Newsstand: July 7, 2009

Toronto's most exclusive garbage bin (Globe and Mail): "Membership has its privileges at the exclusive Granite Club in Toronto—especially during a summertime garbage strike. The luxurious social and recreation club is offering its members free garbage disposal as a strike by municipal employees enters its third week, leaving the city's rich and not-so-rich scrambling to dispose of household refuse."

Fix your own problem, premier tells city, strikers (Toronto Star): "Toronto's city workers' strike enters its 16th day today, but Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty has no plans to legislate an end to the dispute even though a 2002 walkout was allowed to last only this long." [More from the Globe and Mail.]

Opposition councillors want Mayor to hold council meetings (Toronto Community News): "Toronto Council chambers sat empty Monday because of the municipal workers strike—but a group of opposition councillors wants Mayor David Miller to recall the July council meeting with or without Toronto’s unionized workers to help make it run."

Private camp operators step up (National Post): "Private-sector camp providers appear to be stepping up to help 51,000 Toronto children whose summer camps and swimming programs have been affected by a city municipal workers strike."

Toronto had record month for home sales in June (CTV): "There may still be a recession on, but don't tell Toronto home-buyers that. The Toronto Real Estate Board reported Monday that almost 11,000 homes were sold here in June, up 27 per cent over June 2008." [More from the Globe and Mail.]

Province steps in to fix green bin mess (Toronto Star): "Ontario has launched a province-wide probe into municipal green bin programs after a Star investigation found serious flaws with the organics program in Toronto."