Hundreds of South Etobicoke residents will not be receiving mail or packages this week after two Canada Post employees contracted COVID-19 forcing a local depot to close.

More than 100 posties work at the Etobicoke Delivery Centre, at 145 The West Mall, and it is not known how many are in quarantine from the virus.

Officials at the busy delivery depot found out one employee tested positive for coronavirus on Monday, and found out a second also contracted the virus on Tuesday, according to workers and a statement from Canada Post.

The depot closed for a deep clean on Tuesday, and as a result mail delivery has been temporarily suspended to residents with postal codes beginning with the following digits: M8V, M8W, M8X, M8Y, M8Z, M9A, M9B and M9C.

Most of the postal codes are for residences in the South Etobicoke area.

Canada Post plans to re-open the Etobicoke depot and resume regular mail service after a deep cleaning later this week.

A number of posties during the last few months have contracted the virus at Canada Post’s massive Gateway sorting plant in Mississauga.

“We are putting safety first and we have been in contact with Toronto Public Health and are following their direction and guidance,” according to a Canada Post official.

“We will continue to evaluate the situation, work with public health officials and our local joint health and safety committee and keep our employees and the public informed.”

Canada Post says a post office attached to this facility is also closed today.

The purchase price of a proposed New Toronto shelter will be close to $14 million and more than three times the going market price, according to a memo from the City of Toronto.

The June 5 Authorization Memo states “purchase of ‘The Property” that includes 2950 Lake Shore Blvd. W. and 2970 Lake Shore Blvd. W. is for use as a municipal shelter.”

The purchase price of the property is $13,250,000 with additional costs estimated to be $594,169, making it almost $14 million, it states under the memo’ s ‘Agreements and Key Terms’.

Sales documents for the property show that it was sold to the current owner — 2970 Lake Shore Group Inc. — for just slightly more than $4-million in 2017.The assessed value of the property in 2020 is $5.3-million.

Documents show the city is paying 3.5 times what the property was purchased for three years ago, 2.6 times its assessed value and $140,000 per client simply to purchase the property.

The memo, which was signed by Shelter, Support and Housing General Manager Mary-Anne Bedard, Director of Infrastructure Justin Lewis and Deputy City Manager Giuliana Carbone, states that the funding has been set aside as part of a 2018 directive to open 1,000 new shelter beds in Toronto.

“It’s appalling, who’s going to pay for this?” Vashti King, of the New Toronto Ratepayers Association, asks of the purchase price. “People are up in arms in our neighbourhood.”

King says a year ago the same owners proposed a zoning amendment to build a nine-storey building with 95-rental units and two floor of commercial space. That plan was rejected by the City.

Area councillor Mark Grimes, who was first briefed on the acquisitions last February 24, has been silent on the issue. He only mentioned the shelter in a recent posting on social media stating that he expects the deal to be closed by December or January.

Grimes is calling for the facility be used as a women’s shelter.

More than 1,500 people have signed an online petition against the proposed shelter, with more than 1,000 giving their support in a rival petition.

Grimes office has received hundreds and phone calls and emails from residents about the shelter.

“The opening of the property will follow the council-directed community engagement process,” according to the document. “This includes hiring a third party facilitator, working with the councillor’s office to identify key stakeholders and developing a site specific community engagement plan.”

The memo states the property has a high shelter service rating and ‘will be able to accommodate at least 100 beds while meeting shelter standards.”

Residents argue there are already a number of shelters and schools in the area.

A working group was created to determine the renovations required for living, office, dining and programming space to ensure the site meet all requirements as a shelter.

If approved, the building will be brought up to standards and begin accepting the homeless by early next year.

The City says there are some 8,715 people in Toronto who are homeless, with some 533 sleeping outdoors, according to a 2018 assessment.

This is compounded by the opiod crisis with the highest recorded deaths in July and ‘pressures on the shelter system exacerbated due to COVID-19.’

Family, friends and firefighters are still mourning the loss of 20-year south Etobicoke fireman, Duncan Gibson, who passed away two months ago leaving behind his wife and two young daughters.

Duncan was a son of Etobicoke and one of the youngest firefighter recruits ever called for duty. He followed in his dad Blair’s footsteps by working as a firefighter with the City of Toronto for two decades.

Having reached the rank of Acting Captain, Duncan most recently worked at Station 433D, at 615 Royal York Rd., where he was a valuable part of the crew.

Duncan was an upbeat and hardworking firefighter, who respected the role he played in his community, viewing his career as a firefighter, a privilege more than a job; just like his father did before him.
He and his wife, Kate, were the parents of two beautiful girls; Willow, 8, and Marigold, 4, who were the love of their lives.

Along the way, Duncan earned his Ontario Fire College Certificate of Achievement completing fireground operations and specialized in firefighter in the community modules by 2002.
He earned his Honours Bachelor of Science, Psychology and English double major, in 2005 at the University of Toronto.
And, in June 2007 earned a Certificate in Fire Leadership from Dalhousie University.

Like many, he was living a joyful and hectic life, balancing work and family.

Suddenly in the summer of 2018,  Duncan began experiencing relentless heartburn type sensations and difficulty swallowing. After medical examinations, he was given the shocking news that he had stage-four gastro-esophageal cancer.
He immediately began treatment and for the past two years had been battling the fight of his life. He would pop into the fire hall between chemo treatments to make sure his other “family” knew he was well and fighting with everything he had.

Unfortunately, while Duncan was fighting his own battle, he lost his dad, Blair, a 34-year Toronto firefighter, who succumbed to prostate cancer in January 2019.
Sadly Duncan lost his own battle with cancer last July at the young age of 40.
And even though Duncan dedicated his career to firefighting and as a first responder in his community, he has fallen short of the presumptive cancer legislation for firefighters by five years. The coverage  would have ensured his wife and children be taken care of financially when he died.

His friends and family members say the second-generation firefighter is being overlooked when it comes to the protecting and caring for his own family.
“We will never comprehend the amount of pain and loss that the Gibson family has experienced and will continue to face,” firefighters say. “We can step up when the governing bodies won’t and raise funds and let Duncan’s family know that his girls’ future education will be taken care of.”

A Go Fund Me page has been created by his friends and fellow firefighters to help raise money to pay for the education of his girls.

So far more than $115,000 has been donated by community members. If you can help please visit GoFundMe with a donation at the link below.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/firefighter-duncan-gibson?utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=m_pd%20share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link-tip&fbclid=IwAR3uoc5G2MuPHrnY3hC2-j0-jTmZpeVkwmZ84QW9Pm96luor6UzEgQm_in8

Here are some tips from Toronto Police for the owners of stores or small businesses to keep their companies and homes safe from thieves as the days get shorter at this time of the year.

Officers from 11 Division Crime Prevention Unit are warning business owners to ensure their alarms and Closed Circuit TVs are operational and to leave their lights on inside and outside of their premises.

Police are encouraging owners to keep track of their inventory and update their insurance coverage, should anything occur.

Post emergency contact key holder information inside the store and remove high value goods from store window view, according to police.

Back up all business documentation and when visually checking your business, do so during the day for better visibility, officers warn.

Owners should also display their empty cash drawer by the window or door and get to know their  business neighbours.

They should also keep their store windows clear and without clutter so people passing by outside can view inside the store and possibly report trouble.

Residents are also urged to reinforce their homes and properties and may want to add extra lighting, update locks, alarm systems, video monitoring, reinforce entry points or remove overgrown bush or structures to allow proper sight lines.

Police say some giveaways that a homeowner may be away for a period of time includes: newspapers piled up on the driveway, overflowing mail box, porch lights left on all day and night and an overgrown lawn.

Officers say homeowners can take precautions if going away by placing their mail delivery on hold, install timed lighting on the premises, ask a neighbour to regularly check on their property and by scheduling the landscapers to come.

Police are encouraging residents to use a heavy-duty deadbolt on their front door, keep a light with a timer when no one is at home, keep their car locked even in the garage, double check that doors and windows are locked prior to leaving home and open windows should be no more than four-inches to prevent intrusion.

All jewellery and valuables should be stored in a safe place before leaving the house and if anyone breaks in the home do not engage, call 911.

Once again police say exterior lighting is very important around the home and backyard at this time of the year.

Police also warn never to leave your car keys near the front door of their home since thieves can steal their vehicle without the keys by cloning a victim’s fob. Keep your car keys in a secure part of the home.

At this time of the year home owners should be wary of anyone knocking on their door suggesting that their roof, shingles, snow removal, windows or eavestrough needs repair or to be changed.

Home owners are urged when hiring a contractor to check their references, do not provide full payment, get a contract and research the company.

Call police at 416-808-2222 to report suspicious activities or report activities online at www.torontopolice.on.ca