The city is forcibly evicting encampment residents in Alexandra Park right now. In a press release, they are using similar language to the Trinity Bellwoods clearing about “restoring” the park. Official city estimate is 28-35 residents living there now I don’t have eyes on right now but police are said to be on scene as well as @ESN_TO who is asking people don’t gather in show of support as encampment residents have not asked for that

Economic and community development committee, meeting virtually, is now discussing @JoshMatlow's motion to allow pilot for legal public park drinking (limits time, locations and ABV) app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgen… Current speaker, who is against the motion, suggests hypothetical of parents trying to ask a drunk teenager to vacate a playground to allow their kids to use it. Also suggests people drinking bottles of vodka would be bad (this would not be allowed under pilot)

From @amydempsey: An Ontario company built Canada’s best vaccine booking system … for Nova Scotia

If you weren't already considering returning to/heading East...
thestar.com/news/gta/2021/… 👀👀

"Nova Scotia took the approach in the very beginning that every single COVID vaccine would be booked and documented and tracked all through one system . . . So there’s no patchwork system."

Good morning and welcome to the last legal hearing in the fight between the city and Premier Doug Ford's provincial government over the 2018 cut to council. I'll have all the details here for those who want it and an easy-to-understand wrap-up at the end of the day if you prefer. You can follow along with the SCC live stream here: scc-csc.ca/case-dossier/i…

Looks like they've got nine distanced setups, so we're likely to see all nine justices of the Supreme Court deciding this case

Hello Toronto! Ford is about to announce new restrictions after we heard from experts about how something has to give to keep hospitals below capacity to provide critical patient care (see buds @jyangstar @katecallen for that). I’ll post here what the changes mean for the city: These are *current* rules for whole province, including Toronto: thestar.com/news/city_hall…

It appears we should not expect a full lockdown or curfew. Ford scheduled to speak any minute. I’ll try to make this foolproof but rules are not always clear from initial provincial release

NEW: For more than 10 years, Scarborough residents have been promised improved transit — including a subway. But nothing has been done. Has Scarborough been taken for a ride thestar.com/content/thesta… /1 With news the Scarborough RT will fail before anything is built, leaving transit users on the bus, possibly for years, I compiled everything I know about the decisions that led us here, for the first time in chronological order. This will be a long thread. /2

Mayor Tory, speaking to reporters ahead of the last executive committee meeting of the year, is making the case for a vacant home tax by listing newspaper editorials and op-eds that support it. On province's unspent $12B COVID contingency, Tory
says governments are required to have reserves. "I don’t expect them to have every penny of that allocated to us."

A mid-term shuffle! City hall edition. At the half-way point through the term, the mayor's office is making some small changes, yet to be approved at council, to the make-up councillors on committees and boards /1 The striking committee has recommended that newbie @McKelvieWard25 become chair of the infrastructure & environment committee, replacing longtime Tory ally @PasternakTO in that role /2

The head of the city’s real estate agency offered apartments with below-market rents exclusively to his own employees earlier this year — and sought a unit for his niece — in violation of city policies on affordable housing. My exclusive story: thestar.com/news/gta/2020/… “In the midst of a housing crisis made worse by a global pandemic, that a city official responsible for creating affordable housing would treat those homes as favours for his family and bonuses for his employees is despicable,” @JoshMatlow.

The original location for Adamson Barbecue in Leaside has never had a business licence and is not permitted under zoning rules. My exclusive story: thestar.com/news/gta/2020/… I spoke with Skelly by email for this story. He says he submitted an application in 2016 but city says they needed more info. He says it’s an old bylaw that doesn’t allow restaurants that is in the way and getting a licence “is my preferred solution but has not been possible.”

A huge congrats to @DesmondCole for winning Toronto Book Awards with his incredible book. Cole used speech to share disappointment with decisions library has made that harmed trans, queer folks and to push city to do better to help those experiencing homelessness Cole said money from award - presented by city and TPL - will go to a fund in Toronto for Black trans women & girls and the Encampment Support Network

I’m on my way to Adamson BBQ in Etobicoke where owner Adam Skelly — making false claims about the severity of this pandemic — has vowed to open for inside dining at 11AM. The head of by-law enforcement for the city tells me they are aware of the Instagram post and plan to attend This will be a test for city by-law with lockdown measures in place as of Monday. Those rules were imposed by the province and supported by local officials. It’s up to MLS, TPH and TPS to enforce those rules.

I’m not going to tag her here because I don’t trust you Twitter, but one of my colleagues who I love deeply got some disgusting racist slog in her inbox and it’s not the first time. These trolls putting down the few JOC who are killing it out here, please sit down and shut up It’s not enough for us to call this out. I’m going to follow up with my newsroom managers about creating more opportunities and support for JOC in our company and find out what financial or other support CJOC needs cjoc.net

I know there's a lot going on, but here's something really worth taking a second to think about (It's about this: thestar.com/news/gta/2020/…) The province, Ford & cabinet, are responsible for the well-being of Ontario's residents. They ultimately call the shots. Dr. Eileen de Villa and other local medical officers of health can do a lot. But as de Villa mentioned today, only the province can lead a coordinated approach

Board members are currently questioning Toronto's medical officer of health about why advice given and received at a provincial table is secret.

https://twitter.com/gordperks/status/1328367189930422274

De Villa says additional measures are required in Toronto, following on Tory's statement this morning. She says this would be more efficient if applied similarly across the region thestar.com/news/city_hall…

The city's press conference will start at 4PM. I'll be tweeting here. You can watch live here: As @EdTubb noted, Toronto is approaching >100 weekly average cases per 100,000 people. Those numbers are still headed in the wrong direction a week after Ford announced Toronto would enter "orange" category of new framework. We've been in a holding pattern waiting for local input

Strange these days to see the mayor with the premier (via @CP24). My quick scan says last time they were together publicly was in August and only one other time during this pandemic Ford is re-announcing budget plan of allowing municipal property tax reductions for small businesses. We're not expecting details on Toronto's re-opening plan from this North York presser, but I suspect my Queen's Park colleagues will pepper them with questions about it

We're expecting to hear from city officials today on their preferred re-opening plan ahead of Saturday's deadline. The A+ duo of @katecallen & @jyangstar took a close look at where Toronto is at after 28 days. A very important read as we await that update: thestar.com/news/gta/2020/… Important things to know: Toronto is currently in a "modified stage 2" under old system of provincial restrictions. That means, as you're currently experiencing, no indoor dining or gyms + other measures

At today's city briefing, Tory says he's asked Dr. Eileen de Villa if more needs to be done to save lives. Toronto is set to enter less restrictive stage of re-opening this Saturday. Tory says consultations also include with city lawyers. Says we can expect to hear more tomorrow Over the weekend, we saw Peel Region's medical officer direct and recommend further restrictions under the new modified stage two (different than the old modified stage 2 Toronto is currently in) to prevent virus spread. Ford earlier told reporters he supports that move

Council will begin shortly for second day of meeting of this last session before the summer break (unless COVID-19 brings them back together). On the agenda still:
- The city's unresolved $1.35B budget hole
- Auditor's report on tree maintenance
- Expanding into the Yellowbelt Additional items on the agenda still:
- Exploring a legal challenge to province's new evictions legislation
- Additional public health measures for bars and restaurants

Good morning! Council meets today for the first regular - but still virtual - meeting during the COVID-19 emergency. The agenda is absolutely packed (seriously, 185 items). The debate that will take centre stage today is future of policing in this city: thestar.com/news/gta/2020/… At the link above you can both watch the council livestream and follow along with my updates/analysis all in one place (thanks, wonderful digital desk)