While Torontonians often gripe about the state of the TTC, especially during rush hour, its employees aren't too happy with it either. Many of them are working out of what TTC Chair Josh Colle calls a "deplorable" building, reports the Toronto Star today.

The TTC's headquarters are currently located inside the nearly 60-year-old McBrien building at Yonge and Davisville. Around 400 of the TTC's 3,000 staffers work there; the rest are based in leased offices throughout the city. As the Star notes, this costs our transit system more than $8.4 million per year.

Along with the financial burden, the Davisville office is in pretty bad shape. According to the Star, the TTC's CEO Andy Byford calls it a "Stygian hellhole." The building has a mould problem and is in desperate need of repairs.

Colle tells the Star that ultimately, the TTC should move into a new building because it'll improve working conditions while saving money in the long run.

Photo by Twudermann in the blogTO Flickr pool.

The condo boom in Toronto isn't slowing down any time soon, but with it has come plenty of rental apartments popping up across the city. In April, the Financial Post noted that there is a significantly increased demand for rental units amongst millennials - not all of us can afford to buy a condo.

The Globe and Mail claims that there are currently 26 apartment buildings under construction in Toronto, which equals a 25 year high. And, there could be another 43 such buildings in the pipeline.

It's easy to see this gradual increase thanks to the number of new rental projects that are emerging. Of course, there's The Selby, which we've previously covered.

The historic mansion at Bloor and Sherbourne was going to become condos, but eventually that project got scrapped; a 50-storey tower filled with only rental units will emerge in its place.

The Heathview in Forest Hill is already complete. It's an interesting one to note because it likely provides us with an idea of what the incoming "luxurious" rentals will look like.

In this building's marketing material, for instance, it sells itself as a rival to condos, though, that's not altogether surprising considering its location. Other neighbourhoods set to get upscale rentals include King West and the Annex.

Here are some notable apartments set to arrive in Toronto over the next few years.

St. James Town
There's currently a development application in the works at Sherbourne and Howard for a 58-storey tower comprised of 640 rental units. This proposal is significant because it would require the demolition of 24 existing rental units and a rejigging St. James Town Park West. The heritage building currently on site, however, would remain intact.

Mirvish Village
Many were rather shocked in May when Vancouver-based developer Westbank Properties revealed its plans for Honest Ed's and Mirvish Village. Instead of constructing a slew of condos, Westbank will create approximately 1,000 rental units surrounding a public market. While this project won't be underway for a while, it'll be interesting to watch as it continues to evolve.

King Portland Centre
The King West neighbourhood is known for its pricey real estate, restaurants and bars. It's surprising then that the residential portion of this prominent incoming development will exclusively feature rental units. It'll also include retail and office space.

19 Duncan Street
It seems like many of the impressive-looking rental developments are situated near the Entertainment District, an area commonly known as condo central. This proposed project by Westbank Corp. and Allied Properties REIT would incorporate the old Southam Press Building, at Duncan and Adelaide, into a 50-storey tower. Urban Toronto reports that 50 storeys would be devoted solely to rental units.

The Well
The north-east corner of Front and Spadina is relatively sparse right now. However, once the Globe and Mail moves to King Street East, the area will undergo an enormous, $1.4 billion makeover. The Well, a project by RioCan, Diamond Corp. and Allied Properties REIT, will include multiple mixed-use buildings (with rental units, of course) to create a mini neighbourhood of sorts.

Oben Flats
This European import currently has four developments in Toronto neighbourhoods including Leslieville, Castlefield Design District, Harbord Village and St. Clair West. With 24hr-concierges, this company brings condo-living to rental units. And, it aims to build all of its properties near transit.

Lillian Park
Real estate company Shiplake already has two rental developments in the north end of the city. This proposed project for 45 Dunfield Avenue in the Yonge and Eglinton area will give rise to nearly 800 new units.

Waverly Hotel
This hotel, dating back to the early 1900s, will be demolished in favour of a 15-storey building (not 22 storeys as previously proposed). It'll likely act as an independently owned residence building for University of Toronto students. And yes, the Comfort Lounge will also disappear, though it'll be transformed into a parking garage.

Canary District
Along with the Canary District condos, this brand new Toronto neighbourhood will also be home to approximately 253 affordable rental units in two buildings designed by Daoust Lestage Inc., reports Urban Toronto.

What did we miss? Let us know in the comments.

This week, we became privy to Toronto's dark underbelly as multiple hate crimes occurred in public spaces across the city.

On Monday, a Muslim women was beaten as she picked up her son up from his Flemingdon Park-area school. At Sherbourne subway station on Wednesday, two Muslim women were verbally harassed and as CBC reports, Metrolinx found anti-Muslim graffiti on a train earlier this week. A University of Toronto student said he was spat on last weekend.

In response, numerous events are cropping up in order to fight Islamophobia at home and abroad. Others, including a grassroots rally at Nathan Phillips Square, are showing support for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's plan to bring 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada before the end of the year.

This morning, around 100 people marched peacefully through the Flemingdon Park neighbourhood in response to the various appalling racist attacks.

Do you know of more Toronto events, rallies and initiatives organized to combat Islamophobia? Add them to the comments.

Photo by Kat Northern Light Man in the blogTO Flickr pool.

The best museums in Toronto let visitors and locals escape from the city to explore historical artifacts, priceless works of art and hockey memorabilia. As a cultural hub, Toronto is a hotbed for esteemed institutions that provide us with endless learning opportunities and stellar rainy day (and winter) activities.

Here are the best museums in Toronto.

The ROM
The Royal Ontario Museum is cool again thanks to weekly Friday Night Live events that let you drink and dance amongst the dinosaurs and other artifacts. No longer just for tourists and elementary school classes, this centrally located museum has a variety of world class temporary exhibitions and permanent galleries that are both educational and entertaining.

The AGO
With its Frank Gehry facelift, this esteemed art gallery is another institution that's a hit with the twenty-something crowd because of its monthly First Thursday parties - there's something thrilling about strolling through the galleries while clutching a cocktail. Parties aside, the AGO is a feast for the eyes (and soul) with its permanent collections and rotating roster of blockbuster exhibitions.

The Hockey Hall of Fame
Indulge in your love for Canada's favourite sport with a visit to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Its conveniently located within walking distance from the ACC if you want to gaze at your favourite stars on ice before heading to a game.

Aga Khan Museum
While many of Toronto's museums are located near the downtown core, the Aga Khan is situated in midtown. It focuses exclusively on Muslim civilizations, both from historical and contemporary perspectives. The space also includes a stunning public park as well as the fusion restaurant Diwan.

Bata Shoe Museum
With more than 1,000 shoes on display, a visit to the Bata Shoe Museum at Bloor and St. George will let you window shop without temptation. There's footwear on display from a myriad of eras, from Ancient Greece to modern times. You'll never look at your sneakers the same way again.

The Gardiner Museum
Located just across the street from The ROM, The Gardiner is Canada's national ceramics museum. Along with showing both permanent and special exhibitions, this cultural space offers drop-in clay classes and workshops for children and adults alike.

The Design Exchange
We usually don't even appreciate how much design positively effects our lives, but a trip to the Design Exchange should sort that out. Objects in its permanent collection explore five decades of Canadian industrial design. And perhaps most notable about this museum is its location; it's situated inside the historic Toronto Stock Exchange building, a wonderful example of art deco design.

The Textile Museum of Canada
Travel back nearly 2,000 years through the various garments, cloths and fabrics on display here. The oldest item in its 13,000 piece collection dates back to 100 AD from the Nazca culture of southern Peru. Learn how textiles have evolved around the world in the only major Canadian museum devoted to this subject.

Archives of Ontario
It's well worth a schlep to York University if you're keen to do some archival sleuthing. The archive keeps public, private and business records and offers workshops if you're looking for guidance before delving into the past. It also has exhibitions focusing on various historical events.

CBC Museum
Admission is free for this museum located on the first floor of CBC's Front Street headquarters. Trace our public broadcaster's history back to its first days on air in 1936 and relive your favourite programs and segments.

The MZTV Museum of Television
Plan your visit accordingly because The MZTV Museum of Television is open from Tuesday to Friday between 2 and 5 p.m. Created by Toronto's TV legend Moses Znaimer, the collection focuses on television technology from the 1920s to the 1970s; its mission is "to protect, preserve and promote the receiving instruments of television history."

Photo by End User in the blogTO Flickr pool

We should have had nearly 67 brand new TTC streetcars zipping around Toronto by now. But thanks to multiple delays, Bombardier has delivered only 16 so far.

According to the Financial Post, the TTC asked the Montreal-based company to publicly discuss the ongoing delays at its November board meeting, which is happening on Monday, However, as the Post reports, there won't be a single Bombardier executive in attendance.

Bombardier says it'll discuss the delays privately, but it doesn't have an obligation to speak publicly. The TTC paid $1.2 billion for 204 new streetcars and Bombardier has consistency failed to meet its delivery schedule. And, its very first shipment contained faulty vehicles.

On October 28, the TTC voted to pursue legal action against Bombardier.

Photo by Steve Chui in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Chocolate lovers rejoice because a Montreal chain known for its decadent desserts and beverages has finally opened in Toronto. Cacao 70, now located in the Distillery District, serves up both sweet and savoury dishes alongside more than 15 types of hot chocolate.

Read my profile of Cacao 70 in the restaurants section.

Ever since it opened back in early September, Toronto's Sweet Jesus has been an Instagram star, lighting up many-a-feed with images of its jazzed-up soft-serve ice cream cones. And now, as the cold weather finally starts to set in, you can truly start to feel blessed because the John Street cafe will soon be adding extreme coffee-based drinks to its menu.

If you're looking for something out of the pumpkin spice latte box, you'll be able to order the Canadian Bacon in the near future. Made like a double-double, this decadent drink will come topped with whipped cream and of course, bacon bits.

For non meat-eaters, there's the s'mores latte, which will be filled with vanilla ice cream. How's that for a Christmas treat?

What do you think of Sweet Jesus's new drinks? Let us know in the comments.

Toronto's newest space to get creative does triple duty as a cafe, bar and paint lounge. With a configurable space, catering by the Food Dudes and Mengrai Thai, it also functions as a good option for parties and events.

Find out more in by profile of Paint Cabin in the cafes section.

Climbing stairs is one of the most time effective workouts, raising your heart rate and working out the major muscles in your legs at the same time. Toronto has some of the best stairs with a view too.

Here are my picks for the top places to climb stairs in Toronto.

Baldwin Steps
Originally wooden, these stairs were replaced with concrete in 1913 and lead to a rewarding view of the city and Casa Loma. These stairs are great for every skill level but are especially good if you're just starting as there's space to step aside and catch your breath along the way. Bonus: there's a water fountain once you reach the top!

Riverdale Park
The trek through Riverdale Park to get to these stairs is what makes them most worthwhile. The skyline view from an East perspective and a close proximity to some post workout coffee shops is a win. Eighty-three steps long this staircase is perfect for the more intermediate level runner.

David Balfour Park trail (Heath street dead end)
If you're looking for quiet, these are the stairs to climb. Higher in intensity, these are definitely the stairs to graduate to. Surrounded by trees, the stairs lead to a creek at the bottom and a walking path that is a beautiful cool off destination.

The Subway
Adding in an extra 80 stairs to your commute will encourage knee drive. These stairs are weather friendly and are a great opportunity to knock off some time from your workout. Thank you TTC.

Your condo/apartment building
Often forgotten, these stairs are almost always deserted. Located conveniently close to your bed, it's one of the easiest and best workouts for those cold days where you just can't fathom leaving home.

What did I miss? Add more great stairs to climb in the comments.

Writing by Deanna Grant. Photo of Baldwin Steps by Gary Baker in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Today in Toronto show local musicians some love by hitting up the Horseshoe Tavern. Tonight there will be a free show featuring sets from Opeongo, Luke Warm & The Cold Soup and Evan McDonald. If you'd rather start your holiday gift shopping, head to the Craft Ontario Holiday Pop Up to find some unique goods.

For more events, click on over to our events section.

• European Union Film Festival (The Royal Cinema)
• Craft Ontario Holiday Pop Up Shop (Craft Ontario)
• Underground Chef Co. Chef Battle (Origin King St.)
• Opeongo, Luke Warm & The Cold Soup and Evan McDonald (Horseshoe Tavern)
• 100 Percent Renewable (Steam Whistle)
• M-Factor Mondays (Old Nick)
• The Wooden Platter (Indie Alehouse)

Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO Toronto events section.

Photo of the Royal Cinema

Good jams and spreads can make a simple piece of bread taste that much better. The standard peanut butter and jelly is fine for most days, but with the many unique spreads available in Toronto, it would be a shame not to try out a new combination on your next piece of toast.

Here are my picks for the top stores for jams and spreads in Toronto.

Stasis Preserves
This Roncesvalles shop is stocked with spreads and jams from many Canadian companies, but they also make their own preserves. The caramelized onion spread is especially good, combining both sweet and savoury, while their Ontario strawberry and rhubarb jam is a perfect rendition of a classic flavour.

Nadège
Known mainly for macarons and other French pastries, this popular patisserie also sells a chocolate spread that rivals Nutella. It has chopped nuts in it and tastes like the inside of a milk chocolate truffle. The spread is good enough to eat on its own with a spoon, but it's also a great addition on top of sweeter bread, like a brioche.

Feast
This West Queen West allergy-free retailer offers vegan butter made in-house, and if you want a chocolate-flavoured spread that isn't too sweet, their sunflower spread is a good alternative. As promised by the label, it's fudgy and creamy, and it doesn't taste like it's full of sugar, making it a great addition to breakfast.

Cumbrae's
This butcher shop has several decadent spreads, like duck rillette with orange zest and duck liver pate. They also sell homemade hummus and grainy mustards, but it's their ketchup that's a must-have sandwich topper. Who knew that the popular tomato spread could actually taste like roasted tomatoes?

Manning Canning
This Ontario-based kitchen sells their preserves and spreads at several retailers in Toronto, like Blackbird Baking Co. and Oliffe. Their jams, jellies and relishes are made from locally sourced produce. Two flavours that are great for spreading on toast include the apple earl grey jelly and rhubarb vanilla jam.

Kitten and the Bear
This Queen West scone and jam shop is constantly coming out with new spreads. Their black plum, cacao, and chai jam has actual cacao nibs in it, while their Ontario peach, fresh basil, and lime jam is a unique twist on your average peach spread.

Caplansky's
Mustard is a must-have for many sandwiches, and Caplansky's delicatessen offers several flavours, ranging from sweet to spicy. The honey mustard is my favourite and adds more flavour to a veggie sandwich, while the hot and horseradishy one is excellent paired with deli meats.

What a Bagel!
This bagel eatery has eight locations across Toronto and offers various flavours of cream cheese, alongside the typical plain option. The spread is fluffy and smooth, and goes well with jams and jellies, as well as other toppings. My favourite is the dill cream cheese with some lox on a bagel.

St. Urbain Bagel
The St. Lawrence Market bakery sells their own cream cheese alongside their bagels and even though they have a few flavours, I always go for plain. It tastes like it's been whipped for hours, and it also goes perfectly with their chocolate chip bagel.

Mabel's Bakery
When you're grabbing a loaf from this gourmet bakery, don't forget to check out their jams and preserves pantry. While the more classic flavours are all there, like strawberry preserves, Ontario wild blueberry jam, as well as cranberry and orange marmalade, Mabel's also makes pear butter and apple butter, which are both rich and tart.

What did I miss? Add your suggestions for the best spreads and jams in the comments.

Online record distributor SRCVinyl has opened a retail space in Toronto. Sharing a storefront with Playdead Cult in Parkdale, this new vinyl record destination should be a haven for collectors as well as those happy to rifle though a well curated selection of albums.

Find out more in my review of SRC Vinyl.

Toronto is a city blessed with stunning views of its skyline, many of of which are connected in some way to the waterfront and the Islands. Yet, despite our relative flatness, there are also a few lookouts around the city that offer vistas over its expanses.

The best known of these is surely at Chester Hill near Broadview and Danforth, which offers a sweeping view of the Don Valley and the downtown core. Toronto looks astonishingly lush from this perspective in the summer, and it's certainly a place worth seeking out if you find things like this rewarding.

There is, however, another hidden lookout, one that offers an equally stunning view. It doesn't have an official name, but a small path at Davenport and Dufferin leads up to the edge of the playground of Regal Road Public School and offers one of the widest panoramas of Toronto you could imagine.

Located on what would have been the old Lake Iroqouis shoreline, the expanse of the school's yard allows you to look from Humber Bay to almost Yonge and Bloor depending on the amount of foliage on the trees. If you look from the yard itself, though, you'll have to deal with a fence that's rather frustrating.

The overgrown path to the south offers unimpeded views, even if trees limit its panoramic range. Judging from the discarded beer bottles here, it's not exactly a secret, but knowledge of its existence seems to be confined to urban experts and area locals. That's a bit of a shame considering the unique perspective of Toronto it offers.

A couple of tips if you care to make the trip. The view is actually best in the winter when the tree line is less of an impediment (years ago this was less of an issue). Paying a visit during the week is ill-advised given that the school yard is often full of kids. Even if you stick to the hidden path, you might attract some unwelcome attention.

No one wants that when taking in what is one of the best hidden views of Toronto.

You'd be wise to avoid driving or cycling near Yonge and College over the next little while. That's because the city is still working on repairing the road after discovering a sinkhole near that busy intersection on Friday.

Currently, Yonge Street is closed between College and Alexander. "At this point, it is not known how long it will take to make the repairs and reopen the road," says a news release issued by the city.

Access to the nearby Wood and Grenville streets is restricted to local traffic only, notes CBC News.

Did the road closures affect your commute this morning? Let us know in the comments.

Photo by distinfuhs on Instagram.

Toronto has already been named the best and most liveable city in the world this year. Now, we can add another superlative to our roster because apparently Toronto has the best economy for young people, according to Accelerating Pathways (PDF), a new study commissioned by the Citi Foundation.

The report, completed by the Economist Intelligence Unit, ranked 35 cities on a Youth Economic Strategy (YES) Index based on 31 quantitative and qualitative factors, such as cost of living, ease of opening a new business and gender inequality. Toronto did well in many categories, and ultimately took the top spot ahead of New York and Chicago.

"These results reflect, and arise in part from, a recognition of the importance of the youth economic environment to the city as a whole," reads the Accelerating Pathways report.

However, as the Toronto Star reports, the study showed that Toronto has a relatively high youth unemployment rate. And, it also indicated that our young people are rather pessimistic about their economic prospects.

What do you think of these results? Let us know in the comments.

Photo by typicalmitul in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Toronto's brand new streetcars (well, the ones that have been delivered) have a brand new home at Leslie and Lakeshore.

The TTC's Leslie Barns opened yesterday. This massive building will act as a maintenance and storage facility for the transit system's new fleet, although the Russell and Roncesvalles Carhouses will remain open too.

You can take a peek inside the sprawling Leslie Barns thanks to this TTC YouTube video. Now you know.

What do you think of the new space? Let us know in the comments.

The best hot pot in Toronto is a perfect balance of fresh ingredients, delicious soups, and delectable dipping sauces. This classic Chinese comfort cuisine is perfect to warm you up as the temperature starts to cool down. Be it spicy, savoury, or lightly flavoured, the excellent varieties served up by local restaurants prove that there truly is a hot pot for everyone.

Here is the best hot pot in Toronto.

Posted by Darren "DKLo" Susilo. When not writing for BlogTO he can usually be found tweeting here or pressing words into dklomakan.wordpress.com">this blog.

If you like your breakfast slathered in buttery goodness, keep your eyes peeled on the East Danforth. Toronto's east side will soon be home to a new brunch spot that'll specialize in eggs Benedict as well as build-your-own pancakes.

The incoming Hollandaise Diner will be located at 2231 Danforth Ave., between Woodbine and Main. This eggs-centric eatery will likely open early next month.

Until then, you can look forward to dishes such as coconut eggs Benedict with bitter greens, grilled tomato and a coconut Bernaise sauce as well as a gluten-free Cajun Benny.

On the DIY pancake front, you'll be able to choose from three different bases (original, chocolate or coconut) as well as three types of sauce.

Are you looking forward to Hollandaise Diner? Let us know in the comments.

Photo by Javin from the blogTO Flickr pool - note: this is not a photo of an item from the Hollandaise Diner menu.

A new coffee shop on Toronto's east side serves up baked treats and cappuccinos alongside a vast selection of vinyl, books and nostalgia.

Find out more in my profile of Press Books, Coffee and Vinyl in the cafes section.

When Raj Gupta learned that the city of Toronto was slowly phasing out its rather iconic acorn-shaped street signs, he had an idea.

"At that point I thought, wait a second maybe there's a way to pay tribute and homage to the old street signs." And so he began his Toronto Street Signs art project back in September 2014 by creating unadorned images of well-known signs.

"Torontonians are incredibly proud of their city, is what I've learned, and every little street corner has such a story to tell," he says. That's why he started imbuing his signs with character. Now, his most popular prints reflect Toronto's myriad of distinct neighbourhoods.

Gupta, who's also an art director at the advertising agency J. Walter Thompson, sells his work for $40 to $75 at his Etsy store TheRajGarage. He says he's gotten lots of attention after posting about them on Reddit.

For January 2016, he's working on a new set of prints, which will include more street signs from the city's east end.

What do you think of the Toronto street signs project? Let us know in the comments.