Latest news with #CanadaDay
Ottawa Citizen
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Ottawa Citizen
Hersh: Free Transit isn't just possible, it's popular
At the beginning of the month, our Mayor Mark Sutcliffe announced on social media that it was a record day for the LRT Line 1. Article content 'Almost 250,000 trips were recorded,' he said. 'The highest single-day ridership in the history of Ottawa's LRT, and a 66 per cent increase over Canada Day last year.' Article content Article content He forgot to mention an important detail: it was free. Article content Every year on Canada Day, the City offers residents a day of what they call 'no-charge' transit. They did the same thing at the beginning of May to encourage people to take the new LRT line. The result was similarly positive. Ridership was up 54 percent that weekend, according to OC Transpo. Article content Article content In December 2021, OC Transpo offered free transit for the whole month as a way to make up for the failings of the LRT. Despite it being a bit of a gimmick, the transit riders group Ottawa Transit Riders reported, based on a survey they conducted, that 'people chose to ride transit more often because it was free and some people changed their travel patterns.' Article content Other cities have also shown us that free transit is a popular idea. Article content Last month, Zohran Mamdani was elected as the candidate for the New York City Democratic Party. One of his biggest and most prominent promises was 'making buses fast and free.' Article content According to his campaign, it would save New Yorkers 36 million hours every year and generate $1.5 billion in economic benefits. The promise was also popular; according to a poll from the organization Data for Progress, 72 per cent of New York voters approved of the idea. Article content Article content Several other cities across the U.S.—like Albuquerque, New Mexico and Kansas City, Missouri—have also made transit completely free. The small Ontario town of Orangeville introduced free transit in 2023, and its ridership increased by 160 percent. Article content So, if fare-free transit is popular and might help encourage people to ride the bus or LRT, why hasn't our city jumped on the free transit train yet? Article content The argument is often made that there is a binary choice, that we must choose between reliability and affordability of our transit services. Article content Detractors argue that if we spend money on making our transit system free, then we would not have enough to increase reliability — something that is admittedly sorely needed in Ottawa, especially after Mayor Sutcliffe and our council approved the largest service cut in a decade in the last city budget. Article content This premise, however, presents a false choice — we can and we should have both. Our current approach makes clear that higher fares do not lead to a better, more reliable system, and the pandemic made it clear that solely relying on transit fares for revenue is not sustainable. Article content Ottawa's fares have now crossed the $4.00 threshold and are some of the most expensive in North America, yet our transit system has continued to disintegrate because of a lack of political will to improve it. Article content If ridership was up to pre-pandemic levels, free transit would cost the city about $200 million, according to OC Transpo's own estimates. This might sound like a lot. Article content However, when you consider other unnecessary expenses like the $258 million the city is projected to spend on road widening in the next couple of years, then the number does not seem that out of the ordinary. Article content Free transit on its own will not solve our transit woes. What it does do, however, is signal our city's willingness to prioritize the climate crisis, a cheaper alternative to car travel, and improve our most valued public services like health care, schools, roads and sidewalks — which by the way, are all free.
Edmonton Journal
a day ago
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
Forget AL East crown, Blue Jays taking aim at top of AL or MLB
Article content And here's where what happens off of the field over the next 10 days matters in a large way. With a fired-up fan base, a united clubhouse and a team that seems to be relishing the intangibles of what a winning team feels like, it's on general manager Ross Atkins to enhance what's happening in a meaningful way. Article content As obvious as the comparisons to 2015 are, it's impossible not to draw parallels to a decade ago. The players feel it. The fans feel it. And a renovated Rogers Centre feels like the place to be in the peak of a Toronto summer. Article content Which brings us back to the present. The week ahead certainly serves up a stout test on a couple of fronts for the Jays. First, you can bet the Yankees won't roll over like they did earlier in the month when they were swept away in the four-game series that allowed the Jays to surge to the division lead. Article content Article content Following that, there's a four-gamer at the other end of the 401 when the Jays meet the Tigers in perhaps the most important showdown against their closest geographical rival in decades. Over the seven games, the Jays will face the Yankees top two starters — Rodon on Monday and Max Fried on Wednesday. And in the Motor City, they'll take on ace of aces, the Tigers Tarik Skubal on the weekend. Article content Article content As for the Yankees, when they previously arrived in Toronto on June 30, they held a three-game lead over the Jays before the four losses — including a resounding Canada Day celebration — caused them to surrender top spot. Article content Since then, the Jays have been on an historic run in terms of franchise accomplishments. There was a 10-game winning streak, matching the club mark. There have been the 10 consecutive wins at the dome, equalling another franchise record and what a way to eclipse it with a fifth consecutive Toronto win over their division rival. Article content The Jays are well aware of what's at stake — it's impossible not to be. They can read and digest the standings like you and I, they can feel the energy at the Rogers Centre, which is full or close to it every day and night now. Article content Presumably, they're also well aware of what got them to this place (on pace for 95 wins) and that's a laser focus on the immediate task and to quickly flush the big win or loss the previous night.
Toronto Star
2 days ago
- Toronto Star
Riverdale residents worry about vigilantism after family attacked with fireworks and bear spray by group of teens
A family who was attacked with fireworks and bear spray by a group of teens in the Riverdale neighbourhood on Canada Day is concerned the worsening situation could escalate to vigilantism. The group of youths — believed to be the same ones who prompted the city to temporarily close the Dominic Agostino Riverdale Community Centre in June — have been a growing issue in the east Hamilton neighbourhood, said Gidget Boyer.
Hamilton Spectator
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Oxford municipalities celebrate golden anniversary
It has been 50 years since Oxford County restructured into the exact two-tier system we see today. On January 1, 1975, the county underwent a significant municipal reorganization through amalgamation, which was part of a broader provincial initiative during the 1960s and 1970s to streamline local governance across Ontario. The Ontario government was looking to improve efficiency in service delivery, reduce administrative costs, clarify responsibilities between local and county governments and encourage urban-rural integration. Before 1975, Oxford County consisted of numerous small towns, villages, and townships, many with overlapping or inefficient governance. Each had separate councils, services and tax structures. Oxford County Warden and Zorra Township Mayor Marcus Ryan said any community should celebrate its anniversaries when they occur and he sees it as looking at the past while understanding the present. 'Everybody gets caught up in their day-to-day lives all the time and rightfully so. But it's an opportunity to focus on, ok, who are we, how do we get these services, how do we all collectively decide how much tax we pay and what do we spend those taxes on?' Ryan added he knows from experience that a lot of people don't know the answers to those types of questions. He and other members of council along with Zorra staff, are holding a free barbeque with live music at the township's administration building in Thamesford on Tuesday, August 12, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. to mark the occasion. 'This is an opportunity to talk to people we don't always get and I'm always a big fan of talking to constituents as much as possible about how things actually work.' The number of local municipalities in Oxford County was significantly reduced in 1975 from over 20 to just eight. East Zorra and Tavistock were combined, North Norwich, South Norwich, and the Village of Norwich were merged into the Township of Norwich and Zorra was created by West Zorra, West Nissouri and North Oxford joining forces. Other municipalities are Woodstock, Ingersoll, Tillsonburg, Blanford-Blenheim and South-West Oxford. The Township of Blandford-Blenheim and the Drumbo Heritage Society celebrated the 50th anniversary during this year's Canada Day festivities at Drumbo Park. 'The displays you curated were a wonderful way to highlight the rich heritage of Blandford-Blenheim, and the cake was a sweet touch that added to the sense of unity. We were thrilled to see both former and current mayors, as well as members of council, and former and current township staff, come together to commemorate this significant milestone,' said a post on the township's website. Kenn R. Howling was the inaugural mayor in 1975. South-West Oxford celebrated the milestone on May 24 with the 'SWOX Township Fare – 50th Anniversary Celebration' at the Mount Elgin Community Centre. George Jakeman was the first mayor of the township in 1975. Oxford County became a two-tier government system where the upper tier handles region-wide services such as waste management, long-term care and planning. Lower-tier municipalities are responsible for local roads, parks, fire protection and more. The 1975 amalgamation helped create more balanced municipal governments and better-aligned urban-rural service delivery. However, like many such reorganizations, it was not without controversy. Some residents felt and still feel a loss of local identity, and not all efficiencies were realized immediately. East Zorra-Tavistock (EZT), while not holding a specific event to mark the milestone, did acknowledge the anniversary at the grand opening of its new administration building in Hickson. Mayor Phil Schaefer shared a personal memory he has from half a century ago. 'I was 15 at the time and I remember when the restructuring happened. My father Walter was the clerk of the Village of Tavistock at the time, and he became the deputy clerk/tax collector for the Township of East Zorra-Tavistock,' he explained. 'The initial council of the amalgamated municipality was quite large as it consisted of all members of the predecessor municipalities.' The first mayor of EZT was Harold Vogt while Robert C. Matheson, who had previously served as the last reeve of the former West Zorra Township, held the inaugural role in Zorra. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
4 days ago
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
GN inflates giant colon to encourage cancer screening
'A poop test can save someone's life,' says Dr. Ekua Agyemang, Nunavut's acting chief public health officer. To spread that message, Nunavut's Department of Health is bringing a giant inflatable colon to communities across the territory. Measuring six metres long and three metres tall, the colon made its debut in Rankin Inlet in May as the territorial government launched a new colorectal cancer screening program. Iqaluit residents also had the opportunity to walk through the colon earlier this month when it was set up at Canada Day and Nunavut Day festivities. It has also visited Kimmirut and Clyde River. 'It's a hands-on experience that will resonate with all ages, and it visually [demonstrates] the progression of colon cancer disease,' Agyemang said in an interview. The inflatable colon cost $17,000, Agyemang said. But that purchase pales in comparison to the cost of treating colorectal cancer. 'Early treatment — that is only the polyp — is just about $25,000,' she said. For more advanced stages, 'you are looking at over $200,000, $300,000 to treat just one person.' Colorectal cancer is Nunavut's second most common type of cancer behind lung cancer, according to the latest report from Agyemang's office. The 2022 Nunavut cancer report identified 130 colorectal cancer cases between 2008 and 2017, accounting for almost 20 per cent of cancer diagnoses for that period in the territory. The Department of Health is rolling out fecal immunochemical test kits – abbreviated as FIT kits – to health centres across the territory. All residents ages 50 to 74 are encouraged to pick up a free kit, which can be administered at home in your bathroom, and then returned to the health centre for processing. If a test comes back and blood is found in the stool — an early indicator of colon cancer — the patient will be called in for a colonoscopy to identify if there is cancer and at what stage. Colonoscopies and early treatment can be done at the Qikiqtani General Hospital in Iqaluit. Nunavummiut with relatives who had colorectal cancer should start seeking regular screening at an age 10 years younger than when that family member was diagnosed, Agyemang said. Colon cancer can be deadly or result in the removal of the rectum if left untreated. But, if found in time, it is almost 90 per cent treatable, Agyemang said, 'And people can live their full life.' The GN's screening program has rolled out to all Qikiqtani and Kivalliq communities. When the rollout continues in Kitikmeot later this year, the inflatable colon will make appearances in Cambridge Bay and Kugluktuk. A free fecal immunochemical test kit, known as a FIT kit, is one tool Nunavut's health department uses to screen for colorectal cancer, the second most common form of cancer in the territory. (Photo courtesy of the Department of Health) So far, the appearance of the giant colon has resulted in an 'uptake' in screening, and 'some' tests come back positive, Agyemang said. 'As we send the inflatable colon around and we talk about it, it's breaking these barriers, reducing the stigma around colon cancer,' she said. 'People who might have been eligible but are afraid of colonoscopy … Now, their family members also know about it and can encourage them to seek the care that they need.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
