July 2016 - Page 2 of 4

Sustainability July 20, 2016

Five vegetables and fruits to grow indoors

As someone who doesn’t have a backyard, I miss gardening greatly. But, with a green thumb and a little bit of ingenuity, gardening indoors is possible. Growing fruits and vegetables in your home can be simply satisfying — seeing something grow from a seedling to something we eat can be deeply rewarding, not to mention delicious to consume.

1. Avocado

Avocado trees can be grown indoors and produce a delicious fruit that is full of iron and vitamin E. The best way to grow avocados is to purchase a small avocado plant and place it in an area with high ceilings, because it can grow to over 11 ft. high (though this takes a number of years)! Make sure to plant with sand in the bottom of the pot to avoid the avocados becoming waterlogged. Potted plants can sometimes become clogged with water and then the plant itself drowns. Water daily, and prune the shoots for optimal growth.

2. Microgreens

Microgreens includes sprouts, radishes, kale, swiss chard, or beets. Fill a shallow tray with soil and moisten with water. Sprinkle the seeds evenly and place in direct sunlight, preferably on a windowsill. If you do not have access to direct sunlight, grow lights that can be purchased at most local gardening stores. Water with a light spray bottle daily so the sensitive plants won’t become waterlogged. Microgreens are relatively easy to grow and taste delectable in a summer salad.

3. Herbs

The easiest edible plants to grow in both indoor and outdoor gardens are herbs. Dill, basil, and rosemary are popular options and will leave your living space smell delightful. Planting in a shallow planter similar to microgreens and placing close to sunlight will help the herbs grow. Basil needs as much sunlight as possible. Remember to prune the herbs so that they flourish.

4. Lemons

Lemons can be used to flavour dishes and adds a refreshing taste to a cool glass of water in the summer months. Purchase a two to three year old dwarf lemon plant from a nursery and put it in a pot that is slightly bigger than the bulb of the plant. Use a draining plate in the bottom of the pot to catch extra water. Mist the leaves with water and keep the soil moist. Lemons need at least 12 hours of sunlight daily to thrive.

5. Oranges

Similar to lemons, dwarf orange trees can grow successfully indoors while potted. Purchase a tree from a nursery and pot it with a draining plate to allow access water to leave the soil. Spray the leaves and keep soil moist in the sunshine. Buying both an orange and lemon plant together would be a worthy purchase considering their care is so similar.

Get growing indoors, and enjoy the increase in oxygen flow in your home, and fresh food on your table. What do you grow indoors?

Tech July 19, 2016

Where can Pokemon Go from here?

I got into a rather heated argument with my family last weekend over Pokemon Go. They had been reading the headlines about the terrible consequences of the app — the stampedes around Central Park, the guy who accidentally shot at two kids who were hanging out near his car, and the theft sprees that have occurred throughout the United States.

All I could say was that despite all of the glitches, I thought the app was a work of genius. And I haven’t even played it yet.

There are a number of reasons why I haven’t downloaded the app yet — a) I think it will take up more data than I can muster and b) I don’t think I’ll sleep for a week if I get it — but, that doesn’t mean I don’t think the technology is absolutely brilliant.

Pokemon Go inserts the game into the real-world, allowing players to walk around neighbourhoods and “catch” or “battle” Pokemon on the streets. Pokestops can be found at public art installations, tourist attractions and historical markers. Players will be allowed to join teams, battle other players, and train their Pokemon based on physical challenges. Eggs can only be hatched if a certain distance or number of steps is achieved. This has spurred a number of hilarious digs on social media about a sedentary generation finally having to move in order to play the game.

Sure, there are a few glitches — some of the Pokemon are hidden on private property and in commercial buildings — but it encourages people of all ages to explore neighbourhoods, play outdoors, and get nerdy. Is this really that terrible?

This fascinating mixture of augmented reality, geocached data of objects and locations, and Google Maps has the potential to revolutionize the way apps are developed in the future. Not only that, but it has the potential to change the way society as a whole uses this technology.

First of all, it’s a great marketing tool. Already, institutions like Toronto Tourism are asking residents to tweet pictures of Pokemon at historical sites for promotion. Imagine you are hosting an event and you want attendees to really engage with your company. Simply create an app that encourages participants to visit each table, station, or area of the event and collect points for a draw. Already, businesses can purchase a “lure” or “incense”,which attracts Pokemon to their area.

Good morning history lovers! Are you combining your love of history + #PokemonGO? Show us your Pokemon @ our sites! pic.twitter.com/SnlaXCpHw7

— TorontoHistoricSites (@TOhistoricsites) July 19, 2016

Now, let’s take this to the next step. How about using it for public good? Maybe a municipality can use it to encourage residents to pick up garbage or use public transportation? How great would it be to use this technology to host a neighbourhood-or city-wide scavenger hunt, highlighting government buildings, public monuments, and community centres?

There is so much potential with Pokemon Go and I can’t wait to see how it’s used next. Who knows, maybe this will be the week I give in to the Pokemon Go crave? I’ll let you know if I catch em’ all!

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Politics July 18, 2016

Kensington small businesses are essential for sustainable growth

If the financial district is the brain of Toronto, Kensington Market must be the heart.

The market is an artistic centre of culture that holds a variety of unique retail boutiques, beautiful art, an eclectic combination of hippies and punks, and several fun restaurants and bars. In the middle of inner-city Toronto, this fragile ecosystem is threatened by rising prices, condo development and gentrification. But, there are people in power who want to keep Kensington local and sustainable, and protect it from being overtaken by large buildings and corporations. A property tax adjustment pilot project targeting small retail businesses could save the area.

Nigel Murray, owner of Dancing Days, a vintage retail shop in the area, feels the pain of the property tax hikes. “Last year, my property taxes were $7,000 and it went up with the property assessment to $15,000,” Murray says. “How much business can you possibly do when the rent is so high?”

The motion to support small retail businesses in Kensington Market is being supported by Councillor Joe Cressy and Councillor Michael Thompson. The project would incentivize high-risk retail businesses that are in expensive areas to stay open by providing lower property taxes. By providing financial relief in the form of tax adjustments, retail businesses can stay afloat and Kensington Market maintains its artistic and cultural roots.

Small retail businesses provide more than just artsy items for consumers, they offer sustainable growth and cultural integrity to a neighbourhood. The people of Kensington value creating community and in keeping money local. Kensington Market is a prime example of how a community can be dense, but doesn’t need to sacrifice its identity in order to grow sustainably. Density is often equated with development, but it can also be created by building cultural value into neighbourhoods and using existing space to foster independent market places instead of large-scale shopping centres.

Kensington Market’s popularity also drives up prices. Everyone wants to take part in the cultural phenomenon of the cool and artistic marketplace in downtown Toronto, and wealthier investors are taking an interest in the area. “Kensington Market is coming up,”Walter Munos, owner of One Heart Design, says. “Where there are the artistic people, the rich people come. These owners know there is a change because the rent gets higher every year.”

Since controlling the popularity of the area is nearly impossible, the solution must be to protect the cultural integrity of Kensington Market at a city level. the motion to protect small retail businesses in Kensington Market was approved at City Council on Tuesday to be reviewed by the executive committee in October. If the project is a success, it can also be repeated in other areas and local and sustainable community development can continue to prosper in Toronto.

What's Hot July 17, 2016

My beauty privilege makes me a bad feminist

“He probably just liked what he saw.”

The amount of times I’ve heard my friends and family say this to me after I’ve accomplished something big or small in my life is appalling. Whether it was getting out of a speeding ticket, bagging a new job, or even getting a discount on a new cellphone plan, it’s as if my skills and abilities to function as a member of society is downgraded due to my physical appearance. However, the more experiences I’m gaining as a young adult, the more I’m starting to see that beauty privilege may be an actual thing.

As a feminist, the concept slightly haunts me. Because while I strive for equality and credibility amongst the male gender, I also find myself being inert towards certain projects I take on, knowing that smiling a little brighter and flipping my hair a few extra times will get me the results I’m looking for. And although feminism is defined as the advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men, I just don’t think it’s fair to get to that stance by playing on the opposite gender’s weaknesses. Think about it – have you ever seen Hillary Clinton with smoky eyes and red lipstick? I didn’t think so.

I’m not here to complain about my beauty, nor am I here to brag about it. I’m just here to say that I know my physical appearance aids in helping me getting places a nano-second faster and easier than it would have for an ‘Average Jane’. And if you’re in my position, you should be aware of it as well. It’s become apparent that staying young and attractive certainly seems to be hugely important in today’s society. It’s difficult to imagine anyone bemoaning the fact that they’re beautiful; being physically attractive is considered fortunate, and when beautiful people complain about their beauty, it seems ungrateful almost. While I want to embrace it, I can’t help but feel guilty about taking advantage of it.

So while I accept that I have beauty privilege, I’m also willing to accept that I will not have this privilege forever. The thing about good looks, I suppose, is that they are not permanent. Eventually, even the most well-preserved of females will see their looks fade. And if we don’t know how to fight for equality in sweatpants and a messy bun, how are women to adapt once they are no longer able to rely on their good looks? And while women are perfectly able to conquer the world with our Louboutins, we also need to opt for Uggs once in awhile– just to show society we can succeed in both. And because the foot pain will come back to haunt us.

What are your thoughts on beauty privilege? Let us know in the comments below!

#TOpoli July 16, 2016

Motion for gender disparity pushed until October at City Council

City Council has promised to address greater gender diversity on the boards of directors of public and private corporations in October.

Councillor Michelle Holland presented a motion to City Council that would see new appointments for women on public boards to start as soon as fall 2016. The motion further directs that all public appointments on boards in Toronto be made up of 50 per cent women by 2019. Unfortunately, the motion was deferred until October because of a heavy agenda at this month’s meeting.

Women in Canada only represent 15.9 per cent of board positions in large corporations and public companies only have 12.1 per cent women. Crown corporations have the highest representation in public office with 30 per cent, but this still falls well below the 50 per cent mark.

This motion is influenced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s decision to have 50 per cent representation in his federal cabinet, which has arguably renewed the work equality debate in Canada. Ontario has also promised to have 40 per cent women representation on their boards by 2019. Involving Toronto in the gender parity goal makes sense alongside the other levels of government so that women can have better representation in positions of power too.

Private FP500 companies have increased their gender parity on boards in their companies to 19.5 per cent in 2015, according to a report by the Canadian Board Diversity Council. Ontario Securities Commission rose the bar when they created new disclosure criteria for gender diversity in Dec. 2014. Public boards have a lower percentage of equal representation compared to private corporations in Canada.

In a country that advocates on behalf on gender equality, I wonder when the employment sector will embrace gender parity entirely. Both public and private institutions need equal representation on their boards, and it is interesting to see that private companies are leading the way. The fact that the motion was pushed to executive council in October indicates the issue was dismissed in the wake of an important time for gender equality in politics. Toronto needs to join the movement and take women’s rights seriously at City Council.

Women’s Post will be watching to see how seriously the motion is taken in October.

Politics July 15, 2016

Budget cuts could increase efficiency of affordable housing

City Council made an announcement of a 2.6 per cent budget cut that will affect all programs, including affordable housing. So what does this mean for the Open Door program and other affordable housing initiatives in the city?

When the budget cuts were presented at council Tuesday, Councillor Mike Layton put forward a motion to protect Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC), which the chair of affordable housing and Councillor Ana Bailao surprisingly voted against.

Though budget cuts are never welcome news for desperate programs like affordable housing, it isn’t as dire as it may seem. Councillor Bailao explains an alternative perspective to the budget cuts involving affordable housing that would ensure it doesn’t cut essential services, but instead would rid the system of inefficiencies.

“We weren’t discussing if anything specific was going to be cut. At community housing, we have 107 IT applications that don’t speak on each other. If we embark on an IT restructure and reduce the cost of doing things, isn’t that a good thing?” Bailao says. “There was nobody talking about cutting anything with an impact. If I can get 2.6 per cent in reduction to be more efficient, why wouldn’t I look at that?”

If the budget cuts put pressure on TCHC to make it more efficient, it could benefit the affordable housing agenda overall. The affordable housing corporation has come under fire over for their inefficiencies, long waitlists, and a lack of proper care for residents. Perhaps tightening up operations would propel TCHC into gear. Open Door, an affordable housing program and approved and amended Wednesday, attempts to address some of these concerns.

The Open Door Affordable Housing program was introduced by Councillor Bailao and Mayor John Tory in November 2015 in an attempt to meet housing targets put forth by the 10-year affordable housing plan. “The plan is for 1000 rental units and 200 ownership annually. There hasn’t been one year that we have fulfilled that goal,” Bailao says. “We know the city is trying hard and we are trying to enhance the partnership. Aside from the affordable housing program, we are saying the city is going to contribute.” Open Door streamlines building applications that have a minimum of 20 per cent affordable housing, provides government land and provides incentives such as the avoidance of building fees and permits.

Additionally, 294 new affordable housing properties were approved in council on Tuesday. Councillor Ana Bailao and other City Council members are slowly but surely making progress in the affordable housing profile though sometimes success feels limited. The recent 550 subsidies for $250 for families that have been on the waitlist for 10 years or more is a prime example of how the needs of people who require housing are not being met as much as the city would like.

“These are larger families that have been on the list for so long. Having a federal government that is talking about a federal housing strategy allows us to do a little more,” Bailao says. “They will be allowed to continue on the waiting list because we don’t believe it is enough but it is a little bit of help.” The Federal Housing Strategy that was recently launched should further help support affordable housing in Toronto.

The Federal Housing Strategy and Toronto’s Housing Summit should help to promote fresh ideas. The Summit will be put on by the City of Toronto to promote new ideas and gather stakeholders to talk about affordable housing solutions. Using sustainable building practices is an example of a possible solution to reduce costs and support the environment. “The province released their green fund for social housing so that we can get environmental and repairs benefits, and reductions in operations such as electricity. More and more social housing providers are going in that direction,” Bailao says.

It is an uphill battle for Councillor Bailao and the TCHC because of the long waitlist and lack of available affordable housing, but innovation and perseverance could bring the change that Toronto needs. Open Door is a step in the right direction, and it will be interesting to see where the budget cuts are applied.

#TOpoli July 14, 2016

Transit: It’s all about politics

“Let them do their work,” pleaded Toronto Mayor John Tory early Tuesday morning when City Council first sat down to discuss budgets and transit.

And thankfully, most of those councillors listened.

At Wednesday’s meeting, city council voted to approve the transit network plan as proposed by staff — including the controversial single-stop express subway in Scarborough.

A few amendments were tacked on to the motion, including a promise to study alignments and associated costs of the corridor. Staff will also be looking at a Sheppard subway extension and the extension of the Bloor-Danforth line from Kipling Station to Sherway Gardens.

But even with these unexpected add-ons, the approval of the transit network plan is a win for both the mayor and the golden horseshoe area.

“Following this vote we must now put an end to years of inaction and delay and move ahead with a comprehensive plan to serve our city’s needs.” Mayor Tory said in a statement

And there’s the rub. Despite the positive results of the city council meeting, progress was nearly delayed because a handful of councillors were pretending to be transit experts in their attempt to garner media attention.

In every municipal government, there are elected officials — who often have a variety of skills, including some experience in management, customer service, and politics— and then there are city staff, who are hired based on their particular expertise.

This week’s city council transit kerfuffle is indicative of a lifelong politicians working the issue for media attention to gain recognition for the next election. A handful of councillors ignored recommendations provided by Toronto Chief Planner Jennifer Keesmaat (who has a Master’s in Environment and Planning), City Manager Peter Wallace (who served as the provincial Deputy Minister of Finance and Secretary to the Treasury Board), and Toronto Transit Commission CEO Andy Byford (with over 15 years of Transit operations), among others.

There are certain city councilors who have been pushing their own transit agendas, ignoring the sound advice from staff. Councilor’s like Josh Matlow have gone as far as recommending council revert to the original transit plan proposed before former Mayor Rob Ford was elected — citing high costs and new polls that indicate residents want an LRT instead.

Matlow (whose extremely thin resume has school board trustee, and co-director of an environmental non-profit) put forward a motion to return to the 24-stop LRT plan, saying that someone needs to think about the taxpayers and how best to invest funds.

Other councillors used the opportunity to try and promote projects for their voters, like the Sheppard subway extension. Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti even suggested diverting funds from the Finch LRT — which is already in its procurement stage — to fund the Scarborough subway.

The problem? Consistently changing plans costs tax payers a fortune and would have resulted in a two-year delay, leading up to another election in which a new council may have different ideas. Essentially, Toronto would be forced to start from scratch. “It would be problematic to pull apart this optimized network,” Toronto Chief Planner Jennifer Keesmaat reminded council.

At the end of the day, the experts were able to argue their case and explain the high-costs and the severe consequences of changing the transit plan yet again. If there is one thing that should be taken away from Wednesday’s exchange, it’s that there are a few councillors focused on only one thing: re-election. Councillors are pretending to be more knowledgeable than the experts because it makes them look good to their constituents.

City staff work year after year trying to hold together a broad transit plan they understand that Toronto needs to start building now or else it will take another 50 years before residents see any relief on the Yonge Line.

The experts did their job — now it’s time for council to just sit back and listen.

Living July 13, 2016

Hunger doesn’t take a holiday

For the third summer in a row, Gratitude Bag is helping to bridge the gap faced by Daily Bread Food Bank.

Donations to the food bank run strong around Thanksgiving and Christmas, but by the time summer comes, food stocks have dwindled and donations have dried up. Corporate food drives aren’t contributing in the same way, with many away from work during the summer months. Not only that, but kids aren’t benefiting from other support systems like breakfast programmes provided by schools.

Enter Gratitude Bag. It’s a simple concept: we’ll take the food drive straight to your door. Our grassroots volunteers — often students and young people looking to get their community service hours — deliver a red, reusable bag to your door in the morning. Throughout the day, we encourage you to fill the bag with non-perishable food items. The healthier the better.

Maybe it’s extra cans of tuna in the pantry, or the peanut butter you bought in bulk — every little bit helps. That evening, our volunteers will come back and collect the donations to deliver to fire halls across the city, and from there to Daily Bread Food Banks’ processing centre.

It’s simple, and effective. In the past two summers, we’ve raised over 30 tonnes of food for the food bank.

This summer, with the support from Coca-Cola Canada and local businesses, we’re expanding the program across the city, with a friendly neighbourhood competition to see which neighbourhood, 1000 homes at a time, can raise the most food in support of those who go hungry. We kicked off the campaign this summer with Councillor Paula Fletcher, Coca-Cola Canada president Christian Polge, Gail Nyberg of the Daily Bread Food Bank and Chief Dan Sells of the Toronto Fire Services on July 11th, and we hope you will participate if you find a red bag at your door.

Hunger is a real, moral issue in our city, and it doesn’t go away in the summer. In the absence of meaningful and long-term solutions to poverty, we can make a real difference by giving to the food banks. Over one million of our fellow Torontonians used a food bank last year, and at least one third were children. So, please give generously through the Gratitude Bag program, or, if we don’t come to your door, please consider dropping off your own donation directly to your local fire hall.

For more information, and to donate towards the costs of bags (and receive a charitable tax receipt), please visit www.gratitudebag.org.

Grant Gordon (@_GrantGordon) is the founder of Gratitude Bag.

#TOpoli July 13, 2016

Open your door to the housing agenda at City Council

Affordable housing is on the agenda at this month’s city council meeting, only falling behind transit as a central focus. The Open Door Affordable Housing Program spearheaded by Toronto Mayor John Tory and Councillor Ana Bailão is on the agenda at the July City Council. Here is a rundown of the different programs and motions being recommended:

The Open Door program works to streamline the affordable housing process to speed up approvals and provide incentives for developers to create affordable and mixed-use housing. Open Door would provide incentives to private developers who are looking to build affordable housing. This includes providing an exemption from building and planning permit fees in order to build affordable housing and would be secured for a 20-year term.

The Open Door program is part of the 10-year Affordable Housing Action Plan 2010-2020 (HOT). HOT has a target of 1000 affordable rental homes and 200 new affordable ownership homes annually, or 10,000 rentals and 2000 ownership homes over 10 years. Currently, the project is set to fall short by 6000 rental units and nearly 600 affordable ownership homes. Open Door hopes to remedy that situation by implementing more development by the private sector, piloting projects, activating government land, and streamlining city processes.

The CityPlace site at Bathurst St. and Lakeshore Blvd. and is one of the five sites chosen to kick off the project. This project will provide 389 affordable rental and ownership units. There will be 80 affordable homes built in the area.

Other projects that will be discussed in City Council include a program for 100 new affordable rentals and ownership homes at 30 Tippet Rd, and 32 new affordable ownership homes at 2 Bicknell Ave. Securing affordable ownership housing at 505 Richmond St. W. is a priority and property tax exemptions at 3087 Danforth Ave. and at 3738 St. Clair Ave. E. is also on the agenda.

Councillor Joe Cressy also introduced an item that discusses the role of Toronto Community Housing. This item on the agenda recommends that City Council transition a portion of Toronto Community Housing Corporation into a new community-based non-profit corporation. This recommendation was made in light of the organization’s reputation of being an unsuitable landlord for affordable housing tenants. Cressy is pushing for more council support in affordable housing to give residents better care.

It is a busy day in City Council, and the transit debate is sure to take over the agenda Wednesday. However, we can hope that once a decision has been made the city can finally focus on the affordable housing projects the residents of Toronto desperately need.

#TOpoli July 12, 2016

TTC to tackle safety using ‘gender-specific lens’

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) discussed safety at Monday’s board meeting, with a special focus on women.

City Council requested that the TTC “apply a full safety audit using a gender-specific lens…to address safety concerns of women and women with disabilities.” Suggestions included adequate lighting, clear sightline design for stations, more security, and more women employed in the transit process.

The board, however, chose to focus on an app that would allow a TTC rider to take a photo of a person who is harassing or assaulting someone and report it. The hope is that it will draw less attention than pushing the yellow emergency strip and stopping traffic. The app should be ready to launch by the end of the year.

As a woman who takes public transportation at least twice a day — if not more — I understand the type harassment that can take place on an enclosed streetcar or subway car. But, I’m not sure this app is the solution.

As with a lot of Toronto’s safety plans, it puts the onus on bystanders to help out. Bystanders are notorious for…well…being bystanders. There is no guarantee that someone will capture the moment on film, and if that person did take time to take a photo of the harassment, I hope they would also step up and stop it.

The idea is that the app will automatically turn off flash and sound so that those making the report won’t have to worry about drawing attention to themselves. But, with the size of cell phones nowadays, it’s almost impossible to be conspicuous when taking a photograph in a small space. And has anyone thought about the many false accusations that will have to be filtered through to find the legitimate complaints?

I also don’t think that silent reporting is enough — anyone who assaults or harasses another person should be afraid to do it again. They should be worried they won’t get away with it. They should be made to seriously consider their actions. Pushing the yellow emergency strip and forcing them to wait for the authorities is exactly what people should be doing, and encouraging them to do otherwise is just another way to say “don’t worry about it, the authorities will deal with it the situation…maybe.”

If someone is harassing a woman (or a man for that matter), someone should speak up and tell them to get lost. People should rally around victims of assault and let it be known that it’s not okay. Women should also feel comfortable telling the driver of the bus or streetcar about the incident, which means that all drivers, toll operators, and TTC workers should be trained on how to deal with harassment and assault.

It is imperative that future designs of stations, streetcars, and subways take public safety into account — better lighting, a more secure waiting area, and a bigger authority presence after sunset are all integral to the safety of women and women with disabilities. But, let’s not diminish this importance by creating silly apps that allow us to spy and report people to authorities.

Let’s focus on what really matters: making people safe and training staff do handle numerous types of emergency scenarios, including harassment and assault. If you have to make an app, I would rather an app that allows me to reload my PRESTO card on my phone – thank you very much!