There are calls for City Council to impose a lifetime ban on the issuing of driver’s licenses to anyone convicted of vehicle thefts to curb the increasing crime.

There is also a motion for the City to request that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Federal Minister of Transportation John G. Abbott ban the export of all used automobiles out of Canadian ports, such as the Ports of Montreal and Vancouver.

The motions by Councillor Mike Colle will be considered by City Council on May 22.

“Car jackings and automobile thefts have more than doubled year to date in 2024,” according the motion being considered on April 30 by the Economic and Community Development Committee.

Toronto Police Services have reported that there have been 68 car jackings so far this year, which is an alarming 106 per cent increase over the same time period in 2023.

Auto thefts in 2023 topped 12,200 vehicles, an increase from 9,821 cars stolen in 2022.

At least 20 vehicles a week are stolen in the Etobicoke area, according to police.

In many cases the doors of homes are kicked in late at night and residents terrified by thieves with weapons demanding the keys for their cars parked in the driveway.

Thieves even place tracking devices to follow vehicles from shopping malls so they can be stolen. Some are even stolen on major streets by gun wielding crooks wearing masks.

“As the increase in car jackings demonstrates, auto thefts have become increasingly brazen and violent including break-and-enters related to auto theft,” the Committee was told.

Councillors said car jackings “are on the rise and have already climbed to 34 incidents so far this year, eclipsing the 22 reported for all of 2023.”

“There is more that needs to be done to combat this urgent and escalating crisis,” according to the motion. “After unacceptable delays in action, the provincial and federal governments have finally begun the process to end this epidemic but we must act swiftly and decisively.”

Council was told the thefts are part of a network of organized crime, with vehicles being stolen and shipped internationally or to commit crimes here.

They were told that the vulnerabilities of shipping ports have to be addressed along with the ‘antiquated anti-theft technologies offered by auto manufacturers.’

“More effective legislative action is required to act as a deterrent at the source – the criminals stealing the cars in the first place,” according to the motion.

It said the issues should ‘be deemed urgent due to the need for immediate action at all levels of government, and the need for stiffer penalties to crack down on these crimes.’

Police said a new trend shows that stolen vehicles are now being sold online by thieves with (Vehicle Identification Numbers) VIN numbers from U.S. jurisdictions, which do not show up on the Canadian police computer system.

Online buyers are being warned to check the VIN stickers of the  vehicles being sold to see it has been tampered with or if it appears suspicious. If so call police.

 

Residents are again being warned by police of purchasing name-brand cell phones or other items online.

Two men are under arrest for allegedly using the Facebook Marketplace platform since 2021 to sell phony cell phones.

The phones were sold in boxes that contained rice or sand, according to Toronto Police fraud officers.

Police said the suspects would advertise Apple iPhones for sale and would meet potential victims.

“The men sold fraudulent phones that resembled Apple iPhones, or provided cell phone boxes that contained rice or sand,” said Const. Sinderela Chung “They also provided fake receipts for the phones to convince the victims that the cell phones were authentic.”

Chung alleged several of the interactions with victims resulted in physical altercations, and the victims were struck and robbed of their cash by the men.

The suspects would flee in a white-coloured Honda Civic.

Arrested are Jovane Martin, 25, of Brampton, who was charged with 13 counts of fraud under $5,000, seven counts of disguise with intent, robbery, possession of proceeds of crime over $5,000 and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.

Jeremiah Stoute, 25, of Mississauga, was charged with similar offences.

Police seized a large quantity of currency, fake cell phone boxes containing rice and other evidence.

Detectives believe there are other victims.

Police are warning those who buy or sell items online to meet people at a local police station and do not send money online or by e-transfer before taking possession of the item.

They should not bring large amounts of cash or make purchases and make sure they inspect the items before completing the transactions.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-5100, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or at www.222tips.com.

 

 

An Etobicoke church is one of three sharing $1.4 million for helping to shelter hundreds of refugees and newcomers last year.

The City has authorized the payment of $1.44 million to three churches that includes Etobicoke’s Pilgrim Feast Tabernacles, Dominion Church International and Revival Time Tabernacle for sheltering the mostly African refugees.

Pilgrim Feast Tabernacles, on Albion Road, has stood as a sanctuary for thousands of African immigrants since its inception in 2002, according to its website.

Leadership at the church bought 60 brand new mattresses and bedding when it was called upon to help. A restaurant run by the church was also closed to the public due to feeding the refugees.

The City last month authorized a payment to Toronto Shelter and Support Services to reimburse Black churches and organizations for sheltering hundreds of newcomers.

Many of the newcomers braved the cold and rain to camp outside a downtown social services agency in tents and sleeping bags due to a lack of beds in shelters.

Several of them died in Mississauga due to sleeping outside in the freezing weather.

Toronto has seen an increased arrival of asylum claimants, which has challenged its shelter system.

In the 20 months leading up to May, the number of asylum claimants requesting shelter from the city grew 500 per cent, from a low of 530 people per day in September 2021 to more than 2,800 per day.

The City said Toronto’s shelter system continues to be full and as of March 2024, with some 12,295 people in the shelter and other programs; of which more than 6,312 are refugee claimants. In September 2021, the number of refugee clients in the shelter system was 546.

“The system was particularly tested in late spring and summer of 2023, when the speed and scope of refugee claimant arrivals far exceeded the City’s capacity to respond,” according to a report.

“This contributed to unfortunate circumstances in front of the City’s assessment and referral centre on Peter Street.”

It said Black-led churches and community organizations stepped up, opening their doors to provide shelter and supports to hundreds of refugee claimants who were arriving to Toronto homeless.

The City said the eligible expenses incurred to September 2023. In late summer, the City provided $150,000 to three leading churches.

Just last month the federal government in its 2024 Budget announced $1.1 billion over three years to extend a housing assistance program for asylum claimants, plus $274 million over five years for immigration and refugee legal aid.

It also includes $743.5 million over five years to strengthen the asylum system and streamline the claims and removal processes.

Go Leafs Go!

Several hundred Toronto Maple Leaf fans took part in a jubilant playoff rally at Sherway Gardens.

The hockey fans wearing their favourite blue took over a section of the mall’s parking lot to support their team as the squad took part in their first game in the Stanley Cup playoffs against Boston Bruins on April 20.

The event was part of a Ford Playoff Rally which featured music, food vendors and hockey fun.

There were Maple Leafs giveaways and other activities with loud chants of “Go Leafs Go.” Some lucky fan was able to win Leafs tickets.

The Leafs fans were treated to tunes by Canadian country music star Steven Lee Olsen, who debuted his latest single.

Olsen had the fans hopping as the songwriter is best known for his singles ‘Raised by a Good Time’ and ‘Outta Yours,’ as well as for co-writing the Grammy nominated single ‘Blue Ain’t Your Colour’ by Keith Urban.

His rendering of  ‘Raised by a Good Time’ was certified Gold by Music Canada in August 2015. His “What You’re Made Of” was song of the year in 2023.

Olsen has also written songs for singers such as Craig Morgan, Garth Brooks, Dallas Smith, Rascal Flatts, The Judds and Kevin Borg.

He did not disappoint his fans.

South Etobicoke residents are being warned of more aircraft noise overhead as a major runway maintenance is underway.

Pearson Airport officials said their annual runway maintenance schedule gets underway on April 22 and will continue into the fall with needed upgrades completed to each of the airport’s five runways.

A post on social media by the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) warns that work is being conducted on runways that affects takeoffs and landings.

The post said “short-lived increase in aircraft noise could occur in some areas as work is being completed on several runways at various times of day.”

Area residents have long complained about the loud noise of jets overhead landing or taking off from Pearson airport.

Several public meetings are held each year to engage residents in discussion and to hear their noise concerns. The next meeting is in September.

Residents are being notified that routine runway maintenance, nightly runway lighting inspection, surface repairs, electrical work and other activities could lead to an increase in aircraft noise.

The advisory said the airport’s three east-west runways will undergo surface repairs daily through June 30, which could also contribute to extra noise during that period.

The runway work often leads to increased aircraft takeoffs and landings on other landing strips at Pearson for a period of time.

Airport officials said they “periodically publishes advisories and notices for resident awareness of airfield construction, airport activities and engagement opportunities that could have an impact on normal airport traffic operations and aircraft noise impacts on the community.”

The GTAA said one of their most-used runways, the east-west 05/23 strip, is getting a full LED lighting upgrade “that will remove the need for nightly inspection.”

The runway, which is one of Pearson’s longest, will close nightly from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. for the next six weeks to allow for the resurfacing of Runway 15R/33L, which runs north-south.

Planes taking off and landing on that strip use different flight paths and therefore will bring additional aircraft noise to the neighbourhood.

 

Some 400 Trees For Life were planted just before Earth Day in honour of healthcare workers at the Trillium Queensway Health Centre.

Dozens of volunteers planted a grove of native trees on April 20, at the Sherway Trail, next to the Health Centre.

The trees and shrubs “honour healthcare workers who work tirelessly to support our health and well-being,” Trees For Life organizers said.

The event took place two days before Earth Day 2024, on April 22,  as Trees for Life want to help grow “Hero Forests” in communities across Canada, the group said.

There were a number of community cleanups planned to pick up trash as part of Earth Day.

A donation of $1 million was made by the Barrett Family Foundation to help grow more Trees of Heroes projects nationwide.

“Protecting the environment and ecological sustainability is a core value of Barrett Family Foundation,” said foundation chair Bob Barrett.

The charity was founded by Mark Cullen, who is still its president; and attending the tree-planting were co-founder Barrett, and Karli Farrow, CEO of Trillium Health Partners.

“The links between increased tree canopy coverage, access to public green spaces and the combined mental and physical health benefits that come as a result are well documented,” Cullen said.

We are “extremely fitting to plant trees to honour those on the front line of healthcare.”

Construction began last month for the Trillium Queensway Health Centre, which is expected to open in late 2029.

A $1.3 billion contract to build the health centre is said to represent Canada’s largest health infrastructure renewal project.

The 600,000-square-feet hospital will include a new patient tower, including a modern nine-story facility with over 350 beds and fully private patient rooms to ensure privacy and enhance infection prevention control.

The expanded space will allow the centre to connect more people to specialized care, including continuing care and rehabilitation services, according to Ontario government officials.

“We are thrilled to break ground on the new Gilgan Family Queensway Health Centre, a critical step in making care more connected and convenient in Etobicoke and neighbouring communities,” Premier Doug Ford said then.

Trees for Life is a Canadian charity driven to inspire, support and mobilize community-led tree and shrub-planting initiatives. Its projects include the Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign and GrandTrees Climate Solutions, The charity has raised more than $18 million to support the planting and stewardship of over 3.3 million trees across Canada.

A Toronto man who allegedly threatened students and staff of a local school has been arrested by police.

Police said they responded to a call on April 15 at 3 p.m. for a suspect who was loitering around a school in the Bloor Street West and Kipling Avenue area making threats to students and staff.

The suspect became engaged in conversation with students and began swearing and threatening them.
Johnathan Taft, 44, of Toronto, has been charged with three counts of uttering threats, two counts of cause disturbance and breaching his probation order.

He was slated to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice on April 18.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-2200, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or at www.222tips.com

 

Testing will soon begin at Exhibition Place for tiny three-wheel electric ‘micro-vehicles’ that will be taking to our roadways to ease traffic congestion.

The new affordable vehicles, with a range of 100 kms a charge, is being hailed as a next-generation electric vehicles that will also solve parking problems and reduce pollution.

The two seaters are called SARIT, which means safe, affordable, reliable, innovative transit, is the brainchild of auto magnate Frank Stronach, who has entered an agreement to test the vehicles at the 192-acre Exhibition Place.

The Board of Governors of Exhibition Place was told on April 11 that a no-cost agreement has been reached for York University to test four of the micro battery operated vehicles.

The testing “will serve as a testbed for the SARIT Prototype, a three-wheeled micro mobility battery operated vehicle boasting a 100-kilometer range,” according to a report.

The partnership ‘aims to demonstrate how the integration of micromobility electric vehicles can contribute towards achieving the city’s greenhouse gas reduction targets, of a 45 percent reduction by 2025, 65 percent reduction by 2030, and net zero by 2040 from 1990 levels.’

“This collaboration aligns with the shared vision of both Exhibition Place and York University to diminish environmental impact and operational costs associated with fleet vehicles,” according to the report.

It said the micro vehicles will not only diminish the environmental footprint, but also curtail the operational expenses associated with fleet vehicles.

The vehicles will be used by Exhibition Place’s staff to navigate the grounds, with the ability to drive between indoor and outdoor spaces and improve work efficiency thanks to their emission-free engines, the report Exhibition Place’s CEO Don Boyle stated.

The SARIT venture is backed by Stronach, a former politician who headed Magna International and Multimatic, whose team will refine the technology and tackle solutions for ride-sharing and accessibility.

The goal is to make the tiny vehicles accessible to the masses, and if approved we may see them on the roads soon.

The vehicle’s designers said they will not replace the car or SUV due to our winters but it will be great for short inner-city hops, where a bike would be too exposed.

“When you have a lot of traffic, most of the time you can get somewhere on a bike faster than you can in a car if you’re downtown Toronto,” designers said.

“The way I see it, gasoline will triple in price in three years. In eight years, gasoline will be rationed. That to me, it’s amazing that we have not heard the alarm bells,” Stronach said in an interview.

The SARIT is three feet wide, 7.5 feet long and 5.5 feet high. It seats one comfortably, but if a passenger needs a ride the seatback can be slid rearward for cozy, motorcycle-style two-up seating.

There is a small ‘trunk’ behind the seatback that can fit a few grocery bags or a backpack, though that space compresses with two passengers.

The three-wheeler sports handlebar controls, with a twist throttle and brake handles; there are no pedals in here. A three-speed selector and forward/reverse selector are also on the bars.

There has been mixed reaction from motorists on social media.

“These vehicles will be no more road worthy than golf carts and there is no room on sidewalks, which is where they will end up traversing,” wrote Edward Rudnicki.

“It needs at least four doors, be 30 feet long and weigh 6 000-pounds to compete with the monster vehicles out there,” said Greg Speers.

Speers said drivers of the SARITS face serious injuries if hit by larger vehicles on the road.

As the weather gets warmer police are warning homeowners to beware of scammers involved in paving and construction frauds.

The OPP said they are aware of a crime trend involving conmen trying to defraud homeowners seeking paving or construction work as the weather gets milder.

“Every year thousands of Canadians are victimized, and millions of dollars are lost through many forms of fraud,” an OPP release said.

To avoid becoming a victim, the OPP are reminding residents to be alert to repair deals as fraudsters are persistent, persuasive, and can be very aggressive.

Police are warning homeowners to be wary of so-called ‘contractors’ who do not have an official online presence, registration with local chambers of commerce, the Better Business Bureau or similar reputable organizations.

The OPP said fraudsters often contact individuals directly at their homes or by telephone, employing persuasive tactics about the necessity for a service they neither requested nor require.

“Exercise caution when opening your door to unexpected visitors or solicitors offering items or services,” officers warn.

They said fraudsters employ professionally designed flyers and websites that have a legitimate appearance.

And most contractors will know how much material they need for a job, so if they show up at your door saying they have “leftover” from another job, be cautious.

“It’s a red flag when a payment is asked for up-front or before the job is complete,” police say.

Detectives said if there’s no written contract with an up-front quote, and the price changes mid-job due to “unforeseen problems,” you’re at their mercy.

Fraudsters target vulnerable people, including seniors, and request cash payments for “today only” deals.

The OPP said if you receive a fraudulent call, text, or email, or if you’ve been a victim of a fraud or want to learn more information, you can contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre by calling 1-888-495-8501 or visit www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca

 

Canada’s largest gold and cash theft of more than $22 million was an inside job involving two former Air Canada employees, Peel Regional Police say.

Nine men, from the GTA, have been arrested and warrants were issued for four of them relating to the April 17, 2023 theft of 6,600 gold bars, worth $20 million, and $2.5 million in cash.

Only one gold bar, worth about $90,000 was recovered, along with $434,000 in cash by police in Project 24 Carat.

Peel police in a press conference on April 17 said the gold was melted down by the thieves. They seized items for melting the gold and four crude bracelets of almost pure gold that led to the arrests.

Peel Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah said one of the suspects arrested was a former Air Canada manager and another a warehouse worker.

“They (organized crime) exploited people who held certain positions at the airport,” the Chief said. “We are working closely with national and international law enforcement partners to arrest those responsible.”

Police showed a five-ton truck that they claimed the thieves backed up to a loading dock of an Air Canada warehouse hours after the shipment had arrived from Zurich, Switzerland.

The thieves presented a legitimate waybill printed at an Air Canada facility that was for a shipment of fish that arrived a day before. The document was altered to present to authorities to obtain the gold, which was loaded into the vehicle.

A special team of 17 detectives was assembled in a task force to investigate the case. The officers collected security video from more than 200 businesses and homes, and conducted dozens of interviews, as they tracked the gold-filled truck through the streets of Mississauga.

Officers in Project 24 Carat say a lot of work has to be done to find the rest of the gold.

The gang was rounded up following the arrest of the truck driver by U.S. Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents in Philadelphia who was pulled over a rental vehicle for a traffic infraction.

The driver of the vehicle was also the driver of the gold truck in Mississauga. A search of the rental car turned up 65 firearms, destined for Canada.

“Firearms trafficking presents a grave threat to public safety,” said ATF Special Agent Eric J. DeGree, of the Philadelphia Field Division. “Law enforcement cooperation with our U.S. and international partners is key to seeking justice and preventing crimes that extend beyond our borders.”

Police had flagged the driver’s name on a law enforcement computer system that showed his involvement in the Pearson gold heist.

Among those arrested were former Air Canada manager Parmpal Sidhu, 54, who is at large; warehouse worker Simran Preet Panesar, 31; and Durante King-McLean, 25, the suspected driver.

The suspects were charged with theft over $5,000 and possession of property obtained from crime. They were released on bail conditions and will appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton at a later date.

Canada-wide warrants have been issued for four suspects, who are believed to have fled the country.