You may have noticed posters placed in some TTC stations advising riders that tokens will no longer be accepted at unmanned entrances. These ads represent a new, more aggressive push for adoption of the PRESTO card that has been in deployment for several years across the GTA. While there are useful qualities to tap cards, tokens have three important features that the Province of Ontario and City of Toronto overlooked when pressuring the TTC to phase out this alternative currency that has been used since the 1950s.The primary benefits of PRESTO cards stem from their ease of use in the digital era. You can “top-up” online with a credit card. That’s fine for many TTC riders. It’s not so easy for many others. Public transit is a fundamental social pillar used by some of the most vulnerable people in our society: the poor, elderly, sick, and young. For these riders, added complexity—even small levels of added complexity—are a barrier to access. Tokens are simple, well understood, easy to use, and ubiquitous. For those who cannot readily use the Internet, having to visit “select” TTC stations in person to “top-up” creates unnecessary hardship, not to mention that such money is not immediately available for use on their card. As a result, cash becomes the next simplest, viable alternative. And the cash fare is roughly 12% more, effectively the same as sales tax!Taxing the vulnerable is a practice we detest, but there are deeper issues such as identity. Not all TTC riders can easily establish and maintain a verifiable identity—something that is required to have a PRESTO card. Tokens are anonymous, untraceable, and that’s a good thing. Even assuming the best case of world-class technology and privacy law adherence, recent history repeatedly teaches us that it’s not enough. A support worker at a homeless shelter or food bank can hand a token to a visitor effortlessly—not so with a PRESTO card.It is true that transit users can currently still use the “main entrances” of TTC stations in order to pay with tokens. The overlooked result is a social-class divide, where vulnerable riders are no longer allowed to use the unmanned entrances they had used for decades with tokens & turnstiles. Instead, they must go wait in long lines with the other “people who refuse to modernize”, corralled into a place for that lower class of rider. Tokens do not draw lines across social class like PRESTO cards. Preventing the use of tokens to some entrances will not increase PRESTO card adoption. It simply separates people according to entrances in a manner that were decried in social movements of decades past, with no tangible benefit.I am not advocating against the PRESTO card. It has value. My concern rests with phasing out the token so aggressively. The TTC reassures us that it is a “transition period” and that a “network of vendors will eventually be established” to support single-ride anonymous card purchases. Yet, in the meantime, it is barrelling forward constraining token usage without viable alternatives in place. Why not simply delay token phase out until everything is ready? Modernizing transit need not create social class divides.
Temp Workers, Know Your Rights
Temporary staffing or temp agencies are companies that find and hire workers for other companies. Temporary workers, or ‘temps’, do not work directly for these companies. Instead, they still work for the agency; the client company pays the temp agency, which then takes a cut of the temp worker’s pay and passes on the remainder. Temp workers do not receive any benefits from the client company and do not receive the same pay as permanent employees who do the same work. This uneven power balance means that their position is very precarious and they can be easily fired by either the client or the temp agency.Originally intended to fill in for employees who needed a leave of absence (such as for a vacation or illness), temp work has now become semi-permanent, precarious positions that are under the constant threat of elimination due to fluctuations in a company’s staffing needs. Since the establishment of temp agencies, corporations quickly learned the benefits of having a workforce that was easily hired and fired; in addition, the fragmented and asynchronous nature of a temp worker’s employment means that he or she has very little chance to meet and develop relationships with other workers, temporary or permanent, thus limiting their ability to collectively demand better treatment from their workplace. Seeing the threat of replacement by temp workers, permanent employees have also learned not to demand better treatment at their workplace.A survey by Jane Finch Action Against Poverty (JFAAP), a local community group, found that over 200 temp agencies operated in the area. These companies are poorly regulated and employ tens of thousands in the Jane and Finch area alone, and many more across the city. These agencies are sometimes fined by the Ministry of Labour but the sum of the fines have often been so low that it barely affects the agency.On August 24th, York University’s legal clinic, Community Legal Aid Services Programme (CLASP), JFAAP, and the Jane Finch Community and Family Centre held a legal education workshop to inform temp workers of their rights. Although their position is precarious, temp agency workers are still protected by Ontario’s Employment Standards Act. Among other rights, they are due to no less than the minimum wage of $11.40/hr and this is after the agency has taken their cut. They also have the right to refuse unsafe work, and must have an eight hour rest period in between shifts. These and other important facts were outlined to the attendees during the workshop.Although attendance was small, there will be more workshops held by the partner groups. Food, tokens, and childcare will be provided. Those interested in learning more can contact Nicola from CLASP at 416-736-2100 ext. 30130.Future workshops will also be placed in the Downsview Advocate’s event calendar.
Mayor Tory talks Manufacturing in DUKE Heights
On the morning of Tuesday September 13th, approximately 250 people gathered at Teknion furniture headquarters for some breakfast and to hear Mayor John Tory speak. It was the Mayor’s Economic Update Breakfast and the purpose of the event was to remind everyone that manufacturing is an essential part of Toronto’s economy.The mayor’s message was clear: we need manufacturing in order to be a successful economy and there was no better neighborhood to deliver this message than in DUKE Heights. This is a neighborhood that provides many of the manufacturing jobs in the GTA, with manufacturing being the second largest source of employment for the 30,000 employees who work in the area.Mayor Tory emphasized that Toronto has a very competitive market for manufacturing. Toronto is home to some extremely innovative and intelligent individuals who create quality goods whose production is supported by good laws. The Mayor stated that because of these things, despite the economic downturn of 2008, manufacturing has grown in Toronto. In the last few years the GTA has added 1300 new jobs in manufacturing.Despite this growth, our local manufacturing sector is suffering. Canadian companies do not seem to have very strong exports and despite the Mayor’s claims that there are laws setup to support the manufacturing sector, there are many other road blocks from the city and local infrastructure that hinder development. The Mayor gave an example of a local company that wished to expand their food processing plant. For this addition they needed to receive new permits and hook up hydro to the new part of the building. It took so long to go through these official processes that the new addition of the plant was built and ready long before hydro was hooked up. Mayor Tory stated that he is aware of the roadblocks that manufacturers face when dealing with the City and city infrastructure and says he takes responsibility for these problems. “Time is money” says Tory “and we are working on that”. What form that work and responsibility will take remains unspecified at this juncture as this update seemed to serve mostly as a morale boost to the manufacturing sector.It is understandable since more than ever manufacturing is seen as a less viable career option. Part of the importance of holding his update at a factory like Teknion is to showcase what modern manufacturing can be. The products at Teknion are sleek and professionally engineered and the work is both craftsmanship and technology based. Teknion is a good example that to be successful in modern manufacturing requires intense training, education, trade skills and more.One thing to take from this economic update event is to try a little harder to support our local industry by buying local and supporting Canadian manufacturers.
The Latest on Electoral Reform
Since this paper last wrote an article on electoral reform there have been several developments on the issue.Firstly, Justin Trudeau apologized to the House of Commons for comments he made during Question Period alleging that the opposition was not cooperating on electoral reform. When questioned about the lack of progress, Trudeau said that his government has put forward several ways to address the issue, including a parliamentary committee, direct engagement by the Minister of Democratic Institutions, and a public consultation. Trudeau implied that the delays arose because the opposition Conservatives and NDP were imposing unreasonable conditions in exchange for taking part. Conservative MP Scott Reid challenged this statement, calling it “invented and patently false”, forcing the Prime Minister to issue a formal apology through the Speaker.In addition, the Prime Minister altered the structure of the parliamentary committee looking at electoral reform. Initially, the committee had a government majority but after the NDP put forward a motion for a a committee that gave a majority to the opposition parties the Liberals abandoned their plans and supported this motion. Prime Minister Trudeau said that he feared they were acting too much like the Conservatives under Stephen Harper and that his government is trying to work better with the opposition. The initial proposal would also have denied a vote to the Bloc and the Green Party but the NDP committee contains five Liberals, three Conservatives, two NDP, and one Bloc and one Green Party. The motion also called for all MPs to conduct town hall consultations with constituents and to file results by October 14th. There have not yet been many scheduled town hall meetings, in fact, only a handful have taken place so far. Local MP Judy Sgro has yet to set a date for consultations in her riding but this information will be added to the Downsview Advocate’s website event listing when it becomes available.The consultations will discuss what form electoral reform will take. There are two major proposals: Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) and Single Transferable Vote (STV). MMP involves making two votes: one for a local MP and one for a regional representative. The regional MP would be used to “top up” the votes to ensure that the number of MPs that the party receives is proportional to the number of votes it receives. The Law Commission of Canada recommended this system in 2004. STV involves larger ridings that would receive a number of MPs based on its population. Voters rank candidates on their order of preference. The number of votes needed to elect an MP would be calculated by dividing the number of voters by the number of seats. Candidates who receive more than this will have their surplus votes transferred to voters’ second choice. The BC Citizens Assembly recommended this system in 2004.Leadnow is an organization concerned with this issue and will be conducting a detailed presentation on proportional representation in the coming months. The time and location will also be posted on the Advocate’s website.Stay tuned for more information!
Your TTC Fare Will Go Up in Downsview
Metrolinx, the Provincial body in charge of building transit in the GTA, is considering a number of changes on how we pay for transit. This conversation will result in the average trip being more expensive for residents in Downsview.Metrolinx is doing this, because of budget pressures and because different modes of transit (buses vs. trains) and the distance of each trip (1km vs. 10km) need to be factors in calculating the price of each trip.Currently, a trip from Downsview to the downtown core, which normally requires a bus and a subway ride, costs the same as a trip from Bay St. and Queen St. to Bay St. and Bloor St. -one bus ride. This means that people in inner suburbs benefit from a system that understands that the distances traveled in the suburbs are greater than they are in the downtown core.Metrolinx is considering changing this. Their rationale for questioning the current system is that it is not fair to charge the same price for someone that rides a train versus a bus, or takes a short trip versus a long trip. What this misses is that the accountant's methodology to building transit will create a dysfunctional system.If we want more people riding transit, we need to figure out a transit system that caters to the needs of riders, not the other way around. Metrolinx seems to be coming to the decision that the riders need to meet the demands of the transit system -they've done this before.Leading up to the PanAm games, Metrolinx built the UP Express from Union Station to Pearson International Airport. Their business model assumed that there would be a wealthy market of transit riders that would pay a premium fee for the convenience of the service they created. What they missed, is that most of the transit trips to the airport were made by the 10,000 employees who are employed by the Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA). Since the service was not practical, or affordable for most of the employees, the trains ride mostly empty -even a reduction in fares has not changed ridership.The UP Express experience should have taught Metrolinx that its focus on market based transit building is not a viable model. For Downsview, this could mean a more expensive transit fare in the next couple of years. Let us not forget where the decision are being made: the Province is not investing in the operating costs of transit, so Metrolinx is trying to come up with the money by raising the price of transit.
LRT Transit: A Modern Route for Public Transportation
In a growing community, such as Downsview, getting around can be a hurdle -to say the least. We have to account for traffic jams, congested highways, and public transit delays and an increase in cars on the road has contributed to our city’s growing pollution problems.A new transit model has been proposed and it is expected to eliminate a gigantic portion of the above mentioned issues. The Light Rail Transit (LRT) is an innovative model on route to take over public transit in Toronto. This environmentally friendly approach, high passenger capacity and cost efficient blueprint will give passengers a better experience.Metrolinx along with the Toronto Transit Commission have come together to build the Eglinton Crosstown, Finch West LRT and Sheppard East LRT. The LRT will tackle a very congested portion of the city making public transportation much more accessible without having to build expensive and outdated subways stations.The LRT is not only a luxurious mode of public transportation but it is also eco-friendly as it runs on wind and solar energy. Besides, LRT vehicles can carry 255 passengers per train which is triple the amount compared to buses that only have the capacity to carry 55 passengers on board. The average speed of LRT’s is 27 kilometers per hour; making it slower compared to subway train (39 km/hr) but much faster than a bus (17 km/hr). Another perk about this modern vehicle is that it has multiple door where it facilitates the entrance and exiting of passengers; including those with disabilities.Furthermore, many residents will benefit from using the LRT’s in a timely and efficient manner as several will run on existing streetcars lines without being affected by other traffic.Symone Walters, who is actively involved in the community through the Community Action Planning Group, has expressed other benefits for the betterment of the community that will surround these transit projects. Walters hopes “employment opportunities will be implemented through these transit lines as the demand for more transit grows.” She anticipates people in the community will be “enticed to use public transportation”, specifically because the LRT as an easier and faster form of transportation. Lastly she expressed that “having LRT vehicles above ground can attract passengers to discover our growing community.”Although the overall project is estimated to take 25 years, the first phase has already begun with construction along Eglington Ave. There will be 25 stops from Mount Dennis to Kennedy Ave., this portion is expected to be completed by 2021.The execution of Toronto’s new transit plan is expected to exceed everyone’s expectations. From its ability to transport more passengers at once to its eco-friendly technology and the thousands of job opportunities it will create. We are moving towards world class public transportation –something all transit takers in Toronto deserve!
Zodiac: A Life Changing Experience for your Child
How many people can say they love what they do because it helps people? Rick and Ellen Howard are two of those people! Their passion for creating a safe and fun space for children and their families has been their dream and is now their reality.Zodiac Swim School first opened its doors to the community in 1978 and Zodiac Camp opened in the summer of 1998. Over the years, Zodiac has grown to become one of the largest private swim schools in Canada.Zodiac programs have earned the confidence and respect of thousands of families in the community. Countless children and other participants have gained aquatic skills, self-confidence and a love of water through high-quality, low ratio programming. “We are parents of three amazing kids and plan for, care about and treat other people’s children as an extended part of our family,” said Ellen.Aside from Zodiac’s reputation for providing excellent aquatic learning, the name also represents quality care in summer camp programs. Camps provide an enjoyable, unique and challenging opportunity which appeal to children and their parents. “Camps, swimming and so much more…we love helping children (and adults) develop skills, build self-confidence and make memories to last a lifetime,” said Rick.Zodiac’s day camp was the first to offer shorter one and two week sessions. While younger campers enjoy a multi-faceted, variety-based program, older campers get to experience Zodiac’s unique specialty program. Campers in the sessions for seven to 12 year olds get to choose to focus on the arts, sports and discovery, while still getting exposure to a wide array of other activities. Zodiac’s renowned leadership program for 13 to 15 year olds provides a terrific training experience and transition to becoming a Zodiac staff member!Many families also enjoy an amazing experience at Zodiac’s beautiful Muskoka overnight camp, Camp Tamarack. There is a large number of children participating in day and weekend introductory experiences at Tamarack and others becoming full-fledged campers at Tamarack for long or short sessions.“The confidence and faith that Zodiac families place in us is never taken for granted and appreciated more than it is possible to express,” said Ellen.Zodiac’s goal is to provide all participants with an exciting experience that will be remembered for a lifetime. The school offers age-appropriate programming that builds each child’s self-esteem and confidence, while enhancing his/her personal growth and development. Zodiac provides a safe and welcoming environment for children to learn and play in. The highly qualified and caring staff view and treat each child as a unique individual with distinct needs, goals and ways of learning.“We truly love what we do,” they said.If you are looking to enrol your child in a high quality program that will benefit them for life or to register, contact Zodiac today!Web: http://www.zodiackids.ca/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zodiaccampswim/Twitter: @ZodiacSwim, @ZodiacCampPhone: 416.789.1989*ADVERTORIAL*
On the Go? Grab Some Fresh Fruits and Vegetables during your Commute
If you regularly commute through Downsview Station you may have recently noticed a food market with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Grab Some Good TTC pop-up food market is an initiative by Toronto Public Health, the TTC, and FoodShare Toronto to make healthy and affordable food more accessible throughout the city.The produce sold at the pop-up market comes directly from the Ontario Food Terminal (which is the main food distribution centre for Toronto,) and from local farms who supply seasonal produce. This guarantees low-cost high-quality fresh produce that is never sitting on a shelf.The pop-up market has a variety of affordable and fresh produce including: oranges, cantaloupe, watermelons strawberries, blackberries, carrots, kiwis, peaches, pineapples, lettuce, kale, spinach, cilantro, bell peppers, eggplant, garlic, mushrooms, avocados, cauliflower, cilantro, garlic, ginger, and other produce. For commuters that needed a meal on the go there were fresh salads and fruit cups available.Barbara Emanuel, Manager of Healthy Living at Toronto Public Health explained that, “prices are as low as possible to enable access to fresh produce,” which encourages commuters to make healthier food choices without breaking their food budget.In addition to providing healthy food alternatives at affordable prices, FoodShare employs community members like Rickysha Jean-Baptiste, a lifetime resident of the Downsview neighbourhood, who works at the pop-up market. Rickysha began working with FoodShare Toronto after completing a placement through the University of Guelph-Humber, where she studies. Her passion for the Grab Some Good market is visible through the friendly customer service she provides to commuters. According to Rickysha, her and her colleagues usually serve over 100 customers in their 4 hours of operation, and consistently receive positive feedback from commuters who would love to see an earlier start time for the pop-up market.The Grab Some Good pop-up market is a pilot project that started in May 2016, and will hopefully become a permanent fixture at Downsview Station. You can purchase affordable, fresh, diverse, and healthy produce at Downsview Station on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M.
A Cleaner Downsview Community: One Mailed Letter at a Time
I recently had a letter to mail and the nearest mailbox, in my area, is one block away. Since the weather was lovely, I decided to take a walk to the mailbox and do an experiment along the way.When I left my house, I took a couple of plastic bags. My goal was simple: See how much garbage I could pick up during the short walk from my house to the mailbox. The results were fascinating.By the time I made it half way to the mailbox, I had already filled a full bag of garbage. Its contents included pop cans, chocolate bar wrappers, plastic containers, half-filled bottles of water, newspapers, bus transfers, chip bags, plastic utensils, and a box of organic chicken bouillon. Wow!Where did all this garbage come from? Did one of the garbage bins by the curb get knocked over by mistake? Did the local racoons host a feast for a furry family reunion in the neighbourhood? I continued my walk towards the mailbox and discovered more garbage along the sidewalk, grass, flower beds, and street.As I walked onward, past people waiting at the bus stop, I realised that some of them were looking at me with a confused expression. Perhaps it is unusual to see a man walking down the sidewalk, picking up garbage as he goes. I smiled politely at them and carried on -their faces suggested that they thought I might be out of my mind!Turning the corner, I saw a man and his two sons, about 8 and 10 years old, walking on the opposite side of the street. He noticed what I was doing, and pointed for his sons to look. “Great job!” he shouted across the street with a smile, gesturing to his kids to observe and learn. “Thanks!” I replied. “We have a lovely community. I’m just doing my part to keep it that way.” The man’s friendly words felt good. His children might remember how easy it is to use one of the many City of Toronto garbage and recycling bins. They might encourage others. A simple thing might grow.The walk to the mailbox and back took a total of 10 minutes. The letter was safely mailed. I filled two full bags of garbage from that single street block.Back at home, I thought about my experiment and what I had learned. When reading the news, I often find myself feeling helpless to make a difference. I cannot fix all of the problems. Picking up two bags of garbage means very little on the larger scale of the city, country, or planet. Yet, I did not feel that same helplessness. Instead, I felt closer to my community. I would wish that pleasant feeling upon you as well, because you too can do one small thing here and another small thing there to make our Downsview community a little prettier, a little more comfortable, a little more our home. You don’t need any special skills. You don’t need to be rich. You don’t need bountiful free time. You can help keep our community green and clean, one short walk at a time.
Urgent Care Closed at Jane and Finch Hospital
July 2016 marked the end of urgent care at the Humber River Hospital site located at Jane and Finch. The location will continue to provide CT, MRI and general x-rays.The news may be bitter sweet for many residents who are watching the sun set on the community's old York Finch Hospital, while services are being redirected to the new hospital located near Keele and Wilson.Joe Astrella, President of the Grandravine Homeowners Assocation, says the old York Finch Hospital played a large role in his life.When Joe moved into the community in the late 1960's he immediately took up the call to help in fundraising for the York Finch Hospital that was under construction. In 1970, his daughter Grace was born there and over the years, his family would drop by when the need arose. In 1994, Joe credits the hospital for saving his life following a heart attack.When talk began of expanding the Humber River Hospital network a decade ago, Joe joined a coalition of local residents who favoured expansion of the Jane and Finch site rather than moving it to a new location.Joe learned of the urgent care closure through this interview and believed residents should have been better notified since the news came as a surprise to him.Without proper notification, some residents might seek medical assistance at the hospital only to find out through a sign that they will have to seek help elsewhere."I am disappointed." said Joe, "When I was active with the coalition, we were told that the Humber River Hospital site on Church Street would be closing, but that emergency services would still be provided at our Jane and Finch location."As services continue to be cut back at the Jane and Finch hospital location, the time may well come when the government decides to pull the plug on our local hospital once and for all. A disappointing outcome indeed.For more information on the new Humber River Hospital or the urgent care closure, residents can visit www.hrh.ca or call 416-242-1000.