Frontlines has a great program for employers

Frontlines has a heck of a program to help employers: if you hire a young person, they’ll help you pay their wage.

And it’s a fair bit of money: the federal government has given Frontlines enough to subsidize each young adult for $15 an hour, and 30 hours a week, for 8 weeks. Stachen Lett-Frederick says “We have over 50 youth to place right now.”

To be eligible, employers must be a registered organization with a payroll account and WSIB or liability insurance. The work must, of course, be safe, and in a youth-friendly environment.

Golden Crisp Fish and Chips closed permanently

A Mount Dennis fixture has closed permanently. The Vandekemp family says that Golden Crisp Fish and Chips—which had been in business for 60 years— will close after the sudden death of Harry Vandekemp, in November.

Their website says,

Harry worked so hard to provide for his family and to make sure you all were welcomed with a warm smile. The love you all have shared for Harry has not gone unseen. You have all been a part of Harry’s legacy and have been faithful costumers right ’til the end, even through this pandemic! Yes, Harry loved his work but more over he loved his people. You. You were his people. We know that we, his family, are not the only ones feeling this loss. 

Man struck and killed

A 52-year-old man was struck and killed in a hit and run on Saturday night at around 11 p.m..

The police say that he was crossing Weston Road near Dee Avenue when he was struck by a “dark or black vehicle driving northbound on Weston Road”. The driver did not remain at the scene. The pedestrian died in hospital.

The police are asking for help locating the “driver of a dark BMW with front end damage to the bumper, head light and side mirror.” If you have security or dash-cam footage, they would like you to contact them.

From Google Maps

Nunziata: be nice and clear your ice.

Yesterday, Councillor Nunziata issued an email reminding people and businesses about snow removal and being good neighbours. At the end, she gave the word to businesses:

Finally, business owners must clear the adjacent sidewalk of snow or ice within 12 hours of the end of a snowfall, as per the Snow and Ice Clearing Bylaw. The fine for not clearing snow from public property can be up to $135.

Frances Nunziata

Read the councillor’s email here.

Walking around Weston today, it seems obvious that some major corporations, for example, Bell have failed in their duty to clear their sidewalks.

Looking along Belleview Avenue towards Weston Road on January 21. The sidewalk is buried under a huge mound of snow removed from their parking lot.

No doubt a fine of $135 is very small potatoes for the mighty Bell corporation but forcing pedestrians to walk in traffic is very bad for public relations. They might want to uncover their missing sidewalk along Hickory Tree Road too.

Bell’s sidewalk in balmier times. Google.
Bell’s sidewalk on January 21st.

Metrolinx talks Crosstown

CEO Phil Verster is featured on a ‘year-end wrap up’ Metrolinx video in which he talks about the Eglinton Crosstown Line’s progress to date and where it is heading next. The video has lots of dreamy drone footage and overhead shots of Mount Dennis and other stations.

“Our goal remains the same: to deliver modern rapid transit to Toronto’s Eglinton Avenue. 2021 saw us make strides in delivering upon that goal with significant progress made to the 19 kilometre transit line.”

Phil Verster

While Mr Verster claims that construction crews are nearing completion on a number of key locations, he fails to give many details or indeed when exactly the public may begin to use the line.

If it was good news, no doubt he would have told us. As one wag noted in the comments, “Even the year end video is late.”.

Toronto’s snow hits headlines in the U.K.

The Guardian published an article today about our recent experience with a major dumping of snow with the inference that maybe we focus too much on clearing roads rather than sidewalks as they do in Sweden. In fairness, those attitudes are changing here and Monday’s storm was a rare event that would have shut down most cities for days – particularly those in the U.K.

Read the article here.