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.

South Etobicoke TTC bus users starting on May 12 are being promised shorter wait times, quicker trips and less crowding on the network.

At least three TTC South Etobicoke bus services will obtain faster service, according to City officials.

The TTC head Rick Leary said the Commission is increasing service to near pre-COVID levels on select routes.

The upgrades comes as a result of customer feedback as ridership overall has returned to 80 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. The move will affect the 44 Kipling South, 76 Royal York South, 123 Sherway and 111 East Mall bus routes

The South Etobicoke routes are among 24 which will have services boost due to complaints, according to the TTC.

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow was joined by TTC Chair Jamaal Myers, TTC Commissioner, Councillor Paul Ainslie, and Leary, in Scarborough on May 7 to announce the service increase.

Customer feedback has played a crucial role in shaping these improvements, and we are committed to continually enhancing our services to meet customer needs, said Leary.

“We are investing more than ever in the TTC to ensure that buses arrive sooner, with more room on board, and that your commutes are faster and more reliable,” said Chow. “I am focused on delivering better TTC service to all customers, without increasing fares.”

Myers said TTC service has increased to 96 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.

“We are improving the daily commutes for thousands of customers, including in our suburbs,” he said

Twenty-four bus routes will see improved service, mostly in off-peak periods, providing more room on board and improving more than 140,000 daily customer trips.

Myers said that as of the end of April, weekday trips on the TTC reached 82 per cent of 2019 levels, with an average of 2.52 million daily boardings. He said ridership on the city’s bus network is currently at 91 per cent capacity.

Last year service across the TTC was boosted from 91 to 95 per cent of pre-pandemic levels in order to meet growing ridership. The TTC has said that it is hoping ridership will reach 80 per cent of pre-pandemic levels by the end of this year.

The TTC said the service increase will add thousands of service hours across the city at all times of the day. The increase will be coming in the form of additional buses; larger, articulated buses to reduce crowding on busy routes, and increased frequency to match demand.

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) Board on Dec. 20 approved a 2024 C$2.6 billion ($1.95 billion) operating budget that “freezes fares, continues to increase service, and invests millions of dollars in system safety and cleanliness.”Dec 22, 2023

The City has issued a survey to determine if the tennis courts at Rotary Peace Park should be turned into dedicated pickleball courts.

City officials said pickleball is in demand and there is only one court dedicated to the sport in Toronto’s park system.

The City ‘recognizes pickleball as an emerging sport,’ the survey said.

It said there is one pickleball court at Banbury Park, in North York, and a second location is to be installed this summer at Valleyfield Park, in north Etobicoke.

Due to a demand for the sport, officials are seeking response from the community to determine if a third court should be installed at Rotary Peace Park, at 25 Eleventh Street, in New Toronto.

The tennis courts conversion at Rotary Peace Park has been suggested by members of the community who have been requesting a dedicated space to play pickleball, according to City staff.

They said the tennis courts are already being used for pickleball through the use of temporary chalk lines and netting.

“Given the community demand for the sport and the current use of Rotary Peace Park Tennis Courts primarily for pickleball, the City is proposing to convert the two tennis courts into three permanent pickleball courts,” according to staff.

There are tennis courts available at four other parks within a two kilometre radius of Rotary Peace Park. The nearest tennis court is at Prince of Wales Park, a 15-minute walk east.

The 2.8 hectare Rotary Peace Park, near Lake Shore Boulevard West and Islington Avenue, features a lit baseball diamond, two lit tennis courts, a splash pad, and a children’s playground. A trail through the park ends at point overlooking Lake Ontario. There is also an outdoor pool and the New Toronto Lawn Bowling Club.

The survey closes on June 2 and if you have any questions you are asked to contact  PFRCustomerService@toronto.ca. 

An Etobicoke Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) youth worker is among 60 people arrested in a police online luring investigation.

The OPP said the suspect was working at TCDSB as an education assistant. He has been placed on administrative leave.

The suspect was charged following a search warrant of a Martin Grove Road and Eglinton Avenue West home and charged with two counts of luring a child under 16, invitation to sexual touching and transmitting sexually explicit material to a person under 16.

Police said the suspect had expressed interest with working with youth who have developmental disabilities.

The OPP said the suspect was allegedly using different names on various social media platforms. Offices believe there may be more victims.

Tyler Pennels, 26, was arrested last February by police in an investigation dubbed Project Aquatic that probed an online luring ring.

The OPP on May 8 said more than 60 people were arrested, and over 300 charges have been laid in a province-wide online investigation. The suspects ranged in age from 16 to 89.

The force said their investigation began last February, with authorities identifying and arresting those accused of making, possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material.

During the investigation, it’s alleged that one individual set up a meeting with undercover investigators intending to meet with a child in real life for a sexual purpose. Another person owned approximately 21 terabytes of data containing child sexual abuse material.

OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique said 34 identified victims were provided victim support, and 30 impacted children were safeguarded. The ages of the victims range from infants to teenagers.

“Our collective strength lies in our ongoing commitment to protect children from the impacts of sexual exploitation,” said Carrique.

The OPP also named another man from Toronto who allegedly placed hidden cameras inside washrooms at various coffee shops.

The investigation involved 27 police services from across the province, including those in the Greater Toronto Area.

An old wartime home is standing in the way of a proposed 40-storey tower to be built on the once-popular Dundas Street Grille site on Dundas Street W.

Another attempt to demolish the 28 Jopling Avenue one-floor house is being considered by the Etobicoke York Community Council on May 13.

The flattened dwelling is slated to be turned into a park next door to a high-rise being planned for the site of the Grille at 5238 Dundas Street West.

The Grille Restaurant had been a fixture in the area and was popular with families for about four decades. It was operated by a family before being sold for development.

The mixed use proposed tower is slated to have 475 dwelling units and 380 square metres of retail space on the ground floor, according to an application filed to Community Council for the demolition to It will contain 248 one-bedroom units 120 two-bedroom and 56 three bedroom units, according to the application.

There will also be 177 parking spaces, of which 20 per cent are for electric vehicles and four levels of underground garage.

There will be 390 bicycle parking spaces.

The application seeks to have the 28 Judson Avenue home demolished and a 340 square metre public park constructed at the site.

A previous bid to have the home demolished was refused due to a lack of a building permit.

A Toronto Building inspector conducted an inspection of the house and noted that while there are missing fixtures and that the gas and water were turned off, there was not any structural damage.

The application states that several other homes will be demolished to build a 27 and 33-storey mixed-used buildings that were approved for construction near the 28 Judson Avenue home. And two highrises at 10 and 45-storeys are proposed for Six Points Plaza, just to the east.

The site is close to the Six Points Interchange area, in the Bloor Street W. and Dundas Street W. area, where Etobicoke Civic Centre, with several highrises and thousands of housing units are being built.

Community Council will decide if to allow the small home can be flattened to transform into a park.

Toronto Fire Services are against a plan to install speed humps along Hay Avenue to curb speeders.

Etobicoke York Community Council will decide on May 13 if six speed humps will be installed on Hay from Ourland Avenue to Royal York Road, in Mimico.

The City’s Transportation Services has recommended the speed humps, which will cost about $24,000 to install, according to a report.

Several dozen residents have signed a petition calling for traffic calming measures on the two-way, east-west street.

“The residents are concerned that motorists travel at a high rate of speed on Hay Avenue,” according to the report. City staff had no problems with speed humps being installed on the 750 metre roadway.

A City survey said about 870 vehicles use the road daily and the speed limit is 50 kilometres an hour.

The report said parking, or the number of spots, will not be affected on the street if humps are installed. There will also be minimal affects to street cleaning, winter services or garbage collection.

Only Toronto Fire Services, of Toronto Police and Paramedic Services, objected to the humps.

“Toronto Fire Services advised they do not support the installation of speed humps as it may negatively impact their service delivery,” according to the report.

District Chief Joseph Del Vasto told City staff the humps will have a negative impact in firefighting service delivery.

“The physical restrictions imposed by speed humps have a greater impact on fire vehicles,” Del Vasto wrote. “Response time increases with every obstacle encountered responding to any emergency incident.”

He said several speed humps can greatly increase response times.

Del Vasto asked that non-physical measures be considered to slow down traffic rather than imposing a physical obstacle to emergency vehicles.

The City said speed humps will result in slower operating speeds for all vehicles, including emergency service vehicles.

A decision is pending by Etobicoke York Community Council.

 

Small retail businesses, services and offices may soon be allowed to operate in private homes, garages or sheds in Toronto residential neighbourhoods.

Small coffee shops, art galleries, medical offices, salons, pet grooming, beauticians, dress makers, tailors and other businesses that employ up to two people will be allowed to operate from homes in quiet residential streets if bylaws are changed.

The City Interim Chief Planner has sent a report to the Planning and Housing Committee to make changes for the more efficient use of lands and properties in Toronto.

City Council is expected to vote on the Neighbourhood Retail and Services Study on May 9.

The small businesses will be allowed to operate in neighbourhoods on major streets and limited sites in the interior of communities, according to the report.

They would be able to set up shop in laneways, patios, sheds, garages and other areas providing they meet zoning or building code regulations.  They will be able to use their patio as a place to eat or have drinks or display goods for sale.

City staff noted there was a dramatic increase in home-based work through the COVID pandemic, which resulted in a few complaints.

The strategy will “introduce gentle intensification in designated neighbourhoods that makes efficient use of land, infrastructure and existing services,” according to Interim Chief Planner Kerri Voumvakis.

“Neighbourhood Retail and Services are small-scale retail, service and office uses meant to support walkable and complete communities.”

The homes can also be used as an art gallery, wellness centre, production studio, repair shop, personal service shop, eating establishment, social club or performing arts studio. Live music and dancing are not allowed.

“The range of proposed uses would be limited to a small retail store, with permissions for the serving of hot beverages and low-risk or pre-packaged, ready-to-eat food items that would allow the store to serve as a local cafe,” Voumvakis wrote.

The retail stores will not be able to operate as a full-scale kitchen or restaurant.

He said the proposed changes would allow more people to operate a business out of their home or to open a retail store on the ground floor of their residential unit, providing a more affordable entry-point for small business owners.

“This would allow for the establishment to serve as a small, low impact neighbourhood cafe,” according to the report. Individual businesses would be capped at 110 square metres, or about 1200 square feet.

The proposed change would allow permission for home occupations and for clients or customers to attend the residence to conduct business or obtain services.

The homes to be used as businesses will include single-detached, additional residential units, multi-unit housing and affordable housing. Also allowed are industrial and commercial properties and institutional; which will include places of worship, cemeteries, long-term care homes, recreation, park and open space.

”There is a greater need for neighbourhood amenities to serve existing and future residents,” the report stated. “The benefit to the City’s neighbourhoods is an important addition to the mosaic of increased density and residential land use.”

Enforcement officers will be monitoring areas for parking issues or to deal with complaints.

A section of roadway near the busy Six Points area is being considered for permanent closure to construct four new parks in the neighbourhood.

City Council on May 22 will consider if a small portion of Bloor Street West, Dundas Street West, and Kipling Avenue, should be permanently stopped and closed.

“Once closed, it is intended that operational management of the former highway lands will be transferred to Parks, Forestry and Recreation to facilitate construction of Dunkip Park and expansion of Six Points Park,” according to a plan by Transportation Services.

The new parks will include Etobicoke City Centre Park, which will be larger than 12 basketball courts; Dunkip Park, the size of a mini soccer field; the expansion of the existing Six Points Park, a bit larger than three basketball courts and Linear Park, which will be the size of a baseball diamond.

Transportation Services Deputy General Manager Barbara Gray said the new parks are part of the City’s Parkland Strategy.

“A Park District Vision and Plan will be developed to act as a framework for the future design of each park,” according to Gray.

The Six Points Park District will blossom into a network of vibrant green spaces where diverse groups of all ages can convene, enjoy the outdoors, forge connections and flourish year-round, she wrote.

“The Park District will serve as an inclusive green haven, capturing the community’s essence as a place that honours local heritage, embraces cultural experiences and fosters collective aspirations for the future,” according to Gray.

She said the parks will stem from collaboration with local community members and application of accessibility design standards and ‘will provide comfortable safe spaces for the community to gather and connect.’

Transportation Services officials have determined that roadways can be closed and transferred to Parks and Forestry staff for park development.

The plan has to be approved by the Etobicoke York Community Council and City Council.

The sections of roads being affected will be Dundas Street West on the north, south and east to Beamish Drive to the west. It will include Bloor Street West and circle the new Etobicoke Civic Centre at the Six Points Interchange.

The area when completed in about four years will contain the Centre’s four buildings, a large public square and more than 2,000 units of affordable and other housing.

It is not known if or when the sections of roads will be closed and when construction of the parks will begin.