[picard102]

Hmmm, you don't think TFS might have put their thumb on the scale do you? LOL

What do they get out of it? Are fire truck companies giving them kickbacks?

Here's a report on Ottawa's experiment with smaller trucks.

Ottawa has a much more even density mix than Toronto I would imagine.

 

[Northern Light]

What do they get out of it? Are fire truck companies giving them kickbacks?

I won't make that allegation, as I have no evidence in support of it.

I will suggest, a general resistance to change, and an aversion to cutting expenditures/budget size may be factors.

Ottawa has a much more even density mix than Toronto I would imagine.

Perhaps, but if you note in the story, the shrunk the truck without shrinking its water holding or water processing capacity, and without leaving it shy of crew space.

Many Toronto Fire pieces of equipment have crew cabs seat six (I'm not familiar enough w/their fleet to suggest what percentage); Toronto doesn't have trucks with a crew of six, none have more than four so far as I'm aware and some may even have three.

There are little things one can tighten up on w/o sacrificing firefighting capability.

 

[SubHuman]

From that article:
"The amendments also now prohibit the feeding of wildlife in Toronto as of April 1, with the exceptions of feeding birds using birdfeeders. Prior to this, feeding wildlife was only prohibited in Toronto parks."

Please tell me this will stop what I would call "aggressive pigeon feeders." There's one guy in the downtown east who goes around each weekend with the equivalent of something like twenty loaves of cubed bread in a big plastic bag--I don't where he gets all of it--and then picks a spot and starts throwing it everywhere, pulling in something like 250 pigeons that somehow never seem to eat up all of it, so much still sits there for hours or days later. He's usually in the Parliament and Shuter/Dundas area, but I've seen him wander a few blocks from there in all directions over the past few years.

After what I mentioned in another thread, I thought to look up what was allowed or discouraged regarding feeding wild birds in High Park.
There are "Do not feed the birds" signs.

Yet as recently as Dec. 2019 the High Park Nature Centre had events where people, I assume mostly children, were encouraged to "Hike through the woods and learn how to feed chickadees from the palm of your hand".
http://www.highpark.org/event/httpshighparknaturecentre-comspecial-events/

Home

High Park Nature Centre in Toronto promotes awareness and respect for nature through year-round, outdoor nature education and stewardship.

highparknaturecentre.com

(scroll down to 2nd photo)
"We feed them pretty much every day here in the winter ... "

 

[afransen]

What do they get out of it? Are fire truck companies giving them kickbacks?


Ottawa has a much more even density mix than Toronto I would imagine.

I have to think some of it might be a prestige/bigger is better/cool toys attitude at play. When in reality, the consequences of oversized emergency equipment is expensive infrastructure and less road safety due to excess ROW widths.

 

[afransen]

I won't make that allegation, as I have no evidence in support of it.

I will suggest, a general resistance to change, and an aversion to cutting expenditures/budget size may be factors.



Perhaps, but if you note in the story, the shrunk the truck without shrinking its water holding or water processing capacity, and without leaving it shy of crew space.

Many Toronto Fire pieces of equipment have crew cabs seat six (I'm not familiar enough w/their fleet to suggest what percentage); Toronto doesn't have trucks with a crew of six, none have more than four so far as I'm aware and some may even have three.

There are little things one can tighten up on w/o sacrificing firefighting capability.

Given how few calls actually require pumping etc., surely the would be benefit to more smaller, faster, more maneuverable vehicles that can get firefighters to the scene more quickly, for similar or lower expense. It frankly seems like a lot of times equipment is used as traffic safety barriers more than anything else.

 

[DSC]

Given how few calls actually require pumping etc., surely the would be benefit to more smaller, faster, more maneuverable vehicles that can get firefighters to the scene more quickly, for similar or lower expense. It frankly seems like a lot of times equipment is used as traffic safety barriers more than anything else.

Sounds like "Boys and their (big) toys" to me!

 

[Northern Light]

Ahh........to long for the days when the wait for a subsidized housing unit was only 7 years..........

Article headline today from The Star:

 

[lead82]

The parks need to be cleaned up of these tent cities. The people who are out of shelters should be moved to shelters in other GTA cities. This is an affordability and mental health problem. We need more affordable housing but the city or province isn’t building any. New housing isn’t affordable.

 

[picard102]

I have to think some of it might be a prestige/bigger is better/cool toys attitude at play.

I don't know if that tracks. If my job is running into burning buildings to save someone's life I think that would be enough prestige.

 

[Richard White]

The parks need to be cleaned up of these tent cities. The people who are out of shelters should be moved to shelters in other GTA cities

THIS!

I agree 1000% and quite honestly they should be giving homeless persons jobs in Northern Ontario under the condition they stay clean, employed and sober. They should also provide them with housing in transient work housing until they can fend for themselves.

That would help things in the north while trying to solve a growing problem in Toronto. Realistically drugs and alcohol are harder to come by in the middle of nowhere. If someone wants to smoke crack up North it is not like they can walk down the street and find a guy selling.

 

[DSC]

THIS!

I agree 1000% and quite honestly they should be giving homeless persons jobs in Northern Ontario under the condition they stay clean, employed and sober. They should also provide them with housing in transient work housing until they can fend for themselves.

That would help things in the north while trying to solve a growing problem in Toronto. Realistically drugs and alcohol are harder to come by in the middle of nowhere. If someone wants to smoke crack up North it is not like they can walk down the street and find a guy selling.

Are you really being serious? Firstly, you can't just ship people off "out of sight" (Charter of Rights and all that). Secondly, it is clearly very possible to get alcohol and drugs in very remote communities - it's just that the cost is higher. Look at the stats on First Nations alcohol and drug rates in remote areas and thirdly, are there actually any jobs that need workers with their skills there? (In addition, many homeless folk need treatment and counselling and that is in short supply in the north too.)

 

[zang]

THIS!

I agree 1000% and quite honestly they should be giving homeless persons jobs in Northern Ontario under the condition they stay clean, employed and sober. They should also provide them with housing in transient work housing until they can fend for themselves.

That would help things in the north while trying to solve a growing problem in Toronto. Realistically drugs and alcohol are harder to come by in the middle of nowhere. If someone wants to smoke crack up North it is not like they can walk down the street and find a guy selling.

For someone who claims to be NDP, this response reeks of the Harris-era conservatives, is void of compassion and proves a vast misunderstanding of the unhoused and addicted.

 

[Richard White]

Are you really being serious? Firstly, you can't just ship people off "out of sight" (Charter of Rights and all that). Secondly, it is clearly very possible to get alcohol and drugs in very remote communities - it's just that the cost is higher. Look at the stats on First Nations alcohol and drug rates in remote areas and thirdly, are there actually any jobs that need workers with their skills there? (In addition, many homeless folk need treatment and counselling and that is in short supply in the north too.)

I am being quite serious.

The government could easily fund make work projects up north and retrain the homeless to perform the tasks. You cannot jail the homeless but you can offer them retraining and supports as a condition of their free housing.

My point was that there is a labor shortage up north and the homeless can provide a necessary resource.

 

[Richard White]

For someone who claims to be NDP, this response reeks of the Harris-era conservatives, is void of compassion and proves a vast misunderstanding of the unhoused and addicted.

I once said the NDP and I never saw eye to eye and this is why.

As I said, people should not be given a free ride just because they are homeless. They should be forced to make an effort much like with Ontario Works. If they refuse to better themselves, services should be cut off.

 

[picard102]

That would help things in the north while trying to solve a growing problem in Toronto. Realistically drugs and alcohol are harder to come by in the middle of nowhere. If someone wants to smoke crack up North it is not like they can walk down the street and find a guy selling.

As someone from "the north", it's really not hard to get booze and drugs. It's almost easier.