news
The Torontoist Week in Review: April 13-17
A lot happens in the course of a workweek. Here’s a look back at the top stories from the past five days that you might have missed, or might care to revisit.
Old City Hall. Photo by mandalaybus from the Torontoist Flickr Pool.
Sandro Lisi Extortion Trial: A Primer
Yesterday we learned that renowned local driver and alleged bedbug enthusiast Sandro Lisi would be going to trial for “alleged statements made to Liban Siyad in an effort to retrieve the video of former mayor Rob Ford apparently smoking crack cocaine.” On Monday, we gave you the rundown on the proceedings, what they mean, and why they matter. Read it here.
Image courtesy of Daimler Trucks North America.
Public Works: Pioneering the Efficient, Hybrid 18-Wheeler Big Rig
Less than a month ago, the largest producer of heavy-duty trucks in North America, launched a hybrid diesel-electric 18 wheeler. Dubbed the Freightliner SuperTruck, the big rig has been touted as the most fuel-efficient truck in the world. We took a peek at the chain of legislation that made its creation possible, and considered what could be done to release a similar clean truck right here in Canada. Read the rest here.
Photo by Scott Snider from the Torontoist Flickr Pool.
Gardiner Debate Sheds Troubling Light on Infrastructure Priorities
This week, a study showed that all or at least part of the crumbling eastern Gardiner ought to be removed. But, as co-editor David Hains argued, the constant back-and-forth at council over how to best tackle the problem points to the disconcerting priorities of our elected city representatives. He writes: “This might be a case where residents lead politicians, and it’s needed. After all, what kind of priorities do we have as a city have when our representatives would sooner preserve an underused highway section that has seen its planning principles discredited long ago, rather than, say, transit accessibility?” Read the full analysis here.
Facilitator Tekla Henderson debriefs a consultation session with local residents at Lillian H. Smith library. Photo by Joyita Sengupta.
Kensington Responds to City’s Rooming House Consultation
A series of Kensington-area consultations launched this week about rooming-house regulations in the wake of several high-profile house fires in buildings that turned out to be illegal rooming houses. The story points to the delicate and disconcerting state of affordable housing in Toronto: “While rooming houses can provide affordable housing, particularly for students and new immigrants, they also provide little recourse for the often-vulnerable tenants who occupy them to complain about housing conditions. Those conditions can be very poor, and sometimes pose safety risks.” Read the full article here.
Black Residents Call Carding Proposal “Terrorism” Against Community
Yesterday the Toronto Police Services Board approved its revised set of carding guidelines, which would direct how officers stop, question, and collect information on members of the public—disproportionately, young men of colour. In anticipation of the proposal’s passing, we reported objections to the reforms from organizations that represent black Torontonians: “We can simply call this state-sanctioned terrorism against the black community.” Read the full story here.