The York Guardian, December 31 2015

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thurs dec 31, 2015 INSIDE Mayor Tory must address SmartTrack concerns in 2016 / 4

See what events are taking place in your community / 13

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TRANSIT: YEAR IN REVIEW

Queens Quay unveiling, Uber make headlines RAHUL GUPTA rgupta@insidetoronto.com

What’s in the stars for Toronto next year?

TORONTO MAYOR JOHN TORY

POLICE CHIEF MARK SAUNDERS

Traffic, transit and housing: The mayor’s priorities for 2016. What else is he thinking?

‘Does it concern me that people are using firearms as a decision maker?

You bet it does.’

★

★

See our interview on page 3

Photos that made the news in 2015 Check it out on page 11

Design, print, and distribute direct mail starting at just 12¢ per piece.

See our interview on page 13

You might say the progress of local transportation improvement was a mixed bag in 2015.

On one hand, there was the completion of badly needed new infrastructure projects like the Union Pearson (UP) Express air rail link and a revitalized Queens Quay. On the other hand, city congestion worsened and large-scale transportation projects were either delayed due to construction issues or other challenges. Meanwhile, new transportation options gained ascendancy, leading to court battles and friction with traditional competition. Regardless of the progress or the lack there-of, when it comes to transportation, it was certainly not a boring year.

Here are some notable stories from 2015.

THE RISE OF UBER Uber isn’t exactly new; it’s been operating here since 2012. But 2015 was the year local scrutiny of the tech rideshare company’s revolutionary business model reached a fever pitch. In September, there was a city briefing outlining proposed bylaw changes intended to regulate Uber’s operations. Earlier in the year, the city had failed to >>>GRASSROOTS, page 6

YORK GUARDIAN | Thursday, December 31, 2015 |

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community

City ponders community centre downtown for creative people k x i dx Crowdfunding is: c bd x p supporting p a bthe

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Civic Hall would be modelled after New York City space DAVID NICKLE dnickle@insidetoronto.com Toronto could one day have a “Civic Hall” where hackers, artists, journalists, technology wonks and other “changemakers” can meet and collaborate, if councillors go along with a proposal on the Jan. 4 meeting of the Government Management Committee.

Committee chair Paul Ainslie is asking the committee to set city staff studying establishing a kind of community centre for creative types in the downtown core.

The “hall” would be modelled on a similar space in New York City, where, according to its website, “social entrepre-

neurs, change-makers, government employees, hackers, academics, journalists and artists can share knowledge, build tools, and solve problems, together.” world-bettering intent T h e p ro j e c t t h e re i s sponsored by various highpowered corporate players, including Microsoft and Google, with a generalized aim of giving people the resources for world-bettering projects.

In his letter to the committee, Ainslie said he believed Toronto could use that kind of space.

“Civic technology is at a

moment of definition and growth, when a diverse set of actors is uniting around the idea of advancing the use of technology for the public good,” writes Ainslie. “These varied participants need a place to congregate, a daily home base in the heart of Toronto, whether they are based here or based elsewhere. This civic technology field needs a hub that is functionally more engaging than hackathons and less structured than an incubator.”

Ainslie is asking that senior city staff review opportunities for creating a “Civic Hall” and report back on June 13.

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Staff photo/BENJAMIN PRIEBE

recognizing those who served: Gathered dignitaries watch a short video about the sacrifices made by African-Canadian soldiers during times of conflict, during a Black Remembrance Day ceremony that was held inside the Weston Village BIA building on Sunday.

3 | YORK GUARDIAN | Thursday, December 31, 2015

2016: a look ahead

Staff photos/DAVID NICKLE

Mayor John Tory’s priorities for 2016 are transit, traffic, housing and jobs. Mayor Tory sat down with Metroland Media Toronto reporter David Nickle to take a look back at the year that was, and a look ahead to next year.

Mayor’s 2016 priority: making Toronto run better DAVID NICKLE dnickle@insidetoronto.com

I

t’s the day after the launch of the 2016 budget process – really, the first full budget of Mayor John Tory’s term – and it’s fair to say the mayor is feeling the sting of his critics. The budget is not quite balanced – councillors will have to find $23 million in savings to just hold the line at inflation for property taxes, and find another $67 million if they want to keep the promises of service enhancements that council and the mayor have made through 2015.

As Tory sits down for his end-of-year interview with Metroland Media Toronto, the bristling is barely noticeable.

“It is the beginning – I have been working on it for months and this is the beginning of the process that is continuing,” Tory says. “We have eight weeks of hard work ahead.”

Indeed, as 2016 unfolds, fixing the city’s budget and dealing with the city’s finances will be the first of a series of big jobs that Tory hopes to complete, to eventually make more sense of the mayoralty that Tory began just over a year ago on the heels of the tumultuous Rob Ford mayoralty.

In many ways, Tory’s year in 2015 was about restoring calm to an office that had

seen a bit too much tumult.

Polling data may have told Tory that transportation and public transit are the biggest issue, but he says that in conversation, Torontonians are most grateful for the simple stability of a mayor that if anything tacks to the dull side.

‘Balanced’ “The number one thing they raise with me every day is how happy they are that I’m conducting the job in a responsible and balanced way,” Tory says.

“It’s not just about not engaging in bad behaviour – but they also see that my comments on television are balanced. They see that I’m prepared to take into account the other side.”

Tory would like to be understood in this way: as a balanced, evidence-based politician who steps outside of the world of partisan politics that he himself once inhabited.

He offers up evidence to that, in talking about one of the major debates at Toronto Council in 2015, over what to do with the eastern portion of the Gardiner Expressway.

Tory advocated strongly against tearing that section of the highway down and instead building a ‘hybrid’ elevated highway – and in the end, he prevailed.

“Once the vote was over I could have said I won that vote, that’s that, let’s get on with building it,” he says.

“The first thing I did was to ask my staff to sit down with all the people that most vehemently opposed the position I took and ask them how we could make the so-called hybrid much better.”

The result? Tory says that the modified hybrid is an improvement on the original plan, and what had begun as a relatively narrow victory at council – he only won by a 24-21 vote – has turned into a much broader consensus.

Uber issue He admits that consensus was not always the result of what he termed an honest approach to issues.

Taxi and limo drivers took Tory’s name in vain in early December when they blocked thoroughfares to protest the city’s slow action in curbing Uber-X drivers who collect fares via the unregulated Uber app.

Tory has taken an agnostic approach to the issue – along with council directing staff to find a way to bring Uber-X under the city’s regulatory regime and acknowledging that apps like Uber will likely remain.

“The truth is that when I said they’re here to stay it wasn’t a statement in

favour of Uber – it was simply a statement of reality,” Tory says.

“They may not like the truth.”

Going forward, Tory is bracing himself for dealing with more reality.

Early in the new year, he and council will be shown reports on the efficacy of two inter-related transit projects: the extension of the Bloor-Danforth subway into Scarborough, and Tory’s own SmartTrack.

Tory has been steadfast in his support of both projects, despite questions being raised about both the expenditure and the engineering possibilities.

On SmartTrack, he acknowledges that there will be engineering problems – particularly in the western portion of the cityspanning project, where there are no existing rail lines.

“The studies will come early in the winter – and why would I have bothered to go through the time and money, especially the time, of having those studies done if I didn’t want to pay attention to what was said?” he says.

“We’ll see what the study says and make adjustments if necessary. But there will be a smart track that will run from the Mississauga Corporate Centre through downtown and out to Markham. Can I tell you

how many stations? No I can’t. But I put forward a proposal and it’s going to be a transformative transit project.”

On the Scarborough Subway, Tory is anxious to take the discussion away from the one that his predecessor Rob Ford framed it as justice for Scarborough.

Tory also refutes critics in the development industry and elsewhere who maintain the ridership simply won’t be there to support a subway.

“The jobs will eventually develop in the Scarborough Centre and that’s going to be a good thing for Toronto,” Tory says. “And I’ve always said that my solution on transit should be a balanced solution that includes everything. It isn’t subways, subways, subways (as former Mayor Ford put it). It’s subways, LRTs, buses, bicycles, cars and trucks.”

Tory says he hopes by the end of 2016 to have all of the necessary approvals in place to move forward on SmartTrack and the subway project.

He is also hoping for some movement on dealing with Toronto’s public housing repair backlog and the creation of new affordable housing, with the help of the new federal government.

“We had set targets for

affordable housing and missed them by a mile,” he says. “I hope we can get back closer to keeping those targets and over time catch up.”

Overall, says Tory, his priorities for 2016 are “traffic and transit and housing,” and also creating jobs.

Infrastructure As well, he will be moving forward with his plan to extend the Scarborough Subway levy into a 0.5 per cent annual levy to pay for infrastructure – one of what could be several new revenue tools to help the city deal with its long-term capital project backlog.

“I would like you to say to me next year, well last year we sat here and discussed theoretically the levy, and discussed the budget which wasn’t yet completed, and you sit here and tell me that the city is better off both short term and in terms of its budgeting process and how it’s running itself, and that we’re achieving the kinds of efficiencies that I didn’t quite achieve this year, and you can also tell me that the longterm financial picture is better,” he says.

“I hope I can look at you and say yes, both of those are substantially better measured by numbers, and not by my saying so.”

YORK GUARDIAN | Thursday, December 31, 2015 |

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opinion Ian Proudfoot John Willems Georgia Balogiannis Cheryl Phillips Braden Simmonds Mike Banville Warren Elder

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I

t’s the eve of 2016. We’re all a year older and hopefully a little wiser.

From the moment we’re born we begin to age.

We’re cradled, we crawl, we stand, we walk, we run; always driven by our curiosity to know more, do more and be more.

But how much is too much? Are we experiencing real value in our lives living in this fast-paced culture of technology and responsibility?

We resolve to make changes, but most times these changes don’t stick.

New year’s resolutions seem to be destined to fail.

Maybe it’s because vowing to lose weight isn’t the real goal. But rather to be healthy and more energy to take care of our view have your family.

Instead of saying you’re going Aim for a to go on a financial diet, how reframing the thought. life of value about Resolve to spend money only on and balance the things that bring you the most joy. You’ll soon realize you’ll save more money and accumulate fewer things.

No one is asking you to come up with a grandiose plan for your future. But, of course, you could if you like.

But how about simply resolving to slow down your busy life a bit and reflect on what’s important to you.

Live a life of value and balance. Unplug. Increase face time with your favourite people. Find time to exercise.

Take in what you’ve learned in the last 12 months and build on the good and be grateful for the bad, because the adversarial experiences no doubt taught you the most.

We’re wired, tired and on the go non-stop. At least that’s how it must have seemed for many in 2015.

Let’s not say the same next New Year’s Eve. If there’s something you want to do in 2016, don’t think, just do. Push through toward your goals, one foot in front of the other, because baby steps count too.

There’s lots of great things that can be done in the coming year, including becoming more involved in your community or volunteering to help others.

The best way to make change is to be the change and that’s the best new year’s resolution you could ever make.

column

Tory must address SmartTrack concerns If 2015 was simply about righting the ship of state in Toronto and restoring civility to civic life – and for many it was, as I argued in this space last week – the coming year is going to be a challenge for our new and agreeable city council.

Indeed, looking at the new calendar, everything contained in the promise (and promises) of Mayor John Tory and his new council is going to be put to the test.

There was a certain luxury to be had in the first year of this mandate, being able to set up not just the tone for a debate, but the factual basis for it.

So two of Tory’s signature issues – the SmartTrack heavy rail transit system linking Markham to Scarborough and the downtown, and then Liberty Village and Etobicoke and eventually Markham, and the continued construction of the Scarborough Subway – could move slowly and

david nickle the city inconclusively through committee and council, blessed by open questions for another day.

The day to answer those questions will come in 2016, probably sooner than later. Media reports have indicated there are problems with the implementation of SmartTrack, particularly in the west end where considerable tunnelling might be necessary. The question, until now avoided, of whether it makes sense to have SmartTrack run so near the Scarborough Subway extension, will need to be addressed, definitively.

Thanks to the new budget process, in which city finance staff don’t do the work of budget balancing but leave that to politicians, councillors will have to find ways to pay for $67 million worth of

programs that they cheerfully approved in 2015. The continuation of enhanced transit service, investment in poverty reduction strategies… something as simple as setting up safe ice-skating on Grenadier Pond… will all depend on the ability of councillors to make hard choices and take responsibility for their decisions.

The city is going to need more money in any case, and councillors are going to have to have another look at that list of possible revenue tools they so neatly rejected during the Rob Ford mayoralty.

In year-end interviews, Tory has made much of his indifference to ideology in his approach to governing the city and corralling council. It has served him well so far, and could serve him well this coming year.

But it might be a terrifying time. Ideology, for good and for ill, can work as a kind of road map for a politician faced with making a

firm decision to deal with a complex problem.

Without a notion of where one wants to be, it can be easy to confuse pragmatism with populism, to make a call that panders to a base rather than provides a solution.

That’s not to say Tory should return to his Conservative roots or sign a New Democratic Party membership card – pick shirts or skins in an oldfashioned Toronto council mud fight. But he and the rest of council should remember that over the next year and the ones that follow, there are going to be debates and decisions that together will shape both the city and the legacy.

Doing it right is going to require flexibility, and thoughtfulness – and in the end, a crystalline clarity of vision.

i

David Nickle is Metroland Media Toronto’s city hall reporter. His column runs every Thursday. Reach him on Twitter: @DavidNickle

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Toronto is in for a big year in sports If you’re a big sports fan, you’re in luck. There are going to be a variety of major events to choose from in Toronto in the new year. You could say it’s going to be a veritable ‘smorgasport’. You could, but you won’t catch me doing it.

First up on the crowded agenda is the NBA All-Star Game in February. It’s hands down the best all-star gala in all sports. Hands up, too, for that matter. Sprinkled throughout the stands and the city you’ll find a who’s who of what’s what in the world of sports, entertainment, politics and business.

Also on the sports menu is a rebirth of the World Cup of Hockey. It’s in September and it’s going to have an interesting wrinkle. Six of the eight teams will be traditional competitors: Canada, USA, Sweden, Russia, Finland and the Czech Republic. The seventh will be Europe, a pan-European roster of players from outside Sweden, Russia, Finland and the Czech Republic. The eighth, North America, a team of top players from Canada

jamie wayne BUT SERIOUSLY and the U.S. under the age of 23.

New local favourite, Leafs coach Babs, aka Mike Babcock, will be behind the bench for Canada. No word on whether he’ll be wearing Babsocks.

The Grey Cup in November is the next biggie. It’ll be standing room only for the pancake breakfasts, so you better book early.

Last and definitely not least, you can add the World Junior Hockey Tournament to the year’s festivities. It’s a favourite holiday staple. It begins in December and will spill into January 2017.

There are also many other high profile sports goingson surpassing the above events in the minds of the locals. Heading that list? The much-anticipated return of Blue Jays. With the sounds of “MVP, MVP, MVP” still ringing in everyone’s ears, the dream of another post-season run

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will begin in earnest in spring training.

The Raptors expect their campaign to include a lengthy playoff appearance, too, of course. As do TFC and the Marlies.

As for Leaf fans? Well, talk is at a minimum, let alone playoff talk, but a winning streak would change that. They can be forgiven however, if, they have free agency on their minds. Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos will be an unrestricted free agent if he doesn’t re-sign by July 1.

In fact, you could say if he ends up in Toronto, it would eclipse all the sports stories here in 2016. You could, but you won’t catch me doing it.

It’s not proper to talk about a player going to one team while still under contract to another. So out of respect to the process, I’ll just wait until it plays itself out.

Jamie Wayne is a lifelong columnist who takes writing very seriously. The topics?

Not so much. His column appears every Thursday. Contact him at jamie.wayne@sympatico.ca

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| YORK GUARDIAN | Thursday, December 31, 2015

column

YORK GUARDIAN | Thursday, December 31, 2015 |

6

transit: year in review

Grassroots movement brings attention to Davenport Overpass design >>>from page 1 convince the courts to ban Uber’s UberX service, which operated a taxi service but with unregulated drivers using their personal vehicles.

The changes were intended to even the playing field so the local cab industry – experiencing significant drops to revenue following the introduction of the UberX service – could compete.

Such briefings are dry and heavy on jargon, but at this meeting city officials grew emotional recounting the struggles of cabbies dealing with the realities of a shifting marketplace.

Meanwhile, city cab drivers, facing spiralling declines in revenue, took to the streets to voice their frustrations.

Read the story here: http:// bit.ly/1U0BtFd

QUEENS QUAY REOPENS Nine years in the making, including three years of construction, the new-look Queens Quay finally reopened mostly to raves – and some confusion as road users figured out how to best traverse the remodelled strip.

The central waterfront’s main street, Queens Quay was a concrete eyesore for years, which gave little indication

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there was water nearby. Now, it’s a tree-lined promenade with a new cycling connection and better access to transit, and maybe a newfound source of interest for Torontonians.

The project wasn’t without its hurdles, with project manager Waterfront Toronto reporting budget overruns of more than $35 million plus several construction hiccups along the way. But as the agency’s new CEO Will Fleissig put it recently: “I don’t think anybody looks at Queens Quay today and says, ‘We should never have done that’.”

Read the story here: http:// bit.ly/1QUX2HO More here: http://bit. ly/1IkZN3W SPADINA SUBWAY In 2015 the TTC finally had to publicly admit what transit observers had suspected for several months: the completion of the Toronto York Spadina Subway Extension (TYSSE) was in serious jeopardy of yet another delay.

The six-stop extension into Vaughan was supposed to open a year later than anticipated in 2016.

But in mid-March CEO Andy Byford, one day after shockingly firing two senior TTC executives attached to the project, announced the TYSSE wouldn’t open until late 2017 at the earliest. What’s more, the delay would require an extra $150 million, bringing the project’s price tag to more than $2.6 billion. The TTC also hired a private consultant company to take over management of the project.

Grilled relentlessly by reporters, Byford admitted he would hold himself personally accountable if the project isn’t

Staff file photos/DAVID NICKLE

Toronto taxi drivers stage a protest which started at Toronto City Hall and crawled its way to Queen’s Park, demanding the two levels of government regulate the ride-sharing business.

done by the new deadline.

Read the story here: http:// bit.ly/1PgVzdd UP BELLS In 2015 a new transit line opened just before the start of the Pan Am/Parapan Am Games, becoming the city’s first direct rapid transit connection to the airport. UP was hailed for its speed, (barely 20 minutes between Union Station and Toronto Pearson’s airport) and luxury, businessclass service. But for Junction residents like Tom Hasiak, the only effect of UP was incessant ringing train bells caused by the new service.

One mid-summer day, Tom along with West Bend Community Association chair Des McComish and I went up to Tom’s building roof overlooking UP’s Bloor Street West stop (near Dundas Avenue), listening for train bells. There are worse ways to spend an evening than watching trains and listening for bells, which appeared to sound out without much pattern to them. My subsequent story was picked

up by other media outlets, and much attention was paid to the matter. However, the train bells still ring today.

Read the story here: http:// bit.ly/1MFLfcu DAVENPORT OVERPASS In Ma rc h , Me t ro l i n x announced plans to eliminate the Davenport Diamond rail crossing by building a train bridge. If approved, the project would allow GO Trains on the Barrie corridor to no longer have to share track with Canadian Pacific Ltd. heavy rail freight trains. But the decision to only consider a bridge has resulted in staunch opposition from residents, some of whom likened the bridge to building the Gardiner Expressway through the neighbourhood. Despite calls from Toronto council to postpone the project and consider other options like a tunnel, Metrolinx says it will launch a planning study for the overpass in January 2016.

Read the story here: http:// bit.ly/1U0Cb56

7

YORK happening in

w Saturday, Jan. 2

Progressive Euchre WHEN: 7 to 10:30 p.m. WHERE: Mount Dennis Legion, 1050 Weston Rd. CONTACT: 416-767-0231, legionbr31@yahoo.com COST: $10 Progressive euchre held on the first Saturday of the months. Registration at 7 p.m. Play (10 games) begins at 7:30 p.m. Cash prizes. All 19 or older are welcome.

w Monday, Jan. 4

Massage Clinic WHEN: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. WHERE: York West Active Living Centre, 1901 Weston Rd. CONTACT: Danna McBride, 416-245-4395, ext. 223, danna@ywalc.ca COST: $35 Sit down and relax, massage services are offered by registered therapists from West Park Health Care Centre and booked through the YWALC office.

get listed!

The York Guardian wants your community listings. Sign up online at yorkguardian.com to submit your events (click the Sign Up link in the top right corner of the page). Check out our complete online community calendar by visiting www.yorkguardian.com

for the true beginner. No experience needed except basic web browsing and mouse skills.

featured event w Thursday, Jan. 7

Healthy Eating and Fitness WHEN: 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

WHERE: North York Women’s Centre, 116 Industry St. CONTACT: 416-781-0479, info@nywc.org COST: Free Free eight-week workshop series for women on nutrition, exercise and healthy eating.

w Thursday, Jan. 7

Let’s Keep Talking WHEN: 10:45 to 11:45 a.m.

WHERE: York West Active Living Centre, 1901 Weston Rd. CONTACT: Danna McBride, 416-245-4395, ext.

223, danna@ywalc.ca COST: $18 Join this group for a short meditation and share the challenges of maturity. Topics of conversation may include grown children issues, maintaining a home as you age,

w Friday, Jan. 8

Social Transportation For 55 Years Of Age And Over WHEN: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. WHERE: York West Active Living Centre, 1901 Weston Rd. CONTACT: Danna McBride, 416-245-4395, ext. 223, danna@ywalc.ca COST: Please contact us Do you need to get to the hair dresser? Have a group that would like to go out for lunch and can’t get to the restaurant? Single rides or groups up to five.

w Monday, Jan. 11

Volunteer Positions Available WHEN: 8 to 10 a.m. WHERE: York West Active Living Centre, 1901 Weston Rd. CONTACT: Allegra Marchesin, 416-245-4395, ext. 233, allegra@ywalc.ca COST: Free York West Active Living Centre is currently seeking volunteers for a variety of positions.

giving up a home, memory difficulties, health issues, and more.

Family Time WHEN: 10:30 to 11:45 a.m.

WHERE: Evelyn Gregory Library, 120 Trowell Ave. CONTACT: Richard, 416-394-1006 COST: Free Stories, songs, and rhymes for children age five and under, and their caregivers.

HTML and CSS for Beginners WHEN: 7 to 8:30 p.m. WHERE: Maria A. Shchuka Library, 1745 Eglinton Ave. W. CONTACT: 416394-1000 COST: Free Get an introduction to basic HTML and CSS. During this session we will be using a tool from Mozilla called Thimble. This class is meant

Winter Feeding Helps Our Local Birds Survive

health

w Ongoing

Van Trip to Dufferin Grove’s Farmers Market WHEN: 2:30 to 5 p.m. WHERE: York West Active Living Centre, 1901 Weston Rd. CONTACT: Danna McBride, 416-245-4395, ext. 223, danna@ywalc.ca COST: Transportation is $7 for members, $10 for non-members Food lovers rejoice with this perpetually popular market selling more than just jams and jellies, but fresh eggs, fish, and handmade crafty items.

Departs from YWALC at 2:30 p.m. Departs from the market at 5 p.m.

w Wednesday, Jan. 6

yorkguardian.com

New Year’s Resolution Add the gift of fitness to your life this year

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Winter Programs Registration WHEN: 2:30 p.m. WHERE: York West Active Living Centre, 1901 Weston Rd. CONTACT: Danna McBride, 416-245-4395, ext. 223, danna@ywalc.ca COST: Free Register now for winter programs that begin on Monday, Jan. 4.

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| YORK GUARDIAN | Thursday, December 31, 2015

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YORK GUARDIAN | Thursday, December 31, 2015 |

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Fabulous Opportunity, Detached 3 Bedroom 2 Storey, Quality Built, Large Foyer, Oak Staircase, Large Kitchen, Ceramic Floor, Open Concept Living Room, Formal Dining Room, Walkout to Huge Deck, Large Yard, Master Bedroom, Walk In Closet, 4 Pce Ensuite, Garage, Private Drive, High Demand Neighbourhood!

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Brand New Custom Home, Spectacular Brick & Stone, 4+1 Bedroom, 2 Storey, Situated on Premium 50 x 150 Ft. Lot on End of Cul-deSac, Premium Finishes, Quality Materials, Fantastic Layout, Over 5,600 Sq. Ft. of Living Space, Formal Dining Rm, Crown Mouldings, Coffered Ceilings, Gleaming Hardwood Floors, Gourmet Kitchen, Quartz Counter, S/S Appliances, Bright Sunlit, Skylight, Master Bdrm Retreat, Professionally Finished Bsmt, Plus Much More!

CooKSvILLe eState!!

Spectacular Stone Mansion Nestled On Sprawling Gated Lot!! Absolutely One-Of-A-Kind, Approximately 5000 sqft, This Grand 5 Bedroom Family Home Sits On Approximately ¾ Acres And Is Surrounded By Mature Trees. 221 ft Frontage Makes This Property Ideal For Potential Future Development With Many New Multi-Million Dollar Homes Already Built In The Area. Very Rare Opportunity – Must Be Seen!

veLLoRe vILLaGe 4+1 BdRm!!

Gorgeous 2-Storey Semi Detached With Walkout Bsmt Linked Only By Garage! Open Concept Living+Dining Rms, Spacious Eat-In Kitchen, Master Bedrm W/Full Ensuite & W/I Closet, Finished Basement With Spacious Rec Rm, Office, Kitchen & Bedrm, potential in-law suite. Landscaped Lot, Deck, Private Drive, Fabulous Neighbourhood, Steps To All Amenities! Incredible Value.

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Exceptional Craftsmanship, Open Concept Layout, Crown Molding ,Pot lights, Hardwood Floors, Gourmet Kitchen, Granite Counter Tops, Marble Floor, S/S Appliances, Master Bdrm Retreat, Luxurious Ensuite, W/I Closet, Prof Finished Basement, Ideal For Entertaining Or Nanny Suite. Close to all amenities, Steps to Vaughan Mills, Transit, Go, School, Future Subway & Hospital. Simply Must be seen! Amazing Value!

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Amazing Opportunity to Live/Work In Alderwood!

Modern & Well Maintained Corner Store-Front Complete W/ Two Large Self Contained 2 Bed/2 Bath Apartment Units. Retail Area Features Large Foyer/Reception, Huge Open Workspace, Separate Office, 2 Washrooms, Recently Finished Basement & Rear Entrance. Great Location Close To Hwys & Transit. Won’t Last Long!!!

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Solid 3 Bdrm Home on a Large Premium Lot with Approx. 50 Foot Frontage, Home in Original Condition, Huge Potential to Renovate/Rebuild, Great for Renovators/Contractors or Developers, Rare Lot in Prime Norseman Area! Super Value!

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QUIet CoURt LoCatIon Detached 4+1 Bedroom 2 Storey, Renovated Kitchen, Huge Family Rm, Fireplace, Open Concept Living & Dining Rm, Gleaming Hardwood Floor, Finished Basement Ideal for Entertaining, Double Garage, Walkout to Fenced Backyard, 2 Tier Deck, Fabulous Family Neighbourhood! $675,000!

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Immaculately Maintained, 3+1 Bedrooms, Open Concept Living Rm, Formal Dining, Updated Family Size Kitchen, Separate Side Entrance to Finished Bsmt Ideal for In-Law Suite, Huge Rec Room, 2nd Kitchen Situated on Spacious Lot, Garage, Private Drive.

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Stunning Home with Double Car Garage on a Large Lot Backing onto Park Near Bramalea City Centre, Renovated Top to Bottom including Brand New Kitchen and Main Bath, Professionally Finished Bsmt, New 24 x 12 Deck, Fabulous 32 x 16 Salt Water Heated Pool, Updated Roof/Windows/Furnace, Parks 8 Cars, Stunning Curb Appeal! Close to 410/Transit!

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Wonderful Family Neighborhood! Directly Across From Park. Detached 3 Bdrm Fernbrook Home On 54 x 120 Lot. Open Concept Living/Dining Room With Dark Laminate Flrs. Updated Kitchen with Walkout To Fully Fenced Backyard. Private Double Drive, Walking Distance To Schools/Shopping, Amazing Opportunity To Own! Must Be Seen! Only $485,900!!

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Fabulous Freehold 3 Bedroom in Credit Valley Neighbourhood, Large Foyer, Gleaming Hardwood Floors, Open Concept Living & Dining Room, Granite Countertop, Stainless Steel Appliances in Family Size Kitchen, Walkout to Spacious Yard, 4 Bathrooms, Finished Basement, Simply Must be Seen!

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Spacious & Well Maintained 3+1 Bedroom SemiDetached Raised Bungalow!! Perfect For First Time Home Buyers And Large Families. Plenty Of Living Space, Separate Entrance To Finished Basement In-Law Suite, Large Backyard And Ample Parking.

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Beautiful & Very Spacious 2-Story, 3 Bedrm Condo In The ‘Heart Of Mississauga’!! This Amazing Layout Is The Largest In The Building Featuring Approximately 1,750 S/F Of Living Space Plus 3 Separate Balconies! Panoramic Views Of The Lake And Downtown T.O.! Very Well Maintained – Newly Painted, Recently Refinished Floors, In ‘Move-In’ Condition. Large Bedrooms (2 Ensuites) And Living Room W/ Real Wood-Burning Fireplace.

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Brand New Luxurious Waterfront Resort Style Living, Fabulous 1+1 Bedroom Suite Loaded with Upgrades, Hardwood Floor, Built-in Appliances, Mirror Closet, Granite + Quartz Countertops, Large Balcony, Clear Gorgeous Views of Lake + Toronto Skyline, Amazing Value & Opportunity, Must Be Seen! Only $369,900!

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50 x 116 Ft Lot Near Port Credit, Current 3+2 Bdrm Bungalow with Basement Apt, Needs Some TLC. Comes with Huge 2.5 Car Detached Garage Built in 2012 with Furnace, Hydro and Washroom. Long Private Double Drive, Perfect for Builders or Renovators! Steps to Lake, Park and All Conveniences. Only $549,000!

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Detached 3+1 Bedroom 2 Storey, Simply Fantastic Lot Professionally Landscaped Pattern Concrete Patio, Walkway & Driveway, Professionally Landscaped Garden, Custom Large Shed, Open Concept Living Room, Hardwood Floor, Family Size Kitchen, Walkout to Patio, Professionally Finished Bsmt, Close to Amenities! Only $549,900!

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$119,900 - 3 BEDROOM CONDO!!

Large Corner Suite Complete With 2 Bathrooms & 2 Parking Spots! Located On A Quiet Street Surrounded By Green Space, Many Upgrades Including Renovated Kitchen, Renovated Main Bath And 3 Piece Master Ensuite. In-Suite Laundry/ Storage, Spacious Master Bedroom, Living & Dining Rooms. Priced To Sell -- Must Be Seen!!

ISLInGton/ QUeenSway Prime Etobicoke Location, Quiet Executive Townhome, 3 Bedrooms, Huge Living/Family Room, Formal Dining, Needs TLC, Amazing Value + Opportunity!

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eXeCUtIve home

Rarely Available in Demand Complex Near Etobicoke Creek, Renovated Modern Kitchen, Formal Dining Room, Spacious Open Concept Living Room, Walk Out to Large Deck Overlooking Tranquil Greenspace, Professionally Finished Basement, Wet Bar & Rec Room Ideal for Entertaining, Master Bedroom Retreat, High Demand Location! Only $479,900!

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Renovated 2 StoRey townhome!!

Beautiful & spacious 3 bedroom plus den on ground floor. 3 baths, Private gated patio.

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Stunning 1 Bdrm Unit Across from Humber Bay Park in South Etobicoke, Wide Layout with Unobstructed West View, Gourmet Kitchen with Granite Counters, Upgraded Cabinets and S/S Appliances,Two Walkouts to Huge Balcony, Large Master, 9 Foot Ceilings, World Class Amenities, 10 Min to Downtown, TTC at Door, Parking and Locker Included! Only $269,900!

Warmest thoughts and best wishes for a wonderful year to come!

SEE MORE PHOTOS: www.GetLeo.com Call Today 416-917-LION (5466) and Start Packing!

Not intended to solicit persons under contract. *Certain Conditions May Apply. ReMax West Realty Inc. does not guarantee the sale of your home. Exclusively offered by Frank Leo.

Copyright© 2009 Frank Leo

| YORK GUARDIAN | Thursday, December 31, 2015

Home SellinG SyStem

9

YORK GUARDIAN | Thursday, December 31, 2015 |

10

year in review

Uber, Gardiner among top city hall stories of 2015 DAVID NICKLE dnickle@insidetoronto.com By the standards of the years before it, 2015 was not much of a year at Toronto City Hall.

Mayor John Tory’s first year in office certainly had none of the high-stakes drama of his predecessor Rob Ford.

There were no drug scandals, conflict of interest trials or council coups. For the most part, 2015 was the year that council absorbed itself in the relatively straightforward work of governing the city.

That doesn’t mean that there weren’t stories to tell in 2015; far from it.

The year may have spared us an ice storm, but it was cold enough to freeze pipes in basements across the city.

We might have missed out on making an Olympic bid, but we played host to the Americas in the Pan Am Games.

Here are three major stories that came out of Toronto City Hall in the year that was 2015.

Staff file photo/IAN KELSO

The fate of theGardiner Expressway was at the forefront of Toronto council debate in 2015.

BUDGET CRISIS In January, Mayor John Tory’s first budget nearly fell off the rails, when the province announced it would be phasing out a subsidy for social housing that suddenly left an $86-million hole in the previously-balanced budget.

The announcement set city staff and politicians scram-

bling for a solution. They considered borrowing from a financial institution, after talks with the provincial government to help the city over the transition broke down.

Finally, city staff came up with a plan to effectively borrow the money from itself – pulling money from future capital funding that would

have gone into road repairs.

Tory promised that the city would repay this in part from efficiencies that staff might find over the year.

Those efficiencies didn’t materialize – but the payments are being accelerated by higher-than-expected revenues from the municipal land transfer tax.

GARDINER EXPRESSWAY One of the biggest debates of 2015 at council was the question of what to do about the Gardiner Expressway.

The debate was a carryover from 2014, when city staff and Waterfront Toronto had presented engineering reports that it made the most sense economically and in terms of city building to tear down the eastern portion of the expressway and widen Lake Shore Boulevard there.

Councillors in the city’s downtown agreed, pushing hard for the tear-down.

Tory and a small majority of councillors felt otherwise, however, and in the middle of the year voted to simply shift the elevated highway to allow for more development.

Most of the drama played out at the city’s Licencing and Standards Committee, where newbie ScarboroughAgincourt Councillor Jim Karygiannis campaigned hard on behalf of taxi plate owners.

First up was a move to undo taxi licencing reforms that had been enacted by the previous council, that would have created a single owneroperated plate that could not be bought and sold. Council wrestled with that following boisterous marathon committee meetings where cabbies and councillors clashed.

Eventually the issue collided with Uber X, the ridesharing app that city lawyers had tried and failed to shut down through the courts.

By the fall, council had approved a process for establishing a bylaw to contain the freewheeling Uber app within city bylaws, but drivers accused the city of moving too slowly.

This is one story that isn’t over at year’s end.

UBER VS. TAXIS A convoluted story of disruptive technology and taxi drivers both, Uber-X’s incursion into Toronto’s livery marketplace sent shockwaves from one end of the year to the other.

C A N A D A ’ S L A R G E S T R E G I O N A L M O N T H LY PA R E N T I N G P U B L I C AT I O N

IN THIS ISSUE

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Make super baby food Helping children with IBD thrive in the classroom A below-the belt-guide for girls + MORE

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2

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THROUGH THE LENS

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A look back at the photos that made the news in 2015

3

5

7

1. Canadian athletes march into the Pan Am Dome at the Games opening ceremony July 10.

Staff photo/Dan Pearce 2. Lucas Spencer and the rest of the East York Hockey Association’s Little Stanley Cup peewee division hoists the trophy as they celebrate their victory March 28.

Photo/Allen Agostino 3. Residents gather Feb. 21 to remember Elijah Marsh, the toddler who died after wandering from his North York home.

Staff photo/Nick Perry 4. A dancer performs as a peacock during the Scarborough Tamil Festival Aug. 29.

Photo/Manny Rodrigues 5. Dylan Grisell, 20, leaps off the platform during Dive Ontario’s demonstration at Summerville Pool Aug. 13.

Staff photo/Andrew Lahodynskyj 6. Canada’s Jerret Llewellyn competes in the opening round of the Pan Am Games men’s waterskiing tricks competition at Ontario Place July 20.

Photo/Peter C. McCusker 7. Dog owners venture out into the cold Feb. 13 for a walk near Lake Ontario in Etobicoke.

Staff photo/Ian Kelso 8. Former Prime Minister Paul Martin, right, and Liberal leader Justin Trudeau (prior to his success in the federal election) visit Inspectech in Scarborough Aug. 25.

Staff photo/Mike Adler

© Johnson & Johnson Inc. 2015 To be sure this product is right for you, always read and follow the label.

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| YORK GUARDIAN | Thursday, December 31, 2015

2015 in photos

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Other applications may constitute fraud. In Quebec, do not redeem this coupon for your customer. McNeil, in its sole discretion, may refuse reimbursement where it suspects fraudulent redemption has occurred or where applications for reimbursement are received more than one month from the expiry date indicated on the coupon. Failure to send in, on request, evidence that sufficient stock was purchased in the previous 90 days to cover coupons will void coupons. Coupons submitted become McNeil property. Reproduction of this coupon is expressly prohibited. For redemption, mail to: McNeil Consumer Healthcare, division of Johnson & Johnson Inc., P.O. Box 3000, Saint John, N.B. E2L 4L3.

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YORK GUARDIAN | Thursday, December 31, 2015 |

12

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Get this coupon and more at www.save.ca/coupons *Coupons subject to availability.

13

Chief weighs in on challenges facing police in 2016 ANDREW PALAMARCHUK apalamarchuk@insidetoronto.com

D

espite a rise in global terrorism, Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders says there’s no credible threat against the city.

But the chief stresses that doesn’t mean all is well.

“It’s a different world right now,” he said in a year-end interview earlier this month.

“We need to be more alert. We need to be more vigilant in our dayto-day processes if we want to keep the city safe.”

According to the 2015 Global Terrorism Index, there has been a dramatic rise in terrorism over the last 15 years with nine times more people being killed in terrorist attacks today than in 2000. The report, released last month by the Institute for Economics and Peace, found that terrorism spread significantly in the past year, with attacks and fatalities in more countries than ever.

“We work on a provincial, national and international level. We’re in constant communication with law enforcement agencies around the world and we are kept up to speed

Only at

Staff photo/ANDREW PALAMARCHUK

Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders reflects on 2015, and looks ahead to challenges facing the Toronto Police Service in the coming year.

with information in real time,” Saunders said.

“We’ve got a very good machine when it comes to national security. ... I feel comfortable in knowing that if we do have to turn it on that we do have a good plan in place that will be effective.”

According to a CNN report earlier this month, ISIS has conducted or inspired at least 50 terrorist attacks

in 18 countries that have killed 1,100 people and injured more than 1,700 others since June 2014.

“It’s always on the back of my mind,” Saunders said of a terrorist threat. “It’s not like we sit and wait for something to happen. There are things that are in the works on a dayto-day basis, 24 hours a day when it comes to national security.”

Saunders, a married father of four, was appointed chief in April, making history as the city’s first black top cop.

“If it serves as a role model for any member of the community, then it’s a good thing,” he said.

“I threw my hat in the ring because I was hoping to move the Toronto Police Service to the next level, the next generation of policing, and I have a particular vision in which I would like us to move in, so that’s the first and foremost reason why I was interested, and the history piece, I kind of stuck that more or less behind me, but I’m grateful that that’s how it has been considered.”

At his swearing-in ceremony, Saunders called the cost of policing an “urgent” issue and vowed to “examine everything we do” in an effort to find efficiencies.

A recently formed task force, chaired by Saunders and Toronto Police Services Board chair Andy Pringle, will study ways to modernize the force, which has an annual budget of $1 billion.

“This task force is going to look at what we can do to transform the existing model, what we can do to modernize the model of policing to make sure that we can be even more effective and efficient,” Saunders said.

“Whether it’s looking at technology and using it to help us keep the city safe or it’s looking at the shift model in policing, how we can modify that to get the most out of the assets that we have, I think are some critical components.”

A 2011 efficiency report found that $35 million could be saved with a schedule change. There are currently as many officers on duty in the early morning hours as there are during the busy evening hours.

“It’s going to take a tremendous amount of research. It’s not a matter of making change for the sake of making change,” Saunders said of the task force. “We really have to be careful in the approach that we take to make sure that what we do is the

right thing to keep Toronto safe.”

In May, Toronto police unveiled a body-worn camera pilot project involving nearly 100 officers.

Saunders said the project, which ends in March, is “going well” but wouldn’t reveal whether he thinks it should be expanded.

“I don’t want to promote too much of what my feelings are,” he said. “I’m going to look at the research and see what the research tells me.”

As of Dec. 21, there were 243 shootings involving 381 victims in the city in 2015, compared to 174 shootings and 231 victims at this time last year.

“We have to be careful because the connotation is that this is now a pattern and it’s on the rise. It’s only compared to one year, which is last year. Last year is a bit of an anomaly year,” Saunders said.

“Does it concern me that people are using firearms as a decision maker? You bet it does. It concerns me tremendously. And then the question is: What do we need to do to deploy our officers in the right areas at the right times so we can reduce that from happening? And that’s the process that we’re moving towards right now.”

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