Weekend Newsstand: June 13-14, 2015

It's Bestival weekend! Or it's just another weekend, which is also nice! In the news: John Tory's carding evolution, a delayed City report on contracting out waste collection, and a community mailbox update.

By David Hains

John Tory may have had a recent change of heart when it comes to carding, but in April he pulled his name from a Toronto Star op-ed aimed at placating critics of the controversial police practice. The Globe and Mail reports that Tory revoked his byline when then-Police Chief Bill Blair refused to sign on to it. A spokesperson for Bill Blair denies he was asked to add his byline.

The City report on whether to outsource the rest of Toronto’s garbage collection has been delayed until September. Staff tell the Toronto Sun that given their current workload, the report had to be delayed. But Councillor Robinson (Ward 25, Don Valley West), chair of the public works committee, says she remains supportive of contracting out waste collection so long as it makes financial sense. The City currently contracts out waste collection west of Yonge Street.

Canada Post has indicated that downtown Toronto will retain door-to-door delivery. The preliminary plans also show that the area bounded by Jane to the west, Victoria Park to the east, and Lawrence to the north, will be labeled “dense urban,” and will not convert to community mailboxes until 2018 or 2019. The move is part of a money-saving initiative by Canada Post, which has caused significant backlash in urban and suburban communities across the country.