Police searching for shooters and getaway car after teen shot in the leg in New Toronto

April 18, 2021 by SouthEtobicokeNews

POLICE are searching for two shooters and a getaway car involved in shooting of 14-year-old. CTV News.

CAR with bullet hole found at scene of the shooting.

Police from 22 Division are searching the area for shooters and a getaway car after a 14-year-old boy escaped being killed and was wounded in the leg in the Garnett Janes Road area of South Etobicoke on April 17.

The high-risk area is well-known to police and has been linked to about four shootings so far this year. Local officers have been working to make inroads into the crimes in the area.

Officers said on Saturday they were called to a park near Garnett Janes Road, in the area of Islington Ave. and Lake Shore Blvd. W., just before 6 p.m. following reports of multiple gunshots allegedly from parties firing at each other.

The injured teen was found by police suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg.

He was transported by paramedics to a local hospital suffering from serious but non-life threatening injuries. His condition has since been updated to stable.

Const. Laura Brabant said the boy was driving with his family in the area when gunfire erupted.

It is believed that occupants of two vehicles were shooting at each other.

The vehicles involved in the shooting fled the area before police arrived. Police said they are looking for multiple suspects, but no descriptions have been released.

It is believe the boy was an innocent bystander and was not involved in the incident. A white vehicle belonging to his family was found with a bullet hole on the passenger side.

Police said they are searching for a vehicle that was seen fleeing the area just after the shooting.

Officers are in the Garnett Janes area on a weekly basis responding to incidents.

In one incident in July last year an Uber Eats driver was among two men shot at the buildings.

Police at the time said the Uber driver was making a delivery when his was vehicle was fired upon.

The driver suffered a life-altering injury to his eye and it is not known if he will be able to drive again. No arrests were made in that shooting, or some of the other incidents.

Residents of Garnett Janes have repeatedly complained to 22 Division police of the shootings in their area.

Parks reopen to families and police told not to ticket residents for being outside due to COVID

April 18, 2021 by SouthEtobicokeNews

POLICE told not to ask residents where they are going or where they live as part of COVID rules.

SECTION of Premier Doug Ford’s COVID-19 rules to ask where residents are going or why outside has been reversed. CTV photo.

Ontario parks are open again for families as police forces are warned to stop asking members of the community where they are going and for their home address.

A furious backlash is underway by police forces across the province not to approach their communities for the ‘where have you been’ information to help curb COVID-19 has led to Premier Doug Ford withdrawing parts of a sweeping new police law introduced on Friday.

Officers will no longer have the right to stop any pedestrian or driver to ask why they’re out or request their home address, Solicitor General Sylvia Jones said in a statement on Saturday.

Jones said police will only be able to stop people who they have reason to believe are participating in an “organized public event or social gathering.”

Ford also reversed a decree banning families from attending Ontario parks, since it is good for them mentally and they can exercise and physically distance.

The Premier had been chastised by parents and members of the public and pundits, who attacked his latest anti-pandemic restrictions as misguided claiming the added police powers aimed at enforcing stay-at-home orders were ‘an overkill’.

It is not known if police will on April 19 begin patrolling the borders of Ontario and Manitoba and Quebec, to turn back those not visiting this province for non-essential reasons.

The changes mean that officers of 22 Division, or 11 Division, can no long ask residents in South Etobicoke about their travel plans and further anger the community.

Ahead of the reversal, large and small police forces across the province said they had no intention of exercising their newfound powers.

The new restrictions, including a two-week extension to the province’s stay-at-home order until May 20, were announced amid dire warnings from government scientific advisers that the pandemic was only set to worsen and there is a lack of hospital beds.

Other measures include further restrictions on outdoor gatherings and indoor religious services, while recreational facilities such as golf courses are now closed.

Critics said Ford had missed the mark on key drivers of the pandemic, including a lack of paid sick leave for essential workers and a dearth of evidence playgrounds have been a transmission source.

“Doug Ford’s handling of this pandemic has been an abject failure and absolute disaster,” said Patty Coates, president of the Ontario Federation of Labour.

Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown, a father of two young children, welcomed the change of heart on playgrounds, saying “common sense wins.”

Premier Ford tightens up saying we face tough times ahead as we battle COVID-19 and variants

April 16, 2021 by SouthEtobicokeNews

TOUGH times are ahead in our fight with the virus, according to the province.

Premier Ford with his officials with more anti-virus restrictions.

The COVID-19 squeeze is being tightened for everyone and this summer in Toronto will be no exception since nearly all major headline celebration or event has been postponed or scaled back.

Starting on April 19 the province is restricting interprovincial travel, extending the state of emergency and stay-at-home order by two weeks, until at least May 20.

Premier Doug Ford said on Friday that the infection and hospitalization rates continue to hit records and placing a strain on hospital beds.

On Monday Ontario will set up checkpoints at interprovincial borders to restrict land travel between Quebec and Manitoba to essential travel only.

Travellers who are coming into Ontario for purposes other than work, medical care, transportation of goods and exercising Indigenous treaty rights will be turned back at the border, officials said. There are no new restrictions on air travel within Canada.

For the first time in Ontario since the pandemic started, police officers will have the authority to require people to provide their home address and purpose for not being at their residence.

“We need to step up enforcement and we need to focus on those who are deliberately putting others at risk by ignoring the stay-at-home order,” the Premier said on Friday.

Police will have the ability to stop vehicles to inquire about and reason for people leaving their homes.

Ford said outdoor gatherings will be limited and all outdoor recreation amenities, such as golf courses, playgrounds, basketball court, and soccer fields, will be forced to close as April 17.

Outdoor gatherings with people outside of a person’s own household are also prohibited. For people living alone, they can gather with one other household.

The government says non-essential construction will close, including construction at shopping malls, hotels, and office towers.

Places of worship will be capped at a maximum of 10 people indoors.

“Those gathering in large groups are continuing to put themselves and others at risk so understand the restrictions will be strongly, strongly enforced because they must be,” he stressed.

Residents must remain at home at all times, with exceptions for essential purposes, such as going to the grocery store or pharmacy, accessing health care services, for exercise or for essential work.

Businesses across the province must ensure that any employee who can work from home, does work from home.

Non-essential stores must open no earlier than 7 a.m. and close no later than 8 p.m., including hardware stores, alcohol retailers, and those offering curbside pickup or delivery.

Capacity limits for in-person shopping in all retail settings where in person shopping is permitted, including supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores and stores that primarily sell food and pharmaceutical products, will be limited to 25 per cent capacity.

Dr. Adalsteinn Brown, the co-chair of the advisory table, stated during the modelling update that the chances of Ontario having a more normal summer with lower daily case numbers are slim and highly depend on vaccination rates and public health measures.

Modelling data suggests a third COVID-19 wave will continue into the summer if the current stay-at-home-order does not last at least six weeks and if Ontario does not support high-risk communities, as well as increase vaccinations.

Councillor Matlow to propose plan to allow people to drink beer and wine in the parks this summer

April 12, 2021 by SouthEtobicokeNews

NEIGHBOURS and friends can enjoy a cool drink if Matlow’s proposal is approved. Courtesy photos.

COUNCILLOR Josh Matlow wants people to enjoy alcoholic drinks in their local parks.

Most people would love to enjoy a drink in one of our beautiful lakeside parks.

And South Etobicoke residents and businesses say they support a proposal calling on the city to allow people to drink beer and wine in the parks this summer.

Ward 12 councillor Josh Matlow plans to table a motion at an infrastructure and environment committee meeting on April 28 that proposes a pilot project to allow the consumption of alcoholic beverages lower than 15 per cent alcohol in parks and on beaches with bathroom facilities.

Matlow, in a letter to the committee, said the pilot would run from May 21 to October 31. During that time, drinking beer, cider and wine in parks and on beaches would be permitted between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m.

He said the move would give people who can’t afford drinks at a restaurant or do not have outdoor spaces at home a safe option to drink outside during the pandemic.

“As we approach the second summer of the pandemic, public health officials recognize the reality that, especially after a year in isolation, people need to socialize,” Matlow wrote. “It is up to us to create environments where those connections with friends and family can be made in the safest way possible.”

He said by allowing public drinking doesn’t mean people will drink to excess, and loosening rules would allow enforcement officials to focus attention on offences such as littering, excessive noise and public urination.

He said last summer Council recognized the importance of being able to enjoy a drink outside by loosening restrictions on patios with the successful CafeTO program, which will be brought back this year. The program was successful for South Etobicoke bars and restaurants.

“Some residents will choose to enjoy a drink with loved ones in their backyards or on their balconies,” Matlow said. “These residents should not be left with unsafe options such as gathering indoors or, like many over the past year, choosing to drink illegally in parks.”

He said his motion seeks to increase and focus enforcement on problem behaviours that are already occurring by freeing up resources while loosening restrictions for responsible adults who wish to responsibly and safely enjoy a beer or glass of wine.

Cities like Montreal, London, Paris, and Sydney permit residents to drink in parks. Vancouver approved drinking in nine parks last year with many more scheduled to be opened up for alcohol this year.

He is requesting that as many parks and beaches have a bathroom facility, including portable toilets and to prohibit drinking alcohol near playgrounds and sports fields.

“This has to change,” Matlow said. “We don’t want people congregating indoors for a drink during a pandemic. Many live in apartments without a balcony.”

Chris Korwin-Kuczynski, Chair of the Lakeshore Village BIA, said he supports the proposal to get people outdoors with a drink if it is done properly.

“We have so many great parks in the community,” he said. “This can work if it is done in a responsible manner.”