Photo by Marc Lostracco. In upcoming months, Toronto's summer temperatures will once again strain the power grid, and the demand for more power means more power generation—and consequently, more pollution. For Ontario customers wishing to utilize renewable energy sources, there are currently only two options: expensively retrofit your property to generate some of its own electricity, or sign up with Bullfrog Power. For many condo owners and apartment dwellers, neither of those options have......

Bob Rae and Martha Hall-Findlay win seats for the Liberals in federal by-elections. Downside: oh, God, Bob Rae. Upside: commenters will have to wait until the next federal election to bitch and moan about Torontoist contributor and Green Party candidate Chris Tindal's column (Chris finished in third place, with only thirty-six fewer votes than NDP candidate El-Farouk Khaki in the Toronto Centre riding). Ottawa to give Toronto $303 million to buy hybrid buses. The catch......

Four federal byelections are being held today, including two in the Toronto ridings of Willowdale and Toronto Centre. The Liberals are considered to have the edge locally, where the Conservative "We Loathe Toronto" campaign of the last two years hasn't been as well-received as hoped. Happy St. Paddy's Day and remember to get voting before you get drinking. Conrad Black's son, Jonathan, 30, has been charged with failing to stop after an accident, driving......

Torontoist Environment Editor Chris Tindal is currently engaged in a federal by-election campaign. This weekly column is an attempt to offer a behind the scenes glimpse into what it's like to be that mysterious Other: a politician. This is my last Campaign Confidential before E-day, yet I'm hesitant to pen any "final thoughts" knowing how much can happen in the final week of a campaign. It's been a bit of a strange campaign. On the......

Torontoist Environment Editor Chris Tindal is currently engaged in a federal by-election campaign. This weekly column is an attempt to offer a behind the scenes glimpse into what it's like to be that mysterious Other: a politician. As you read this I'm somewhere in the Centre Block of the Parliament buildings in Ottawa, likely between the House of Commons visitors' gallery where I will have just finished watching question period and the Railroad Room where......

Torontoist Environment Editor Chris Tindal is currently engaged in a federal by-election campaign. This weekly column is an attempt to offer a behind the scenes glimpse into what it's like to be that mysterious Other: a politician. Last night was our first public all-candidates debate in this campaign. Hosted by the Bay Corridor Community Association in the Sutton Place Hotel, it was extremely well attended by an engaged audience. For those of us who recognize......

Torontoist Environment Editor Chris Tindal is currently engaged in a federal by-election campaign. This weekly column is an attempt to offer a "behind the scenes" glimpse into what it's like to be that mysterious Other: a politician. A strange thing is happening here in Toronto Centre: Barack Obama seems to have become a candidate. Not literally of course, and (as you'll see) it's not clear what party he's representing, but his presence is certainly being......

The annual Polar Bear Dip is a success, raising $59,000 for World Vision Canada. This follows Toronto's proud tradition of really, really bloody stupid stunts for charity, like the Great Canadian Tack-Eating Contest of 1958 and the Who Needs A Parachute? First Canadian Place Jump-Off of 1971. Oscar Peterson memorial concert to be held next week. The concert will feature speeches by Bob Rae and Michaëlle Jean. Because when you think jazz, you think......

Queen Elizabeth II––who you will recall is our Head of State and yet still won't pony up to fix the TTC ––- has had her annual Christmas address posted on YouTube this year. The 81-year-old monarch gives a dignified formal message about her thoughts on the past year and hopes for the future before stripping to bra and panties and lip-syncing to Nellie Furtado's "Promiscuous." Stephen Harper made a perplexing statement on immigration, suggesting......

Bill Graham retires. The MP for Toronto Centre hopes that the by-election is called promptly so that Bob Rae can run for his seat. Torontoist's reaction at losing Bill Graham and getting Bob Rae can mostly be described as a vaguely displeased-sounding "oh, goody." Ontario to establish $650 million fund to encourage development and manufacture of clean cars and other environmentally friendly products. Most predict that this will go towards new auto parts manufacturing, ensuring......

The Liberal Party narrowly wins a minority government in Quebec. The ADQ came in a very close second, and Mario Dumont will be the official opposition leader when the Quebec National Assembly reconvenes. Many voters expressed their dissatisfaction with Premier Jean Charest, expressing their desire for a premier who looks less like Gene Wilder circa See No Evil, Hear No Evil. Toronto residents face a potential 3.8 percent property tax hike this year. City......

The Tories are taking a chainsaw to Status of Women Canada, closing three-quarters of the organization's regional offices, including Toronto's. Heritage Minister Bev Oda insisted that the budget cuts and office closings will streamline the department and make it more efficient. Just like a business! Because government should be run like a business! In other comedy news, the Liberal leadership convention started yesterday. Given the choice between Michael Ignatieff, Bob Rae, Gerard Kennedy and......

It seems that Bob Rae is the Liberal candidate most likely to get Ontarians to vote for him. However, he is also the Liberal candidate most likely to get Ontarians to vote against him. Thus, Bob Rae is the Canadian version of Hillary Clinton. You heard it here first, people! New measures being taken to prevent lottery fraud. So now you can be sure when you throw your money away on a lottery ticket,......

Claws were out at Sunday's Liberal leadership debate. Bob Rae accused Michael Ignatieff of waffling on foreign policy. Stephane Dion compared Rae, former NDP premier, to spendthrift icon Rich Uncle Pennybags ''giving monopoly money to the people''. Ken Dryden compared politics to his hockey career and drew applause. But all agreed one thing: "Liberals, we need to get back to power as soon as possible." Toronto's famous entertainment promoter, Gino Empry, died this weekend at......

A 41-year old experienced long-distance runner died at the marathon over the weekend. The man finished right near the end of the race. The City is considering creating a law that forces homeowners to disconnect their downspouts. The sewer systems is apparently having a tough time dealing with all of the runoff during rain and downspouts on eavestroughs contribute to this problem. It will apparently cost around $600 a home. A few houses and apartment......

United Church Minister Cheri DiNovo and the NDP have taken Parkdale-High Park away from Sylvia Watson and the Liberals. The NDP won the riding with 41% of the vote, despite the Liberals summoning 11 cabinet ministers and high profile members like Bob Rae and Gerard Kennedy to campaign with former city councillor Sylvia Watson. 20,000 or so names are going to be taken off the city's voting list because the city has been unable to......

Yes we know it's awfully presumptous of us to assume that Ignatieff could not just win the Liberal leadership but lead the party back into 24 Sussex Drive. But if Tyler Clark Burke can sell off Peaches' thong to try to buy a house then it's ok for Ignatieff to clean out his closet of Liberal merch and put 'em up for auction. We agree with Optimus Crime and think these John Turner earrings are......

The AIDS conference started last night and while Bill and Melinda Gates were there Stephen Harper sent his health minister. We think Stephen owes Tony one. Clement had to face a crowd who repeatedly chanted "Where's Stephen Harper" and some who held up signs and placards protesting the Conservative government's poor record on fighting AIDS in Canada and abroad. Even the co-chair of the conference criticized the PM for not showing up. The Star......

A TTC janitor might just be subject of one ot those TTC employee ads after spotting a four-year old boy that was snatched and Amber-Alerted. A 34-year old woman was also arrested. The Post reports on what happened to the Redpath Sugar sign on the waterfront. Bob Rae and Carolyn Bennett are both now officially in the Liberal Leadership race. A car ran into a streetcar on Queen and River injuring three people. Spacing Wire......

It's official, Gerard Kennedy will be running for the federal Liberal leadership. Minister of Community and Social Services Sandra Pupatello will be taking over Kennedy's job as Education Minister. In other Liberal Leadership news Bob Rae is joining the party. Police are called in to a West End apartment building to defuse a bomb. Nobody was hurt but one man is under arrest and will also be going psychiatric assessment. Kids in Scarborough won't have......

Looks like we picked the right 3-year period to quit smoking cigarettes. The province will raise the price of butts or darts or whatever they call it for the fourth time since 2003. The price increase, at an extra $1.25 per carton and an estimated 16 cents per pack, matches the last time the price of cancer-sticks went up. All of this is good news for potential Liberal leadership candidate Bob Rae (pictured in previous......

In the last week three big names in the Liberal leadership race, former deputy PM John Manley, ambassador Frank McKenna and former Newfoundland premier and Captain Canuck Brian Tobin have dropped out. Frank McKenna put it best "I reminded myself this week of my vow upon leaving office - that having escaped the trap, I wouldn't go back for the cheese." He also pointed out that being Liberal Leader means pretty good odds that you'll......

Canadians know that we have to pack in all our activities before the weather gets too cold for us to leave our houses, which is why this weekend is just jam-packed with stuff to do. -Local indie folkie rockers I.An.Eye launch their new album Saturday night at the Horseshoe Tavern. Doors at 9pm, cover $6. -Everyone's favourite fire hazardous country style activity comes to Dundas Square today and tomorrow: a good ol' fashioned corn......

The Globe and the Star both report that Michael "The Smartest Prime Minister We Could Have" Ignatieff will be leaving the ivy covered walls of Harvard for the uh, slightly less ivy covered walls of the University of Toronto. Ignatieff, or Iggy as he's known to his close friends, is one of the names being thrown around as a potential future leader of the Liberal Party (next to such names as Bob Rae, Frank MacKenna......

It seems Bob Rae has a Valentine's day crush on free-market, as his Rae Report calls for different schools to allow for different tuition. Student costs could rise as much as 20%, says Jesse Greener of the Ontario Federation for Students. But wait! The Liberals plan to put more money in the system. Thank you, Dalt. But where else would you put the extra tuition if not back into education? OSAP will get $300 million......