My observations about the city I call home
By Kris Scheuer
Here are three things I learned, heard, was told or observed about Toronto in the last 48 hours.
HOUSING
The city is possibly on the verge of getting$200 mil in stimulus funding from the province and feds for new affordable housing. I interviewed Sean Gadon, director of the city’s Affordable Housing Office yesterday. By Sept. 30 council will have voted and submitted a short list of projects for about 1,500-2000 units of new housing worth about $200 mil.
The city is also applying for a portion of the $704 mil senior levls of government are handing out to repair existing social housing. Again the city is seeking about $200 mil and should here next week. If the city gets the cash, it will help with the current backlog of $200-250 mil to fix Toronto’s social housing.GARBAGE
A month after the garbage strike, the city is less dirty and smelly. Nice.
SUMMER FESTIVALS
Ah summertime in the city. We haven’t had much in the hot weather department. Case in point, it’s 10 pm and it’s 19C. That doesn’t sound too cool, but I saw a lot of people with jackets and light sweaters on this evening. Nonetheless, I plan to make the best of the summer we have left the way we Torontonians do – by going to weekend festivals. Between August 29-30, there’s Buskerfest at St. Lawrence Market, Pedestrian Sundays in Kensington Market, an African Village Festival on Bloor at Ossington, the Beaches Tree Tour on Saturday. Then there’s always The Exhibition, which is a summer must.
What are your observations good or bad about this city? Let me know…
Kris Scheuer 
See my update on Aug 31 after I attended some of these fun festivals.
ooohh Pedestrian Sunday, almost forgot about that one.
Virgin Music Festival, or whatever it is called is also on this weekend (Ben Harper is playing!).
I saw Ben Harper perform a few years ago at Ontario Place, but really I enjoyed the opening act more which was Damian Marley one of the sons of the late great Bob Marley.