Santa Clause Parade Toronto Nov 15

Christmas is over commercialized, but parade still worthwhile
The Santa Clause Parade a Toronto tradition since 1905
By Kris Scheuer

As a kid, I used to go to the Santa Clause parade almost yearly. In the past few years, I always seem to miss it.
The annual parade takes place tomorrow, Nov. 15, starting at 12:30 pm, but many line up an hour early to get a seat or position to be able to see the floats, Santa, clowns and marching bands. It’s run by a non-profit corporation and 1,500 volunteers who participate.
The parade routes starts from Christie and Bloor and travels east to University, south to Dundas, over to Yonge and then down to Front ending at Church and Front.
For a map of the route and other details, click on the parade’s website.

 

Karen Stintz opts out of mayor’s race

Stintz won’t run for mayor of Toronto in 2010
She plans to run for re-election as Eglinton-Lawrence councillor
By Kris Scheuer
(Written Nov. 8 for Town Crier.)

Local rep Karen Stintz is no longer considering running for mayor, but she has no shortage of priorities to tackle if she’s re-elected as councillor.
“It looks like it will be a crowded playing field running for mayor,” says Stintz, who had openly mused about running for the top job. “I can best serve in another way by promoting new ideas and getting issues discussed.”
Stintz is in her second term in office and has carved out a place for herself as one of the main spokespeople for the Responsible Government Group, which was formed in opposition to Mayor David Miller.
With Miller not returning again, it will be a wide open race although few have declared themselves as official mayoralty candidates so far. Stinz has now declared she will be seeking her current seat as councillor for Eglinton-Lawrence’s ward 15.

Toronto a day on the life 9

What I learned about the city this week
By Kris Scheuer

Toronto is a safe place, for the most part, for a city of its size of 2.6 million.
But it’s dangerous if you work in a kitchen or are already in jail.
There were two separate and unrelated murders on Nov. 7, according to police reports.

New Generation Sushi is a popular restaurant on Bloor near Brunswick in the Annex that I have frequented many times.
On Saturday Nov. 7 around 11 pm police responded to a call of a man being stabbed. A police news release states that the allegations are: the victim and accused work together at the restaurant, the men got into an argument that escalated and then one man was stabbed and taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Ming Yang, 27, was fatally stabbed and a postmortem done on Nov. 9 determined that cause of death was a stab wound to the chest.
Xu Wang, 25, has been charged with second degree murder.
At the time he was Toronto’s 50th murder of the year. 

Ban corp and union donations in elections

Toronto muses ban on union and corporate contributions
New policy must be passed by Dec. 31 in time for 2010 election
(Column written Nov. 6 for Town Crier.)

After years of debate, delay and foot dragging, the city plans to deal with the hot button issue of banning corporate and union donations in elections.
I would like to say it’s about time, but truthfully the city is dangerously flirting with running out of time.
This is a case of waiting until the eleventh hour to tackle an issue politicians clearly aren’t eager to vote on. Any new election finance reform policy must pass before the end of this year because all candidates can start registering on Jan. 4, 2010.
There’s no reason to defer the issue any longer.

St. Paul’s school trustee race

Current school board rep Josh Matlow to run for council in 2010
No incumbent so at least 4 contenders consider run for seat
By Kris Scheuer
(Originally written Nov. 6 for Town Crier.)

A former school trustee, a young community activist, a pet food mogul and a politically-minded parent are hoping to get a passing grade from the electorate in 2010.
The quartet is musing about running to replace Josh Matlow on the Toronto District School Board. Matlow recently announced he’d be running for city council next year.
Here’s a look at four potential candidates Shelley Laskin, Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler, Jim Walker and Heather Johnston.

Flemingdon Food Bank’s new home

Basement space cheaper than plaza location but less visible
By Kris Scheuer
(Written Oct. 23 for Town Crier.)

Flemingdon Food Bank volunteer Betsy Wu helps ease the burden on families in need. Photo by Francis Crescia/Town Crier.

After being kicked out of the Flemingdon Plaza, the Flemingdon Food Bank is getting back on its feet in a new home.
As a result of revitalization at the plaza, the food bank moved to the basement of the Flemingdon Health Centre at 10 Gateway Blvd.
“They terminated our lease,” said Helena-Rose Houldcroft, interim director of the food bank. “They were moving everyone out.
“We got notice at the end of March, and had April and May to get out.”

New city home energy grant

City giving cash for home insulation updates
Province and federal governments giving additional funds
As much as $11,000 per home available
(Written Nov. 2 for Town Crier.)

The colder weather is here and so residents are cranking up the heat to stay warm, but that doesn’t come cheap.
If you want to reduce your costs, one way is by retrofitting your home so it is more energy efficient.
In Mid-October, the city announced it will spend $9 million on Home Energy Assistance Toronto grants for property owners wanting to update the insulation in their home or low-rise residential building.
The funds translate into $1,000 per home and residents can access this grant between now and March 2012.
“It’s part of us meeting our climate change plan,” said Mike Mulqueen, senior engineer with the Toronto Environment Office. “The city’s goal is to get to 80 percent reduction in 1990 level emissions by 2050.”

Dogs banned at Sunnyside Beach in warm weather

Dogs will be allowed on-leash only in winter
Summer, spring, fall access will be off limits
By Kris Scheuer
(Written Oct. 28 for Town Crier.)

A policy approved by city council will see all dogs barred from Sunnyside Beach in the spring, summer and part of the fall. Photo by Francis Crescia/Town Crier.

Pooches will soon be forbidden for part of the year at Sunnyside Beach — even if they’re on a leash.
Currently, residents can walk their dogs on-leash all year at the west end beachfront.
City council, acting on a staff recommendation that on-leash access at this local beach be restricted to winter months only, approved the new policy on Oct. 27.
Dogs will be banned from Sunnyside Beach in the spring, summer and part of the fall, effective April 1. Under the proposed policy, dogs would be allowed on-leash only between Nov. 1 and March 31.
Parkdale-High Park councillor Bill Saundercook vowed to contest any further changes limiting access for dogs at Sunnyside Beach.

Garbage fee hike cancelled

Solid waste budget gets additional cash to avoid trash rate hike
Millions saved during summer strike diverted to garbage department
By Kris Scheuer
(Written Oct. 28 for Town Crier.)

Call it the garbage fee hike that never was.
Toronto city council couldn’t stomach implementing a proposed two percent increase for trash fees so soon after a strike that saw garbage collection suspended for 39 days.
The fee would generate an additional $4.8 million for the solid waste management department to implement additional waste diversion programs such as additional reuse centres for old mattresses and furniture to be recycled or sold rather than tossed in landfill. The proposed fee hike would have meant an additional $4-8 per bin depending on the size.
But instead of raising garbage rates, the city approved using $4.8 million out of the $36.1 million “saved” during this summer’s strike for the garbage department’s 2010 budget to hold the line on fees.

Strike savings used to avoid garbage hike

City to add millions to garbage budget to avoid fee hike
Proposal was to raise rates by two percent in 2010
By Kris Scheuer
(Oct. 29 update here.)

City council voted today to apply $4.8 million from money saved during this summer’s strike towards the garbage department’s budget.
While the city saved money in some departments during the 39-day labour dispute, in other areas it cost them more in overtime pay and legal costs.
Overall, the city came out $36.1 million ahead. Today city politicians debated what to do with that money: issue rebates, put it into general revenue or use part of it to off set proposed garbage fee hikes.
In the end, council voted 22-19 to apply nearly $5 million to Toronto’s garbage department budget to avoid a proposed two percent hike in rates for 2010.
The motion put forth by Councillor Karen Stintz passed after hours of debate.
For more on this story, please click here for update.

So what do you think? Was this the right use of $4.8 million?