win an unprecedented seventh straight championship.
The series opener was September 15 at Christie Pits. The Leafs hit three home runs and emerged with a 10-5 victory to wow the largest, noisiest home crowd of the year.
Wind at their backs, the Leafs travelled to Barrie three days later. There, they won a 13-11 nail-biter to sweep away the defending champions and their biggest rivals.
The Leafs advanced to the IBL Championship Series looking to with their first league title since 2007.
They faced the London Majors, who had finished the regular season in first place with a 22-8 record, six games better than the Leafs.
The best-of-five series was a back and forth battle.
After dropping the opener in London, the Leafs returned to Christie Pits on September 26 for Game 2. Powered by home runs by Justin Marra and Johnathan Solazzo, the Leafs won 6-4 to tie the series.
After losing again in London, the Leafs were back at the Pits on September 30 for Game 4. Facing elimination and down 4-0 in the sixth inning, the home nine forged a memorable comeback to tie the game and send it to extra innings.
Ten, eleven, twelve innings went into the books and the score remained tied 5-5. Finally, in the bottom of the thirteenth Sean Reilly hit an electrifying walk-off home run. The Leafs won 6-5 and forced a final deciding game in London the following night.
On October 1 in London, the Leafs season ended in disappointment. Despite taking an early 3-0 lead, the Leafs were unable to hold off the Majors and fell 8-4.
Even though the Leafs lost their final game and the championship, fans would be hard pressed to argue this season was unsuccessful. Baseball was back at Christie Pits.
After a year of doldrums, it was a glorious return. Hopefully next year will be even better.
September 8th, 2021 · Comments Off on ON THE COVER: PANDALAND lightens the atmosphere in Seaton Village (Aug. 2021)
Seaton Village neighbours enjoy PANDALAND created by Martha Davis to amuse and educate children. The installation includes over 70 toy pandas, along with a cinema, tea room, amusement park, and even a homeless encampment. COURTESY MARTHA DAVIS
It started with seven wicker baskets, seven plastic pandas, and a piece of string. In early June, Seaton Village resident Martha Davis created a panda zipline between a hydro pole and a tree on a stretch of public green space in front of St. Peter Catholic School.
Over the summer, the installation began to grow: community members donated toy pandas to the site, while Davis built a burgeoning mini-city around the zipline.
Today, PANDALAND—as it is now affectionately called—includes over 70 toy pandas, along with a cinema, tea room, amusement park, and infirmary. There’s even an encampment for pandas experiencing homelessness.
Davis, who lives across the road from the installation, originally built the zipline as a creative project for her enrichment program for young children. But now, the site has attracted children and families from across the Annex and beyond.
“Some children now visit two or three times a day, and parents sit behind them on the lawn,” she noted. “I do feel it has drawn the neighbourhood together.”
Davis usually observes the action from her front porch, and occasionally comes down to explain the installation to onlookers. As a retired second grade teacher, interacting with young children is second nature to Davis. She asks them probing questions about the site, and encourages them to think critically about the issues affecting PANDALAND and how they relate to the real world.
Her most recent addition to the installation is a white board with a referendum asking children how they would improve PANDALAND if they were a panda living there. They can vote to expand the amusement park, clean up the toxic lake and grow more bamboo, or build more housing for pandas experiencing homelessness. According to Davis, more than 30 kids cast votes on the first day of the “panda-lection.”
Meagan Saunders-Zappia, who stops by the site every other day with her three-year-old son Luca during their evening walks, is always surprised by the exhibit’s new additions.
“It seems every time we visit there is something new to see,” she said. “It’s quite amazing the effort and care [Martha] has taken in curating the experience.”
Lisa Taharally lives down the street from PANDALAND and also visits the installation almost every day with her two children Jasper and Violet.
“For people to have something fun to look forward to during such a hard time, with kids being at home for so long, this is fantastic,” she said.
For Davis, PANDALAND is meant to take people’s minds away from the pandemic, but is also a reflection of our shared lockdown experiences. The exhibit’s name alludes to its panda residents, but also has a double meaning as a portmanteau of “pandemic” and “land.”
“Everything [in the installation] is in flux, precarious, waving in the breeze,” she explained. “Like the little pandas, children have to keep going and make the best of it. And so do adults.”
Davis plans to take down the installation after Labour Day, when children are set to return to school.
—Joshua Chong/Gleaner News
Comments Off on ON THE COVER: PANDALAND lightens the atmosphere in Seaton Village (Aug. 2021)Tags:Annex · News
September 8th, 2021 · Comments Off on FEDERAL ELECTION 2021: Candidates queried (Aug. 2021)
Gleaner asks University-Rosedale hopefuls five key questions
Questions are compiled by the Gleaner editorial board and edited for length and clarity. Election date is September 20, 2021. For more information on voting, please visit elections.ca.
Question 1: In recent years, municipalities across Canada have declared a climate emergency. This summer’s heatwave and forest fires have made that emergency very real for many Canadians. How will your party respond to the climate crisis and the need for immediate action? Specifically, what measures will you advocate for in University-Rosedale and how will you lead locally?
Nicole Robicheau, New Democratic Party:
One reason why I made the jump into politics is that I am tired of seeing and experiencing the devastating effects of climate change while governments stand by and refuse to take action to help those most in need. As a humanitarian worker, I’ve been on the frontlines of climate change, seeing first-hand how natural disasters keep increasing year after year. And no matter where the disaster, it’s always the same people most severely impacted: those already marginalized, living in precarious conditions to begin with.
A New Democrat government will set a target of reducing Canada’s emissions by at least 50% from 2005 levels by 2030, reaching further wherever possible to account for Canada’s fair share. We will improve where we live and work, because these improvements help reduce carbon pollution, save money, and make life better for everyone. This means retrofitting all buildings in University-Rosedale (and Canada for that matter) by 2050. We will change how Canadians get around, because improving transit and getting our transportation infrastructure right will create jobs, strengthen communities, and reduce our carbon footprint. We will support local transit by permanently doubling the Canada Community-Building Fund and we will develop a public inter-city bus program. We will power our communities with carbon-free energy, and pursue a clean-energy revolution to power Canada into the future. To do this we will set a target of net carbon-free electricity by 2030, and move to 100% non-emitting electricity by 2040. An NDP government will also end all federal fossil fuel subsidies. Instead of subsidizing the profits of oil companies while they destroy our planet, we’ll use those billions to invest in clean energy, and we’ll place a wealth tax on the ultra-rich as well. Climate justice is economic justice and social justice.
Steven Taylor, Conservative:
Conservatives will fight climate change and protect the environment. We will also meet Canada’s commitments to the Paris accord and reduce emissions by 2030. But unlike Mr. Trudeau’s Liberals who want to do it by tripling their carbon tax and making gas and heating fuel more expensive for everybody, we won’t do it on the backs of hard-working Canadians. Particularly, we will not drive jobs and investment out of the country and thereby hurt the economy we all depend on.
The most efficient way to reduce our emissions is to use pricing mechanisms. Our market-based plan to combat climate change will therefore study the imposition of a carbon border tariff, to reflect the amount of carbon emissions attributed to goods imported into Canada. Producers in countries with emissions reductions mechanisms that are compatible with our own will be exempt.
Any serious plan must avoid hurting Canada’s growth, while the worst climate offenders do nothing. The present state of global trade allows some of the world’s worst polluters to become free riders to the detriment of Canadian workers. And carbon pricing should not result in Canadians sending billions of dollars of new tax revenue to the government – revenue it will be increasingly tempted to spend.
The Conservative plan brings the provinces together to talk about the next steps in climate action and how we can work together to meet Canada’s goal. This is the plan we put to the provinces as a federal partner and it is the plan that will give Canada the best chance to be a leader in climate action.
Tim Grant, Green Party:
Mission Possible, our 2019 climate action plan, was judged by Navius Research to be the only plan that would enable Canada to meet its international obligations of a 50 per cent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2030. This CBC-funded study concluded that none of the plans of the other parties came close. Today, a big reason to be skeptical of the latest promises from the Liberals, NDP and Conservatives to reduce carbon emissions is that they all support new oil and gas pipelines, which will do the opposite.
Among many measures, Mission Possible called for the following: a bus and rail grid that would provide hourly bus service between communities and deliver passengers to train stations, thus allowing Via Rail to run faster trains and more of them; a national retrofit of all buildings to dramatically improve their energy-efficiency and in the process create millions of jobs across the country; and an end to fossil fuel subsidies. The Liberals have given $28 billion to fossil-fuel companies since 2018, $10 billion alone since the pandemic began.
Here in University-Rosedale, I currently chair the NetZero Carbon project of the Harbord Village Residents’ Association. We are working on an ambitious 10-year project to demonstrate that a single neighbourhood can reduce carbon emissions by 50 per cent by 2030 from transportation and home heating. We hope to meet this goal by making it easier – and cheaper – for residents to replace their cars with electric bikes or cars and to make their houses more energy-efficient and comfortable. Each year, we’re organizing bulk purchases of these products and services and extending the opportunity to participate to 26 other Toronto neighbourhoods. We are doing this because of the absence of the federal and provincial leadership we need.
Chrystia Freeland, Liberal:
Climate change is real and it is important that Canada meets this moment with urgency and with the understanding that we are currently undertaking the most profound economic shift since the industrial revolution. That is why our Liberal government has put climate policy and the green transformation at the heart of our agenda. Unlike other political parties, we have a real plan to promote clean growth and ensure Canada is at the forefront of the global fight against climate change. Canadians cannot afford anything less than bold leadership on climate.
By 2030, our Liberal plan will have ended plastic pollution and thermal coal exports, and reduced methane emissions from oil and gas companies by 75 per cent compared to their 2012 levels. By 2035, all passenger vehicles sold in Canada will be zero emission, and all Canadians will have access to clean electricity thanks to a net-zero electricity grid. We will also support oil and gas workers across the country as Canada transitions to clean energy, and help train more firefighters to make communities more resilient to the impacts of climate change.
These commitments will help us meet our ambitious climate targets of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40-45 per cent by 2030, and build on the work we have accomplished over the past six years. Here in University—Rosedale, this has meant support for the Toronto Ravine Strategy under the $200 million Natural Infrastructure Fund, a program we will double in funding if re-elected; better public transit thanks to our $10 billion investment in the GTA to help TTC streetcars go green and to build line expansions; and more bike lanes with the National Active Transportation Strategy.
We also made Canada a world leader with the price on pollution, which will go up to $170 per tonne by 2030. It is a powerful driver of our green economy because it incentivizes lower emissions while giving money back to families. And, since 2015, our Liberal government has invested over $100 billion to ensure Canadian families and businesses are able to make the shift toward renewable energies. With green home retrofits, electric charging stations, preserving land and oceans, and the $8 billion Net Zero Accelerator Fund, which helps large industries go green, we have been there to support our country’s essential transition.
2. An overwhelming majority of Canadians support some form of vaccination passport program for access to non-essential services, while most provinces have done nothing to support such a move, forcing many organizations to create their own. Will your party step in to create a national standard?
Tim Grant:
Yes, we would. Vaccine certificates or passports will help to protect those in the most vulnerable situations and alleviate stress on an already over-burdened health-care system. Equally important, by reducing the transmission of COVID-19, it will help businesses and schools stay open.
While no one should be forced to get vaccinated, we must require it for those working in essential services, like health care. Ditto college and university students, and not just those living in residence. Making vaccination mandatory for those working in institutional settings will reduce anxiety levels and help to keep everyone safe and focussed on what they need to do.
While not getting vaccinated is a right, it comes with a responsibility to avoid doing harm to others. It is a privilege – not a right – to be able to go to a movie or a concert, or to eat in a restaurant. To avoid the mixing of the vaccinated with the unvaccinated in these non-essential settings, a vaccine passport must be a requirement for entry into all indoor settings.
The certificate we need should be standardized for the whole country and available in an electronic format. It must be simple and easy for use. We’ll also need options for people who don’t have smartphones. The focus of the federal and provincial governments has to be to make the rules as clear, simple, and fair as possible.
A pan-Canadian vaccination certificate would be ideal, given the amount of interprovincial travel, and to help overcome a patchwork of different policies from one province to another.
Those with and without vaccine passports will still face inconveniences in the months ahead, but that is the price of returning to work or studying in a school setting, versus not being able to do either.
Steven Taylor:
Vaccines are the single most important tool in the fight against COVID-19, and our party strongly encourages every Canadian who can to get vaccinated.
However, unlike our Liberal opponents, Conservatives also respect and support the right of all Canadians to make their own health choices – as long as unvaccinated people accept that with that right comes an obligation to respect the rights of others who chose vaccination. So, those who choose not to be vaccinated must also be prepared to accept additional workplace safety measures.
Conservatives recognize that provincial governments will continue to set their own public health measures, as is their constitutional right and obligation. Three Canadian provinces have already done so.
Chrystia Freeland:
Our position on vaccines is clear – they are the single most important economic and public health policy. If you are not fully vaccinated and eligible for a vaccine, please book an appointment today. Thanks to our procurement efforts Canada has an abundant supply of vaccines.
A re-elected Liberal government will absolutely support provinces and territories, including Ontario, looking to implement vaccine requirements for public spaces and non-essential businesses, through a $1 billion COVID-19 Proof of Vaccination Fund. And I am proud that we are requiring all Liberal candidates to be vaccinated, and that as a government we are making vaccines mandatory for federal workers, and people travelling on planes, trains, and cruise ships. It is the minimum commitment that anyone seeking to form government should make to their fellow Canadians.
Vaccines are the only way that we will be able to avoid an aggressive and devastating fourth wave. Making sure that all eligible Canadians get vaccinated is the only way to be sure that our children can go back to school in-person and see their friends safely.
Nicole Robicheau:
Canadian families should be able to access vaccine passports as easily as possible. New Democrats have called on the Liberal government to get all provinces to sign on to a vaccine passport, and ensure the passport is in place by Labour Day.
Question 3: The pandemic shone a light on the housing and affordability crisis in Toronto as well as other major cities across Canada. It also exposed the inadequate support we give to the houseless population. How would your party move forward and work to correct these issues? Would you advocate for federal investment in affordable housing – specifically, would you provide federal operational funding to assist TCHC with its capital repairs as well as provide capital for more affordable units?
Tim Grant:
In this election, all of the parties will promise to fund large amounts of affordable housing. We’re no different. In 2019, we proposed a ten-year plan to annually build 25,000 units of affordable new housing and rehabilitate another 15,000, such as those maintained by Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC). And we showed in our budget how we would pay for it.
While that promise remains, I want to answer this question differently. Since housing is a provincial responsibility, we propose a federal Minister of Housing be appointed to work with the provinces to ensure that annual targets of building and renovating affordable housing units are met.
We would cancel first-time homeowner grants. As election promises, they sound great. But they are counter-productive because they drive up housing costs for the very people they were designed to serve.
We also advocate for an additional way to increase the supply of affordable housing. That is to require cities that receive federal funds to mandate that 30 per cent of units in every new condo building be affordable and available for those with special needs. This would create 30,000 affordable units in Toronto per year. Beside the benefit of having rich and poor riding the same elevators, it would allow tens of thousands of low-income Torontonians to live closer to their workplaces, thus reducing congestion on the TTC and our roads.
Housing co-ops and church-led public housing projects are another key part of the solution. Both have proven to provide better governance than large municipal projects and should be supported with federal funds. Similarly, many non-profits with programs that support the homeless have achieved excellent results and they too deserve federal funding.
Finally, we also advocate for cities to receive more than the 10 per cent of all tax dollars, in order to better address homelessness in their midst.
Chrystia Freeland:
We know that the recent and rapid rise in housing prices has made it difficult for Canadian families, very much including people here in our community, to find an affordable place to call home. And we are absolutely committed to helping Torontonians, and all Canadians, achieve their dream of becoming homeowners. That is why housing affordability is a core pillar of our Liberal platform.
We will help young Canadian families become homeowners, by creating a First Home Savings Account (in which Canadians under 40 will be able to save and withdraw up to $40,000 tax free) and by doubling the First-Time Home Buyer’s Tax Credit. We will also build and repair 1.4 million homes over the next four years. And we will continue the important work started in our recent budget to ensure Canadian homes are for families, not passive investment vehicles. We will expand the new tax on vacant housing owned by non-resident, non-Canadians to include vacant land, and we will put in place a two-year ban on foreign ownership of Canadian homes.
And, importantly for our community, we will more than double the current funding of the National Housing Co-investment, which has provided $1.34 billion to Toronto Community Housing Corporation’s (TCHC) aging social housing portfolio.
This is in addition to the $200 million we invested to build six residential buildings with 916 rental units at Mirvish Village. 366 of these units are provided at rents at or below 30 per cent of the median household income, including 100 units secured at 80 per cent of Average Market Rent for the City of Toronto. We have also put in place the $70 billion National Housing Strategy, and the $2.5 billion Rapid Housing Initiative which has provided the City of Toronto with over $300 million to build affordable housing. We have been working since 2015 to make life more affordable for all Canadian families, including those who live in the Annex, and that is exactly what we will continue to do.
Nicole Robicheau:
A New Democrat government will create at least 500,000 units of quality, affordable housing in the next ten years, with half of that done within five years. This will be achieved with the right mix of effective measures that work in partnership with provinces and municipalities. We will build capacity for social, community, and affordable housing providers, provide rental support for co-ops, and meet environmental energy efficiency goals. In order to kick-start the construction of co-ops, social and non-profit housing, and break the logjam that has prevented these groups from accessing housing funding, we will set up dedicated fast-start funds to streamline the application process and help communities get the expertise and assistance they need to get projects off the ground now, not years from now. We’ll mobilize federal resources and lands for these projects, turning unused and under-used properties into vibrant new communities. New Democrats believe that housing is a human right, and we’ll ensure it’s treated as such.
Steven Taylor:
Conservatives believe all Canadians should have a chance to build the life they dream of and to live on a street with good neighbours. Unfortunately, while housing prices continue to soar to historic highs, Mr.Trudeau’s Liberals are failing to make homes more affordable for Canadians, especially for young, first-time home buyers. It’s a crisis and Mr. Trudeau’s flashy announcements and promises of ever-increasing spending will not fix it. We need a housing plan in Canada that gets homes built and empowers Canadians to be able to own a home in their lifetime.
A Conservative government will therefore create or free up a million homes in the next three years by releasing as much as 15 per cent of federally-owned buildings into the housing market, placing a two-year moratorium on foreign investors who live outside the country and making changes to the mortgage stress test. We will also be looking at converting office space into housing and to help the equally important rental market, our housing plan will allow developers to defer capital gains taxes – if they reinvest in rental properties.
Question 4: The pandemic has hurt our country’s economy and many of Ontario’s small businesses took the brunt of it. How will your party work to support small businesses as we continue through the COVID-19 pandemic?
Chrystia Freeland:
Small and medium-sized businesses are the cornerstone of Canada’s economy. So, it has been our Liberal government’s priority to help them weather the pandemic and rebound in the recovery. This is a key focus of our recent budget and platform.
When the pandemic hit, we introduced targeted support to help hard-hit businesses and organizations. These include the wage subsidy, which has protected over 2.1 million jobs in Ontario, and the rent subsidy and lockdown support, which have provided over $1.8 billion in support to Ontario businesses. And, while our economy has already started to come roaring back, we know that we must continue to support small business owners and workers as we finish the fight against COVID, and into the recovery.
To jumpstart economic growth, our Liberal government implemented the Canada Recovery Hiring Program which encourages businesses to take on the risk of hiring new workers by helping cover their wages. If we are re-elected, this support will be extended until the end of March. We have also put in place a digital adoption program, which gives micro-grants and zero-interest loans to businesses looking to adopt new technologies. And businesses are now also able to expense up to $1.5 million of their capital investments over the next three years to help them grow. For hard-hit sectors like tourism, hospitality, arts and culture that are still unable to fully reopen, we will provide further targeted support to help them get through the next few months.
We will always be there for those hardest-hit by the pandemic, including through the recovery, to ensure no one is left behind.
Nicole Robicheau:
We know there’s so much more to do to help the small businesses that our communities rely on. That’s why New Democrats pushed the Liberal government to create stronger small business wage and rent subsidy programs than the Liberals had originally planned, and we know these programs saved people’s jobs. We’ll make sure these continue until small businesses are able to fully reopen. To help small businesses get people back to work, we’ll put in place a long-term hiring bonus to pay the employer portion of EI and CPP for new or rehired staff. New Democrats will keep working hard for small businesses to tackle issues that impact their bottom line. As more and more small businesses rely on credit card and virtual transactions, we’ll put an end to gouging by capping high credit card merchant fees at a maximum of 1%.
Steven Taylor:
Small business is the engine of the Canadian economy. There are nearly a million enterprises with fewer than 100 employees and nearly 70 per cent of working Canadians work for them. Together they produce more than 40 per cent of Canada’s wealth. Yet, contra the ‘we’re all in this together’ slogan, small businesses right across Canada has indeed ‘borne the brunt’ of official COVID-19 responses. Often deemed ‘non-essential,’ small businesses were disproportionately shut down, the employees sent home and years of sweat equity destroyed in a few days. Under Mr. Trudeau’s watch, tens of thousands of these businesses closed for good, even as they watched massive competitors like big-box stores and online web-giants stay open, make record profits and pay huge dividends to their shareholders.
Mr. O’Toole’s Conservatives will rebuild the struggling main street. And we will rebuild the streets behind main street where the small industries are, by providing incentives to invest in, rebuild and even start new businesses.
Our plan to put small business back on its feet includes:
The Main Street Business Loan that would make available loans of up to $200,000 to help small and medium businesses in hospitality, retail, and tourism get back on their feet, with up to 25 per cent forgiven.
The Canada Investment Accelerator tax credit, a 5 per cent investment tax credit for any capital investment made in 2022 and 2023, with the first $25,000 to be refundable for small business
To make it easier to hire new talent, the Conservative Job Surge Plan will pay up to 50 per cent of the salary of net new hires for six months following the end of CEWS
The Rebuild Main Street Tax Credit will provide a 25 per cent tax credit on amounts up to $100,000 that Canadians personally invest in a small business over the next two years
Mr. Trudeau’s supposed business-relief programs were too little, too late, and often hard to access. The Conservative plan puts the power of credit, wage support and tax relief behind Canada’s entrepreneurs. And, it will be sufficient, quickly delivered, and easy to access.
Tim Grant:
During the worst of the pandemic, small businesses relied on federal support programs to survive. Similar federal supports will be needed to enable those same businesses to emerge from the pandemic. But this time – to reduce the cost – financial support should no longer be given to large, profitable corporations.
Several key Green programs would provide less obvious support to small businesses. Our pharmacare plan will reduce the time lost to sickness by employees. (We propose to pay the provincial share for the first 2 years so a national plan can be implemented right away.) Our proposal for a guaranteed liveable income would increase consumer spending, enable thousands to start new businesses, and bring increased investment to existing, small businesses. Our national retrofit program will make all buildings more energy-efficient, thus reducing energy costs.
And of course, a shift away from fossil fuels will create opportunities for hundreds of thousands of innovative new businesses to emerge, whether selling electric bikes or more durable consumer goods.
We would require successful bidders on federal infrastructure contracts to maximize the spin-off community benefits of such contracts. This will strengthen opportunities for Indigenous, Métis and Inuit-owned businesses, social enterprise, co-operatives and diverse suppliers in nearby communities to benefit from those infrastructure projects.
Finally, because cities receive only 10 per cent of all the tax dollars collected by all levels of government within their borders, they are too reliant on property and small business taxes. We are committed to enabling cities to gain charter city status, so that their decisions can’t be overturned by provincial governments and they have the funds they need to fulfill all the responsibilities placed on them, without being so reliant on homeowners and small businesses.
Question 5: The People’s Republic of China has detained two Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, for over 1,000 days – what is your plan for saving these victims of hostage diplomacy in particular, and more generally, how will you hold Beijing to international norms on human rights?
Nicole Robicheau:
As a humanitarian worker with a background in human rights, I firmly believe all nations should be held to account in terms of upholding human rights, including Canada. A New Democrat government will stand up to China with a strong and coherent strategy to defend Canadian interests at home and abroad. We will work with our allies to lead a robust and coordinated international response to China’s disregard of the rule of law. New Democrats will call out human rights abuses by China, stand with Hong Kong pro-democracy asylum seekers, and provide coordinated support for those facing threats by Chinese entities here in Canada.
Steven Taylor, Conservative:
We must show we’re willing to stand up for our interests, our citizens and our values, sometimes with tough and difficult decisions – like sanctions. What you don’t do is pretend everything is fine, as Mr. Trudeau has done.
You therefore don’t host the People’s Liberation Army for training exercises in Canada or try to joint-venture a COVID vaccine with Beijing and get dumped in the process, or stay silent as Hong Kong democracy is suppressed and the Muslim Uighur minority is persecuted. And you don’t say that among all the governments of the world, you most admire China’s because it knows how to ‘get things done.’
We need to be clear what China does. It is rapidly building up its capacity to make war, and to extend its influence in the South China Sea. It threatens Taiwan. It steals intellectual property, dictates the terms of trade and as in the case of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, kidnaps non-citizens to exert leverage over their countries. In fact, even as Canadian athletes train for next year’s Winter Olympics in China, Mr. O’Toole warns ‘we are approaching a point where it won’t be safe for Canadians, including Olympic athletes, to travel to China.’
China does not act like a partner or a friend. The cases against Spavor and Kovrig are outrageous and contrived. There are no magic solutions and to the degree their detention is related to the case of Huawei executive Meng, detained under a U.S.-Canadian extradition treaty, the solution is not even entirely in our hands.
However, for the first nine months of their imprisonment, we didn’t even have an ambassador in China, thanks to Mr. Trudeau’s hand-picked, Liberal insider John McCallum.
So, the first necessity is a serious, professional approach. Inaction, weakness and self-delusion have not worked.
Tim Grant:
Canada needs to take two important steps to confront China for the imprisonment of the two Michaels, the imprisonment of more than one million Uyghurs, and the suppression of democracy in Hong Kong. The first is to develop a coalition of countries that can apply collective pressure on China to improve its dismal human rights record. Many other countries also face retaliation by China, so forming a large coalition will not be difficult. Multilateral efforts have a much greater impact than if countries like Canada act alone.
The second step is to reduce trade with China and any other country that routinely violates human rights. While China is our second largest trading partner, they represent only 4 per cent of our imports and 6 per cent of our exports. It will be easier to reduce our economic dependency on that large country if we succeed in building a coalition of countries willing to stand up to it.
Much of what we export to China are raw materials. We’ve long known that more – and higher-paying – jobs would be created if we processed those raw materials into finished and semi-finished products. But we’ve lacked the political leadership to make that happen. To reduce trade with China, we’ll need to re-develop our manufacturing base, which will in turn help to reduce the supply chain problems that have plagued much of our economy since the pandemic began.
China’s abysmal human rights record now provides another incentive to do what we’ve long needed to do. If we follow both steps, we’ll be a much stronger position to free the two Michaels, and more broadly, force China to start respecting human rights.
Chrystia Freeland:
Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor are two very brave Canadians, who are behaving with incredible decency and incredible courage in very difficult circumstances. I want to assure all Canadians that we will not rest until both Michaels are able to come home. We condemn in the strongest possible terms China’s arbitrary detention and sentencing of the two Michaels.
In February 2021, we launched the Declaration Against Arbitrary Detention in State-to-State Relations, which has been endorsed by 66 countries. We will continue to implement domestic measures to protect Canadians and work closely with our friends, allies, and partners to respond to illegal and unacceptable behaviour by authoritarian states, including China, Russia, and Iran.
-Compiled by Nicole Stoffman
READ MORE FROM THE 2019 FEDERAL ELECTION:
FOCUS: Federal election candidates queried (Oct. 2019)
September 8th, 2021 · Comments Off on NEWS: Palmerston Avenue garden razed (Aug. 2021)
TDSB staff face a wall of criticism from neighbours and volunteers
Once full community gardens along Palmerston Avenue Junior Public School now empty. MADELINE SMART/ GLEANER NEWS
By Madeline Smart
On July 16, the community gardens at Palmerston Avenue Junior Public School which had stood for over 20 years were reduced to stubble without warning. The gardens have been a labour of love for generations of students, parents and community members since its inception, and were also a cornerstone of the school’s environmental education program.
The site of the former community garden, now turf. BRIAN BURCHELL/GLEANER NEWS
On the day of their removal, the school’s principal, Rory Sullivan posted to the school’s community blog that the gardens had been removed by the Facilities Team due to “health and safety issues.” The post added that “evidence of vermin, syringes, blocking windows, roots getting into the foundation,” were all issues that led to the decision to remove the gardens. However, no one at the school or in the community was made aware of these issues prior to this post.
“We were all surprised,” said Trustee Chris Moise, who said that neither he nor the principal and the superintendent knew what had happened to the gardens until members of the community made them aware of it.
“For me the lesson learned is that we don’t want that to happen again to any of our schools, ‘’ Moise said.
The community wants the same but they also want some accountability.
A community engagement policy made by the TDSB in 2012 outlines that the community is to have a role in planning and decision-making within the education system and should be consulted when changes to it are made. The community at Palmerston Avenue Junior Public School feel as if this policy was violated when the gardens were taken down without their knowledge.
“It felt as if they just said to us ‘thanks for a hundred plus hours of labour but we’re going to destroy it’ and it’s unfair,” said Howard Law. Law and his wife Henny Markus have been working on the school’s garden since their daughter first enrolled in 2000 and have continued in the years after her graduation.
Markus, a professional gardener, was integral in expanding the gardens to include multiple plots. She just wished there had been a conversation, she said. She and other community members tending to the gardens kept in regular contact with the school and its grounds team – even during the pandemic. According to the couple, around half a dozen volunteers had been working on maintaining the gardens during COVID-19. They feel that if there were any issues, these volunteers could have fixed them.
“The most I’ve ever found [in the garden] have been pencils, pens, tennis balls and the occasional soccer ball,” said Markus. “You target the area where you think there’s problems with the foundation, you don’t completely destroy the garden.”
Law and Markus don’t know if they or other volunteers will return to working on the gardens when they get replanted.
The school and the trustee say they want to rectify the situation as much as anyone else.
“My intention here is really to have a meeting with the community and the principal and the superintendent to talk about their concerns and more importantly find a way forward because we want to replace the gardens and frankly it shouldn’t be at the cost of the community, it should be at the cost of the TDSB,” Moise said.
“For me this is a systemic issue that we need to address in a systemic way,” he added.
Moise predicts that the meeting will take place sometime early in September once school is back.
Comments Off on NEWS: Palmerston Avenue garden razed (Aug. 2021)Tags:Annex · News
September 8th, 2021 · Comments Off on NEWS: Report urges reduction of traffic lanes on Avenue Road (Aug. 2021)
Cyclist death spotlights lack of bike lanes in the plan
The Avenue Road Safety Coalition proposes reducing Avenue Road from six lanes to four and adding a linear park. COURTESY BROWN AND STOREY
By Madeline Smart
Toronto architecture firm Brown and Storey have teamed up with the Avenue Road Safety Coalition (ARSC) to transform Avenue Road into a safer and more enjoyable place for pedestrians, but what about cyclists?
Avenue Road is known for its narrow sidewalks and expressway-like street. The City of Toronto found that on average 60,000 cars speed on the road in a week, which is unsafe – but not just for pedestrians. On August 18, an 18-year-old cyclist was struck and killed by a cement truck on Avenue Road. Both the young cyclist and the truck were traveling northbound past Bloor Street in the curb lane. Police suspect that the cement truck may have not given the cyclist enough room and didn’t even realize he had been in a collision until witnesses grabbed his attention. This was 2021’s first fatal bike collision in the city, but there have been fifteen other serious and fatal collisions on Avenue Road between Bloor Street and St. Clair Avenue since 2006, according to police data.
The report from Brown and Storey imagines removing the outer two lanes of traffic, reducing the current six lanes to four. It outlines asymmetrically distributing the spaces gained from removing the lanes so the west sidewalk can be widened by 3.5 metres while leaving just over eight metres of space for the east side, allowing a linear park to be created which could provide potential linkages to the Green Line and strengthen the connection to Ramsden Park. However, protected bike lanes were left out.
Their goal is to restore the balance between pedestrian and driver needs by bringing the street back to what it was in 1950 before the extra lanes were created to accommodate more cars.
Albert Koehl, a coordinator with ARSC says the chosen plan will not only be more consistent with the area and its needs but also with current city policies.
“It provides an opportunity for us to further achieve city policies in terms of climate change, road safety, even equity and public health,” said Koehl.
Ry Shissler, communication manager for cycling advocacy group Cycle Toronto and an Annex resident, believes the accepted plan sends the message to cyclists that they aren’t a priority.
“They say they want to take a step back to the 1950s when the road was last changed and to me, you’re setting the precedent if you don’t address cycling that for the next 50 years cycling isn’t welcome there,” Shissler said.
Koehl is also an avid cyclist and cycling advocate. From his perspective, making the temporary Yonge Street bike lanes permanent is more important than what’s happening on Avenue Road.
“We want to see the pedestrianization of Avenue Road,” Koel said. He added that Avenue Road isn’t in desperate need of a bike lane because there are not many shops on the street compared to Yonge Street, and with a bike lane on Poplar Plains Road and the one on Davenport Road scheduled for improvements, putting one on Avenue is less of a priority.
“Equally important is that Avenue Road will be 100 percent better for everyone with this plan – on a bike, on foot or on transit because it would be a much, much, much friendlier, slower community-oriented street than it is now with its six speeding lanes.”
The recent cyclist accident has sparked an outcry from cycling advocates and politicians for protected bike lanes on Avenue Road and other major roads in the city. Council passed a pilot safety program last year that involved adding a temporary cycling lane to the street, but that initiative ended up being put off because of ongoing construction in the area. The plan will however be re-examined this fall.
Correction:
Ry Shissler, who uses they/them pronouns, was misgendered in the story “Report urges reduction of traffic lanes on Avenue Road.” The error occurred in both the August 2021 print issue of the Annex Gleaner, as well as the initial online version, which is now corrected. The Gleaner regrets the error.
