February 21st, 2025 · Comments Off on CHATTER: Toronto’s first homicide of 2025 occurs in the Annex (Feb. 2025)
A makeshift memorial appears at the scene of the crime: Paul Martel Park on Madison Avenue. ELEANOR VIEIRA-SILVA/GLEANER NEWS
On Jan. 26, at approximately 12:36 a.m. Toronto Police Services (TPS) responded to a call for a “wounding” near Paul Martel Park located on Madison Avenue just north of Bloor. This wounding would later become a homicide, Toronto’s first homicide of 2025.
Darapheakdey “Daral” Sovann, 27, was found Sunday morning with life threatening injuries. First aid was administered at the scene, and he was rushed to the hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. Police ruled this as a homicide, and in a critical incident alert that was sent out by the Community Crisis Response Program, the incident was described as a “swarming.”
A swarming refers to a violent robbery involving two or more assailants. Swarmings are among the most random crimes police respond to, making them even harder to solve, as they are crimes of opportunity.
In relation to this incident, police have arrested two individuals but have not labelled it a swarming.
In a news release given by TPS on Feb. 1, they identified two suspects: Brooklynn Walsh, 24, and Camera Brown, 21, both from Oshawa.
The two have been charged with second degree murder, and the police have stated that there are no outstanding suspects in relation to this homicide.
Both were scheduled to appear at the Toronto Regional Bail Centre, with Walsh’s hearing on the morning of Jan. 30, and Brown’s on Feb. 1.
This homicide not only marks Toronto’s first of 2025, but according to the Public Safety Data Portal provided by TPS it is also the first in the Annex neighborhood in nearly five years.
Police have asked that anyone with any information regarding the incident please contact police at 416-808-7400, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or at www.222tips.com.
—Amna Ahmad/Gleaner News
Comments Off on CHATTER: Toronto’s first homicide of 2025 occurs in the Annex (Feb. 2025)Tags:Annex · News
February 21st, 2025 · Comments Off on EDITORIAL: Poilievre’s perfect storm (Feb. 2025)
A unified Canada is a nightmare for the Conservative Party of Canada whose leader excels in practicing the politics of division.
Until very recently, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre could feel confident in forming the next federal government with a massive majority. However, a recent poll from Pallas puts the Conservative lead at just 6 percentage points, a huge plummet from the 20-point lead they comfortably had over the governing Liberals just a month ago; that’s a worrisome trend line for Poilievre.
More concerning for the official opposition leader is that the same pollsters put his party and the Liberals in a tie for the popular vote if Mark Carney is elected Liberal leader.
Poilievre can thank Donald Trump and himself for the situation he now finds himself in.
The relentless tariff threats from the U.S. president have rattled Canadians. Trump’s apparently serious musings about making Canada the 51st state present Canadians with something of an existential moment.
The prime minister urged all Canadians to “remain united” and “support one another.” He commended the provinces for developing their own strategic responses. Trudeau promised the federal government “would be there for them” should the American tariffs cause them hardship. He pledged a round of Canadians tariffs of his own, targeting products coming from Republican-held states. This is the same strategy he and then-Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland successfully employed when Trump tried this bully move in his first term.
Contrast this unity message with Poilievre’s blame game and his promise to cut government spending dramatically. His “Axe the Tax” slogan now seems somewhat trite given that the Liberal leadership candidates have vowed to axe the consumer part of the carbon tax. What do the Conservative have left? It’s certainly not their policy initiatives. The “Canada is broken” narrative is no longer what Canadians want to hear.
The Conservatives capitalized on Trudeau’s unpopularity, positioning themselves as the only way to “fire” the prime minister. When Trudeau chose to resign pending the election of a successor as Liberal leader all the wind got sucked out of Poilievre’s sails. Had the Conservative leader not been so successful at blaming Trudeau for everything from petty crime to the price of eggs, he may still have his desired opponent.
The Conservatives are having to pivot their attack from Trudeau to Mark Carney who may be the next Liberal leader and prime minister. Fond of simplicity, they are trying on some new slogans: “Carbon Tax Carney” and “Carney-Trudeau Liberals,” even though Carney was never in government and does not support the carbon tax. Susan Delacourt of the Toronto Star described this recently as “a communications strategy built from Popsicle sticks and Elmer’s glue.”
Premier Doug Ford is not helping the Conservative brand. Caught in a hot mic moment, during the current provincial election campaign, he admitted how glad he was that Donald Trump won even though he knew tariffs were promised. Ford needed the straw man to run against, a vehicle for re-election, a crisis to distract from an utter failure of his own governance.
The Annex Gleaner publishes a Q and A with all the major parties for municipal, provincial, and federal elections. This gives readers an opportunity to comparison shop before they vote. For the first time in 30 years, the candidate for one major party, the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario (PC), is not willing to answer the questions. That speaks volumes about the PC’s lack of respect for democracy, the media, and the voters themselves.
Pierre Poilievre has done no favour to Canadians or to himself for his hateful, divisive messaging. The amount of effort expended in coming up with clever rhymes instead of real policy initiatives suggests they don’t take themselves or the electorate seriously. As leader of the opposition, he has not helped the government be more effective; instead, he is always attacking, not contributing. Poilievre’s lust for power is in plain sight, and Canadians are starting to see him as just that guy who throws snowballs at the bus.
February 21st, 2025 · Comments Off on FORUM: Budget is the news of the month (Feb. 2025)
Property tax hikes are necessary
By Dianne Saxe
I’m glad to see the days getting longer. Thank you to everyone who joined our skating/doughnut party and our climate town hall.
Months of budget work and consultations culminated at council on Feb. 11. This was a great opportunity to hear what residents want from their city and to look hard at what each department can deliver.
Thousands of Torontonians had their say. Most described painful struggles and asked passionately for more money, whether for TTC, small businesses, hunger, the arts, paramedics, homelessness, climate, TCHC, etc…Others objected to tax increases, or to spending on FIFA, Toronto Police Services, or Sankofa (formerly Yonge-Dundas Square).
Toronto’s financial structure was set by the Baldwin Act in 1849 and is unsuitable for today’s city. City revenues grow little while costs skyrocket. Doug Ford makes it worse through downloading services, cutting development charges, keeping people on social assistance in deep poverty, and underfunding health care and housing. The result? A steady deterioration of city infrastructure and services and an explosion of homelessness; no wonder some people think our city is broken.
In this difficult context, property tax increases present real challenges for some. That’s why our budget provides more relief for the poorest homeowners.
On the other hand, there are powerful reasons for the budget spending.
Most residents tell me they support TTC service improvements and a fare freeze, affordable and supportive housing, and more help for small businesses. It’s hugely expensive for us to do so much of the province’s job, but few residents want us to ignore the homeless or hungry schoolchildren.
Much of the rest of the budget goes to the unglamourous but essential work of infrastructure repair. Thank you for understanding that it’s a bad deal to keep property taxes so low that we let infrastructure fall apart—it’s much cheaper to fix small problems than let them grow into big ones.
At the same time, those who pay more rightfully expect something in return. It’s a good start that this budget means faster transit and longer hours for libraries, pools, and youth hubs. More kids will get fed, emergency response will improve, and I’m building 78 new supportive homes in Kensington. But we also need to see visible improvement in basic services such as garbage, litter, and parks. I’ll be pushing for these all year.
Ultimately, we cannot successfully manage the challenges of this city using property taxes alone. Nor can we keep burning the furniture by giving up municipal assets, such as the Gardiner/ DVP. This city needs the province to allow us to have access to revenue sources that grow with the economy such as income or sales tax.
Meanwhile, we are making progress in Ward 11.
After 10 years, the Kensington Market Heritage Conservation Plan is finally approved! At the request of the community, I helped arrange better security at the Chinatown Green P lot and at 35 Elm (TCHC). We are working with 311, transportation, TTC, Toronto Hydro, Toronto Park Authority, and the police to improve the reporting and cleanup of hate graffiti. The Annex asked for and got Toronto’s first residential cargo bike corral. Some of my staff have been handing out meals to those living outdoors.
My team and I are helping to resolve thousands of service requests about encampments, parking, crime, heritage, libraries, parks, noise, traffic, etc…Thanks for your excellent questions at our many community meetings about topics such as hospital expansions, long-term care beds, construction management and pedestrian safety.
Construction this year should start on the Rosedale Valley multi-use trail, the Huron-Washington Playground and an Indigenous-themed park at Sussex/Spadina. The Glen Road pedestrian bridge is finally done. Step-by-step, I am also getting action on these projects: another Indigenous-themed park, the much-needed Ramsden Community Centre, a complete street and planning design for Dupont Street, the expansion of Gwendolyn MacEwen Parkette, and hostile vehicle defence (security measures used to prevent vehicle attacks) for the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre.
None of it is easy, cheap, or quick, especially since Premier Ford’s cuts mean fewer resources and less local input on what gets built. I am therefore grateful that the 2025 Lunar New Year, the Year of the Snake, is a propitious year for intelligence, strategy, patience, persistence, and precision. We will need them all. Happy New Year to everyone!
Dianne Saxe is city councillor for Ward 11, University-Rosedale.
February 21st, 2025 · Comments Off on GREENINGS It’s harder to cycle safely (Feb. 2025)
Monster vehicles have changed the biking equation
I often bike my kids from our place in the Annex to Little Italy where they do Taekwondo. I will often shout instructions at them from the road as they are still on the sidewalk. I tell them to ring the bell to let people know they are there, say “thank you” when people let them pass, and follow other cycling etiquette as we merrily make our way down.
While ditching the car was an environmental decision we made long ago, I have discovered that cycling gives my kids agency awareness that sitting in a car or taking transit simply does not afford. They are getting exercise just getting there. When we are travelling, they need to make a million decisions to get there safely: Do we cross now? Do we wait for mommy? Do we ring this bell, or will it scare the dog?
They have the power to make decisions that other forms of transport don’t allow. They can decide which side street to take, whether they want to stop off at the park, or whether to bike on the sidewalk or the road (they are allowed on some stretches). They are actively engaged in getting to their destination. It also gives us freedom in terms of timing as we aren’t stuck on a bus schedule (which is getting less reliable with more and more funding cuts).
There are many virtues of cycling so you’d think more people would be doing it. The biggest thing stopping most parents from cycling with their children is the danger from cars. Not just any cars; our cities are getting flooded with monster vehicles.
Toronto is not being spared the SUV bloat pandemic. Cars are getting so big now that pickups can have 15-foot frontal blind spots; in other words, they won’t know they’re running over a child until they feel them under the wheel. It is hard to fault people for not wanting to risk their lives when nothing is being done to regulate the monstrosities that are killing people on our streets. They are nothing short of murder machines. The size serves no other purpose beyond making hurricane season more violent with added carbon in the air.
The size increase has been gradual so it’s hard for most of us to notice. If you do an online search, there are websites that do model by model comparisons of how much car bloat even the same model car has undergone. I had to take my parents’ 1997 minivan this summer for a day. While driving it on the narrow streets of the Annex, I got so close to a pickup truck that we nearly clipped side mirrors, except that my mirror completely passed under his mirror (with an inch or two to spare). That’s when I truly realized how monstrously large vehicles have become over time.
If we want safer streets, get monster cars off the road. This should be council’s first priority. Other jurisdictions have introduced higher parking rates for large vehicles. We need to follow suit with only small and electric vehicles having the lowest rates. Higher parking levies for large and gas-powered vehicles should be a given especially after watching all the climate-related disasters strike our neighbours to the south.
It would be wise to simply abandon certain areas of Florida at this point. We are creating climate refugees from first world countries.
Someone said to me that when they were young, they took their bikes to the park with no helmets, no parents, no shoes. They simply played till dusk and came home for dinner. I said I can’t do that with these monster trucks around. Other parents already judge me for cycling my kids amid all the dangers. I don’t trust jerks in these large vehicles to not run over my kids.
I am not just pleading for the environment’s sake. I am pleading for people to give children a chance to have some semblance of a sane childhood where parents can let go and let their kids run wild. Nothing endangers my children like these monster cars. We must tax these cars out of existence if we want our children to have the free and wild childhood their parents and grandparents had.
Terri Chu is an engineer committed to practical environmentalism. This column is dedicated to helping the community reduce energy use, and help distinguish environmental truths from myths. Send questions, comments, and ideas for future columns to Terri at terri.chu@whyshouldicare.ca.
February 12th, 2025 · Comments Off on ON THE COVER: Mass-timber complex lands at Trinity College (Jan. 2025)
A potential pathway to sustainability
The Lawson Centre for Sustainability is the second timber-build the University of Toronto is erecting on Devonshire Place between Varsity Stadium and Trinity College. Architectural rendering by Mecanno courtesy of Trinity College
By Austin Kelly
The Lawson Centre for Sustainability at Trinity College will be a learning and residential complex that focuses on the environment.
Part of the University of Toronto’s St. George Campus, Trinity’s Lawson Centre is a four-storey building that will serve as both a learning centre and a residential space. It will be a multi-use, zero-carbon space that will help the college reach its goal of eco-friendliness.
The complex, currently under construction on Devonshire Place, was designed by Dutch architectural firm Mecanoo and the local firm RDHA. On its website, Mecanoo outlines the specifics of the Lawson Centre’s functions and features:
“The student residence houses 262 units and 342 beds, combining a mixed arrangement of studios, single and double dorm typologies, of which 15 per cent are barrier-free.” The Mecanoo website describes the design as having a high-performing envelope featuring geothermal heating and cooling, solar panels, and rainwater collection.
The project will result in a high-performance LEED Platinum and CaGBC zero-carbon building and is a major step in Trinity’s Integrated Sustainability Initiative.
Nicholas Terpstra, provost and vice-chancellor at Trinity College, said the building’s green planning was important to the design. “We knew from the start that Trinity College’s new academic and residence building had to be an innovative sustainability building, and the best way to achieve this was through locally sourced mass-timber construction. The “mass” is created using composite manufacturing of smaller wood pieces tied together. Working with our architects Mecanoo and RDHA, Graham Construction, and project partners, every aspect of the Lawson Centre for Sustainability has been thoughtfully planned to truly embody sustainability.”
Trinity College began initiating its sustainability goals in 2019 with a donation of $10 million from Brian and Joannah Lawson as a part of the college’s Living Trinity program. Lawson is the chancellor of Trinity College, as well as an alumnus.
The school aims to raise an additional $7 million by 2025 to help support the building of the Lawson Centre.
Terpstra said the design is an innovation in sustainable building planning: “What makes the Lawson Centre for Sustainability unique is that it features all the major sustainability components in one facility, including a geothermal exchange system and a rooftop farm. In addition, almost all major building materials are sourced in Ontario including mass timber, compressed bricks and limestone. It is also one of the first uses of mass timber for residential construction.”
Mass timber is a rapidly growing building material for eco-friendly architectural projects. A type of wood, mass timber has replaced steel in some builds as an alternative that uses less carbon emissions and is also more energy efficient.
In Toronto, mass timber has been used in numerous projects in recent years including the University of Toronto’s John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design. A 14-storey mass-timber building on Devonshire Place, called the Academic Wood Tower, will be Canada’s largest mass-timber building upon completion. In June, Toronto city council approved a 31-storey skyscraper at College and Henry streets that would potentially be the tallest wooden structure in Canada.
Geosource Energy helped design green infrastructure for the project and installed the geothermal heating and cooling system. Paulina Barnes, director of sales and marketing for Geosource, said the “installation included the drilling of 57 vertical boreholes to a depth of 637 feet. The geothermal system utilizes the earth as a thermal battery, providing onsite renewable heating and cooling, thereby significantly reducing operating carbon emissions.”
The building is projected to be completed around 2025, earlier than the original projected date of 2026, when the building’s planning started back in 2020.
February 12th, 2025 · Comments Off on NEWS: Curbside Cycle weathers assault on Bloor bike lanes (Jan. 2025)
Family business finds its niche and thrives despite Doug Ford
Aaron Enchin carries on the legacy to promote urban cycling. ROSE HABERER/GLEANER NEWS
By Rose Haberer
Since its introduction, the Ford government’s Bill 212: Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act has met with a symphony of local public outrage.
Rumours of Premier Ford drafting legislation to restrict the construction of new bike lanes and remove those on Bloor street began spreading as the summer heat softened in September 2024. Now, at the pinnacle of Toronto’s cold winter, with the bill having passed, the bonfire of protest continues to burn.
An example of this protest in the Annex community was when MPP Jessica Bell spoke at an Oct. 23 bike protest titled Rally and Ride for Road Safety at Queen’s Park, demanding the Ford government allow municipalities the freedom to install and maintain bike lanes without needing the restrictive approvals that Doug Ford insists upon. Hundreds of citizens gathered, ringing their bike bells in a melody of solidarity.
The myriad detrimental effects of the bill on cyclists, safety, active transportation, and the climate are evident. But what about its impact on bike businesses?
In the heart of the Annex, at 412 Bloor St. W., near Brunswick Avenue, sits Curbside Cycle, a hip bicycle shop that serves as a cornerstone of Toronto’s cycling community. Owner Aaron Enchin believes the removal of bike lanes could severely harm establishments like his, but his primary concern lies with cyclists, particularly newer riders, who may feel uncomfortable and unsafe without proper infrastructure.
“When you have good infrastructure, you have more accessibility, especially for people who feel less certain on a bike,” Enchin said.
Enchin dismissed claims that bike lanes cause congestion, deeming them unfounded. He pointed out the numerous studies demonstrating bike lanes’ benefits for neighbourhoods. “The goal is to move people,” he said, emphasizing the need for a cohesive approach to street infrastructure where all forms of transportation work together.
Curbside is a cherished Annex institution with its lineage tracing back to an Annex curb—hence the name. In 1991, founder Don Watterson, stepfather to Enchin, launched the shop as a humble bike repair pop-up beneath a tent. They moved into their brick-and-mortar location in 1994. Don had a sudden realization about the gaps in Toronto’s cycling world: while the demand for urban mobility through biking was evident, there was a lack of bicycles designed specifically for city navigation.
This realization became the foundation of Curbside’s mission—to promote urban cycling and foster a sustainable cycling culture in Toronto. Like a bike alchemist, Don began transforming mountain and road bikes into city-centric creations. Curbside is a pioneer of what is now a vibrant and diverse cycling community. In the time of flip phones and Spice Girls, otherwise known as the 90s, they had already begun morphing road bikes into flat handlebar bikes, giving rise to what we now know as hybrid bikes. Over time, Curbside grew into the Annex staple it is today, importing their specialized city bikes from the bike havens of Europe.
After Don’s sudden passing in 2017, the store was entrusted to Enchin who has upheld and expanded the Curbside legacy. He has continued to cater to urban cyclists, offering products designed to make navigating Toronto’s bustling streets more accessible. A standout example is the Brompton, a bicycle that folds seamlessly like origami, making it portable.
Walking into Curbside today is like stepping into a treasure trove of cycling history and innovation. The air is tinged with the smell of fresh bikes, each one ready to embark on its own journey through the city.
Enchin, who has been working at the store since his preteen years, reflects on what it meant to have the store passed down to him.
“I probably didn’t understand what I was involved in until much later. But keeping the legacy of Curbside alive and keeping Don’s vision alive became very, very important to me,” he shared.
When he took over the store, Enchin made it his mission to give back to the community and support the Annex neighbourhood. For him, that meant building trust with both the community and his customers by curating the best quality brands for cyclists.
“I’m here from the service side for our local customers, as well as being an online resource for people who want to learn about bikes,” he stated. The Bloor Street bike lane, which sits right outside the shop like a red carpet for cyclists, is a motivating feature for Enchin and the curbside staff. It stands as a testament to the accessibility that Curbside promotes. He also highlighted the strong and loyal customer base that continues to support the shop. “Yeah, I think that honours Don’s legacy really nicely. It feels right, and we feel like we’re at home in the Annex,” he added.
According to Enchin, the most rewarding aspect of running Curbside is the store’s deep-rooted connection with the community, a bond that has flourished since its inception. This past fall, Curbside partnered with Fiesta Farms to host a social event that brought their community together. Though a retail business at its core, Curbside goes to great lengths to engage with the local community, even working to address the bike lane issue. Collaborating with organizations such as Cycle Toronto—a nonprofit advocating for safe cycling infrastructure and policies—Curbside aims to make a tangible impact.
“We can come at the issue from a kind of brand or service side where we can help put people on bikes physically, whereas they can encourage advocacy,” he explained.
When asked about the store during his childhood, Enchin shared memories from what he described as a grungier era of Curbside. Back then, they sold both mountain and city bikes, much to his teenage delight. “We would make obstacle courses through the shop and ride our bikes around, trying not to fall over or knock anything over,” he recalled with a laugh.
But how has Curbside changed over the years?
The core mission of Curbside remains unchanged, but the company has evolved by offering a wider variety of bikes to cater to a broader range of cyclists. “The golden thread that runs through Curbside remains the same. We’re still trying to bring bikes to the everyday person,” said Enchin.
Now, with the “golden thread,” Enchin speaks of running through him, it’s clear that the heritage of Curbside continues to burn brightly. Don’s mission of championing everyday people is alive, even as Aaron adds his own unique mark to the legacy.
When asked what lessons he learned from Don, Enchin smiled and shared an inside joke: “Don’t forget about the long-fingered gloves.” Although it may sound humorous, for Enchin this piece of wisdom serves as a microcosm for running his community-oriented business.
“Every item we sell is a person’s story, and we need to have something that serves every single person who walks through our door.”
Enchin shared that Don had a remarkable ability to identify gaps in the market—spaces that reflected real needs—and step into them to transform them for the better. “That’s a lesson I’ve definitely picked up from him. It’s really a Don message,” he said.
The people using bike lanes are not professional cyclists or road racers.
Each bike offered by Curbside represents the everyday cyclist who relies on these lanes for transportation; for instance, a cargo bike might carry a parent with a child in the canopy, while a Brompton folding bike could belong to someone returning home with groceries in a pannier.
A city bike may be used by a university student gripping its handles, and an electric bike might be used by an adult commuting to a 9-to-5 job. The Ford government’s bill is not just a restriction on bike lanes; it is a restriction on the people who depend on them.
Determined to meet every customer’s needs with the same care and attention to detail that Don championed, Enchin continues Don’s legacy—always striving to find the perfect “long-fingered glove” for every individual who walks through the Curbside door.
February 12th, 2025 · Comments Off on CHATTER: Protesters disrupt Freeland’s leadership announcement (Jan. 2025)
BRIAN BURCHELL/GLEANER NEWS
At her official launch event held Sunday, Jan. 19 more than a dozen protestors interrupted Chrystia Freeland’s address. The packed event was held in the gymnasium of the Annex-based St. Alban’s Boys and Girls Club. The protestors displayed flags and banners relating to the war in Gaza. They were quickly escorted out of the gym by staff one by one.
Freeland is the member of Parliament for University-Rosedale and until recently the Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister. She resigned from those portfolios in December. Her quitting the cabinet in a dramatic fashion may have been the final straw, forcing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to announce his resignation pending a leadership contest. The winner will automatically become prime minister and face a combative Parliament keen on a federal election and an aggressive U.S. president threatening a trade war with Canada and Mexico.
Freeland, who stood her ground against the disruptions, said “we welcome different points of view, but this is not okay. It’s not okay to disrupt Canadian democracy.” Eventually, she was able to return to her remarks where she made her pitch to become Liberal leader and prime minister, claiming that she is “battle-tested with the scars to prove it” for a trade war with Donald Trump. Freeland led Canada’s negotiating team during Trump’s first term in office when the North American Free Trade Agreement was in jeopardy.
If Trump fulfills his promise to add a 25 per cent tariff to all goods coming into the United States from Canada, “we will deliver a dollar-for-dollar retaliation” she said. “If you hit us, we will hit back. We love our country as much as you love yours.”
Freeland’s main rival to replace Trudeau is Mark Carney, who is the former governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England.
—Brian Burchell/Gleaner News
Comments Off on CHATTER: Protesters disrupt Freeland’s leadership announcement (Jan. 2025)Tags:Annex · News
February 12th, 2025 · Comments Off on CHATTER: Insomnia Restaurant launches Artist Series (Jan. 2025)
Jasmine Virginia’s exhibit of intricate work opens on Feb. 3. COURTESY INSOMNIA RESTAURANT
Insomnia Restaurant (563 Bloor St. W.) has officially launched their Artist Series, an ongoing celebration of artistry and connection that invites guests to experience exceptional work from talented visual artists.
The Artist Series features rotating exhibits, with artwork displayed on the restaurant’s walls. Guests can meet the artists during the opening and closing parties, learn about their creative journeys, and purchase artwork anytime during the exhibit. The program highlights both seasoned and emerging talents.
“We’ve always strived to create a space where people feel connected—through food, music, and now visual art,” says Insomnia’s Creative Coordinator, Sophia Alexandra. “This series gives artists a platform to share their talent and brings a new layer of creativity and connection to our guest experience.”
The work of John Courtney, who uses a combination of acrylics and mixed media on large scale canvas, is on display until his closing party on Feb. 16. The opening party for Jasmine Virginia’s intricate work is on Feb. 3. To learn more, apply to exhibit, or to make a reservation for one of the artist events, please visit www.insomniarestaurant.com.
—Gleaner News Staff
Comments Off on CHATTER: Insomnia Restaurant launches Artist Series (Jan. 2025)Tags:Annex · News · Arts
February 12th, 2025 · Comments Off on NEWS: Feeding our neighbours (Jan. 2025)
Avenue Road Food Bank fills the gap in affluent neighbourhood
Volunteers sort donated and purchased food for neighbours in need. PHOTO BY STEFANIE CEPUCH, CHURCH OF THE MESSIAH
By Courtney Jung
Just north of where Yorkville meets the Annex, at the edge of Summerhill, the Avenue Road Food Bank, at 240 Avenue Road, provides groceries for about 700 people each week. In mid-November, the numbers jumped to 950. Outside The Church of the Messiah, people start to line up at about 1 p.m. on Wednesdays, even though the doors don’t open until 3 p.m. A lot of people are going hungry in this affluent part of Toronto.
Most of the guests who use the food bank live in our neighborhood. Others work here, and some are students; you would recognize them. Some clients have been coming since the food bank opened in 2018. Long-term clients are more likely to use food banks because they rely on disability, or another type of social assistance, as their main source of income. Disability support tops out at $1368 a month, or $16,416 annually. In Toronto, the poverty line is $24,720, and the deep poverty line is $18,540. For people who rely on benefits that keep them well below the poverty line, food banks are a long-term reality.
Most of the people who use the food bank, however, are employed. Maria Fernanda and her husband owned a successful bar in Mexico, but things got dangerous. She avoids giving me the details. Along with their two young children, they entered Canada as refugees three years ago. Her husband works in construction, but it’s seasonal. When work gets scarce in the winter months, that’s when she turns to the food bank.
According to StatsCan, food prices have risen 21.4 per cent in the past three years. What the food bank offers is meant as a supplement; it’s not enough to live on. You can have either one bag of pasta or one bag of rice, as well as four apples, two oranges, and half a dozen eggs. Each person takes home about $50 worth of groceries.
Daniela and her husband have been in Canada for two years. They only started using the food bank four months ago. They never wanted to ask for help. She tells me they “wanted to do things the right way.” Working 40 hours a week in a warehouse, at the minimum wage of $17.20 per hour, her husband makes $2044 a month after taxes. Their rent is $1400. Daniela used to work too, in a restaurant, but she quit when their baby was born. “It would be very, very hard without the food bank,” Daniela said softly. What she really wants to talk about, though, is how much she loves Canada. We’re outside on a cold day, and she mentions how much she loves this weather. Mostly, though, she feels safe here.
About 60 per cent of the food at the food bank comes from Daily Bread and Second Harvest. They are funded by private donations and corporate partnerships. Daily Bread gets donations from food manufacturers, and they partner with Ontario farmers to take produce that would otherwise be discarded. Second Harvest rescues and redistributes surplus food to reduce food waste. They provide some fresh produce, but there are also random donations—one week it was 500 boxes of microwaveable macaroni and cheese.
Both trucks show up at about 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday mornings with pallets and boxes of food. Volunteers move quickly to get the food off the trucks and into the church hall before settling into the longer job of sorting and organizing that will turn the sanctuary into a temporary supermarket. Folding tables are set up in a U shape. Down the left side of the room are non-perishables: pasta and rice, canned fruits and vegetables, breakfast cereal, and a shelf-stable protein like tuna or peanut butter. Next is milk, yogurt, cheese, and chicken or beef. Along the right is the fresh produce: potatoes, onions, carrots, tomatoes, sometimes cauliflower or squash, apples, oranges or melons, and, once, raspberries. Eggs and bread are at the end. People go through the room in a line, and gloved volunteers hand them a set number of each item. What people receive is consistent week to week; they can count on it. But the experience is almost nothing like going to a grocery store.
The food bank purchases the remaining 40 per cent of their food with donations.
In July, the food bank spent $12,000 on items such as beef, chicken, cheese, eggs, milk, and bread. By October, the bill was $16,000. The food bank relies on donations. Money donations go the furthest because food can be purchased in bulk and on sale, but food donations are of course helpful as well.
February 10th, 2025 · Comments Off on EDITORIAL: An election designed to distract voters (Jan. 2025)
Doug Ford is adamant that he is not rushing an election 18 months ahead of schedule to get ahead of an anticipated federal election this spring. He insists he needs a “mandate from the people” to face off against U.S. President Donald Trump in a trade war. This is both unnecessary and delusional.
The PCs have a healthy majority with 79 seats including the Speaker. The New Democrats have 28 seats, the Liberals nine. There are six Independents and two Greens in the 124- seat legislature. According to provincial law, the next election should be in June 2026. This is when Ford’s “mandate” should expire and is then retested at the polls. This election will cost Ontario taxpayers an estimated $150 million.
In respect to the fight against U.S. tariffs, there is nothing for the electorate to choose; there are no competing views between the parties. There is already a consensus that some combination of diplomacy, education, retaliation, and support to Ontarians who are harmed in a trade war is necessary; it is impractical to expect voters to define the specifics of the strategy.
Could it be there are other elephants in the room that Ford would like to distract the voters from?
The pending federal election should give him pause. If the polls are right, and Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre is elected, it would likely harm Ford’s chances of being reelected, hence the need to beat Poilievre to the polls. Ontarians tend to opt for different parties in office, provincially and federally, at the same time. According to Underhill’s balance theory this has been the case for 71 of the past 82 years, or 88 per cent of the time. This would explain why the federal Conservative leader has recently been in a frenzied panic to have a snap election of his own.
Then there is the ongoing criminal investigation by the RCMP’s elite “O” division into the $8.28 billion land swap for portions of the Greenbelt. The premier’s inner sanctum was deeply involved in the smelly deals. The extent of Ford’s personal involvement or benefit is unknown. It is known that Ford’s promise in the last election to not develop any part of the Greenbelt was a mandate he was ready to renege on. So much for mandates.
According to the RCMP’s 2021 annual report the average length of police investigations of this type is 1.6 years. If that timeline applies here, expect that investigation to conclude by March of this year. How curious is it that the premier choose Feb. 27 as an early election date?
The threat of a trade war is a perfect opportunity for Ford to talk about something other than his provincial responsibilities to build affordable homes, ensure enough doctors and nurses, and fix schools that are crumbling.
It is naïve to believe that Ford will be sitting across the table from Donald Trump anytime soon negotiating a trade deal; that’s the job of the prime minister. If he is reelected with 10 more seats in the legislature, it is doubtful the Americans would even notice or care. Trade agreements or wars are negotiated or fought by sovereign nations, not provinces.
The premier seems to have a hard time sticking to his knitting. Very recently he thought it would be a good idea to enact province-wide legislation to remove Bloor Street bikes lanes, a municipal responsibility. He’s mused about buying Alaska. He has plans, without a mandate, to build a tunnel under highway 401 at an estimated cost of $50 billion. The people of Ontario never endorsed any of this.
The looming trade war between Canada and the U.S. is a golden opportunity for Ford to distract voters. His track record, parts of which are under criminal investigation, will not be scrutinized if this election is about a trade war. He wants four more years in power and does not want his performance in the last three to be talked about. Let’s hear what Ford has to say about truly provincial responsibilities.
Comments Off on EDITORIAL: An election designed to distract voters (Jan. 2025)Tags:Annex · Editorial · Opinion
