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Toronto just raised thousands of dollars for kids to see the Black Panther movie

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Over $400,000 has now been raised for kids across the world to attend screenings of Marvel's hotly anticipated Black Panther, the first-ever film of its kind to feature a black leading character.

The movie, which hits theatres in Toronto on Friday, is being celebrated as a landmark achievement for cinema and black culture – one that New York-based philanthropist Frederick Joseph says that all children should have a chance to see.

"The release of Marvel's film the "Black Panther" is a rare opportunity for young students (primarily of colour) to see a black major cinematic and comic book character come to life," he wrote on a GoFundMe page created in January.

"This representation is truly fundamental for young people, especially those who are often underserved, unprivileged, and marginalized both nationally and globally." 

Joseph's fundraiser, set up to send disadvantaged kids in Harlem to the film, raised almost $50,000 alone over the course of one month – but hundreds of similar campaigns have since sprung up, raising much, much more as part of what's being called the #BlackPantherChallenge.

Several of these campaigns have taken root in Toronto, raising at least $20,000 for local children to see the movie.

The Black Business and Professionals Association, for starters, will be hosting more than 350 youth and family members/guardians at Cineplex Yorkdale to see the film thanks to over $15,000 worth of donations from community members. 

Another group of citizens in Toronto have raised nearly $2,000 for the Jane and Finch Boys and Girls Club to organize a screening on February 17th. 

"Toronto is recognized as one of the most multicultural cities in the world, yet we often see faces in our news and media that don't look like us," reads the description of that fundraiser, started by Kelsea W of North York. "Representation matters. Let's show the kids of Toronto why! 

The bar Bangarang in Little Italy is hosting a party this Thursday, the proceeds of which will be used to send students from  Nelson Mandela Park School to the film.

"We will be doing pay-what-you-can at the door, and additionally donating 10% of the bar's sales for the night, in addition to 50% of the sales of our drink special," reads that fundraiser's page. "However, not everyone will able to make it, so we've set up this gofundme for those who cannot."

Bangarang's GoFundMe has raised almost $1,600 in just four days.

In Hamilton, another #blackpantherchallenge fundraiser has almost reached its $5,000 goal, and donations show no sign of slowing down,

"As we prepare to watch the Wakandan King take the big screens, the reality in our city is that many kids will have to choose between their bus passes, or meals for the week, and watching this movie," wrote organizer Chukky Gerald Ibe on the Hamilton fundraiser's page.

"Let's come together to ensure every kid has the chance to see this Black Panther."

The film is sure to be a hit at the box office, either way, independent of any crowdfunding campaigns.

To date, the film's official teaser has been seen a staggering 35 million times

It already sold more presale tickets in the first 24 hours of sales than any other Marvel movie in history and, just today, was named "the most tweeted film of 2018."


One of Toronto's favourite brunch spots is now in Rexdale

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Toronto's favourite Waffle-covered bacon strips have made it north of the 401 thanks to a brand new outpost of the all-day brunch restaurant Starving Artist in Rexdale. 

Best known for its waffles and waffle-related creations, Starving Artist already boasts three popular restaurants in the 6ix — one in St. Clair West, one in Mount Pleasant and one on College Street.

The brunch juggernaut's newest location can be found at 2141 Kipling Ave.

"Rexdale, a little unexpected for us eh?" said Starving Artist's Brittany Jackson when asked about how the new spot was chosen.

"It's basically the same reason why we originally opened Lansdowne, and then again at St. Clair - we moved to the area and wanted to open a restaurant close to home!"

"Bryan and I have lived in Rexdale for just over a year now and we really saw the need for a brunch spot in our area," said Brittany of herself and owner Bryan Jackson. "Not to mention, the rent is FAR more affordable in this area of the city."

"By spending some time in our community we've noticed that the surrounding neighbourhood is really changing," she continued. "More young families are moving in and we thought that Starving Artist would be a great addition to the area."

Those young families will almost certainly agree when they get their mouths around those Montecristo waffle sandwiches.

Hungry north-enders have another place to get their brunch, but so too do local artists have a new space to exhibit their work. Starving Artist prides itself on supporting local artists by rotating the work displayed on its walls every six weeks.

Temperatures are expected to dip to -20 C in Toronto tonight

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It's been a pretty nice day in Toronto, eh? I mean, -4 C (with sun!) is nothing to sneeze at after a weekend of cold and snowy junk.

You may have heard that it's going to warm up something fierce this week – maybe even from me – and while this is true, don't get it twisted.

We're only just starting the week off now. You'll still need that parka tonight, tomorrow night, and probably for the rest of your life because whoever controls the weather hates Toronto very much.

Temperatures are all over the place this February, just like they were in January.

Meteorologists are forecasting positive temperatures for Wednesday and Thursday, as high as 6 C for the latter, but first we're going down to -15 (which will feel like -20 with the wind chill.)

Toronto's Medical Officer of Health has issued another extreme cold alert for Monday evening, so dress in layers, stay inside, visit your vulnerable neighbours and research moving to LA or Spain.

The free Toronto Tool Library has been saved

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Good news for those of us who don't own cordless hammer drills but like the idea of having access to one, just in case.

The Toronto Tool Library and Sharing Depot won't be shutting down after all, thanks to the success of a recent crowdfunding campaign by the Institute for a Resource-Based Economy.

More than $37,000 had been donated to the world-famous lending library by 511 different backers at press time.

That's 106 per cent of the campaign's goal, and enough to keep the lights on and doors open at the non-profit organization's three locations across the city

The IRBE, which operates and manages the Toronto Tool Library network, turned to Indiegogo last month after what they described as a "tough year."

Unexpected city permitting issues, a lack of grants and the cost of rent in Toronto had jeopardized the existence of the library and its programs going forward.

"Over the last 5 years, we've shared over 65,000 items with  5,000 members, from power tools to camping stoves," wrote the group on its campaign page. "And if we reach our goal here we can keep sharing for many years to come."

Now that the funds are in place (and then some,) the group plans to launch a series of home improvement workshops, expand its inventory, and continue to help folks get things done in a sustainable fashion as the largest Tool Library network in the world.

Snowy owls are Toronto's latest wildlife sensation

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It's superb owl season in Southern Ontario, and snowies are all the rage right now.

In other words, Toronto is in the midst of a snowy owl boom – the first we've seen since 2013 – and a surge in the population of this stunning northern bird has prompted a surge in the number of wildlife photos coming out of our city right now.

Hogwarts has got nothing on the Leslie Spit, for real.

Bird watchers have been flocking to large, open parks like Downsview, Colonel Samuel Smith and Tommy Thompson (obviously) in growing numbers this year as news spreads that snowy owl sightings are way, way up.

"Southern Ontario has had a large influx of Snowy Owls this winter," wrote an organizer of the Toronto Nature Lovers meetup group in an owl expedition event. 

"That makes for an exceptional opportunity to see these wanderers from the arctic. It really is a special moment when you see a snowy owl, no matter if it's your first time or hundredth time."

Snowy outlook in Toronto #snowy #owl #toronto #cntower #tommythompsonpark

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The Toronto Nature Lovers have had 75 snowy owl encounters this winter so far, according to the group, but many more sightings have been reported by independent birders on forums and photo sharing networks. 

Karen McDonald of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority told CBC News this week that these booms, formally called owl "irruptions," often coincide with booms in prey– specifically lemmings, which have a cyclical population.

Snowy owls typically live in Arctic regions, where lemmings are an important source of food. A more stable food supply means more owl chicks. More owl chicks mean more adult owls.

McDonald said that while the owls typically lay three or four eggs, this past breeding season has seen nests containing eight or nine eggs each. 

Lucky us, right?

8 things to do in Toronto today

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Events in Toronto today let you challenge yourself to a spicy ramen eating competition, go on an early Valentine's Day date, catch a fashion show on ice, and celebrate Mardi Gras like you're in New Orleans.

Events you might want to check out:

Mega Hot & Sour Ramen Challenge (February 13 @ KINTON RAMEN)
Kinton Ramen just can't stop challenging their patrons to outrageous food feats. If you can finish their giant, mega hot, mega sour ramen bowl in 15 minutes, the bowl will be free.
Valentine's Arts and Craft Beer Night (February 13 @ Rorschach Brewing)
Blank Canvases Toronto leads a couples painting lesson at this 13th annual Valentine's Arts and Craft Beer Night. It's a nice and romantic option for couples who don't like how hectic the 14th can be.
cb. Revolution Couture (February 13 @ The Bentway)
An inaugural skating fashion runway show hits Toronto's newest skating path, The Bentway, as international skating champs and rising Canadian stars show off the latest fashion on ice.
The Beaverton Funny Fake News (February 13 @ TMX Broadcast Centre)
No one likes fake news, except when it's funny and satirical. Top minds from the Comedy Network's satirical news show talk about the process of creating good satire at this conversational show.
The Videos of Gary Kibbins (February 13 @ TIFF Bell Lightbox)
Take in a free screening of six never before seen videos from Canadian video artist Gary Kibbins, whose videos explore sense and nonsense with humor and intellect.
Mardi Gras Madness (February 13 @ Lula Lounge)
The Lula Lounge recruits Toronto jazz singer Alex Pangman for a Mardi Gras inspired party true to New Orleans tradition, but set here in Toronto. Blues, dancing, dining and beads await.
SHADE (February 13 @ Rivoli)
This comedy show celebrates and showcases comedians of colour, comedians from the LGBTQ+ community, and comedians who identify as women. It frequently sells out so grab tickets in advance!
Harry Potter Trivia Night (February 13-27 @ The Lockhart)
Prepare yourself for trivia equivalent of the Goblet of Fire. Toronto's Harry Potter inspired bar, the Lockhart, hosts a no cover trivia night all about the boy who lived.

Toronto just got a new car sharing service

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General Motors just launched the first international branch of its high-tech, youth-focused car sharing network, Maven, right here in Toronto.

Like other car share services in the city, Maven has a fleet of vehicles around the city that members can reserve by the hour, day, week or even month, through a dedicated app.

Rates start at $9 per hour, including gas and insurance coverage, and cars can be picked up from about a dozen different locations in the downtown core (to start.)

What differentiates this newcomer is the bells, whistles and perks that come along with driving one of its vehicles, which are all, of course, made by GM.

Each of Maven's whips come equipped with Wi-Fi, Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM Radio, Android Auto and the OnStar infotainment platform, but its things like the ability to unlock a car with your smartphone as you approach that the company prides itself on.

"Your phone is the key to everything. So why not your car?" reads the service's website. "From remote start and keyless entry to real-time information and support, our cars connect seamlessly with your phone. So you can keep the world at your fingertips."

Unsurprisingly, given how its positioned itself within the car sharing market, 78 per cent of Maven's U.S. customers are under the age of 30.

"We're among a lot of like-minded companies here, there's a huge tech boom in the city," said Maven and GM Urban Mobility VP Julia Steyn to TechCrunch this week.

"Frankly, for better or for worse, Toronto's issues with congestion and people not wanting to own vehicles is not unique to many other large cities," she said. "We always wanted to have a large-scale deployment and Toronto will afford us that."

Maven, which launched in New York two years ago, is already active in 17 different American cities.

It doesn't have the fleet size of local competitors in Toronto just yet. Only 40 vehicles are available to users at launch – a mix of Chevrolet Cruze, Malibu, Tahoe, Trax and Volt, as well as the GMC Acadia and Yukon and the Cadillac ATS and XT5.

Users will be able to book the vehicles out using the Maven app from King West, Ryerson University, the Eaton Centre, Liberty Village, CityPlace, Bloor West Village, Leslieville and Yonge and Eglinton, among other hoods.

Popular Toronto cafe might shut down if new subway exit is approved

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A popular cafe is at risk of shutting down right now, and the reasons have nothing to do with unpaid rent, a lack of customers, or flagging business operations.

Red Rocket Coffee on the Danforth is simply too close to a proposed subway entrance.

The TTC wants to construct a new public access point for its Greenwood subway station, and has identified 10 potential locations for the project.

Located at 1364 Danforth Ave., Red Rocket is right next to one of those locations – which puts it square on the chopping block, should the transit commission move forward with plans for that specific site.

Cafe owner Billy Dertilis told the East York Mirror last week that he'd received a letter from the TTC to that effect. Essentially, if 1366 Danforth Ave. is chosen for the new exit, the building Dertilis owns may need to to be "acquired."

Staff and customers aren't having it. Not without a fight. They've launched a petition calling on the TTC to choose a different location for the Greenwood station access point.

More than 600 people have signed it to date, and given how much people in this city love their Red Rocket, I'd wager it'll be double that within no time.


Reports of Scarborough RT shutting down aren't true says Metrolinx

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Rumours of a year-long subway service shutdown in Scarborough have been greatly exaggerated, according to Metrolinx.

The provincial transit agency's spokesperson, Anne Marie Aikins, responded this morning to a Toronto Star report that indicated the Scarborough RT would need to close well before the controversial Lawrence East GO station was up and running.

Citing an internal document from 2017, The Star reported that Metrolinx had told the city there was no way to build the new station while keeping the SRT alive.

The SRT is set to be replaced by a $3.35 billion (and counting) one-stop Scarborough subway extension, but that won't be finished until 2026.

The new GO station, however, is expected to be up and running by 2024. 

This means that, if both projects are approved for construction, Toronto would be stuck without any sort of subway service between Kennedy Station and Scarborough for at least two years, "leaving residents and commuters on the bus" according to The Star.

Aikins says that Metrolinx is "confident" this won't actually happen.

"In the initial planning stages, there was some concerns that you perhaps would have to shut down while you build a station on top of another station," she told CP24 on Tuesday morning. "So we identified that as an issue and then we worked around it."

This solution involves a combination of shifting the tracks, reducing the size of the station and staging construction work on weekends, according to Aikins.

"We are building a design that won't require shutting it down," she said, noting that an updated budget for the project is expected sometime soon.

Blue Jays broadcaster Jerry Howarth is retiring effective immediately

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Veteran sportscaster Jerry Howarth, best known as the radio voice of the Toronto Blue Jays, retired abruptly this morning in light of health issues affecting his voice.

Howarth, 71, was born in Pennsylvania and raised in California, but moved to Toronto in 1981 to join the Blue Jays.

He's been here ever since, rocking a 36-year-long stint in our home and native land.

"Who knew that I would spend more than half my life in Toronto with my wife, Mary, and our two sons, Ben and Joe, doing what I love to do most, reaching out to friends and fans alike across our great country to talk baseball?" wrote Howarth in a statement on Tuesday.

"I am blessed and I am grateful," he continued. "I thank everyone who has made this journey of mine so rewarding in every way."

Howarth has called an estimated 7,500 professional baseball games over the course of his career, according to Sportsnet, including "every major milestone for the Blue Jays."

He was there for six division titles and two World Series championships. He's been honoured by the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, has won the Sports Media Canada award for achievement in broadcasting – twice – and will forever be synonymous with the home run call "There She Goes!" 

To top it all, he's now a Canadian citizen. Talk about a dope career. Congratulations, Mr. Horwath! Toronto will surely miss your baseball broadcast commentary.

The 10 hottest restaurants in Toronto right now

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The hottest restaurants in Toronto right now come to us from city legends such as Drake, a star chef from Buca, and the infamous Warehouse Group with its $6 bar food menu. Get ready to make some reservations and stand in some lines to try the food at these white hot restaurants.

Here are my picks for the hottest restaurants in Toronto right now.

Pick 6ix

Drake has collabed with Antonio Park to create a truly baller menu of sushi, sashimi, pasta and teriyaki topped with gold leaf and lobster for his splashy new Financial District restaurant.

Tuk Tuk Canteen

Roncesvalles Village now has a spot for dumplings and other Cambodian snacks that’s cozy and in high demand.

Konjiki Ramen

Toronto is still lining up for a taste of the signature award-winning shio clam and pork brother at this Tokyo transplant near Yonge and Sheppard. They now also do lobster ramen.

Vit Beo

Whole fried shrimp with shishito, congee, pho, fried cauliflower and banh xeo await at this dim Vietnamese snack bar in Bloorcourt.

Il Covo

From chef Ryan Campbell of Buca comes this intimate Little Italy hideaway serving fresh made pasta and other Italian small plates.

The Cheesecake Factory

Lineups may be waning slightly at the Yorkdale outpost of this over-the-top chain, but on a Friday night you’ll still be queuing up for hours for a taste of those scrumptious desserts. Use the time to choose between the overwhelming number of menu items.

Aloette

Burgers and beef tartare enjoy the spotlight at this Queen and Spadina spot from the same people behind Alo. Don’t skip dessert, the sundaes are amazing.

Chubby’s Jamaican Kitchen

Jerk wings, pork and chicken get the upscale treatment at this King West restaurant situated in an old Toronto row house from the experts over at Gusto 101.

Yonge St. Warehouse

$6 meals have always drawn crowds at other Warehouse locations so it stands to reason this new Yonge and Dundas one should be just as packed, cheap and crazy.

Parallel

You’ve never seen hummus, labaneh, falafel, pita and tahini like this on Geary. The massive new space is already constantly humming with fans.

Vote for your favourite photo of Winterlicious 2018

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Another year, another Winterlicious complete. As always, we challenged our readers to share photos of their most Instagram-worthy eats from the annual prix fixe event. We've narrowed the hundreds of entries to our favourite ten and want you to vote for your favourites.

Here are the finalists selected as part of this year's photo challenge.

1. @lamangalamanga at Lena

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2. @modernpicasso_ at Noce

A post shared by Matt (@modernpicasso_) on

3. @forkyeahs at Miku 

A post shared by nicolette (@forkyeahs) on

4. @rickyrichrich777 at AGO Bistro

5. @sultansandur at Canoe

6. @cooking_quidnunc at Tundra Restaurant

7. @tofoodnoms at Bymark

8. @lisakohphoto at Trio Restaurant & Bar

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9. @tosweetsneats at Sassafraz

10. @musteatmore at Pan on the Danforth

The top three vote-getters will receive gift cards to Henry's Camera. The entry deadline to vote is 11:59 p.m. on February 16, 2018.

Winterlicious 2018

Laduree says it's opening more Toronto locations

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Laduree opened to steady crowds at its boutique and tea salon at Yorkdale Mall last year. The opening has gone so well that company President David Holder told Retail Insider that the French chain plans to open additional Toronto locations soon. 

While exact opening dates and locations have yet to be confirmed, Holder says they're looking at the Financial District for the brand's newer grab-and-go concept, Laduree Picnic.

Yorkville is also a target neighbourhood because Holder feels it has a "European-like scale of low-rise commercial buildings with character" and perhaps also a preponderance of residents and tourists who can afford luxury macarons.

Timing for the rollout is expected to be sometime in 2019.

Toronto bakery closing after 37 years for big move

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Mary Macleod's Shortbread has outgrown its cookie shop and bakery on Queen Street East. It's a nice problem for a local business to have, but one that means moving into a bigger space and, in this case, away from the place it's called home for decades.

The 37-year-old company will be relocating to a large bakery and warehouse space near Pearson International Airport tomorrow.

"Since 2010, we've been expanding our business. Our current space was not big enough," said chief cookie officer Sharon Macleod to The Star in an interview about the move. "We actually had to rent storage in the area."

When they reopen at 80 Galaxy Blvd., Mary Macleod's Shortbread will have a loading dock and everything else needed to produce those delicious shortbread cookies under one roof.

The company will focus on online sales moving forward, according to Macleod, but don't worry – you'll still be able to find its products at lots of retail stores, including Whole Foods, Starbucks, Hickory Farms, Loblaw's, Summerhill Market, Holt Renfrew, Pusateri's and the AGO.

No wonder they need a bigger space.

Quebec chain Chocolats Favoris opening first Toronto location

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The Quebec City-based artisanal chocolate shop and canned fondue chain Chocolats Favoris will soon be available in Toronto – like, from an actual store.

The kind that sells hand-dipped chocolate covered ice cream cones.

Chocolats Favoris, founded in 1979, has aggressive expansion plans, and eventually hopes to operate around 75 stores across Canada. Expect lineups.

A good chunk of those locations are reportedly slated for Toronto and elsewhere across the GTA, because we've got a lot of people. What can I say? Sorry, rest of Canada.

Two of these stores are already nearby – one in Ajax and one in Aurora. A third is set to open in Vaughan on March 3.


House of the week: 3 Ardmore Road

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Toronto's chock full of modern, box-style homes, but this Forest Hill residence takes the style further than most. With extensive marble flooring, plenty of huge open rooms, and a slick minimalist vibe throughout, this one caters to lovers of contemporary architecture.

3 ardmore street torontoDesigned by Lorne Rose, it's a standout house with a prominent location next to Spadina Rd., which ensures that lots of people will see it driving by. For my money, it looks best at night when the interior lights confer a sense of warmth that doesn't quite come across during the day.

3 ardmore street torontoI'm not a huge fan of the staging here, but it's easy enough to imagine the space with different decor. What's so delightful about the interior is the sprawling nature of the first floor, which is basically divided into two large areas that hold the living, dining, family room and kitchen.

3 ardmore street torontoUpstairs, each of the bedrooms come outfitted with an en suite, a design trait I'm a big fan of. Built in shelving and desk features are also a nice touch. While there's four bedrooms up here, none of them feels confined, which is a testament to the architect.

3 ardmore street torontoIt'd be nice to see more done with the basement when this house sells. Right now it's a bit of an after thought, but there's plenty of space to set up a second TV-watching area that's a bit less fussy than the one upstairs.

3 ardmore street torontoHeading outside, the yard is narrow and runs adjacent to Spadina, but the back deck is enormous and there's plenty of privacy thanks to the mature trees that surround the lot. 

3 ardmore street torontoSpecs
3 ardmore street torontoGood For

Fans of marble and huge open rooms. Despite a few fireplaces, you wouldn't call this one cozy, but it sure makes a statement. As realtor's love to say, it's an entertainer's dream.

3 ardmore street torontoMove On If

You prefer a more traditional home. There aren't many Toronto houses that flaunt their contemporary status more than this one, so I can imagine that a few prospective buyers will think it's just too much. 

3 ardmore street toronto3 ardmore street toronto3 ardmore street toronto

3 ardmore street toronto3 ardmore street toronto3 ardmore street toronto3 ardmore street toronto3 ardmore street toronto3 ardmore street toronto3 ardmore street toronto3 ardmore street toronto3 ardmore street toronto3 ardmore street toronto

Thanks to Bosley Real Estate Ltd., Brokerage for sponsoring our house of the week. All editorial written and selected by blogTO.

Toronto ranked the 13th wealthiest city in the world

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A South Africa-based market research firm that specializes in global wealth migration has placed Toronto on its list of the most monied cities worldwide.

To be clear, we're not talking about the economy. Total wealth, as defined by New World Wealth, refers to "the private wealth held by all the individuals living in each city."

This would include assets like property, cash, equities and business interests. Government funds are explicitly excluded from the agency's reports.

According to NWW's 2018 Global Wealth Migration Review, released this month, Toronto is the 13 wealthiest city on earth (in terms of the collective wealth of everyone in this city with net assets of $1 million USD or more.) 

Here's the full list, from wealthiest to slightly less wealthy:

1. New York 
2. London
3. Tokyo
4. San Francisco Bay Area
5. Beijing
6. Shanghai
7. Los Angeles
8. Hong Kong
9. Sydney
10. Singapore
11. Chicago
12. Mumbai
13. Toronto
14. Frankfurt
15. Paris

The total wealth held in Toronto amounts to about $944 billion USD, according to the report.

NWW writes that our stock exchange is the 9th largest in the world and attributes much of the wealth in Toronto to its major industries, which are listed as financial services, real estate, IT, media and telecoms.

New York, on the other hand, has $3.0 trillion, which is just cool on so many levels (or maybe just one, I don't know.)

TTC discount pass and time based transfers coming this August

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Wouldn't it be nice if you could get off the streetcar, go shopping for an hour, and then hop back on, in either direction, without having to pay again?

Toronto City Council approved the 2018 Capital and Operating Budget this week, locking down a number of exciting changes for our fair city moving forward – including the long awaited roll out of time-based TTC transfers.

Starting this August, TTC riders with Presto cards can hop on and off any public transit vehicle as many times as they want within a two-hour window.

At $21 million annually by 2020, the program isn't cheap – but it is expected to bolster TTC ridership by about 5 million new customer trips each year. 

A now-discontinued pilot version of the program along St. Clair West proved quite a boon to local businesses over the past decade, and customers loved the freedom of walking around near stops without fear of being charged again.

Also starting in August of this year will be the first phase of a long-awaited low income transit pass for TTC riders on social assistance.

Called the "Fair Pass," this program will give discounts of 33 per cent on single adult fares and 21 per cent on adult Metropasses to eligible riders. By 2021, the discount will apply to riders who meet the low income criteria plus fifteen per cent.

Transit advocates are thrilled by the impending activation of both the Fair Pass and time-based transfers, though some are disappointed that more city funds weren't allocated for overcrowding solutions. 

"The TTC's own crowding standards will remain unmet until Fall 2018 because of insufficient funding," reads a press release from the transit advocacy group TTCriders.

Public transit overcrowding has indeed become an increasingly hot-button issue in the city. Many are worried that the dangerous practice of cramming so many people onto transit vehicles (or underground platforms) could soon lead to tragedy.

An additional $3 million for TTC services were added during the budget process, according to the group, but the TTC needs at least $12.5 million this year to significantly alleviate the rider congestion.

9 things to do in Toronto today

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Events in Toronto naturally skew toward the romantic today - being Valentine's Day and all - but for those who love to hate the Hallmark holiday there's plenty else to do by way of film fests, music, and more. 

Events you might want to check out:

Free Best of Romance Short Film Fest (February 14 @ Carlton Cinemas)
The Carlton brings the love just in time for Valentine's Day by screening seven romantic shorts from places like Hungary, Italy, and Mexico. It's a film buff's dream date.
Rhubarb Festival (February 14-25 @ Buddies in Bad Times Theatre)
Canada's longest running new works festival turns Toronto into a hotbed of experimentation, creating a space for the most adventurous ideas in theatre, dance, and performance art.
MySpace Prom (February 14 @ Lee's Palace)
Lee's Palace and the Dance Cave on its upper floor unite for a 2000s throwback party featuring emo hits downstairs and rap upstairs. Grab the number one in your top 8 and log in together.
Toronto Black Film Festival (February 14-19 @ Multiple Venues)
Back for a sixth year, the sister festival to the original Montreal show brings films representing storylines about Black people and the work of Black filmmakers to big screens in Toronto.
GeekFest Toronto (February 14 @ Cinecycle CoachHouse)
Nerd culture focused films, documentaries and talks are at the heart of this alternative to Valentine's Day celebrations. Everything from Esports to super heroes are spotlighted on stage and screen.
The Sex Show (February 14-25 @ Gallery 1313)
Art shows don't get more intimate than this curated exhibition of photography, painting, and other mixed media works that explore sex and sexuality.
Night Shift (February 14 @ Bambi's)
Artist collective Toronto After Dark, techno artist Footwork Fuel, and house DJ AL G take over Handlebar for a night of sexy sounding future beats you don't want to miss.
Anti-Valentine's Day Party (February 14 @ The Nookie)
Love to hate Valentine's Day? Show some self love and have your portrait sketched, indulge in sweets, write yourself a love letter, and more at this quirky anti-cupid event.
Marie Henein (February 14 @ Hart House, Great Hall, University of Toronto)
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Toronto just hosted a fashion show under the Gardiner Expressway

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One of Toronto's coolest new outdoor hangout spots hosted a fashion show last night. On ice. Under the Gardiner Expressway. Who would have thought such a combination was possible a few years ago?

Called cb. Revolution Couture, the event featured Canadian figure skating champions Nam Nguyen and Michelle Long, among other skaters, showing off pretty skating outfits by fashion designer / professional skater Charlene Bailey.

It was definitely more "ice spectacular" than #NYFW, but cool (if not a little cold) to watch. 

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The models showed off their moves as they strut-glided up and down the ice runway that normally serves as the Bentway Skate Trail.

And unlike the runway shows in major fashion cities, like New York and Paris, this one was free and open to the public.

Who needs PyeongChang, am I right?

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