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The star of 'Ontario Made'​

Commercial baker FGF Brands received $1.2 million in the fourth round of funding for a staff-training program that “aims to train manufacturing, supervisory, and corporate staff in English, leadership, health and safety, conflict resolution, communication, and equipment operation to ensure organizational leaders are competent in their roles and responsibilities,” according to a Labour Ministry document.

According to Ministry of Labour statistics, 705 people were trained through the program, all of whom got jobs afterwards. Of the 705, 377 “self-identified as a member of an underrepresented group,” such as “women, youth, persons with disabilities, racialized persons, justice-involved individuals, (and) Indigenous peoples.”

The company, which produces goods for well-known brands like ACE Bakery and Stonefire, also starred in a video series that the premier made to highlight Ontario businesses. He toured the industrial bakery's facility and touted its technologically advanced processes, dubbing FGF "the NASA of food production."

The company did not respond to questions about the funding it has received, nor about the political donation records that match the names of the founding Ajmera family, totalling more than $66,000.
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Value for money​

The NDP and Liberal critics said they don't think these grants were a good use of taxpayers' money.

"There are a lot of people out there struggling with unemployment numbers that are going up, people having a hard time making ends meet, and in that environment, to have a government that's funnelling millions of dollars of taxpayers' money into businesses that appear to be connected to their friends is troubling to see," Burch said.

He would support job training funding that's spent in a transparent and accountable manner — which is why he welcomes a value-for-money audit of the fund by the province's auditor general that is underway.

Fraser said his concern is that the fund is only benefiting a select few.

"Other folks are having a hard time putting food on the table and paying the rent," he said. "It isn't helping the people of Ontario, it's helping these businesses, benefiting a small number of businesses, with no real focus."

Fraser said he'd prefer to see the province increase funding to public colleges, which are cancelling programs and laying off workers as they adapt to new rules around international students. The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), which represents striking college support staff, has also criticized the Skills Development Fund on this basis.

"We have a college system in Ontario that is more than capable of delivering this, and the government is intentionally letting it wither while taking care of their friends," said Fraser. "It's maddening."

When asked about these companies’ connections with the PCs and use of taxpayer money to support their training initiatives, a spokesperson for Labour Minister David Piccini defended the Skills Development Fund.

“Our government was elected to protect workers, businesses, and families —- and that means taking bold action to give more young people, job seekers, and mid-career workers the tools they need to succeed in the skilled trades, manufacturing, construction, health care, and beyond,” said Michel Figueredo, the minister’s communications director.

“The SDF program is open to everyone and expands opportunities that lead to better jobs with bigger paycheques,” he continued. “It delivers rapid, practical training that meets people where they are — whether it’s a parent who can’t take four years off for a degree but can spend 12 weeks gaining skills to earn $4 more an hour, or workers in hospitality, health care, and construction who want to upskill and move ahead.”

“To date, the SDF has supported 553 unique organizations, aiming to train over 52,000 health-care workers, 154,000 construction workers, and 124,000 manufacturing workers — with the goal of training over one million workers.”


—With files from Charlie Pinkerton and Jack Hauen
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The Star reports Marit Stiles has made a major shakeup to her staff.

Two days after a politically deleterious 68 per cent approval from party faithful, Ontario New Democrat Leader Marit Stiles parted ways with her top two staffers in what some say could be the start of an office purge.

The departure of Stiles’ chief of staff Greg Denton and principal secretary, Stephanie Nakitsas, both of whom have extensive political experience, was announced Monday afternoon. Jennifer Hassum, executive director of the Broadbent Institute and long-time party strategist, steps into the breach.
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www.thestar.com

After a bruising leadership review, Marit Stiles dumps top staffers

The departure of Stiles' chief of staff Greg Denton and principal secretary Stephanie Nakitsas was announced Monday afternoon.
www.thestar.com www.thestar.com
 
Jonny5 said:
Interesting the CBC reports he was actually arrested by Toronto Police, though it's unclear why or how they were involved, but I'm guessing it happened at his Toronto residence to be an MPP.
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Everything I am reading says the investigation was carried out by SSM police and he appeared in SSM court so I'm guessing he was arrested in Toronto by TPS on the request of SSM police.
 
Because of course he will.

apple.news

Doug Ford will outlaw municipal speed cameras this fall: sources — Toronto Star

Sources say Ford's Progressive Conservatives will table legislation later this fall to outlaw the "automated speed enforcement" devices.
apple.news apple.news

Premier Doug Ford is set to ban the speed cameras that he has denounced as a municipal "cash grab," the Star has learned.

Sources, speaking confidentially in order to discuss internal deliberations, say Ford's Progressive Conservatives will table legislation later this fall to outlaw the controversial "automated speed enforcement" devices.

"We're looking at all options on how to slow down traffic without the use of speed cameras," a senior government official said.

Ford has been telegraphing for days his displeasure with the monitoring tools he actually allowed municipalities to install in order to reduce speeding in school zones.

His opposition to them comes despite evidence from both police and doctors that they are effective deterrents to driving fast near schools.

Speaking to reporters Monday in Russell, Ont., Ford said Queen's Park was "going to be giving municipalities across the province a lot of money to put in all sorts of street-calming methods from little turnabouts, from speed bumps to flashing signs — and that's going to slow people down."

The premier, who has praised Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca for removing his city's speed cameras, said he's been canvassing municipal leaders across the province, and some will join him when he formally unveils the changes later this week.

"I've had many mayors tell me, 'we know this is a tax grab ... but I need money for roads and so on and so forth.' You can't use people's pocketbooks. We're getting gouged with taxes all over the place. We're facing tough times. The goal is to slow them down. We're going to slow them down," said Ford.

"All municipalities are collecting hundreds of millions of dollars (but) I don't believe that slows (motorists) down," he said.

"When you live in a community, you find out there's a speed trap, you learn, you slow down. But there's thousands of other people going through the community that aren't slowing down and getting dinged."

Sources said the Tory government would be giving cities additional funds for new signage and infrastructure to discourage speeding and would likely indemnify municipalities for any contracts they have related to the cameras.

However, the province will not pay to remove the hundreds of speed cameras currently installed around Ontario.

"They're just going to be deactivated," said a second senior official.

In theory, that means a future government could amend the law to permit the speed cameras, which have been in place in Toronto since 2022 under former mayor John Tory.

Red-light cameras at major intersections will continue to operate, officials said.

The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police said earlier this month that cameras have "been proven to reduce speeding, change driver behaviour, and make our roads safer for everyone — drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, and especially children and other vulnerable road users."

"These tools are especially deployed in school zones and community safety zones, where slowing down saves lives and prevents serious injuries," the chiefs' association noted.

Similarly, researchers at the Hospital for Sick Children and Toronto Metropolitan University found they reduced the number of speeding cars and trucks by 45 per cent in city school zones.

The new study evaluated the impact of cameras at 250 school zones across Toronto between July 2020 and December 2022, concluding speeds fell by 10.7 km/h.

"Speed is the single most important factor in pedestrian injury risk," pointed out Dr. Andrew Howard, head of orthopedic surgery at SickKids, earlier this year.

"This study shows that (the cameras) can be an effective way to reduce that risk, especially in areas where children are most vulnerable."

A survey last month from the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) found nearly three-quarters of drivers in Ontario support the use of speed cameras to boost road safety.

Still, the cameras are unpopular with some — with one on Parkside Drive being chopped down seven times in the past 11 months. Dozens more have been vandalized in recent days.

"I do not condone any vandalism of any kind. That should never, ever happen," said Ford.

"But it just shows you how frustrated people are."

Mayor Olivia Chow has defended the cameras, while also backing proposals she said would make it fairer — such as alerting drivers they have received a first ticket before they're able to rack up multiple fines — and installing clearer signage.

In a statement Tuesday, Chow's spokesperson Braman Thillainathan said her office would wait to see the province’s legislation before commenting on it.

But Thillainathan noted that since last year, 250 pedestrians and cyclists have been killed or seriously injured in Toronto.

"Speed cameras play a critical role in reducing accidents, preventing collisions, and keeping Torontonians safe," he said.

Speaking to CBC Radio's Metro Morning before the Star broke the news of Ford's plans, city manager Paul Johnson rejected the premier's assertion the camera program is a tax grab.

"It's an enforcement mechanism. All enforcement has a penalty attached to it," Johnson told host David Common.

But the city's top bureaucrat added "we'll comply" with any changes made by the province.
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The Ford government legalized speed cameras in 2019. Now, it says they’re a ‘tax grab’​

From https://globalnews.ca/news/11441018/doug-ford-speed-camera-introduction-removal/
The Progressive Conservatives had been in power for roughly a year and a half when Doug Ford told his transportation minister to allow towns and cities to begin installing automated speed cameras.

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Until December 2019, despite a sustained lobbying effort by then-Toronto mayor John Tory, municipalities had been forbidden from operating cameras capable of automatically issuing tickets to speeding drivers.

Although the previous Liberal government had passed legislation to pave the way for the cameras, Ford waited 18 months before his government passed new provincial regulations to make the policy official.

When he finally did, Ford’s transportation minister said the cameras would be an important way for local officials to reduce speeding

“These regulations… provide the framework to support municipalities in developing responsible, transparent and effective programs to promote road safety in their communities,” then-transportation minister Caroline Mulroney’s office said in a statement.

Kinga Surma, who served as associate transportation minister in 2019, issued a similar statement. Her spokesperson said the cameras would reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by speeding drivers.

“This is about protecting vulnerable road users,” Surma’s office said at the time. “That is why it is allowed only in school zones and community safety zones with speeds of less than 80 km/h.”
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New position in 2025

Almost six years after greenlighting a network of automated speed enforcement cameras and allowing municipalities to charge drivers who cross the speed limit, Premier Ford appears to be signaling a U-turn.

“This is nothing but a tax grab, folks,” Ford recently proclaimed. Later, the premier offered evidence from the City of Toronto suggesting drivers were being unfairly dinged for minor speeding infractions.

“I’ll use the stats just in Toronto because I know 32,000 tickets for going two kilometres over, four kilometres over, sometimes 10, 15 kilometres over — in three months,” Ford said.

“All municipalities are collecting hundreds of millions of dollars. I don’t believe that slows it down.”

While it’s unclear what caused the sudden change of heart, the premier’s position appears to be firm – Ford has dismissed criticism and calls from experts to keep the speed cameras in place.

A study from SickKids and Toronto Metropolitan University over the summer found speed cameras reduced speeding by 45 per cent in Toronto.

The Association of Municipalities of Ontario and the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police both released statements urging Ford to back his 2019 decision and keep the cameras.

The premier has promised at recent news events that he would “show you” how to slow traffic or “bring it to a halt” without relying on cameras.

Critics, however, say it’s part of a growing pattern for Ford – reversing policies he himself introduced only a few years ago.

“Doug Ford just simply wants to do what’s popular — he wants to be popular,” Ontario Liberal MPP John Fraser said.

“Sometimes you need to do things to make sure schools are safe, and you’ve got to stick to your guns. You can’t be a weather vein; you can’t just blow in the wind all the time. Three years later, is he going to go back on his word and put them back in?”
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Previous policy reversal

The U-turn on speed cameras follows a similar pattern to the government’s push to ban supervised drug injection sites.

Last summer, the province announced it would be closing supervised consumption sites, places it said were making drug use worse and neighbourhoods less safe.

More than half of the 10 sites announced for closure by Health Minister Sylvia Jones, however, were opened and funded by the Ford government in early 2019 as politicians grappled with a provincial overdose crisis.

In October 2018, shortly after the Ford government took office, then-health minister Christine Elliott unveiled the findings of a review of supervised consumption and overdose prevention sites.

To inform the report, Elliott had visited several safe consumption sites and toured neighbourhoods to get a better feel for the impact of the facilities on the surrounding community and businesses.

The application process opened in January 2019. By March of that year, the province felt comfortable enough to fund more than a dozen sites with high instances of surrounding drug use.

Five years later, however, the rug was pulled out from under many of those sites. Seven of the 10 sites slated to close by March 2025 under the government’s new rules were opened in March 2019 by the same administration.

Fraser said the reversals showed the government was less focused on policy and more interested in how decisions played in the eyes of the public.

“To the premier, this whole exercise is all about personal popularity,” Fraser added. “Just take a look at what’s been going on this summer, it’s been like a sideshow, pouring out alcohol, telling us what he’s eating for a snack at night.”
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Of course, in 2019, John Tory was Mayor of Toronto. Today, Olivia Chow is Mayor of Toronto. That's why Doug Ford is now against speed cameras.
 
evandyk said:
I don't understand why the media is framing this as Ford will "outlaw" the use of the cameras. It's a provincial law that allows them.
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Because municipalities often bear the responsibility of enforcing the HTA. Thus, it should be the responsibility of those municipalities as to how vigorously they enforce the law.
 
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buildtoronto.com

Keep Toronto Moving With Congestion Pricing

Toronto is paying the price of gridlock. Commuters waste time in traffic and businesses lose billions in productivity. Congestion pricing will get Toronto moving again.
buildtoronto.com buildtoronto.com

I'm sure this will be accompanied with unprecedented, massive and very fast GO expansion so that the third class citizens coming in from such horrid places as Milton won't have to choose between paying an additional cost, and using the ridiculous Milton bus route, right?

Right?
 
evandyk said:
I don't understand why the media is framing this as Ford will "outlaw" the use of the cameras. It's a provincial law that allows them.
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Isn't passing legislation to ban or disallow their use, outlawing them? What's the difference or nuance the media's framing gets wrong?
 
evandyk said:
I don't understand why the media is framing this as Ford will "outlaw" the use of the cameras. It's a provincial law that allows them.
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It's weird how they are making things that aid in law enforcement illicit...
 
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