Gabe Oatley

Residents rally at Toronto MP’s office demanding more oversight on arms transfers to U.S. The demonstration was one of about 50 planned at constituency offices nationwide on Tuesday

NEW: Dozens of people rallied in front of Davenport Liberal MP Julie Dzerowicz’s office on Tuesday afternoon, demanding her support for a bill that aims to increase oversight of shipments of weapons and arms components to the United States. #canpoli #topoli www.torontotoday.ca/local/politi...

“ @thebikinglawyer.bsky.social noted that so far in 2026, city records show 5 pedestrians in Toronto have been killed in incidents involving vehicle drivers, while there have been no reports of pedestrians killed in collisions involving bicycle, e-bike or e-scooter riders.” - @gabeoatley.bsky.social

Toronto private schools see spike in demand amid TDSB troubles Tuition of over $30,000 per year is not holding back a growing number of Toronto-area parents from exploring private schools for their children

NEW: Tuition of $30K+ per year is not holding back a growing number of Toronto parents from exploring private schools for their kids for next year. In interviews and statements, six local private schools say they're seeing a jump in demand. #topoli #onpoli www.torontotoday.ca/local/educat...

The Cost of Care | The Local Stories about where money and medicine collide in 2026. Throughout January and February, we’ll publish pieces from the corners of Ontario’s health care system where entrepreneurs and corporate Canada ...

@thelocal.to's Cost of Care issue, publishing through last month and this one, offers deep-dives on the intersection of profit and health care. The shared theme of many of these stories is the modern question of a patient as a customer, or a consumer. The issue so far: thelocal.to/winter-2026/

Another Ford is stepping into politics. Who is she? Stephanie Ford is the 20-year-old daughter of late Toronto mayor Rob Ford and niece of Ontario Premier Doug Ford

NEW: Another Ford has dipped a toe in the water of provincial politics. On Sunday, Stephanie Ford, the daughter of former Toronto mayor Rob Ford (and the premier's niece), was named to the Ontario PC Party's executive committee. #onpoli #topoli www.torontotoday.ca/local/politi...

Why have drug consumption sites in shelters been forced to close? A network of safe consumption sites inside Toronto shelters has been forced to shutter alongside the higher profile facilities in Regent Park, South Riverdale and Queen West

NEW: The last of a network of supervised consumption sites operating from Toronto shelters has closed. What's forced the facilities to shutter? And what impact could it have? #onpoli #topoli www.torontotoday.ca/local/health...

Why are parents rallying behind these two east end educators? Parents of Bowmore Road Public School are calling on the board to reinstate two Grade 7 teachers who were fired in late January

NEW: More than $10,000 has been raised in a matter of days for two teachers fired by the TDSB from an east end school. Parents say the board's decision was wrong, and are calling for the teachers to be reinstated. #onted #onpoli #topoli www.torontotoday.ca/local/educat...

Why are parents saying this Toronto east end school is ‘in crisis’? Parents of Bowmore Road Public School allege their Upper Beaches school is experiencing a surge in student violence and bullying

SCOOP: Within a week, this TDSB elementary school has lost its principal, VP, and two teachers. Parents say the institution is "in crisis" and facing a surge in student violence. #topoli #onpoli #TDSB www.torontotoday.ca/local/educat...

This 139-year-old Toronto church could be turned into a skyscraper The building will tower above a Cabbagetown church and include more than 100 units of affordable housing

NEW: NEW: On Tues, Toronto's community council approved a new 48-storey development above a church. While some residents complained it would "eclipse" nearby Allan Gardens, councillors voted in favour. If approved, it'll offer 100+ units of affordable housing. www.torontotoday.ca/local/real-e...

Your next non-emergency call to Toronto police could be answered by AI The force says the new technology is expected to reduce wait-times for non-emergency calls, such as for reporting illegal parking, a break-in or graffiti

NEW: The Toronto Police Service plans to soon begin using an AI agent to handle all non-emergency calls. They'll use a Canadian company's technology, which works a bit like Alexa or Siri. The police union supports it, but two experts we spoke with are worried. www.torontotoday.ca/local/crime-...

TDSB achieved a surplus in 2025 for the first time in 3 years. How? The surplus was about $24 million more than what had been projected by the board

NEW: Under provincial supervision, the TDSB has posted it's first budget surplus in three years... But it's not because of spending less. #education #tdsb www.torontotoday.ca/local/educat...

Why can a for-profit plasma company collect plasma more often than Canadian Blood Services? Health Canada cleared Grifols, which operates two paid collection clinics in Toronto, to extract plasma from its clients up to 104 times per year

NEW: Advocates are worried Health Canada’s decision to allow a for-profit multinational company to extract blood plasma at twice the annual rate of Canadian Blood Services is putting Canadians at risk.

www.torontotoday.ca/local/health...

How this for profit company is ‘gamifying’ plasma donations in Toronto Toronto’s new paid plasma donation clinics pay a ‘bonus’ of $100 if an individual gives blood plasma 100 times in a calendar year. Advocates say ‘gamified’ incentives put donors at risk

NEW: This is the second in our two-part series on paid blood plasma collection clinics. This one looks at financial incentives driving plasma deposits of as much as twice per week and over 100 times per year. www.torontotoday.ca/local/health...

People are making money selling blood plasma. Isn’t that illegal? Paying for blood is illegal in Ontario, but a for-profit company recently opened two new paid locations in Toronto thanks to a Canadian Blood Services exemption

The ED of the @onthealthcoalition.bsky.social said paid plasma clinics exploit poor people: “It exploits the poor and the desperate in a way that is hair-raising ... It crosses a moral boundary that should not be crossed.” #health #onpoli Full story: www.torontotoday.ca/local/health...

All told me they are doing it for the money. “I came out because I’m on [Ontario Works] and I get f— all for money,” one man said. “I can’t even afford to eat, so that’s why I’ve come here to give my blood.” 3/

Yesterday, I spent an hour outside of one of Toronto's two new paid-plasma clinics, which are operated by a Spanish multinational company called Grifols. Four of the some 15 people who entered to give plasma agreed to be interviewed. 2/

People are making money selling blood plasma. Isn’t that illegal? Paying for blood is illegal in Ontario, but a for-profit company recently opened two new paid locations in Toronto thanks to a Canadian Blood Services exemption

NEW: This one shocked me. Amid an ongoing cost of living crisis, some cash-strapped Torontonians are turning to a new, controversial way to get by: selling their blood plasma. 🩸 1/ www.torontotoday.ca/local/health...

TDSB’s half-time vice principals are not completing required special ed teaching: survey The president of the TDSB’s elementary teachers’ union says the survey shows there is ‘systemic discrimination’ of special needs students within the board

NEW: About 1/5 or more of TDSB elementary schools have half-time vice principals. In the other half of their time, many of these VPs are supposed to be doing special education. But according to a new report from @ElemTeachersTO that's often not happening. www.torontotoday.ca/local/educat...

Fair point, thanks Michael!

Violent incidents at the TDSB remain higher than pre-pandemic: report Despite more reported violent incidents at the TDSB, the number of students suspended has declined slightly since pre-pandemic. Why?

NEW: At TDSB, the number of violent incidents happening on school property (and reported to the Ministry of Ed) is up. Yet, the number of students suspended has declined slightly. Why? www.torontotoday.ca/local/educat...

High Park residents balk at proposed two-tower ‘monster’ development During a consultation on Monday night, residents claimed the development could harm High Park, ensnare local traffic and cause flooding of nearby basements

NEW: At a raucous consultation on Monday night, High Park residents urged the city to say “no” to a proposed development — two 40-ish storey towers — which residents claimed risked harming the park, making parking more difficult and flooding basements. www.torontotoday.ca/local/real-e...

How Toronto tenants are negotiating rent decreases amid the condo downturn Where tenants have been successful in negotiating lower rent, it’s typically in the range of a 10 or 15 per cent decrease, according to a real estate expert

NEW: In Toronto's previously red hot rental market, rent decreases were a rarity. Now, one prominent Toronto realtor said he hears about once per month from landlord clients who have been willing to negotiate price downward to keep good tenants. www.torontotoday.ca/local/real-e...

‘Advocacy works’: Provincial supervisor reverses TDSB’s decision to cut music program The Toronto District School Board had planned to cut the itinerant music program in order to save about $5 million per year

NEW: The TDSB's supervisor has scrapped a planned cut to a student music program. The executive direction of a charity that launched a petition fighting the cut said the decision is evidence that "advocacy works." #tdsb www.torontotoday.ca/local/educat...

The new learning curve: How student AI use is changing teaching at UofT University of Toronto professors are changing their evaluation methods to adapt to their students' increasing use of artificial intelligence tools, like ChatGPT and Gemini

NEW: On university campuses, ChatGPT and Google's Gemini are now commonplace tools. We spoke with professors at UofT to hear how they're adapting. Key lessons? For one, fewer take-home assignments and more in-class exams. www.torontotoday.ca/local/educat...

‘Excessive’ 11-unit Palmerston redevelopment axed by city committee The building plan has faced sharp backlash from residents, some of whom have called the redevelopment a ‘monstrosity’ that ruins the neighbourhood’s character

NEW: A proposed 11-unit redevelopment on Palmerston Blvd. was turned down by a city committee last week. The committee, in line with a number of concerned residents, claimed the proposal was "excessive" for the site and would tarnish the area's character. www.torontotoday.ca/local/real-e...

Palestinian flag flown at Toronto City Hall for first time, despite efforts to stop it A pro-Israel advocacy organization attempted to halt the flag raising by seeking an injunction, but was denied by a judge early Monday morning

NEW: Despite an eleventh-hour bid to stop it, the Palestinian flag flew outside Toronto’s City Hall on Monday for the first time ever. We've got photos, reactions, and info on the failed injunction application. www.torontotoday.ca/local/city-h...

Pro-Israel organization files legal challenge aiming to halt Palestinian flag raising at City Hall The first-ever raising of the Palestinian flag at City Hall is set to occur on Nov. 17

NEW: A pro-Israel advocacy group has filed a judicial review with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice seeking to bar the City of Toronto from allowing an organization to fly the Palestinian flag for the first time at City Hall next week. www.torontotoday.ca/local/city-h...

‘I feel like they’re hiding something’: Increased secrecy at TDSB’s real estate arm worries some trustees During a board meeting of the Toronto Lands Corporation, the TDSB’s supervisor signalled a forthcoming change in the powerful organization’s operations

NEW: The province has barred livestreams at remaining TDSB committee meetings, but they’ve gone several steps further to restrict transparency at the Toronto Lands Corporation, the board’s real estate arm. Here’s why that has some trustees concerned. www.torontotoday.ca/local/educat...

Some locals upset over Halloween display they say is ‘too real’ and ‘over the top’ The neighbourhood Halloween display features a graphic mannequin of a woman with a pickaxe to the skull

NEW: What’s an appropriately scary Halloween display, and what’s offside? Residents of a west end toronto neighbourhood are debating just that, after a homeowner created a display that included a realistic female mannequin with an axe to the head. www.torontotoday.ca/local/family...

Palmerston residents look to fight housing redevelopments using heritage status Residents are concerned about two recent proposed housing redevelopments, which they say will detract from the character of the neighbourhood without adding affordable housing

NEW: Proposals for two new multiplexes on Palmerston Boulevard have rankled locals. They’re concerned the projects will demolish existing affordable rentals and detract from the street’s character. They’re putting their hopes on a heritage designation. www.torontotoday.ca/local/real-e...