A full house of youngsters, elders, art enthusiasts and some of Toronto’s emerging singers, poets, rappers and dancers united on January 26 at York Woods Library to celebrate Freedom Fridayz’s seventh anniversary.Many artists including C-Flava, a dance group specializing in Afro-Caribbean dance, inspired five live painters to create full canvas paintings in a matter of hours. The live performances showcased the incredible talent that we are fortunate to have in the Jane-Finch community.“Freedom Fridayz is always dope and it’s a good environment that supports the youth”, says Sheldon, one of the young community members.Freedom Fridayz is an initiative of Black Creek Community Health Centre and The Spot, a youth-friendly space in the Jane Finch Mall.During the Freedom Fridayz showcase, Passport to Employment (PTE) held their Ontario Trillium Foundation Recognition event, acknowledging three years of funding for a youth employment project.Neighbourhood Action Youth Employment Committee (NAYEC), a collaboration of community and employment organizations, recognized the need to increase the employability of youth in Jane-Finch. Passport to Employment (PTE), a project of NAYEC, was created to tackle the issue of youth unemployment.Sheldon believes the program is important for young people, saying, “The Passport to Employment program doesn’t leave anyone behind. That’s what I like about it.”PTE works with five high schools in the Jane-Finch/Black Creek area which includes C.W. Jefferys, Westview, Downsview, Emery and McGuigan. Youth participate in training sessions to learn skills in a fun and interactive way. The trainings include customer service, food handling, HIGH FIVE and first aid/CPR.PTE also serves youth between the ages of 15 and 29 who are out-of-school and out-of-work, assisting them with Smart Serve, fork lifting, first aid and food handling training. The program also offers job readiness workshops to assist youth with their online job applications, resume writing and interview skills.The project is dedicated to increasing future economic opportunity and stability for high school students and out-of-school and out-of-work youth in the Jane-Finch community.For more information, contact Faduma Mohamed at 416-747-5616 ext. 106, or at pte.coordinator@gmail.com.
Our Grey Cup Champion
On November 28, 2017, the Toronto Argonauts won the 105th Grey Cup. Our community's very own Jamal Campbell was an offensive lineman on the team, and he proudly brought the cup to our community on January 23, 2018, sharing a message of hope and perseverance with Elia and C.W. Jefferys students.In 2009, I helped kick-start the creation of a football team at C.W. Jefferys by securing support from the Ford Foundation and interest from the school administration. I had hoped to give students a new opportunity for mentorship and access to a new sport that required strong teamwork and discipline. The Toronto Argonauts helped put the final pieces of the puzzle together and a new high school football team was born in our community. The team played for an exciting four years, but ultimately ended in 2013. I often wondered what came of this team, so full of hope. Enter Jamal Campbell.Our new local hero, Jamal was a 16 year old student at C.W.J. at the time. Athletic and at a towering 6'4", he played basketball on the school team. He still remembers the surprise and excitement at the school when the chance to try out for a football team was announced, "I watched football on TV but I was never really exposed to the sport until then. There was no way I would pass up the chance to play."Jamal says that opportunity to play football was a blessing, "High school football taught me discipline, time management, and healthy living. Playing on the team was a reward and not a right, so we had to keep our grades up and attend practices. We were reminded that we were students first and athletes second. Less than one percent of athletes make it pro, so you need an education to fall back on. What I gained from football opened a door for me to go to university."Jamal was granted admission to York University in 2011 and tried out for the York Lions, "I met players who had been playing since they were 8 years old so I had a lot of catching up to do. I was red-shirted in my first year and used the time to build and strengthen my body. I really pushed myself to excel and became a starter on the team in the next year."In March 2016, Jamal's years of football were put to the test at the CFL Combine, an important event where top Canadian university talent compete at a camp in front of CFL scouts and coaches. On May 10, 2016, Jamal was drafted by the Toronto Argonauts, beginning his professional career in Canadian football.Jamal won the Grey Cup in 2017, and on his day with the Cup he brought it home to his old schools, Elia and C.W.J., York University and even the corner of Jane and Finch. He spoke proudly of his tour here with the Grey Cup on January 23, "I brought the Cup back to the place I started. This is a win for our community and all of those who supported me. I want the youth in our area to know you can overcome any obstacle and reach your dreams through determination and perseverance."Current C.W. Jefferys Athletic Director, Tracey Galbraith, rejoiced in Jamal's success and is interested in exploring football again at the school. She discussed some of the challenges the earlier team faced such as sustaining the morale of forty players during a rigorous schedule in the starting years of a team. Tracey is hopeful for the future and believes Jamal's achievements will galvanize student interest.Congratulations to Jamal, our local hero. His win is a shining example of what can happen when we give our students new opportunities and invest in their success.
Building Better Communities: Continued Economic Growth through Shared Prosperity
There was a time when it seemed as if we were all progressing towards truly harnessing human potential to its fullest. Yet, outside of North America and Western Europe, only the fortunate few make meaningful progress. When we look closer to home and in our own local communities, we see many caught in cyclical patterns where successive generations are barely making ends meet. Will the children get the opportunity to truly achieve their potential? If not, what are we losing when that potential is not realized?The Toronto Community Benefits Network (TCBN) is doing as much as possible to see that everyone in Toronto reaches their full potential. TCBN helps equity seeking groups, diverse individuals and organizations gain access to opportunities to grow and thrive in their communities. TCBN has already been successful in achieving Community Benefits with the Eglinton Crosstown project. This massive project will realize the dream of improved public transit for tens of thousands of Toronto residents across Eglinton Ave and beyond. Thanks to TCBN, we are now starting to see residual benefits with real jobs for residents living along the Eglinton Crosstown LRT building site.Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) are successful because everyone wants to work - human dignity is found in work. TCBN is currently considering several projects across Metropolitan Toronto to support and put communities front and centre in CBAs. When TCBN member organizations tap into previously hidden local talent in a community, everyone wins. Improved infrastructure and local jobs mean communities benefit through shared prosperity.TCBN envisions Toronto as an inclusive, thriving city in which all residents have equitable opportunities to contribute to healthy communities and a prospering economy. Through formal and informal arrangements, TCBN is engaged in setting the conditions for economic growth and intensification of urban areas around a network of mobility hubs and other infrastructure projects. TCBN believes that all Torontonians should have access to the opportunities stemming from infrastructure investments. TCBN is a coalition of organizations and individuals working in direct partnership with other grassroots, community, labour and anti-poverty organizations to build a strong community benefits movement in Toronto.
Hospital bed shortage continues to be major concern
The Ontario Government is considering reopening the Finch site of the Humber River Hospital to try to address the large shortage of beds, overcrowding, and hallway medicine in the area and in the province. The Finch site would be used to hold 150 seniors waiting for long-term care. Two years ago, the Wynne Liberals closed the Hospital which has contributed to the severe shortage. Over the last few years, community members have pushed to create expansions to the Finch site of the Humber River Hospital; efforts have included getting thousands of signatures for petitions which have been presented at Queen’s Park. The location was promised to be kept open for ambulatory care, but instead became an acute care facility and was subsequently closed. Now the Wynne Liberals are scrambling to solve the problem that they have created and ignored for many years. Tom Rakocevic, Ontario NDP Candidate for Humber River-Black Creek said: “Our community played a big role in the creation of the Humber River Hospital on Finch, and we were disappointed to see it closed despite assurances of the contrary. The government talk on the potential re-opening of this site in some form highlights the government's mistake to close it down in the first place. Our community deserves answers on the future of this important hospital site.”Throughout Ontario, there have been thousands of cuts and layoffs to hospitals while we have been facing a shortage of beds. There is a 30,000 person wait-list for seniors’ care, and hospitals all over the province are at over 100 per cent capacity. This disconnection has reduced the quality of the health system in Ontario and has put the lives of many people in jeopardy.
Earl Bales Park Welcomes Community Centre Expansion
The Earl Bales Community Centre is in the process of a 4.5-million-dollar expansion. The City of Toronto is redeveloping the property in order to upgrade how the building functions and benefits the community. Construction began this past June, and is expected to wrap-up by summer 2018.Earl Bales is the fourth largest park in Toronto, known for being a fully accessible alternative to other parks in the core of the city. Supporting over 50 local groups and clubs of all age groups, Earl Bales Community Centre is a hub for leisure, education and growth.The new gymnasium has been the subject of immense anticipation. With a full basketball court, two half-courts, and three badminton courts, the 50x80-foot space will provide sufficient recreational opportunities for countless residents. In addition to the exercise zones, the expansion will include two universal washrooms, a family change room and a lounge area.The design of the gymnasium allows natural light to illuminate the room by incorporating enormous windows, featuring views of the park and playground. Visitors to the new site will enjoy an upbeat and comfortable atmosphere. Councillor James Pasternak has expressed his excitement, saying that this project is a major part of “ongoing attempts to make Earl Bales one of the premier parks in the city.”In addition to the gymnasium, the building will receive upgrades to the kitchen, barrier-free doors, and a movable partition in the multi-purpose room to accommodate simultaneous events. The flooring will be upgraded, providing a seamless transition from the main hall to the multi-purpose room. Environmentally friendly features like a sustainable “cool roof” as well as energy efficient lighting will be added to the building as a part of the City’s ongoing green adjustment initiatives.The 127 acre park has always been known for its picnic pads, trails, and ski centre. This new expansion offers numerous upgrades that will make the park an outdoor hotspot for years to come within and beyond Ward 10.
Keele Street to get a makeover
On 21 September, 2017, the residents, business owners and property managers of Downsview, University Heights, and Black Creek communities were invited to discuss the beautification plan and business improvement strategies being implemented by Councillor Anthony Perruzza and Matias de Dovitiis, the Executive Director of DUKE Heights BIA, for Keele Street, Toro Road, and Tangiers Road. The proposed plan included but was not limited to: new public seating areas, signs, bike racks, garbage and recycling bins, and the addition of green spaces. This plan will essentially change the face of Keele Street. The objective of these improvements is to create communal spaces to encourage outdoor activities, enhance neighborhood aesthetics, make the BIA more attractive for business investment, encourage people to visit DUKE Heights for leisure and, ultimately, to make it more enjoyable for residents to spend time in the neighborhood. Through these enhancements, Keele Street will look bolder, more beautiful, and more attractive for businesses and residents.
Free Wi-Fi at Keele & Finch
We are proud to be launching this new program to make Wifi more accessible in the neighbourhood and better serve our business owners.We are excited about our DUKE Heights Free Wifi project and we encourage you when you see the DUKE Heights Wi-Fi signal near Keele and Finch to sign on and try it out. This is a 6-month pilot project before we start spreading the program out across DUKE Heights. This means that we want your feedback! If you are using this service and you have any comments or suggestions, please contact us at info@dukeheights.ca .On July 4th, this Summer the DUKE Heights BIA officially kicked off a Free Wi-Fi program at the corner of Keele and Finch. This is the start of a 6-month pilot program that will be introduced across the entire DUKE Heights neighborhood over the next 2 years. Free Wi-Fi is an initiative that has been brought in over many other municipal areas over the years, and yet in Toronto it can still be difficult to find readily available. The DUKE Heights BIA wanted to help bridge that gap, by providing this essential service for business owners, their customers, and the community.
Keele Finch Plus - Public workshop on the future of the area
On Thursday September 28, City of Toronto City Planning Staff will be presenting three options for how the area may evolve which are based on work conducted to date and public input at past events. Participate in the meeting to tell us what you like about the options and help us make the options better!Is there an option you prefer? Tell us! Is there a connection that we missed? Show us where that is. Did we interpret your previous comments properly? Help make sure we got it right!We'll start the workshop with a refresher on results and work completed to date, including public input from our last meeting and other public engagement events. With the help of a facilitator, you'll be working along side your neighbours to help us evaluate the draft options.Here are the details:Thursday September 28, 2017. Open House 5:00 to 8:30 p.m.Workshop from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., starting with a presentation.James Cardinal McGuigan Catholic Secondary School1440 Finch Avenue West. Cafeteria. Free Parking. Transit nearby.Please help us spread the word by passing this information on to anyone you know who might be interestedThis is an exciting meeting and we are looking forward to it. We hope you are too.See you then!Know someone who might be interested in this Study? Help us spread awareness and knowledge by forwarding this message and by encouraging others to sign up for the email list. You can sign up on the website at http://www.toronto.ca/keelefinchplus.On Twitter? Just use the hashtag #keelefinchplus. From time to time, we'll post information from the Official City Planning account @CityPlanTo. 
Hospital Emergency Rooms Need Better Pain Management
Pain is the primary reason people go to a hospital’s emergency room (ER), yet addressing this pain is far down the list of priorities in the ER setting, which infuriates patients and creates a hostile hospital environment for medical practitioners and patients alike.I talked with 15 local residents, randomly selected at the local Tim Hortons, and every single one of them told me that they or a loved one or a friend had visited the ER at the new Humber River Regional Hospital in the past year with acute pain. While each patient had different conditions and symptoms, they were all outraged that not only was their pain dismissed or ignored by medical professionals, but also that they were often left for hours in isolated rooms, in agony, without any idea when, or if, someone would help them. More than one patient left after waiting for more than 4 hours and went to a different hospital to seek help for their agonizing pain.Studies have shown that reduction of pain levels directly translates into patient satisfaction of ER visits. Prompt pain management also improves mood, decreases length of hospital stay, and even decreases mortality rates! With Ontario facing worsening patient satisfaction in overcrowded ERs, why is pain management so far down the list of priorities during ER visits? While pain management does present challenges, medical practitioners in ER departments are all trained in proper treatment practices and guidelines. Something as simple as administering a standard dose of an over-the-counter painkiller may make the difference between incredible suffering and being able to tolerate the already frustrating wait times. It is understandable that triage in the ER must focus on those with the most severe medical trauma, which doesn’t always match the pain people feel. Nevertheless, all patients should be receive rapid pain management during the triage process, not hours later when a doctor finally gets to them (https://www.omicsgroup.org/journals/acute-pain-management-in-the-emergency-department-emphasis-on-nsaids-2165-7548.1000171.php?aid=22063). As the Institute for Safe Medication Practices Canada has argued, “controlling pain early in the presentation of a patient’s illness or soon after an injury is an important duty of healthcare practitioners”. To that effect, all hospitals should “develop and sustain comprehensive pain management systems and protocols” in their emergency rooms. Such a simple thing will go a long way to improving the experiences of patients visiting Ontario’s hospitals. That’s truly “patient care reinvented”.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2966563/https://www.intechopen.com/books/pain-management/acute-pain-management-in-the-emergency-departmenthttps://www.yorkregion.com/news-story/6972498-patients-still-waiting-too-long-to-see-er-doctors-health-quality-ontario
Government fails to bring auto insurance prices down
Insurance rates in Downsview are the highest in all of Ontario. The government has allowed insurance companies to charge more depending on the location of the driver which has hurt communities like ours. In general Ontario has the highest insurance rates within Canada, giving our area one of the highest in all of Canada.The Ontario Liberals promised to keep insurance rates under control, time and time again, but have failed this promise. They have significantly missed their goal of cutting rates by 15 per cent by August 2015 and continue to get further and further away from that goal. After Premier Kathleen Wynne was unable to meet her promise she referred to the 15 per cent goal as a “stretch goal”, we cannot trust this government to follow through with their promises.In April a report by Ontario's auto insurance advisor said that Ontario had the most expensive auto insurance premiums in Canada even though we have one of the lowest rates of accidents and fatalities. The average insurance premium in Ontario is $1,458 which is over 50 per cent higher than the average of all other Canadian jurisdictions.We need a fairer system that charges people the same amount for the same type of vehicle wherever you live in Ontario. It is not fair that one of the least fortunate areas pays the most for car insurance, while also driving less expensive cars. The car insurance companies have been making significant profits because they benefit from an unfair system that the government has set up, in 2015 there were profits of almost $2 billion dollars in Canada.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:· the age and type of car you drive· the level of coverage and amount of your deductible· your driving record (including prior claims and traffic offences)· the number of kilometres you drive· demographic information such as your age, gender and marital status· where you liveWho 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.The Ontario Liberals have allowed a system that benefits their rich friends in the insurance companies and from much wealthier areas of the province. I want to put a stop to this practice and create a better system that will make insurance rates cheaper