Sheppard West

After an announcement that his cancer was not responding to treatment, Rob Ford died unexpectedly, leaving many of his fans, some in our community, mourning.

After such a tragedy , where people died or were forcibly evacuated, it is only natural to inquire how could this happen and whose fault was it. As details are starting to emerge, it becomes clearer and clearer that government idiocy and lack of foresight have played an important role in the tragedy.

Toll Roads may not be an optimal solution, but with Toronto willing to maintain the lowest property taxes in the are while cementing its reputation as a world class city, alternate sources of financing have to be found.

The story of police understaffing has been somehow dominating the headlines for quite a while. Although there are far more police per capita in Toronto than in London for instance, Toronto police officers are reportedly so “demoralized” that they took a symbolic vote against Chief Mark Saunders.

The major news of the week is the closing of a housing project at Jane and Finch.

Members of The Three Canadian Tenors serenade Fennell at the event then known as Mayor Susan Fennell's Annual Gala on Feb. 28, 2009. The annual gala and golf tournament, in 2012 and 2013 combined, raised $1,710,106, of which $1,077,323 went toward the cost of the events. Sources / More info:  Brampton Mayor Susan Fennell's private fundraisers returned only 25 per cent to community | Toronto Star

The Toronto Star, under the signature of Laurie Monsebraaten, social justice reporter , publishes a longer article on the needs of this neighbourhood as well as interviews with a number of citizens.

The pressure to increase property taxes seems to be increasing in Toronto. That outcome is strongly resented by most members of our community.

Neighbourhood Improvement Areas Map Under a new ranking system revealed by city staff on Monday, each of Toronto’s 140 neighbourhoods has been given an “equity score” based on 15 criteria that includes health, economics, political participation and education. A team of experts set 42.89 as a benchmark score. Communities that fall below the line are designated as a “ Neighbourhood Improvement Area ,” which replaces the old “Priority Neighbourhood Area.” Black Creek scored the lowest, with 21.38. Lawrence Park north was the highest, with 92.05. Westminster-Branson, ranked 38th overall, came in at 46.57. This north Toronto neighbourhood is one of eight that no longer qualifies as a priority investment area. Malvern, Dorset Park, L’Amoreaux, Yorkdale-Glen Park, Steeles, Englemount-Lawrence and Humber Heights-Westmount round out that list. Each was part of the city’s original neighbourhoods program, which was launched eight years ago after the so-called Summer of the Gun. The de...

Having represented our neighbourhood at the OMB, we continue to monitor developments on the urban planning front..

The province is launching a review of OMB. For many communities, it is too late, but could such a review ever achieve its goals?

The greenbelt article is very long, but we think it’s important, and so is the Downsview tour. Lastly, a few words on a crime that happened at Jane and Lawrence.

As expected, the Spadina subway extension is late and over budget - business as usual in the amalgamated Toronto.

It is no secret that Toronto’s amalgamation, perpetrated by the Conservatives, happened against the will of the voters. In Montreal it happened on the same oppositional background under the Liberals. Two decades later, it is clear that the cost savings that were supposed to happen did not, we still do not have a harmonized legislation and corruption has increased, while representation and local democracy weakened.

The city councillor brother of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford did not back down Sunday from comments about a home for developmentally disabled youth in his ward, saying it is a “nightmare” for the neighbourhood. Coun. Doug Ford told TV station CP24 that his “heart goes out” to families with autistic children, but he said this issue is about kids in the residential home who have “violent tendencies.” “I’ve been a Rotarian for 25 years helping kids with challenges, but you can’t disrupt the neighbourhood like that,” Ford said. .

Amalgamation happened against people's will and not only in Toronto, but also in Montreal. Its promise of cost savings did not materialize.

John Tory is the new Mayor of Toronto; Doug Ford and Olivia Chow, were on 2nd and 3rd spot respectively in terms of number of votes. In Ward 9 (York Central), Maria Augimeri was re-elected by a larger margin than in the previous election.

The Toronto Star is keeping track of all the promises made by mayor-wannabes. Highly recommended! (via  Toronto Mayoral Election Promise Tracker | Toronto Star )

Although seldom talked about, Toronto Police practice of carding is considered abusive mostly by the black community and, sadly, considered justify mainly by people in the white majority. It is perhaps for this reason that the newly minted Toronto Police Chief has vowed to keep it, despite belonging himself to the "black" minority.

It was our current Police Chief who, as the lead author of a secret internal 2012 report, exonarated the Force of racism in carding.