There were a number of costumed children in our community out hitting the sidewalks in search of candies.

The number of kids this year dressed in Halloween costumes carrying plastic bags in hand appeared to be slight, and it also depended on where you live.

In Alderwood, few children ventured out, and it was with their parents during the evening.

The costumes were grand, with a trio of beautiful princesses, showing up at our door.

In Lakeshore Village, a member of the Business Improvement Area, was handing out candies at Lakeshore Blvd. W., and Sixth Street.

The front patio of a business was decorated with scary lights, goblins, talking skeletons and other inventions to help scare children.

There were lots of children as expected, but not close to the more than 300 trick or treaters they’ve had in previous years.

Only 56 per cent of Toronto residents said they would be opening their doors to hand out candies this year due to COVID-19 restraints.

Still, all and all, the children enjoyed themselves, virus or not.

 

The U.S. land and sea borders re-opens with Canada on November 8 and here is what you need to know in crossing, according to Canada and U.S. Border officers at the Peace Bridge.

If you’re travelling by air to the U.S. you must present a valid passport or Nexus card valid for the duration of your stay, and proof of a COVID-19 negative viral test (rapid antigen), done within 72 hours of your planned entry to the U.S. These tests start at $40 CAD.

Official proclamations and regulations are still forthcoming, but these are the requirements for entry we know so far: a passport or Nexus card valid for the duration of your stay, travellers 12 or older must provide proof of complete vaccination.

Travellers are considered fully vaccinated 14 days after completing the full series of an accepted vaccine.

Currently people entering the U.S. via land and sea borders do not need to provide proof of a COVID-19 negative test. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has not yet said whether this will change.

The accepted vaccines are Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, mixed doses of the two, Janssen-Johnson & Johnson and mixed doses of AstraZeneca.

Accepted Proof of Vaccination. The Government of Canada has announced that it will not be developing their own vaccine certificate for international travel. Instead the 10 provinces and 3 territories will use their systems to provide proof of vaccination for Canadians travelling within or outside of Canada. The U.S. government has not yet provided details on acceptable proof of vaccination.

Here are entry the requirements for Canada.

All travellers (air/land/sea) are eligible to enter Canada if they qualify as a fully vaccinated traveller.
Requirements include a passport or Nexus card. Visitors to Canada must ensure documents are valid for the duration of their stay.

Travellers five or older must provide proof of a COVID-19 negative molecular test (PCR, NAT, NAATS or RT-LAMP) done within 72 hours of your planned entry to Canada. These tests start at $135 USD. Please note that rapid antigen tests are not accepted.

Travellers 12 or older must upload proof of vaccination using ArriveCan (available for iOS, Android or online), up to 72 hours before arrival. Travellers are considered fully vaccinated 14 days after completing the full series of an accepted vaccine

Canadians are always eligible to enter Canada but must complete testing requirements and mandatory quarantine if they do not qualify as a fully vaccinated traveller.

Accepted Vaccines are Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca, mixed doses and Janssen-Johnson & Johnson.

Accepted Proof of Vaccination. Hard copy, photo or PDF file proving each vaccination, enhanced proof of vaccination with QR code.

You must use ArriveCAN, to enter your proof of vaccination, up to 72 hours before your travel. If you don’t use ArriveCAN before arriving at the border the federal government won’t consider you a fully vaccinated traveller, even if you meet all the other requirements.

For more Information, contact U.S. Customs & Border Protection at 905-871-1608 (press 4) or Canada Border Services Agency at 905-994-6330. Both are at the Peace Bridge Crossing.

 

You can now get your Poppy at the Long Branch Legion, Branch 101, at 3850 Lake Shore Blvd. W.

From now until Wednesday November 10^th, you can stop by their patio to pick up a Poppy, and other related articles, with all proceeds going to the Poppy Fund.

Here are some Remembrance Day ceremonies taking place in our community on November 11.

Sunrise service at 7 a.m. at the New Toronto Monument at Colonel Samuel Smith Park, near Kipling Ave. and Lake Shore Blvd. W.

There are 11 a.m. ceremonies also taking place at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 101, at 3850 Lake Shore Blvd. W., just west of Brown’s Line.

There is another 11 a.m. service at the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 643, at 110 Jutland Rd., near Islington Ave.

And a fourth taking place at 11 a.m. at the Etobicoke Civic Centre, 399 West Mall.

COVID-19 rules in place.

November 11 – Lest We Forget

 

Thai chef Oyy Tiwaporn loves food and dreamed of opening her own restaurant.

Oyy believes that ordinary Thai food can be extraordinary and her Thammada Thai Cuisine, at 2888 Lake Shore Blvd. W., near Sixth Street, is receiving rave reviews.

Thammada, which means simple, is one of the newer eateries in New Toronto, and residents seem to love its delicious ‘home-cooking style’ cuisine.

“All our dishes are natural and we cook our food on the spot,” says Oyy. “Our food is just like your mom’s cooking at home.”

She learned about spices and preparing traditional dishes from watching her mother and grandmother cook as a child in Thailand.

Oyy moved to Canada almost 30 years ago and began working on her dream. She loves Etobicoke and lives with her family in the Humber Bay Shores area.

Thammada is her second restaurant. She also owns Simply Thai, popular with High Park area residents at   2253 Bloor Street W., which has won several awards for its food and services.

“Thammada is a different restaurant because we bring home-style cooking to you,” she explains. “Here you can create your own menu and like street food we cook on the spot.”

Oyy says “as ordinary as Thai street food may seem, it always amazes us with extraordinary flavors and brings so much joy to the table.”

She has the phrase ‘Be Extraordinary’ lit in neon lights inside the restaurant to remind customers of her cooking. The restaurant is clean, cozy and comfortable. A licence to sell alcohol is being obtained.

“Our name Thammada may mean ‘simple” but our food is quite extraordinary,” Oyy says. “All our food is cooked with passion and love,”

Well-known business owner Lydia is a lunch time regular.

“They are nice people and the food is all fresh and very tasty,” Lydia says. “The food is authentic and you can taste the ginger and other spices.”

Area resident Susanna described the Pad Thai meal as one of the better Thai dishes she has had.

“The food is very tasty and cooked in genuine Thai style with lots of spices,” she says. “I would go back and recommend this place to my friends.”

Also available is all your Thai favourites as Khao Soi, Pad Se Ew, with flat big rice noodles, egg and Chinese broccoli, which is a foodie favourite.

The restaurant has received hundreds of reviews which are mostly in the 4.5 out of five range.

You can reach Thammada at 647-398-2978 or orders can be placed online by visiting www.thammada.online

 

 

Peel Regional police say they have dismantled a criminal cell responsible for dozens of tractor, trailer and load thefts from across the Greater Toronto area.

Three Brampton men have been arrested and charged with more than 100 offences in relation to the thefts that involved the stealing and re-selling of cargo to a network of discount stores and other businesses across Southern Ontario.

Police allege the suspects would steal tractors and empty cargo trailers and then would attend logistic companies, freight forwarders and various other commercial properties, where loaded trailers of various cargo would be located.

“The stolen vehicles were then used to remove loaded cargo trailers containing freight ranging from consumable goods to appliances,” police said in a release.

The investigation began last April after police targeted an organized crime group operating in Peel Region, the Greater Toronto area and Golden Horseshoe.

The suspects used storage facilities throughout the Greater Toronto Area to hide the stolen property until it could be sold to purchasers. It is believed some of the thefts occurred from Etobicoke yards.

“Many of the items would end up in food markets, liquidators and dollar stores, where unsuspecting consumers would purchase the illegally obtained items,” according to police.

Three suspects from the crime group were arrested on October 27 after search warrants were conducted at their residences.

As a result of the numerous search warrants conducted throughout the project, 20 stolen cargo loads, tractors and trailers, with an aproximate value of $4 million were recovered.

Many of the stolen goods were successfully returned to their owners.

Charged are Dharwant Gill, 39, Ravneet Brar, 25, and Devesh Pal, 23, all of Brampton. They face a total of 50 counts of possession of stolen property and 43 counts of possession of stolen property for the purpose of trafficking.

Anyone with information related to this investigation is asked to call the Peel Regional Police Commercial Auto Crime Bureau at 905-453-2121 ext. 3319.

You can also contact Peel Crime Stoppers anonymously by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or by visiting www.peelcrimestoppers.ca.

 

Uncanny crooks have ripped off millions in pure silver bullions in what’s being called a perfect heist.

Police across North America are on the hunt for $11 million U.S. worth of pure silver bullions that were stolen from a shipping container.

Toronto Police said the millions in pure silver were stolen last January 2020 following the heist of a shipping container in the Port of Montreal area.

Police said some traces of the stolen silver were recovered in Toronto, British Columbia and Massachusetts.

“The original silver bars had several distinctive stamped markings including a serial number and “Korea Zinc,” said officers of the force’s Financial Crimes Unit.

“Investigators believe that some of the silver was smelted into ingots for a better chance of avoiding suspicion when selling.”

Detectives believe the silver were sold through a network of fences in various cities.
Police would like to speak to anyone who may have received these ingots or fears they may have received silver by-products from this stolen shipment.

Police released photos showing large, blue containers the silver was shipped in as well as the shipping container the barrels were transported in.

The photos show a grey shipping container, marked MSKU 403 026 7 22G1.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7300, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, online on our Facebook Leave a Tip page, or text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637). Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes or Google Play.

A proposal has been filed to construct one of the tallest condos in the Humber Bay Shores area on the site of an outgoing Esso service station.

The application was submitted last September by Marlin Spring Developments and seeks an Official Plan amendment and zoning by-law change to build a 59-storey condo at the eastern corner of Lake Shore Blvd. W. and Marine Parade Drive.

The gas station at 2189 Lake Shore Blvd. W., is reported to have been sold and the . 67-acre site is being redeveloped, according to a study last December.

If approved as proposed, 2189 Lake Shore, as it is called, would be the second tallest tower on the lake side of Lake Shore Boulevard in the Humber Bay Shores area at 197.97 metres tall, which is 30 metres shorter than the neighbouring Sky Tower, according to the developers.

The building will have some 665 square metres of ground floor retail space along the length of the Lake Shore Boulevard frontage.

Across the street is the 28-acre former Mr. Christies site at 2150 Lake Shore, where about 12 towers and several shorter buildings and communities are planned. A new GO station at Park Lawn Road is coming along with enhanced streetcar service.

To the southeast is a vacant .40-hectare piece of land owned by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority that is intended to be developed as a park. On the south side of Marine Parade Drive are parklands of Humber Bay Parks East and West, and the popular Waterfront Trail.

The building will be home for 650 condominium units, which includes nine studios, 383 one and one-bedroom with dens, 190 two and two-bedroom plus dens, and 68 three-bedroom units.

There will be four levels of underground parking space for 230 vehicles: 158 residential parking stalls, 67 shared residential visitor and commercial parking stalls and five car-share spaces.

The proposal has to be approved by community council and meet bylaw requirements before the project can go ahead.

There is no date as to when construction can begin.

The proposal has led to dozens of irate area residents to take to social media to complain about the traffic congestion and lack of parking, stores and affordable housing in the area.

Marlin Spring Developments is a real estate builder based in Toronto. As a new developer, they follow a modern approach to create projects to densify regions of Toronto. They have collaborated with other developers to develop communities across the city.

 

Beware of this new holiday online shopping scam as thieves try to steal your money.

The Canadian Anti Fraud Centre (CAFC) is warning the public about an extortion scam Canadians are experiencing involving fraudsters claiming to be from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

“They try to make you believe that a package addressed to you was intercepted by Canada Post containing illegal substances,” the information from the fraud centre reads.

When the scammers make the call, they ask you to press 1, through an automated message, before requesting personal information, including SIN, date of birth, name, address. and account balances.

Then victims of this scam will be asked to withdraw money from their bank accounts and deposit that money into a “safe account.”

“In rare cases, suspects may pose as police officers and present themselves at your house to pick up the money,” the CAFC warns.

The scam is similar to previously reported extortion scams where fraudsters claim to be representatives of Service Canada, Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and RCMP.

The fraud centre is warning Canadians that scammers manipulate caller ID to show a phone number actually linked to these agencies, called “call-spoofing.”

Follow these tips to protect yourself from scams:

• Never provide personal information over the phone to an unknown caller
• Do not assume that phone numbers appearing on your call display are accurate
• If you provide personal information, contact Equifax and TransUnion to place fraud alerts on your accounts

The CAFC urges anyone who has been a victim of a scam, fraud or cybercrime, to contact their local police as soon as possible. Scams can be reported to the CAFC online or over the phone at 1-888-495-8501.

Members of a Canadian military alumni band had onlookers swinging as they performed some musical favourites to celebrate the 100 anniversary of the Toronto Scottish Regiment (Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother’s Own.)

A section of Sixth Street in New Toronto  was closed on October 25 as a military band performed for about an hour in front of a massive Toronto Scottish Regiment poster to celebrate the event.

Uniformed members of the Regiment’s Pipe and Drums band performed some of their favourites by bagpipes.

MPP Christine Hogarth encouraged area residents to attend Remembrance Day ceremonies on November 11.

“We all have to be thankful for veterans and the work they have done,” Hogarth said.

Organizer Chris Korwin-Kuczynski, of the Lake Shore Village BIA, said residents loved the music and the military.

“We have to remember our vets,” he urged. “They gave their lives for us.”

Some Remembrance Day Ceremonies on November 11 in the area includes:

– Sunrise Remembrance Day Ceremony at 7 a.m. at the New Toronto Monument at Colonel
Samuel Smith Park just east of Lake Shore Blvd. and Kipling Avenue area.

– Remembrance Day Ceremony at 11 a.m. Royal Canadian Legion Branch 101 Long Branch, at 3850 Lake Shore Blvd. W. in front of the cenotaph. COVID-19 protocols in place.

 

 

 

Mothers, fathers, sisters or brothers were among the 65 area residents who were lost by their loved ones to COVID-19 and remembered at a community gathering at St. Margaret Anglican Church in New Toronto.

The loved ones gathered on the lawn of the Sixth Street church to reminisce, pray and pay tribute to friends and family lost from the pandemic, when only a handful of mourners were allowed to say their good byes.

“There are many other community members who died that we do not know about yet,” said Rev. Jacqueline Daley, of St. Margaret. “They will be missed by their loved ones and friends.”

She said her church lost members of their congregation to the pandemic.

“We have navigated quite a year, one that has robbed us of many things but most dearly our loved ones,” Daley told mourners.

The gathering was held on October 23 at the church, which is more than a century old. It was organized by The Dorothy Ley Hospice, Lakeshore Arts, LAMP, St.Margaret and Ridley Funeral Home.

Candles were lit by a number of area faith leaders as the names of the deceased were read aloud during the hour-long gathering.

Dipti Purbhoo, of Dorothy Ley Hospice, said her staff helps residents ‘with their grieving and loss.’

“We see an increase of people coming in to see us,” Purbhoo said. “There is more of a demand now for grief and loss.”

Indigenous singers and drummers Page and Sara sang tunes about loss and going home.

Heather Medhurst, a spiritual advisor at Lakeshore Lodge, told mourners it is never ‘too late to grieve.’

“There are so many things that we have lost this year,” she said. “It is never to late to mourn your loss.”

Indigenous activist Julie Penasse reminded residents that the bodies of more than 7,600 native children have been discovered in shallow graves across Canada.

“These kids do not have a name,” she admitted. “They were buried by the dozens in unmarked graves. Nobody know who they are.”

Penasse said members of her family were sent to residential schools and returned home in bad shape.

“They came home and they were traumatized,” she recalled. “They were not the same.”’

There was a moment of silence held to pay tribute to the dead.

Ribbons of many colours were tied to a fence in front of the church to remember the 65 deceased.

If you know of others who have died from the pandemic contact Rev. Daley at  647-766-7794 or email priest-stmargaretnewtoronto@toronto.anglican.ca