Gun found in car of alleged impaired driver in Rexdale

Toronto police say they seized a gun from a man suspect of impaired driving after a single-car crash in Etobicoke’s Rexdale area early Saturday morning.

Toronto police say that at 3:27 a.m., they were called to the area of Islington Avenue and Rexdale Boulevard for a report of a single-vehicle crash.

Witnesses reported the driver walking away from a mangled car that had sped through a grassy area near Rexdale Boulevard and came to rest on Islington.


Police, fire and ambulance arrived treated the man for minor injuries at the scene.

A gun was recovered from the vehicle.

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Toronto man in custody, two injured after gun pulled out in fight at Queen and Portland Loblaw’s

Two people were taken to hospital and one person was taken into custody after a shopper allegedly pulled out a gun at a busy grocery store downtown Friday.

Toronto police were called to a Loblaw’s at Queen and Portland streets sometime before 2 p.m. for a call about a person with a gun.

Police at the scene told CP24 that a fight broke out between two shoppers when one of them accused the other of staring at him.

The one man began to film the behaviour of the other with his phone and that’s when the man being filmed pulled out a gun, police said. 

Employees at the store jumped in and helped to subdue the man and take away the gun.

Video captured by Newstalk1010 employee Russ Courtney, who was at the scene, showed several men working to subdue another as panicked shoppers fled, abandoning their shopping carts and knocking over products.

“People in the store were absolutely terrified,” Cortney told CP24.

He said for a few seconds nobody was sure what was happening and people were “bolting” out of the store or hiding.

“There was a lot of panic. People are already amped up and worried about what’s going on and there was a lot of tension in that store because the lines are so long,” Courtney said. “It was kind of a recipe for disaster, but luckily aside from some scary moments, it seems like everyone in the store is mostly okay.”

Police quickly arrived on scene and arrested the man.

“The cops were here super-fast. I’m just happy everyone worked together on that one,” one store employee who hurt his hand helping to subdue the suspect told CP24.

Two people involved in the scuffle were taken to hospital with minor injuries, Toronto Paramedic Services said.

Toronto police said one person was taken into custody and a gun was recovered.

Shoppers who had been in the store took to Twitter to describe a scene of panic, with shoppers fleeing the store, leaving behind their carts in line.

Tensions have run high at some grocery stores around the city this week as people shop to stockpile food, cleaning supplies and sanitary products amid fears around the COVID-19 pandemic.

Toronto Public Health on Friday urged people to be “reasonable” in terms of what they might need at home if they do have to self-isolate for 14 days.

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Toronto man critically injured in ‘ambush’ shooting at 40 Falstaff Avenue

Police say a 27-year-old man is fighting for his life in hospital after he was ambushed by three gunmen in the lobby of a North York apartment tower and shot multiple times Friday.

A Toronto police duty inspector said emergency crews were called to 40 Falstaff Avenue, near Jane Street and Highway 401, at 3:26 a.m. for a report of a shooting.

The inspector said a man was in the lobby of the apartment building when three armed male suspects approached him and fired numerous rounds at close range.

The man was struck multiple times.

Paramedics rushed him to a hospital trauma centre where he remains.

Investigators say the victim lives in the area where the shooting took place.

Police say they have obtained surveillance footage of all three suspects, who then climbed in to a light coloured vehicle driven by a fourth suspect who left the scene.

Numerous police from multiple Toronto divisions were collecting evidence and witness statements at the scene.

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Woman, 60, answers knock on door and gets shot in Etobicoke

Police are searching for a suspect who allegedly knocked on the door of a home in Etobicoke’s Mt. Olive area early Friday and then shot the 60-year-old woman who opened it.

Toronto Police Duty Inspt. Mandeep Mann said that at about 5 a.m., an armed man walked up to the door of a home on Suzy Street, west of Kipling Avenue, and knocked on the door.

“The male with the gun then fired, striking the 60-year-old female in the arm,” Mann said.


The male suspect then fled the scene on foot heading west.

Mann said a variety of officers including canine units were out searching for the suspect.

The woman was taken to a hospital trauma centre in serious but non-life-threatening condition.

Mann said a second woman suffered minor injuries in the encounter but they weren’t caused by gunfire.

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Toronto drug dealers: Omar Ghuman, 18, Termaine Clarke, 27, Jihaad Al-Kisadi, 29, Jawad Sami, 21, Autumn Johnny, 36, Kwesi Armoo, 25, Jason Ramessar, 25, Javonte Reid, 21, and Handel Hippolyte, 20

Toronto drug dealers travelling north in search of profit found out that crime does not necessary pay in Sault Ste. Marie.

It cost these nine men — eight from Toronto and one from Kitchener — their cash proceeds, illegal product, weapons and freedom.

And, of course, their fancy Mercedes sports car obtained through ill gotten gains.

Turns out it can get pretty cold in the north — for alleged gangsters.

“My message to this group is straight forward,” Chief Hugh Stevenson of the Sault Ste. Marie Police Wednesday.

“If you come to our city to sell drugs, be aware we will know when you are here. We will identify you. We will arrest you. We will seize your vehicles and property associated to the drug industry under the criminal code. And we will bring you before the courts.”

Welcome to the wild, wild north, where these alleged criminals learned they don’t do politically-correct, virtue-signalling, social worker blame-it-on-root-causes justice.

Finding this out the hard way over the past week were Omar Ghuman, 18, Termaine Clarke, 27, Jihaad Al-Kisadi, 29, Jawad Sami, 21, Autumn Johnny, 36, Kwesi Armoo, 25, Jason Ramessar, 25, Javonte Reid, 21, and Handel Hippolyte, 20.

The list of charges — not yet tested in court — are too long to list.

But inside this police investigation, as the Sault Star also reported Tuesday, were three 9mm guns seized along with nearly 200 grams of Fentanyl, 20.7 grams of Crystal Meth, 146 grams of Cocaine and a cache of pills including Oxycontin and Adderall.

The value of the drugs were nearly $115,000. Police also located $81,765 in cash and two cars worth more than $100,000.

Needless to say driving, around in white Mercedes in Sault Ste. Marie draws attention — especially when the licence plate had a Toronto address.

That was the police’s first clue. But there were more.

“People here care about their community,” said Stevenson.

“They keep track of who’s here and they will tell is if something does not seem right.”

As Councillor Matthew Shoemaker told The Sun, over the past month, things did not seem right.

“Sault Police noticed an increase of Southern Ontario drug dealers attending our community and attempting to sell and distribute a variety of drugs including cocaine, meth and opioids fentanyl and carfentanil,” confirmed Stevenson.

With his top-flight detective units, which have lots of experience dealing with trafficking thanks to the border with the United States and being on the Trans Canada Highway, went to work.

“We were worried about our residents here,” said Stevenson.

“These aren’t pharmacists cutting these drugs — they are criminals who don’t are about what’s in it. We want people to understand you get one bad batch and you are dead.”

Rather than wait for that — or for someone to be shot — Sault Police busted up this recipe for disaster quickly.

“There are only three entrances here so we will find you,” said Stevenson.

The pushers didn’t know what hit them.

“Sault Ste. Marie is a safe community,” said Stevenson.

“The people here, together with the police and our partners, will continue to remove this scourge and poison from our streets in order to best protect our friends, family and neighbours.”

As for the next criminal enterprise who want to franchise north, be warned it’s not a soft-on-crime place.

“They were naive to think they could come here to deal their drugs,” said the chief, adding he wants “to make sure all gangs to the south think twice about coming back. Don’t even bother.”

Unless, courtesy of Sault Ste. Marie police, they want to end up in jail plus have their guns, money and cars confiscated.
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Arrests made in separate robberies in Etobicoke pharmacies, Yorkdale Mall

Toronto police say arrests have been made in connection with the robbery of three Etobicoke pharmacies and a separate burglary at Yorkdale Mall on Friday.

Police said the first robbery occurred at a pharmacy in the West Mall Bloor Plaza, located near Bloor Street West and The West Mall, at around 3:10 p.m.

Investigators allege the four teenage boys, who were armed with handguns, robbed the store and assaulted a woman in her 70s before fleeing the area in a grey truck.

The second incident, police said, occurred at a plaza near Rexdale and Humberwood boulevards about 25 minutes later.

According to police, the suspects brandished weapons and wore masks as the robbed a pharmacy of drugs and money. Police also said an employee of the store was assaulted.

The third robbery occurred at Elmhurst Plaza, located near Elmhurst Drive and Islington Avenue, shortly after 4 p.m.

Police said the suspects also assaulted a pharmacy employee and robbed the store of drugs and cash.

None of the injured employees sustained serious injuries, police confirm.

“Based on how they committed these robberies, based on the types of weapons they used, the descriptions given by witnesses, we believe these three robberies are committed by the same group of four people," Const. David Hopkinson said.

He said the level of violence that occurred in the three robberies concerns them as it is something police don't characterically see

Hopkinson said one of the four boys has been arrested. Officers continue to look for the remaining three suspects.

Yorkdale Mall robbery

A robbery at Yorkdale Shopping Centre was reported shortly after the earlier robberies and police said the mall was placed in hold and secure as a result of the incident.

Police said five teenage suspects who were wearing masks used hammers to smash a display case at a store in the busy shopping centre.

One suspect was taken into custody after a brief foot pursuit, police said. The other four were later located by the canine unit.

Police said the two robberies are not related.

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Toronto Maple Leafs at Los Angeles Kings NHL Highlights March 05, 2020

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Toronto Raptors at Golden State Warriors NBA Game Highlights March 5, 2020

The Toronto Raptors clinched a playoff spot as they defeated the Golden State Warriors, 121-113. Stephen Curry recorded 23 PTS, 6 REB, and 7 AST in his first game of action after missing his last 58 regular-season games. Norman Powell led the Raptors with a career-high 37 PTS in the victory, while Damion Lee tallied 23 PTS for the Warriors.

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Shammah Jolayemi 14 year old Boy abducted over stepbrother’s drug debt was found in Brampton barn

The 14-year-old boy who was abducted and held against his will for nearly 40 hours was eventually found in an abandoned barn in a rural area of Brampton, police sources say.

The boy was forcibly pushed into a dark coloured Jeep on Driftwood Avenue in Toronto at around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, as he was on his way to school.

Witnesses told police the boy screamed for help as two men clad in dark clothing and bandanas manhandled him and then sped off.

The system meant to notify his parents of his absence at high school inexplicably failed to do so until after 6 p.m. that night, at least a half hour after the boy’s father had already called police to report his son was missing.

An Amber Alert was issued province wide by midnight, a full 16 hours after the boy was taken.

The abduction prompted a large police response, with officers later learning that the boy had been abducted over his stepbrother’s alleged $4 million drug debt resulting from the theft of a large quantity of cocaine.

Sometime before 11 p.m. Thursday, police said the boy had been found.

Police sources confirm to CP24 that he was found in a barn off 10869 Heritage Road near Wanless Drive, in the westernmost section of Brampton.

Halton paramedics took the boy to Sick Kids Hospital for a checkup, where he was met by his mother.

A large number of police investigators were also at the hospital.

Also on Thursday, OPP officers located a burned-out vehicle in Forks of the Credit Provincial Park in Caledon that they believe is the Jeep that was used to abduct the boy.

It was found a 26 minute drive away from the barn.

The Toronto District School Board said four staff members have been put on home assignment while an investigation is launched into why the boy’s family wasn’t notified sooner of their son’s absence from school.

Investigators are expected to speak more about the case sometime on Friday.
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Shammah Jolayemi 14-year-old boy abducted in North York found safe, police say

A 14-year-old boy who was abducted in North York on Wednesday morning over his stepbrother’s alleged unpaid drug debt has been found safe, Toronto police say.

In a tweet on Thursday evening, police said the teen is being taken to a hospital for a medical checkup. They will hold a news conference on Friday morning to provide more details.

Speaking to reporters earlier in the evening,Toronto police Supt. Steve Watts said the teen's brother owes approximately $4 million worth of cocaine in relation to a drug "rip" that dates back to last summer.

Four staff members at Newtonbrook Secondary School have been put on “home assignment” after the abducted 14-year-old boy’s parents weren’t notified for hours.

chopper, burned vehicle
Police said the boy was reported missing by his father at around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday shortly after learning that their son hadn’t made it to school that morning.

The teen was abducted several hours before his parents realized he was missing, Watts said, adding that police received an unknown trouble call that morning.

Witnesses in the area of Jane Street and Driftwood Avenue, north of Finch Avenue, told police that on Wednesday morning they observed a teenage male screaming "help me, help me" before being forced into a black Jeep Wrangler by two males, who drove away.

Investigators said the boy was standing outside 353 Driftwood Avenue shortly before 8:30 a.m. when he was forced into the Jeep.

An Amber Alert was issued for the missing teen shortly after midnight, nearly 16 hours after he was last seen.

Police have communicated with the suspects, Watts said, but he wouldn't speak further on the details. He said the stepbrother has been cooperating in the investigation.

The Toronto District School Board confirmed on Thursday that the boy's parents weren’t actually contacted about his absence from classes at Newtonbrook Secondary School until 6:10 p.m. on the day he disappeared.

The TDSB said that parents will typically receive automated calls about student absences at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. but for some reason that did not happen in the teen's case.

TDSB spokesperson Ryan Bird said teachers are required to enter attendance information into an electronic system "promptly" after class has started.

"At this time what we do know is that the information wasn’t in our system at that 11 a.m. cut-off time and now we are looking into those finer details to exactly how that happened," Bird said.

The board said that four school staff members have been placed on home assignment while it looks into the matter further.

"Obviously should there be any culpable behaviour, then disciplinary action can be a result," Bird said.

"Not only do we want to know (what happened), we know that the parents deserve to know and we have tried to keep them up to date throughout the day... telling them what we know up until this point and obviously offering any support we can."

Police were looking for a vehicle of interest observed in the area where the victim was last seen, police said. It is described as a black Jeep Wrangler with oversized front tires and a front push bar with round fog lights.

Watts said they believe a burned out vehicle that was found in the area of Forks of the Credit Provincial Park in Caledon, Ont. is the same vehicle that was used in the boy's abduction.

Aerial footage from Chopper 24, which was captured on Thursday morning after the vehicle had been taken away, showed multiple police vehicles and officers in the area it was discovered.

Toronto police officers are working with the Ontario Provincial Police to investigate the burned vehicle.

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Toronto Councillor Layton has plan to strip more driver rights

In the ever-increasing efforts by the leftist car-haters to strip drivers in Toronto of all of their rights, Cllr. Mike Layton has come up with yet another bright idea as part of the city’s (No) Vision Zero plan.

He has sent a letter to next week’s Infrastructure and Environment committee asking that the city’s transportation officials — headed by chief car-hater Barbara Gray — look at more proactively restricting right-turns-on-red (ROTR) at a variety of Toronto intersections.

This is to be done in conjunction with a review of speed limit reductions.

Layton claims in his letter that motor vehicle ROTR(s) are responsible for 13% of the city’s pedestrian injuries and/or fatalities — and that in the majority of these collisions pedestrians had the right of way.

He says allowing these right turns “compromises the safety” of vulnerable road users especially seniors, children and those with disabilities.

However, city spokesman Hakeem Muhammad told me Thursday that 2% of pedestrians killed and seriously injured and 4% of cyclist collisions were the result of a vehicle turning right on a red light — and that it doesn’t happen across the entire Toronto network of roads.

So it seems Layton may be a bit off.

Right now, says Muhammad, there are about 165 locations with RTOR prohibitions — and that these prohibitions are put in place using a system which determines whether there’s enough traffic flow and collision activity to warrant the change.

Those locations include Avenue Road and Lonsdale heading north; Bathurst St. and Front St. West heading west; Bloor St.West and The Kingsway heading west; Broadview Ave. and Pottery Rd. heading south and Coxwell Ave. and Gerrard St. East heading north.

Muhammad said as part of the (No) Vision 2.0 safety plan update, approved last July, city staff (meaning Gray and her car-hating cabal) committed to looking at putting in place ROTR prohibitions strategically — meaning even if they aren’t requested.

That would involve assessing collision patterns and conflicts between right-turning vehicles and pedestrians/cyclists at particularly intersections — as well as determining intersections where “sightlines for right-turning drivers are a common concern,” he said.

He didn’t say would determine that concern but I’m guessing the car police at City Hall.

That notwithstanding, yet again, Toronto’s leftist politicians won’t be happy until they make the city’s busiest intersections a series of giant parking lots — hoping to push drivers into walking or cycling.

They continue to ignore the fact that they’ve enabled the frustration of drivers — whether drivers are trying to beat a traffic light, manoeuvre through an intersection or just make it from Point A to Point B — with all their silly traffic calming measures, lower speed limits and other (No) Vision 2.0 activities.

Don’t get me started about the King St. right-of-way, another foolish effort to socially engineer the city’s roads.

So much for all of Mayor John Tory’s election promises to tackle gridlock and congestion.

It’s worse than ever.

And why are these initiatives always targeted at drivers?

What about the responsibility of pedestrians not to jaywalk midblock or to respect the flashing countdown signals,, which are supposed to allow drivers to turn, or not to cross a street with their heads buried in their iPhones?

Would it be too much for cyclists to respect the rules of the road too?

Nah, for the left on council and Gray and her cabal this latest idea to restrict right turns on red is not about doing what’s right for Torontonians.

It’s about doing what’s right for them.
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Toronto police eye tow truck turf war in latest shooting

A man was wounded when his moving tow truck was strafed by gunfire in North York Wednesday night.

But Toronto Police are not yet able to say the shooting is tied to the ongoing turf war within the towing industry that has seen gun violence erupt repeatedly and numerous vehicles set ablaze in the GTA over the last 14 months.

“It’s far too early for me to say if there’s any link to any other shootings that have occurred. But obviously, this is going to be something that our investigators will be looking at very closely to determine if there is a link,” Insp. Jim Gotell told reporters late Wednesday at the scene of the shooting.

Police were called around 7:20 p.m. after the victim — who was driving on Leslie St. just north of Hwy. 401 when the driver’s side of his tow truck was sprayed with bullets — walked into nearby North York General Hospital.

Const. Jenifferjit Sidhu confirmed Thursday the injuries were not life-threatening.

No arrests have been made, but the investigation is ongoing and cops have seized security video from area cameras.

Industry insiders believe an influx of tow truck drivers vying for work in the fiercely competitive, largely unregulated towing business is behind the ongoing turf war.

Since January 2019, at least 10 tow trucks have been torched and five people with ties to the towing industry have been shot — two of them fatally — in and around the GTA.

In June 2019, Toronto cops made reference to the ongoing conflict while announcing 73 arrests and the seizure of nearly two dozen firearms in Project Kraken — an operation that targeted members of a Scarborough street gang.

The accused in that probe included seven tow truck drivers, some allegedly nabbed with guns.

And the violence, which extends far beyond the borders of the city, has continued to escalate.

TOW TRUCK TURF WAR FALLOUT
JAN. 12, 2019:Lingathasan Suntharamoorthy, 36, who had ties to a tow company, was shot dead in his Scarborough apartment.

APRIL 28, 2019: Tow truck driver Lawrence Taylor Gannon, 28, was shot dead in the driveway of his Scarborough home.

DEC. 8, 2019: A gunman opened fire on two tow truck drivers in a parking lot near Hwy. 404 and Major Mackenzie Blvd.

DEC. 17, 2019: Three tow trucks were torched in separate locations in Hamilton.

DEC. 22, 2019: Five tow trucks were set on fire; three in North York and two in Richmond Hill.

JAN. 9, 2020: Durham cops revealed 250 charges were laid during Project Bondar against tow company owners and drivers, and they recovered 31 vehicles that were either unlawfully towed or stolen.

JAN. 26, 2020: A tow truck was set ablaze in the driveway of an Aurora home.

FEB. 1, 2020: Gunmen opened fire on a tow truck that was stopped near Steeles Ave. E. and Hwy. 404, injuring the man behind the wheel and narrowly missing his female passenger.

FEB. 16, 2020: Two towing company employees — a man, 30, and a boy, 17 — were wounded when a masked gunman opened fire on them in the parking lot of the Promenade Mall in Thornhill.

FEB. 21, 2020: A tow truck was torched in the driveway of a Pickering home.

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Shammah Jolayemi, 14, was kidnapped in retaliation for stepbrothers $4M cocaine theft

It was all over a multi-million dollar drug debt from last summer.

That’s what Toronto police believe is behind the dramatic abduction of 14-year-old Shammah Jolayemi as he walked to school Wednesday morning.

Speaking to media outside of a north Toronto police station, Supt. Steven Watts said investigators believe Jolayemi’s kidnappers were motivated by the theft of nearly 100 kg. of cocaine — worth around $4-million — allegedly stolen by the boy’s stepbrother Olalekan Osikoya  in the summer of 2019.

“We believe Shammah was abducted as retribution for an unpaid drug debt,” Watts said.

Jolayemi was last seen around 8:30 a.m. near his Driftwood Ave. home Wednesday, shouting for help as he was forced into a black Jeep Wrangler by two or three males.

Watts said police were notified at the time about the incident, but it wasn’t until his parents called police Wednesday evening upon learning that Jolayemi was absent from school that police connected the two investigations.

An Amber Alert was issued just after midnight.

A vehicle similar to the one connected with Jolayemi’s abduction was found torched Thursday afternoon near Forks of the Credit in Caledon.

Watts said they believe it’s the same vehicle used to abduct Jolayemi.

Watts said investigators have been in contact with Osikoya, who’s been cooperative, and that he fled the GTA shortly after the alleged theft.

Sources tell the Sun the boy’s family received a warning that some sort of retaliation would occur in connection with the theft.

A statement from the Toronto District School Board said four staff members from Newtonbrook Secondary School are under investigation after it was discovered Jolayemi’s absence wasn’t properly recorded.

“TDSB procedure requires the classroom teacher to promptly report all attendance to the school office each period,” said TDSB spokesman Ryan Bird, adding that information is entered electronically and automated absence calls are made at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.

“We have confirmed that attendance information from the morning was not entered by the 11am cut-off time as it should have been and as a result, this information was shifted to the second call.”

He said the staff members could face “disciplinary action” if their actions are deemed “culpable.”

Back at the press conference, Watts spoke directly to the kidnappers.

“You need to release Shammah,” he said.

“I appreciate the high-level cocaine business and the situation that faces (Osikoya,) but this is a 14-year-old innocent child — he is not part of that business, not part of that lifestyle.

“The full weight of the Toronto police will be brought to bear.”

Shammah is described as slim, about six-feet tall with short black hair.

He was last seen wearing a grey hooded sweater, grey track pants with a thin orange stripe and a shiny black puffy winter coat and yellow air Jordan shoes and may have had a black and red Adidas pack back.

Call 9-1-1 with any information.
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Alek Minassian admits in court document to planning, carrying out Toronto van attack

TORONTO -- A man who killed 10 people when he drove a van into crowds of pedestrians on a busy Toronto sidewalk in 2018 admitted to planning and carrying out the attack, court heard on Thursday.

The admission in the case against Alex Minassian came in an agreed statement of facts read to the court by Crown lawyer, John Rinaldi.

"While driving the van in the said area, (Minassian) drove his van into, or otherwise struck, at least 26 people, 10 of those people were killed and 16 injured to various degrees," Rinaldi said.

Minassian, 27, faces 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 of attempted murder for the attack in April 23, 2018. His trial is scheduled to begin in front of a judge alone next month.

At Thursday's pre-trial motion, Minassian's lawyer Boris Bytensky argued against the admissibility of statements his client gave to police shortly after his arrest. One statement came when the booking officer asked as part of a standard set of questions if he had any illnesses.

"Yes," Minassian answered. "I am a murdering piece of shit."

The defence concedes Minassian made that statement but argues his right to remain silent was violated.

Bytensky wants the statement excluded along with his client's comments to an arresting officer that he wanted "suicide by cop" and to "die by cop."

The defence argues in court documents that the questions asked by the booking officer were inappropriate because the answers were potential evidence. Rinaldi countered the statements were "not a determining factor" but important parts of what he told police.

The judge has said the case will turn on Minassian's state of mind at the time of the attack, not whether he did it.

Minassian told police he carried out the attack in retribution for years of sexual rejection and ridicule by women. He told a detective he was part of the "incel movement," which is a fringe internet subculture that attracts males who are involuntarily celibate.

Minassian also told Det. Rob Thomas that he saw himself on the bottom rung of society as an incel, and wanted to be part of an "uprising" to change his status.

"This is the day of retribution," Minassian told Thomas, court heard.

He also told the detective he had "accomplished" his mission.

Minassian conceded making those statements, which now form part of the agreed set of facts in the case.

The defence has indicated it will call psychiatric evidence, and the prosecution said it has its own psychiatrist who is expected to testify.

Several victims and families of those killed were in the courtroom. Some wiped tears away and others stared at Minassian when a video of his statement was shown.

One witness, Const. Philip Butler, testified to the chaotic chatter of voices and information that came over the radio about a van hitting pedestrians on Yonge Street. He said he turned on his lights and sirens and drove to the scene. He testified hearing over the radio that another officer had arrested Minassian but needed help.

On arrival, Butler said he took Minassian to his squad car and advised him of his rights, including his right to consult a lawyer, several times. Minassian declined, court heard.

The officer said he told Minassian at the police station that he faced a charge of attempted murder because he didn't have confirmation of any deaths. Minassian was told about three hours later that he was now facing murder charges.

The defence said it wants anything Minassian told officers between his arrest and the upgraded charges excluded as evidence. The judge said she would decide the issue at the end of the trial.

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Toronto: Two people hurt in separate shootings

Police in the city were kept busy Wednesday evenings with two separate shootings.

Just before 6:30 p.m., police were called to the Beer Store on Oakwood Ave. north of Vaughan Rd. for reports of a man with gunshot wounds.

Once there, officers found a seriously injured man, who was transported to Sunnybrook via emergency run.

No suspect description was available at press time.

A little over an hour later, emergency crews were called to the Leslie and 401 area after reports of gunfire.

The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital, the extent of his injures aren’t yet known.

Police continue to investigate both cases.

Anybody with information is asked to call police or Crime Stoppers.
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Toronto condos are now more expensive than detached homes

On the same day the Bank of Canada announced it cut its interest rate, new data show the Greater Toronto Area’s real estate market is scorching.

The average price of a home was up 16.7 per cent to $910,290 in February compared to the same period last year, according to the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB).

Condos once again led the way with a 17.3 per cent price jump.

"The condo market now actually appears to be more expensive (dollars per square foot) than the single-family residential market,” Sotheby's International Realty’s Christian Vermast, told Yahoo Finance Canada.

“That tipping point is the first time in Toronto history."

More than 7,250 homes changed hands, which is a 45 per cent jump from a year ago. Detached homes were the most popular choice for buyers.

But new listings were up only 7.9 per cent so supply struggled to keep up with demand — helping to push prices higher following another strong showing in January.

Last month TRREB forecast a 10 per cent price increase for the area, but that may turn out to be too conservative.

“While this outlook represents a very robust pace of growth, it is possible that further tightening in the detached market segment could push the overall average selling price above TRREB’s baseline scenario,” said Jason Mercer, TRREB’s Chief Market Analyst, in a release.

“This could unfold if sales growth continues to outstrip new listing growth to the degree it has so far in 2020.”

Falling mortgage rates, a less strict stress test, and today’s interest rate cut could help make Mercer’s estimates come to fruition.

Sotheby's International Realty’s Paul Maranger says it’s too soon for a clear picture on where prices will go from here.

“It is erroneous to compare the lightly-traded months of January and February. The true test of the market will come after March break,” Maranger told Yahoo Finance Canada.

“Let's look to the end of June numbers for an accurate indicator of value."

Canada’s other high-priced market

There’s a tale of two cities for Canada’s highest-priced real estate markets.

Home sales shot up a staggering 44.9 per cent in the Greater Vancouver Area in February, according to the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV).

But listings are up more than 20 per cent compared to February 2019.

“Our Realtors are reporting increased traffic at open houses and multiple offer scenarios in certain pockets of the market,” Ashley Smith, REBGV president, said in a release.

“If you’re considering listing your home for sale, now is a good time to act with increased demand, reduced competition from other sellers, and some upward pressure on prices.”

The average price of a home is up only 0.3 per cent to a still-lofty $1,020,600. Condo prices were up 0.9 per cent.

Steve Saretsky, realtor and author of real estate blog Vancity Condo, says the high-end luxury market remains soft.

“I am not seeing any flight to safety,” Saretsky told Yahoo Finance Canada.

“The Chinese/offshore money has been gone for over two years now. It's mostly locals bingeing on cheap credit now, competing over whatever affordable product is left over.”
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Toronto explores vacant storefront tax on city's main streets

After spending a year in search of a home for his brew pub, Carl Pratt discovered a troubling real estate dynamic: plenty of available spaces, but few landlords who seemed interested in actually renting them out.

"There are lots of empty buildings, but typically the rents landlords were asking for are above what would be reasonable," said Pratt, a co-owner of Beaches Brewing Company.

"You need to make a ton of money in order to put that kind of investment into a property."

Pratt suspects that some of the property owners were simply holding out for a tenant willing to cough up rent well above market value.

Others, he believes, were playing a speculation game; sitting on vacant properties until they can assemble a parcel large enough for condo development.

While Pratt eventually found a suitable and reasonably priced unit and opened for business in 2019, a stroll through The Beach neighbourhood suggests the proliferation of vacant storefronts is widespread and showing no signs of slowing down.

According to the office of Coun. Brad Bradford, who represents Ward 19, Beaches-East York, a busy 2.3-kilometre stretch of Queen Street East in the heart of The Beach is home to 44 vacant storefronts.

Some are dilapidated and unsuitable for occupancy. Others have "for lease" signs in their windows, yet have sat empty for upwards of six years. In 2018, city council repealed a property tax rebate for landlords with empty storefronts. But that move seems to have had little impact on the problem.

"You can see storefront after storefront papered over, shuttered up, and that doesn't contribute to the sort of vibrant main streets that so many of us want to see," Bradford told CBC Toronto.

The first-term councillor is now spearheading a proposal to introduce a vacant-storefront tax that would charge landlords for sitting on empty units for extended periods of time.

The tax, Bradford argues, will "incentivize landlords to work in partnership with small businesses to try and populate these streets."

Resistance, lack of data could hamper proposal

Bradford's motion asking Toronto city staff to investigate a possible vacant storefront tax was adopted by city council last week, despite resistance from five councillors who opposed the motion.

The motion does not recommend any tax rates or other specifics, such as how long a property must be empty before it is taxed.

Still, there are concerns the tax would be too difficult to enforce, or that it might harm landlords who want to rent their properties but can't find a tenant.

The tax would also require tweaks to legislation, including the City of Toronto Act, provincial legislation that governs aspects of the city's taxing authorities.

"My view at this point is that it would be difficult to design the tax, to implement it," said city solicitor Wendy Walberg.

Toronto does not track vacant storefronts, though city statistics show that independent businesses account for 74 per cent of Toronto's retail stores.

Proponents of a vacant storefront tax say those businesses are particularly vulnerable to speculators who have little incentive to rent out their properties when they could potentially make more money by holding out and selling to developers.

Property record searches reveal that many of the vacant storefronts on Queen Street East are owned by numbered companies. Bradford's office found that 13 of the 44 empty units appear suitable for occupation but have no signage and are not listed online.

"It's numbered companies that are assembling property and letting it sit vacant, a blight on our streets, for years and years and years," Bradford said.

San Francisco may soon lead the way

The motion to examine the tax also calls for the city to analyze other jurisdictions with similar taxes, though there are few examples to follow.

On Tuesday, residents of San Francisco voted on a vacant storefront tax supported by the city's mayor, though results of the vote have not yet been confirmed.

The proposed tax would apply to properties that sit vacant for more than 182 days per year, and levy $250 per foot of sidewalk frontage in year one, escalating to $1,000 per foot if the property remained vacant for three years.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the tax is among the first proposals in the United States to explicitly target empty storefronts.

Bradford's motion calls for the report to be ready in time for 2021 budget discussions, making next year the earliest it could be implemented.
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Toronto Maple Leafs @ San Jose Sharks NHL Highlights March 3, 2020

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Toronto Raptors at Phoenix Suns NBA Highlights March 3, 2020

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Customers left in the dark after Dean Meyers dealership suddenly shuts its doors

TORONTO -- Customers, who had already made purchases and were waiting to take home their vehicles, were in shock Wednesday after learning that the popular General Motors dealership in North York had shuttered its doors.

The Dean Myers Chevrolet at 3180 Dufferin Street in North York has been placed in receivership after failing to repay debt.

“I had put down $25,000 on my dream car, a new 2020 Corvette,” Terry Mangal told the media. “Now I have no idea what is happening with my money or my car.”

A security guard was watching over an empty parking lot at the Dean Myers Chevrolet dealership on Wednesday. There were a few cars on the other side of the building.

A sign rests on the locked door, which says the dealer had been placed in receivership.

The Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council (OMVIC) which regulates vehicle sales in the province told CTV News Toronto that it’s very unusual for such a large dealership to go out of business.

The council’s spokesperson Terry O’Keefe said he has heard from seven other customers and expects there may be more people affected. In one case, he said a customer paid $77,000 for a brand new GMC Yukon and was planning to pick it up soon.

“The dealership requested payment in full for the Yukon. The person was going to take possession of the vehicle the next day and the doors [of the dealership] were locked,” O’Keefe said.

CTV News reached on to the dealership but did not receive a response.

The Toronto-based dealership was placed in receivership on application by the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), which said it is owed $9.2 million.

In its application, RBC said an audit conducted by the bank revealed the company had been selling vehicles without remitting the required repayments to RBC as required under its financing agreement.

“There are customers who have paid deposits and haven't received their vehicles,” he said. “We also have concerns about people who have purchased extended warranty and protection plans."

There may also be issues with customers who have traded in cars, or bought used cars that could have liens placed on them. OMVIC is advising anyone affected to contact the receiver, OMVIC and General Motors Canada.

Some customers may be eligible to be reimbursed for their losses through OMVIC’s compensation fund, he said. They may be eligible for up to $45,000 for a valid claim.

A spokesperson for General Motors Canada told the media that it’s working with the council.

"GM Canada is working with OMVIC to transition these customers to another dealer, find them another vehicle and provide goodwill reimbursements for their lost deposits,” a spokesperson said.

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Man rushed to hospital after shooting in Oakwood Village of Toronto

TORONTO -- A man has been seriously injured in a shooting in Oakwood Village on Wednesday evening.

Emergency crews were called to the area of Oakwood Avenue and Vaughan Road at around 6 p.m. for reports of shots fired.

When officers arrived, they located one person with a gunshot wound, police said.

Toronto paramedics said the victim has been transported to a hospital in serious but non-life-threatening condition.

There is no suspect information at this time.

Police have closed roads in the area as they investigate the shooting.

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Pamir Hakimzadah, Ontario Islamic centre mum on court ordered "deradicalisation" of paroled ISIS supporter

In 2014, Pamir Hakimzadah of Toronto traveled to Turkey. His final destination was supposed to be Syria, where he planned to join ISIS. He never made it out of Turkey, though. Instead, Pamir was arrested and eventually deported back to Canada.

Then he was arrested for assaulting a witness in June 2016 and charged with leaving Canada to participate in the activity of a terrorist group in April 2017. He was found guilty, but last June, he received probation and is now a free man — even though the Ontario Parole Board ruled that releasing Pamir “would constitute an undue risk to society”!

His release conditions require Pamir to receive “deradicalization” therapy from an imam at the Risalah Foundation in Vaughan, Ontario.

But when I visited the Risalah Foundation to get an update on Pamir’s progress, no one would come on camera — even though the Risalah Foundation claims on its website that it is “governed by principles of transparency, inclusion, goodwill, tolerance, positive dialogue, and civic engagement.”

Really? So why the silent treatment regarding Pamir?
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Firebugs target two Toronto Collision Reporting Centres

The smell of fresh fire hung in the air Wednesday morning at a Collision Reporting Centre in Scarborough — one of two in the city targeted in early morning arsons.

Toronto Police say officers responded to the East Collision Reporting Centre at 39 Howden Rd. — near Lawrence Ave. E. and Birchmount Rd. — after receiving a call for an alarm activation shortly before 1 a.m.

“On arrival, officers discovered a fire,” Const. Caroline de Kloet said Thursday.

“Several glass doors were smashed, and gas was poured inside and ignited.”

Firefighters responded and quickly doused the flames before the fire could spread throughout the building, which was closed at the time.

“The fire was contained to the lobby area,” de Kloet said.

“Carpet and flooring were burned but there was no structural damage to the building itself.”

The East Collision Reporting Centre remained closed throughout the day as workers dealt with the smoke damage and replaced the broken glass.

Within hours of the first arson, a strikingly similar incident occurred at the North Collision Reporting Centre at 113 Toryork Dr. — near Weston Rd. and Finch Ave. W.

But that attempt proved unsuccessful.

De Kloet said officers discovered a window had been smashed at around 6 a.m.

“An object doused with an accelerant was inside,” she said.

“The fire did not ignite.”

Police are trying to confirm if the two incidents are connected.

“Both arsons are being investigated by divisional officers in two separate divisions,” spokesman Connie Osborne said.

“Both investigations are in the early stages and officers will be working to establish if they are connected.”

Anyone with information regarding the Scarborough incident can call 41 Division investigators at 416-808-4100, and those with information about the North York incident can call 31 Division investigators at 416-808-3100.

Tips can also be made anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
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Rohan Rose 36, found dead outside Humber River Hospital in North York

Police have identified the man found dead outside the former site of the Humber River Hospital early Monday morning as Rohan Rose. The 36-year-old was found with multiple gun shot wounds. Police have released video of a suspect vehicle.

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Toronto assessing damage from fire at homeless encampment under Gardiner

The City of Toronto says engineers are assessing the damage from Sunday’s fire at a homeless encampment under the Gardiner Expressway. City spokesperson Brad Ross says workers are clearing the site so inspectors can get a closer look.

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Toronto residents of 650 Parliament Street displaced by fire in August 2018 to move back in

Nearly 1,500 residents of a St. James Town highrise displaced by a fire back in August 2018 have been given the green light to move back in. People will be moved in to 650 Parliament Street gradually over the next eleven weeks.

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Toronto Raptors @ Denver Nuggets NBA Highlights March 1, 2020

Nikola Jokic posted a 23-PT, 18-REB, 11-AST triple double on 8-11 shooting to lift the Denver Nuggets over the Toronto Raptors, 133-118. Jamal Murray scored 22 PTS (6 3PM) in the win, while OG Anunoby led TOR with a career-high 32 PTS and 7 STL.

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Harris Poyser 59, Scarborough caught with 60 handguns smuggled from Florida

A 59-nine-year-old Scarborough man took responsibility for playing a key role in the importation of illegal firearms from the United States into Canada — for distribution on Toronto streets — by pleading guilty Wednesday to weapons smuggling and trafficking.

The discovery of 60 handguns buried in bedding in the trunk of Harris Poyser’s rented vehicle on May 23, 2018, outside a home in Cornwall, on the U.S. border in eastern Ontario, was billed as the largest single seizure of illegal firearms in the history of the Toronto Police Service.

Wearing a white-collared, blue button-down shirt and black jeans, Poyser’s voice was barely audible in the empty courtroom as he answered “yes” to Justice John McMahon’s questions meant to ensure an accused person’s plea has not been coerced.

McMahon said he was satisfied Poyser had made the decision to enter a guilty plea in consultation with his lawyer Michael Quigley rather than stand trial next month. Poyser pleaded guilty to six charges, including instructing the commission of an offence for the benefit of a criminal organization, importing firearms and possession of firearms for the purpose of trafficking.

The judge told Poyser he faces a prison sentence of between 10 and 15 years. A sentencing hearing is set for May 7, two weeks before Poyser’s 60th birthday. He remains in custody.

On Wednesday, the prosecution read a synopsis of the crimes committed by Poyser and his alleged accomplices.

During the spring of 2018, Poyser was working in association with Ernest Wilson, a man known as “Biggs” who was living in Florida. Poyser, Wilson, Kareem Lewis — a co-accused who has since died — and a man known as “Apache” worked together to bring illegal firearms north and other contraband south across the Canada-United States border for illegal sale in both countries, court heard.

Wilson — who is also now dead — would buy handguns from various dealers in Florida and have them shipped north to the border near Cornwall. Apache would arrange for the handguns and other contraband Wilson was sending north to cross the border and be delivered to a house at 515 Oliver Lane in Cornwall.

Poyser, or someone instructed and supervised by Poyser, would pick up the handguns and other contraband for transport to Toronto, where it would be sold on the black market, Crown attorney Sam Scratch said, reading from an agreed statement of facts. Poyser would also arrange for Canadian contraband to be exported illegally to the U.S. using Apache and Wilson’s network, Scratch said. (He did not elaborate on the other contraband, nor which border crossing was used.)

Poyser’s collaboration with his associates made up a criminal organization, which made his crimes more serious and subject to a stiffer penalty.

The Crown’s synopsis included summaries of several transactions in the illegal import-export scheme, which was active in April and May 2018.

The smugglers were caught on wiretaps using the code name “Irish” for handguns.

On May 7, Poyser instructed two associates to travel to Cornwall to pick up handguns that Wilson had sent north and Apache had shepherded across the border. Poyser was intercepted discussing with Wilson how to divide the handguns and, on this occasion, Poyser’s two associates — one of them Lewis — picked up a shipment of 29 handguns and delivered them to Poyser’s house in Scarborough. There, they divided the guns for each to sell in Toronto.

On average, Wilson was receiving $2,500 per gun. Poyser’s two associates were seeking prices in the range of $4,000. In all, the trio made a profit of $1,500 per illegal gun sold, Scratch told court.

On the day of his May 23, 2018, arrest, Poyser and Lewis drove separately from Toronto to the Oliver Lane house in Cornwall.

There, an unidentified man loaded two large bags containing bedding and 60 handguns into the trunk of Poyser’s rented car. This entire exchange was captured on video by a police surveillance plane equipped with a long-range camera that followed Poyser. Wilson had indicated there was also to be another shipment of 40 guns.

A Toronto police surveillance team followed Poyser as he headed to Highway 401 toward Toronto. But before he reached the ramp, officers boxed his vehicle in and arrested him. They found 60 handguns and 108 magazines, 54 of them high-capacity and, therefore, themselves prohibited devices.

Poyser was not licensed to possess a firearm at the time and had never registered a firearm. Lewis was also picked up by police after Poyser’s arrest. He died awaiting trial.

Toronto police have long warned of the flow of illegal firearms over the Canada-U.S. border.

Last month, police released statistics saying 82 per cent of the traceable handguns they seized in 2019 originated in the U.S., with the remainder coming from Canada. However, of the 453 handguns Toronto police seized, nearly a quarter — 107 — were not traced, according to the data.
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Coronavirus could keep Toronto fans from stadiums and arenas

The growing spread of COVID-19 is starting to affect the sports world with events being cancelled and athletes opting out of public activities. Lindsay Dunn with what’s being planned for some major upcoming events.

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Beefed up security turns Toronto City Hall into gated fortress

Nothing says “safe city” like the guarded wall of electronic security inside City Hall.

At a time of record shootings, Mayor John Tory and city councillors insist Toronto is a safe city.  Well, with the implementation of airport-style security screening at City Hall, it’s certainly now safer for them.

Toronto’s municipal headquarters has become a gated fortress, thanks to $350,000 from taxpayers.

 “Visitors to Toronto City Hall must go through a visitor screening — including a walk-through metal detector — upon entering the building, before being granted access to the rotunda, property tax counters, elevators, council floors, committee rooms, or the building and planning customer service counters,” states Toronto’s website.

It’s like going into a courthouse or jail.

“Nobody is happy about it,” admitted Tory.

So much for that safe-city spin. Not safe enough to have an open foyer at City Hall anymore.

They don’t have any of that kind of security protecting residents on TCHC properties. At City Hall, even brides in their white dresses now have to go through intrusive, humiliating security on their wedding day.

Visitors have to go through a metal detector and interact with a security officer who has a special wand used to search bags for weapons.

“Upon arrival, security staff ask visitors to place items, including cellphones, cameras, keys and sunglass cases into the trays provided and pass through the metal detector one person at a time,” says the city. “If an alarm is triggered, you will be asked to walk through again or will be screened with a hand-held wand.”

Of course, the mayor and city bureaucrats don’t have to submit to it.  Do you see the irony?  While there are many violent criminals in Toronto, it’s good citizens who are subjected to body searches.

“Do you have any firearms, knives or sharp metal objects to declare?” asks the officer.

So much for no carding in Toronto.

Cops are not allowed to ask that of those hanging around the rail tracks trying to block the Go Train. If they asked such questions of the thugs who shot up Nathan Phillips Square on Raptors Championship parade day in June, people would be screaming about racial profiling.

But go in for parade permit, you are considered armed until a screening shows otherwise.

Don’t blame the security officers. They are just reading a script handed to them.

“There are more dangers in 2020 than there were in 1920 or 1960,” explained Tory. “The world is, unfortunately, a more dangerous place.”

Soft-on-crime governments that fund safe-injection sites and promote easy bail and light sentencing take a bow!

Turns out, as Toronto spokesman Brad Ross explained, City Hall has become a hotbed for those wishing to conceal weapons.

Since bag checks began in 2018, more than 300 knives have been seized.

“Serous knives,” said Tory, adding some were carried by people with “bad intentions.”

Being “prudent,” Tory and councillors are erecting a security blanket to protect themselves.

People outside of City Hall won’t have that same protection.

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Sea-Hi Chinese restaurant sets sail after nearly 60 years in North York

Though it was a Chinese restaurant, it’s known as a Jewish institution in North York.

Sea-Hi Famous Chinese Restaurant, one of Toronto’s most iconic chop suey houses, is closing after 59 years in the Bathurst St. and Hwy. 401 area. When the owners of the restaurant announced on Facebook its last day was Feb. 29, the outpouring of support from the community encouraged them to negotiate an extra week extension with their landlord.

The restaurant is now set to close on March 8.

“Every teacher and manager in the private school that was Jewish would say they’d been going to Sea-Hi since they were a child and their grandparents took them there and that’s how they were introduced to it as a Sunday gathering spot,” said owner Stanley Chui’s daughter, Melanie.

The closure is for a couple of reasons — the landlord wants to turn the property into a retail store and her father, now 69, is ready to retire. His five grown children all have their own careers and none are too keen to take over the time-consuming family business.

Last year, Stanley put the establishment up for sale for $100,000 but there were no takers.

The restaurant was opened by Edna Chan in 1955 at Dundas and Bay Sts. and in 1961, she opened a second location — the current spot — at 3645 Bathurst St. and subsequently closed the Chinatown restaurant a year later.

Stanley Chui purchased Sea-Hi in 1977 and has been running it with his family ever since.

“He’s very sad, it’s kind of defined his life,” said Chui, 39. “For me, it’s emotional. I used to do my homework behind the counter growing up. I had my birthday parties there from one to 14.”

When Chui was 15, she recalled a neighbourhood power outage that attracted people in as Sea-Hi was run on gas and the woks were firing.

“Literally, I was walking around, lighting candles and the restaurant was completely packed for dinner,” she said.

Sea-Hi, based on proximity alone, attracted swaths of the Jewish community — often the Chinese restaurant’s best patrons. The place has always been full on Christmas Day.

Former Toronto Mayor Mel Lastman was a regular, as was ex-finance minister Robert Caplan. The late Mark Dailey from Citytv loved the food and singer Alannah Myles would often pop by after her recording sessions in the ’90s, Chui said.

It was the backdrop for the documentary “Dreaming of a Jewish Christmas,” which had a cameo by Barenaked Ladies’ Steven Page. In 2017, the Colin Firth and Kevin Bacon film, “Where the Truth Lies,” was shot in the restaurant.

“Kevin Bacon was quite charmed by my dad and they actually named the server in the movie after him — they called him Stanley,” she said.

Chui said customers have been lining up 90 minutes for some Sea-Hi’s signature dishes — bacon-wrapped deep-fried chicken sticks, Vancouver ribs and garlic sticky ribs, created by Edna Chan and her husband.

“These dishes are usually sold out by 7 p.m.,” she said. “My dad never changed them. Even the interior decor, people are always saying how it looks like it’s from the ’50s.”

People took to social media to express their sorrow over the closure.

“First, it was (Katz’s) Deli, now Sea-Hi,” said Randy Brill. “Always support independents over the chain restaurants. That’s what makes a community.”

The restaurant’s furniture and decor are up for auction, including the infamous golden buddha, with proceeds going to Baycrest Hospital and North York General Hospital.

Chui said she believed the demand for chop suey houses — Westernized Chinese food restaurants — is dwindling because people’s palettes are more sophisticated.

“I think we’ve lasted so long is because of nostalgia,” she said. “People associate Sea-Hi with childhood memories. There are still quite a few of these restaurants — House of Chan being one of them — and there are iterations in food courts, but I see it dwindling some more.”
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Tessy Osabuyi 25, of Toronto accused of extorting, sexually assaulting male victim

A 25-year-old woman allegedly sexually assaulted and blackmailed a male victim, according to Toronto Police.

Police allege the woman met the man on social media and agreed to meet him around 2:30 a.m. on Saturday in the Bathurst-College Sts. area.

When the two met, the woman allegedly extorted money from the man and sexually assaulted him, said officers.

Tessy Osabuyi, who appeared in court Saturday, faces charges of sexual assault, extortion, forcible confinement, and assault with a weapon.
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Toronto TTC riders disapprove of 10-cent fare hike

It’ll cost you a little more to ride work on the TTC.

A 10-cent fare hike took effect Sunday, meaning a trip on the Red Rocket with your Presto card will now cost $3.20 for adults while the adult cash fare remains unchanged at $3.25.

The fare hike also drives up the price of adult 12-month and monthly passes which will now cost $143 and $156, respectively.

TTC CEO Rick Leary has explained the 10-cent hike will generate $31.4 million, admitting, that “a fare increase is never popular, but it will support the service we have and the proposed enhancements to support city building goals.”

Effective March 1, 2020, most #TTC fares will increase by $0.10, except adult cash fare. Monthly passes and 12 Month passes will also increase. Learn more: https://t.co/lQrOMRIsDj pic.twitter.com/nnUma8tma9

— TTC Customer Service (@TTChelps) February 29, 2020

Users registered their disapproval on social media.

“Will the quality of your service also increase?” one Twitter user wrote. Another added: “If adults stop buying children passes, maybe TTC wouldn’t have to increase fares.”

“Starting March 1, a multi-billion-dollar company that is overfunded is increasing the fares and passes,” another user commented.

The TTC’s 2020 operating budget will increase by 4.1% — or $85 million — over 2019’s budget.

“Enhanced services for our customers come at a cost,” Leary wrote in a letter to transit commissioners. “This budget is about more than just preserving service. It’s about enhancing service and doing better; it’s about working smarter,” Leary wrote.

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Vancouver Canucks @ Toronto Maple Leafs NHL Highlights 2/29/20

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