A nasty threat to dogs has been posted in a few places in Leslieville. The notices are apparently aimed at people who don’t pick up after their pets. They read: “To the person that lets their large dog use this area for a bathroom and will not pick up after the dog. Please be warned we have dropped small treats in the grass that will make your dog REAL SICK.”

The BC Supreme Court has issued a rare order forcing two condo owners who intimidated their neighbours to sell their unit by June 3 or face arrest. The long horror story of shouted obscenities and threats from the Burnaby couple, Barry Linden and Ronald Thibodeau, has been in and out of court for more than a year. In 2016, the couple were told to stop their behaviour but to no avail. The condominium board issued fines which went unpaid. In one case recounted in court a resident said Linden would lurk outside her door and eavesdrop. The court heard Linden also followed her to a restaurant, stood a short distance away and stared at her. Thibodeau appeared in court in 2016 and claimed he and Linden were “well-liked” by the residents in the building, but neither defendant offered any evidence of that.  According to the judge’s decision, if the unit isn’t sold by June 3, the board will take over the sale and the RCMP will arrest Linden and Thibodeau. In the meantime, the pair were also restrained from vandalizing common property, yelling, screaming or singing past 8 p.m. and from leaving dog feces anywhere on the common property of the 95-unit building.

The City of Brockville on the St. Lawrence River was stunned to learn Wednesday that Proctor and Gamble will close its Swiffer products plant with the loss of all 500 jobs. The decision will remove millions of dollars from households, local businesses and charities in the community of about 22,000. The well-paid jobs will move to a so-called mega-plant in West Virginia. Employees received the news at a meeting Wednesday morning at the plant that the last work will be done in about three years time. “It’s a shock,” said Mayor David Henderson, who learned the news along with employees this morning. “It’s significant in our economy.”

Short term gain for long term pain

Premier Wynne

Stephen LeClair

Ontario’s budget watchdog Stephen LeClair says the Liberal government will spend $45 billion over the 30 year term of its recently-crafted Fair Hydro Plan to lower rates, but in the end the plan will save people just $24 billion on their electricity bills. It is a harsh reminder of the kind of straightjacket government must wear when it spends itself into debt. The financial accountability officer says this means there will be a net cost of $21 billion to Ontarians over the approximately 30 years of the plan in order to lower rates in the short term.  The $45 billion is mostly the cost of funding an eight-per-cent rebate that took effect on bills in January, but that assumes balanced budgets for the next 30 years. CBC 

The 18th annual Doors Open Toronto presented by Great Gulf is on this weekend, both Saturday and Sunday. Some 150 architecturally, historically, culturally and socially significant buildings across the City will be open to the public. Many of this year’s unique and unexplored spaces will host exhibitions, architectural talks and a music series. More than 10 walking tours are also available. Most venues will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. A list of locations and hours is available at here. A few places nearby: Greenwood College School, Historic Don Jail – Bridgepoint Active Healthcare, Ismaili Centre Toronto, John Street Roundhouse, Legislative Assembly of Ontario

Tara Collum spotted this friend on the Don River Valley Trail

Rob Oliphant Esq

Morning Glory Elite Squad

Good Golly Miss Molly

Opening at 590 Mt. Pleasant

Join us June 1

Some findings of things near you this Wednesday. Tara Collum was on the Don River Valley Trail when she saw this deer. The pleasures of walking. To the right, Rob Oliphant and charming presence are at Agnes Macphail’s former residence, a duplex at Millwood Rd. and Donegall Drive. The great Macphail was celebrated at an LHS assembly on her imminent appearance on the new Canadian tens. She lived upstairs incidentally. Below that, a formidable group known at the Morning Glory Cycling Elite Squad who will take to the roads Saturday and have issued an invitation to join them. Below that, as noted by Chantal Vaillancourt, the Sofa Bed Store is getting ready to open at 590 Mt. Pleasant Rd. That’s at the old Eric and Susan Lamps location just north of Penrose Rd. To the left of that, Good Golly Miss Molly and also dad, Councillor Josh Matlow. This was snapped at the Apple Tree Markets Tuesday afternoon in Davisville Park. And then a final reminder of the Leaside Smokedown June 1 at Amsterdam Brewery. Proceeds go to the Holland Bloorview Hospital on Kilgour Road. So worthy.

The crisis point seems near for an estimated 200 tenants staging a rent strike in Parkdale. One landlord, AIMco, has started eviction action against tenants who withheld their May rent in protest against a reported increase of five percent, three and a half percent above the standard 1.5 percent. The added sum is justified by improvements which were made to the buildings. The increase may or may not be justified but it does seem within the provisions of the law. Cole Webber, who is with the Parkdale Community Legal Services, said AIMCo has initiated evictions on tenants who refused to pay their rent at the beginning of this month. His complaint is not without merit but may not be quite to the point. “AIMCo claims socially responsible investment practices. We fail to see what is socially responsible about evicting low-income people from their homes in the middle of a housing crisis.” There has been talk of a rent strike among some tenants in Thorncliffe Park but it does not appear to have taken root, at least so far. AIMco and another landlord, MetCap are facing the rent strike.

Saturday is the main planting day for the combined-sponors program called the Seton Woods Forest Meadows Project taking place in East York’s Taylor Creek Park. This wholesome and educational project is teaching boys, girls, teens and adults the value of conservation. It is an exercise in community building and some excellent socializing. If you have a son or daughter who might like to make the community better, give the 132 Scouts a shout. Posters are interactive so take a look

We catch a glimpse

Woman knocks on door and waits

She has voice contact with accomplices

When woman responcded they scurried away

A York Region woman is certain that three people going door to door in her neighborhood are a break-in gang. Their method is to have the young woman (seen above) knock on the door to check if there’s anyone home. This is a well-established trick. In this case, it seems the woman is in voice contact with her accomplices, two men slowly moving along the street in an old Mercedes. The homeowner, Debra Cossaro Di Benedetto, delayed opening the door. But the woman hung around outside for as long as five minutes. That is an extraordinarily long time for anyone to wait at the door. Di Bennedetto finally asked through the door what the woman wanted. She said she was looking for “John” and quickly departed. Later, when Di Benedetto viewed her own video and that of neighbour, she saw that the two men had emerged from the old Mercedes and were about to go between the houses when they suddenly turned around and left. Now she feels sure that when she spoke to the woman at her door, the door-knocker sent a voice alarm to her accomplices that someone was home. That sent them all scurrying away.  York Region Police check concern of possible break-in gang