news
Things The G20 is Ruining Now
Last week, Torontoist explored how the G20 would affect everyone, from cyclists to tourists. In the days leading up to this weekend’s summit, we’re collecting the ways in which it’s ruining everything for everyone.
Anything for the shot! Photo from today’s First Nations protest by Nicole Hoye. More are in her set.
With protests ramping up—and tensions alongside them—today and tomorrow, the city takes its last deep breath before the G20 summit gets going inside the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. For one last time before the summit’s end, let’s check in on what the G20’s messed up:
- Centreville. The Island’s amusement park has just announced they’ll be closed Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
- Our relationship with France. Workers at the Novotel Toronto Centre hotel—where the French delegation was to stay—have gone on strike.
- Diversity, our strength. On his blog, Sameer Vasta recounts how earlier today, a police officer told him: “Hey you. Move on. Get off the sidewalk. Someone that looks like you standing in front of a building is suspicious.” (Vasta looks like this, and we have heard he is known to stand in front of places.)
- Roy Halladay nostalgia. Since the Jays won’t play at home this weekend, no one’ll get to see everyone’s favourite ex-Jay here, either. On the occasion, the Star‘s photo blog collects photos of Halladay, back to 1998 when he was labelled as a “prospect…work[ing] with pitching coach Phil Monbouquette on his grip.”
- The Toronto Underground Cinema. Co-founder Charlie Lawton sent an email to Facebook fans of the newly opened rep cinema today, saying that “the weather is going to be great out and we’ve decided to take the weekend off to enjoy it. Oh, and there’s the tiny detail that this weekend is the G20 and the city will be in lock down.” That means scheduled screenings of Hot Tub Time Machine and Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure over the course of the weekend are now off.
- Torontoist—assuming you don’t like the G20 taking us mostly over, too. Our G20 coverage, collected here, is ramping up now, and will continue into and through the weekend. On Friday, we start our live team coverage with your help. Bookmark torontoist.com/g20: over the course of the weekend, it’ll always redirect to our latest coverage.