Latest from Sarah MacMillan
The left has Progress Toronto. A new advocacy group hopes to fill gap on centre-right
A new political advocacy group in Toronto is hoping to make a mark on municipal politics — and could be a sign of an evolving role and influence of third party groups in Toronto elections.
Toronto capital budget aims to flatten curve of growing infrastructure repair backlog
From community centres to parks to the TTC, Torontonians may start to notice improvements to city maintenance, as Toronto pushes to invest majorly in addressing aging and crumbling infrastructure.
New union agreements could cost Toronto up to $300M in 2025
New labour contracts across Toronto city divisions and agencies could cost taxpayers almost as much as the city will be taking in through a proposed 6.9 per cent property tax hike. Toronto’s 2025 budget includes a provision of $300 million to address increased costs from potential union agreements and contracts.
Police, TTC and housing to be top priorities in Chow's 2025 Toronto budget
Torontonians will soon get an idea of how much property taxes may be going up, as city staff are set to unveil a proposed budget on Monday. We already know Toronto police and the TTC will be getting funding boosts, and Mayor Olivia Chow has signalled housing as one of her other key priorities.
What Trudeau's resignation could mean for Toronto
Justin Trudeau's resignation as Liberal Leader, the leadership race it is triggering, and a subsequent federal election mean not only upheaval and uncertainty in Ottawa, but also for municipalities that rely on federal money to fund major priorities.
Toronto council chooses not to act on ombudsman report calling refugee shelter response 'anti-Black racism'
Toronto city council quietly received a scathing report on Wednesday from the city's ombusdman, without discussion and without directing staff to implement any of the 14 recommendations.
A cafe or corner store could be coming to a Toronto neighbourhood near you — if new zoning rules are approved
There could soon be more options to grab a coffee or pick up a pint of milk in your neighbourhood, if Toronto city council approves changes to zoning bylaws that would allow more small-scale businesses in residential neighbourhoods throughout the city.
City staff suggest putting the brakes on raised park idea for decommissioned Scarborough RT
A vision for a raised linear park along the route of the decommissioned Scarborough Rapid Transit (SRT) line is looking less likely. A new report from city staff highlights major challenges — legal, technical and financial — and recommends the city instead tear down the raised rail structure.
Ontario mulling having prosecutors approve criminal charges before police lay them
Ontario’s Ministry of the Attorney General is considering the merits of moving to a system in which prosecutors would screen criminal charges proposed by police before officers lay them, in order to help relieve the province's backlogged justice system.
Why won't Ontario track the reasons why criminal charges are dropped or stayed?
Despite facing significant backlogs from the pandemic and a rising number of stayed and withdrawn charges, Ontario's Ministry of the Attorney General has refused to track the reasons behind those outcomes as the province's auditor general recommended five years ago.