Free events in Toronto this week include a slew of unique film festivals, an Icelandic music showcase, and a ton of delicious fried chicken. There's no reason you can't have fun while saving your hard-earned cash for the holidays. 

Many bars around Toronto will have extended last call in the coming days thanks to Indie Week, which takes over the city  from November 7 to 12. The majority of spots serving until 4 a.m. are live music venues, but there's a few options beyond that scope as well.

Here are the Toronto bars with 4 a.m. extended last call this week. 

• Brooklynn
• The Baby G
• Bovine Sex Club
• Cameron House
• Cherry Cola's
• Dakota Tavern
• Disgraceland
• Nest
• B-Side Lounge
• Maison Mercer
• The Everleigh
• Garrison
• Nocturne
• The Paddock
• Painted Lady
• Eden Hall
• The Peacok
• UG3 Live

Cheap rent in Toronto is a relative term. Where once $1,000 could secure you a nice, above-ground one bedroom apartment, now you'll find plenty of basement bachelors listed above this benchmark. There are, however, some neighbourhoods that offer more bang for your buck than you'll find elsewhere. 

Here are five Toronto neighbourhoods with lots of amenities, good transit accessibility, and rent within reach.

Corso Italia

The western reaches of St. Clair, particularly on residential streets to the, is a great place to seek out high-value apartment rentals. Subway proximity is poor, but the streetcar ROW makes a big difference for transit users. It also boasts a bustling restaurant and cafe scene.

Woodbine-Lumsden

Not so long ago, this was an area low in rental options, but cash-strapped homeowners have created many units in their homes to help with mortgage payments, which means renters can look here for well priced units. $1,600 can secure a renovated two bedroom here.

Runnymede North

Bloor West Village has steadily grown out of reach for renters looking for value, but head north to Runnymede and you'll still find well-appointed one bedrooms in the $1,200 range. Subway accessibility isn't the best, but there are plenty of bus routes to choose from. 

Davenport Village

I've drawn the neighbourhood lines loosely here, but throughout this area one bedroom apartments can still be found for $1,150 or less. You can get cheaper rent by heading northwest to the Rogers Rd. area, but only at the expense of subway accessibility. 

Upper/East Leslieville

This isn't one neighbourhood, of course, but a collection that includes Little India and the Pocket (amongst others). Rental pricing is mostly consistent here. You'll have to walk 10-15 minutes to get to the subway or 501 streetcar, but the whole area is rapidly developing.

A note on criteria: This is not a scientific exercise in tracking average rental prices across the city, but is based on months of monitoring popular apartment rental listings sites. The goal here is to highlight those neighbourhoods that offer good value in Toronto rather than the outright cheapest rent.

Spas to escape to near Toronto are plentiful – and, thanks to their beautiful natural environments, they can be even more rejuvenating than the most relaxing spots in the city. Besides, when you're seeking a completely restorative experience, sometimes its just nice to get away for a night or two.

Here are my picks for the most relaxing spas to escape to near Toronto.

Scadinave Spa

This Scandinavian style spa is a major destination for city folk looking to get away from it all. Along with specialty treatments, the highlight here is the spa's network of hot and cold baths. They're located outside, surrounded by nature, but you can use them all year long.

Couples Resort & Spa

This luxury destination in the Algonquin area caters to couples looking for a romantic getaway – no kids or conferences allowed. Body wraps, facials, massages and other services are offered in a 100 per cent solar powered spa, or can be ordered right to guests' rooms.

White Oaks Resort & Spa

As one of the biggest spas in the country, there's lots to enjoy at this luxury hotel and pampering palace near Niagara-on-the-lake. Take advantage of the couple's room to enjoy a treatment with your significant other, or check hit the "whisper room" for a total escape.

Grail Springs

This award-winning wellness retreat and spa is already getting lots of positive buzz. Guests can try detox juice cleanses, attend daily yoga classes, and benefit from the detoxifying properties of the area's alkaline lake above magnetically-charged bedrock.

The Rosseau

This luxury resort and spa by JW Marriot is located in the heart of the Muskokas, set on a granite bluff overlooking Lake Rosseau. The spa menu is huge here, as are the facilities, which include a "Vichy room" and separate men's and women's lounges. 

Ste. Anne's Spa

Just an hour and a half east of Toronto, this "rustic" all-inclusive resort has a reputation as one of the best spas in Southern Ontario. Along with a slew of traditional spa services, it offers an "equine experience" package where guests can care for, ride and bond with horses.

The Briars

This extensive lakeside resort brings together luxurious spa facilities, the best parts of cottage life, and cozy country inn vibes. Expect camp fires, water sports, boat cruises and stargazing on the docks, as well as whirlpools, body wraps, esthetics and many types of massage.

Langdon Hall

Built in the late 1890's, this sprawling, historic chateau offers 60 guest suites, elegant reception rooms, a croquet court, flower gardens and, of course, a full-service spa. Visit the saunas here after enjoying a stellar meal at one of the 5 award-winning on site restaurants.

Claramount Inn & Spa

This stunning mansion, which is over a century old, boats 10 guest suites as well as off-site cottages. There are lots of spa treatments to choose from as well as saunas, hot tubs and an indoor saltwater pool.

The Millcroft

In the summertime, this getaway boasts an unparalleled view of lush, rolling hills, but you can retreat here any time of year. Visitors come from around the globe each year to experience its renowned spa facility, excellent food and picturesque surroundings.

It's a wonderful week in Toronto for music lovers, with shows from Tegan and Sara, Ibeyi, and Indie Week all going down. Elsewhere, the St. Lawrence Market opens up for an indulgent night, a few film festivals pop up across town, and Chris Rock plans to put a lock on your phone.

The best salumi in Toronto can be enjoyed as a precursor to one of the best Italian meals in the city, or on its own as a light but decadent snack with glasses of wine or negronis, with cheese and bread or without. Salty, fatty meats are often sliced so paper thin they’re almost transparent and sometimes even cured in house.

Here is the best salumi in Toronto.

Details about the new, fully rejuvenated Ontario Place continue to emerge this month as the province moves forward with its rebranding of the site as a hub for Toronto sports and culture.

This weekend, the iconic Cinesphere celebrated its official reopening with a series of public film screenings– the first time in five years that the cinema was used outside of festivals or private events.

The IMAX theatre had been already been upgraded with a new 60-foot by 80-foot curved screen and improvements to the theatre's lobby, lighting and acoustics – but there's much more to come for Ontario Place as a whole, according to the government.

The site will soon have a brand new, synthetic ice skating rink for the public to enjoy, among other features. If all goes as planned, it'll be ready for use by December.

Excited to welcome everyone back to the #Cinesphere! Regular screenings at the iconic theatre kicks off @OntarioPlace this weekend! pic.twitter.com/CQNKJtIfgY

— Eleanor McMahon (@EMcMahonBurl) November 3, 2017

A concept rendering from the province's original vision for Ontario Place shows a skating rink running under the former Atlantis Pavilions. We don't yet know, however, if that's where the rink will actually be built. 

A synthetic skating rink could go pretty much anywhere, and given that it's scheduled to open in less than a month, it seems unlikely that the province would have time to construct something like this over a lake.

It would make sense to place the synthetic rink somewhere within the newly-opened Trillium Park, which boasts a large area of open space in front of the main pavilion. There are, however, numerous other open areas on the old grounds where a rink could be constructed.

Winter at Ontario Place will run from early December to mid-March, according to the province, and will feature "a winter light exhibition with illuminated installations by local artists," as well as other activities.

This week on DineSafe we find that Toronto bar the Village Idiot was shut down by city health inspectors for gross unsanitary conditions. Since the initial inspection they've cleaned up their act and have reopened to the public.

Read on to discover what other Toronto restaurants got busted by city health inspectors.

Aroma Espresso Bar (562 Bay St.)

• Inspected on: October 30, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 4 (Minor: 2, Significant: 2)
• Crucial infractions include: N/A

Diamond Pizza (510 Main St.)

• Inspected on: October 30, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 2, Significant: 2, Crucial: 1)
• Crucial infractions include: Operator failed to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated.

Fugo Desserts (205 Dundas St. West)

• Inspected on: October 30, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 6 (Minor: 2, Significant: 4)
• Crucial infractions include: N/A

ONOIR (620 Church St.)

• Inspected on: October 30, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 2 (Minor: 1, Significant: 1)
• Crucial infractions include: N/A

Village Idiot (126 McCaul St.)

• Inspected on: October 30, 2017
• Inspection finding: Red (Closed)
• Number of infractions: 4 (Significant: 3, Crucial: 1)
• Crucial infractions include: Operator failed to prevent gross unsanitary conditions.

Kwan (1496 Yonge St.)

• Inspected on: October 31, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 3, Significant: 2)
• Crucial infractions include: N/A

Sashimi Island (635 College St.)

• Inspected on: October 31, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 2, Crucial: 1)
• Crucial infractions include: Operator failed to maintain hazardous foods at 4C (40F) or colder.

ZenQ Desserts (5437 Yonge St.)

• Inspected on: November 1, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 3 (Significant: 2, Crucial: 1)
• Crucial infractions include: Operator failed to wash hands when required.

Popeyes (553 Bloor St. West)

• Inspected on: November 2, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 5 (Significant: 4, Crucial: 1)
• Crucial infractions include: Operator failed to maintain hazardous foods at 4C (40F) or colder.

Note: The above businesses each received infractions from DineSafe as originally reported on the DineSafe site. This does not imply that any of these businesses have not subsequently corrected the issue and received a passing grade by DineSafe inspectors. For the latest status for each of the mentioned businesses, including details on any subsequent inspections, please be sure to check the DineSafe site.

If you follow Mayor John Tory on any social media platform, you know he's serious about traffic congestion (and hashtagging his plans to fix it). 

From parking ticket blitzes and traffic wardens to UPS delivery bikes, the mayor and his staff have tabled and/or implemented dozens of new measures over the past three years as part of their #getTOmoving initiative.

Still, gridlock remains a serious problem both in and around the city thanks in no small part to collisions that block traffic for hours.

We all have a part to play to #getTOmoving. pic.twitter.com/N5f43NOh0c

— John Tory (@JohnTory) November 5, 2017

In an effort to keep our highways moving after accidents, Tory announced at a news conference this morning that the city would be deploying "quick clear squads" to move disabled vehicles off major roadways starting today.

The mayor said that these rapid response teams would help to clear temporary lane blockages, which can be caused by "something as simple as a car that is stalled, a car that has run out of gas" or "people who stop in live lanes of traffic to send text messages."

"The bottom line is that we have to get them cleared out," he said. "Both because it's impeding traffic [and] because it's very unsafe.”

During pilot, City #QuickClearSquads responded to 330 calls, helped 150 disabled vehicles, helped @TorontoPolice, @Toronto_Fire& @TorontoMedics with120 incidents & laid 58 charges to contractors illegally blocking lanes of traffic. #getTOmoving

— John Tory (@JohnTory) November 6, 2017

The city's transportation department has been testing the solution on the Gardiner Expressway, the Don Valley Parkway and major arterial roads as part of a pilot project since September, according to Tory.

The program will be operating at full capacity by next year during morning and afternoon rush hours, as well as on weekends.

For now, the quick clear squads will continue to monitor the Gardiner and DVP during all morning rush hours, effective immediately.

From November 14 to 16 UnCovered: Dylan & Springsteen will be in Toronto showcasing some of Canada's top talent. Want to see it? We've teamed up with The Musical Stage Company to give a lucky reader a chance to see the show and grab dinner at The Keg.

Check out all the contest details here.

It was only a matter of time, right?

Hot on the heels of Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, former U.S. first lady Michelle Obama will be speaking in Toronto near the end of this month.

Obama has been heavily involved in her charitable work advocating educational opportunities for girls since leaving the White House in January.

It should come as no surprise then, that her first-ever Canadian speaking engagement is titled "The Economics of Equality: Advancing Women and Girls to Change the World." 

Hosted by Plan International Canada and the Economic Club of Canada, the event is scheduled to take place on Nov. 28 at  Ryerson's Mattamy Athletic Centre (aka the old Maple Leaf Gardens.) 

Tickets are expected to go on sale to the general public this Friday at 10 a.m., but there's another way in for young women in Toronto.

As many as 1,500 local girls between the ages of 14 and 24 will win tickets to this exclusive event – one girl for every ticket sold to corporate leaders in Canada, according to CTV.

Hopeful participants can enter a lottery for the seats beginning this Wednesday, Nov. 8 on Plan Canada's website.

Good luck!

It's beginning to look a lot (okay, a little) like Christmas in Toronto this week with the arrival of a gigantic evergreen tree at Nathan Philips Square.

The process of installing Toronto's official 2017 Christmas tree began this morning when the it arrived at city hall on a flatbed truck from Bancroft, Ontario.

Toronto's 18 m white spruce Christmas tree is here @npstoronto ! It'll be covered with thousands of lights for #CavalcadeofLights on Nov 25 pic.twitter.com/4sRNyFjM9R

— City of Toronto (@TorontoComms) November 6, 2017

It took three cranes, six people and approximately four hours to get the 6o-foot-tall (or 18 metres) tree in place – but that's all that has happened so far.

"The tree requires three days to settle before it can be decorated," according to the city. "Countless pieces of large machinery, including a cherry picker, are used by the decorating crew to string the lights and place each ornament on the tree."

I can see how that might be jarring for a tree.

Up goes Toronto's official Christmas tree! #CavalcadeofLights@TorontoCommspic.twitter.com/VStIjPAUns

— Special Events T.O. (@specialeventsTO) November 6, 2017

Once it has settled, the traditional process of decorating and lighting the tree with machines will commence. A City of Toronto media release says that it should be ready for the holidays in about two weeks – just in time for the 51st annual Cavalcade of Lights on Nov. 25.

The tree will remain on display throughout the holiday season at Nathan Philips Square. In 2018, it will be recycled. 

It's a terribly dangerous time to be a pedestrian in Toronto (or anywhere in the world with lots of cars and people, as a matter of fact).

On Friday morning alone, six people were struck by cars locally in separate incidents over the course of only three hours. A total of 1,418 pedestrians had already been hit by cars in Toronto this year as of Oct. 31.

Whether these collisions are the fault of distracted drivers, "zombie" pedestrians or something else entirely, the solution to stopping these accidents could lie in the field of artificial intelligence.

The U.K.-based software firm Umbrellium recently unveiled an interactive, computer-controlled crosswalk that promises to "make pedestrians, cyclists & drivers safer and more aware of each other."

Called Starling Crossing (STigmergic Adaptive Responsive LearnING), the tech-stacked crosswalk is able to react dynamically, in real-time, to different road conditions using cameras, LED lights and neural networks.

The crossing can instantly change its own size, layout, orientation, markings, colours, and even create "buffer zones" when it senses that a collision might happen.

And now a view of Starling Crossing from the perspective of a cyclist approaching a blind spot caused by a high sided van. See more on our website!#roads #safety #pedestrians #interactive #interactivearchitecture

A post shared by Umbrellium (@umbrellium) on Oct 9, 2017 at 7:36am PDT

"If a person is distracted, looking down at their mobile, and veers too close to the road surface when a car is nearby, a warning pattern lights around them to fill their field of vision," reads Umbrellium's website.

"If a child runs into the road unexpectedly, a large buffer zone is created around them to make their trajectory clear to any nearby drivers or cyclists."

Being that the work is still very much in its experimental stage, some analystsspeculate that Alphabet's Sidewalk Labs could adopt the technology as part of its new, high-tech "smart city" in Toronto.

"A key part of that future vision is rethinking the way cars and people interact," writes NBC's Mark Harris of Sidewalk Toronto.

"Until now, much of that effort — from Alphabet and others — has been dedicated to building self-driving cars that steer around obstacles and automatically brake to avoid collisions."

But what if our sidewalks were as smart, or even smarter than today's autonomous cars? Could intelligent pavement save us from ourselves?

It'll be a while before we find out, if ever, but it's a fascinating (albeit incredibly expensive) idea.

Yonge St. has undergone many transformations since it was laid as the central thoroughfare in Toronto, but in terms of sheer vibrancy and mythological influence, it reached its peak in the early 1970s before the rise of the Eaton Centre began a long but steady sanitization process. 

Take a tour of downtown Yonge St. in the midst of its heyday in this photo gallery.

Don't look now, Toronto — but the first snowfall of the season is upon us. Temperatures are expected to plummet on Thursday night, and there's a good chance that the city will witness at least a few flurries.

Right now Environment Canada is calling for a 40 per cent chance of precipitation on Thursday, but with a low of -9C, the conditions are ripe for a blow to any dreams we had of holding off the winter for a few more weeks. 

This week's forecast, courtesy of Environment Canada.

Perhaps worse, there's also a chance for flurry activity on Saturday night as well, when the temperature is expected to be -1C. I'm not sure what's worse, the possibility of snow or the near certainty that it's about to get very cold. 

It's actually quite typical to get flurries or a thin blanket of snow around this time in November. Fortunately, it rarely stays on the ground for too long. Let's hope that's the case this year — or, better, that we dodge this winter weather altogether for a little while longer. 

Bring on the snow in December. At least then all of our holiday markets will be up and running.

Nachos are an all-time favourite when it comes to pub grub in Toronto. No matter if you like 'em with the classic combination of tortilla chips, cheese and salsa, or relish in the occasional creative spin, there's a platter of nachos to satisfy every taste in this city.

Here are my picks for the top nachos in Toronto by neighbourhood.

Beaches

Castro's Lounge on Queen East cooks up oven-baked nachos loaded with a special cheese blend, black beans, jalapenos, sour cream, salsa and guacmole. They even offer the option to sub in Daiya cheese. 

Bloor West Village

Bryden's claims to serve “The Best Damn Nachos." Here the plate is piled high with tri-coloured chips then loaded to the max with diced tomatoes, jalapenos, melted mozza and cheddar. Guac, salsa, and sour cream are included on the side.

Bloorcourt

Satisfy your nacho cravings at Tallboys with the TB Nachos, a mass of corn tortilla chips covered with cheese, salsa, roasted red peppers, and avocado crema. 

Church Wellesley Village

At Hair Of The Dog, the nachos are constructed with house-made corn and flour tortilla chips piled with chopped tomatoes, scallions, jalapenos, olives, mozzarella and cheddar cheese, and fresh salsa and sour cream on the side. 

Corso Italia

Found under the pub grub section of the menu of Earlscourt BBQ, these smoky nachos are topped with cheese, salsa, sour cream and your choice of pork, chicken or brisket. 

Roxy on King doesn't skimp on topping when it comes to their nachos. Photo by Hector Vasquez.

Danforth East

Morgans on the Danforth manages to make deliciously addictive nachos. Here the nachos start with a pile of hand-cut tortillas to which Monterey Jack is applied along with smoked veggie chili, sweet peppers, jalapenos, salsa and sour cream. 

Dundas West

The Dock Ellis skips the standard tortilla chips and instead uses crispy wontons for its nachos. They're layered with sausage, black beans, smoked mornay, pico de gallo, pickled jalapenos and sour cream.

East York

The Nacho Libre Platter at Rally Sports Bar & Smokehouse starts with crispy corn tortillas and is layered with a blend of cheeses, beef chili, onions, jalapenos and olives. Pulled pork and guac' are extra, but sour cream and salsa are supplied on the side for dipping.

Financial District

Real Sports Bar naturally excels at pub staples, and the nachos are no exception. Here they're blanketed in a three-cheese blend, loaded with jalapenos and pico de gallo, and drizzled with sour cream. 

Harbourfront

The Goodman Pub & Kitchen takes nachos to the next level by loading them with cheese, jalapenos, bell peppers, green onions, black olives, black beans, sour cream, pico de gallo and smashed avocado. If that's not enough, you can add grilled chicken, wild boar chilli, or pulled pork.

Junction

The chorizo nachos at Playa Cabana Cantina start with a base of fresh tortilla chips, to which they add a mix of pork and queso oaxaca.

King East

Scotland Yard does nachos a few different ways. Get tortillas smothered in monterey jack and cheddar cheese, jalapenos, diced tomato and scallions and optional pulled pork, guacamole and chicken. While the Nachomari is a souped-up version with crispy calamari.

King West

Not only does Roxy on King boast pool tables and ping-pong but they also are serving up pub grub. On the menu you'll find their signatures nachos topped with mozzarella and cheddar, green onions, jalapenos, banana peppers and tomatoes. Sour cream is served on the side. 

You'll find some of the best nachos in Toronto at Sneaky Dee's. Photo by Matt Forsythe.

Koreatown

Tacos El Asador is a Latin American institution in this neighbourhood. A great start to a meal here is the nachos, a colourful combo of melted cheese, refried beans, cotija cheese, sour cream, onion, tomato and avocado over house-made tortilla chips. 

Little Italy

Sneaky Dee's is famous for its Kings Crown, an oversized portion of corn tortillas covered with melted cheese, salsa roja, frijoles, ground beef, fresh veggies, jalapenos and dollops of guacamole and sour cream.

Queen West

The Fifth Pubhouse on Richmond are doing their nachos platter with chorizo, black beans, ancho crema, tomatillo, jalapeños and guacamole.

Riverside

The one-layer baker's tray nachos at Prohibition are a must-try. The dish starts with hand-cut corn tortillas smothered in a five cheese blend, house-smoked maple bourbon BBQ pulled pork, coriander, and pickled chillies.

Roncesvalles Village

Cardinal Rule builds its nachos on a base of corn chips and tops them with black beans, corn, a four-cheese blend and a choice of brisket, smoked chicken or a tofu-salsa.

Scarborough 

The Mucho Nachos at Working Dog Saloon feature crisp nacho chips loaded with diced tomatoes, green onions, peppers and smothered in melted cheese. They also do a version with beef chilli.

St. Clair West

The list of botana at Tenoch includes the nachos con camaron featuring a medley of shrimp, tomato, onion, cilantro, cream and cheese over a base of corn tortillas.

Fresh avocado is piled on nachos at Tacos El Asador. Photo by Hector Vasquez.

West Queen West

The Dirty Nachos at Bar Fancy are doused with cheese sauce and sour cream, then topped with pickled onions, jalapeno rings, and shredded lettuce. Guacamole comes on the side.

Yonge & Dundas

Lou Dawg's does some pretty killer nachos smothered with cheese curds and a black bean and corn salad. Have them with the house-smoked brisket, pulled chicken, pulled pork or veggie chili, all served with jalapenos, salsa and sour cream.

Yorkville

Hemingway’s has been serving hungry patrons giant platters of nachos for decades. Chips are smothered with cheese, tomatoes, green onion, black olives, green peppers and jalapeño peppers. On the side you'll find guacamole, salsa, and sour cream.

You know that big bronze man on a white podium in the University Avenue median to the south of Queen Street West?

That's Sir Adam Beck, the founder of Ontario Hydro and the father of low cost, publicly-owned electric energy. You've probably read about him in school (or know who he is because you're just a good Canadian like that).

Beck was all about public utility ownership. It's what he was known for, and it's why the city erected that giant memorial in 1934.

Thus, when Ontario announced its plans to sell off a huge chunk of Hydro One a few years back, many dissenters said that Beck must be "rolling in his grave."

People have been saying it regularly on Twitter for years, in fact, as developments emerge in the Hydro One saga.

But someone (or ones) took this message to the next level on Monday by literally putting a fake gravestone in front of the Adam Beck Memorial on University Ave.

The monument and its surrounding green spaces are currently filled with gold signs that say "$750 M Annual Profits" and "Hydro One, Keep it Public."

A fake arm looks like it's popping up out of the grass next to Beck's fake tombstone, which reads "father of public Hydro." The arm holds a sign that says "don't kill my dream!"

There are also Canada Geese with rings around their necks surrounding the space.

A City of Toronto pickup truck was seen at the site earlier today, but as of Monday afternoon, the display remains intact.

A proposal to pass a law that would make it illegal to use a phone while walking in Toronto (no, seriously) has got people talking. And questioning. And arguing.

It started last week when Ontario Liberal MPP Yvan Baker unveiled a private member's bill called the "Phones Down, Heads Up Act."

Debate over who should be blamed for the high number of vehicle-pedestrian collisions in Toronto has been rolling ever since.

Laying bare the absurdity of the Zombie Law: most pedestrian deaths in Toronto are seniors - not a demographic with a phone obsession.

— jennifer keesmaat (@jen_keesmaat) November 6, 2017

Baker's goal with his bill is to curb distracted walking within the province by banning pedestrians from "crossing the road while holding and using a wireless communication device, electronic entertainment or other prescribed device."

If caught using a phone in traffic, offenders could receive fines as high as $125 – unless they're contacting emergency services or continuing a call that was started prior to crossing the road.

"distracted walking" laws in Ontario would literally make playing pokemon GO have stiffer penalties than texting and driving

— MEWWY OwOMAS 🎄 (@toiletfrenchman) November 2, 2017

Most people recognize that road safety is a pressing issue for our city right now, but cracking down on pedestrians to alleviate the problem?

Toronto's not having it. 

The distracted walking law is dumb & all it's going to do is perpetuate the victim blaming narrative that is already rampant. Disappointing.

— Robin Mazumder (@RobinMazumder) October 30, 2017

To start with, the facts don't add up.

"There are no studies showing a direct link between the behavioural effects of distraction and pedestrian crash risk," reads a 2016 U.S National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report cited by Oliver Moore in The Globe and Mail.

Moore also talked to Toronto Police Constable Clint Stibbe, who said he couldn't recall a single pedestrian fatality within the past five years that could be blamed on a victim's phone use.

Even pedestrian safety groups like Walk Toronto — run by Dylan Reid— have condemned the idea, characterizing it as ridiculous.  

We have never heard from you about this ridiculous bill and we'd have told you not to go ahead with it.

— Walk Toronto (@Walk_TO) October 29, 2017

Edward Keenan argued similarly yesterday that supporting this "zombie idea" is wrong.

"We should teach our lawmakers to keep their eyes on the things that will actually make the roads safer and eliminate the vast majority of accidents," he wrote in The Star. These include "intersection and road design, speed limits, and driver behaviour."

"Much of the time, pedestrians are hit by turning or speeding cars while doing things as innocuous as attempting to cross at an intersection," pointed out Matt Elliott in Metro.

"In those cases, it’s hard to see how not having your phone out would make a difference. I guess a bit of extra attention might allow you to pull a sweet backflip to avoid a car, but acrobat training should not be a requirement for safe passage on Toronto streets."

Well put. 

Movember, the fundraiser that tasks men with growing out mustaches to raise money and awareness for prostate and testicular cancer, has officially kicked off and lasts all month. 

Luckily, you won't have to grow it alone: Toronto is hosting a number of Movember themed events that no Mo-bro should miss. 

Today in Toronto Indie Week Canada kicks off, showcasing up and coming bands and keeping bars open until 4 a.m. There's also a free magic show going down at the Lockhart, a Syrian cultural night, and the first day of a week-long truffle celebration.