Newsstand: September 23, 2009

Support the TTC—don't use your Metropass? That's one possible take-home from the transit agency's latest financial problem. The commission is facing a gaping budget hole because the unlimited transit passes are proving too popular—at least, that's what they're saying. Increased use of the recession-friendly pass, as well as increased sales of student and senior fares, is being blamed for a revenue shortfall of about three cents at the fare box for each and every one of the TTC's estimated 473 million rides this year. That's left the transit commission over seventeen million dollars shy of meeting its budget, which has led to talk that some of the money saved during Toronto's city workers' strike could be used to bail out the TTC. However, it seems that some in City Hall are murmuring that the TTC—which recoups about 60% of its expenses through fares—just isn't charging enough. "The Metropass has become a pretty attractive deal, which is essentially the problem. I think the TTC systemically has to look at whether or not their Metropass deal, as it stands, is sustainable," said Don Valley East Councillor Shelley Carroll.

All along the sidelines of this Sunday's marathon will be a series of spectacles at least as interesting as the politician-studded main event itself (which we mentioned yesterday, if you recall). Organizers of the twentieth annual Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon have arranged for the race to sport cultural performances every two kilometres. Admittedly, the definition of "performances" seems to be somewhat limited—the list of shows includes a Ukranian and Cossack dance, a Chinese Lion dance, and a Bhangra (a dance from India). At least David Miller, John Tory, and Karen Stintz, the three mayoral hopefuls taking part in Sunday's events, will have something to look at besides the long road ahead. [Publisher's note: One key member of Karen Stintz's mayoral campaign exploratory committee is Rob Silver, who is also a co-owner of Ink Truck Media, Torontoist's publishers.]

Toronto Police announced yesterday that they are fighting back against gun crime by unleashing the awesome power of properly filled-out forms and polite house-calls. The police department put together a list of seventeen thousand Toronto residents who may possess a gun with expired registration. After visiting roughly five thousand of these residents' homes, the cops found nearly one-tenth of the cases were indeed in violation of gun-registry laws. Greg Getty, an Organized Crime Enforcement officer and spokesperson, made it pretty clear that the purpose of the "Project Safe City" program is to drain the pool of unregistered domestic firearms that make attractive targets for theft and use in gun crime. “I can guarantee you here today there are 400 guns that won’t be crime guns,” he told the Post.

And a man is hospitalized and in serious condition after being struck by two vehicles last night in what looks like a particularly disturbing traffic accident near Yonge and College last night. A bystander told CityNews that the victim appeared to lay down in traffic lanes, where he was struck by an SUV and then a white Lexus, becoming trapped under the latter.