Toronto’s backyard chicken farmers no longer need to worry about running afoul, ahem, of city bylaw officials as the program could become permanent as early as April 6. Four years after the UrbanHensTO pilot program first began, a staff report has recommended that it be made permanent and expanded city-wide. Backyard chicken-keeping has been gaining
When filling up her car with gas recently, mental health worker Lynda Myung was shocked to see the price and the question for many is will the sky-high gas prices impact the housing market. “I can’t even get a full tank off of $60 anymore,” Myung said. “That’s quite a hike.” She is not alone.
The Freedom Convoy folks met their match in the Toronto police. The police blocked trucks and other vehicles from parts of the central city, so the protestors were on foot, something many of us can easily live with. Toronto police learned from the failure of police in Ottawa and on Windsor’s Ambassador Bridge to control
As COVID-19 restrictions are being lifted and the threat of Omicron variant appears to be under control, many Torontonians will be heading back to the office in the upcoming weeks — this includes 60,000 Ontario Public Service Workers (OPS) who are expected to be in the office three days a week beginning April 4. And
If the cold winter weather and lack of sunlight have you feeling moody and fatigued, it might be worth your while to pop into the lobby of CIBC SQUARE and visit Visoleil, an eight-foot, glowing circular sculpture that promises to help tackle the effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Located at 81 Bay Street, the
The city’s three downtown city councillors — Joe Cressy, Mike Layton, and Kristyn Wong-Tam, have issued a statement ahead of the trucker convoy protest scheduled for this weekend but already getting underway in some parts of the city. The statement is one of many that are raising alarm bells and pledging to make sure Toronto
The Toronto Police Service (TPS) advised healthcare workers to dress inconspicuously during the “Convoy for Freedom Toronto” protests this weekend. The advice was given in a memo to healthcare workers ahead of the protest, which is set to take place at Queen’s Park beginning at 12 p.m. on Saturday, a few minutes away from three
In the first weeks of 2022, Torontonians have experienced multiple extreme cold weather warnings, risk of frostbite and wild chills with a feel of -30 C. It marks another year of brutal winter conditions in the city, without enough safe places to stay for homeless individuals. Coupling extreme weather events with the largest wave of
The Toronto Public Library (TPL) announced on Tuesday that it will temporarily close 44 branches as of Monday, Jan. 10, due to COVID-19 related staffing shortages. In a press release, the TPL noted that 52 of the largest and most-used library branches will remain open and staff from closed locations will be reassigned to these
Maybe four years is too long a term for city councillors. They seem a tired bunch, but maybe some of us city residents are more exhausted than they are. One thing that caught my tired eye was the city manager’s report that said he had a backlog of some 393 requests for reports on various
Toronto, as it turns out, is pretty darn safe when it comes to crime, for a massive urban centre, far out-pacing many other big cities around the world. Recently, crime has dropped in many areas including break-ins and robberies, but there is an ongoing issue with both homicides and car thefts. In our annual crime
Last year, Toronto City Council approved a motion by city councillor Shelley Carroll to study the impact of two-stroke gas-powered engine leaf blowers and other garden equipment, including the feasibility of a ban. With the report headed to council at some point in the near future, we had Caroll and Landscape Ontario’s Tony Digiovanni outline
Torontonians will soon be able to access drive-thru COVID-19 testing from the convenience of their car, a service that will ideally be one of the most expedient ways to get tested before travel. Go Rapid Test will offer rapid antigen test results in 15 minutes and PCR test results in under 24 hours, with no
Toronto might just match New York City’s reputation for sharing the streets with an abundance of pests—only our “pests” roam a little higher than NYC’s vermin. Dubbed “rats with wings,” pigeons have started overpopulating the city: they waddle around Bathurst Station, they scavenge for crumbs in Queen’s Park, and they drop their feces on just
Toronto Public Health is requesting that Toronto school boards begin collecting voluntary disclosure of vaccination status for students born in 2009 and earlier. This objective is to more effectively manage COVID-19 cases and outbreaks in schools in order to minimize disruption to students. Although the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) noted in a statement that
Extracurricular activities, such as sports, clubs, bands, and field trips, will soon resume at Toronto schools under updated guidance from Toronto Public Health (TPH)—a big change from when school started earlier this month, when TPH recommended pausing extracurricular activities due to ongoing fears about the COVID-19 fourth wave. Now, TPH is recommending the gradual return
Ontario’s public school boards reported 286 active cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday (an increase from the 189 cases reported the previous day), with 109 active cases of COVID-19 reported in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). The Toronto District School Board reported the most cases in the region—25 (18 students and 7 staff) from
According to new data from Toronto Public Health (TPH), unvaccinated residents are seven times more likely to become infected with COVID-19, with case counts highest among the 20 to 29 age group. Still, Toronto saw an increase in doses administered following Ontario’s proof of vaccination announcement last week Wednesday. TPH noted that, for some time,
On Wednesday morning, a Porter Airlines flight took off from Toronto Billy Bishop Airport to Montreal—it was the first time in nearly 18 months that the airline had a plane in the sky after suspending flight operations on March 21, 2020, due to the COVID-19 public health crisis. As the Toronto-based airline officially “returned to
Anyone who needs a COVID-19 test who meets the Government of Ontario’s eligibility guidelines can get one at no cost. In the GTA, there are approximately 171 COVID-testing locations, including assessment centres (tests people with symptoms, exposure, or those in certain groups); community labs (tests people with symptoms, exposure, or those in certain groups); and
A petition to the City of Toronto is gaining attention as it calls for more public access to the beach volleyball courts at Woodbine Beach. The petition is asking that the city only permit 50% of the courts at one time to allow for more public use. According to the petition, in the past five
A Toronto architecture firm has reimagined the Bloor Viaduct over the Don Valley into a new mixed-use space dubbed Market Bridge. The proposal for the Market Bridge along Bloor-Danforth comes from Farrow Partners Inc., Architects, and aims to create a “generous new pedestrian realm for the city,” according to promotional material. The idea is somewhat
The Toronto Maple Leafs are seeking their first playoff series win in 17 years as they take on the Montreal Canadiens in Game 7 tonight at Scotiabank Arena—and 550 healthcare workers who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are invited to attend. In a press release, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he made the decision
Two baby peregrines hatched earlier this month at a well-known nesting spot at Bloor and Islington, and the building’s management team is looking to the community to help name them. Bloor Islington Place has opened up its Instagram for gender-neutral submissions, and they are accepting names for adorable fledglings until Friday. View this
With Victoria Day long weekend approaching, the City of Toronto is reminding people to celebrate safely by gathering only with those you live with. To prevent crowding and gathering, the city cancelled all major events, including the annual Victoria Day fireworks. Yet, Torontonians are encouraged to remain physically active and get out of the house.
