It's Canada Day, Crime Down Hooray, Economy Barely OK

Happy Canada Day! There is lots of stuff going on around town, including fireworks tonight at Ashbridges Bay, Ontario Place, Downsview Park, and Mel Lastman Square, where Mel Lastman will be fired into space on a giant skyrocket.

Delta Kappa Epsilon officials expressed shock after a drug bust at a chapter of the fraternity in Toronto. Police seized $126,000 worth of illegal drugs at the Alpha Phi Crack House near U of T.

Serious crime in downtown Toronto has dropped across the board in 2008, and police are crediting the Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy (TAVIS), which involves putting more police into high crime neighbourhoods and arresting more criminals. Sure, it sounds obvious now.

The city is expanding a program designed to get more of the 2,500 tonnes of dog crap disposed of in city parks into green bins. While last year's pilot in five city parks was considered a success, there are still a number of bugs to be worked out, such as finding a practical way to hold larger dogs over top of the bin while they do their business.

Vaguely good news for Canada Day—marginally positive economic growth in April means we may not technically be in a recession. Not cause for a rousing cheer, but a nod of modest approbation might be in order.

Photo by Leftist from the Torontoist Flickr Pool.