Canada’s deficit in 2020-2921 will hit a spectacular $343 billion with federal spending expected to exceed $1 trillion this year. The federal ball-and-chain is a result of spending this year to battle hardship caused by COVID-19. The numbers were revealed Wednesday by Finance Minister Bill Morneau (Toronto Centre).

The Ontario Ministry of Health reports 118 new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday for the 24-hour period ending at midnight. This compares to 154 and 112 reported Monday and Tuesday. Health Minister Christine Elliott said that provincial labs turned around 23,000 test specimens on Wednesday, up from about 15,000 on Tuesday. Daily summaries

Stern looking council members

Laird Drive

Leaside Public School

Photos from an old publication called The Story of Leaside published in 1931 have been posted to the Leaside Chit Chat Facebook page. It was put together by the town council of the day. Among tidbits that will make you smile is the proud claim that Leaside has “5.6 miles” of permanent pavement. FB  Bonnie Byford Real Estate historical booklets page.

Former Staples, 1140 Yonge was a Pierce-Arrow showroom

Fancy flivvers of bygone days at 1140 Yonge

This neighborhood gallery begins with the former Pierce-Arrow showroom at 1140 Yonge St. (and Marlborough Ave). The present-day Staples may be about to fall in front a condo developer. Devron and Constantine Enterprises will hold a virtual meeting on Wednesday, July 8 at 6 p.m. It will be at www.1140yonge.com. Down below, much mystery surrounds the big sign for Kissing Bun now up at BigMan’s Family Dining, 1528 Bayview Ave. Best we can tell, a Kissing Bun is some sort of dim sum dumpling. Please correct us if you can. Also below at right is the disassembled patio ordered off the road at 523-525 Mt. Pleasant. Seems there is some confusion about what’s permitted under the new CafeTO patio program. Below that is a new-era bird man captured by Yonge and Roxborough News as he feeds pigeons on Bloor St. At the bottom is the latest Baskin and Robbins fantasy. We’re having a heatwave, you know.

Kissing Bun sign on Bayview Ave.

Patio stalled on Mt. Pleasant

Bird man at work

We’re having a heatwave

The Ministry of Health has counted 112 new cases of COVID-19 Tuesday for the 24-hour period ending midnight. It is a hopeful sign even as the populous GTA had the majority of infections. Of the new cases, some 61 percent of cases were in Toronto (30) and Peel (39). The five-day rolling average of new cases now stands at 138. It stood at 173 at this point last week. Daily summaries

See localized cases in Toronto since January or in last 21 days

The City’s interactive map permits a highly-localized view of COVID-19 history. There is an option to see case numbers since January or within the past 21 days. Hover your mouse pointer (or cursor) over the neighborhoods to see totals to date. NOTE: The City website forces you to then find link at top of its main page. Look for COVID-19 Neighbourhood Maps

Necessary but no fun

Masks are mandatory across Toronto if you’re shopping or doing business inside any premises starting Tuesday. There is widespread support for the use of masks but they are clearly not a pleasant necessity. Masks make breathing harder and cause your glasses to fog. It’s not surprising many people of goodwill rankle at them. A Facebook post early Tuesday tells of an encounter at Starbucks on Bayview Ave. We are not happy.

The Toronto Regional Real Estate Board says the number of homes sold in the region in June was just shy of the mark set a year ago as the average selling price rose nearly 12 percent compared with June 2019. Home sales plunged earlier this year as the COVID-19 pandemic forced buyers to the sidelines, however sales have picked up as businesses have started to reopen. The real estate board says there were 8,701 home sales in June, down 1.4 percent compared with the same month last year. Sales in June were up 84 percent compared with May. The average selling price was $930,869, up 11.9 percent compared with June 2019 — Canadian Press.

Former Ontario NDP Premier and later Liberal MP Bob Rae has been appointed as Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations. Then, owners of Hazel’s Diner and Wild Chicory on Mt. Pleasant Rd. have been ordered to rip up their CafeTO patios and start over. Ouch. Below that, tense moments on St. Clair West Monday as police struggled to persuade an apparently distressed man with a knife to surrender. No one was hurt. Lastly, Premier Ford has reiterated his government’s commitment to big City rapid transit.

Speed cameras begin to issue fines Monday and that one-km over the limit provision continues to worry some drivers. The limit is the limit, of course, but judging speed based on the fluctuating speedometer can be tricky. Nonetheless, fines apply if you’re caught doing 31 km/hr on a 30 km street. It’s notable that there are no points applied to these offenses. Map showing red light and speed cameras locally.

Suspect van in child luring

Looks like a Chevrolet or GMC van

Toronto police have now found and released video captures of a white van suspected in an attempted child-luring case in a quiet Willowdale neighborhood last week. It occurred Thursday as a young girl was riding her bicycle in the early evening near Dunview Ave. and Longmore Street. The driver of the van tried to lure her into his truck by offering her candy. The girl quickly cycled home and told her mother who called police. The man is described as white, grey hair, late 40s to early 50s. The vehicle appears to be a Chevrolet Express or GMC Savana (2005-2010 model). If you have information, call (416) 808 3200.

The current heatwave is here for a while, with long-range outlooks (below) predicting 30º plus weather well into the month.