By Tom RakocevicWe have all been annoyed by pushy door-to-door salespeople.Sometimes they ask to look at your current bills, or try to get into your home. This can be particularly challenging for the elderly, as they are often taken advantage of by aggressive salespeople.Recently, I was visited by a water heater salesperson who was outraged that I refused to let him see my water heater. It's no wonder that water heater sales rank second in complaints at the Ontario Ministry of Consumer Services.In case you were wondering, collection agencies are ranked number one.No matter how good the deal sounds or how sweet the sales pitch, it is always better to ask for a card or brochure and to do your homework on the company. If you are not comfortable with computers, ask a family member, friend or neighbour to help you search for them online.If you have signed a contract at your door, but quickly realize that you've made a mistake, don't worry, there is a way out.You may cancel any written contract within ten days of having received it, by writing a cancellation letter to the company. The letter should provide details on the product or service purchased, the date that the contract was signed, and a clear statement requesting the cancellation within the 10 day cooling off period.Always make sure to keep a copy and send your letter by e-mail or registered mail for proof. The law requires the company to return any deposit to you within 15 days.If the company refuses to provide you a refund and cancel your contract, it is time to file a complaint with the Ministry of Consumer Services and/or take the company to court.You can contact the Ministry of Consumer Services at 416-326-8800 to learn how you can file a complaint.If you have elderly parents or family, talk to them about dealing with salespeople and make sure they know their rights. Also encourage them to keep you involved.Furthermore, if you feel an individual or company has committed fraud against you, contact Toronto Police at 416-808-2222 or head to your local police division to file a report.The Ministry also provides a list of delinquent companies which you can find online at http://www.consumerbeware.mgs.gov.on.ca.The three major political parties in Ontario have responded to consumer complaints and have unanimously voted to increase the cool down period to twenty days. The details of the new legislation are still being adjusted and will hopefully take effect soon.This goes to show that when the people are united in wanting change, political parties have no choice but to work together in delivering results.Cancelling a contract: Know your rightsThe Law in Ontario currently allows you to cancel contracts within 10 days of receiving it in writing for a number of products and services. These include:ñ Purchases from door-to-door salespersonsñ Payday loansñ Newly-built condominium unitsñ Advanced payments to a gymñ Purchase of a time shareCancelling a contract due to MisrepresentationA contract can be cancelled within 1 year if a company has provided false information on themselves or their products and services, including:ñ Recommendation of unnecessary repairsñ Providing false information on their productsñ Claiming fake licenses, certification, accreditation for themselves or their products/services
Elia's field is not for sale
Elia's Field is Not for SaleBy Matias DovitiisLast year, word got around that there were plans to sell the soccer field at Elia Middle School. The Toronto District School Board was short on money for renovations and building projects, and hoped to generate revenue by selling off “excess” land in the suburbs.Many of us thought selling the local soccer field was a terrible idea. We got to work collecting signatures to let the school board know that the community would not support the sale.We need green spaces in our community and we need to protect our public assets. It is short sighted to sell school land to relieve immediate budgetary pressures. Without a long term vision, the TDSB will face new holes in future budgets, while leaving kids without green space to play in.Once a school field is sold, the community loses control of the type of development that takes its place.It could be more condos, commercial space, but nobody knows for certain. The only thing we do know is that the TDSB will want to sell quickly to make money. And that is not good enough for our children and our community.Under pressure, the TDSB backed off from selling Elia's field. Downsview is safe until the next planning cycle, but what of other communities? Late into 2013, Don Mills was still fighting to save another school field slated for sale. In total, eight sales were approved as part of the TDSB’s three year capital plan.It is upsetting to see all this happen at the same time that public funds are being misspent on extravagant salary increases. In December, a forensic audit revealed that TDSB senior staff collected $1.3 million in raises over the last few years – in direct contravention of provincial government directives.Over the last two years, the TDSB has dismissed teachers and school support workers, frozen salaries for most of those who remain and cut school maintenance budgets. It is neither fair nor transparent for decision makers to give themselves raises while sacrificing public space to offset a deficit.There needs to be a higher level of public accountability for what happens in our schools. We need to improve the quality of education, but it is hard for teachers to do this in schools that are falling apart and in classrooms that lack resources. In many cases, decision makers are disconnected from the communities they represent and do not see the impact of their decisions on local residents.We owe it to our children and our community to pay closer attention to this issue. Schools – and their green space – are an important part of Downsview. Good schools make good communities. Let’s protect this key investment in our future.
Downspout Disconnection
Downspout DisconnectionBy Tom RakocevicMany years ago, Toronto introduced mandatory downspout disconnection, as a way to reduce basement flooding and benefit our waterways. It was to be carried out in phases, starting with downtown and the central areas of our city.At the time, many community members gave little thought since our required disconnect time was years away. I remember someone telling me, “For once in my life, I am happy that downtown is getting something first!”Last year, Downsview residents received a letter from Toronto Water informing us that downspout disconnection would be mandatory by December 3, 2013. While some of you have already disconnected, others were surprised by the early onset of winter.If you have yet to disconnect, the following tips may help you get on track.Filing an exemption: Downspout disconnection may not be possible for you Depending on the layout of your property and the location of your downspouts, disconnection can range from easy to impossible.Some common signs that disconnection may not be right for your home:
- Your home is surrounded by paved walkways and disconnection could results in water pooling/icing or create a tripping hazard in these areas
- Disconnection would cause water to discharge against the foundation of your home or your neighbour’s home
- You have a reverse-slope driveway
If you believe some or all of your downspouts cannot be disconnected, the good news is the City has an exemption form for you to fill out.This form requires you to submit a clear drawing of the layout of your home/property and to explain why each downspout cannot be disconnected. Hand drawings are accepted - you do not need a professional architectural drawing!To obtain the exemption form, call your City Councilor or 311, search “Toronto Mandatory Downspout Disconnection” in Google, or e-mail dpp@toronto.ca and ask them to mail or e-mail it to you.Disconnection rebate for seniors or persons with a disabilityIf you are a senior or a person with a disability, you may be entitled to a rebate of up to $500 to help cover costs. This rebate is available if you have disconnected your downspout within the last year, or are planning to do so.Criteria to apply for the downspout disconnection rebate:
- You must be a senior or person with a disability with a household income of less than $50,000
- You must submit copies of forms demonstrating your income and receipt of pension/disability benefits if applicable (Income Tax Notice of Assessment, T4A, etc.)
- Proof of work including photographs and a dated original invoice of the work and materials
Again, the application form is available by calling your City Councillor or 311, or e-mailing dpp@toronto.ca.Choosing the right contractor for the jobHandy persons with an easy property layout can complete their own downspout disconnection. If you need help – for whatever reason - make sure you select the right person for the job.If you plan on applying for the rebate, you will need a formal invoice. Paying cash to an uncertified individual may cost you more.Make sure you trust the person doing the work and shop around for the best price and plan. Involve trusted family or friends if you are not confident in dealing with contractors. Finally, if a contractor proposes a mile-long tunnel to divert the water and you will have to take out a second mortgage on your home, please think twice!
Our schools are being short changed in Downsview
By Matias de DovitiisI hear it all the time. We need more children’s programming in Downsview. We need to create more opportunities for our youth. And yet, the designated funding that should be helping to meet these needs continues to be diverted to communities that are better off.
It is sad, but it is true. The province is underfunding all schools, but it is schools like ours that suffer the most. The government knows they do not provide enough money to run the system, but it refuses to take responsibility. It is a card trick shuffle and it is the neediest youth that are losing the game.The Ontario government provides special funding to schools that have higher numbers of new arrivals to Canada and higher numbers of students that need special teaching assistance. They have provided the school boards with two funding streams for this purpose: the English as a Second Language (ESL) Allocation Grant and the Learning Opportunity Grant (LOG).In principle, these grants are over and above the regular funding that schools receive to pay their normal operating costs. They are supposed to flow to needier schools to help pay for extra teachers and other teaching aids, so that students who require extra support have an equal chance to succeed. However, the Toronto District School Board is so short of funds that they use 1/4 of the ESL money and 2/3 of the LOG funding to pay other bills.This has a particularly negative impact on schools in the north of the city, because this is where you have higher rates of poverty for young families and higher numbers of new Canadians. Rather than helping to level the playing field for students in Downsview, these designated funds are being used to pay the hydro bill in Forest Hill.There is something seriously wrong with this entire dynamic. The provincial government knows that that the TDSB is shortchanging needy schools, but is hiding from responsibility by claiming that it is not their decision to make. Yet they set up the rules. It is a simple accounting trick to hide from the problem they started. They created the ESL and LOG funding, but also created the funding deficit that drives the reallocation of this special funding to regular operating costs.The provincial government determines the pay rate for teachers, but they fail to deliver the necessary budget. Over the last two years, this has brought a loss of teachers and a decrease in the level of education in our schools. In 2012, 430 Education Assistants and 200 high school teachers were fired, undermining efforts to improve math scores across the TDSB.Like some backwards Robin Hood, Ontario is taking from the poorest students to give to the rich. It is not small change either. Every year, 80 million dollars is taken from needy schools and spread around to fill budget gaps. This is money that should be used where it is needed most, to create a more equitable system that gives all students an equal chance to succeed.
Auto insurance rates: postal code prejudice?
By Tom Rakocevic Downsview residents pay the highest auto insurance rates in all of Toronto. According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, Torontonians paid an average of $1896 per year during the period 2009-2011. In York West, the federal riding stretching west from Keele to the Humber River and north from Sheppard to the city limits, the average yearly premium was a whopping $2184.
Auto insurance companies take many factors into account when determining insurance rates – age, driving record, type of vehicle and level of coverage. But place of residence makes a bigger difference than you might think.The Ontario NDP conducted some simple research by calling a number of insurance companies to request a quote. With each call, the researcher gave the same driver and vehicle information, but cited a difference address. For the same forty-year old male driving a Toyota Yaris, the companies quoted premiums of $1153 in Lawrence Park, $1839 in Bramalea, $2172 in Rexdale and $2517 at Jane and Finch.So why does the same driver pay twice the premium at Jane and Finch than he would at Lawrence Park? Why does our community pay the highest auto insurance rates in Toronto? For the insurance companies, it’s all about protecting their bottom line.It's not about collision rates. According to City of Toronto collision data, Downsview area municipal wards 7 and 8 have above average collision rates, but not the highest in the city. Ward 20, in downtown Trinity-Spadina, captures that dubious honour, with over 6400 collisions during the period 2009-2011.Similarly, Downsview's Police Division 31 has higher than average rates of vehicular theft and vehicular crime, but once again fails to rank number one.However, our local community does hit the top of the charts for the highest cost per auto insurance claim. Across Toronto, the average payout is $17,900.In York West, that figure climbs to a hefty $30,000.According to Insurance Bureau of Canada, auto insurers paid out more than they collected in York West between 2009 and 2011.Raising the rates may be good for business, but it's hard on the bottom line of a community with lower than average earnings. And it's hard to swallow paying $2000 premiums when you're driving a ten year old Pontiac and not a shiny new Mercedes.Regardless of your vehicle - or your driving record - you pay a high price for living in Downsview. That may be hard to swallow, but Downsview drivers have little choice. By law, Ontario drivers must be insured. Meanwhile, auto insurers are legally entitled to use postal codes as a risk factor when calculating how much their customers will pay.It may be legal, but it's also absurd. It has nothing to do with accidents within a particular neighbourhood. If a person who lives on your street has a major car accident in northern Ontario, your premium will rise because he/she shares your postal code. If a person who lives in upscale Lawrence Park has an accident that renders them unable to work, and moves into your postal code while the insurance company is paying their rehabilitation costs, your premium may increase.This postal code prejudice saddles one of the city's poorest neighbourhoods with the highest auto insurance premiums in all of Toronto. To make matters worse, auto insurers charge these rates with the full knowledge and blessing of the Financial Services Commission of Ontario, an arm's length agency of the provincial government that regulates the auto insurance industry.Isn't the government supposed to ensure that Ontarians are treated fairly and equitably?
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How does an auto insurance company determine your individual rate?Auto insurance companies employ specialized statisticians called actuaries who assess the level of risk of each new prospective client. Risk means the likelihood that a client will file a claim and the presumed amount of a claim. The higher the expected risk, the higher the premium. The best client is the individual that pays and pays but never files a claim.What factors are used to determine your rate?Actuaries use a number of factors to determine your level of risk including:
Who regulates auto insurance companies?The activities of auto insurance companies are regulated by the Financial Services Commission of Ontario or FSCO, an arm's length agency of Ontario's Ministry of Finance. Auto insurance companies are expected to abide by the rules of the Auto Insurance Act 1990. When calculating and raising rates, insurers provide detailed information to FSCO for approval. |
Welcome to Historic Downsview
by Howard MoscoeThis is the first of a series of articles on the history of our community.Have you ever wondered what Downsview looked like 150 years ago?The Township of York had its beginnings in 1793 when it was carved out of the bush by Governor Simcoe. The township's rugged farmland fed the growing town of York, the capital city of Upper Canada on Lake Ontario.
By 1825, four small villages dotted the farmland in the north west part of the township: Downsview (Keele and Wilson), Elia (Keele and Finch), Kaiserville (Jane and Steeles), and Fisherville (Dufferin and FInch).Downsview was later established as the site of the district post office, and the name came to be applied to the entire district. Many local residents still remember the old post office - now closed- at Keele and Victory Drive. Many, like me, still give their mailing address as Downsview.In 1800s Downsview, farmland consisted of 200 acre lots that sold for $60 to $250. Lots with hardwood were worth more than those with softwood. As a Downsview farmer, you would earn your livelihood growing wheat in the summer and harvesting trees in the winter.Villages were organized around the mills- grist mills where you took your wheat to be ground into flour, and saw mills where you dragged your logs to be sawn into timber. In the village of Elia, you could have your lumber cut at John Wilson's saw mill north of Dufferin and Finch on the west branch of the Humber or grind your grain at Wriggitt's grist mill south of Finch. Other local businesses included a carriage and wagon shop and a blacksmith shop.
Construction cranes have now replaced the mills as the most visible symbol of economic activity in Downsview, but its residents still retain the same pioneering spirit. Over the years, land has changed hands many times. First, English soldiers of the Queen's Rangers were granted lots by Simcoe when he moved he capital from Niagara to York in 1872. Later, land was sold to Pennsylvania Germans who came north in Conestoga wagons between 1798 and 1805. Successive waves of immigrants have carved out new opportunities for themselves and their families, transforming a once quiet village into a busy multicultural hub, where more than half of all households now list a mother tongue other than English. New communities are now maintaining the vibrancy of historic centres of community life. The Episcopal Methodist Church was erected by the early pioneers as a frame building in 1851. The present building - a brick structure erected in1901- is now occupied jointly by the Reform Hungarian Church and the Church of the Lamb of God with services in Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu.Elia Middle School still bears the name of the historic village, but the old brick schoolhouse that once proudly stood at the northeast corner of Keele and Finch has long succumbed to the forces of change. I am sure that the first teacher, Jacob Hoover, would be surprised to see a subway station being constructed on the site where he taught arithmetic an spelling to eight grades.And yet, Downsview has long been a communications and transportation hub. First it was the post office that kept early residents connected. Later innovators would bring the airstrip (stay tuned for a future article on Downsview's aviation history).With the new subway extension, our community will play a key role in linking Toronto and York Region. History continues to be made in Downsview. Jacob Hoover would be proud.(Much of the information in this article comes from Pioneering in York, by Patricia W. Hard, General Publishing, Toronto, 1968.)
Community of Downsview: Come Aboard the New Line
Community of Downsview: Come Aboard the New Lineby Jessica A. PointonIt’s time for an upgrade.Toronto’s average commute is 30.4 minutes, almost 50% more than the national average. Some evenings, Downsview commuters wait almost that long at the subway station, just to catch their overcrowded bus home.
Hope is on the way. The Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension will add six new subway stations between Downsview Station and Vaughan Metropolitan Centre.Lillian Rodriguez, a local resident, can hardly wait, “I’m looking forward to cutting my travel time, to have more time for other priorities.” With train departures expected every four minutes from the new stations, local residents will have a faster and more predictable commute to work and school.The extension has also boosted Lillian’s sense of pride in her community: “it’s making our neighbourhood a priority for transit.”The Downsview community will no longer be on the margins of city life, but an integral part of a solid transportation link between Toronto and York Region. The extension is expected to attract visitors and business to the area. Two of the new stations – Downsview Park and Pioneer Village – are strategically located to make local tourist attractions more accessible.The extension promises other benefits too. Car traffic between Toronto and York will decrease, aiding efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in highly populated areas. Three commuter parking lots – at Finch West, Pioneer Village and Highway 407 – will help encourage drivers to leave their cars behind.The extension is expected to open by autumn of 2016. Already, the two tunnel producing machines – affectionately named the “Yorkie” and the “Torkie” – have completed their labours. “Torkie” reached its final destination at Vaughan Metropolitan Centre on November 8, 2013. The next phase of the journey requires fortifying the tunnels, installing the tracks, and preparing the signal systems.Construction can sometimes be a bumpy ride. Although residents may find the detours inconvenient, it is a short-term sacrifice for a necessary long-term investment in our neighbourhood. The Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension provides a template for other transit- famished areas across the GTA. The population is only going to increase, and it`s time to build the proper infrastructure to uphold the transit-related prospects of Downsview, Toronto and the GTA.Fasten your expectations, Downsview is on the move.Residents are encouraged to check the TTC website for updates. http://www.ttc.ca/Spadina/index.jsp
Typhoon Haiyan – An Opportunity for Transformation?
Typhoon Haiyan – An Opportunity for Transformation? By Robert McElhinneyLast November, Toronto residents joined the local Filipino community in responding to the tragedy caused by Typhoon Haiyan. Fundraisers were organized to help the millions left without homes, and vigils mounted to mourn more than 6000 dead. Four months later, most of us have already forgotten.
In the Philippines, however, the work of reconstruction has only just begun. In the days and weeks following the disaster, the government struggled to rehabilitate the national north-south highway, and to add the additional ferry services needed to accommodate the flow of relief supplies.Later, the focus shifted to building bunk houses for the homeless. Amidst outcry at the poor quality of the construction, there has been a commitment to modify and rebuild to international standards.Public debate over mismanagement of development funds is not new to the Philippines. Right at the time that the typhoon hit, organized opposition to “porkbarreling” was ramping up. The issue here is continuing presidential discretion over 1,134.8 billion pesos in public funds [$28 billion Cdn].A small portion of these funds – 25.2 billion pesos in the proposed 2014 budget – are Priority Development Assistance Funds. These PDAF funds are allocated to legislators for purposes which they determine in their regions.In one recent scandal, allegations are that 100% of this PDAF has been lost to kickbacks – 50% to legislators, 10-15% to local governments and implementing agencies, and 35-40% to a prominent business woman named Janet Napoles.Typhoon Haiyan has drawn new critical attention to the porkbarreling system. On the surface, it would seem that this crisis presents an opportunity for President Benigno Aquino to direct discretionary lump sum funds to the purpose of rebuilding the devastated regions of his country.However, this top down approach to spending has historically favoured the rich over the poor. Already grass roots organizations are expressing concerns about the government’s plan to develop a public-private response to the crisis. To date, there has been no organized consultation with victims or organizations supporting them.What are we in Toronto to make of this convergence of major disaster with public outcry against a corrupt system of managing public funds in the Philippines? It should be transformative. It is a time for momentum to bring about real change.In 1986, people power removed the corrupt regime of President Marcos. Sadly, removing the man did not transform the system. This time people power in the Philippines must target the very workings of governance itself.We here in Canada can support the grassroots movement for change. If we do not, we become part of the problem, because our own corporations are there.The Philippines government allows Canadian mining companies to extract tremendous natural resources, while exporting up to 100% of their profits. This permissive environment has led to complaints of environmental destruction and human rights abuses.Canadians have a responsibility to pressure our government to regulate the activities of our mining companies working abroad. At the same time, we can support people power by raising the porkbarreling issue with our government representatives and partnering with community based organizations in the Philippines.Can a leopard change its spots? When the people of the Philippines rise up again in a collective cry for change, and when we their allies abroad are with them in the struggle, it is possible.Robert McElhinney is a retired United Church minister, whose daughter and her family live in the Philippines. Over the last six years, he has visited the Philipinnes three times. In 2012, Bob and his wife Dorothy participated in an exposure tour to learn about the impact of large scale mining on local communities and the environment in the Cordillera region of north Luzon in the Philippines. His last visit to the Philippines fell one month after Typhoon Haiyan.
Ice Storm Left Many Residents in the Dark
A freak ice storm, Toronto's worst on record, caused more than 300,000 people to lose power just in time for the holidays.Freezing rain during the Dec. 21 storm produced a blanket of ice stretching from Southern Ontario all the way to New Brunswick. In Downsview, the weight of that ice caused many trees to snap and knock over power lines, leaving residents in the cold for days.“We had people who were without power in some cases for six days,” said Councillor Anthony Perruzza (Ward 8, York West). “The most difficult situations were in apartment buildings. Whole apartment blocks lost power and they only had some emergency elements that worked. They basically lost heat, lost hot water. They only had their elevators working and some emergency lights, but not much else. That left people stranded in a really, really difficult way.”The last twelve months have seen a series of extreme weather events in Toronto. In July, a storm and flash flood caused power outages, transit interruptions and widespread basement damage. Following on the heels of the December ice storm, a January freeze brought record low temperatures, freezing pipes and bursting water mains. Flooding from one such break closed the subway station at Yonge and Bloor.While the science is still debated, climate change experts suggest extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and more intense. Meanwhile, municipal governments are on the front lines of managing the resulting emergencies.As the December ice storm unfolded, Perruzza and his staff worked diligently to ensure that the city's crisis organizing committee and Toronto Hydro were made aware of all power outages reported to his office by constituents. They were constantly in touch with property owners and landlords to ensure that police visited to check for vulnerable people who needed to be taken to one of the two warming centres that had opened up in the Ward. Additionally, they worked to provide fuel and generators to buildings that were in desperate need.“We also did a door to door, particularly with people whom we knew were elderly, to make sure that they either were ok, or needed to be taken to relatives' or friends' places who had power,” Perruzza said.According to Perruzza, who lost power at his own house for four and a half days, the most difficult part of the whole ordeal was not being able to provide constituents with answers. More than anything, people wanted information. They needed to make decisions about whether to move or stay put.Toronto Hydro, however, was unable to predict when electricity would be restored. With electrical demand already poised to outstrip supply, recovering from emergencies takes time.“People were waiting it out hour by hour and the power wasn't returning. They were sort of in the dark,” said Peruzza. “That was a very difficult thing for me to deal with and something we need to change going forward.”Investing in our electrical grid, water mains and transit system is critical to being prepared for the next big storm.A 2013 report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives warns decision makers to pay attention a growing infrastructure deficit. One contributing factor, suggests the report, is the downloading of infrastructure responsibilities to municipal governments. In 1955, 75% of infrastructure investment came from federal and provincial governments. By 2011, municipal governments were responsible for almost 50% of infrastructure investment.Overburdened municipal governments can`t plan for the future if they`re too busy coping with emergencies. It`s time to stop making decisions in the dark.By David Ros
Welcome to the Downsview Advocate
In 2013, journalists told us a lot of uncomfortable stories about the mayor of our city.The media faced criticism for reporting on a video that couldn’t be found, and for making allegations which had not yet been proven in court. And yet, without the pressure from reporters, police might never have released the evidence that prompted city council to withdraw most of the mayor’s power.Sometimes, reflecting and shaping reality are one and the same.As we launch this first edition of the Downsview Advocate, we seek to reflect and shape the life of our community. How many of us voted for Ford? How many of us will vote for him again? How many of us knew the TDSB tried to sell off the soccer field at Elia Middle School? How many of us signed the petition to save it?Reality is always multi-faceted. For some, Downsview is a place with a reputation for violent crime and low voter turnout. For others, it represents a pioneering community of longstanding immigration, hard won successes, and vibrant development. What is it for you? A place you live because you can’t afford prices elsewhere or because you’re proud to look down on the city from its highest point?Downsview got its name from its height, and its unique perspective on the cityscape. The Downsview Advocate seeks to offer readers a unique perspective on the life of their community, and to become a catalyst for social change and forward movement. We hope you’ll enjoy this first edition, and we hope you’ll become a part of reflecting and shaping Downsview.The Downsview Advocate is your newspaper. Please write to us at: info@downsviewadvocate.caSend us your letter to the editor, promote your community event, publicize your business. Together, let’s help make Downsview a place we all can be proud of.By Tanya Chute Molina