South Etobicoke places of worship, faith-based schools and other vulnerable centres have been the scene of many hate-filled demonstrations of late.

Now safety zones to curb hate may soon be in place to protect residents of the many anti-Arab or anti-Jewish demonstrations taking place.

The City is requesting the provincial government create safety zones around places of worship, faith-based school and vulnerable community social infrastructure.

A motion by Councillor James Pasternak is calling for City Council to request the Attorney General of Ontario to introduce legislation to permit peaceful protests or demonstrations while creating safety zones at facilities, including daycares, community centres and museums.

Pasternak said since October last year there has been an increase in protests and demonstrations in Toronto.

Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw said there was a 93 per cent increase in hate crimes since last October 7; and 56 per cent of the incidents have been anti-Semitic and target the Jewish population.

Demkiw said there has also been increases in anti-LGBTQ hate, anti-Black, anti-Arab, Muslim and Palestinian hate.

“To date no such safety zones have been created,” Pasternak wrote. “Instead, demonstrations continue to occur close to and target such facilities, creating fear and distress for many Torontonians.”

Council said the safety zones should within a radius of 50 to 150 metres from the affected churches, faith-based schools, day cares and other agencies.

Police have stepped up patrols at some of the centres that attract protestors.

The motion states that all City residents have a right to safely gather and peacefully co-exist.

“All Torontonians have an opportunity to voice their opinion,” the motion said. “This must not extend to disturbing protests that target vulnerable locations.”

Mayor Olivia Chow last October passed a ‘Keeping Toronto Safe from home’ for the creation of community safety zones.

A prominent businessman is one of two board members appointed to head the Lakeshore Arena.

Nick Eaves and Andrew Teichman were appointed by City Council on May 22 for a two year tenure to lead the Lakeshore Arena Corporation Board.

Eaves, who has a long background in Etobicoke, spent 21 years at Woodbine Entertainment Group, including five as its Chief Executive Officer.

He is also the Chief Venues and Operations Officer at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors, Toronto FC, Toronto Argonauts, Toronto Marlies, Raptors 905, TFC II and Raptors Uprising Gaming Club.

Eaves joined MLSE in 2016 and is responsible for overseeing the Operations, Capital Projects and Development function at its venues. He also has oversight of MLSE’s LIVE division that brings hundreds of world-class music and entertainment events to its venues each year.

“Nick has an extensive knowledge of the facility and its operations,” according to a biography.

Eaves is said to have led Woodbine through significant change and helped create opportunities for development and future growth, due to a the five-year Horse Racing Partnership Plan with the Province of Ontario.

He is an active community volunteer with organizations as Out of the Cold, United Way, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Woodbine Entertainment and Tourism Toronto, where he also serves on their Boards of Directors.

Eaves volunteers with the Out of the Cold Program, Ernestine’s Women’s Shelter, Youth Without Shelter and United Way Toronto. He holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts from Western University.

Also being appointed to the arena board is Andrew Teichman, who has more than 30 years of experience in acquisitions and divestitures, major project and engineering management, and investment management.

Teichman has considerable clean-tech venture capital experience, including serving as a director on various technology development companies. His areas of interest include economic and urban development, climate change, entrepreneurship and emerging technologies.

The Lakeshore Arena Corporation is a City corporation that manages the arena, otherwise known as the Ford Performance Centre, a marquee four-pad ice arena that offers ice rentals, leagues, public skating, drop-in programs, tournaments and special events to the local community.

It is used by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Marlies, and some visiting NHL teams and tenants include Hockey Canada, Hockey Hall of Fame and the NHL Alumni Association.

MAY 18 ETOBICOKE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY Annual Plant Sale rain or shine from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Fairfield Seniors Centre, 80 Lothian Ave., for a large selection of perennials, native and pollinator friendly plants, herbs, annuals, shrubs and house plants. Also garden accessories, tools and gardening advice. Cash or credit card accepted. More at www.etobicokehort.ca

MAY 23 MOVIE MATINEE at LAMP CHC at 1 p.m. in the community room for the screening of a family friendly film. For more information, contact AnthonyA@lampchc.org or phone 416-252-6471 ext. 246

UNTIL MAY 24 FREE ENGLISH CONVERSATION CLASSES learn and improve your English skills with ESL teacher. Adults only, beginners and intermediate levels are welcome. Fridays to May 24 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Stonegate CHC Meeting room, 10 Neighbourhood Lane, Unit 201. To register call 416-231-7070 ext. 307 or e-mail health.promotion@stonegatechc.org

MAY 25 COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Do our Spring cleaning together at Franklin Horner Community Centre, on Horner Avenue, in its garage sale. All is welcome. Tables $25. Also a BBQ that day. For more contact 416-252-6822.

MAY 25 FREE GIANT GARAGE SALE presented by the Royal York United Church from 8:30 a.m. to noon to come and shop for treasures, like housewares, small furniture, games, toys and puzzles, jewelry and purses. There will be a gardening area with perennials, houseplants, pots and gardening items. At 851 Royal York Road, three blocks south of Bloor Street W. Call or text 647-292-2448 or visit ryru.ca for further information.

MAY 25 – 15TH ANNUAL SPRING BIRD FESTIVAL at Colonel Sam Smith Park, Lake Shore Blvd. W., and Kipling Ave., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for a day of guided bird walks, live birds, reptiles and amphibians, backyard habitat building, art workshops and children’s activities. Bird walks run regularly during the festival and place your dog on a leash. The festival is part of the annual Toronto Bird Celebration that runs through May. See more at Toronto.ca/SpringBirdFestival.

EVERY THURSDAY UNTIL JUNE 6 Virtual Chair Exercise on Zoom for older adults at 11:30 a.m. Join Fitness Instructor Cynthia as she leads a group for 45 minutes with seated exercise in your own home to improve mobility and endurance. To register call 416-231-7070 ext. 307 or e-mail health.promotion@stonegatechc.org

 STONEGATE CHC THE GOOD FOOD MARKET runs every Thursday from 12 noon to 3 p.m. at 10 Neighbourhood Lane, 2nd floor, for affordable produce. Cash and debit accepted. Any questions call 416-231-7070 ext. 307.

EVERY TUESDAY SENIORS GENTLE CHAIR EXERCISE from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at Trillium Room at Stonegate CHC, 10 Neighbourhood Lane. A Registered kinesiologist will lead a group with exercises to increase strength, balance and flexibility. To register call 416-243-0127 ext. 503 and specify Stonegate location or visit www.stonegatechc.org.

LAST FRIDAY OF EACH MONTH OLDER ADULTS 55 PLUS Seniors Social Game Group from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Stonegate CHC, 10 Neighbourhood Lane. It is an opportunity to meet, socialize and take part in card and board games. Light lunch served. To register call 416-231-7070 Ext. 307 or email health.promotion@stonegatechc.org.

EVERY FRIDAY LATIN DANCING Spice up your dance moves and immerse yourself at LAMP CHC in the vibrant rhythms of salsa, bachata, and more. No partner or experience needed – just bring your passion for dancing! For more e-mail anthonya@lampchc.org or call 416-252-6471 ext. 246.

DAILY WALKING GROUP WITH NIKI AND MARY at 2:30 p.m. at LAMP. Step into a healthier, happier lifestyle by joining our local walking group! Lace up your shoes and let’s stride towards better health and stronger community bonds together! To register, contact Niki at NikiM@lampchc.org or phone 416-252-6471 ext. 257.

THURSDAYS AT 3 P.M. FREE ART CLASSES in person at LAMP CHC join local artist Nataliya Sydorenko and experience the health benefits of painting and drawing-enhance your creativity, improve memory and reduce stress. To register, please email anthonya@lampchc.org or phone 416-252-6471 ext. 246. WEDNESDAYS UKELELE 101 at 2:30 p.m. at LAMP call Anthony 416-252-6471 xt. 246.

More than 900 area residents have signed an online petition demanding changes or a halt of a massive Long Branch condo development.

Five residential towers have been proposed to redevelop 220, 230 and 240 Lake Promenade and 21 and 31 Park Boulevard, across from the shores of Lake Ontario.

Signs have gone up around the large property warning residents that an application for the changes are before the hearings process.

The proposal would see some low rise apartments with 548 residential units being demolished to be replaced by two 12 storey buildings, two 14 and two 30 storey mixed use buildings.

The older low-rises being demolished are the home to many seniors who have lived here for decades, are older and being threatened with demolition and having to move.

“We have roots, friends, family, schools, doctors, and social lives are all based here and we love it,” according to the petition. “Most of us are in rent-controlled apartments … and we expected to live out our lives in this place, not having to fear major rent increases in our lifetime.”

The petition states that residents are being threatened with a five to 10 year construction zone that would uproot the tenants of two buildings, who would have to move away until the new rental buildings are finished.

“Hundreds of people would have to put with living in a construction zone until we also get moved away from our beloved lakefront hundreds of feet away,” according to the petition. “There would be obscured views as there are no 30-storey skyscrapers, or buildings over 10 storeys in our neighbourhood,”

It said 30 storey towers are three times too high for the community.

The proposed buildings will have a total of 2,021 suites, 548 of which would be rental replacement, 29 of which would be market rental, and 1,444 of which would be market condo suites. The complete can take as long as 10-years to be completed.

The project calls for 1,307 new parking spaces for vehicles in three underground garages of two storeys each, with 101 of the spots meant for visitors. Located alongside the Waterfront Trail, there are 1,556 resident bicycle spaces planned across the site, or about .75 spaces per unit, with another 86 spots for visitors.

Residents said their streets are narrow, most have no sidewalks and not made for major traffic that would happen if density was increased never mind what the truck traffic would be like for years during construction.

They said the incoming condos area are not on a roadway or convenient for public transit.

“This kind of increased density would destroy many people’s long-time homes, darken the surrounding houses and completely change the character of this small community,” according to residents.

The petition can be accessed on change.org

A massive 45-storey mixed-use condo tower is proposed for a very busy intersection in Islington Village.

The tower at 4875 Dundas Street West is near Islington Avenue and will be built on the south west corner site of a current 10-storey rental apartment building that will be demolished to make way for the new development.

An application has been filed for an Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment to permit the construction of a mixed-use high-rise and demolition of the older building.

The new building is designed by Graziani + Corazza Architects and features a four-storey podium and will house a total of 488 units, which includes 432 market-based condos and 56 rental units.

An underground garage spread across three levels would provide 221 parking spaces, with 214 for residents and seven for visitors. There will be 332 long-term and 35 short-term bicycle parking spots.

The area is busy for motorists and pedestrians as several TTC bus routes operate near the proposal site, offering connections to Islington, Kipling, and Dundas West stations as Islington Station is close by.

The neighbourhood is getting congested with condo towers as a 25 story building is proposed at 4888 Dundas Street West and another at 27 storeys close by.

A major redevelopment is also planned for the lands at the Islington Station, at Bloor Street West, where a new bus terminal and a 55, 41, 34 and 32-storey buildings are in the works.

The development will be close to a new Etobicoke Civic Centre and thousands of affordable housing being constructed in the Six Points Interchange area, near Bloor Street West and Kipling Avenue.

There are four buildings ranging height up to 24 storeys and about 2,800 affordable housing units planned for the site.

Toronto hockey fans are skeptical and weighing in that all charges were dropped against two men who were arrested for the armed carjacking of Mitch Marner’s SUV at Cineplex Cinemas Queensway.

The star hockey player and his team the Toronto Maple Leafs are out of the playoffs now but almost two years ago he had his expensive Land Rover carjacked as he and his now wife were leaving the theatre.

Police at the time said a black Honda Civic pulled up to block Marner from leaving a parking lot at the Islington Avenue and The Queensway theatre. Three suspects armed with two handguns and a knife demanded the keys of his vehicle and drove off.

Two of the suspects were arrested in March 2023 and charged with robbery with a firearm and disguise with intent. One faced a further charge for failing to comply with a release order.

The men were granted bail that same month.

Court documents show the charges were withdrawn by the Crown in October 2023, according to the Toronto Star. The court was told “there’s not a reasonable prospect of conviction.”

The robbery came as a wave of carjackings were increasingly making headlines across the GTA with Marner’s experience shining a spotlight on the City’s rising auto theft crisis.

There were more than 12,000 car thefts in Toronto last year; with up to 20 thefts daily in South Etobicoke alone.  Police said a vehicle is stolen every 40 minutes in this City.

There have been 137 carjackings in Toronto so far this year, which is an increase of more than 60 per cent from the same date last year.

Many hockey fans were skeptical the charges against the men were dropped and took to social media to express their views.

“Someone screwed up and we cannot simply shrug our shoulders,” an outraged Kamil wrote. “The outcome of this is that two potentially very dangerous criminals are still out there and so far they’ve been able to get away with it.”

Kamil is asking what really happened and why was the men arrested without sufficient evidence.

“This is a curious outcome,” Kim suggested. “Almost always the truth comes out in time.”

“Kudos on a job done by Toronto Police and the Ontario Crown,” said Wally.

Carl said it is about time those in authority come clean.

“It’s time this secrecy was done away with,” Carl wrote. “No doubt mistakes were made now as so often in the past.”

 

 

 

 

 

The thefts have led to hundreds of armed home break-ins and car jackings as thieves rob owners of their high-end vehicles, which are then shipped abroad for resale or for use here to commit crimes.

South Etobicoke will soon be getting a new hi-tech elementary school to meet the needs of the community.

A plan by the Ontario government to invest $33.4 million in the Toronto District School Board for the new Etobicoke City Centre Elementary School was announced by Etobicoke Lakeshore MPP Christine Hogarth on May 10.

The school, which will be located at 160 Silverhill Drive, in the Bloor and Dundas Streets W. area, will have 823 student spaces and 88 licensed child care spaces, Hogarth said.

“It is part of the government’s commitment to building state-of-the-art spaces for Ontario students,” she said.

Hogarth said the new school is the fifth major school investment for Etobicoke-Lakeshore during her tenure as MPP.

“The new school will be a valuable asset for supporting student needs in our fast-growing community,” she noted. “The inclusion of child care spaces will offer reassurance to working families and provide a seamless transition for our youngest learners.”

The school supports the creation of more than 27,000 new student spaces and more than 1,700 licensed child care spaces at schools across Ontario.

Education minister Stephen Lecce said the project is part of a $1.3 billion plan that more than doubles funding to build new schools and expansions, including child care spaces.

“We are stepping up with a massive investment to build the homes, schools, and communities our province needs, and to ensure children have access to state-of-the-art schools close to home,” Lecce said.

The province since 2018 has invested more than $3.6 billion in construction projects in education, including 139 new schools, 109 additions and renovations to existing facilities, creating more than 98,000 student spaces and over 8,000 new licensed child care spaces.

The new school will be on the site of the Etobicoke Secondary Alternative School that was built in 1954. It will be demolished and the new one completed by about 2028.

The state-of-the-art facility will include six full-day kindergarten and 27 regular classrooms; art, science and music rooms, meeting rooms, double gymnasium, stage,

The three-storey school will also contain a five-room 88-space childcare centre, six full day kindergarten rooms, and enough space for six portables and playgrounds.

“The modern school will help alleviate the space pressures on other local schools that are now over capacity.” said Colleen Russell Rawlins, Director of Education, TDSB.

Rawlins said the new school will provide a welcoming and engaging environment for hundreds of nearby students to achieve, belong, and thrive.

 

What is your vision of the Lakeshore!

The City is undertaking an Avenue Study to update, change policies and plan for the future Lake Shore Blvd. W., from Dwight Avenue to Brown’s Line.

The study, according to City staff, will examine the streetscape, public areas and evaluate existing conditions that exist along the four kilometre strip of Lake Shore Blvd. W., with a view of re-imagining the New Toronto and Long Branch areas.

A new vision of the strip is being looked at and recommendations will be made to update planning guidelines, future development and improvements to public areas, according to the study.

An in-person public meeting on the study will be held on May 23 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the cafeteria of the Lakeshore Collegiate Institute, at 350 Kipling Avenue.

The study includes properties that front onto Lake Shore Boulevard West, on the north side of Lake Shore Boulevard.

Two areas are not included in the study includes the redeveloped north side of Lake Shore Boulevard West, between Ninth and Fourteenth Streets and the south side between Thirteenth and Twenty Third Streets, which is made up of Humber College and City of Toronto lands.

The City said the study consists of three phases: with public engagement and information gathering; making draft recommendations and making a final report to council and implementation.

There will be Local Advisory Committee (LAC) established, community consultations and online engagement, where residents can share their thoughts and submit questions and input.

Corey Bowes, a director of the Long Branch Business Improvement Area (BIA), said the studies occur from time to time.

He said the Long Branch BIA runs from Twenty Third Street to Long Branch Avenue, and there are plans to extend further west to the TTC Loop, at Brown’s Line.

Some Brown’s Line businesses are also talking about re-establishing a BIA for businesses along that strip of road from Lake Shore Blvd. W. to Evans Avenue.

If you have a view for the future of the area you can send your thoughts or vision by e-mail to City staff at LSBWstudy@toronto.ca.

Where did the more than 6,000 almost-pure gold bars and cash disappear too.

Canada’s largest gold and cash heist at Pearson Airport worth more than $20 million is still being talked about.

A seventh man has been charged by Peel Regional Airport as he stepped off a flight on May 8 at Pearson.

Archit Grover, 36, of Brampton, was charged with theft over $5,000 and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.

Six people from the GTA has been rounded up in connection with the April 2023 heist of 6,600 almost pure gold bars and $2.5 million in cash that had arrived on an Air Canada from Switzerland.

The inside job involved an Air Canada manager and warehouse worker.

Peel Police Chief said the crooks used a phony Air Canada waybill to retrieve the gold from an airline warehouse.

It took detectives a year to track, through the use of security video from area businesses and homes, a white five-ton truck filled with gold as it travelled through Mississauga and Brampton.

Police said nearly all the $20 million in gold bricks were melted and believed to be resold for sale to a slew of jewelry stores.

Only one bar, worth about $100,000, was recovered. Police believe most of the gold is gone.

Police have identified nine individuals connected with the heist. Those identified were arrested or had warrants issued for their arrest, with more than 19 charges between them. Most have been released on bail.

Those arrested so far include Parmpal Sidhu, Amit Jalota, Ammad Chaudhary, Ali Raza, and Prasath Paramalingam. Durante King-Mclean is currently in custody in the U.S.

A major break in the investigation came last fall, when U.S. authorities in Pennsylvania pulled over King-Mclean who was allegedly driving a rented vehicle with 65 illegal firearms.

Police believe the driver purchased the firearms with proceeds from the gold heist and had intended them for sale on the black market in Canada.

Two suspects remain on the loose and are wanted on Canada-wide warrants. They are Simran Preet Panesar, 31, of Brampton and Arsalan Chaudhary, 42, of no fixed address.

The City of Toronto is increasing security of its computer and digital systems in light of cyberattacks that crippled the City of Hamilton and Town of Huntsville.

City staff are trying to prevent similar cyberattacks that also brought down computer systems and briefly shut the Toronto Public Library, Toronto Zoo and the TTC; possibly exposing data of residents to cyber crooks.

In two cases hackers stole personal information about employees working at the Public Library and Zoo, which said stolen information included past earnings information, social insurance numbers, birthdates, telephone numbers and home addresses.

City council will vote on May 14 to give its Chief Information Security Office a mandate to conduct, increase and prevent cyberattacks of all its boards, agencies and corporations to prevent criminals from stealing data or holding them for ransom.

The Lakeshore Arena, also known as the Ford Performance Centre, on Kipling Avenue, is one of about 40 Toronto boards, agencies or corporations being checked for possible risks in case of a cyberattack.

The Chief Information Security Officer is being mandated to establish a cyber security risk management partnership with the agencies and corporations.

The officer will also be required to developed strategies so the City and its bodies cannot be hacked.

City Council is mandating that its computer systems be brought up to international anti-hacking standards.

The City of Toronto has more than 40 body, agencies or corporations that are digitally linked through a computer network that can be placed at risk or exposed to ransomware.

Lakeshore Arena is one of the many City boards or agencies, which also includes Toronto Police, TTC, Ontario Place, Toronto Parking Authority, Toronto Zoo, Yonge-Dundas Square, Toronto Investment Board, Exhibition Place, Toronto Waterfront and others.

City Council was told that the Office of the Chief Information Security Officer, is an independent cyber security division, which was created in 2020 with a staff or five. It has now grown to 84 cyber security experts who detect and protect City information from emerging cyber threats.

The Office ‘has implemented a robust and effective cyber program across the City’s divisions,’ according to a report.

“Agencies and corporations have emerged as prime targets for cyberattacks,” the report stated. “Government and public-sector organizations are likely to continue to be among the top targets of cyber criminals seeking financial gain or competitive intelligence in the coming years.”

It said earlier this year the City of Hamilton and Town of Huntsville were hit by a cyberattack in which the computer systems in both places were shut for several weeks and it is unknown if any information was stolen.

“The impact of these disruptions highlights the importance of implementing robust and effective cyber security measures to safeguard against future threats and ensure uninterrupted delivery of services to residents,” according to the report.

It said nearly 600 cyber risk assessments were completed last year, which was a 27 per cent increase over 2022.

And more than 28,000 hours of cyber awareness were provided in 2023 to City officials, staff, contractors and those working in its agencies and corporations.