Ontario

When standing, do you generally hold onto the bars or the loop handles attached to the bars? What did you do this morning if you were on one?

I left Toronto some months ago, maybe I have rose-tinted glasses but I find the TTC and other buses there were way smoother of a ride than in Vancouver. I'm seeing if it has any influence on the amount of people using bars/loops via informal poll. Let me know your thoughts.

E: Sounds like bars are the popular option here too, for many reasons. Hygiene was a big one I hadn't initially considered. Thanks for answering everyone!

Another Ford cabinet minister has resigned — and is quitting the Progressive Conservative caucus to sit as an Independent MPP — over the growing $8.28-billion Greenbelt land swap scandal.

Book excerpt, obituary for beloved Toronto Professor Chandler Davis, and call for support of Azat Miftakhov

"The premier received a polite reception at the opening day of the 104th Annual International Plowing Match, but the Greenbelt controversy has been sowing some division among his supporters in farming communities."

I hope the Mounties are looking into this. I know they don't typically announce their investigations, but letting this slide would be very bad for the province in multiple ways, future food security being one of them.

Before the cannabis industry moved in, Hershey's operated a chocolate factory in Smiths Falls. Now, the candy maker is coming back to town

Written by The Canadian Press

Premier Doug Ford and Mayor Olivia Chow Agree to New-Deal Working Group to Achieve Long-Term Stability and Sustainability for Toronto’s Finances

Rivals in the race to lead Ontario’s Liberals took aim at the perceived front-runner. Crombie held her ground, saying Ford’s Greenbelt woes mean ‘this is our moment.’

By Rob Ferguson • Toronto Star

Opinion article by National Farmers Union - Ontario President Max Hansgen.

For this government, it is developers first, and farmers, eaters, and the house poor last.

The Ford government announced its plan Thursday for rolling out flu shots and outlined when the new COVID-19 booster will arrive in Ontario.

Health officials say flu shots will be available in September for vulnerable high-risk Ontarians, including those hospitalized, hospital staff, residents and staff in long-term care homes, followed by those in retirement homes and other congregate settings.

Flu shots for the general public, aged six months and older, will be available starting on Oct. 30 at doctor and nurse practitioner offices, some public health units, and participating pharmacies.

As for Moderna’s updated COVID-19 booster, the province says it expects to start receiving doses later in September but initial doses will be prioritized for high-risk populations. Health officials will release more details on the rollout once the doses arrive in Ontario.

Earlier this week, Health Canada approved Moderna’s new Spikevax vaccine, which is formulated for the XBB.1.5 lineage of the Omicron variant, for those six months of age and older.

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization’s (NACI) latest advice is that adults and children as young as five should get one dose of the new vaccine this fall if it has been at least six months since their last dose or their most recent COVID-19 infection.

NACI said children between six months and four years of age should get one dose if they have been vaccinated for COVID-19 before, but two doses if they haven’t.

Moderna said the first doses would be shipped to arrive in Canada on Sept. 13, with more arriving over the next month.

“COVID-19 activity is rising with new variants circulating and other seasonal respiratory illnesses are expected early this year,” Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, stated in a release.

“Stay up to date with your COVID-19 vaccinations, get an annual flu shot when it becomes available, stay home when you feel sick, wash your hands often and cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, and consider wearing a mask, particularly if you are at high risk.”

Health officials say it is safe receive the flu and COVID-19 booster shots at the same time.

The province says it is also launching its first publicly-funded vaccination program of the RSV vaccine for adults age 60 and over living in long-term care homes, elder care Lodges, and for some retirement home residents.

Ontario is planning to allow pharmacists to give the RSV vaccine, when available. The province says this proposed change would allow retirement and long-term care homes to hire pharmacists to administer the vaccine on site, so that vulnerable populations can get their dose without leaving their home.

A new report commissioned by Premier Doug Ford's government warns that climate change poses high risks to Ontario, with impacts on everything from food production to infrastructure to businesses.

The report – called the Provincial Climate Change Impact Assessment – projects a soaring number of days with extreme heat across Ontario, as well as increases in flooding and more frequent wildfires.

Advocates are pointing to major rent control loopholes as the biggest issues for tenants struggling with affordability and rising costs of living.

By Manuela Vega • Toronto Star

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/5060059

I'm going to be honest, Bonnie Crombie throwing her hat into the ring convinced me to sign up to vote against her. Ontario does not need a Blue Liberal NIMBY today.

At a press conference, Paul Calandra said his ministry would devise a “full, open, and accountable process” for reviewing the entirety of the Greenbelt

Written by TVO Today

Also, testing Mastodon to Lemmy cross-posting.

An Ontario election watchdog is calling for a new investigation into  intrigue surrounding the removal of lands from the province’s protected Greenbelt — this time involving how a company run by the man labelled as “Mr. X” obtained and then donated two $1,500 tickets to a fundraiser for Premier Doug Ford.

Ontario’s ombudsman is calling for an overhaul of the province’s long-term care inspection system after his investigation found it was “completely overwhelmed” during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The damning report from Paul Dube released Thursday morning suggests there was a complete lack of inspections of long-term care homes for seven weeks when COVID-19 arrived. He says no inspection reports were issued over a two-month period.

“The Ministry of Long-Term Care was unprepared and unable to ensure the safety of long-term care residents and staff during the pandemic’s first wave,” says Dube.

The report notes the inspections stopped because the ministry had no plan in place to ensure the safety of inspectors. He says the most egregious finding was a lack of appropriate action to severe cases of outbreak in homes.

“We found it was just not ready,” he says. “It was already strained before the pandemic, but it was not ready, didn’t have a plan and didn’t have sufficient people.”

“People weren’t going into the homes for a long period of time. And then when the inspections did resume, some of the homes were let off quite easily.”

The report cites specific examples of families who were impacted, including one person who notified the ministry four times about “disturbing” conditions in his mother’s home. That home saw 53 residents die during the first wave of COVID and wasn’t inspected until October 2020, months after the complainants mother passed away.

A second person told the ministry the home where both her parents lived was short on staff. The report says the ministry assured her the issue would be dealt with, but then closed the file without taking any action. One of her parents was one of 33 people who died during the first wave at that particular home.

Dube is calling on the Ministry of Long-Term Care to have a new plan in place and act immediately to ensure inspections in the event of any future pandemic. His 76 recommendations include urging the ministry to ensure it always has staff available for in-person inspections.

The ministry told the ombudsman it has already fully or partially implemented more than half of his recommendations.

The investigation was launched in June 2020 after the Canadian military reported on “shocking conditions” inside a number of homes in the province. Dube’s office claims they received more than 250 complaints and inquiries from families of long-term care residents, employees, and other stakeholders.

The investigators conducted more than 90 interviews and in addition to reviewing emails, documents, and other evidence.

"Premier Doug Ford says the province will review and “re-evaluate” all lands in the Greenbelt — including those that are part of controversial land-swap deals that have engulfed the government and forced the resignations of a cabinet minister and his chief of staff."