Latest from Sarah MacMillan
Toronto council chooses not to act on ombudsman report calling refugee shelter response 'anti-Black racism'
Toronto city council quietly received a scathing report on Wednesday from the city's ombusdman, without discussion and without directing staff to implement any of the 14 recommendations.
A cafe or corner store could be coming to a Toronto neighbourhood near you — if new zoning rules are approved
There could soon be more options to grab a coffee or pick up a pint of milk in your neighbourhood, if Toronto city council approves changes to zoning bylaws that would allow more small-scale businesses in residential neighbourhoods throughout the city.
City staff suggest putting the brakes on raised park idea for decommissioned Scarborough RT
A vision for a raised linear park along the route of the decommissioned Scarborough Rapid Transit (SRT) line is looking less likely. A new report from city staff highlights major challenges — legal, technical and financial — and recommends the city instead tear down the raised rail structure.
Ontario mulling having prosecutors approve criminal charges before police lay them
Ontario’s Ministry of the Attorney General is considering the merits of moving to a system in which prosecutors would screen criminal charges proposed by police before officers lay them, in order to help relieve the province's backlogged justice system.
Why won't Ontario track the reasons why criminal charges are dropped or stayed?
Despite facing significant backlogs from the pandemic and a rising number of stayed and withdrawn charges, Ontario's Ministry of the Attorney General has refused to track the reasons behind those outcomes as the province's auditor general recommended five years ago.
Most criminal cases in Ontario now ending before charges are tested at trial
Statistics Canada data reviewed by CBC Toronto shows a dramatic shift in criminal outcomes in Ontario over the last decade. The majority of criminal cases in the province have ended with charges being withdrawn, stayed, dismissed or discharged before a decision at trial since 2020.
As Brampton, Ont., aims to curb illegal rentals, records show local councillor co-owns non-compliant property
CBC Toronto has learned that a Brampton, Ont., municipal councillor co-owns a property with an unregistered basement apartment, in contravention of city bylaws. The news comes as the City of Brampton works to address unsafe and illegal housing in the city.
Toronto councillor received 11% of donations from donors tied to developer
A review of Coun. Chris Moise’s financial disclosures from the 2022 municipal election reveals that at least $10,800 out of his total $91,695.25 in contributions came from the CEO of Fitzrovia Real Estate, one of his family members, and a small group of senior leaders at the company, none of whom lived in Moise’s ward, Toronto Centre.
Senior officer files rights complaint against Peel police
A South Asian police officer from Brampton has filed a human rights complaint against the Peel Police Services Board and the force’s former chief for alleged racial discrimination and reprisal, after testifying in a similar case 10 years ago.
Safety concerns at Toronto park that averages 1 police call a day
Some residents living near Barbara Hall Park in Toronto’s Church-Wellesley neighbourhood are calling for action over what they say has become an unsafe and unusable public space. Data analyzed by CBC Toronto shows police calls for service are made to the park’s address on a near daily basis.