Could Scarborough's subway extension be going off the rails already? Provincial transit minister Glen Murray says the $1.8 billion once budgeted for the now-dead LRT will not be simply transferred to the subway project. $400 million needs to be spent on Kennedy station, he maintains, a position that could put the entire project in jeopardy.
A motion passed at city council on Wednesday makes the subway entirely reliant on all of the provincial LRT cash being diverted by September.
In local byelection news, Adam Giambrone will be holding on to the NDP nomination in Scarborough-Guildwood after the runner-up agreed not to pursue legal action against the party over their decision. In Toronto Centre, former MuchMusic VJ Jennifer Hollett is hoping to get the NDP nod.
In case you missed it yesterday, Gawker has revealed the list of charities that will receive a cut of its Crackstarter money. The Somali Canadian Association of Etobicoke, The South Riverdale Community Health Center, Unison Health and Community Services, and the Ontario Regional Addictions Partnership Committee will each get $46,195.65. The site was unable to track down the alleged Rob Ford crack tape. Are you pleased the cash is going to good causes?
City council won't be getting any smaller. Rob Ford had hoped councillors would vote to cut their numbers from 44 to 25 in the name of cost saving and efficiency. The idea was discussed at length yesterday but ultimately died with a vote of 25-13. Matthew McGuire of the Toronto Taxpayers Coalition says he'll take the fight to the Ontario Municipal Board. Is this a sensible way of cutting costs?
Guess what guys - e-bingo is coming to Toronto! Yep, that's right, e-bingo. It combines the white-knuckle ride of a suburban gaming hall with the fun of using a tablet computer. Struggling bingo parlours got permission to use the technology at yesterday's council meeting, meaning they have a better hope of staying in business in future.
Finally, you know that drumroll at the start of the Surfaris' song Wipe Out everyone knows how to play? Well, Etobicoke's Tom Grosset is really good at that. He broke the world record for the most drum beats in a minute earlier this month in Nashville, hitting a snare drum 1,208 times, which works out to more than 20 beats a second.
IN BRIEF:
- Yonge St. shop busted for fake IDs [Toronto Sun]
- Police locate suspect in hit-and-run in city's east end [CTV News]
- Man rushed to hospital with serious injuries after being struck by car [Toronto Star]
- Toronto basketball court damaged during police pursuit [CBC]
- SickKids Hospital dragged into U.S. breast cancer gene suit [CBC]
- Jays reliever Santos strikes out 3 batters during rehab game with Buffalo [CTV News]
Chris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.
Image: Ian Muttoo/blogTO Flickr pool.