“Toronto – Canada’s version of a Democrat run city”

Toronto World Class? Stop it.

Toronto wants to be a world-class city, but after years of constant construction I’m getting out — as soon as I sell my condo

“We’re in a holding pattern,” said my real estate agent. “It’s a buyer’s market and it’s slow everywhere right now. In fact, there’s a surplus of condos in your sector right now.”
Great.

A surplus.

Just when I thought I had an exclusive condo based on size and location for sale in downtown Toronto, buyers have a broad selection. I’m on this adventure in the real estate market featuring motivated sellers (me) and cautious buyers (everybody else) as, after 12 years in one place, my wife and I have decided to join the exodus of Torontonians searching for a little tranquility elsewhere.

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted in"Progressive Paradise", "Toronto - Canada's version of a Democrat run city"

Toronto councillors question $150M cost of 2-km trail extension

The City of Toronto is poised to spend roughly $150 million to extend a popular railway trail for pedestrians and cyclists in the west end, but some councillors are questioning the project’s inflated price tag.

In 2016, the two-kilometre extension, to be built by provincial transit agency Metrolinx on the city’s behalf, was estimated to cost only $23 million.

But now the city is planning to spend $125.7 million on the extension because of costs they say weren’t factored into the initial estimate. The federal government is kicking in an additional $23 million.

Why don’t they build it with homeless people?

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted in"Toronto - Canada's version of a Democrat run city"

‘Violence, drugs and fear:’ More than 150 charges laid after investigation into Toronto street gang

Looks like business was good. But a couple more basketball courts should tilt the balance.

Toronto police say they have made 32 arrests and laid 158 criminal charges following a nearly year-long investigation into a Toronto street gang that was allegedly using Canada Post to distribute drugs to other provinces.

Police made the announcement at a news conference on Thursday where they provided details on ‘Project Foxxx.’

The 11-month investigation targeted the alleged activities of the ‘Jamestown Crips’ street gang. While that gang has historical roots in the Etobicoke area, police say that their alleged crimes span well beyond those borders.

Very diverse group.

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted in"Toronto - Canada's version of a Democrat run city"

The $22 Billion Plan to Turn a Defunct Airport Into a Small City

Canadian developer aims to preserve airport’s features, including hangars and a runway, to draw residents and businesses to the neighborhood

A planned community for about 55,000 residents in Toronto will include the usual playgrounds, bike paths and shops. It will also feature 11 airplane hangars and more than a mile of airport runway.

That is because the 30 billion Canadian dollar, equivalent to about $22 billion, development will be located at the city’s former Downsview Airport.

Airports have been repurposed as communities and parks before, but developers typically raze the original infrastructure and start from scratch. In this case, Northcrest Developments is betting that by preserving the airport’s main features it can enhance the community’s allure.

City subsidized Slum in 5 years time is my bet.

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted in"Homelessness & Affordability Crisis", "Toronto - Canada's version of a Democrat run city", Canada

WARMINGTON: SIU probing push by Toronto Police that landed bystander in hospital

One thing that’s clear is if you interfere with a police arrest, you may be arrested yourself and perhaps violently.

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted in"Toronto - Canada's version of a Democrat run city", WTF?

I hate to say I told you so ….

‘Nothing is really getting better’: This Toronto park went from zero tents to being the city’s largest homeless encampment. What happened?

Kai Downey does not want to be in a tent in Dufferin Grove Park.

She arrived a few days back, hauling her bright blue tent from her former campsite near Toronto’s lakeshore, after unwanted attention from another person left her feeling scared. The west-end park, a 5.3-hectare expanse of green space across from Dufferin Mall near Bloor Street, meant access to a washroom, a water fountain and basic essentials in the bustling area.

On a sweltering August afternoon, Downey, who is in her early 20s, stood beside her setup in a less populated area near the park’s northern edge, as two outreach workers from a local social service agency made their rounds to hand out water bottles and single-use SPF packets. They asked what she needed. The answer was the same as it’s ever been: housing.

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted in"Homelessness & Affordability Crisis", "Toronto - Canada's version of a Democrat run city"

‘It was harassment’: Ford weighs in on video where cop appears to give middle finger to heckler

Ontario Premier Doug Ford is coming to the defence of a Toronto police officer who was captured on video flipping their middle finger to a citizen during a heated exchange.

“Let’s support our police. Let’s thank them, rather than getting Google Glasses and trying to, you know, harass our police, that’s what I call it. It was harassment,” Ford said of the video while taking questions from the media in Mississauga Wednesday morning.

Hard to pick a side here.

The videographer was over the top but rules for thee and not for me is a bad look for a public relations problem child like the TPS.

The TPS has been selective about enforcing the rule of law in Toronto.

Their decisions are driven by identity politics and the charge of “Two-Tiered Policing” is a valid complaint.

It seems their primary role is to escort Hamas support rallies and ignore the crime that contributes to Toronto’s deteriorating quality of life.

They always want to be paid more of course and that is no longer sustainable in a city enduring economic decline.

Cops with attitude are all too common and it must be remembered they are not your friend just the paid militia of the government.

UPDATE WARMINGTON: Former Toronto officer’s viral clash with coffee cops leads to probe

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted in"Justice", "Law and Order", "Toronto - Canada's version of a Democrat run city"

Canada’s major cities are rapidly losing children, with Toronto leading the way

Since 2016, the number of children under the age of 10 as a proportion of the population has shrunk in every one of Canada’s six largest cities. Most of these major cities are losing children at a rate faster than Canada’s overall national decline.

Not a surprise. Toronto will be a desert soon. I see rewilding in it’s future.

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted in"Toronto - Canada's version of a Democrat run city", Demography

How the vacant home tax ‘fiasco’ happened: City emails show senior staff blunders that led to thousands of homeowners being overbilled

Despite clear signs behind the scenes that Toronto’s vacant home tax had been going off the rails for months, the city’s chief financial officer didn’t get crucial data about its low response rates until two days before the program deadline.

The CFO took action to boost uptake of the program, but a key measure that could have helped was rejected by a senior director, who appeared to blame the low response rate on homeowners who didn’t “follow the rules.”

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted in"Toronto - Canada's version of a Democrat run city"

Off-duty officer shot after locating suspect wanted on Canada-wide warrant: TPS

Javell Jackson

A Toronto off-duty officer was shot on Saturday night after locating a suspect wanted on a Canada-wide warrant since 2022.

In a media scrum on Sunday, police say that the off-duty officer was in the King Street West and Bathurst Street area at around 11:30 p.m. when he recognized the accused. The officer then alerted on-duty officers, and approached the male suspect who proceeded to flee.

h/t SDMatt

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted in"Toronto - Canada's version of a Democrat run city", Crime

Chairman Chow defends steeper Toronto parking fines

Some parking fines in Toronto will more than triple as of today in a move Mayor Olivia Chow says is necessary and not something she is willing to apologize for.

Chow made the comment to reporters at an unrelated news conference on Thursday morning as she discussed increases in parking ticket costs for 123 different offences.

… For example, fines for parking a prohibited vehicle on a bicycle path will go from $60 to $200.

Soon she’ll ban cars.

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted in"Toronto - Canada's version of a Democrat run city"

Toronto sees ‘troubling’ rise in youth gun violence, fatal shootings

As detectives pored over the details of a “senseless” shooting in the parking lot of a Toronto school on June 2, they zeroed in on a young suspect.

Weeks after the shooting, Toronto police announced the arrest of a 14-year-old boy, charging him on June 24 with two counts of murder and seven counts of attempted murder.

His arrest, the force’s chief says, is part of a growing and deeply worrying trend that has seen gun violence, particularly among young people, in Ontario’s capital city.

Sometimes I wonder if they just run the same story every 6 mos. or so. Nothing changes.

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted in"Toronto - Canada's version of a Democrat run city", Crime