Tragedy on DVP sparks calls for more suicide barriers on Toronto's bridges
A horrific event on the Don Valley Parkway last Father's Day has spurred Toronto city councillors to demand a speedier timeline for installation of suicide barriers on the Leaside Bridge.
Tali Uditsky tearfully told Wednesday's meeting of the infrastructure and environment committee that her father, Harold Lusthouse, was on his way to meet her for brunch that day in 2024 when someone leapt from the Leaside Bridge and landed on his car on the DVP. The 76-year-old grandfather died in hospital several days later.
"I was shocked, devastated, angry and my heart felt like it was going to explode," Uditsky told councillors. "He was stolen away from us ... as a result of the failure of the city to protect its citizens."
Plans to install suicide barriers on either side of all major bridges in Toronto have been in the works since 2016, according to Coun. James Pasternak, who spearheaded the effort to have barriers erected on the Leaside Bridge shortly after Uditsky approached him last summer.
A feasibility study on that bridge has been underway since then, with councillors getting an update on its progress at Wednesday's meeting.
Figures from Toronto police indicate there were 17 suicides or attempted suicides from the Leaside Bridge in 2023, nine in 2024 and none so far in 2025.
After Uditsky's emotional deputation, councillors voted unanimously to press staff to speed up the process for installing barriers at the Leaside Bridge. The current plan allows for several years before construction begins, and councillors gave staff until Sept. 26 to come up with a plan to install a temporary suicide barrier. That recommendation goes to council for final approval later this month.
Staff said they do not have citywide statistics for suicide deaths at Toronto bridges, but a 2018 report from the city's medical officer of health states that from 2004 to 2015, there were a total of 125 suicide deaths involving bridges in Toronto, for an average of 10 such deaths per year.
"Many jurisdictions have erected barriers at bridge locations and found them to be effective in preventing or reducing suicide deaths, with little displacement of suicide deaths to other bridges," the report states.
City staff wouldn't say which other bridges in Toronto are being studied as part of their report "given the sensitivity of the topic."
However, Pasternak said it's well known that suicide prevention barrier projects are underway at at least two nearby sites — the Glen Road Pedestrian Bridge over Rosedale Valley Road and the Overlea Boulevard Bridge over the DVP.
"There's no doubt it's not cheap — it's in the tens of millions of dollars," he said. "I believe it's worth it."
Toronto's lone suicide prevention barrier is on the Bloor Street Viaduct. Work was completed on the Luminous Veil, as the $5 million project was nicknamed, in 2003.
That bridge had been the second most-used suicide site in North America after San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, but after the barrier was installed, suicides dropped from around nine per year to near zero, according to a 2017 University of Toronto study.
That study notes that although there was a rise in suicides at other locations after the barriers were installed, in the longer term there was no sustained increase in people jumping from other bridges in the city.
A staff report identified seven options for Leaside, but notes that testing still has to be carried out to ensure the bridge can bear the added load of suicide barriers on either side. The city has earmarked $500,000 for the preliminary work, which includes the cost of public consultations, but staff said in their report it could be 2028, or longer, before shovels are in the ground.
That's not good enough for Pasternak, who sits on the committee.
"Suicide is a moment of despair, a moment of hopelessness, of darkness and futility," he said. "What we want to do is take away that opportunity," Pasternak said.
The Leaside bridge has spanned the Don Valley between Leaside and Pape-Donlands since 1927. It was last renovated in 2004, about a year after the Luminous Veil was installed.
That's when the city should have seriously considered installing a barrier there too, according to Jason Ash, co-chair of the Leaside Towers Tenants Association.
"The LTTA believes bridges must have safety barriers, city-wide," Ash wrote in a letter to the committee. "Too many tragedies have occurred already."
Ash told CBC Toronto that although he's seen no numbers on suicide attempts at the bridge, he and his members believe they've risen in recent years.
"We know when a suicide has occurred when there's flowers on the bridge, when there's flowers on the Lower Don Trail beneath it, and even when there are attempts that are thankfully unsuccessful," he said. "The police presence closes all or part of the bridge and impacts the whole area."
Ash also noted that last summer's tragedy may give momentum to the effort to speed up the barrier construction at Leaside.
"My heart goes out to the families, particularly in the last year, when innocent people unfortunately lost their lives as well," he said. "It's a tragedy all around."
Uditsky told the committee the lessons of the Luminous Veil's success should have been heeded at other locales.
"When you know better, you should do better," she said. "And you didn't.
"Please change this for the safety of everyone driving on the Don Valley Parkway under that bridge."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
06-06-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘Nature of Things' looks at how parenthood changes men's brains and bodies with ‘Dad Bods'
TORONTO – A new episode of CBC's 'The Nature of Things,' timed to Father's Day, explores some of the ways men's brains and bodies adapt to parenthood. The episode titled 'Dad Bods' takes viewers across Canada and around the world to look at social and scientific elements of fatherhood. The Canadian Press spoke with director Christine McLean about how the doc, available now on CBC Gem, came together. CP: Tell me about the tone of the documentary. McLean: I like to think that it's not just humorous, but it's warm-hearted… I think the most important point that came out of all this science, most of it quite recent, only in the last 20 years or so, is that we as humans, we have these incredible bodies that are so adaptable. And especially our brains. What the science is showing us is that given the opportunity, we all have the potential, whether we're male or female, to be great nurturing parents. Dads become more empathetic than they might have been before they had children, but they also become experts in their own child. The part of the brain that's stimulated is the part that allows us to read social cues. And they really become very intelligent in terms of figuring out why a baby is in distress. CP: Did anything you learned while making the documentary surprise you? McLean: I did not know that a man's testosterone typically goes down after he has a child. It made a certain amount of sense because I think many of us notice that when a person becomes a parent, they become a softer, gentler version of themselves… I had no idea that that was linked to biological changes inside that person. That was the first surprise. All men are impacted by hands-on care of children: grandfathers, uncles, adoptive fathers. If they're holding that child, they have those hormonal changes happening. That was all new to me. I think new to most people was the recent science about the benefits of what they call skin-to-skin care, which is common in Canadian hospitals. I remember noticing a few years ago friends would send me photographs of babies being held by their dads, and the dads would have their shirts off. And I'm thinking, what is happening in the delivery room these days? It puzzled me. Is this a weird new selfie that people are taking? Little did I know that there's all kinds of physical benefits to that. The father's heart rate goes down, his blood pressure goes down, the baby is comforted. But also the baby often will take in the good gut bacteria that can be on the dad's skin and it helps their digestive system. And who knew that? That was only discovered a couple of years ago. And we now know that for babies who are born via caesarean section, they don't get the gut bacteria from the mom that they get with a conventional birth. And yet, if dads practise skin-to-skin care, the latest science shows that their contribution to that baby's gut health is as robust as the mom's would have been had she delivered vaginally. It's extraordinary. CP: The episode made me think about masculinity, and the conversations we're having around what masculinity means. McLean: It wasn't one of my goals to delve into that, but watching it, you can't help but think about these things. I would say that anybody watching this documentary is not going to be left with the feeling that a good father isn't masculine. I think they're going to have the exact opposite feeling. The book that inspired it ('Father Time: A Natural History of Men and Babies' by American primatologist Sarah Blaffer Hrdy) delves into that a little bit more. There is this sense that if we are to give men permission or at least encourage them to be close to their children, that the changes that happen in their body result in a different kind of masculinity. I'm not going to say it's less masculine… I think that there's kind of a new version of a hero that's evolving when it comes to fathering children. And I think today's heroes are the dads who get up in the night, the dads that change the diapers, the dads that worry about whether their children are happy. And I don't think that makes them less a man. I think it makes them a greater human being. And I think that discovering there was so much going on in the male body in a sense takes gender out of the equation. CP: How would you respond to someone who doesn't like the idea of their testosterone level going down? McLean: The fact that testosterone goes down, when that was discovered about 20 years ago, it attracted a lot of attention and led to this burgeoning field of science. And I can only assume that there was some concern about that on the part of men, because it's testosterone that allows men and women to build body mass. It leads to competitiveness, it leads to assertiveness. None of those things are bad. The thought of losing some of that, I can understand where somebody — particularly a young man — might not like thinking about that. But anybody who watches this documentary will see that the rewards for being a hands-on dad are so great. Losing a little testosterone in the process is no big deal when you see the rewards, the bonds that develop with your child. Weekly A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene. We couldn't fit everything into the documentary, but what the data shows is, in addition to fathers living longer and having greater health, they have stronger marriages. They have better relationships with their kids. We were focused on the dads, but if you were to look at the children, there are so many profound benefits to a child to having a hands-on dad, in terms of how well they do in school, how well their mental health is. And I think that a good dad makes for a good family, and good families make for a great community, and there's just these ripples of positive impact from dads being as involved as they are today. This interview was edited for length and clarity. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 5, 2025.
Cision Canada
03-06-2025
- Cision Canada
StoriedLife Launches Conversation-First AI Biographer That Speaks in 58 Languages And Creates Lasting Legacies
AI captures seniors' memories and eases loneliness—free for families this Father's Day TORONTO, June 3, 2025 /CNW/ - StoriedLife today unveils a conversation-first AI biographer that speaks in 58 languages, asks insightful context-aware follow-up questions, and delivers a polished memoir within minutes. No forms to fill, no email prompts to respond to, no transcriptions to clean up, no ghost-writer required. "Every family deserves to preserve its history before memories slip away," said Rafi Moshe, founder & CEO of StoriedLife. "Our AI Biographer listens like a caring relative, captures the moments that matter, and hands you a share-ready keepsake in moments." "I was hesitant at first," admitted Ben M., Toronto, an Early user. "Five minutes later, I found myself sharing things I almost forgot and never told my own kids. Hearing my story read back to me - complete with a quote from George Eliot - was very emotional." Emerging Trends Global ageing: By 2030 one in six people will be 60+, and StoriedLife scales dignified life-story capture for this rising cohort. Loneliness epidemic: With one-quarter of seniors socially isolated, StoriedLife's empathetic AI offers companionship through meaningful conversation. Well-being boost: Research shows guided reminiscence improves mood and life satisfaction; StoriedLife delivers those benefits on demand and at scale. Storytelling Breakthroughs StoriedLife disrupts memory capture with its empathy-driven AI that gets smarter and more insightful with every conversation. It listens, learns, and follows up naturally, helping storytellers feel comfortable. It then transforms casual chats and off-hand memories into engaging, well-structured narratives. The AI platform deepens each story with carefully woven quotations or short poems. Once the stories are complete, families can order beautifully crafted hardcover books. Each page links back to the storyteller's voice via QR codes, preserving both the words and the warmth of the original conversation. For a limited time, StoriedLife is free to download and use in the U.S. and Canada -perfect for capturing new memories this Father's Day. Founded in 2025, Toronto-based StoriedLife AI Corp is the pioneer of conversational biographer AI agents that transform spoken memories into richly illustrated storybooks while conversing in 58 languages. Learning from each session, the platform evolves into a supportive reminiscence companion that helps families celebrate every loved one's unique journey and create enduring meaning.
CBC
12-04-2025
- CBC
Tragedy on DVP sparks calls for more suicide barriers on Toronto's bridges
A horrific event on the Don Valley Parkway last Father's Day has spurred Toronto city councillors to demand a speedier timeline for installation of suicide barriers on the Leaside Bridge. Tali Uditsky tearfully told Wednesday's meeting of the infrastructure and environment committee that her father, Harold Lusthouse, was on his way to meet her for brunch that day in 2024 when someone leapt from the Leaside Bridge and landed on his car on the DVP. The 76-year-old grandfather died in hospital several days later. "I was shocked, devastated, angry and my heart felt like it was going to explode," Uditsky told councillors. "He was stolen away from us ... as a result of the failure of the city to protect its citizens." Plans to install suicide barriers on either side of all major bridges in Toronto have been in the works since 2016, according to Coun. James Pasternak, who spearheaded the effort to have barriers erected on the Leaside Bridge shortly after Uditsky approached him last summer. A feasibility study on that bridge has been underway since then, with councillors getting an update on its progress at Wednesday's meeting. Figures from Toronto police indicate there were 17 suicides or attempted suicides from the Leaside Bridge in 2023, nine in 2024 and none so far in 2025. After Uditsky's emotional deputation, councillors voted unanimously to press staff to speed up the process for installing barriers at the Leaside Bridge. The current plan allows for several years before construction begins, and councillors gave staff until Sept. 26 to come up with a plan to install a temporary suicide barrier. That recommendation goes to council for final approval later this month. Staff said they do not have citywide statistics for suicide deaths at Toronto bridges, but a 2018 report from the city's medical officer of health states that from 2004 to 2015, there were a total of 125 suicide deaths involving bridges in Toronto, for an average of 10 such deaths per year. "Many jurisdictions have erected barriers at bridge locations and found them to be effective in preventing or reducing suicide deaths, with little displacement of suicide deaths to other bridges," the report states. City staff wouldn't say which other bridges in Toronto are being studied as part of their report "given the sensitivity of the topic." However, Pasternak said it's well known that suicide prevention barrier projects are underway at at least two nearby sites — the Glen Road Pedestrian Bridge over Rosedale Valley Road and the Overlea Boulevard Bridge over the DVP. "There's no doubt it's not cheap — it's in the tens of millions of dollars," he said. "I believe it's worth it." Toronto's lone suicide prevention barrier is on the Bloor Street Viaduct. Work was completed on the Luminous Veil, as the $5 million project was nicknamed, in 2003. That bridge had been the second most-used suicide site in North America after San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, but after the barrier was installed, suicides dropped from around nine per year to near zero, according to a 2017 University of Toronto study. That study notes that although there was a rise in suicides at other locations after the barriers were installed, in the longer term there was no sustained increase in people jumping from other bridges in the city. A staff report identified seven options for Leaside, but notes that testing still has to be carried out to ensure the bridge can bear the added load of suicide barriers on either side. The city has earmarked $500,000 for the preliminary work, which includes the cost of public consultations, but staff said in their report it could be 2028, or longer, before shovels are in the ground. That's not good enough for Pasternak, who sits on the committee. "Suicide is a moment of despair, a moment of hopelessness, of darkness and futility," he said. "What we want to do is take away that opportunity," Pasternak said. The Leaside bridge has spanned the Don Valley between Leaside and Pape-Donlands since 1927. It was last renovated in 2004, about a year after the Luminous Veil was installed. That's when the city should have seriously considered installing a barrier there too, according to Jason Ash, co-chair of the Leaside Towers Tenants Association. "The LTTA believes bridges must have safety barriers, city-wide," Ash wrote in a letter to the committee. "Too many tragedies have occurred already." Ash told CBC Toronto that although he's seen no numbers on suicide attempts at the bridge, he and his members believe they've risen in recent years. "We know when a suicide has occurred when there's flowers on the bridge, when there's flowers on the Lower Don Trail beneath it, and even when there are attempts that are thankfully unsuccessful," he said. "The police presence closes all or part of the bridge and impacts the whole area." Ash also noted that last summer's tragedy may give momentum to the effort to speed up the barrier construction at Leaside. "My heart goes out to the families, particularly in the last year, when innocent people unfortunately lost their lives as well," he said. "It's a tragedy all around." Uditsky told the committee the lessons of the Luminous Veil's success should have been heeded at other locales. "When you know better, you should do better," she said. "And you didn't. "Please change this for the safety of everyone driving on the Don Valley Parkway under that bridge."
