Latest news with #Sunter
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Is it cheaper to live in Halifax or Toronto? This data says costs are comparable
The share of income Halifax households typically spent on housing and transportation costs in 2024 was comparable to cities like Toronto, according to recent Statistics Canada data analyzed by CBC News. Half of households in Halifax were estimated to spend about 31 per cent or more of before-tax income on those two expense categories. In Toronto, the figure was 30 per cent. With housing costs having rapidly increased over the last several years, Halifax realtor Chris Melnyk said the data lines up with what he's seen. "A lot of people have this kind of misconception that … homes are cheap," said Melnyk. Over the last few years, he's regularly received inquiries from people outside Nova Scotia who are interested in moving to the province. But, some decided not to after discovering Halifax homes were expensive. Melnyk said prices for many homes in and around the city effectively doubled from 2019 to 2022, adding that overall prices have been climbing since then following a brief decline. "The value proposition [of moving to Halifax] doesn't make that much more sense anymore relative to say, a number of years ago when it was a lot cheaper." Up until two years ago, Montreal-based musician and music teacher Rachel Sunter was living in Halifax, where she saw that change in housing prices first-hand. While renting, Sunter started to consider buying her first home just before 2020. But in only a couple of years, that was out of reach. "I could be a homeowner on one side of that [and] on the other side had no chance," Sunter said. Rising rents were one of the main reasons for Sunter's decision to move to Montreal after more than a decade living and building a career in Halifax. There, Sunter rented a house with roommates. She said she was repeatedly told for a number of years that the house would be demolished, prompting multiple searches for a new apartment. "Each year, all I could see was that there was nothing … I would be able to afford [while] paying rent and having a teaching business at the same time," Sunter said. Rents are, on average, considerably lower in Montreal, although Sunter said owning a car there has been more expensive for her due to licensing costs and other fees. The Statistics Canada data shows the median household in Toronto does spend a higher proportion of before-tax income on housing than in Halifax. But, when transportation costs are factored in, the cities are similar. By that combined measure, Halifax ranked 22 most expensive out of the 50 largest census subdivisions in Canada, which generally represent municipalities. The figures are from the statistics agency's relatively new Housing and Transportation Cost Index, which aims to provide a better sense of what it costs to live in an area as of May 2024. The idea behind the index is that even though housing in suburban areas can be cheaper than in the city's core, commuting and other transportation costs can offset that advantage and vice-versa. In Halifax since 2024, the average price of regular unleaded gas has been consistently higher than in Toronto, according to Statistics Canada. At the same time, wages in Nova Scotia were the lowest in Canada last year. Out of all the provinces, Nova Scotia was the sixth-most expensive in terms of the fraction of before-tax household income spent on housing, said Marcello Barisonzi, a senior analyst with Statistics Canada. But the province was the most expensive for transportation, pushing Nova Scotia to fourth place overall. Barisonzi said transportation costs were most expensive for those living in small towns. MORE TOP STORIES
The Guardian
15-04-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
British hospitals introduce treatment for heart failure that cuts deaths by 62%
People in Britain with heart failure are being given larger doses of drugs at the start of their treatment after a global study found that this led to a huge fall in deaths. Experts say the new approach could mean those with the potentially fatal condition start receiving their ideal amount of medication within two weeks of diagnosis rather than after many months. Evidence from other countries that have already used the treatment found it cut deaths from heart failure by 62% and lowered their risk of ending up back in hospital by 30%. Those were among the key findings of the Strong-HF trial involving 87 hospitals in 14 countries. About 1 million people in the UK have heart failure, which is incurable. It means that the heart can no longer pump blood around the body effectively and leaves sufferers breathless and tired. St George's hospital in London and Morriston hospital in Swansea have begun treating patients with the innovative method, which those involved say 'is a total gamechanger' for the condition. Clinical staff likened the approach – known as 'rapid titration' – to how cancer patients are given a full dose of chemotherapy medication from the start of their treatment to improve their chances of recovery. 'Heart failure is a silent killer, so this new way of treating patients is a total gamechanger that I never thought I'd see in my lifetime. It will save many lives and bring hope to so many families,' said Matthew Sunter, the lead heart failure nurse at St George's. 'In days gone by, we would start patients on a very low dose and increase it by very small doses. It could take nine to 12 months to reach the optimal dose. 'Strong-HF has allowed us to think completely differently. For the first time ever, we offer patients a review one week after discharge and we can catch them before they get sick enough to need to come back into hospital. 'And we can get them on to the recommended therapy for their heart failure within two to three weeks instead of nine to 12 months.' The global trial showed that 'once we establish patients on those drugs, we reduce their chance of dying by 62% and their chances of rehospitalisation for heart failure by 30%. That is huge and means we can prevent avoidable deaths while easing the pressures on our hospital,' Sunter added. Prof Simon Roy, NHS England's national clinical director for heart disease, said: 'This treatment could transform the health outlook for thousands of people affected by heart failure. It is yet another example of how the NHS is delivering on its commitment to ensure patients have access to the latest and most effective treatments to help improve their quality of life.' St George's has used the approach with 14 patients who have been taken to hospital with heart failure and plans to use it with 100 more such cases a year. Morriston plans to treat 500 people from Swansea and Neath Port Talbot that way this year. Dr Parin Shah, a consultant cardiologist at Morriston specialising in heart failure, said the drugs patients receive are so strong that they will have their blood pressure and kidney function checked before joiningtheir trial to assess their suitability. 'Not everyone will be eligible for this. Some people may not be able to tolerate such intensive treatment. We knew it would suit relatively few people, but it would benefit them considerably,' Shah said. Emily McGrath, a senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said the treatment 'looks hugely promising'. The government has announced its aim to reduce avoidable deaths caused by Britain's biggest killers, such as heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'We commend the brilliant team at St George's for this extraordinary breakthrough which showcases that the NHS is at the forefront of global medical innovation.'
Telegraph
20-03-2025
- Telegraph
Trans woman called ‘she' in sex offence court hearing
A transgender woman who committed sex offences in male public lavatories was called 'she' in court. Chleo Sunter, 37, secretly recorded and photographed men in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire. The sex offender, formerly known as John Graham, was described as a woman in court despite the offences only occurring in men's lavatories. The Government has refused to force police to record biological sex instead of criminals' self-declared gender. It has left criminals free to pick the gender of their choosing despite an independent review urging Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, to order police to collect data on biological sex instead. The Telegraph revealed that police forces and courts were routinely allowing criminals to self-identify their gender, with transgender rapists among those recorded as female. Sunter, a serial sex offender, was sentenced to 26 months in prison at Teesside Crown Court on Wednesday after admitting voyeurism. The court heard that Sunter took more than 800 photographs and videos of men as they used toilet cubicles and urinals. It was not told whether Sunter had been allowed to self-identity as a woman or had legally changed sex using a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC). 'Some were recorded under the cubicles' Sunter captured the photographs and video footage between January and November 2023, later being found to be in possession of 790 images and 15 videos. They were taken at an Aldi supermarket and the Captain Cook Square shopping centre in Middlesbrough, and also at Darlington's railway station. Before changing gender, Sunter was previously convicted of sexual assault in 2012, possession of extreme pornography in 2014 and breaching a sex offender order by using under an alias in 2018. In a previous appearance at Teesside magistrates' court, Sunter was described as having Asperger's, autism and a low IQ. Sunter's latest offending was uncovered by a sexual harm prevention order manager who was assessing whether a previously issued order was being obeyed. Paul Newcombe, prosecuting, said: 'Some of the males were stood at the urinals. Some were recorded under the cubicles.' Sunter was later found by police in November 2023 to have deleted 695 chats, 712 photos and four videos from the LGBT dating app Grindr. Sunter had also breached the sex offender order by using a phone in incognito mode and resetting it to factory settings. 'Exceptionally challenging imprisonment' John Nixon, for Sunter, said the defendant 'no longer has a phone or laptop with internet access' and had spent eight months in prison on remand. Mr Nixon described the period of imprisonment as 'exceptionally challenging' for Sunter. But Judge Geoffrey Marson said Sunter's circumstances had 'little or no effect on the offences' as he handed down a 26-month sentence. Sunter had pleaded guilty to two counts of voyeurism and six breaches of the sexual harm prevention order. Statistics show that almost two-thirds of transgender prisoners who identify as female are convicted sex offenders. Out of the 245 trans women inmates, who are legally recognised as male 151, or 62 per cent, had committed at least one sexual offence. Official figures showed that the number of prisoners who identify as transgender but do not have a GRC rose by almost 10 per cent to 295 in 2024. New rules mean that trans prisoners who identify as women but have male genitalia or those convicted of violent sexual offences cannot be held in female jails unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Yahoo
Trans woman called ‘she' in sex offence court hearing
A transgender woman who committed sex offences in male public lavatories was called 'she' in court. Chleo Sunter, 37, secretly recorded and photographed men in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire. The sex offender, formerly known as John Graham, was described as a woman in court despite the offences only occurring in men's lavatories. The Government has refused to force police to record biological sex instead of criminals' self-declared gender. It has left criminals free to pick the gender of their choosing despite an independent review urging Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, to order police to collect data on biological sex instead. The Telegraph revealed that police forces and courts were routinely allowing criminals to self-identify their gender, with transgender rapists among those recorded as female. Sunter, a serial sex offender, was sentenced to 26 months in prison at Teesside Crown Court on Wednesday after admitting voyeurism. The court heard that Sunter took more than 800 photographs and videos of men as they used toilet cubicles and urinals. It was not told whether Sunter had been allowed to self-identity as a woman or had legally changed sex using a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC). Sunter captured the photographs and video footage between January and November 2023, later being found to be in possession of 790 images and 15 videos. They were taken at an Aldi supermarket and the Captain Cook Square shopping centre in Middlesbrough, and also at Darlington's railway station. Before changing gender, Sunter was previously convicted of sexual assault in 2012, possession of extreme pornography in 2014 and breaching a sex offender order by using under an alias in 2018. In a previous appearance at Teesside magistrates' court, Sunter was described as having Asperger's, autism and a low IQ. Sunter's latest offending was uncovered by a sexual harm prevention order manager who was assessing whether a previously issued order was being obeyed. Paul Newcombe, prosecuting, said: 'Some of the males were stood at the urinals. Some were recorded under the cubicles.' Sunter was later found by police in November 2023 to have deleted 695 chats, 712 photos and four videos from the LGBT dating app Grindr. Sunter had also breached the sex offender order by using a phone in incognito mode and resetting it to factory settings. John Nixon, for Sunter, said the defendant 'no longer has a phone or laptop with internet access' and had spent eight months in prison on remand. Mr Nixon described the period of imprisonment as 'exceptionally challenging' for Sunter. But judge Geoffrey Marson said Sunter's circumstances had 'little or no effect on the offences' as he handed down a 26-month sentence. Sunter had pleaded guilty to two counts of voyeurism and six breaches of the sexual harm prevention order. Statistics show that almost two-thirds of transgender prisoners who identify as female are convicted sex offenders. Out of the 245 trans women inmates, who are legally recognised as male 151, or 62 per cent, had committed at least one sexual offence. Official figures showed that the number of prisoners who identify as transgender but do not have a GRC rose by almost 10 per cent to 295 in 2024. New rules mean that trans prisoners who identify as women but have male genitalia or those convicted of violent sexual offences cannot be held in female jails, unless there are exceptional circumstances. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
