Police cruiser lights are shown in this file photo Toronto police are appealing for information after three boys were shot in the Thorncliffe Park neighbourhood early on New Year's Day and the information within may be out of date Toronto police are appealing for information after three boys were shot in the Thorncliffe Park neighbourhood early on New Year’s Day Police were called to a shooting in the area of Thorncliffe Park Drive and Overlea Boulevard at 1 a.m a group of people were gathered behind a building when an unknown man approached pulled out a gun and fired several shots at the group Three boys under the age of 18 were injured and taken to hospital where one boy remains in critical condition Police said a dark-coloured SUV was seen being driven away from the area after the shooting On Jan. 11, police made a public appeal for information related to the investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact investigators at 416-808-2510. Anonymous tips can be provided through Crime Stoppers at 222tips.com or 416-222-8477 (TIPS) Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: You will also start receiving the Star's free morning newsletter Farkhunda Ateel Siddiqi has been withholding rent from her landlord since May 2023 They are protesting their landlord’s proposed above-guideline rent increases Thorncliffe Park rent strikers protest outside the Canadian Federation of Apartment Associations’ (CFAA) annual conference on May 14 In May and June of that year the Landlord and Tenant Board approved their landlord Starlight Investments’ request for above-guideline increases Some tenants withholding rent have been directly paying their rent to the Landlord and Tenant Board The LTB said 73 units have made at least one rent payment in trust to the board is seen inside the elevator of her apartment building at 79 Thorncliffe Park Dr She has been withholding rent from her landlord since May 2023 and says her home is at stake Renters at a trio of Thorncliffe Park buildings want the case heard at the Divisional Court Here's what that means for the years-long saga Here’s what that means for the years-long saga When the Landlord and Tenant Board approved rent increases for Thorncliffe Park tenants this past spring The single mother who arrived from Afghanistan six years ago imagined she would owe a year’s worth of rent increase payments and consequently be evicted with her three teens “It was a difficult moment,” she said Ateel Siddiqi is among dozens of tenants at 71 who have withheld rent from their landlord since May 2023 to protest two proposed rent increases beyond the provincial guideline for rent-controlled buildings The landlord says the above-guideline increases (AGIs) are for capital investments to keep aging infrastructure safe describe renovations as disruptive and say there are issues with basic maintenance the tenants’ lawyers continued fighting They asked the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) to review the decisions citing concerns over “procedural unfairness,” but the board rejected the request in the fall tenants filed an appeal to the Divisional Court in October — prompting the approval of the rent increases to be suspended pending a hearing It’s the latest move in a public battle between these tenants and their landlord that has been going on for years with fighting playing out on multiple fronts The tenants say residents of the buildings are mostly newcomers and people on fixed incomes who can’t afford the proposed increases and whose living conditions have worsened since their landlord purchased the buildings in 2019 the landlord has refused to meet with them as a group prompting them to organize rallies and go on rent strike But now they face not only a heated court fight against the AGIs their landlord also wants to have them evicted through separate proceedings over nonpayment of rent landlord Starlight Investments said it has spent more than $28.5 million in capital improvements to the buildings “We care about our residents and are dedicated to building safe and welcoming rental communities that our residents can live and grow in over the long-term,” said Starlight’s vice-president of residential operations “When we acquire any residential building we conduct thorough due diligence with third-party engineering firms to ensure the safety and allocate budgets to protect and restore physical integrity.” But tenants believe the landlord is trying to exhaust and push them out — through the proposed rent increases eviction notices and ongoing construction — so the apartments can be put on the market for a more profitable price The former doctor is studying to be an ultrasound technician so she can be a “productive member of society,” but her placement is unpaid and she’s relying on OSAP the Canada Child Benefit and some catering work to cover her bills until she can get paid work in the field “They are going to lose millions,” she said about the risks for the landlord Tenants say many issues started when the landlord purchased the buildings in 2019 and began doing construction They say they experience daylong water shutdowns two or three times per month a lack of heating in some apartments and that all apartments regularly lose hot water during the pandemic when many people worked or studied from home there was loud and frequent work on balconies but Ateel Siddiqi said it was a “disaster” for her autistic son “When it gets very noisy and very frustrating for him who lives on the 21st floor and sometimes uses mobility aids said elevator service is “extremely bad”; an elevator in his building might break down three or four times a month he said his 13-year-old son has gotten stuck in the elevator a handful of times The disruptions are partly why tenants feel it’s unfair their rent would increase beyond provincial guidelines rents in rent-controlled units typically can’t be raised more than the provincial guideline for that year landlords can apply for the LTB to approve a higher amount under certain circumstances tenants received notice the landlord had applied to increase the rent by 4.2 per cent The provincial guideline for that year was 1.2 per cent tenants say they got together and tried to set up group meetings with the landlord or property manager to dispute the proposal they planned rallies and protested at events where they knew the owners would be this time of between 5 and 6 per cent with some variations between the buildings The provincial guideline for that year was 2.5 per cent PSP is a Crown corporation that invests for the pension plans of the federal public service PSP told the Star it works with experienced operators that are responsible for the day-to-day functions of assets they invest in “Our expectation is that Starlight Investments ensures that buildings in our joint portfolio are well-maintained and safe and secure for the residents,” an emailed statement read “We also expect Starlight Investments to follow applicable laws.” said in a statement it follows the laws and aims to make improvements quickly to minimize the impact on residents the property manager has “promptly responded” to more than 23,600 maintenance requests across the three buildings and has a “resolution rate of 99.6 per cent,” the statement said It added there are functioning heat and hot water systems in all buildings Residents are given advanced notice of “occasionally necessary” scheduled water shutdowns and are immediately notified of “emergency water shutdowns.” Starlight added that they offer water bottles to residents during those times — an approach tenants call “unacceptable” and say has not taken place in recent months when residents received a second AGI notice (The landlord says there were 86 residents on strike across 944 units although the number has fluctuated over time as people leave or join the strike.) tenants began to receive eviction notices for nonpayment of rent The LTB told the Star the landlord has filed 261 applications to evict tenants over outstanding rent since May 2023 Resident Sameer Beyan said he arrived in Thorncliffe Park about nine years ago How to fight an eviction in Toronto and legal recourse if you think you were evicted in bad faith pays $1,388 for the two-bedroom apartment he shares with his parents The AGI would hike his rent to more than $1,600 “We don’t really know what’s going to happen if I’m going to find a new place to live in,” Beyan said “These are all questions that we discuss every day.” While the renters initially got individual hearings for the eviction process pro-bono lawyers they retained that fall successfully argued in September 2023 their cases should be heard together Renters who joined the strike later will have individual hearings and lawyers will argue again that they should join the group Beyan said the vast majority of tenants on strike started paying their rent at an amount that would take into account the provincial guideline increase only He added that people who joined the strike more recently may not have been ordered to pay to the board yet (The LTB said 73 units have made at least one rent payment in trust to the board.) Their group eviction hearing has not been scheduled yet Starlight said it offers a rent relief program that none of the residents withholding rent have taken up called the program inadequate in a statement “If Starlight and PSP Investments are sincere in their desire to provide relief they must withdraw the above-guideline rent increases,” they said the landlord requested the LTB shorten the wait time for the AGI hearing Documents show the landlord argued tenants were harassing the landlord and said tenants were being advised not to pay rent the LTB granted the landlord’s request highlighting concerns of “intimidation and harassment” as well as the rent strike jeopardizing residents’ tenancies Tenants said they didn’t get notice of the request or have a chance to respond to the allegations and they only found out in August that a written hearing was scheduled for the next month they submitted a request to change the format of the hearing to be in-person lack of access to technology and complexity of the AGI application as well as the risk of displacement But the LTB denied that request — which formed the basis for the tenants’ appeal this year “to preserve adjudicative independence the LTB cannot comment on any matters that are before it.” the LTB granted above-guideline increases for all three apartment buildings; the landlord would be allowed to hike rent by between 5.3 and 6.4 per cent over two to three years depending on the building in addition to the provincial guideline increases of 1.2 per cent for 2022 and 2.5 per cent for 2023 over two years it deemed the maintenance concerns raised by the tenants not “serious” enough to dismiss the landlord’s application it doesn’t have the authority to consider the financial impact on tenants when determining whether or not to approve an AGI having retained the Community Justice Collective as their lawyers the board declined to review the order for one building Final decisions on the other two buildings are still pending Tenants appealed that decision to the Divisional Court in October arguing the LTB’s refusal to hold in-person hearings violated the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms “The Board Granted the Landlord’s AGI without any meaningful participation of hundreds of Tenants impacted by its decision,” the appeal read the Divisional Court ordered a stay on the LTB’s order approving the AGI said that is the expected result of an appeal being filed the LTB ordered a review hearing on another building and ordered the AGI order on that building be stayed It has not responded to the request to review the decision for 71 Thorncliffe Park Dr. Despite the suspension of the AGI orders for 75 and 79 Thorncliffe Park Dr. tenants say the landlord gave a “new wave” of eviction notices in mid-November to some tenants in those buildings who were not on rent strike They were ordered to pay the outstanding money for the rent increase Two eviction notices shared with the Star order tenants to pay some $2,000 by Dec “The way I see it is Starlight and PSP were aggressive before but they’re really showing it really visibly for everyone,” Beyan said Starlight told the Star in a statement that the notices were given out by mistake Greenwin served N4s to residents and some of those N4s included only the AGI arrears which was an administrative error resulting from an automated process,” the statement said “Greenwin has reached out to residents to apologize for this miscommunication and clarify that they will not be enforcing the N4s served We regret this error and have been working to remedy it.” Ateel Siddiqi described the whole process as feeling like she is “screaming” and no one is listening — not the landlord which is centrally located for travel to Scarborough and she fears the landlord wants to kick everyone out who is paying an affordable rent Ateel Siddiqi says she paid about $1,760 for her two-bedroom apartment before the rent increases started in 2022 she pays $1,850 to account for guideline increases in 2022 and 2023 she says her rent would rise to about $2,050 she would owe her landlord about $2,100 in unpaid increases and that’s why they continue to fight “This is a baby step toward changing the system,” she said “We know that we’re fighting for the right people.” Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Toronto1 person seriously injured in Thorncliffe Park stabbing, suspect arrestedBy Joanna LavoieOpens in new windowPublished: September 16, 2024 at 7:25PM EDT Twitter feed ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved NewsCrews on scene of two-alarm fire at East York apartment buildingBy Codi WilsonOpens in new windowPublished: April 28, 2025 at 9:01AM EDT Emergency crews are on the scene of a two-alarm fire at an apartment building in East York on Monday morning. Police say the fire broke out at a building on Thorncliffe Park Drive, near Overlea Boulevard, at around 8 a.m. No injuries have been reported and emergency services are on the scene. Thorncliffe Park Drive is down to one lane near the scene of the fire. Join the thousands of Torontonians who’ve signed up for our free newsletter and get award-winning local journalism delivered to your inbox The Toronto District School Board chair beat out former right-wing columnist Anthony Furey in a fiercely partisan battle Rachel Chernos Lin has won the Don Valley West by-election with nearly 55 percent of the vote beating competitor Anthony Furey by more than 20 points in what began as a wide-open race but had in recent weeks become a battle of political polarization between the two leading candidates a Toronto District School Board trustee and the current chair son of former ward councillor Jaye Robinson Furey told The Local that the partisan divisions that had seeped into the by-election were working in his campaign’s favour a right-wing candidate and former newspaper pundit who critics say has fuelled anti-Islam and transphobic sentiment has previously worked with conservative media outlets like True North and the Toronto Sun Liberal party-affiliated candidates Dhruv Jain and Evan Sambasivam suspended their campaigns and endorsed Chernos Lin due to fears of splitting the vote and enabling a Furey victory and they each received less than one percent of the vote.) Furey’s presence on the ballot also prompted progressive not-for-profit organization Progress Toronto to distribute “accountability flyers” to Don Valley West residents citing some of Furey’s most controversial columns All results are unofficial until the election has been certified The by-election was triggered when 14-year city councillor Jaye Robinson died of cancer in May Don Valley West has had an above-average turnout with 33 percent voting in the 2022 municipal election and 44 percent voting in the 2023 mayoral by-election respectively three and seven percent higher than the city-wide averages Chernos Lin has been the ward’s Toronto District School Board (TDSB) trustee since 2018 during which time she has advocated for school safety She has notably been the TDSB lead on a multi-school board lawsuit against social media companies like TikTok and Snapchat for alleged harms caused to youth mental health and attention spans and spearheaded a TDSB motion to develop a cell phone use policy Chernos Lin campaigned on a platform of reducing gridlock in the ward and improving road safety and community infrastructure She was endorsed by the ward’s Liberal MPP Stephanie Bowman and MP Rob Oliphant as well as by Toronto Deputy Mayors Jennifer McKelvie and Mike Colle and city councillors Josh Matlow and Shelley Carroll Join the thousands of Torontonians who've signed up for our free newsletter and get award-winning local journalism delivered to your inbox hoping that xenophobia and far right extremism doesn’t win there tomorrow I’m grateful to the many dozens of volunteers who’ve joined us to ensure that type of politics doesn’t find a foothold right here in Toronto’s Don Valley West today.” Chernos Lin told CP24 that her team could feel the support and momentum from voters while going door-to-door in the days before the election “They wanted someone with local knowledge who really had a stake in the community,” she said Chernos Lin will be serving for the remaining two years of this City Council term Her departure from the TDSB leaves an open trustee seat in Don Valley West award-winning journalism thanks to the generous support of readers you're contributing to a new kind of journalism—in-depth from corners of Toronto too often overlooked recognize stories on everything from life expectancy to encampments to waste management to the bereavement industry as the Conservatives improve on their 2021 performance local candidates from one party are refusing to speak with the media Less than a decade after Justin Trudeau rode a wave of youthful enthusiasm to power the Conservatives are winning the youth vote Inside King Street parties and campaign launches with a new generation of Conservatives Conservatives have tried to court South Asian voters in vital suburban ridings With a diplomatic breakdown between the Liberals and the Indian government can they finally win over alienated Indo-Canadians A public inquiry cleared former MP Han Dong’s name but the cloud of foreign meddling still looms over candidates of Chinese descent Every year The Local conducts a diversity survey among staff and contributors Candidates for TDSB trustee in Ward 11 are up against winter weather and election fatigue in a ward that will have four votes in less than a year We are looking for motivated and thoughtful individuals to join our volunteer board of directors the program provides training and mentorship to aspiring and emerging journalists from communities underrepresented in Canadian media even the most modest bike lane proposal is met with outsized anger and fear Gather ‘round the warm glow of The Local Slack channel as we chat through our favourite stories of the year The 55-year old museum shuttered without warning one Friday in June Then devastated staff were given four months to dismantle it A former employee on the last days of a beloved institution The only place to find fact-checked biographies and election platform summaries for all the candidates in Ward 15—Don Valley West's by-election for city councillor on November 4 non-profit journalism from corners of Toronto too often overlooked Halloween likely felt a bit extra spooky for Torontonians left in the dark following power outages in parts of the city on Thursday night Toronto Hydro said a loss of power supply from Hydro One caused the outages in the Leaside and Thorncliffe Park areas Power was restored in parts of Leaside after a few hours but remains out in most of Thorncliffe Park We're currently experiencing a loss of power supply from @HydroOne They're working to resolve the issue as soon as possible Customers in and around the following boundaries may be affected: Hillsdale south to Balliol St WASHINGTON — Prime Minister Mark Carney will have to navigate a delicate balance during his first in-person meeting with Donald Trump today A planned peaceful vacation has spiralled into a prolonged two-month ordeal for Ontario man David Bennett who remains stranded in the Dominican Republic despite having all criminal charges against him.. A Canadian man arrested on vacation has been proven innocent Melissa Nakhavoly with why he is still being held in the Dominican Republic Warmer temperatures but showers are expected on-and-off for the next few days Meteorologist Natasha Ramsahai has your seven-day forecast Ontario Premier Doug Ford calls on Prime Minister Mark Carney to prioritize a list of projects including the proposed Highway 401 tunnel Monday is calling for rain and thunderstorms Stella Acquisto has the long-range forecast listen to NewsRadio Toronto live anytime and get up-to-the-minute breaking-news alerts weather and video from CityNews Toronto anywhere you are – across all Android and iOS devices Two males are under arrest and six people are in hospital after a fight broke out this afternoon in East York’s Thorncliffe Park neighbourhood Toronto’s police’s Operations Centre said a large group of people got into an argument near Thorncliffe Park Drive and Overlea Boulevard Investigators indicated at least three people were stabbed Those transported to hospital are believed to have “non-life threatening” injuries Anyone with information should contact police at 416-808-2222, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-808-2222 (8477) or www.221tips.com \"our\") of the service provided by this web site (\"Service\") are not responsible for any user-generated content and accounts Content submitted express the views of their author only This Service is only available to users who are at least {age} years old you represent that you are this age or older or otherwise make available to the Service (\"Content\") may be reviewed by staff members All Content you submit or upload may be sent to third-party verification services (including Do not submit any Content that you consider to be private or confidential You agree to not use the Service to submit or link to any Content which is defamatory You are entirely responsible for the content of We may remove or modify any Content submitted at any time Requests for Content to be removed or modified will be undertaken only at our discretion We may terminate your access to all or any part of the Service at any time or re-publish your Content in connection with the Service These terms may be changed at any time without notice If you do not agree with these terms, please do not register or use the Service. 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You can post in the City Photos & Videos section of the UrbanToronto Forum, or submit your images to our UrbanToronto Flickr Pool for your chance to be featured on our Front Page.  A 21-year-old man is accused of defying a court order prohibiting him from possessing a firearm and several other gun-related offences following a police investigation in the Thorncliffe area Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience Don't have an account? Create Account We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentToronto Police said officers responded to a call for a person with a gun in the Overlea Blvd. and Thorncliffe Park Dr. area on Nov. 9, 2024. Police allege they were made aware of a man who was in possession of a firearm and, while at the scene investigating, they received a call for the sound of gunshots in the immediate area. A man was located nearby while cops were investigating and was found to be in possession of a loaded Glock 20 handgun, police allege. Shafifullah Abddulrashid, of Toronto, was arrested and charged with unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm knowing its possession is unauthorized, possession of a loaded prohibited firearm, and possession of a firearm contrary to a prohibition order. On Friday, investigators filed an additional charge of discharging a prohibited firearm into a place. Police also released images of the firearm and ammunition allegedly seized by the officers. 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By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy You can manage saved articles in your account Running from Exhibition Place in the west, through the downtown core, over to the east end, and north to Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon Park, the future Ontario Line will bring 15 new stations to Toronto and three landmark bridges that will transform the cityscape which will carry trains across the Don Valley in the north segment of the Ontario Line each bridge was developed with its specific site’s requirements in mind but there is a sound reason for that,” said John Potter senior manager subways sponsor at Metrolinx “The impulse driving the designs starts with the optimal structural solution for each bridge.” The future Don Valley Crossing Bridge is a balanced cantilever design that will be about 34 to 38 metres tall at its highest point The first significant new elevated crossing of the Don Valley since the Leaside Bridge was constructed in 1927 it will carry Ontario Line trains between the Minton Place tunnel portal and Thorncliffe Park Conceptual rendering of future Don Valley Crossing bridge features the same balanced cantilever construction method and will connect the Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon Park guideways and stations Both bridges have been designed with long spans between support columns which will mean minimized impacts during construction as well as reduced long-term impacts once construction is completed and the site is re-naturalized "We wanted something very slender and elegant like ribbons crossing the valley,” said Potter “We aimed to minimize the visual clutter that often mars the beauty of civic structures we have integrated the downspouts into the piers The resulting designs are impactful and complement their location rather than compete with it "The valley itself is the feature,” said Potter The Lower Don Bridge will have a steel network tied arch structure which will allow it to clear span over both the Don River and the Don Valley Parkway meaning that piers won’t have to be introduced either in the river or the parkway "Another benefit of this arched bridge design is that it's also quite a beautiful structure that can become a marker of the east side of downtown in much the same way that the Humber Bay Arch Bridge is a visual marker when you're approaching the downtown from the west,” said Potter "We also included an aesthetic lighting scheme so that you would see this bridge at night – the form would always be legible to people passing by and looking at it.” Rendering of the future Ontario Line bridge over the lower Don River the materials and finishes for the Lower Don Bridge were chosen for their longevity and appropriateness for the site custom coating will be applied to all steel surfaces kicks up a lot of salt spray or salt fog in the winter which is extremely corrosive,” said Potter these three bridges will transform Toronto’s urban landscape and become defining landmarks of the Ontario Line but we also are very cognizant about their place in the city and we spent a lot of time sculpting elements on them to get the details right,” said Potter Carrying Ontario Line trains across the Don River and the Don Valley they will play a role in connecting communities across the city from downtown to the West Don Lands to Flemingdon Park The future Ontario Line will also make it faster and easier to travel within Toronto and beyond A trip from end-to-end of the 15.6-kilometre subway line will take less than 30 minutes instead of the 70 minutes it takes on transit today It will also put 227,500 more people within walking distance to transit by Truc Nguyen Senior Editorial Content Producer Personal information is collected under the authority of the Metrolinx Act Personal information you provide will be used add you to an e-mail list that may send promotional messages or otherwise provide you with a personalized experience Sign up for the Unity Health Toronto newsletter, a monthly update on the latest news, stories, patient voices and research emailed directly to subscribers. If you haven’t subscribed yet, you can do that by clicking here In a school gymnasium on a sunny June morning the South East Toronto Stroke Network Team welcomes the newest and youngest additions to the hospital’s stroke-fighting team: dozens of eager Grade 1 Vyas leads a group of 96 students through a pledge they promise to educate their friends and family about the signs of stroke and to call 911 if someone is having a stroke because every second counts and together we can make a difference!” the children swear in unison The students, from Thorncliffe Park Public School, recently completed the FAST Heroes program The international education program teaches young children that they can save lives by learning the signs of stroke and stroke prevention Stroke is the third leading cause of death in Canada June is #StrokeAwarenessMonth. Stroke is a medical emergency. Learn to recognize the FAST signs of stroke and call 911 if you or someone with you is having one. @HeartandStroke pic.twitter.com/GZwsnsI4Ft Designed for students between the ages of five to nine the FAST Heroes mission is to have children spread these life-saving lessons to their parents helping to prevent future strokes and stroke death and disability While the program has been deployed around the world, this was the first time FAST Heroes had been taught in Toronto. A total of nine classes in the Thorncliffe area completed the program, which was coordinated by the South East Toronto Stroke Network (SETSN) Watch: CTV Toronto: School students learn to recognize the signs of stroke: It was important to bring the education program to the highly diverse and densely-populated Thorncliffe neighbourhood said SETSN Regional Director Fatima Quraishi Thorncliffe Park School itself is a microcosm of the community – it is one of the largest elementary schools in Canada with close to 1,300 students in grades one through five “The South East Toronto Stroke Network has made it a priority to focus on stroke prevention and awareness in our region which includes the Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon area,” Quraishi said noting that data from a nearby community hospital show stroke volumes increased 400 per cent in the last year alone and do education and outreach because we weren’t sure if public health messaging was reaching them “Our vision at the Toronto Stroke Network is ‘Fewer strokes better outcomes.’ We want to reduce the number of strokes so we want to educate the community so they can identify a stroke and call 911 right away This can be the difference between life and death and the type of recovery you have.” The SETSN team organized several fun activities for the students including a wheelchair relay race that simulated stroke symptoms The plan is to post the students’ art work in the community for further public education Toronto Paramedic Services were available to give ambulance tours and blood pressure checks Vyas quizzes a group of students to test their newly acquired knowledge “What is something you can do to help prevent a stroke?” he asks one student Manav Vyas is also a researcher whose work focuses on stroke risk among immigrant groups his research also indicates that many immigrants don’t call 911 when a stroke happens “My research has shown that many immigrants bargain their health for economic stability after moving to Canada they don’t seek primary care and accumulate risk factors that can lead to stroke,” he said “Coming into communities like Thorncliffe is important There are many immigrants here and many may not know how our healthcare system works or where to go if they’re having a stroke the kids can be the ones who bring this info home and teach their parents.” The team ends the celebration by thanking the school teachers and distributing cupcakes for all to enjoy The SETSN team recognizes the children’s accomplishments with certificates and cupcakes The students leave the gym buzzing with energy There’s only a few days left of school and they’ve got big plans for the summer beach days and lazy mornings for sleeping in and video games they’ll be armed with new knowledge about how to protect their loved ones from stroke *Unity Health Toronto and the South East Toronto Stroke Network thank the students and staff at Thorncliffe Park Public School for welcoming us into your school Please contact the Public Relations & Communications office at 416-864-5034 or communications@unityhealth.to TorontoToronto police investigating two separate robberies, including smash-and-grab at cellphone storeBy Bryann AguilarOpens in new windowPublished: January 30 Toronto police are investigating two separate robberies Thursday night including one where three suspects armed with hammers robbed a cellphone store Police say they received a call for a robbery at 7:35 p.m Three suspects wearing masks attended a cellphone store and smashed display cases with hammers They added that the suspect stole a quantity of merchandise and fled the area in a vehicle Police have not released suspect descriptions ROBBERY:Overlea Blvd & Thorncliffe Park Dr @TPS53DIV7:35 pm-reports of a robbery at a cell phone store-three suspects smashed display cases with hammers-quantity of merchandise stolen-suspects fled in a vehicle-police on scene-updates to follow#GO222018^sm About 10 minutes later, police responded to an alarm system in the Dundas Street East and Victoria Street area downtown They say an unknown number of suspects stole a quantity of merchandise from a business that deals with metals “Both investigations are still very active and ongoing I do not have any information about whether these may be connected,” Toronto police media relations officer Const ROBBERY:Dundas St E & Victoria St @TPS51DIV7:45 pm-police responded to an alarm at a premises-suspects stole a quantity of merchandise-suspects fled in a vehicle-no physical injuries reported-police on scene-ongoing investigation#GO220778^sm ROBBERY:Overlea Blvd & Thorncliffe Park Dr @TPS53DIV7:35 pm-reports of a robbery at a cell phone store-three suspects smashed display cases with hammers-quantity of merchandise stolen-suspects fled in a vehicle-police on scene-updates to follow#GO222018^sm ROBBERY:Dundas St E & Victoria St @TPS51DIV7:45 pm-police responded to an alarm at a premises-suspects stole a quantity of merchandise-suspects fled in a vehicle-no physical injuries reported-police on scene-ongoing investigation#GO220778^sm Toronto police received a call at around 7:30 p.m on Thursday for reports of a robbery in the Thorncliffe Park neighbourhood Toronto police said a 'quantity' of cellphone merchandise was stolen Thursday night Toronto police said a “quantity” of cellphone merchandise was stolen Thursday night A smash-and-grab robbery at a cellphone store in an East York mall has police searching for three suspects Just after 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Toronto police were called to Overlea Boulevard and Thorncliffe Park Drive area The robbery occurred at a store inside East York Town Centre Three suspects wearing masks smashed display cases with hammers, according to a post by police on X Police said that a “quantity” of merchandise was stolen There are no reported injuries as a result of the robbery Descriptions of the suspects and the getaway vehicle are not yet available Sameen Preveshkumni cools off in the water park during the Neighbour’s Night Out event held last year in Thorncliffe Park This year’s event is set for Saturday volunteering has opened up a world of community Man Ara made the leap from Bangladesh to Canada where she settled in the warm nook that is Thorncliffe “When people come here they think they are alone but they’re not,” said Man Ara Man Ara has been involved with community projects driven by the not-for-profit Toronto-based organization Diasporic Genius Diasporic Genius is a community initiative that looks to foster creativity and connection “Being involved in the community gives newcomers access to information they need,” Man Ara said One of the organization’s prized programs is its story-telling circles “Story telling connects people across boundaries It connects people to the power of their own knowledge to their imaginations and the idea of possibilities,” said David Buchbinder the 10th annual Neighbours Night Out Festival will creatively energize and connect the community through arts and crafts and community storytelling “People gain confidence in speaking English and standing up in front of people and sharing things about themselves,” said long-time volunteer Naheed Zia of Thorncliffe Neighbours’ Night Out will see the creation of small stitch art that will be hung on The Story Tree as members of the community share their experiences The Story Tree is a community built Paper Mache tree which marks the oral telling of the experiences of the community The festival will culminate in a parade celebrating diversity “Volunteering in the community has connected me with people It gives you a feeling of comfort,” Zia said The Neighbours’ Night Out Festival takes place Saturday For more information, visit www.diasporicgenius.com TorontoNewsHow a group of Toronto tenants turned to a risky last resort and got a 'huge victory'By The Canadian PressPublished: September 20, 2024 at 6:32AM EDT Toronto firefighters were met with a “significant chemical fire,” one that “took a while to extinguish,” following a Sept 8 explosion at a chemical plant in East York One person has been killed and another has been rushed to Sunnybrook hospital with critical injuries as a result of an explosion at a chemical plant in East York The incident happened shortly before 10 a.m in the Thorncliffe Park area at Wicksteed Avenue and Beth Nealson Drive which is south of Eglinton Avenue East and east of Laird Drive and markets silicone and other related products Jim Jessop said fire crews were met with a “significant chemical fire” that “took a while to extinguish.” who did an “outstanding job” under “very used a “specific extinguishing agent” to put out the two-alarm fire one that wouldn’t “make the situation worse.” Jessop said crews are now out of the building as investigators work to determine what kinds chemicals and compounds were involved in this incident which has been classified as an industrial accident There is no “imminent risk to the public,” he said adding there are no reports of anyone else being transported to hospital People should note that roads and railways in the area are presently off limits The Office of the Ontario Fire Marshall and the Ministry of Labour are now investigating Anyone with information should contact police at 416-808-2222, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477) or www.222tips.com On behalf of our @Toronto_Fire @TorontoOEM team, I extend deepest condolences to family, friends and all those impacted by this morning’s fatal incident on Wicksteed Avenue & best wishes for a full and speedy recovery to those injured. @TPFFA NewsSuspect facing additional charge after gunshots fired in TorontoBy Joanna LavoieOpens in new windowPublished: February 01 A man who was charged after gunshots were fired in the city’s Thorncliffe area last November is facing a new charge Toronto police say on that day they were informed that a male was in possession of a firearm in that vicinity. While investigating that call, officers responded to reports of gunshots heard in that immediate area. They said that a male was found nearby in relation to both investigations in possession of a loaded Glock 20 handgun. Shafifullah Abddulrashid, 21, of Toronto, was arrested and charged with unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm knowing its possession is unauthorized, possession of a loaded prohibited firearm, and possession of a firearm contrary to a prohibition order. He had a Nov. 10 court date. On Jan. 31, Abddulrashid was further charged in relation to these investigations with discharge a prohibited firearm into a place. He was scheduled to appear in court that day. This investigation is ongoing and anyone with further information is asked to contact police at 416-808-2500 or Crime Stoppers anonymously. The Toronto Police Service initially stated the incident happened in the city's north Riverdale neighbourhood, in the area of Danforth and Broadview avenues. In a later issued news release, police clarified the incident occured in the Overlea Boulevard and Thorncliffe Park Drive area. Sign in Join now After Metrolinx angered Thorncliffe Park residents by opting to demolish part of the heart of the community to build the Ontario Line's train yard a nearby manufacturing business that the agency had hoped to preserve appears to be downsizing anyway Metrolinx said it moved part of its train yard into Thorncliffe Park rather than locating it entirely in the nearby Leaside Business Park to protect hundreds of local manufacturing jobs and potentially thousands more throughout companies' supply chains Through discussions with Tremco and another manufacturer in Leaside, the provincial transit agency "learned that a relocation was not feasible for either company and that expropriating the land could lead to the businesses leaving not only the City, but possibly the region of the country entirely," Metrolinx CEO Phil Verster wrote in a June 2021 letter "The supply chain and indirect job impact of this would be at least 4-5 times the impact of the direct jobs (estimated impact on direct jobs at 800-900 employees) with very few of the total of the affected direct and indirect jobs retainable or replaceable," Verster added Tremco, which specializes in making roofing, sealants, caulking, and waterproofing products, has long operated three Leaside facilities. Recently, one of the properties it operated out of was listed as available for lease to a new tenant An online listing posted several days ago shows 50 Beth Nealson Drive is now available for lease starting on Sept 15 of this year. "Secure your company's next industrial facility," says the listing As of a couple of years ago, Tremco employed about 200 people in Leaside, among the most of any company in the area Tremco's spokesperson hadn't responded to questions The Trillium asked them in an email about the company's future in the Leaside Business Park A Metrolinx spokesperson wouldn't comment on the company's business decisions but said the agency did not sign any agreements with the company regarding its now-up-for-lease site "One of our key priorities when we were determining property needs for Ontario Line infrastructure in Thorncliffe Park was minimizing the project’s impact on local jobs," Metrolinx's spokesperson said "We determined that between 800 to 1,050 jobs may have been lost if we had used this site for our project which is why only a small portion of land that was previously occupied by Tremco was acquired We consulted closely with the City of Toronto on our current plans before moving forward." In late 2020, while finalizing the Ontario Line's route, Metrolinx looked to pinpoint where exactly its maintenance and storage facility would go. Leaside Business Park initially seemed to fit the bill before the provincial transit agency determined the impacts on jobs locating the train yard there would have It ended up deciding to locate part of the almost 50-acre maintenance and storage facility to the south "We know projects like the Ontario Line will result in economic benefits for the region both during construction and once the line is in operation," Metrolinx's spokesperson said in an email "Metrolinx also anticipates that the entire Ontario Line project will directly and indirectly support over 4,700 jobs per year in construction and supply chain industries."  News'People are so desperate to keep their rent affordable': What you need to know about rent strikes in TorontoBy Joanna LavoieOpens in new windowPublished: August 10, 2024 at 6:00AM EDT As rent prices have risen in Toronto, instances of tenants withholding rent in protest have become more common. It’s called a “rent strike” and it is a practice that has gained widespread attention in the city in recent years, as the cost of a one-bedroom apartment surged to nearly $2.500. In some cases, tenants use rent strikes to bring attention to poor conditions in their buildings. But for most, it’s a tool used to protest larger rent increases. Sometimes rent strikes drag on for weeks or months but in other cases they can go for more than a year, in part due to a backlog of cases before the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) “It comes with the risk of eviction and landlords often try to criminalize it,” lawyer Samuel Mason, who has worked as a tenant rights lawyer for six years, both with Parkdale Community Legal Services and the Tenant Lawyer Professional Corporation, told CP24.com. “Landlords try to persecute tenants engaged in this type of organizing. … The social cost of what they’re doing, they do not want it to be known.” Mason said that tenants, most often working-class ones, choose to stage a rent strike with the intention of making a strong statement and it usually has to do with them disagreeing with a landlord’s application to increase the rent significantly above what is permitted annually by the province. Every year, the Ontario government sets a guideline rent increase for the following year for rent-controlled units, those that are first occupied before Nov. 15, 2018. In 2024, landlords are permitted to raise the rent by 2.5 per cent. This is the same amount that was permitted in 2023. The year before that, the provincially-approved rent increase was 1.2 per cent. Any rent increase above the set amount requires approval from the LTB. According to the Residential Tenancies Act, above guideline increases (AGI) can be granted when a landlord’s costs for municipal taxes and charges have gone up by an “extraordinary” amount, when the renovations, repairs, replacements or new additions to their building or individual units are deemed to be “extraordinary or significant,” or when a landlord’s costs for security services increase. Some of the other reasons why tenants may go on a rent strike is because they feel that their landlord is not properly maintaining their building or because they believe that their landlord has undertaken a series of unfair evictions, Mason said. “Landlords will go to great lengths to get people to move out. They are prepared to evict tenants so they can find someone who will pay more, which will in turn increase their property values,” he said. From a legal perspective, Mason said that tenants enter into an agreement with their landlord to pay rent in exchange for housing, however that contract comes with what is known as a “security of tenure,” which means that tenants can expect to not be evicted arbitrarily. He said that a significant AGI can be the reason why tenants who are already struggling to make ends meet could end up living in poverty and see their quality of like decrease or even end up homeless. He said that this practice is essentially a roundabout way to unfairly evict tenants, to compromise their right to security of tenure. “For some families, (an AGI) will be devastating because they will be evicted,” he said, adding tenants often feel no other option but to go on a rent increase to make their voices heard. “People are so desperate to keep their rent affordable because the consequences are so real.” Tenants who withhold their rent may receive an eviction notice from their landlord for non-payment of rent, even if they’re one day late. The document that may be issued to tenants is known as an N4, a notice to end a tenancy early for non-payment of rent. Tenants, however, have the right to challenge this notice and can refuse to comply with it if they disagree with the “details, substance, or purpose of it,” Mason noted. A landlord who wishes to pursue an eviction is entitled to file an application for a hearing at the LTB, which could take a number of months to happen. Mason said that the tribunal has a track record of favouring eviction cases and moving them up the queue, especially when it comes to AGI matters, notably in cases when tenants have taken collective action. Even if a tenant is ordered to vacate their unit on the basis of unpaid rent, the order becomes void if they pay the rent they owe before an ordered tenancy termination date, which usually includes the landlord’s filing fee, he noted. Mason also said that tenants ordered to vacate their unit have the right to appeal their eviction at the LTB on the grounds of an error in law. Tenants who are evicted for non-payment of rent should note that they still owe the unpaid rent to the landlord, which also includes the amount of any granted AGIs retroactive to when they were applied for by the landlord. Despite how common rent strikes might seem, Long-time real estate lawyer Bob Aaron says tenant simply do not have the legal right to arbitrarily decide that they will no longer pay for housing. “A tenant is obliged to pay their rent,” he said, pointing to the agreed upon terms of their least or monthly tenancy agreement. “Under the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) you have to pay rent – full stop. … It’s illegal to refuse to pay the rent.” And while tenants are required by law to pay their rent in exchange for a roof over their head, he noted that landlords must also obey and are governed by the RTA, city bylaws and health regulations as well as the terms of the lease. “The units must be fit for habitation, must have running water and heat in the winter, and not be unsafe,” said Aaron, who has practiced real estate law for more than five decades. Aaron urged tenants who have concerns about their state of their housing to contact their municipality, which has the power to issue orders when housing-related bylaws and regulations are not being followed. Those inspections and orders must also be done and issued in much more timely way, he added. Landlords, meanwhile, have and should exercise their right to evict tenants who do not pay their rent, said Aaron. He said rent strikes are essentially tactic that is used to bring bad publicity to landlord and/or pressure them to cave and withdraw their applications for an above-guideline rent increase. However, he noted that they can also cause significant financial hardship to property owners. Instead of placing blame on one side or the other, Aaron called on the Ontario government to take swifter action to address the concerns of both tenants and landlords so that it doesn’t come to the point where tenants feel that they have no other option but to withhold their rent. He also said that it makes no sense for the LTB’s eviction process to take nine to 12 months. “It’s a disaster and the Ontario government should be ashamed of itself for denying access to justice to landlords and tenants,” said Aaron, adding the process put in place by the LTB to essentially hold unpaid rent in trust doesn’t sit well with him. “Where’s the jurisdiction, the legal authority for holding the proceeds of a rent strike? I think that’s outrageous.” In Toronto’s west end, tenants in at least four apartment buildings are currently on a rent strike, with at least one of those actions dating back to last June. Dozens of renters in three high-rise apartment buildings in East York’s Thorncliffe Park area have also been withholding their rent for more than year due to what they say are unfair AGI applications. The landlord of those buildings has defended the rent increases as necessary to pay for structural building exterior and balcony restoration, lighting retrofit, and booster pump replacement. “I think the fact that there are so many rent strikes speaks to how dire the housing situation is for tenants,” said Chiara Padovani, who is the co-chair of the York South-Weston Tenants Union (YSWTU), which is an umbrella organization that represents tenant groups at 13 buildings. “The fact that people are exploring this kind of actions say a lot. … The intention isn’t to break the law, but to take collection action.” She said that a lease needs to be viewed as a two-way agreement where tenants pay their rent, but landlords must also ensure that the buildings are safe and decent, and that the rent is stable. “What we’re seeing is those parts of the agreement are not being followed through,” she said, adding YSWTU’s goal is to help educate and empower tenants when they choose to take this collective action. “A rent strike is a coordinated, planned action and the strength of this action is in the numbers. … Tenants can only be exploited so far before they draw a line in the sand.” Padovani noted that YSWTU works with a legal team to help those on rent strike navigate the process and understand their rights, and also ensure that landlords follow the law. Mason said that’s a good idea, adding it’s important for tenants who choose to take this action to have good legal advice and to understand their rights as landlords can get quite aggressive and may try to intimidate them. In the interim, the tenants of all of the aforementioned buildings have been ordered by the LTB to pay their rent to the board, which is holding the funds in trust until the matter is resolved. This fall, Toronto’s Ward 15—Don Valley West will hold a by-election for its vacant city council seat longtime city councillor for the ward Jaye Robinson died of cancer triggering a by-election to fill her seat for the two years remaining in the council term Robinson was city councillor for Don Valley West for almost 14 years Election day will be a week later on Monday Roughly bordered by Highway 401 to the north Don Valley West is characterized by stark income differences The median annual household income for the ward is $102,000 per year making it relatively wealthy compared to Toronto’s median of $84,000 But Don Valley West is home to both one of Canada’s wealthiest neighbourhoods the Bridle Path—famously the Canadian residence of rapper Drake among other stars—and diverse communities like Thorncliffe Park one of the lowest-income neighbourhoods in Toronto Residents and community advocacy groups in the riding have raised concerns about housing affordability and quality especially as the development of the Eglinton Crosstown and Ontario Line transit routes raise local property prices and threaten to push out low-income residents Metrolinx is also building a storage facility in Thorncliffe Park displacing local businesses and community hubs This has triggered community upheaval and resistance to the project since 2021 Don Valley West is also home to part of the Don River and some of Toronto’s ravines part of a larger network that covers 17 percent of the city Advocacy groups note that the ravines in the city are under threat from invasive species and urban development and Evan Sambasivam (the latter two have affiliations with the Liberal Party) fearing it would lead to a victory for Anthony Furey who has regularly expressed right-wing views and previously faced accusations of Islamophobia alongside being affiliated with far-right and anti-trans activists Smaller campaigns unaffiliated with any particular party are also vying for their shot at the council seat as are the perennial candidates present in every election cycle The Local has compiled fact-checked biographies and summarized platforms for all 16 candidates running in the by-election Platforms will be updated right up to voting day she had initially introduced a failed motion to send back the report asking for a clearer definition of anti-Palestinian racism She separately introduced a successful amendment asking staff to acknowledge a recent rise in antisemitism and a resultant need for action in the report and to centre “student belonging for all students.” In a June 2024 CBC interview she said the lack of a definition had “caused fear” among some Chernos Lin’s current campaign for city council has received endorsements from the Liberal MPP and MP for Don Valley West as well as Toronto Deputy Mayors Jennifer McKelvie and Mike Colle as well as city councillors Josh Matlow and Shelley Carroll She has also been endorsed by former Ontario premier and Liberal MPP for the ward whose partner is chair of the Chernos Lin campaign’s fundraising efforts Chernos Lin committed to mitigating the traffic impacts of construction projects in the area and expanding community safety zones (a residential road safety measure) Chernos Lin also wants to enhance the Toronto Police Service’s Neighbourhood Community Officer Programme if a candidate’s ineligibility results in an uncontested race the election is voided and a by-election is held to fill the role at a later date Desai said her mother expressed that she should have been declared the winner by default.) Platform: Desai is an outspoken advocate for the police, and her platform proposes a salary increase of $41,000 and a housing subsidy of $50,000 for every police officer in order to improve recruitment and retention Desai also wishes to station police officers in high schools to lead clubs and sports teams and create a women-only police station and adjoining emergency room to handle cases of gender-based and domestic violence She proposed a community safety initiative called “Paw Patrol,” which would see a team of volunteers and dogs patrol schools She additionally wants to build an athletics facility in the ward funded by the revenue from high-profile celebrity fight nights and wants to lobby for Elon Musk to purchase the Ontario Science Centre and turn it into the Elon Musk Space and Science Centre She proposes making the TTC free for residents of Thorncliffe Park as part of a Community Benefits Agreement with Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx Biography: There is little information available about Peter Handjis online According to his X (formerly Twitter) profile he has more than two decades of experience as a business owner and manager He ran in last year’s Scarborough Southwest by-election He also ran for mayor in 2023—a campaign during which he shared doctored photos of Olivia Chow endorsing him for mayor—and in 2022 Platform: Handjis’s platform includes capping electricity rates for low-income seniors and establishing a dedicated city-run website or app to promote public transit use and local businesses It also mentions not rezoning factory lands agencies to deal with vagrancy,” and restoring sport and academic-focused after-school programs Biography: Little information about Syed Jaffery is available online and participated in political campaigning and volunteering most recently for the 2024 mayoral by-election in Mississauga Jaffery ran in Toronto’s mayoral by-election and in the city councillor by-election in Ward 20—Scarborough Southwest Jaffery ran for federal office in Toronto Centre as a member of the People’s Party of Canada Platform: Jaffery has not released his platform at time of publication and is also executive vice-president of the ward’s Provincial Liberal Association Jain has been the director of transit policy for TTC Chair Jamaal Myers a role from which he is currently on leave He’s also been on the boards of organizations like the Toronto Public Library and The Churchill Society for Parliamentary Democracy Jain announced he was dropping out of the race Jain’s platform prioritized “missing middle” housing over high-rise buildings with small one- and two-bedroom units He said he’ll expand the number of family-sized units through zoning policies that require a certain portion of them in all new “high-density housing projects,”  as well as public-private partnerships and retrofitting existing buildings Jain also supports the expansion of bike lanes on side streets increasing the presence of “TTC personnel” on public transit and adding more red-light cameras on city streets He has committed to working closely with the Toronto Police Service and their Provincial Carjacking Task Force to mitigate car theft in the ward Jain additionally mentions infrastructure improvements including climate-change-resilient upgrades and preemptive identification of vulnerabilities that warrant investment He proposes increased social support workers and community resources to address “security issues” associated with homelessness and mental health crises Biography: Information about this candidate could not be found at time of publication Platform: Lamanna has not released a platform at time of publication Biography: Little information is available online about Cleveland Marshall Marshall says he is the founder of a company called The Calvin Partners International and has worked for two management consulting firms The Local was not able to reach The Calvin Partners Marshall ran for mayor in the 2023 by-election and ran for Ward 13—Toronto Center councillor in 2022 Platform: Marshall’s platform mentions implementing electric school buses in the ward He says he wants to “stop encampments” and resolve the housing crisis by building “supportive,” drug-free housing He also advocates for tenant rights and opposes evictions Marshall’s site features a “Pride” section with the phrase “We All Belong,” but does not detail specific objectives or plans  Platform: On his website Robinson’s priorities include community consultation and transparency at City Hall Robinson wants to improve safety in Don Valley West through reducing street traffic and implementing community-based safety measures like neighbourhood watch programs and stronger communication between the community and police Robinson plans to reduce traffic congestion in the ward through advocating for more funding for the TTC and reducing gridlock through installing traffic cameras and mitigating construction-related congestion Robinson also wants to “control taxes by finding efficiencies” at City Hall and wishes to advocate for tenant rights in the ward an initiative that was begun to secure more public and not-for-profit housing on faster timelines Robinson indicated that his support for bike lanes would be predicated on their impact on traffic and identified crime and congestion as the biggest issues facing the ward Biography: Although Evan Sambasivam’s name will still appear on the ballot, he dropped out of the race on October 22 and endorsed Rachel Chernos Lin with an eye to defeating right-wing candidate Anthony Furey Sambasivam says he is running for council in honour of his friend who died from causes related to homelessness and mental illness though his name will still appear on the ballot In his platform Sambasivam supports new housing projects and social services to alleviate Toronto’s homelessness crisis He wants to provide more legal and regulatory support for renters and supports incentives to build more varied housing options He wants to expand Toronto’s stormwater infrastructure and revitalize Don Valley West’s many ravines to mitigate flooding He has opposed the proposed relocation of the Science Centre To make the TTC more accessible and reliable Sambasivam proposes a fare cap for students and seniors better accountability for maintenance-related delays and transit priority signals for certain bus routes Sambasivam also wants to tackle food insecurity by advocating for tax abatements for locally-owned grocery stores and expanding access and eligibility for food security programs like the city’s Student Nutrition Program and the new National School Food program Biography: Shakhlo Sharipova is an ophthalmologist and the founder of the Thorncliffe Park Autism Support Network (TPASN) a grassroots organization that provides free community-based services for children with disabilities the City recognized her work with TPASN through the Disability Access Award Sharipova is a member of the 53 Division Community Police Liaison Committee a group of local volunteers who work with local police officers and received the Agnes Macphail Award in 2023 for her contributions to the East York community Sharipova says she will conduct an assessment of the community’s public safety needs and that community consultation is central to her approach Sharipova was one of five candidates who responded to The Local’s “City Hall Simulator” survey in which candidates cast their votes on ten motions that were debated in City Hall this past term Sharipova indicated support for this year’s $20 million police budget increase and voted against the 9.5 percent property tax increase She supports housing densification on major streets and the creation of a stormwater charge to generate revenue that would aid the City in managing flooding She indicated that her support for bike lanes would be predicated on their impact on traffic Biography: Sheena Sharp is an architect with more than 25 years of experience in the field She is a member of the Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) and has held several positions in the organization a private-public initiative focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from buildings She is the founder of Coolearth Architecture a firm focused on designing low-carbon buildings Sharp previously ran for the Don Valley West council seat in 2022 finishing in second place out of four candidates She also ran as the Green Party candidate in the ward’s 2022 provincial election Sharp was one of five candidates who responded to The Local’s “City Hall Simulator” survey, in which candidates cast their votes on ten motions that were debated in City Hall this past term. In her survey results, Sharp indicated support for this year’s 9.5 percent property tax increase and against the $20 million police budget increase Sharp was the only candidate who voted against the motion reconsidering the City’s Fair Wage Policy a move that would have potentially eliminated a policy established to protect workers from exploitation in favour of financial efficiency She also said in her survey response that traffic congestion would be the first issue she’d address as councillor and that if she were to run in affiliation with a major Canadian political party it would be the Green Party he says he does not live in Don Valley West Platform: Stevens appears to have launched a campaign website, but it does not include a platform at this time. In a brief YouTube video, he highlighted transit, safety, and housing as areas of focus. In a September interview with the Leaside Residents Association Stevens said plans for new housing should avoid high concentrations of high-rises within a small area He also said he plans to preserve small businesses within the community but has not elaborated on any of these plans Stevens was one of five candidates who responded to The Local’s “City Hall Simulator” survey, in which candidates cast their votes on ten motions that were debated in City Hall this past term. In his survey results, Stevens expressed approval for this year’s 9.5 percent property tax increase but believes tax increases can be mitigated altogether with improved budget efficiency He does not support this year’s $20 million increase in the police budget He voted in favour of building more dense housing (including low-rise apartments) on major streets and indicated that his support for bike lanes would be predicated on their impact on traffic Stevens said in his survey response that affordable rent is the biggest issue facing the ward she has organized educational programs about food security in public and private schools Platform: Stoyan’s campaign priorities are road safety and traffic reduction, food security in vulnerable neighbourhoods, and support for small businesses. She also wants to encourage alternatives to car travel and overhaul Vision Zero (a city safety plan to reduce traffic fatalities), though she hasn’t elaborated as to how. On social media Stoyan says Ward 15 has nine distinct neighbourhoods so broad-stroke policies won’t work as a result—she has committed to hearing from each of these neighbourhoods in her leadership efforts she expressed wanting to protect the neighbourhood from corporate development Biography: Daniel Trayes is a harm reduction and housing advocate He previously ran for council in the Ward 22—Scarborough-Agincourt by-election in 2021 and in Ward 14—Toronto Danforth in the 2014 municipal election Trayes experienced homelessness in Toronto for nearly 20 years and says City Council lacks the necessary lived experience to address the issue Trayes has worked for Scarborough-Guildwood councillor Paul Ainslie who endorsed him during the 2021 by-election Platform: Trayes’s platform mentions the Ontario Science Centre the Eglinton Crosstown and the Ontario Line He emphasizes that more money needs to be allocated towards supporting the unhoused He does not elaborate on his plans to address these issues He does not support the reintroduction of a stormwater charge a revenue tool that would help with flood management in the city Trayes said in his survey response that the Eglinton Crosstown LRT is the biggest issue facing the ward Biography: Little is available online about Calvin Xu Xu ran for council in Ward 17—Don Valley North in 2022 placing third of six candidates with 7.6 percent of the vote Platform: Xu has not released his platform at time of publication Correction: October 15—A previous version of this page incorrectly stated that Habiba Desai’s mother was ineligible to run in the 2022 Viamonde school board trustee election This has been amended to reflect that only her opponent was deemed ineligible by the City Clerk Information in Candidate Tracker was compiled and written by The Local’s team of journalists and fact checkers through independent research and verification. The Tracker will be regularly updated as candidates register and expand their platforms. If you’re a candidate whose information is not listed or up to date, please email us at elections@thelocal.to Queen's ParkWork now underway on all parts of the Ontario Line, Ford saysBy Joshua FreemanOpens in new windowPublished: October 02 Premier Doug Ford says work is officially underway on all parts of the new Ontario Line subway in Toronto a project that is expected to massively expand public transit capacity in the city “This is a huge milestone for this new subway line,” Ford said Wednesday The province said Wednesday that work has begun under the final contract to build the Don Valley Crossing Bridge and the West Don Crossing Bridge “These bridges will carry Ontario Line trains across the Don Valley toward the downtown core cutting transit times in half for families and workers across the line,” Ford said “This final contract means that construction is now underway along the entire Ontario line This is a huge milestone for this new subway line a huge milestone for the hundreds of thousands of riders who will use it each and every day.” Trains on the line will exit an underground tunnel on the east side of the Don Valley at Minton Place They will then travel over the valley on the new Don Valley Crossing and West Don Crossing bridges connecting to elevated guideways through Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon Park excavation has already begun at King-Bathurst Moss Park and Queen-Spadina stations and ground has been broken at Pape Station Excavation is set to begin soon at Corktown and Osgoode stations Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said the line “will transform our city.” The 15.6 kilometre-line will eventually have 15 stops running from the former Scince Centre at Eglinton Avenue and Don Mills Road It was announced in 2019 and is expected to be complete by 2031 While the cost of the line was originally pegged at $10.9 billion, it is now estimated to cost around $27.2 billion with some $5.5 billion already having been spent so far Ford was also asked questions about the still-unclear opening date for the long-overdue Eglinton Crosstown LRT When Metrolinx missed the last completion target a year ago Metrolinx CEO Phil Verster said he would provide a three-month heads-up when the agency is certain that the line will be ready to open Ford was asked to confirm that the line won’t open this year either but we’re going to get it done and get it done safely,” Ford said He said his government “inherited the nightmare” of the Crosstown when it came to power in 2018 and added that the pandemic caused further delays However he said he remains “a big fan” of Verster Ford added that “this is no easy task that we put on his back.” Mayor Chow said the city is ready to operate the LRT and just waiting for the green light “I spoke to so many of the local residents that have a beautiful station in front of them when can we open it up?’ It’s disappointing “Open it because thousands and thousands of riders are ready.” Located in East York's Thorncliffe Park area the project area spans the north side of Overlea Boulevard both east and west of where Thorncliffe Park Drive crosses it and where an Ontario Line 3 station will be located An aerial diagram looking northwest of the Thorncliffe Park TOC designed by SvN for Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx The redevelopment blocks — totalling approximately 37,174m² of space — are gathered into two groups of parcels one to the west and the other to the east of the Thorncliffe Park and Overlea intersection each currently occupied by single-storey commercial and light-industrial buildings Masterplanned by SvN the Zoning By-law Amendment application proposes to deliver 216,630m² of Gross Floor Area (GFA) translating to more than 2,600 housing units the TOC is set to include over 6,700m² of retail GFA and more than 16,100m² of office GFA This blend of uses also promises to generate approximately 976 full-time jobs An aerial diagram of the Thorncliffe Park TOC and tower heights At the heart of the Thorncliffe Park TOC are six residential towers and one office tower positioned to create two height nodes central to the site while the lower-rise buildings at the eastern and western edges of the site respect the scale of surrounding residential areas The height distribution across the TOC act as a functional strategy to maximize sunlight onto public spaces Looking west to Thorncliffe Park TOC: 4-10 Overlea Boulevard connected by a shared base and enhanced by retail space and public realm under the guideway Looking northwest to Thorncliffe Park TOC: 6 Thorncliffe Park Drive featuring an elevated courtyard and retail spaces Looking northeast to Thorncliffe Park TOC: 14-16 Overlea Boulevard The TOC's integration with the Ontario Line 3 via Thorncliffe Park station is a key aspect of its design Located to the east side of the Thorncliffe Park and Overlea intersection the elevated station includes public realm underneath the guideway and will be flanked by a new bus loop operated by the TTC especially the 46-storey residential building at 6 Thorncliffe Park Drive aims for seamless connections to the new transit infrastructure Thorncliffe Park TOC: 36 Overlea Boulevard The TOC’s public realm network includes 3,368m² of landscaped POPS (Privately Owned Publicly accessible Space) and a transit plaza set to be equipped with high-quality planters Looking northwest to Thorncliffe Park TOC: 26 Overlea Boulevard A total of 1,362 parking spaces are planned in underground garages The design also allocates 3,057 bicycle parking spaces with 2,449 long-term and 609 short-term spots An aerial view of the site and surrounding area UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on this development you can learn more about it from our Database files — one for the Master Project and one each for the development blocks — linked below you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum threads or leave a comment in the space provided on this page that tracks projects from initial application This article was published more than 1 year ago Curiosity is what usually leads me to my subjects. In the case of my latest film, Concrete Valley which will debut theatrically at the TIFF Bell Lightbox on July 21 I first noticed it while driving by on the Don Valley Parkway and found something both imposing and oddly evocative about the buildings looming tall over the valley I quickly discovered that it is an “arrival city,” a landing spot for many immigrants the area was turned into a housing complex in the fifties back when cities tried to fix overcrowding by creating “towers in a park” – modernist utopian communities high above the streets surrounded by green spaces but detached from the city Today, Thorncliffe itself suffers from overcrowding, with more than twice as many residents than its buildings can comfortably hold. The buildings are aging, and their low-income tenants struggle with rising rents (a rent strike is currently under way to protest above-guideline rent increases in three of the largest buildings) the neighbourhood is vibrant and welcoming with lively people from all over the world working hard to make their place in this country A support worker at the multi-service Neighbourhood Organization (TNO) once told me “The Canadians of tomorrow live here,” which resonated deeply I spent a few months attending English classes for newcomers I was impressed with the resilience of the people who are unable to find jobs commensurate with their skills and have to return to school to learn a new language and start over I became interested in what happens a few years after one’s arrival in a new place – specifically the feeling of not quite being able to fully “arrive” somewhere I wanted to explore this feeling of detachment and found resonance within the neighbourhood itself and I felt a connection with those who approached me After months of research and dialogue with various people from this community I asked Toronto-based Syrian-Canadian filmmaker Teyama Alkamli to collaborate on a script centring on a Syrian family Over the course of a year we simultaneously wrote the film and cast it which can be a slow process that involves both approaching people and letting them approach you Over time we found incredible performers in the neighbourhood and the Greater Toronto Area all newcomers who were able to bring their own lived experiences to their roles the most unique aspect of making this film was experiencing the frustration of language firsthand Concrete Valley features many domestic scenes in which the characters speak their native language While I could rely on Teyama and the actors to comment on the quality of a particular performance I found my most valued asset as a director I had to focus on what I could actually connect to (the tone of voices I often thought of the people I had met in community English classes struggling to understand each other and make themselves understood and the deep frustration of being an outsider because of language Filming in Thorncliffe also came with unique logistical challenges Being in a dense neighbourhood of newcomers we did our utmost to consider the impact of a film crew on the residents’ space and sense of well-being always striving to limit the number of crew members to the bare minimum we quickly became fixtures in the community where we were met with more curiosity than concern People often showed a genuine interest in the story we were telling and sometimes even offered to help both behind and in front of the camera Having filmed within marginalized communities before I recognized this openness – a striking generosity for those who take an interest in their everyday Concrete Valley has been presented at various film festivals but what I look forward to the most is finally being able to share the film in Toronto with the people most closely connected to its story this community that allowed us to make a film in their home Report an editorial error Report a technical issue Editorial code of conduct Authors and topics you follow will be added to your personal news feed in Following Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community. This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff. Non-subscribers can read and sort comments but will not be able to engage with them in any way. Click here to subscribe If you would like to write a letter to the editor, please forward it to letters@globeandmail.com. Readers can also interact with The Globe on Facebook and Twitter Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff We aim to create a safe and valuable space for discussion and debate If you do not see your comment posted immediately it is being reviewed by the moderation team and may appear shortly We aim to have all comments reviewed in a timely manner Comments that violate our community guidelines will not be posted UPDATED: Read our community guidelines here We have closed comments on this story for legal reasons or for abuse. For more information on our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines and our Terms and Conditions Thorncliffe Park will look a lot different in a decade-and-a-half thousands will move into newly built towers with a “vibrant mixed-use” community just outside their front doors A few more steps will take them to a network of trains connecting them to all the jobs and entertainment the rest of Toronto has to offer.  That’s if things go according to plan The province’s transit agency is building an Ontario Line station and a massive 175,000-square-metre facility in Thorncliffe Park to store and maintain the inner city rail line’s trains.  There will be 15 stops along the route from the current Ontario Science Centre site — Toronto’s geographic centre — through Thorncliffe Park East York and the heart of downtown to Exhibition Station Its stops will connect to Toronto’s two main subway lines and the Eglinton Crosstown — promising to vastly improve the interconnectivity of Ontario’s biggest city will be transformed into a new transit-oriented community with tall mixed-use development at and around its new station — another signature objective of Ford’s Progressive Conservatives One thing making Thorncliffe Park unique is that it’ll be home to the Ontario Line’s only maintenance and storage facility (MSF) Another is the extent to which plans for the project in the area have changed Residents and local groups that fought for other options are unhappy Some staple community organizations and businesses have been displaced the project’s management has “engendered a huge distrust in government” by the community A major employer in the area said he’d “much prefer” the project not be happening even though his company will be less impacted than initially expected.  some landowners may stand to profit  — including a developer involved in the Greenbelt scandal and the corporation Loblaw belongs to.  Owners of property nearby could soon find their lands’ redevelopment potential improved according to comments from provincial and municipal officials As a result of the massive government-led project privately held closeby properties have likely already increased in value a pair of planners with decades of experience told The Trillium One of these properties is 42 Overlea Blvd The Ontario Line section through Thorncliffe Park will be elevated and curve around the west side of 42 Overlea Blvd. sectioning it off from the towers to be built around the station and sparing the property from expropriation.  and Canadian Property Holdings (Ontario) Inc Metrolinx and the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) were each in early planning stages of potential projects that could someday bring a rapid transit station to Thorncliffe Park The Rice Group CEO owned land that was briefly removed from Ontario’s Greenbelt for residential construction before the Ford government’s plans collapsed in a massive scandal last year Canadian Property Holdings (Ontario) Inc. is part of Choice Properties, the real estate investment firm under George Weston Ltd There’s now a Costco at 42 Overlea Blvd., which its current owners built before opening in 2018. The wholesale retailer is now one of the area’s top employers would say when Costco’s lease of 42 Overlea Blvd nor what their plans are for the property’s future one of the directors named on Canadian Property Holdings (Ontario) Inc.’s corporate records and Choice Properties’ general counsel and secretary told The Trillium that “Choice Properties is supportive of major infrastructure projects such as the Ontario Line.  We believe that accessible public transit is great for our communities.” Choice Properties was not involved in any governmental decision-making relating to this Ontario Line and we have nothing to add to this research,” Cole added Rice Group hadn’t responded to questions The Trillium sent it in an email The transit-oriented community (TOC) planned in Thorncliffe Park is set to span from 4 to 36 Overlea Blvd Metrolinx has expropriated the properties to build the Ontario Line a provincial agency that reports to the Ministry of Infrastructure will take control of properties where the TOC will be built from Metrolinx when it comes time for the housing-focused component of the project At a recent virtual town hall about the Thorncliffe Park TOC an Infrastructure Ontario adviser and a City of Toronto planner said they hadn’t talked to nearby private landowners about whether they had redevelopment plans of their own.  “it’s not out of the question” that 42 Overlea Blvd an Infrastructure Ontario adviser said in response to a question a resident of the area asked at the Feb “(Costco) would benefit from the thousands of new customers that would be a block or two away — so I guess there is that,” the municipal planner said “You could also look across the street to the mall We have over 20 malls in the city that are looking to redevelop so that’s actually the more likely option (for redevelopment),” they added The East York Town Centre is the mall across the street It’s one of several properties Morguard Corporation and its subsidiaries own in the area along with a few high-rise apartments on Thorncliffe Park Drive — a crescent-shaped road that shapes the neighbourhood Morguard’s media relations team did not respond to questions The Trillium asked it in an email about what its future plans were for the properties it owns in Thorncliffe Park and — in the case of 42 Overlea Blvd — light heritage protections could complicate future redevelopment of the Costco site and other privately owned properties in the area "those things do change over time," an Infrastructure Ontario adviser said of current land-use designations on Feb The Ford government officially announced the Ontario Line as part of its first budget plans for its route through Thorncliffe Park and on what vast chunk of land the MSF will go have all changed Metrolinx led these reconsiderations and determined the new locations according to spokespeople from the premier’s and transportation minister’s offices “Neither the Minister's office nor the Minister were involved in route or location changes at any time,” said Dakota Brasier a spokesperson for Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria “Metrolinx proposed the initial location Planning of an Ontario Line-esque project long predates the PCs’ election Joint work by the municipal and provincial governments on a similar project dates back to when Ford was a councillor TTC-led planning involving Metrolinx ramped up while John Tory was mayor and Wynne was premier Days before the 2018 provincial election campaign began Wynne announced her Liberal government signed a memorandum of understanding with the city to build a “Relief Line” subway It was planned to be about half as long as the Ontario Line connecting eight stops from downtown to Pape Station a stop on Toronto’s Bloor Street subway line A future “Relief Line North” extension was envisioned as well with most of the routes under consideration including a stop in Thorncliffe Park But that changed when the PCs won the June 2018 election. Ford immediately tasked key cabinet members with uploading the planning of major Toronto subway projects to the province The northern section of the Ford government’s version of the project, the Ontario Line would be “largely consistent with the ‘Relief Line North’ proposal,” the PCs’ first provincial budget said.  Metrolinx’s initial business case published about three months later in July 2019 said a station would be built “at Thorncliffe Park Drive,” with images included showing it at roughly the halfway point of the 1.8-kilometre-long Overlea Boulevard The route of the railway itself was planned to run parallel to most of the boulevard switching directions just west of Don Mills Road where the Ontario Line’s two northernmost stations — Flemingdon Park and Science Centre stations — would be along Those plans changed a year and a half later The rail route was altered to break away from Overlea Boulevard about one kilometre further to the west, aligning it with a nearby hydro corridor Thorncliffe Park Station’s location was moved a few hundred metres west as well nearer to the other intersection of the crescent-shaped Thorncliffe Park Drive and Overlea Boulevard.  These changes, which were finalized, were unveiled in an updated business case that Metrolinx released in December 2020.  “Metrolinx’s decision to construct the stations on the north side of Overlea Boulevard was made to minimize impacts to a number of high-density residential apartment buildings,” a spokesperson for the agency told The Trillium in an email Metrolinx’s December 2020 preliminary design business case relocating the railway route and station locations in Thorncliffe Park said changes would reduce costs but increase walking distances for passengers using the Ontario Line Like in the Relief Line North’s plans before it, the northern section of the Ontario Line was always favoured for where to locate an MSF to store dozens of trains Although Metrolinx considered nine sites in total, the transit agency considered the Wicksteed area of the Leaside Business Park its “base location” from early in its planning Metrolinx CEO Phil Verster wrote in a June 2021 letter.  Leaside includes land adjacent to Thorncliffe Park Leaside Business Park is a historically industrial area directly north of Thorncliffe Park Wicksteed remains a largely industrial area on the eastern side of the business park.  Metrolinx eventually narrowed its options for the MSF to the three sites closest to where the Thorncliffe Park station was planned all within hundreds of metres of each other They included two chunks of land in Leaside — one in Wicksteed and one to its west — and another in Thorncliffe Park Metrolinx revealed it landed on a hybrid option combining some land in Leaside Business Park’s Wicksteed area and some in Thorncliffe Park The choice ignited intense backlash from within the Thorncliffe Park community Residents and others fearing the impacts on local businesses and organizations they frequently made countless complaints. A common one, which has become synonymous with major Metrolinx projects was that many who would be impacted felt they were left out of the decision-making process Multiple residents’ groups formed opposing locating the MSF in Thorncliffe Park the former premier and transportation minister was entering what would be her last of almost 19 years as Don Valley West’s MPP Thorncliffe Park is in the riding’s southeast corner Wynne recalled speaking with representatives from two companies in Leaside Business Park “months” before the MSF’s placement was announced The riding’s MPP heard “silence,” aside from what she learned from businesses.  a fellow Liberal and Don Valley West’s MP organized meetings about the MSF’s placement with Thorncliffe Park residents local groups opposing and suggesting alternatives to the plan including the stipulation that a new mosque and community centre “five times” as large as its prior facility would be built Metrolinx has stuck with the hybrid site it unveiled in early 2021 meaning community groups' efforts to advocate for a different MSF location were ultimately for naught Wynne’s efforts to facilitate a more open and collaborative consultation about the decision were too little from my perspective,” Wynne said.  “I didn’t understand why we wouldn’t have gotten a heads-up from Metrolinx or from (the transportation minister’s) office that this was happening,” Wynne added “It didn’t make any sense to me.” Wynne said she and Oliphant were “put in the position of trying to translate what was happening with one group” being impacted to other groups involved “I think it came out of a fear that if everybody was at the table together because everybody felt that there was secrecy and they weren't being given the whole story,” Wynne said “In retrospect… the problem was Metrolinx did not look at the whole community — the (Leaside) Business Park and the residential community (altogether),” Wynne said “It was like they were trying to pick off and divide and conquer.”  Metrolinx first favoured the Wicksteed area of the Leaside Business Park for where to put the MSF because it seemed to check many of the agency’s boxes While jobs would be lost by companies having to vacate Wicksteed As Metrolinx more closely examined the potential impacts on each of the areas it was considering it concluded that displacing businesses in Wicksteed would risk further-reaching implications The provincial transit agency started discussions with two manufacturers with long operating histories in Wicksteed in the fall of 2020, Verster, Metrolinx’s CEO, wrote in a June 2021 letter were the same businesses Wynne began hearing from about the MSF around that time.  told The Trillium the silicone-based chemical manufacturer learned Metrolinx was considering locating the MSF at its property when the agency called the company asking permission to conduct soil sampling About 100 employees work at Siltech’s site in Leaside which doubles as the company’s headquarters and one of its two manufacturing plants Enhorning said in an interview that many of its Leaside plant employees make over $100,000 a year; “They’re not low-paid jobs,” he said “Moving a plant like this is not an easy undertaking,” Enhorning said “So we’d have to be fully operational at a different space before we start disassembling this one because otherwise we’d lose all that business It’s not like a retail site where you just pop it open and move all your goods to a different location It would have taken well over a year.” Siltech’s president said the company and Metrolinx had “a couple of meetings over a few months” while the agency was figuring out where to place the MSF Verster wrote in June 2021 that Metrolinx determined through discussions with Siltech and Tremco “that a relocation was not feasible for either company and that expropriating the land could lead to the businesses leaving not only the city but possibly the region or the country entirely.” Following discussions with businesses in Wicksteed, Metrolinx estimated that using the originally favoured site as its MSF would force 800 to 1,050 people to lose jobs. These would largely be specialized manufacturing jobs that Metrolinx believed wouldn’t likely pop up elsewhere in Toronto.  Although Metrolinx suggested different estimates at different times about the domino effect that forcing Wicksteed businesses to close would have agency records make clear that it feared the possibility.  “The supply chain and indirect job impact of this would be at least 4-5 times the impact of the direct jobs,” Verster wrote in June 2021.  “The supply chain for the associated businesses at Wicksteed could have as much as an 8x multiplier on indirect jobs,” Metrolinx wrote in response to questions from a group opposing the MSF’s placement The agency’s fear of potentially causing thousands of job losses led it to examine the Overlea site more carefully, according to Verster. Metrolinx also believed the nearby site in Thorncliffe Park posed the next-lowest cost option the agency landed on the hybrid option: it would build operational maintenance and storage facilities on the north side of the ravine and it would locate land south of the ravine as a trainyard Metrolinx estimated that 400 to 700 people would lose their jobs at businesses it would take over land from. But many of these could be “retained and locally relocated,” as was the case for the businesses, according to Verster. Properties Metrolinx ended up expropriating north of the ravine included one property apiece owned by Tremco and Lincoln Electric Co., manufacturers that have each operated in the area for 90 years or longer.  specializes in manufacturing products used in welding.  Each business is one of the area’s top employers with upwards of around 200 employees each in Leaside In September 2021, months after Metrolinx revealed where it planned to locate the Ontario Line’s MSF, Tremco’s parent company sold the other two properties it owned in Leaside to a real estate investment company for almost $50 million. In conjunction with the sale, Tremco’s U.S.-based parent company RPM International Inc also reached a leaseback agreement on the properties that lasts until September 2024 “The purpose of the transaction was to generate cash by monetizing a real estate market opportunity,” RPM International Inc.’s 2023 annual report says. Metrolinx took over the property where its distribution centre was based The Trillium emailed both Lincoln Electric Co and Tremco asking them about their future plans in the Leaside Business Park but hadn’t heard back from either company before this story’s publication has “no desire to leave” the area it has operated in since 1997 It hopes to open its Fort Erie plant in about a year And while Siltech’s president said he recognizes the MSF and the projects it's connected to are required given Toronto’s continued growth he’d “much prefer” they weren’t happening so close to Siltech.  “It affects us in a big way and it reduces the industrial footprint within the (business) park… It’s going to have a significant impact on traffic as people are making their way to this station,” Enhorning said “We handle a lot of trucks in the (business) park and there’s going to be a big impact from all the additional traffic.” Once work is finished in Thorncliffe Park on the Ontario Line construction can then begin on the TOC.  TOCs are major housing-focused projects that will also include other mixed-use spaces to make areas around key transit stops desirable places to live.  Ford’s office has closely monitored the government’s TOCs’ plan Calendars obtained using freedom-of-information requests show that over a few months in early 2023 multiple senior staff in the premier’s office had biweekly TOCs’ meetings with officials from the ministries of municipal affairs and housing and infrastructure along with officials from Infrastructure Ontario and the Cabinet Office.  “As is the case with any major government policy the premier’s office is involved with overall policy direction based on advice from non-partisan officials with transit planning and development expertise,” a spokesperson for Ford told The Trillium in an email Agencies like Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx are responsible for managing “land acquisition and assembly” of TOC projects As the Thorncliffe Park TOC has been planned so far it’s set to include five main buildings on about 6.5 acres of land on the north side of Overlea Boulevard and the Ontario Line track Redevelopment of the 20 Overlea Blvd. property — which the Islamic Society of Toronto will retain control of — is happening separately from the TOC project. Its “expansion and renovation… will act as a community anchor and destination,” a plan published by Infrastructure Ontario says. Last year marked the first time the Ford government set aside significant funding for any of its TOCs. It planned to spend more than $330 million on its TOC project in East Harbour, another stop along the Ontario Line. Much, if not all, of this amount ended up unspent in 2023-24 because of delays As part of Ford’s and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow’s “new deal” for the city, the mayor agreed on “advancing transit-oriented communities by prioritizing approvals and finalization of agreements for the development of East Harbour” and others. In any event, the “vibrant mixed-use community” that the provincial government has promised to turn Thorncliffe Park into is a dream of a decade or more away Whether that’s enough time to win back the community’s trust remains to be seen Tenants wait for the elevator in the lobby of the rental tower at 47 Thorncliffe Park Drive on Monday Tenants wait for the elevator in the lobby of 47 Thorncliffe Park Drive on Monday the elevator ride is a commute all its own — as much a part of travel as navigating traffic on the Don Valley Parkway It’s about 3:30 on a Monday afternoon — the kind of unusually sunny February day that leads some children to linger outside on the swing sets of the local park many families are making their way route home Inside the lobby of 47 Thorncliffe Park Dr. the tail-end of their commute becomes a question of strategy A crush of 20 or so people are waiting for one of the five elevators to reach the ground level Many others — predominantly kids and teenagers — are meanwhile skirting the queue wheeling left of the elevator bay to the stairwell where they’ll climb to the second floor to intercept the car before it reaches the lobby an alarm starts to blare — and all the elevators shut down Adults halt in place as kids prop themselves up against the second-floor mezzanine railing to peer down and firefighters arrive to probe an alarm in the west stairwell but it’ll take until a little before 4 p.m Then it’s back to the free-for-all.“When it’s rush time no one is following the rules,” said longtime resident Orooj Jafri is merely the epilogue of an end-of-day commute it’s a journey all its own — as much a part of travel plans as traffic on the Don Valley Parkway or if the subway is diverting to shuttles “The demand for elevators has grown as our residential community has reached full occupancy,” said Susan Morasse a manager with the real estate corporation Morguard noting they’ve had to alleviate pressure by scheduling maintenance work during quieter periods of the day frustration has simmered on-site as residents try to speed up their vertical commute by jumping the queue “The kids who are around second grade and third grade they climb up to the second floor,” explained resident Sarah Khan they always find the elevators half-full.” so I decided not to climb the stairs anymore.” Khan has found herself scrutinizing others’ decisions — did that person need to get groceries or run errands at the same time the school kids returned if management gently suggested avoiding non-essential trips during the daily bottleneck others in the building have simply accepted their day-to-day realities her own kids have chosen to beat the rush by taking the stairs all the way up to their home on the 23rd floor a neighbouring Morguard building at 49 Thorncliffe Park was thrust into the public eye when a resident posted a picture online of a lengthy elevator lineup the resident described a “daily elevator queue marathon”; the outlet meanwhile noted a similar issue had emerged last summer at a midtown high-rise there are around 1,200 post-war rental towers many of which look like tend to look like 47 Thorncliffe Park a University of Toronto engineering professor whose research focuses on building retrofits As these buildings of around 18 to 25 storeys and 200 to 500 units age and change noting she more often saw buildings reckoning with dated air ventilation systems in need of disruptive and expensive upgrades Any of these issues can be exacerbated if more people live under each roof she has seen more densely packed units in buildings where rent costs were lower the elevator problem at 47 Thorncliffe Park has worsened she said a building staffer would be in the lobby during rush hour to help manage elevator flow “Only building management can control the traffic,” she said Morguard did not directly answer an inquiry about any changes to its staffing that an “onsite team” would be present if an elevator was not available during busy periods the elevators at 47 Thorncliffe Park have received high scores during the city’s apartment inspections under the program RentSafeTO That program was given a facelift by city hall in 2023 and the tower is awaiting its first inspection where cosmetic features such as elevator cleanliness are considered separately from maintenance issues that take cars out of service there were several citywide where inspectors found that half of the building’s elevators — or more — were simply not working The worst offenders included private and subsidized buildings But while the new RentSafeTO takes a closer look at elevator maintenance wait times due to demand are not listed among the scoring criteria when asked further about occupancy at 47 Thorncliffe Park said it was 99 per cent full — but did not provide any past rates for comparison Census numbers give a glimpse at the broader neighbourhood case: as of 2021 when 12.5 per cent of Toronto households reported living in overcrowded homes their Thorncliffe Park census tract reached a whopping 67 per cent That metric — which reflects households that are living in a unit with too few bedrooms for the number of occupants — is one of three major census indicators of housing need with nearly 29,000 residents per square kilometre versus the Toronto-wide average of roughly 4,400 as well as a higher-than-average percentage of young residents under the age of 15 Many of these kids’ lives can also be structured around elevator access; each morning Jafri said she hustles her younger kids to their bus stop before 8:00 a.m Three days after that afternoon’s rush ground to a halt the 47 Thorncliffe Park lobby was busy as ever as tenants stomped fresh snow from their boots the line for the elevators was once again about two dozen residents deep when three young boys came through the door They walked at first towards the cluster of waiting commuters catching one another’s eyes before pivoting to the stairs they would board an elevator car headed down from the second level — beating the rush in the lobby below Thorncliffe Park Transit-Oriented Community: a proposed mixed-use community developed by Infrastructure Ontario on the north side of Overlea Boulevard east and west of Thorncliffe Park Drive in Toronto's Thorncliffe Park as residents outraged after apartment flood After a long day of work and running errands Nazira Hindwan just wanted to take a shower and relax on the couch with her mother while they talked about their day over a hot meal But that was not what happened on this day in March “I opened my front door and was instantly met with a concerning amount of murky water,” she said I rushed into the unit trying to see what the root of the problem was Water was spraying out of a pipe in the living room wall,” Hindwan said It was close to $10,000 worth of damages.” the 17-story building houses many residents Hindwan and Mohamed had some trouble getting on their feet When they first arrived from Eritrea in 2018 they were living at a women’s shelter at Bathurst and Dundas streets They left everything behind to come to Canada for a fresh start Ali Abdurahman was a friend from back home in Eritrea He helped them land them a vacant unit at the building Hindwan and her mom have been living there for the last six years Often called “Arrival city” due to the large number of newcomers that live in the area Thorncliffe Park is home to 63.7 per cent of residents in the neighbourhood who are immigrants Hindwan said she noticed a small leak coming from the main bedroom back in December She said that once she noticed the leak was becoming more frequent she took pictures of it and attempted to report it to the management office “The manager completely disregarded me and told me to report the matter online,” Hindwan said No repairs were done until the unit flooded out a few months later Hindwan and her mother came home to their unit completely flooded The landlord said that the heating pipe from the floor above exploded The Residential Tenancies Act  (RTA) is an Ontario law that gives landlords and tenants specific rights and responsibilities. The landlord’s responsibilities include “fixing anything that breaks or does not work properly (e.g. a clogged drain or leaking pipes).” In Hindwan’s case The landlord must keep the building and the rental units in a good state of repair complying with all health even if the tenant knew about problems before agreeing to rent the home Abdurahman quickly turned into an advocate for Hindwan and her mother He set up for the pair to stay in a hotel nearby for three days while they fixed the unit.  “The Managing office owes me over $1,400,” Abdurahman said “[Hindwan and her mother] couldn’t stay in the unit while it was being fixed so they had to stay at a hotel for almost a week instead of three days like we originally agreed on whenever I ask [management] for the money back so I can pay off my credit card bill and its building managers did not respond to requests for comment on this story Even though the unit was unlivable, Hindwan said the managing office said they couldn’t accommodate Hindwan and her mother. According to the Ontario Human Rights Commission “If a person identified by Code grounds has a need which prevents or impedes access to housing he or she should identify this need or barrier to his or her landlord or housing provider A landlord or housing provider must then make efforts to accommodate these needs up to the point of undue hardship.” Councillor Jaye Robinson from Ward 15-Don Valley West said landlords must respond to tenant issues in a timely way “It is imperative that landlords work quickly to address flooding and ensure tenants are both safe and comfortable,” she said Robinson went on to also talk about RentSafeTO and its importance the city increased funding for this program by nearly $850,000 ACORN (Association of Community for Reform Now) is an organization that represents low-income individuals fighting for social justice and change in their community They’ve been fighting landlords since 2004 and accomplished things like stopping displacements winning protections from stricter rent control laws The provincial government has passed laws that allow landlords to buy out properties and sell them for triple the price “This is why we have to fight because all the affordable units are being bought out by contractors and developers they don’t even have to pay taxes for 25 years on these units,” said ACORN co-chair Marcia Stone (landlords) kick long-standing tenants out so they can do what we call renovictions and demovictions,” Stone said “They will try to bully and intimidate people into leaving so the landlords can do renovations and double or even triple the rent to whoever can ‘afford’ it.” ACORN had a National Day of Action earlier this month and the housing crisis was one of the main concerns Stone explained that builders often say that they’re going to make units affordable and instead She said ACRON wants at least 30 per cent of some of these units for rent control It’s been close to a month since the heating pipe exploded The landlord still made Hindwan pay her $1,800 rent monthly even though the problems she’s been having in her home are adding up Repairs to Hindiwans bathroom still haven’t been done especially because it was recently Ramadan Abdurahman and Hindwan have decided that they will be following up with a bylaw officer and will make plans to meet with the Don Valley community clinic to make a case we’re going to complain to the Don Valley community clinic and I’m going to complain to my lawyer as well,” Abdurahman said “They owe me more than $1,400 for the room I just want to solve the matter in a peaceful way “Most of these units are rented by immigrants and they take advantage of them All we want is for them to fix the problem,“ he continued the best thing we can do is get the word out to the public so people know about this I’m sure others are having the same problems The Toronto Observer is an award-winning news organization staffed by journalism students at Centennial College in Toronto © The Toronto Observer | Produced by Centennial College journalism students Looking north from Overlea Boulevard to the Don Mills Ismaili Community Centre and Jamatkhana as designed by architects-Alliance for IMARA National The site where the current Ismaili Community Centre and Jamatkhana occupies a one-storey building is found in a vibrant multi-cultural neighbourhood north of the Don Valley Parkway and south of Eglinton Avenue There is sprawling ravine park space to the east and the Ontario Science Centre northeast on Don Mills Road Looking northeast to the one-storey building at the subject site The proposed redevelopment calls for the current building to be demolished and replaced with a new building standing three storeys or 13.1m in height The building would have 4,454m² of gross floor area The proposed structure would also feature 802.7m² of landscaped open space and shorter setbacks from the lot line compared to the existing building Sky-lit interior hallway of the Don Mills Ismaili Community Centre and Jamatkhana designed by architects-Alliance for IMARA National Pedestrians would enter the building from Overlea Boulevard with the loading area found at the back at William Morgan Drive In stark contrast to the simpler structure currently at the site the proposal calls for an elegant and striking design with its exterior walls acting as screens with the bricks laid in patterns to as to bring more light into certain areas Looking southeast from William Morgan Drive to the Don Mills Ismaili Community Centre and Jamatkhana the proposal calls for two levels of underground parking There would be 166 parking spaces for vehicles the proposal also entails two spaces for minibuses The development would result in numerous facilities for the residents of a community that features many newcomers to the country The Transportation Impact Study included in the proposal estimates that nearly 500 people would attend the prayer hall daily during three-hours prayer periods at 3:00 AM and 6:00 PM These visitors are expected to use the other facilities one hour before and after each prayer time it is estimated that over 1,000 people would use the office space An aerial view of the subject site and surrounding area The proposed building would significantly enhance the services provided by the Don Mills Ismaili Community Centre and Jamatkhana It would offer great benefits to a neighbourhood known for welcoming many waves of immigrants you can learn more about it from our Database file you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum thread or leave a comment in the space provided on this page Voices from the Thorncliffe Park community are growing louder as plans from Metrolinx to take over land in their neighbourhood for the Ontario Line move along Metrolinx has chosen an area on the north side of Overlea Boulevard to house a 175,000-square-metre train maintenance and storage facility for the new transit line Many are concerned with the project because isn’t the first time the provincial transit agency has made way for train facilities while making promises to local neighbourhoods A new survey of residents shows a large majority don’t support what would be the maintenance and storage facility for light rail vehicles in the neighbourhood but would instead prefer other uses like a recreation centre “had Metrolinx actually done a community consultation and tried to understand the community better they would know that they’re harming everyone living here.” Small businesses and livelihoods for thousands could potentially be lost in a large part of Thorncliffe Park on the southeast portion of the Leaside Business Park to make way for land for Ontario Line trains that community members repeatedly said they don’t want in this plaza so many of these jobs belong to people living in the community that don’t have the ability to commute So they will be impacted and there won’t be replacement jobs for them [but] I’m not sure,” explained Sukhera A petition with the signatures from thousands of residents against the facility has been presented to the provincial transit agency as well “Metrolinx isn’t interested in what the petition says It’s irrelevant to them,” said Sukhera “They’re saying the decision has been made and the consultations are meant to help us come up with a plan for implementation.” RELATED: Ford government breaks ground on Ontario Line Metrolinx staff said they plan to help businesses relocate within the community, but not necessarily before they’re uprooted from their current location. “We’ve got a pragmatic way home for here and we would want to help, within reason. We are only funded for certain things,” said CEO Phil Vester at a virtual community meeting in April of 2021. “We haven’t had any sort of reassurances for the people that are losing their full-time jobs yet,” said Sukhera. It’s a familiar story for those in another marginalized community in Toronto. For years before the Finch LRT project began construction, leaders in the Jane-Finch neighbourhood were working towards creating a community hub. “It was at the last hour where they reneged on it and said that they aren’t going to do it and that we had misunderstood the agreement,” said member of the Jane-Finch Action Against Poverty, Butterfly GoPaul. When Metrolinx decided the light rail train facility would be built in the area, the dream of a recreation and program space was cast aside, according to community members, only to be brought back for more discussions now that the rail yard nears completion. “It was all really malicious thinking that a racialized community was going to be hijacked that way,” said GoPaul This story has repeated itself in Thorncliffe Park, another part of the city, with people facing similar challenges. “Time and time again decisions are made without our input,” explained Sukhera. The community group in Thorncliffe Park vowed to make this an election issue as well and plan to push each of the party candidates running in this riding to see where they stand on the future of the project. WASHINGTON — Prime Minister Mark Carney will have to navigate a delicate balance during his first in-person meeting with Donald Trump today, following months of the U.S. president targeting Canada with... A planned peaceful vacation has spiralled into a prolonged two-month ordeal for Ontario man David Bennett, who remains stranded in the Dominican Republic despite having all criminal charges against him... A Canadian man arrested on vacation has been proven innocent. Melissa Nakhavoly with why he is still being held in the Dominican Republic. Warmer temperatures but showers are expected on-and-off for the next few days. Meteorologist Natasha Ramsahai has your seven-day forecast. Ontario Premier Doug Ford calls on Prime Minister Mark Carney to prioritize a list of projects including the proposed Highway 401 tunnel. Monday is calling for rain and thunderstorms. Stella Acquisto has the long-range forecast. Now New and Improved! Watch CityNews, listen to NewsRadio Toronto live anytime and get up-to-the-minute breaking-news alerts, traffic, weather and video from CityNews Toronto anywhere you are – across all Android and iOS devices. 1 year agoDuration 1:15:49CBC Toronto Communities in Focus: Thorncliffe Park1 year agoNewsDuration 1:15:49On Tuesday, April 16, CBC Toronto held "Facing the Future Together," an in-person panel event at the Thorncliffe Park Youth Hub in the East York Town Centre. The event capped off a months-long Communities In Focus reporting project by CBC Toronto in the Thorncliffe Park neighbourhood. Faqiri’s family demands answers on implementing coroner inquest recommendationsMay 5Video2:41 How Trump’s tariff threats on non-U.S. movies could impact TorontoMay 5Video0:25 Video evidence, NHLer testimony raise questions in world junior sexual assault trialThe National |May 2Video4:45 Trump repeats 51st state taunt as Carney prepares for White House visitThe National |May 5Video11:28 It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem Iqbal Halal Foods has been offering the Thorncliffe Park area’s predominantly immigrant community familiar staples at affordable prices Plans for a new Metrolinx rail yard will see the local hub demolished sports the largest Halal meat counter in Toronto Nazerah and Esmail Shaikh operate the Toronto Hifz Academy one of the many businesses that will have to move because of the new rail yard Plans for a new yard for the $11-billion subway line would demolish a local hub for the hard-hit community When Nazerah Shaikh was preparing to make a batch of samosas for her family ahead of Ramadan this spring It’s the same store Thorncliffe Park residents have been relying on for decades to get South Asian groceries that can be hard to find elsewhere who was born in India and raised in the U.S “All of my ingredients come from Iqbal’s.” Iqbal Halal Foods has been operating out of the strip mall at 2 Thorncliffe Park Dr. offering the area’s predominantly immigrant community familiar staples at affordable prices But that long run could soon come to an end announced it plans to demolish Iqbal’s and the rest of the Thorncliffe Drive plaza in order to construct a rail yard for the Ontario Line the new $11-billion subway being built through the neighbourhood The plan for the yard has upset local residents who say they weren’t consulted until after it was finalized They’re pushing Metrolinx to spare Iqbal’s and the other businesses in the plaza Shaikh said she doesn’t understand why Metrolinx decided it needs to tear down so many important local institutions to build the yard the imposition of the Ontario Line maintenance and storage facility on Thorncliffe Park could be seen as the kind of tradeoff that’s inevitable in a neighbourhood where the province is constructing badly needed new transit a racialized low-income community that has been hit hard by COVID-19 follows pushback against the effects of transit construction on other marginalized neighbourhoods like Little Jamaica and Jane-Finch Many in Thorncliffe see the rail yard project as the latest example of the disregard government planners show to communities of colour “Metrolinx is just going to get rid of the local businesses that are the backbone of the community,” said Omar Khan who works in Thorncliffe Park resettling refugees said the agency acknowledges that “historically there have been systemic barriers and bias when it comes to transit planning And we’re absolutely committed to eliminating barriers and biases.” She said the agency is confident it can help relocate affected businesses to properties nearby and predicted the Ontario Line will be an overall benefit to Thorncliffe Metrolinx’s goal is to “bring high-quality rapid transit to these dynamic which have been neglected for far too long,” she said Thorncliffe Park is a dense highrise neighbourhood squeezed between the Don Valley and Eglinton Avenue in East York Roughly 80 per cent of its more than 21,000 residents are visible minorities with the most common ethnic origins Pakistani Nearly two-thirds of residents are immigrants The poverty rate in the area is 46 per cent and it is one of the neighbourhoods that has borne the brunt of Toronto’s COVID-19 infections The rate of positive cases in Thorncliffe is almost 70 per cent higher than the city average Iqbal Malek said he set up his grocery store in the Thorncliffe plaza around 1988 after emigrating from India the previous decade He got the idea to start selling groceries after he opened a Pakistani-Indian restaurant on Gerrard Street and realized there was an unmet demand in the city for food certified as halal The shop started off as a wholesaler but soon residents started knocking on the door asking Malek to sell to them directly and the store has since grown to occupy several units in the plaza and employ 140 people full- or part-time whenever a customer came in asking for a product he didn’t sell That approach means that while Iqbal’s is known for halal goods it also carries staples for Thorncliffe’s non-Muslim population including ingredients for dishes served at Hindu religious observances Residents from nearby Leaside also come by because the meat is of such high quality Locals say Iqbal’s importance to Thorncliffe transcends groceries who grew up in the neighbourhood after his family relocated from Pakistan in the early 1980s recalled that when he first arrived he couldn’t eat cheese because no one in the area sold halal varieties “Imagine growing up without cheese and pizza!” Sukhera said he could eat the same food as his non-Muslim friends which made him feel more at home in Toronto “These are the forefathers of not only halal but also establishing us as a community here,” Sukhera explained who is now a manager at The Neighbourhood Organization said Iqbal hires residents who are out of work through the agency Last year when the non-profit set up a food bank during the pandemic Malek asked to see the suppliers’ food prices Iqbal’s has another location in Mississauga He would survive if the Thorncliffe store has to close or relocate But “it would be a very big loss to the community,” he said The 16-kilometre Ontario Line is planned to stretch from Exhibition Place on the lake front to the Ontario Science Centre The project would connect to the Eglinton Crosstown LRT and create a second subway line into and out of downtown Even taking into account the ridership drop caused by the pandemic the line is considered critical to taking pressure off Toronto’s underdeveloped subway network three of which would serve Thorncliffe Park or nearby Flemingdon Park 45 per cent of Thorncliffe residents commuted by transit but the neighbourhood isn’t served by rail lines and instead people rely on TTC buses said the Ontario Line “would help address the transit inequity that those who live and work in Thorncliffe Park and Flemington Park have experienced for quite some time.” Metrolinx expects the Ontario Line will require between 200 and 250 train cars to operate and the yard to store and maintain them would take up 140,000 square metres The agency says there is no vacant land of that size available along the Ontario Line route and any location it chose would have significant impacts on properties and jobs Metrolinx says it studied nine potential locations and chose the Thorncliffe site because that option “keeps impacts to the local community to a minimum while meeting all the needs for the project.” Construction on the facility is scheduled to begin around 2023, while the line won’t open until about 2030 Metrolinx estimates 550 jobs will be lost or relocated by the rail yard The agency says it’s too early to say how many of those new jobs will go to Thorncliffe residents but it will work with the community to make sure residents “are well aware of job opportunities.” Although the transit agency says it started approaching affected property owners last fall, most residents didn’t learn it had selected a site for the yard until the agency announced it in an April 8 blog post A virtual open house the agency scheduled a week later did little to assuage residents’ perception the organization wasn’t interested in meaningful consultation despite the fact that three-quarters of Thorncliffe residents have a mother tongue other than English The event also took place in the early evening during Ramadan a time of day when Muslims are preparing to break their fast “It was so distasteful and insensitive,” said Shaikh Aikins said Metrolinx knew the meeting fell during Ramadan “but we didn’t want to delay sharing this important information.” Metrolinx is planning additional public meetings and Metrolinx encounters opposition virtually everywhere it constructs new lines with residents and businesses raising fears about noise But the criticism has been especially pointed in communities like Little Jamaica, where years of construction for the Crosstown LRT have been devastating for Black-owned businesses that hold cultural significance for the Caribbean community Last year Metrolinx appeared to renege on a promise to provide land for a community centre on the site of another rail yard, this one for the Finch West LRT, in Jane-Finch, a racialized neighbourhood that has long faced economic disadvantages and anti-Black stigma. The backlash was fierce, and the agency recommitted to donating the land Don Valley West) said she understands why Thorncliffe residents feel they’re being “steamrolled.” “This is a very unique community in that it is home to so many new immigrants to Canada agreed the new subway will benefit local residents “But this maintenance and storage facility does not need to be placed over the heart and soul of Thorncliffe Park,” she said executive director of The Neighbourhood Organization inside the future home of the Thorncliffe Park Community Hub at the East York Town Centre Long-time Thorncliffe Park resident Hamza Shahid is a member of the new Thorncliffe Park Community Hub’s interim steering committee THE ISSUE: Community health care LOCAL IMPACT: Three organizations have partnered to bring high-quality health care and social services to Thorncliffe Park A former department store at the East York Town Centre will soon become a one-stop shop for health and well-being in Thorncliffe Park The result of a partnership between Flemingdon Health Centre 60,000-square-foot Thorncliffe Park Community Hub is currently under construction and is projected to open to the public in the fall of 2021 the goal of the new facility is to meet the growing needs of the diverse Thorncliffe Park neighbourhood Approximately 22,000 clients are expected to access care services and support in the community-driven we realized there would be an opportunity to have an integrated space in Thorncliffe Park where everyone could be together and everyone could benefit greatly,” said Flemingdon Health Centre CEO Jen Quinlan during a recent tour “Thorncliffe Park has a high newcomer population People were having a hard time navigating and accessing services.” almost 74 per cent of residents in Thorncliffe Park said their mother tongue is not English and just under 64 per cent of those who live in the neighbourhood are immigrants the executive director of The Neighbourhood Organization said being able to provide more high-quality accessible health care and social services in Thorncliffe Park is a dream come true and something they’ve worked to achieve for a long time “What we’re really looking forward to with the hub is complementary services This (will be) a place for all the services you can imagine,” he said with a smile It’s not a discussion — it’s reality now.” Michael Garron Hospital’s role will be to provide clinical services as well as access to child and adolescent mental health professionals a spokesperson for the hospital said it hopes to develop more of these types of partnerships with other specialty services which is currently undergoing redevelopment is also sharing its construction management expertise with the community hub partners “The Thorncliffe Park Community Hub is an excellent example of what can happen when communities and hospitals come together to build services where they are needed,” Wolf Klassen the hospital’s vice-president of program support “It’s a perfect pairing of local expertise and health system resources and it’s what Ontario Health Teams will enable more of in East Toronto in the future.” Other project stakeholders include the City of Toronto and the United Way of Greater Toronto who have contributed $1 million and $2 million respectively to build the hub The fourth stakeholder is the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care which is committed to supporting the project although the exact amount of funding they intend to contribute remains unconfirmed at this time The hub’s various partner and member organizations will each contribute financially to the operation of the community space One of the anchor tenants of the new Thorncliffe Park Community Hub is Health Access Thorncliffe Park which was established about four years ago by Flemingdon Health Centre and The Neighbourhood Organization to provide health and wellness services and connect community members to other resources close to home” through primary health care is currently spread over three lower-level units at the East York Town Centre the Neighbourhood Organization will also be offering services for jobseekers Some of the other service providers are Toronto Health Care Centre; The Midwives’ Clinic of East York and Don Mills; Toronto Central LHIN Nursing Clinic; SMH Dialysis Unit: Scarborough Academic Family Health Team; and Flemingdon Legal Clinic Longtime Thorncliffe Park resident Hamza Shahid is a member of the new hub’s interim steering committee whose family is originally from Pakistan but has called the neighbourhood home since 2005 got involved because he felt it was important the community have a voice in the creation and development of this important local resource “This (hub) will bring many services in the community to one place and there are big opportunities to serve the community better,” said Shahid a fourth-year electrical engineering student at Ryerson University Longtime Thorncliffe Park resident Hamza Shahid a member of the new hub’s interim steering committee says the hub “will bring many services in the community to one place.”-Joanna Lavoie/Torstar said he’s heard from many in the community who want easier access to health care and social services in Thorncliffe Park When they have to travel elsewhere to see their doctor it’s challenging and they’re less likely to access health care,” he said “Centralizing these services makes it so much easier My whole family will go to this hub and benefit from it.” Shahid called the hub “an investment in this community” and said it would be a model for other neighbourhoods “To use these malls that are already built in our community for good is something people can take from Thorncliffe Park,” he said Disclaimer: These poll results are not scientific. Toronto.com uses a third party app which does not restrict the number of times a person can vote in the poll The poll is available to anyone with the article link and is meant to be an engagement tool for entertainment purposes only Would you like to read more stories from the Beach and East York Go to our community pages to get up to date on the latest news Home » News » From the Toronto Star: Bringing the Thorncliffe Park Community Closer to the Ravine the beauty and wonder found deep in Toronto’s ravines offer a welcome opportunity to relax But as the Toronto Star’s Patty Winsa reports some of the city’s more diverse communities can experience fear and unease about exploring natural spaces Overcoming these misconceptions takes understanding Winsa looks at how programs in the Thorncliffe Park community are helping to dispel such anxieties and encouraging local residents to enjoy the tranquility of the nearby ravine Phone: 416.661.6600 Email: info@trca.ca Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) Racetracks once were popular fixtures in Toronto’s neighbourhoods have transitioned to places outside of the city The neighbourhood of Thorncliffe Park retains its name from a bustling racetrack An aerial shot of Thorncliffe Park racetrack The site of Thorncliffe Park was originally owned and operated by businessman and racehorse breeder Robert T. Davies and was located on a stretch of farmland east of Millwood Road and south of Eglinton Avenue Robert T. Davies owned the Dominion Brewery on Queen Street, a rival to his brother Thomas Davies’ brewery the Don Brewery located a few blocks away Horses racing at the Thorncliffe Park racetrack in 1929 Davies named his newly-acquired property Thorncliffe Farms. The Thorncliffe Stables were also part of the property, where Davies bred both thoroughbred and standardbred horses his estate sold the property to an American couple A horse outsite the Thorncliffe Park stable The racetrack was the fourth built in Toronto, having been preceded by Woodbine, Dufferin and Long Branch The racetrack complex was extensive: it had bleacher seating for 4,000 patrons An exterior shot of the Thorncliffe Park racetrack The racetrack was described as the most beautiful racetrack in all of Toronto, and was host to the Prince of Wales Stakes, the Clarendon Stakes, and the My Dear Stakes A beloved racehorse among spectators was Mugwump who was said to stop and look at the crowd before racing as if deciding whether or not running the race was worth it Although racing was a popular spectator sport attendance at Thorncliffe Park was hindered somewhat by its lack of accessibility Millwood Road and Laird Drive being the only way to reach it linking Donlands and Pape Avenues to Millwood Road Construction was started in January of 1927 and finished in October of the same year The popularity of horse racing helped to spur the construction of more of the city’s infrastructure Construction of the Leaside Bridge in 1927 The racetrack was eventually shut down in 1952 having been sold off to developers who constructed one of the first high-rise neighbourhoods in the city The area around the Thorncliffe Park neighbourhood is full of reminders of this piece of Toronto’s history. Street names Grandstand Place and Milepost Place commemorate the racetrack. The scenic Leaside Park borders the former south end of the racetrack Toronto Archives A joint effort aims to relieve stress for observers of the Muslim tradition East York Meals on Wheels has teamed up with local communities during Ramadan to help ensure people are getting a good meal located on the corner of Overlea Boulevard and Beth Nealson Drive is partnering with the communities of Flemingdon Park and Thorncliffe Park to aid in the preparation of free meals for residents by providing kitchen facilities and packaging the co-founder of Friends of Thorncliffe Park talked about the worries that came to the forefront specifically during the pandemic.  “There were legitimate concerns about people with an inability to get their hands on a hot meal,” Hatia said.  This is the fifth Ramadan Meal project for the communities, which has seen more than 500 people benefit and 1,500 meals delivered yearly First established by Dr. Shakhlo Sharipova during the pandemic, the goal of the Ramadan Meal project is to provide those in need with a hot meal for Ramadan. Sharipova was the recipient of the 2023 Agnes Macphail Award for her work in the community East York Meals on Wheels is a not-for-profit community organization that aims to provide aid to seniors and residents who may be physically unable to go out and get food observed by Muslims as the month of fasting Those observing will fast from sunrise to sunset The Ramadan Meal project assists by providing food for iftar is grateful for the aid and hopes the program can help ease the minds of others observing Ramadan “Ramadan can be stressful for people,” says Amin and the last thing you want to be thinking about is ‘What am I going to eat tonight?’” Amin said Ramadan can be “particularly tough with families,” and that programs like these help in putting those at ease Amin said she feels at home and credits the togetherness of the community “Things like [the Ramadan Meal project] that’s just the tip,” said Amin which is very appropriate for Ramadan.” East York Meals on Wheels was founded in 1969 and provides a wide variety of year-round services which allows clients to eat with others both in person and online Operations manager Mary Skwarek said the organization continues to look for ways to carry out its mission “The purpose of Meals on Wheels has always been about addressing the food insecurities in East York,” she said Since 2020, the organization has made more than 1.3 million deliveries of food and other essentials to its numerous clients Muhammad Bilalhas fun during last year’s Thorncliffe Park Summer Festival in R This year’s festival takes place on Saturday R.V Burgess Park will be the hub of cultural and community activity as the Thorncliffe Neighbourhood Office is set to celebrate all things summer on Saturday The Summer Festival invites residents from the Thorncliffe and Femingdon neighbourhoods to enjoy the final days of summer with live cultural performances hailing from Afghanistan the community will have the chance to enjoy Henna art More live entertainment is slated for the day as children from the Youth Centre are slated to impress the neighbourhood with their talents Michael’s Hospital opened its brand new 20,000-square-foot satellite dialysis centre in Thorncliffe Park on Monday the opportunity for patients to receive dialysis care closer to home “Our new Kidney Care Centre allows patients the choice to receive this important treatment in a community-based setting,” said Jonathan Fetros “We’re really excited because this is our first expansion beyond our downtown site.” Joe Skulsky is 81 and has been receiving dialysis during night shifts at St The new centre is much closer to where he lives so he will be starting dialysis shifts during the day “The new centre is easier for me to get to and it will allow me to sleep in my own bed at night,” he said The new satellite location has 21 dialysis stations six stations for home hemodialysis training transition and support resources and general nephrology clinics The location for this new multidisciplinary care centre was selected specifically due to its central and convenient location natural daylight and a back connection to the East York Town Centre mall These factors contribute to patient and staff security and convenience “Not only will this improve access to specialized kidney care services for a priority neighborhood like Thorncliffe Park,” said Fetros “it will also add much needed dialysis capacity to the city overall.” Michael’s Hospital provides compassionate care to all who enter its doors The hospital also provides outstanding medical education to future health care professionals in more than 27 academic disciplines care of the homeless and global health are among the Hospital’s recognized areas of expertise Through the Keenan Research Centre and the Li Ka Shing International Healthcare Education Centre which make up the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute Michael’s Hospital are recognized and make an impact around the world the hospital is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto A station on the upcoming Ontario Line is acting as the catalyst for a huge new community set to transform Toronto's Thorncliffe Park neighbourhood with towers as tall as 56 storeys Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and Metrolinx have filed an application to bring this enormous new transit-oriented community, or TOC, to the area of the future Thorncliffe Park Station on the 15.6-km Ontario Line that will connect the current Ontario Science Centre with Exhibition Place The new development proposal is centred around both the southwest and northwest sides of the Thorncliffe Park Drive and Overlea Boulevard intersection A community masterplan from architects SvN calls for a soaring complex containing six residential towers and an office tower with heights of 13 Most of the current blocks would be levelled to make way for the new mega-complex though the plan would retain a significant community amenity leaving the existing Islamic Society of Toronto building in place The Thorncliffe Park TOC calls for a total of 216,630 square metres of new space primarily planned as residential (more than 190,000 square metres) along with over 6,700 square metres of retail and upwards of 16,000 square metres of office space Density-packed TOCs such as these are being fast-tracked to introduce housing and maximize ridership along this new transit route Approximately 2,664 residential units are proposed across six of the seven towers including a sizeable affordable housing component Infrastructure Ontario states that "future growth potential for the Thorncliffe Park Station site is dependent on a planned transit station that would provide the surrounding neighbourhood with new subway service along the Ontario Line "The proposed TOC would leverage investments in transit infrastructure to provide new housing and job opportunities including parks and public space for the Thorncliffe community." A new network of public spaces will front the site along Overlea Boulevard connecting the east and west halves of the site to create a frontage designed for pedestrians and cyclists Included in the public space program is a proposed 2,500-square-metre park as well as a large public plaza and other privately-owned public spaces adjacent to the Ontario Line station In addition to the Ontario Line station and a new attached TTC bus terminal the complex is to be served by over 3,000 bicycle parking spots — just one of many environmental commitments on tap Other environmental sustainability objectives include plans to meet or exceed Toronto Green Standard requirements and the provision of homes and employment lands with direct transit access More details about the proposal will be presented at the TOC's first virtual open house on February 29 Testing of asymptomatic students and staff at Thorncliffe Park Public School has led to the discovery of 19 positive cases of COVID-19 at the school Principal Jeff Crane said 433 tests were conducted at the school on a voluntary basis under a Ministry of Education pilot program to test students and staff without symptoms for COVID-19 Thorncliffe Park PS is the first school that is part of the program Tests were conducted on Thursday and Friday last week and initially found 20 cases but one has since been revealed as a false positive A total of 18 students and 1 staff member have tested positive over two days of testing The Toronto District School Board tells 680 NEWS that 14 classes out of 42 have been asked to self-isolate Spokesman Ryan Bird says that number includes approximately 275 students and 17 staff members Bird added that all students should be prepared since day-one of the school year with their e-learning platform logins in the event of this situation education minister Stephen Lecce said there is a four per cent infection rate in the school compared to 16 per cent being reported in the Thorncliffe Park community Toronto Public Health does not believe the school needs to close at this time given the school’s rate of positivity is much lower than the larger community “The decision point on sending a cohort or school home is decided by the local public health unit,” said the education minister “There is no plan at this time to change that… I appreciate that time can feel like a lot for a lot of these kids to be isolated but I set out before schools started as a requirement for every school that they must pivot to online learning [for a 24-hour period].” also reiterated Monday that the school can remain open given it’s low positivity rate She added that there is not much evidence that suggests ongoing transmission in the school This means children are catching the virus in the community rather than within schools Crane said the school will conduct a deep cleaning of the building before school starts Monday morning Along with other safety protocols including masks and physical distancing Toronto Public Health has also asked siblings to stay home if one child in the household has symptoms The school now has a total of 21 cases of COVID-19 The Toronto Police Service have released this composite sketch of a suspect in connection with a string of indecent exposure incidents in Thorncliffe Park Police have released a composite sketch of a man who exposed himself to four females in February The indecent incidents occurred in the Thorncliffe Park neighbourhood 10 when the man exposed himself to a 17-year-old girl The same man exposed himself to a 55-year-old woman on the evening of Feb The man then exposed himself to a 29-year-old woman on the morning of Feb The suspect smiled at the females during at least three of the incidents The suspect is in his late 20s or early 30s about 5’7” tall with a medium to heavy build Anyone with information is asked to call the sex crimes unit at 416-808-7474 or Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS (8477) He has been covering the crime beat since 2002 and has a passion for giving a voice to those affected by tragedy and looking at societal issues that may have contributed to it the Thorncliffe Park Community Market has been a vibrant community hub that has welcomed hundreds Burgess Park every Friday afternoon from May to September The Thorncliffe Park Community Market is a vibrant community hub in East York Want to keep up on events happening in your city? Sign up for our Things to Do newsletter to get them right in your inbox To help you make the most of your market visit Women entrepreneurs sell a variety of clothing jewelry and handicrafts in a market setting that provides them with a platform test and supports their micro-enterprises while helping them make some subsidized income to support their families There are also opportunities for vendors to participate in external markets depending on their willingness to grow and expand their enterprise The Thorncliffe Park Community Market is home to a community-based enterprise that works to reduce barriers for low-income newcomer women and youth to enter the path to entrepreneurship affordable and culturally appropriate food to a low-income community This model also includes the sharing of wealth and responsibility and because it operates under the Thorncliffe Park Women’s Committee The Park Café acts as a platform for women to hone their business management and operations skills while creating a pipeline for independent business ownership and growth beyond the collective The Park Café also provides entrepreneurs with opportunities for hands-on learning Tandoor represents the strong South Asian culture and heritage in our community gather every Friday to help make fresh naan in our tandoor oven and share their stories of how bread was made in their home countries children aged four to 12 can participate in various arts and crafts activities organizers collected ideas from kids in the community about what art they’d like to see and do at R.V Their great ideas will be presented to the City of Toronto’s parks department the Thorncliffe Park Community Market’s weekly bike clinic is a very popular feature especially with many young people who come for small bike repairs Sabina Ali is one of the founding members and the executive director of the Thorncliffe Park Women’s Committee Subscribe to our newsletter for Toronto art happenings You have successfully joined our subscriber list I am always looking for ways to put language around significant events or moments that shake us in much the same way most things seemed more difficult including going to the grocery store or taking the kids to the playground.  In the swell of these hard things and the devastating headlines that flooded all of us I did manage to find a more uplifting story It centred on a woman leading a troop of residents in Thorncliffe Park to grow their own food in a secret garden behind a 20-storey tower beside a sprawl of asphalt and parked cars Ten percent of Thorncliffe Park’s population is Afghan I know the area well and whenever I’m there I find myself hunting for the smells and sounds that take me back to my Afghan upbringing.   Many of us can remember news clips of one of the last Western planes leaving the country’s capital with desperate Afghans running alongside and hanging onto the aircraft as it took off.  My own family fled Afghanistan in the 1980s and 90s Yet events of that summer reopened old wounds and formed “a new and deeper sense of loss.”  My Afghan family was also grieving the death of our matriarch and did after saying goodbye to her children on an iPad.   I could sense that my writing self was more frightened than usual to come forward that summer I decided to reach out to the woman who created and ran the gardens in Thorncliffe Park and I quickly discovered she was someone who spoke quickly but intentionally who had big ideas but also a grounded conviction in the simple acts of being together paying closer attention and making things to share and give away.  “Gardening creates connection,” she said while taking me on a tour of the garden’s fruit trees which are dispersed around a series of apartment towers “It draws us closer to seasons and cycles in life and we start to really understand how everything is connected gardening is about nurturing growth and tending to it every day a resident who also worked in Long-Term Care “I had always admired the gardens,” Patricia explained to me but welcoming this new space into my life has led me to my own inner garden I was obsessed with the space and its “urban farmers.” Delaney’s drive “We’re not just gardening for our well-being and to create community we’re also addressing real food security issues in our neighbourhood and with nutritious food.” The garden grows over 1,500 pounds of food a year for residents I was intimated by the world Delaney created I’m more at ease with building worlds with language that grows something inside me.   or similar ways to connect and expand during times of fear and uncertainty times when we want to hide out in our bunkers Advancements in technology and research can now show how art and gardening are inner workouts that generate cognitive and physical changes In the New York Times Bestseller “Your Brain on Art,” authors Ivy Ross and Sue Magsamen spell out what happens physiologically and chemically when we create I ask: Would the Thorncliffe Park gardeners want to explore writing and artmaking in the garden There were those who were unsure about taking that risk but others told me they felt a spark had been lit by the garden and that they were eager to create in a more personal way.   “I couldn’t get over the idea of writing not to communicate what I already understand but writing in order to understand,” she said at the end of our first session Since that summer, the garden’s creative pulse has grown. Delaney and I have partnered with Story Planet a non-profit whose mission is to amplify the voices of young people in Toronto’s equity-seeking communities we offer art and story workshops in the gardens to all ages for free.  a group of teens asked for more writing workshops that explored voice and non-linear forms “The beginning-middle-end structure of writing is so limiting,” one young woman said “Creativity should be defined by its expansiveness how it helps us blossom into bigger expressions of ourselves.”  where inside a newspaper clipping she uncovered the words “The work of utmost importance may be hard but possible,” and other phrases she saw could be weaved together to articulate something meaningful to her.   Another teen explained how she came to Canada a few years ago and has found freedom in expressing herself that was forbidden in her home country “And I get that opportunity here.” My own search for a wider lens and voice on Afghanistan continues the language comes and I can sense an unscrambling of dense I’m pretty grateful for Delaney’s gardens and the world of the Thorncliffe Park urban farmers Whenever we gather to make art in plein-air something unique and grounding comes forward.    Find Thorncliffe Park Urban Farmers at Canada Helps to donate to the garden and its community work.  Nadia Shahbaz is a writer and former radio news producer of Afghan and Italian heritage Her work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and illuminated on buildings in New York City She is currently working on a novel on Facism and her Sicilian family You can follow her work in the gardens and elsewhere on Instagram @nadiashahbaz_writer The new Ontario Line rail yard will require demolishing a plaza at 2 Thorncliffe Park Dr. that contains small businesses and community organizations as well as the Islamic society building nearby The upgraded centre will provide new religious facilities as well as spaces for educational programs a gym and a 24,000-square-foot business centre The provincial transit agency has reached a $50-million deal to help fund a new religious and community centre in the Thorncliffe Park neighbourhood where it’s also planning to build a controversial rail yard Metrolinx announced Tuesday it had completed a deal with the Islamic Society of Toronto as part of the Ontario Line project to make major upgrades to the group’s facility at 20 Overlea Blvd Although Metrolinx said the agreement will provide substantial community benefits to the East York enclave arguing it doesn’t meet the needs of the area’s economically marginalized residents and will pave the way for the completion of a rail yard many of them don’t want “Transit has always been a catalyst for community building development and growth,” said Metrolinx president and CEO Phil Verster in a statement touting the deal “Helping the Islamic Society of Toronto deliver on their vision for a new bigger Islamic Centre will bring benefits to the community far beyond the positive impact the new Ontario Line subway will bring.” The upgraded centre on Overlea will provide new religious facilities including a mosque and “bigger and better prayer spaces for women,” according to Metrolinx It will also offer spaces for educational programs to which as many as 19 organizations and businesses displaced by the transit project can relocate Metrolinx said the total value of the agreement is $49.5 million Metrolinx’s announcement quoted the Islamic Society of Toronto’s leadership as saying the agreement “will bring to life the dream that we have had for our community for the past two decades.” The new facility will be about five times larger than the society’s existing centre on Thorncliffe Park Drive which the society had already planned to depart $11-billion Ontario Line will run between Exhibition Place and the Ontario Science Centre and have a stop in Thorncliffe Park expected to bring 12,800 residents within walking distance of rapid transit by 2041 Metrolinx announced in April it planned to build a vehicle maintenance and storage facility for the line in Thorncliffe The 175,000-square-metre yard will house 44 trains and require demolishing a plaza at 2 Thorncliffe Park Dr as well as the Islamic Society building nearby The transit agency said Tuesday it’s working with affected businesses, including the popular Iqbal Halal Foods The Save TPARK advocacy group opposes the rail yard plan and has accused Metrolinx of dumping an unwanted facility on an economically marginalized and racialized community Roughly four out of five residents in Thorncliffe Park are visible minorities Save TPARK member Aamir Sukhera slammed the Metrolinx agreement Tuesday arguing it’s intended to reduce opposition to the rail yard but will primarily benefit the Islamic society which doesn’t speak for all 20,000 of Thorncliffe’s residents and which never consulted the wider community on the terms of the “secret deal.” “Adding a basketball court and a few other trinkets is a small price to pay for the massive disruption Metrolinx is inflicting on the heart of our community,” Sukhera said His group wants Metrolinx to relocate the rail yard but said any deal with the agency should have included affordable housing He also wanted assurances that new community facilities will be open to all residents In a statement to the Star provided by its legal counsel the Islamic Society of Toronto said the new centre “will serve as a central hub for all community members” regardless of faith The group said its negotiations with Metrolinx had produced “a solution that was fair and favourable to our community” and would provide new opportunities for residents Metrolinx rejects claims that it selected Thorncliffe for the rail yard site for social or economic reasons and says it determined the location was the only option that could meet technical requirements “while preserving local jobs.” Agency spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins said Metrolinx is “working with all parties” in Thorncliffe and is “open to considering any other community benefit proposals.” Toronto police have released this image and looking for the public’s help in identifying this man in connection with a sex assault investigation in Thorncliffe Park involving an eight-year-old girl A photo has been released of a man wanted for questioning in the sexual assault of an eight-year-old girl in Thorncliffe Park Monday Toronto Police are hoping someone can help identify the man in the photo The girl was sexually assaulted while shopping with her parents in the Thorncliffe Park area Police said a man came up to the girl from behind sexually assaulted her and fled around 11:15 a.m The suspect is 50 to 60 years old with a moustache and a dark complexion Anyone with information is asked to call 53 Division at 416-808-5300 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477)