Forest Hill Daily Updates: January–February 2021

As a new season of the gun shapes up….

We need strong gun control to help stop handgun violence that is once again terrorizing Toronto residents — in all parts of the city. And the federal government ban on military-style assault weapons, while welcome, is not nearly enough, Streeter editorial argues.

Read and comment on the editorial.

Forest Hill split by latest COVID-19 rates

The great divide between the parts of Forest Hill situated north and south of Eglinton Avenue West holds up in the latest figures on COVID-19 rates in Toronto neighbourhoods.

The city’s mapping of the rates over a recent three-week period shows Forest Hill North with  319 cases per 100,000 population, while Forest Hill South has a rate of only 158 cases. Humewood-Cedarvale is even better with just 132.

However, these are all well below the worst-hit areas in Toronto with more than 700 cases per 100,000. See how our neighbourhoods compare to other central, midtown and east-end areas.

Townhouse fire sends neighbours into frigid temperatures

No injuries were reported as a two-alarm fire took out the top levels of a townhouse at 370 Hopewell Ave. this morning at about 4:30 a.m.

The fire was quickly knocked down but neighbouring residents were evacuated into a TTC bus to shelter them from the freezing overnight temperatures. Here’s the full story.

‘Less romantic’ Valentine’s Day urged by MP

She’s never been a big fan of Valentine’s Day, particularly now when we are witnessing a parallel pandemic of domestic violence, Toronto-St. Paul’s MP Carolyn Bennett says. She proposes a “less romantic” approach to Valentine’s Day this year, including expressing gratitude for some good news in the fight against COVID and showing our love for each other by staying home and following other public health measures. Read her full column.

 

Arrest made for store robberies

A 45-year-old man of no fixed address has been arrested in relation to several retail robberies, including one near Spadina Avenue and Dupont Street, police say.

On Jan. 28 and Feb. 9 a man is reported to have entered stores wearing a mask and with his hood up and tried to leave with merchandise without paying. When approached by security, the man allegedly threatened them with a hammer or broken bottle, before he fled on foot with merchandise.

Holdup squad investigators say they identified a man and found he was alleged to be responsible for three retail thefts. He was arrested on Feb. 11 and faces 19 charges, including multiple counts of robbery, assault with a weapon and failing to comply with probation.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day at home

Special dinners-for-two and online social events are among the ways being offered to lovers to enjoy this Feb. 14 during the lockdown.

Order or sign up online now for a safe Valentine’s Day in Toronto. Here are some suggestions.

Local Starbucks among those shut down

The Starbucks at 504 St. Clair Ave. West at Bathurst Street is among the 25 locations shutting down over the recent weekend and today in Toronto.

It’s part of a Canada-wide cutback by the U.S.-based coffee chain as it moves to alternative, digital means of delivering all those Tall, Grande and Venti beverages. See the whole story.

Toronto-St. Paul’s drivers drew few ASE speeding tickets

Over 500 speeding tickets were issued by two photo radar stations in Toronto-St. Paul’s ward over five months last year, according to figures released today.

This may sound like a fair number but it’s far lower than in other parts of Toronto. Across the city, 50 ASE devices issued 53,090 tickets during the first round — an average of nearly 1,062 per location.

These tickets were from the first round of automated speed enforcement (ASE) devices from July 6 to Nov. 30, 2020. The devices, placed mainly near schools, were moved to new locations beginning in late November.

Results from the two first-round locations in Toronto-St. Paul’s were:

• Atlas Avenue south of Ava Road: 116
• Brownlow Avenue south of Eglinton Avenue East: 413

We’ll see how our drivers do at the two new ASE locations: on Ava Road, east of Westover Hill Road, and on Tweedsmuir Avenue, south of Heath Street West.

Full-time employment and better pay for LTC workers: Matlow

Toronto-St. Paul’s councillor Josh Matlow is petitioning the province to improve support for long-term care workers with more unemployment and better pay.

“I’m asking the Premier, Minister of Long Term Care [Merrillee Fullerton] and Retired General [Rick Hillier] to implement the following immediate changes: address the dangerous staffing shortages through stabilizing the workforce by offering more full-time employment opportunities, greater pay, heightened benefits, increased sick days and extending the $3 temporary wage increase” beyond the March 31 expiration date, Matlow said in an online petition.

Other recommendations include developing plans to administer the vaccine around the clock to all LTC residents and workers.

Local libraries open for pickup and drop-off

Branches of the Toronto Public Library will remain open during the lockdown beginning tomorrow — but for pickup and drop-off of library materials only.

Current operational hours are being maintained. A previous communication that branches will close at 8 p.m. were mistaken, the TPL says.

Man evades police and canine after door kicked in

Police failed to find a man after a door was reported to have been kicked in near Oakwood Avenue and Rogers Road about 2 p.m. today.

The man fled on foot through backyards after a traffic stop by officers in the area, police said. A police dog was brought in to join the search but the manhunt was given up after about two hours.

The vehicle was seized and the investigation is to continue.