Sheppard West

Ever since the #amalgamation, #Toronto has its own culture clash, pitting suburbanites vs downtown core hipsters on issues such as social housing and public transportation. It is therefore useful to see how this culture clash plays South of the border.

Social Housing, otherwise known as subsidized housing or TCHC projects is a subject fraught with controversy. Conversely, the news of “upgrading” such apartments at Jane and Finch will be met with various degrees of approval in our community.

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

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

Toronto Community Housing Corp. alleges two former executives oversaw the filing of more than $1 million in fabricated costs in connection with reconstruction work after a fire at 200 Wellesley St. E. That’s according to statements of defence filed by the city-owned social housing agency Monday in Superior Court, in response to lawsuits launched by Lou Canton and Roman Mesec alleging they were wrongfully dismissed. TCHC assigned the pair to work at its for-profit subsidiary, Housing Services Inc., in 2007. In 2010, they had responsibility for overseeing HSI’s role in the reconstruction of the TCHC apartment building at 200 Wellesley after a fire displaced many of its 1,200 residents for weeks. .

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.

Planning developments in Toronto at City Age (and the brothers who ignored the planning notices), as well as what Vancouver is doing about its unmoving vacancy rate and how and what the minimum wage does in helping the poor.

The North York Mirror published an editorial related to the unfortunate events from last week, Violence in our community: pretending it's not our problem won't make it go away

A seemingly motley crew from York University's Osgoode Law School is canvassing the Jane and Finch area to increase voter participation.

As we begin the new year, we send you our best wishes, together with some fresh news from Toronto’s press.