Latest news with #TorontoMetropolitanUniversity
Toronto Star
2 days ago
- Business
- Toronto Star
His vending machine side hustle pulls in $6,000 a month. How a ‘boring' business can add thousands to your income
Stephen Ferritto bought his first vending machine when he was just 16. At the time, he was in culinary school and wanted to start his own money-making venture. Now, he owns and operates 25 machines in different locations across Toronto that pull in a combined $6,000 monthly (that's $72,000 a year). 'It gave me a passion that culinary didn't,' Ferritto says. 'It gave me the ability to choose what I do.' Ferritto is one of many Canadians running a 'boring' business. These jobs (think junk removal, car washes, laundromats) are known to offer stability and consistent demand for services with attractive long-term returns. They're not flashy startups, 'but that's exactly what makes them attractive,' says Sean Wise, professor of entrepreneurship at Toronto Metropolitan University. 'They solve everyday problems, have recurring customers, and aren't subject to the hype cycles that tank trendier ventures.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Speed cams have cut speeding around Toronto schools nearly in half, new study finds
Automated speed cameras have reduced speeding around Toronto school zones by nearly half, according to a new study. The study, published in the journal Injury Prevention and led by researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children and Toronto Metropolitan University, looked at the effect of automated speed enforcement cameras deployed across 250 school zones around Toronto from July 2020 to December 2022. Looking at speeding data in these areas before and after speed cameras were installed, it found that cameras have reduced the proportion of speeding vehicles in urban school zones by 45 per cent. "We had a very substantial reduction in the speed of the traffic, more than we were expecting to see," said the study's lead author, Dr. Andrew Howard, who is also head of orthopedic surgery for The Hospital for Sick Children. "And what was especially pleasing about that was that the faster the cars were going, the greater the reduction in speed." While the proportion of drivers going 10 km/h over the speed limits decreased by 74 per cent, the study found the proportion of drivers going 15 km/h over the limit decreased by 84 per cent. Drivers going 20 km/h or more over the limit fell by 88 per cent, the study found. The study used pneumatic tubes, which are laid across the road and sense passing cars, to measure speeds in school zones before cameras were said every kilometre per hour counts in a collision. "Little reductions in speed mean big reductions in kinetic energy. [That] can mean a difference, literally, between life and death at the type of urban speeds that we're looking at," he said. "So getting that dangerous kinetic energy out of school zones is very important, and this is very promising." The study noted that research was done in the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, during "unprecedented disruptions" such as school closures, lockdowns and "significant changes in transportation patterns." "These factors may have affected vehicle speed and volume," read the study. "The observed results, however, strongly argue that [automated speed enforcement] was the primary factor in the speed reductions." Howard said he hopes reduced speeds in these zones will encourage more children to walk to school, helping to foster a habit of daily physical activity in their lives, which decreases many health risks in old age. "That's the single most important thing that you can do for this population of kids to make them healthier," he said. "And what we do know is that if you've got more cars going fast around schools, you will have less children walking." Speed cameras still prompting debate, vandalism Nearly three-quarters of Ontarians support the use of automated speed enforcement, according to a recent CAA study. It also found 76 per cent of respondents believe cameras deter speeding. Still, speed cameras in the city have been the source of much debate and backlash. Earlier this year, Toronto doubled the number of automated speed cameras it uses to 150. But there have been 25 cases of vandalism to speed cameras between 2024 and July 23, 2025, the city told CBC Toronto earlier this week. Eleven of the city's cameras were vandalized in the first week of July alone, including one on Parkside Drive that's been cut down six times in eight months. WATCH | Toronto speed cameras keep getting vandalized: Anthony Perruzza, city councillor for Humber River-Black Creek, has said the city's speed camera program should be put on hold until September, calling them "speed traps." He later said he would work with Mayor Olivia Chow on amendments to a city report to the infrastructure committee on Vision Zero, Toronto's road safety strategy. Council passed a motion last month to install larger, more visible signage around speed cameras, something Perruzza had been calling for. Later this year, a city committee will consider limiting how many tickets a driver can receive from a single camera before they get their first ticket in the mail. The installation of speed cameras in school zones is part of Toronto's Vision Zero strategy, created in 2016 to eliminate all traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries.
CBC
4 days ago
- Health
- CBC
Speed cams have cut speeding around Toronto schools nearly in half, new study finds
Automated speed cameras have reduced speeding around Toronto school zones by nearly half, according to a new study. The study, published in the journal Injury Prevention and led by researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children and Toronto Metropolitan University, looked at the effect of automated speed enforcement cameras deployed across 250 school zones around Toronto from July 2020 to December 2022. Looking at speeding data in these areas before and after speed cameras were installed, it found that cameras have reduced the proportion of speeding vehicles in urban school zones by 45 per cent. "We had a very substantial reduction in the speed of the traffic, more than we were expecting to see," said the study's lead author, Dr. Andrew Howard, who is also head of orthopedic surgery for The Hospital for Sick Children. "And what was especially pleasing about that was that the faster the cars were going, the greater the reduction in speed." While the proportion of drivers going 10 km/h over the speed limits decreased by 74 per cent, the study found the proportion of drivers going 15 km/h over the limit decreased by 84 per cent. Drivers going 20 km/h or more over the limit fell by 88 per cent, the study found. The study used pneumatic tubes, which are laid across the road and sense passing cars, to measure speeds in school zones before cameras were installed. WATCH | Toronto doubles number of speed cams in 2025: Heads up, Toronto drivers: Speed cameras are about to double 4 months ago Howard said every kilometre per hour counts in a collision. "Little reductions in speed mean big reductions in kinetic energy. [That] can mean a difference, literally, between life and death at the type of urban speeds that we're looking at," he said. "So getting that dangerous kinetic energy out of school zones is very important, and this is very promising." The study noted that research was done in the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, during "unprecedented disruptions" such as school closures, lockdowns and "significant changes in transportation patterns." "These factors may have affected vehicle speed and volume," read the study. "The observed results, however, strongly argue that [automated speed enforcement] was the primary factor in the speed reductions." Howard said he hopes reduced speeds in these zones will encourage more children to walk to school, helping to foster a habit of daily physical activity in their lives, which decreases many health risks in old age. "That's the single most important thing that you can do for this population of kids to make them healthier," he said. "And what we do know is that if you've got more cars going fast around schools, you will have less children walking." Speed cameras still prompting debate, vandalism Nearly three-quarters of Ontarians support the use of automated speed enforcement, according to a recent CAA study. It also found 76 per cent of respondents believe cameras deter speeding. Still, speed cameras in the city have been the source of much debate and backlash. Earlier this year, Toronto doubled the number of automated speed cameras it uses to 150. But there have been 25 cases of vandalism to speed cameras between 2024 and July 23, 2025, the city told CBC Toronto earlier this week. Eleven of the city's cameras were vandalized in the first week of July alone, including one on Parkside Drive that's been cut down six times in eight months. WATCH | Toronto speed cameras keep getting vandalized: A(nother) Toronto speed camera was knocked down 23 days ago Anthony Perruzza, city councillor for Humber River-Black Creek, has said the city's speed camera program should be put on hold until September, calling them "speed traps." He later said he would work with Mayor Olivia Chow on amendments to a city report to the infrastructure committee on Vision Zero, Toronto's road safety strategy. Council passed a motion last month to install larger, more visible signage around speed cameras, something Perruzza had been calling for. Later this year, a city committee will consider limiting how many tickets a driver can receive from a single camera before they get their first ticket in the mail. The installation of speed cameras in school zones is part of Toronto's Vision Zero strategy, created in 2016 to eliminate all traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries.
5 days ago
- Politics
MAGA musician permit revocations spark public space debate
The decision to revoke (new window) a controversial MAGA-supporting performer's permits to hold events on public property has sparked a debate about who should be allowed to perform in public spaces. Sean Feucht is a religious singer from the U.S. who has expressed anti-diversity, anti-2SLGBTQ+ and anti-women's rights views on his platforms. He was scheduled to perform at the York Redoubt National Historic site in Halifax on Wednesday, but amid backlash from the public Parks Canada cancelled his permit, citing safety concerns. Soon after, Feucht's permits for events on public property in Charlottetown, P.E.I. (new window) , Moncton, N.B. (new window) , and parts of Quebec (new window) were also cancelled. Cameron Cassidy, the executive director of Pride P.E.I., said the City of Charlottetown absolutely did the right thing by revoking that permit. I think that just shows a lot of respect for the queer community on their end. But not everybody agrees. James Turk, the director of the Centre for Free Expression at Toronto Metropolitan University, said the decision to remove a permit raises a red flag. I think we should all be concerned whenever there is a demand that somebody's right to speak is taken away, a permit withdrawn, a booking in a venue cancelled, Turk said in an interview on Thursday. Amplifying messages Turk said the price of democracy is living with viewpoints that we don't like or agree with as well as ones we do like. In Canada, generally, we recognize the foundation of democracy is an ongoing public discourse about what's legitimate, what's not legitimate, Turk said. And that means we tolerate a wide range of perspectives and views, and we sort things out in our heterogeneous society by listening to different views, arguing against them or ignoring them or boycotting them, but not by censoring them. Turk said attempts to censor someone like Feucht could end up amplifying his message. I never heard of this guy. I suspect 99.99 per cent of your listeners never heard of him. But now we're talking about it. He could be on national news. He's being covered. So he's gotten publicity out of this that he could never afford to buy. So whoever was objecting to him has done him a huge favour, Turk said. James Turk is the director of the Centre for Free Expression at Toronto Metropolitan University. Photo: CBC Matthew Taylor, a senior Christian scholar at the Institute for Islamic, Christian and Jewish Studies who has written about Feucht, agrees. He's been doing these provocative, in your face, intentionally trying to draw a response from local officials, even trying to get barred or banned. And then he presents that as persecution, that he is the victim of anti-Christian bias, Taylor said. Feucht did end up performing in Nova Scotia on Wednesday. The event was held on property in Shubenacadie, N.S., belonging to Christine and Neil Barr. Both are pastors affiliated with a religious group called Lighthouse Ministries. He was here and had no political agenda, just the gospel and his love for Canada, Christine Barr told CBC News. Leading up to the performance, the Barrs said they received hundreds of messages from people who opposed the Feucht show. Christine and Neil Barrs, both pastors affiliated with Lighthouse Ministries, hosted Sean Feucht on their property in Shubenacadie, N.S. Photo: CBC A lot of very hateful emails, texts to say that we were allowing a fascist on our property and that we should know better and the Christianity that we were showing was not love, it was hate and that we were racists. Some people even cursed ill health upon us, Christine Barr said. The Barrs said some people showed up to protest the show. In response to the backlash, Feucht put out a statement. Here's the hard truth: If I had shown up with purple hair and a dress, claiming to be a woman, the government wouldn't have said a thing. But to publicly profess deeply held Christian beliefs is to be labelled an extremist and to have free worship events classified as 'public safety risks.' Sean Feucht's tour bus in Shubenacadie, N.S., on Wednesday, July 23, 2025. Photo: CBC Opponents of the Feucht show at York Redoubt had voiced opposition to it because they said it went against Parks Canada's guiding principles of inclusion and safety for all visitors. Turk said while some people may not feel safe having someone like Feucht performing in their community, there is no protection for subjective feeling of safety. We have an absolute obligation of society to make sure people are physically safe. In other words, not subject to violence or threats of violence, but because somebody says something I find hateful is not a justification for silencing that person, Turk said. I can argue with them. As I say, I could ignore them, I can encourage people to have nothing to do with them, but I don't have a right to silence them. With files from Kayla Hounsell
7 days ago
More Canadians may be thinking of a staycation this summer. But has domestic travel become unaffordable?
Whether you're camping under the stars, jumping off the dock at a lakeside cottage, strolling the coast or exploring a new city, there's arguably nothing better than a summer vacation in Canada. Assuming, of course, you can afford it. From accommodations to flights, Canadians may be noticing higher prices on domestic travel this season. And that's in part because of increased demand, say industry experts who note more Canadians are opting for summer trips at home instead of travelling to the U.S. (new window) Canadians are increasingly travelling within Canada, said Frédéric Dimanche, a professor in the Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Toronto Metropolitan University. And given that the industry is still recovering from losses incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with inflation, the increased cost of operations, and now, increased demand, this translates into higher prices for consumers — especially in urban centres, Dimanche told CBC News. Airlines do this all the time. Hoteliers do this all the time. If there is increased demand, prices are likely to go up. Enlarge image (new window) Natasha Beitman Brener is a lawyer in Kingston, Ont. Brener was hoping to take a five-day road trip with her mother this summer but was shocked by the price of accommodations. Photo: Natasha Beitman Brener For some would-be travellers, the cost is prohibitive or simply too high to justify. Natasha Beitman Brener, a 33-year-old lawyer in Kingston, Ont., says she was hoping to take a five-day road trip with her mother this summer after getting some unexpected and rare time off between trials. They looked at locations such as Ottawa, Quebec City and Manitoulin Island, but every single option would have cost between $3,000 and $5,000 for five days once you tack on expenses, Brener said. The Airbnb or hotel alone would have cost $2,000 anywhere, she added. So, they're not going. It's not even about being able to afford it, although that's true, too. But it just seems so crazy when we used to go to Europe for two months in the summer for $15,000, Brener said. We're the folks buying Canadian, or not American, in the grocery stores and we won't travel to the States, but we also can't justify $300 per night for a studio Airbnb. 'Not typical for Canadians' Canada's tourism sector is seeing strong interest from domestic travellers this summer, partially as a show of support for local communities, Amy Butcher, vice-president of public affairs at the Tourism Industry Association of Canada, told CBC News in a statement. Tourism is one of Canada's strongest economic engines, said Butcher, noting that it delivered $130 billion in economic activity in 2024 — 75 per cent of which was from Canadian domestic travel. Canadians are indeed opting to skip the U.S. so far this summer. The number of Canadians returning from trips to the U.S. (new window) by air fell 22.1 per cent in June compared to a year ago, according to Statistics Canada, and Canadian return trips by automobile dropped by 33.1 per cent. It's too soon to have much summer domestic travel data, but Statistics Canada noted in June (new window) that tourism spending in Canada by Canadian residents was up 0.8 per cent in the first quarter of 2025, driven by accommodation spending. And Anusha Arif, an economist with TD Economics, predicted solid gains in Canadian domestic travel in a recent report (new window) , while also noting an increase in domestic travel at major Canadian airports. In March, Airbnb reported (new window) a 20 per cent increase in searches for domestic stays. Flight Centre Canada told CBC News its seen an uncharacteristic five per cent bump in its domestic travel this summer, which may not seem high until you consider that, typically, they say 80 per cent of travel booked by Canadians over the summer is to international locations. This is not typical for Canadians, Amra Durakovic, head of public relations and communications for the Flight Centre Travel Group Canada, told CBC News. We're thinking that five per cent is coming from less new bookings to the U.S. That Canadians, instead of travelling to their favourite U.S. destinations, they're opting to stay. WATCH | The top 10 Canadian locations to visit: This summer surge is driving perception of a price boost, Durakovic added. Still, it's not necessarily that Canada is dramatically more expensive, but that demand is high and flexible inventory is tight — especially if you're booking something close to your departure date, Durakovic said. She gave the example of a colleague working with a family of three hoping to book a trip from Toronto to Halifax next month for five days. It was going to cost them around $6,000, she said. They're reconsidering their trip, she said. Sticker shock does impact Canadians ... but I do want to clarify that timing really matters. Enlarge image (new window) Tourists check out Peggy's Cove, N.S., on Sept. 1, 2016. A few days in Halifax at peak season can get quite expensive. Photo: The Canadian Press / Andrew Vaughan Hotel prices going up The average daily rate for a hotel room in Canada this June increased three per cent (or about ($7 per night) compared to June last year, according to industry data provided by Costar, a global provider of real estate data, analytics and news. That's based on a sample of 63 per cent of hotel rooms in Canada. Enlarge image (new window) Source: CoStar Photo: CBC As an extremely unscientific gauge of the cost of booking last-minute accommodations, CBC looked up various options for a family of four around the same week in mid-August using a variety of online booking sites, while keeping in mind that booking earlier in the year would have likely yielded lower prices and more availability. Still, you're unlikely to get a week-long August cottage rental in southern Ontario for less than $2,000 (but the average is more like $3,000, according to Airbnb). Four nights in a Halifax hotel is going to cost you between $1,200 and $2,300 according to Travelocity, depending on how central you want to be. Enlarge image (new window) Muskoka chairs sit on a dock looking over Boshkung Lake, in Algonquin Highlands, Ont., on Oct. 5, 2020. A week-long cottage rental on VRBO will likely cost several thousand dollars this summer. Photo: The Canadian Press / Giordano Ciampini A single weekend in Vancouver hotel right in the heart of downtown will cost at minimum $1,200, according to Expedia, and that's similar for a weekend in the Rockies, according to Flight Centre Canada. The few beachfront homes still available to rent in P.E.I. will cost around $4,000 per week on VRBO. And while camping is a less expensive option (assuming you already own the equipment), some campsites near popular tourist destinations have been known to sell out almost immediately (new window) , and officials often recommend booking four or five months in advance (new window) in order to nab a spot. For instance, there were zero tent sites available for any weekend stay in August at Sandbanks Provincial Park in Picton, Ont., and exactly one poor quality site left for a mid-week stay as of Tuesday. There was not a single site available at Porteau Cove Provincial Park near Vancouver for any night in August. Enlarge image (new window) Tourists gaze across Burrard Inlet while on a cruise ship near downtown Vancouver, B.C., on July 25, 2024. Photo: CBC / Ben Nelms 'It's just crazy' Last month, Canadian Culture and Identity Minister Steven Guilbeault announced the federal government's new Canada Strong Pass (new window) that makes Canada's historic sites and parks free to visit and rail travel less expensive for young people. The aim is to promote domestic tourism. WATCH | Canadians react to free national park entry this summer: But what the Canada Strong Pass doesn't change is the price of hotels and domestic flights. Brener, in Kingston, said she's disappointed she won't be taking the trip with her mother, since it's rare for them to have time to travel together. But even local options were shockingly expensive, she said. So instead, they might take a day trip to nearby Prince Edward County. She is also hoping to visit Halifax with her husband soon, but will be waiting until mid-October for the off season. That's the only way to keep a five-day trip under $6,000 with flights. It's just crazy. Natalie Stechyson (new window) · CBC News · Senior Writer & Editor Natalie Stechyson has been a writer and editor at CBC News since 2021. She covers stories on social trends, families, gender, human interest, as well as general news. She's worked as a journalist since 2009, with stints at the Globe and Mail and Postmedia News, among others. Before joining CBC News, she was the parents editor at HuffPost Canada, where she won a silver Canadian Online Publishing Award for her work on pregnancy loss. You can reach her at X (new window) Instagram (new window)
