That big Metro store at Bayview and Eglinton Aves. is still part of a gold mine of grocery outlets according to third-quarter results released Tuesday. They reported better-than-expected quarterly revenue and profit as same-store sales rose 3.8 percent, the biggest increase since the third quarter of 2009. The company increased the quarterly dividend to 35 Canadian cents per common share from 30 Canadian cents. It also announced a three for one stock split. Nice. Metro reorganized its Ontario store network converting some of its Metro stores into Food Basics (like the one in East York Town Centre). That discount grocery brand is intended to attract customers looking to spend less as money gets tighter.
Tim Horton’s confirms layoffs, number unknown
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Philanthropist Joseph (Joe) Rotman dead at 80
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Toronto philanthropist and businessman Joseph Rotman has died at age 80 while at home. “Mr. Rotman was a true city builder, demonstrating a commitment to developing Canadian institutions in the arts, education and healthcare,” Mayor John Tory wrote. An officer of the Order of Canada, Mr. Rotman donated $3 million to the University of Toronto in 1993 to help open the Rotman School of Management. The businessman was also a major backer of the arts, having served as the chair of the Canada Council for the Arts since 2008. Mr. Rotman’s family grew from modest beginnings in the retail coal and later the fuel oil business to become wealthy. Rotman is survived by Sandra Frieberg, his wife since 1959, and their two grown children, Janis and Kenneth. Why did beaver cross the road? Please read on
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Rush hour drivers will be forgiven for their complaints about things that get in the way of a fast commute. Yesterday Mayor John Tory declared complete incineration of out-of-province cars and trucks that block the road. Such non-resident scofflaws are very common, his worship said. Who knew? Hey, Mr. Mayor. do you think it is possible to tow a beaver? (He doesn’t seem too big. But he’s fat and prickly). Anyway, he was the problem in West Vancouver Tuesday morning. The lackadaisical rodent parked himself in the middle of 15th Street at Bellevue Avenue. A short while later cops tweeted an update saying the officers and other pedestrians had done some ‘beaver herding’ and shooed the animal into a nearby park. Police did not release the reason the beaver decided to cross the road. Good one. Why did the beaver cross the road? Because he wood get to eat on the other side. Stop the Bulldog now! Send your reasons why the beaver crossed the road.BBC takes razzing for over-the-top reporting
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The pilot runs out of fuel over the Pacific on his way to Hawaii and uses an aircraft parachute to safely belly-flop in the ocean. To be fair, it’s a pretty good story without the narrator’s over-the-top attempts to make it sound like his fuel shortage came as a big surprise. YouTube commentators had fun razzing the BBC about the “split second decision” required to make the ditch. As Rob Anderson sniped: “Suddenly the plane runs out of fuel? In a split second decision? The coast guard was on scene filming the situation which means 20 to 30 minutes ago the pilot called mayday and the coast guard responded. He knew he was running out of fuel, knew he had a parachute that would have to be deployed, was in constant contact with the coast guard during the situation. There was no split decision, he was simply waiting for the engine to stall…lol. They make it sound like all this happened in (a) minute.”
Marriott buys Canada’s Delta Hotels and Resorts
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The Wall Street Journal is saying that Marriott International has done a deal to buy Delta Hotels and Resorts, a Canadian company, for some $135 million U.S., a nice bargain on the deflated value of the Canadian dollar. Marriott said the deal, once completed, will give it a leading position in Canada. The Delta brand 38 hotels and 10,000 rooms in 30 cities throughout Canada.
NE snowstorm falls short of dire predictions
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David would want us to forgive: Mountie’s sister
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Smell of politics heavy at TDSB meeting
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Parents and apparent special interest speakers took the side of trustees against the Minister of Education, Liz Sandals, Monday night at a marathon meeting of the Toronto and District School Board (TDSB). The smell of politics seemed heavy, especially when the new board chair Shaun Chen gave notice that he will be quitting that job to seek a Liberal nomination. Eighty people, many of them parents, were scheduled to share their fears that somehow the government was trying to emasculate democracy by ejecting trustees from the TDSB offices. Some saw it as a stealthy move by the Liberals to grab dormant school properties and sell them off. Ms. Sandals has directed the board to accept all of the recommendations contained in a table-turning report she commissioned. Last week trustees held an emergency, closed door meeting to discuss how to implement the recommendations.
Boy, 3, dies from bacteria that causes strep throat
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Creepy peeper guy grabs ladder to peek into house
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A creepy case of a Peeping Tom type who crept into a backyard of a home in the Dixon and Martin Grove Roads area Thursday has police working hard. It was about 10:30 p.m. and as he was sneaking around he was interrupted by the lady of the house, arriving home in her car. Before she spotted him however he had taken a ladder belonging to the owners and propped it against the house. He climbed it and apparently peeped into the bathroom where the woman’s children were being bathed. He ran when discovered and the woman’s partner followed him to a light coloured SUV nearby. The man is seen in security video which police have seen. He is identifiable but copies of the video that are available have his face obscured apparently at the request of the police. He appears to be lightly dressed for the cold weather. He is described as white, with a medium build, unshaven, with short, dark hair. Police are reminding area residents to lock windows and doors, and to keep ladders and tools locked up when not in use. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-2300 or Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS (8477). B.C. woman tests positive for H7N9 bird flu
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The appearance of a single case of the H7N9 “bird flu” is recorded at the linked story below by reporter Sharon Kirkey, who is a serious writer on such subjects. It appears the victim, a woman, is recovering in British Columbia and that a man who travelled with her to China recently is also well, and he does not appear to have contracted the rare strain in question. Kirkey at Postmedia Sharon Kirkey @sharon_kirkey