A short lived Portuguese restaurant has recently been overhauled and reopened as a new eatery featuring the hallmarks of home-style Jewish cuisine. With a week-round lunch menu and nightly dinner service featuring family style plates, the mission at this new place is make sure no one leaves hungry.
Read my profile of Essen in the restaurant section.
The annual Night of Dread Festival returned to Dufferin Grove Park this weekend. Hosted by Clay & Paper Theatre, the 15th iteration of the event once again featured ghoulish costumes, effigy burning, and the shedding of fears that ranged from monsters to climate change to getting fat. The hour-long procession took to Bloor St. in all its spooky glory, where onlookers gawked and grinned at the masked revellers.
Then, as dusk gave way to night, the theatre started. Fire artists deftly twirled batons while oversized effigies duked it out in front of the crowd gathered back at the park. It was creepy and cathartic all at once, as our collective fears were poured out into the night to be consumed by flame.
Check out all the highlights from Night of Dread 2014 in this photo gallery.
John Tory took the stage at the Liberty Grand to celebrate his victory as mayor of Toronto. In a polished speech, he spoke of his goal of uniting the city, building his transit plan, and supporting at-need Torontonians. It was a measured speech, which might hint at a measured mayoralty. One can only hope.
Here are Tory's victory remarks.
---------
Thank you, thank you so much.
Look at this... what a great Toronto crowd!
And what a great night this is for our city.
Mesdames et messieurs, les gens on fait leur choix ce soir. Nous allons commencer a construire notre ville - un Toronto prospere, juste et respecté.
Ladies and gentlemen, the people have spoken and tonight, we begin the work of building one toronto - a prosperous, fair, respected and caring Toronto.
Together, like never before, we begin building Toronto the great.
I am humbled and honoured by the trust placed in me tonight. I've said this throughout the entire campaign, and i think it's worth repeating right now...
As your new mayor, i will work with the council that you elected tonight in moving Toronto not left, not right, but forward.
I will be a balanced and accountable leader.
And we're going to do this together. Tonight is not a victory for any one person. It is a victory for Toronto - all of us who love this city and care about its future.
Tonight, voters have sent a message that is abundantly clear. Voters want their elected officials to get down to work on the priorities that matter most to them...
Better transit, more jobs, an end to the gridlock that is choking our streets.
And the electorate has spoken on one other issue: Torontonians want to see an end to the division that has paralyzed city hall in the last few years.
And to all of that, I say: Toronto, I hear you. I hear you loud and clear.
You want results, and together with council, we will deliver.
We will get on with the building of Smarttrack. We will start to put people first when we make
Decisions that affect congestion and traffic.
We will stop neglecting and leaving citizens behind in our city's most isolated neighbourhoods.
We will tackle our unacceptable youth unemployment rate.
We will start to make sensible decisions to really tackle waste at city hall, to become more efficient, to modernize our services and delivery of services.
And we will build a strong, inclusive city of opportunity from Etobicoke to Scarborough and from North York to the waterfront. One Toronto.
As you know, this was one long and tough campaign.
Without a doubt, there were some differences and many debates on the issues among all the candidates in the last few months.
Those debates and those conversations were and are necessary, but it's now time to come together.
It's time to unite as one city and One Toronto.
I would like to wish mayor ford well. And i'm genuinely looking forward to seeing him in good health.
I also want to congratulate him on his victory in Ward 2 tonight and look forward to working with him in a productive manner on council.
I would also like to thank Doug Ford.
We may have disagreed on some of the solutions to our city's challenges, but it does takes courage to put your name on any ballot.
Thank you Doug.
To Olivia Chow:
You offered a vision of Toronto that appealed to the best in a lot of us. Your personal story is a true personification of the tremendous potential that is Toronto and Canada.
That's the Toronto we are both proud of and that's the Toronto we both want to keep building. I suspect that after a well-deserved rest you will have much more to contribute.
And I want to say thanks also to David, Karen, Ari and all the other candidates for mayor, who individually put forward their energy and vision.
They collectively contributed to discussions that will make our city better.
And finally, congratulations and thank you to all the candidates for council and school board trustee positions across the entire city tonight.
Our civic democracy absolutely depends on good people having difficult but necessary discussions.
I believe that Toronto, once again, was well-served in that regard.
So on a night like this, I would be remise to not take a few moments to thank a few others.
To my family and the entire team Tory... Your support in the past 8 months means the world to me.
And that begins with the love of my life, my wife, Barbara Hackett.
I know that at times in this campaign, things didn't seem too promising... And I know you were probably thinking... "Oh boy, here we go, again."
And through it all... On the best and worst of days... You stood firm, looked at me and without hesitation, and encouraged me to keep going.
Thank you, Barb - for the unconditional love and the enduring support. I hope to be able to live up to that in the days ahead.
To our four children: John, Chris, Susan and George: you threw yourselves fully behind your father's mission even though you are all busy with your own lives.
And I just want to say thank you for believing in me.
I am also grateful to my mother Liz for her free (and at times a little too honest) advice over the phone almost every day of the campaign.
And to my sister and brothers who helped a lot including filtering mom's advice... But seriously... I am a very lucky man to have such great support.
And tonight, I am also thinking of my dad, who despite not being with us, I know is looking down proudly.
Finally...To my army of staff, volunteers, friends and supporters: thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I am so proud of each of you.
Thank you for never losing the fire and for not losing faith in me.
And please know that the only reason i'm standing here tonight is because for eight months i stood on your shoulders.
So take a bow. You've earned it.
My friends, the campaign may be over but the renewal of our city begins now.
Toronto is the engine of growth in ontario and Canada, and we must remain strong.
As your new mayor, I will work diligently and respectfully with the new council and with the federal and provincial governments.
The aim will always be to unite Toronto, and to deliver real results.
In this election, Torontonians voted for bold action and for an investment in our future.
Torontonians want a future where solutions for traffic and transit are paramount.
And so we will get to work.
We will get Smarttrack up and running in 7 years, building the Ccarborough subway and improving existing ttc service for the 1.6 million daily riders.
Torontonians want a future where we make intelligent decisions that will reduce gridlock.
And so we will get to work.
We will coordinate construction, synchronize traffic lights and mandate zero tolerance for rush hour lane blockers.
Torontonians also want a future where good and lasting jobs are available.
And so we will get to work on that too.
We will ask government partners, business and labour to team up whenever possible and foster opportunities for our youth.
We will also create the right business and tax environment so that companies continue to choose Toronto.
And finally... Torontonians want a future where their mayor proudly represents the whole city, one Toronto - a leader who regards you not just as taxpayers, but as citizens too.
And that ladies and gentlemen is exactly what i intend to do.
I know we have a tremendous amount of work to do. The task at hand is monumental.
But I also know that with the right kind of leadership at city hall, better days are ahead.
We live in a good city, a really really good city.
My goal in the next four years, together with council, is to unite this city as one toronto and to build a great city.
A Toronto that is known once more as a beacon of respect for everyone.
A place where there is opportunity for all.
A safe, prosperous, fair, respected and caring place to work and to live.
A Toronto which is true to our shared values... standing together leaving no one behind.
Friends, we can do this.
We have all the right ingredients to make this happen.
Let's get to work!
Thank you again and goodnight Toronto!
Unsurprisingly, the election results brought on some ominous soundbites from Ford Nation, including this choice quote: "if you know anything about the Ford family, we never... give up... in four more years, you'll see another example of [us] never giving up."
If that doesn't get you in the Halloween spirit, the Toronto Sun reports that Ford told them to expect their family name to rise once again in the 2018 election, and it will be Rob, not Doug, in the running: "I will be running for mayor in four years... I will be the first person to sign up in 2018."
While some are celebrating the end of Ford nation, it looks like this could be a mere lapse - not only was Rob Ford elected to council in Ward 2, Doug Ford came in close behind Tory after only a six week long campaign, and Michael Ford has been elected school trustee in Ward 1 after barely speaking a word. Thus a legacy of tiny Ford buttons and magnets have affixed themselves with superhuman strength onto the city.
The mayor (he's still the mayor until December 1st, y'all) has said he has a 50-50 chance of beating cancer, which brings to mind a certain Nietzsche quote. Looks like the talk shows will be keeping their eyes on us for a while yet.
Today in Toronto there's plenty to do to blow off steam from last night's election. Steve Aoki will be DJ-ing and signing autographs at HMV Underground, OCAD is screening The Rocky Horror Picture Show for free, and BLK BOX (below the Great Hall) is opening up for spooky production A Midsummer Nightmare.
At the Danforth, UK shoegaze originators Slowdive are back together, and I melt to a strawberry ice cream puddle each time I think about it. But do you know what, secretly, in my uncool LED-lit bedroom confessional, I think I prefer Mojave 3. Shh. Low are also on the (sold out, best of luck with tix) bill. For more events, click on over to our events section.
Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO Toronto events calendar or contact us directly.
Despite no closures in the lead up to Halloween, the latest DineSafe inspection rundown contains some scary results. Jekyl & Hyde Pub near Dundas West station failed to ensure that food wasn't contaminated/adulterated, while Liberty Shawarma (the one in Riverside, not the frequent offender in CityPlace) horrified when operators failed to wash hands when required.
See who else got nabbed by DineSafe this week.
Wallace & Co. (299 Wallace Ave.)
Inspected on: October 20, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 2 (Minor: 1, Significant: 1)
Crucial infractions include: N/A
Liberty Shawarma (716 Queen St. East)
Inspected on: October 20, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 5 (Significant: 3, Crucial: 2)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to wash hands when required. Operator fail to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated.
Figs (344 Queen St. East)
Inspected on: October 21, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Significant: 2, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4C (40F) or colder.
Ali Baba's (561 Bloor St. West)
Inspected on: October 23, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 2, Significant: 2, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4C (40F) or colder.
Jekyl & Hyde Pub (2340 Dundas St. West)
Inspected on: October 23, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 2, Significant: 2, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated.
The Friendly Thai (299 Roncesvalles Ave.)
Inspected on: October 23, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 4 (Minor: 1, Significant: 2, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated.
The Toronto election results are in for 2014, and while there weren't too many surprises, the city will have a new mayor in John Tory. Even as we have no idea whether or not our new mayor's transit plans will come to fruition, it seems sure the drama level will settle. Tonight was about, of course, more than just the race for mayor, though. 44 councillor positions were also up for grabs, and while incumbents tended to reign supreme, one can only hope this council will work better than the last one.
In case you weren't able to track all the winners and losers before hitting the pillow, here's the big list. There are a lot of familiar names -- including Rob Ford in Ward 2 -- but it's still a new era for Toronto. May it be a productive one. Let's build some transit infrastructure, please. Like, please, please, please.
Here's the winner list from 2014 municipal election.
Toronto mayor's race
The race between John Tory and Doug Ford was tighter than late polls indicated, which might give Toronto something to think about, particularly given Rob Ford's promise to run for mayor once again ins 2018.
As far as the ward-by-ward breakdown goes, here's what the city looks like. The old urban/suburban lines remain in place, even as Tory was able to make crucial inroads in North York. This wasn't the knock-out victory that some thought it would be. Toronto still suffers from the growing pains of amalgamation, more than 15 years after boroughs united.
Ward by ward results
Lead photo by Jesse Milns
The best martial arts facilities in Toronto promise to boost your fitness, gain self-defense skills, and prepare you to kick some serious butt. Whether you're looking to go pro or merely yearning to get away from your boring treadmill/free weights routine, these Toronto gyms offer a huge variety of programs in different training styles.
If you're not sure which is for you, most of these gyms offer free trial periods so you can try before you buy. So everyone (shout out to the ladies!) take note, because you just never know when a certain someone may need a swift kick to the you-know-where.
Here are the best places for martial arts in Toronto.
See also:
The Best Fitness Clubs in Toronto
The Best Boxing Gym in Toronto
The Best Specialty Fitness Clubs in Toronto
Writing by Chynna Wilson.
The Ford years didn't end with any of the spectacle we had come to expect from the city's most controversial elected representatives, but rather with confirmation of what we thought would happen since the summer: a John Tory victory.
The mayor-elect consistently led in the polls since the end of July, but the final result was closer than expected. For a few nervous minutes it appeared Doug Ford was within striking distance of snatching a win. Chow, considered a shoo-in early in the campaign, never mounted much of a challenge, finishing a distant third.
Most of Tory's 40 percent (less than the amount Rob Ford netted in 2010) came from from downtown, midtown and North York. As expected, Ford placed strongly in north Etobicoke and Scarborough while Chow won in just a handful of ridings: Parkdale, Davenport, and Trinity-Spadina area.
Perhaps Rob Ford's gift to the city was record turnout: 980,000 of eligible voters cast a ballot, more than 10 percent higher than in 2010 and a record since amalgamation. The outgoing leader, who pulled out of the mayoral race from a Mount Sinai Hospital bed and was largely absent from the campaign trail, comfortably won the Ward 2 council seat, beating out Andray Domise.
John Tory's victory party at the Liberty Grand started quietly. An anxious crowd, clutching beer and wine, nervously watched on giant projection screens as their candidate held on to a narrow lead. After the CBC called the election for their candidate, flashing his face onto the screen, there was joy, but mostly relief.
Tory took to the stage to Let's Go by Calvin Harris feat. Ne-Yo and chants of "Tory, Tory, Tory." There were no blasts from the horn of a fire truck, no waving bobblehead figurines, and he didn't step from an decorated RV. It was, you know, normal. He even spoke French.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the people have spoken. And tonight we begin the work of building one Toronto. A prosperous, fair, respected, and caring Toronto ... tonight is not a victory for any one person, it is a victory for Toronto."
Tory promised an "end to the division that has paralyzed city hall" and to build a "strong, inclusive city."
A low-key party ensued. There was a free buffet, but no dancing, and most of the crowd slipped into cabs and rented buses before midnight.
It remains to be seen whether Tory's transit plan will become a reality (early indications suggest the financing is shaky) or whether in four years we'll be scratching our heads over the vagaries of tax increment financing on an increasingly crowded subway.
He'll also have to deal with the crumbling Gardiner expressway and the question of whether jets should be allowed to use the Island airport. The Scaborough subway, which he supports, appears safe--for now.
As mayor, Tory will have to heal deep divisions in city. As is sometimes the nature of First Past the Post elections, the majority of the city voted for Doug Ford or Olivia Chow. There were troubling racist elements to this year's vote, too. Signs were defaced, slurs shouted at debates, and cartoons published. It will take a skilled leader, maybe more than one, to make "diversity our strength" again.
John Tory will be sworn in as mayor on Dec. 1.
Don Cherry shouldn't expect a call.
Chris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.
Images: Jesse Milns/blogTO
When it comes to all you can eat, Toronto is well equipped to handle your cravings for unlimited sushi, Korean BBQ, or Indian food. But what if you're looking to gorge yourself on something more extraordinary?
Here are my top 10 picks for all you can eat options in Toronto that go above and beyond California rolls and butter chicken.
Wings
Every Monday at Smoke Bourbon BBQ, you can eat all the smoke wings you want for $15.95, or visit Wacky Wings in Mississauga on Wednesdays after 3pm for all you can eat bone-in wings, priced at $15.99 per person (with a drink purchase). And, of course, Hooters does AYCE wings on Mondays for $12.99.
Poutine
On Tuesdays from 5pm onward, Poutineville in the Annex offers the chance to eat your weight in fries, curds and gravy, offering a choice of five different types of poutine for a $15 flat fee.
Gnocchi
Piola on West Queen West makes their gnocchi an all-you-can-eat special on the 29th day of every month. Reservations are advised for this feasting opportunity, featuring soft, pillowy handmade gnocchi in a choice of 10 different sauces for $14.99 per person.
Tacos
Recently I was shooting the breeze with a construction worker in my neighbourhood, and he mentioned how envious he is of the locals because of the great tacos available nearby. Surely, I thought, he's referring to Seven Lives or La Carnita? But when asked, he looked at me and earnestly said "Cloak & Dagger - all you can eat tacos for $10 on Sundays." Can't argue with that.
Mussels
Any day of the week you can enjoy AYCE mussels steamed with lager and shallots at Smith Bros. Steak House for $19. You'll also find a similar deal on unlimited mussels offered for $19 exclusively on Monday nights in the Distillery District at Pure Spirits Oyster House.
Pierogi
Stuff yourself full of pierogi at Future's Bistro on Wednesday nights between 5pm and 9pm. For $11, get unlimited refills on orders of potato and cheddar dumplings, pan-fried and served eight at a time with sour cream, fried onions and salad.
Steak
Brazillian rodizio is your friend if you're looking to gorge on obscene quantities of meat. Rodeo Brazilian Steakhouse and the chain of Copacabana make unlimited grilled feasts their specialty. Prices hover around the $50, though Copacabana offers $35 weekday eatin'.
Ribs
Joe Mamas in the Entertainment District does AYCE ribs on Tuesdays from 4pm until close. Also find unlimited riblets and wings on for $17 any day of the week at the Honest Lawyer in Richmond Hill.
Fish
All you can eat grilled Portuguese-style fish is available at Lisbon by Night every Wednesday. Priced at $24.95 per person, the unlimited fish comes with soups and grilled pineapple.
Chili
All-you-can-eat vegan chili for charity is an occasional thing at Sadie's Diner. The $5 fundraiser event pops up every few months and is advertised via the restaurant's Facebook page; diners can fill up on wholesome hearty bowls for a good cause.
See also:
Cheap nachos deals in Toronto by day of the week
The top wing night deals in Toronto by day of the week
Did I miss any? Leave your favourite AYCE deals in the comments.
Photo from Piola Facebook page.
Toronto vote maps over the last 17 years tell a more complicated story than the oft-cited post-amalgamation divide between the former boroughs. While the results from the the 2003 and 2010 elections do reveal an obvious split between downtown voters and those in the former suburbs, David Miller's reelection bid in 2006 witnessed the incumbent win 42 of 44 wards in the city.
This year's ward-by-ward breakdown doesn't show anywhere near as strong a mandate for John Tory, but the mayor-elect did make crucial inroads in North York, south Etobicoke and south Scarborough. The post-amalgamation hangover, such as it exists, is also about far more than just geography. How Toronto votes is very much a matter of economics. This should be surprising to no one, but it does serve as a crucial reminder that it's reductive to think solely in terms of an urban/suburban split in this city.
Compare the vote map above with the citywide income breakdown from 2005, and you see why David Hulchanski theorizes that this is a place defined by income polarization, a trend that threatens to create a socio-economic divide between those in high income brackets and those in low income brackets.
A new mayor can't snap his fingers and close this gap, as there are a wide array of variables that contribute to this class division in Toronto, but building transit that serves the entire city is crucial, as is ensuring that social programs and affordable housing remain robust. Whether John Tory will be willing and able to do these things is very much up in the air. How the vote map in four years from now looks will depend in no small part on the degree to which the mayor-elect can make good on his promise to unite the city.
Toronto vote maps 2010-1997
2010
2006
2003
1997
For a detailed look at the numbers of each ward, check out our Toronto election results post.
Lead map image courtesy of CTV News
John Tory has invited Olivia Chow and David Soknacki to join his transition team. It's a slick early move as mayor-elect, one surely designed to underscore his oft-repeated desire to diminish the divisiveness that plagued city hall for the much of the Ford mayoralty. There are few better ways to signal a change in governance style for Toronto than by inviting one's former competitors to join forces. It's also a rather transparent PR move, but I suspect one that residents will welcome given the Ford team's us-against-the-world rhetoric.
Tory told the Star that he has had phone conversations with both Chow and Soknacki, though neither has committed to joining up at the point in time. Tory says he is also open to a contribution from Karen Stintz. What exactly the former mayoral candidates roles would be is uncertain. To some degree it doesn't matter. The gesture is a significant one even as it is clearly a politically savvy move.
The results were already in by the time public transit got me to the Rexdale banquet hall where Doug Ford had hoped - like any candidate, however they've polled - to hold his victory party. It wasn't good, but the atmosphere wasn't nearly as subdued as I expected.
John Tory had beat Ford by just over six per cent of the votes in a rare 61% voter turnout - a slimmer margin than predicted by the polls for weeks, but a loss nonetheless. His brother Rob won back his old ward in Etobicoke and showed up first at the hall, to a tumultuous reception by both the press and supporters.
It might have been Doug's election to lose, but to the media and Ford Nation in particular, it's still Rob's story. To that end he gave them what they wanted, and promised that he'd be back to run again. The man on the podium, however, didn't look he was in shape to run for a bus; his appearances on his brother's campaign trail had obviously taken their toll on him.
Doug arrived not long after, and gave the speech that you'd expect him to give - thanking supporters, trumpeting his brother's accomplishments in office, and graciously congratulating John Tory on his win, while promising to work hard over the next four years; at what, precisely, wasn't really explained.
The real story in the room wasn't really the Fords but their supporters, as unruly a group as you'd expect, but far more diverse than any of the usual descriptions of them ever allow. They heckled during the speeches - chanting "Ford more years!" and "Recount!" - and actually seemed to enjoy themselves far more than one would expect at a victory celebration gone sour.
They emerged out of nowhere four years ago and proudly adopted the name that was meant as a pejorative, but in all the millions of words that have been written about Ford's mayoralty almost no one has ever made much of an effort to understand who they are.
In the banquet hall near Woodbine racetrack they were Somali Muslim women who ululated during the speeches, young Asian and South Asian gangsta wannabes and earnest nerds, elegantly dressed Jamaican women and big families of white west-enders who get lazily deputized to stand in for the whole of Ford Nation. Then there was the guy with the tattoos covering his face, who represents a demographic he gets all to himself.
Whatever the Fords do next, these people will still be there, still frustrated and looking for a candidate who expresses their frustrations. The National Post celebrated Tory's win this morning by imagining that Torontonians were tired after the last four years and wanted a candidate who made it "safe to return to the couch."
I'm not so sure. Whether jamming City Hall to protest Rob and Doug's speculation about cutting services like libraries (a cut that never happened, unlike those that did under David Miller) or showing their support at Ford Fest barbeques, the level of civic engagement across the civic spectrum spiked in Crazy Town, as did voter turnout this election. I'm not sure that returning to the couch is either wanted, or needed.
Photos by Rick McGinnis and Christian Bobak
There's no better place to hang out during a city-wide event than Twitter. As Toronto landed firmly in PurgaTory way before anyone was able to properly get their drink on, social media erupted with "election tweeting peaking at 2,193 tweets per minute" according to the Star, and CP24 reporting that Tory's name was tweeted 400 times per minute after his win. I'm pretty sure that's nothing on Taylor Swift, but I'm all for Toronto's media frenzy to go back to reasonable, non-celebrity fanfare levels.
From the funny to the somber (everyone managed to get some drinks in them during the speeches) here are some of the most memorable (non-Jian) moments from last night on Twitter. Doug Ford has made no statement thus far on Twitter. It's unclear if Drake voted last night, in advance polls, through song, or at all.
This is what democracy in Toronto looks like http://t.co/2rMv76QPcX#TOPoli photo via @SimonOstlerpic.twitter.com/U1GF6BpHVu
— HuffPost Canada (@HuffPostCanada) October 28, 2014TORONTO......As Beyoncé would say, "to the left to the left...." http://t.co/QpfAefIwAn
— Feist (@FeistMusic) October 27, 2014City of Toronto Municipal Election Voting Hacks 2014 https://t.co/su8lzImeU6
— Eric Boshart (@EricJBoshart) October 27, 2014BREAKING: CBC declares John Tory next Mayor.
— Jamie Strashin (@StrashinCBC) October 28, 2014CBC says calls it for Tory and the place erupts.
— Chris Bateman (@chrisbateman) October 28, 2014John Tory is the next mayor of #Toronto. http://t.co/LWMeF5iz7Q#TOpolipic.twitter.com/dlmbn6DvD0
— blogTO (@blogTO) October 28, 2014guys, we don't have a sociopath as mayor anymore. #TOpoli
— Frank Yang (@fyang) October 28, 2014Chanting "HE'S NOT THE WORST! HE'S NOT THE WORST!" #torysupporters#TOpoli
— !PO! (@hungrypo) October 28, 2014@ddale8 Last Ipsos Reid Poll on Toronto Mayoral Election: Tory 42%, Ford 31%, Chow 25%...have a great night...
— John Wright (@JohnWrightCanuk) October 28, 2014The #voteTO numbers, and the power of incumbency, visualized. #TOpolipic.twitter.com/h2k8RFQ5Rd
— Cameron MacLeod (@c_9) October 28, 2014Hey, Toronto's next mayor just said some things in French.
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) October 28, 2014Tory breaks out the French. Ooh la la.
— Chris Bateman (@chrisbateman) October 28, 2014Tory probably laughing to himself, thinking, "The expectations have never been lower, I literally have to just not kill someone as mayor."
— Scaachi Koul (@Scaachi) October 28, 2014As your new mayor, I will work with the council you elected tonight in moving #Toronto not left, not right but forward. #TOpoli#OneToronto
— John Tory (@johntoryTO) October 28, 2014Future Jimmy Kimmel guest? Nah. On @GlobeNow soon: @marcusbgee on TO's new mayor & @robyndoolittle on #FordNationpic.twitter.com/HOxV7ZtayE
— Affan Chowdhry (@affanchowdhry) October 28, 2014Thank you again, and goodnight Toronto! #TOpolipic.twitter.com/0ZH5mQvqyR
— John Tory (@johntoryTO) October 28, 2014There's money to be made if someone can come up with a balloon drop that actually works.
— Chris Bateman (@chrisbateman) October 28, 2014Fascinating to see the voter breakdown by ward. Dark blue = @johntoryTO#bloorcinema#voteTO@CBCTorontopic.twitter.com/bZf9g9QN9X
— The Bloor Cinema (@TheBloorCinema) October 28, 2014Wow, Tory won by JUST enough to convince those who voted strategically that they weren't diminishing the core values of a democracy. Tight.
— Cameron Reed (@cameronreed) October 28, 2014But hey we're all at least a little disappointed across the entire spectrum. #unityhttp://t.co/CaeJsuD28J
— Shazia Khan (@ohshaz) October 28, 2014Hearing a lot of "could have been worse". Hard to feel inspired by that.
— Richard Trapunskary (@trapunski) October 28, 2014Interesting: RT @aballinga Saw this on Reddit this morning. "A tale of Three Torontos." http://t.co/98yxPVaQRT#TOpoli#voteTO
— Lauren Pelley (@LaurenPelley) October 28, 2014Remember, suburban/downtown voting divide not evdient under Miller. It's not eternal. Not a reason to deamalgamate.
— Death and Dackses (@dacks1) October 28, 2014Tory is outlining his promises - building the Scarborough subway, building SmartTrack, coordinating traffic signals, reducing congestion.
— Jennifer Pagliaro (@jpags) October 28, 2014Tory vows to keep Toronto moving
forward, not backward; upward, not forward & always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom! #VoteTO
— Ben Johnson BOO! (@Ben_T_Johnson) October 28, 2014Time to unfollow all the #FordNation parody accounts...
— Dave Mac Donald (@theaveragetwit) October 28, 2014The CBC declares Rob Ford the winner in Ward 2. #TOpoli
— blogTO (@blogTO) October 28, 2014Breaking: Rob Ford elected councillor in Ward 2. Banquet Hall goes bonkers. pic.twitter.com/fONU2P2Plj
— Victor Ferreira (@VicF77) October 28, 2014Rob says the doctors told him he can't shake hands. "All the germs." #topoli
— Jacques Gallant (@JacquesGallant) October 28, 2014Rob Ford appears on screen to cheers & tears. "We're praying for you!" "There is a God!" "Be healed in Jesus' name!" pic.twitter.com/dKD0UlDe8j
— Jenny Sung (@jennynotjen) October 28, 2014A cautionary tale about media, social media: Andray Domise didn't even finish *second* in Ward 2. Third, 40 points behind Rob Ford.
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) October 28, 2014Doug on Rob: "I think I always said we could run a Rob bobblehead up in Ward 2 and they would elect him because they love him." #TOpoli
— Victor Ferreira (@VicF77) October 28, 2014@blogTO Is this a promise or a threat?!
— visigoth (@J_talks_lots) October 28, 2014"Just watch in four more years." -- Rob Ford.
— blogTO (@blogTO) October 28, 2014Doug Ford is about to deliver his concession speech.
— blogTO (@blogTO) October 28, 2014The crowd chants "Recount! Recount!" As #DougFord arrives. "Ford Nation forever!" #In Ford we trust!" #voteTOpic.twitter.com/qdWtj03FSJ
— Jenny Sung (@jennynotjen) October 28, 2014How one #FordNation supporter describes #JohnTory's win: "It's like ISIS coming to Toronto! That's how bad it is!"
http://t.co/Sqf4AaGPTz
— Jenny Sung (@jennynotjen) October 28, 2014Lmao wait till yall are stuck in traffic because of a street car or get forced to move out of toronto cause of your taxes #FORDNATION
— MCMXCVIII (@_Brandon_Long_) October 28, 2014Finally! RT @TheoMoudakis: And One Last Election Cartoon: "The Ford Years" #voteTOpic.twitter.com/FFle9jPqgU
— kat (@bitwhizzle) October 28, 2014#fordnation is not fully over @TOMayorFord won his seat in city council. #TOpoli
— Norman Valdez (@DigitalNorman) October 28, 2014"We have changed the political landscape of #Toronto" -- Doug Ford.
— blogTO (@blogTO) October 28, 2014I'm disappointed in Toronto. #FordNation
— Ryan Jose (@RyanJose_) October 28, 2014A lot of people on the level of subway-style preachers tonight. All that was missing was someone with a sign saying: "The end is nigh."
— Victor Ferreira (@VicF77) October 28, 2014Pft... I bet this guy can't even speak Patois #TOpoli
— Robyn Urback (@RobynUrback) October 28, 2014In 4 years I hope we're not at the point where Toronto is begging for the Fords back. Cause there will be a lot of Told ya so. #FordNation
— TML Lover (@Candlemom3) October 28, 2014Another 2018 thing to remember: the provincial government has promised ranked ballots. If Toronto adopts them, no chance for any Ford.
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) October 28, 2014The question we're all asking: what will become of Doug Ford's Folkswagon?
— Chris Bateman (@chrisbateman) October 28, 2014School board trustee Michael Ford (yes, that Ford) promises "customer service," says has passion for helping youth and a younger voice.
— blogTO (@blogTO) October 28, 2014😖😖😖 RT @mhp: Michael Ford won with 43% of the vote. Made no public appearances and rejected talking to media. Seriously Ward 2 WTF #TOpoli
— Mack-o-Lantern (@rachelmack) October 28, 2014Mike Ford = Humpty's Egg Man. Both look like they are being held at gunpoint. #topolipic.twitter.com/uhousIWqHJ
— Paul K Lawton (@quartermass) October 28, 2014#topoli CBC voter turnout number is 64% -- an incredible number. Say this for the Fords: they drive civic engagement like no one else.
— John Lorinc (@JohnLorinc) October 28, 2014Linda Jeffrey's win ends the 14-year tenure of Susan Fennell in Brampton: http://t.co/J6WkjcQRxE#voteONpic.twitter.com/35WTzPLkEI
— TorontoStar (@TorontoStar) October 28, 2014Drinking scotch and celebrating at @SwissChaletCA thrilled to see the highest paid mayor in Canada fall on her own 1/4 chicken white!
— Friendly Rich (@Friendly_Rich) October 28, 2014Congratulations to @gordperks and @DoucetteWard13 on their re-election. They are excellent Councillors and represent us well. Bravo!
— Peggy Nash, MP (@PeggyNashNDP) October 28, 2014Mike Layton hopes City Hall will be less of a circus -- "debating policies, not fighting personalities."
— blogTO (@blogTO) October 28, 2014Dear @johntoryTO - I trust that your "one Toronto" includes squirrels! We're a bit part of the city.
— Mayor Squirrel (@MayorSquirrel) October 28, 2014#TOgether, We begin building #Toronto the great. #OneToronto#TOpoli
— John Tory (@johntoryTO) October 28, 2014Here's a snapshot of where we're at, in terms of visible minority representation on #TOcouncil. (Spoiler: it's sad). pic.twitter.com/Q2S8BQTsD1
— dave meslin (@meslin) October 28, 2014Thanks for all of your hard work and support. And, congratulations to @johntoryto our city's new mayor.
— Olivia Chow (@oliviachow) October 28, 2014A much more hearty congratulations and applause for Chow here. Tory says suspects she'll have much to contribute yet.
— Jennifer Pagliaro (@jpags) October 28, 2014"To @OliviaChow... you offered a vision of Toronto that appealed to the best in a lot of us." -- John Tory
— blogTO (@blogTO) October 28, 2014"Despite our differences, I admire your determination": Olivia Chow on @johntoryTO
— Mary Vallis (@maryvallis) October 28, 2014I would like to wish Mayor Ford well. I'm genuinely looking forward to seeing him in good health." -- John Tory
— blogTO (@blogTO) October 28, 2014"I also want to congratulate him on his victory in Ward 2 and look forward to working with him in a productive manner on council" --John Tory
— blogTO (@blogTO) October 28, 2014The polls are now closed. If you're still in line, you're allowed to vote #TOpoli
— Don Peat (@reporterdonpeat) October 27, 2014I'm at the poll station now. Ray, a supervisor, sighed when I asked him how a candidate for council ended up handing out ballots he was on.
— Amy Dempsey (@amydempsey) October 27, 2014Overheard at my polling station: "Someone just stole a ballot." Wuuuut. #voteTO
— Shazia Khan (@ohshaz) October 27, 2014Trustee candidate in Parkdale-High Park Linda Torry has been campaigning with chalk outside polling stations. #votetopic.twitter.com/tSgJJiOe0S
— Andrea Houston (@dreahouston) October 28, 2014.@robyndoolittle@goldsbie@ddale8 I just read a friend's account of voting in Ward 27 - their ballot had Ford's name pre-selected.
— Candace Shaw (@candaceshaw) October 28, 2014This Ford supporter is showing us her election papers, alleging that citizens couldn't vote due to clerical errors. pic.twitter.com/0xXC657VEv
— Jenny Sung (@jennynotjen) October 28, 2014Congratulations to the new mayor of Toronto! #TOpolipic.twitter.com/Sgk5TfKrQF
— Chris Locke (@chrislockefun) October 28, 2014Toronto voters have spoken clearly and concisely: More Dadjeans Forever.
— Seb FoxAllen (@purpledocket) October 28, 2014our new mayor doesn't think white privilege is a real thing, good night
— kanye fan account (@rawiya) October 28, 2014was gonna buy a bottle of wine to forget this city sucks but then i remembered you can't buy wine at this time bc this city sucks
— bad∞ (@badinfinite) October 28, 2014"Tonight, nobody wins" - John Tory, basically.
— Richard Trapunskary (@trapunski) October 28, 2014And still they fuck us with this mega-city...
— Damian Abraham (@leftfordamian) October 28, 2014OK people, give me arguments for deamalgamation that aren't rooted in "they're not like us" ugliness.
— Death and Dackses (@dacks1) October 28, 2014A comparison of how #Toronto has voted since 1997 (MAPS). http://t.co/p3cEmq5x2k#TOpolipic.twitter.com/f1H5i2L4V0
— blogTO (@blogTO) October 28, 2014.@Ramesh__Ranjan thank you! I hope I have also inspired youth to inspire each other!
— Morgan Baskin (@MorganBaskinTO) October 28, 2014So you want to know what's next? You might not like the answer but here it is.http://t.co/B1UsAZZhyf#TOpoli#youthpoli
— Morgan Baskin (@MorganBaskinTO) October 28, 2014Good morning! I thank each one of the 3914 who voted for me & the tens of thousands who perhaps allowed me to earn their respect. #TOpoli
— Ari Goldkind (@AriGoldkind) October 28, 2014I am pleased to announce this morning that I am thankfully still the Mayor of Ziggyville. #TOpolipic.twitter.com/DjmB0TkdvR
— Ari Goldkind (@AriGoldkind) October 28, 2014— Spooky Locke (@wipeoutbeat) October 28, 2014Looking forward to yr press releases about yr 23% t-shirt lines
— Aubrey Jax (@AubreyJax) October 28, 2014
The 2014 Toronto municipal election was one for the incumbents. Of the 37 city councillors running for re-election, 36 won back their seat. Only one sitting councillor, deputy speaker John Parker, was ousted by voters in Ward 26. When the new council is sworn in Dec. 1 there will be a seven new faces, many of them representing wards in south Etobicoke.
Here's a quick run-down of who's who.
Stephen Holyday, Ward 3 Etobicoke Centre
The son of former Etobicoke mayor and Toronto deputy mayor Doug Holyday, Stephen is a former manager at the Ontario Ministry of Energy and conservative. He told the Etobicoke Guardian earlier this year that he plans to keep taxes low, eliminate wasteful spending at city hall, and tackle road congestion. He replaces councillor Peter Leon, who agreed not to run after being appointed by council earlier this year.
Twitter:@stephenholyday
John Campbell, Ward 4 Etobicoke Centre
The retirement of long-time councillor Gloria Lindsay Luby left the second Etobicoke Centre council seat, home to the Ford brothers, up for grabs. Winner John Campbell, a former school trustee and business owner, edged out realtor Niels Christensen. Campbell, who lost to Gloria Lindsay Luby in 2010 by just 309 votes, says fighting over-development will be his top priority.
Twitter:@Campbell4Ward4
Justin Di Ciano, Ward 5 Etobicoke-Lakeshore
Another candidate defeated by a slim margin in 2010, Justin Di Ciano was elected this time with more than 54 percent of the vote after Peter Milczyn was elected to Queen's Park and his appointed replacement James Maloney agreed not to run. Di Ciano, a businessman and community organizer, says he'll ask the city to reconsider its plans for the Six Points interchange and help to improve the Queensway area.
Twitter: @JustinDiCiano
Christin Carmichael Greb, Ward 16 Eglinton-Lawrence
Election winner Christin Carmichael Greb claimed just 17 percent of the vote in the race to replace Karen Stintz, beating Adam Tanel, Dyanoosh Youssefi, and former Stintz advisor Jean-Pierre Boutros. Proponents of ranked ballots will see this result as an indictment of the current system, but in the meantime the former Bombardier Aerospace employee who received endorsements from John Tory and Karen Stintz is reaping the benefits.
Twitter: @CarmichaelGreb
Joe Cressy, Ward 20 Trinity-Spadina
After a round of musical chairs, Adam Vaughan's one-time federal opponent Joe Cressy is now occupying the Liberal MP's former seat at city council. Cressy, whose parents are both former city councillors, beat out Sarah Thomson, who finished third. The new downtown councillor is opposed to jets at the Island airport and is in favour of sales or income transit taxes.
Twitter: @joe_cressy
Jon Burnside, Ward 26 Don Valley West
Former cop and business owner Burnside was the only challenger to unseat an incumbent city councillor during this year's election, knocking aside deputy speaker John Parker by 15 percentage points. Burnside promised to review speed limits in the Leaside neighbourhood, promote traffic calming measures, and pledged to deliver additional recreational facilities and green spaces.
Twitter: @jon_burnside
Jim Karygiannis, Ward 39 Scarborough-Agincourt\
Former Liberal MP Jim Karygiannis will be taking over the seat of Mike Del Grande, who was elected school trustee for the ward. Karygiannis supports a subway extension of the Sheppard line and would like to see the proposed McNicoll TTC bus garage, which would remove the need for east-end buses to travel across the city, moved elsewhere due to pollution and traffic concerns from neighbours.
Twitter: @jimkarygiannis
Chris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.
Image: Alexa MacDonald.
Cabbagetown isn't all tiny Victorian houses. There are also modern, renovated gems, like this one at 358 Ontario Street. If you're looking for something bright, open, and airy, this is the spot for you. The vaulted ceilings are the key to this home's success. The large windows bring tons of light into the open, expansive space, and the design is quirky enough to make the future home owner feel like they're an interesting person.
But what about day to day living? The master bedroom is a highlight of the home, too. The spa ensuite makes me jealous. The rest of the rooms may look a bit sterile right now, with their white and grey walls, but use your imagination to add colour and character and this could be a warm retreat.
SPECS
NOTABLE FEATURES
GOOD FOR:
People looking for a unique, contemporary home that's still livable. Who says a modern home needs to be all sharp edges and stainless steel? The vaulted ceilings and large windows make the space feel airy and full of sunshine. I wouldn't call it cozy, but it's warm and inviting with plenty of room for customization.
MOVE ON IF
You're not OK with a location that's slightly rougher around the edges. Cabbagetown is an extremely desirable neighbourhood with its proximity to Riverdale Park, quaint Victorian homes, and bustling shops along Parliament Street, but the transit access isn't as good as, say, the Annex, and surrounding neighbourhoods are not as yuppie centric as some potential home owners might like -- hard to say if that's actually a bad thing, though.
MORE PHOTOS
Read other posts in this series via our House of the Week Pinterest board.
Thanks to Bosley Real Estate for sponsoring our House of the Week.
Today in Toronto the Festival of Performance Art opens at Artscape Youngplace, and runs until November 2. Os Tropies are hosting a "CreEPy Release and Halloween Party" at the Gladstone, in case you just can't wait for Friday. You can also get your freak on with Shaun of the Dead at TIFF for five bucks, or a witchy edition of OUTrageous' comedy night. For more events, click on over to our events section.
Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO Toronto events calendar or contact us directly.
Photo: 7a11d International Festival of Performance Art
The Swiss people's love of rules, order, and cleanliness is plainly evident in Zurich. It has its benefits: the trains run on time, its public transit functions like a well oiled machine, and the citizens get to have a direct say on important issues. The downsides: neighbours will snitch over minor garbage infractions, and various mundane activities are inexplicably banned on Sundays.
Ideologically speaking, Zurich is the polar opposite of Toronto. The city government is structured so that the position of mayor is largely ceremonial and matters of particularly vital importance trigger plebiscites, giving citizens a direct say in how the city operates, regardless of who is currently in the town hall. Likewise, fastidious urban planning has given Zurich a well-functioning, streetcar orientated transit system that would make a Toronto transit rider green with envy.
Here are five ideas Toronto could study in Zurich.
Street parking is a blight
Since 1989, Zurich has imposed tight restrictions on parking spaces. As City Lab reports, a typical 1,000 sq. ft. store generates less than one parking space. For comparison, the Prime Tower complex, which includes Switzerland's tallest building (36 storeys,) was built with 250 parking spots. A building of similar size in Toronto could have more than double that amount, depending on its location.
In addition, construction of new parking spaces is banned. Unless the same number of surface spots are removed, new underground spaces cannot be installed. Period. "We have just a fixed amount of parking spaces. We are unable to build more parking in the city, it is forbidden," Heiko Ciceri from the city's division of transport told filmmaker Clarence Eckerson, Jr.
In Zurich, street parking is restricted in areas well served by the city's excellent public transit. This being Switzerland, the streetcars, buses, and commuter trains run frequently and on time. Just over a quarter of the residents use a car to navigate the city: the rest use public transit, ride a bike, or walk.
Referendums give power to the people
Switzerland's direct democracy system puts a large share of the government decision making process in the hands of eligible voters. The Swiss vote in referendums on matters of national, provincial, and local importance on average four times a year. In 2012, for example, the people of Zurich voted to build drive-up "sex boxes" for prostitutes (prostitution is legal in Switzerland, and the secure, rented spaces came with alarms, guards, and showers.)
There are down sides to holding votes so often, one of them being low turnout--just 2 in 5 people typically cast a ballot in each referendum. The upside, however, is that voters (in some Swiss cities permanent residents can vote, too) have a direct say in matters of importance. Imagine a direct public vote on the fate of the Gardiner, the Island Airport, or the Scarborough subway.
Mayors don't need to be important
Zurich does have a mayor, but not in a sense we would recognize in Toronto. The present incumbent, Corine Mauch, the city's first female and first openly gay leader (which I note because Switzerland didn't give women the vote until 1971,) was elected in 2009 after just two months on the nine-person city council. The position is largely ceremonial and Mauch acts largely as an ambassador, overseeing cultural programs and representing the city overseas.
The balance of power in Zurich is in the hands of the 125-member city parliament, but, as noted above, direct public votes are often used to decide matters of significant importance. Each member of city parliament represents about 3,000 people (in Toronto, councillors on average represent 60,000 people,) and votes on by-laws, the budget, and the rate of taxes.
Water fountains don't have to be gross
Zurich is dotted with clean, picturesque fountains that dispense free, potable water. Partly due to the cold winter climate, Toronto doesn't have many public water features, but there's certainly a benefit to having drinking water available to the public. Toronto Water's HTO To Go, a mobile water truck used at special events, is a smart idea that promotes this city's quality drinking water, but imagine it scaled up to permanent, well-maintained sites across the city.
Take streetcars seriously
No other city does streetcars quite like Zurich. As the backbone of the city's legendarily efficient public transportation system, the highly organized network is entirely focused on providing excellent service. Information screens onboard all streetcars show the route and upcoming stops, the vehicles have priority at every intersection, and there is real-time service information available at all stops. Oh, and every route is POP.
Zurich streetcars sometimes run in mixed traffic but many of the city's most important streets are only accessible on foot or by transit. Bahnhofstrasse, for example, is the city's main street (and also one of its ritziest,) but cars are banned. Likewise, Limmatquai, a waterfront promenade that was once choked with traffic, is now a thriving transit mall. Imagine if Toronto had the guts to do streetcars right and kick out cars.
The proof is in the data: dedicated rights-of-way lead to more reliable service, even in Toronto.
Chris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.
Image: Kamil Porembiński/Flickr
