The South Bayview Bulldog

TDSB and TCDSB have cancelled all permits in school facilities tonight, February 27th. As a result, all recreation and aquatic programs in school-based facilities are cancelled. Recreation and aquatic programs, and all facility bookings in City of Toronto facilities will continue as scheduled. Visit the Recreation Centre Closures page for facility-specific information. After-School Recreation (ARC) and CLASP programs will continue as scheduled, parents are encouraged to pick up their children as soon as possible.

Due to snowfall expected this afternoon & into this evening, Continuing Education classes (Adult ESL, night school classes, community programs/Learn4Life, International Languages after school programs) and school permits are cancelled as of the end of the regular school day.

— Toronto District School Board (@tdsb) February 27, 2019

Due to inclement weather, all permits for this evening, Wednesday February 27, 2019 are cancelled.

— Toronto Catholic District School Board (@TCDSB) February 27, 2019

Air Canada has temporarily suspended all service to India due to the closure of Pakistani airspace The company confirmed the suspension in a statement on Wednesday morning. A flight en route to Delhi from Toronto turned back while over the Atlantic Ocean. It is due to return to Toronto this afternoon. Pakistan and India are on high-alert after India launched an attack on Pakistani extremists earlier in the week. Pakistan says it shot down two Indian warplanes after they crossed the boundary between the two nuclear-armed rivals in the disputed territory of Kashmir on Wednesday.

Chico/TPS

Toronto Police Operations has posted the theft of Chico on Sunday from Yonge St. and Eglinton Ave. where he was tied up waiting for his owner to return. Chico is 7 to 8 years-old, a black pug/chihuahua. Anyone with information is asked to call (416) 808-5300

UPDATE: The Toronto Police Service would like to thank the public for their assistance locating a stolen dog. On Sunday, February 24, 2019, a dog named “Chico” was tied to a fence in the area of Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue. The owner had left the dog unattended for less than a minute and when he returned, the dog was gone. See previous release. On Saturday, March 9, 2019, at approximately 8:30 p.m., the dog was located safely and in good health.

There isn’t much to say except that Wednesday’s snow seems like more than enough. The 10 a.m. shot of Accuweather’s Canada Radar indicates the size of the storm. Snow is expected fall until into the evening. The predictions are for 10 to 15 cm, maybe 20 cm in some areas.

Monday is Pink Shirt Day in many Canadian schools, communities and workplaces. The idea is Canadian but it has spread to many countries. Pink Shirt Day originated in 2007 after two Nova Scotia teenagers encouraged their fellow students to wear pink T-shirts in support of a pupil who was being bullied. Mayor John Tory was scheduled to join the Toronto Wolfpack rugby team and an anti-bullying organization to celebrate the day at St. Mary’s Catholic School. Other poltical leaders and citizens are doing similar activities.

HOCKEY PLAYER TAUNTED FOR RACE IN QUEBEC

A Quebec hockey league has apologized to a black player who says he and his family left a game in St. Jerome before the third period because they were being taunted with racist remarks from the stands. Jonathan Diaby, 24, is a defenceman for the Marquis de Jonquière, a team in the Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey, a Quebec-based, semi-professional independent hockey league. CBC

Jason Peddle, Toronto Police Vulnerable Persons Coordinator, will speak Thursday (February 28) on keeping seniors safe from fraud and scams. This is part of the Making Connections Luncheon series conducted at the Sprint Senior Care Centre at 140 Merton St. It begins at 11.30 and lunch is free. (416) 630-7000.

The CBC says the Ontario government has announced the creation of a central agency called Ontario Health to oversee the health-care system. It is described as a “super-agency” that will dissolve the 14 Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) and merge their duties with those of six provincial health agencies, including Cancer Care Ontario and eHealth Ontario. Other agencies to be consolidated are Trillium Gift of Life Network, Health Shared Services, Health Quality Ontario and HealthForce Ontario Marketing and Recruitment Agency. Health Minister Christine Elliott made the announcement Tuesday morning.

Mason Rupke, 4

Interest in the musings of a Barrie-area lad, Mason Rupke, 4, as he struggles through hockey practice has become a huge Internet sensation. Views to the video posted by his dad Jeremy are heading towards five million since Friday. So enjoy. Oh yes, Mason wants to go to McDonald’s when this is over.

The Toronto Zoo is showing off a newly-born zebra foal. Mom Tori, 8 years, gave birth to the male foal early February 13. Both mom and foal are doing well and are staying indoors for a while at the zebra habitat which is not open to the public at this time.

A special weather statement has been issued warning of as much as 15 cm of snow on Wednesday. It says a low pressure system from the Midwestern States will bring the snow starting early Wednesday. Total snowfall amounts of 10 to 15 cm are possible with locally higher amounts especially near the shore of Lake Ontario.

The CBC reports that NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has claimed victory in the riding of Burnaby South byelection Monday. The win will permit Mr. Singh to lead the party from the House of Commons.  Conservative candidate Scot Davidson has claimed victory in the federal byelection in York-Simcoe, while Liberal Rachel Bendayan was projected to take the Montreal riding of Outremont away from the NDP. Results from Burnaby South show Singh leading with 37.7 per cent of the vote to the Liberals’ 26.4 per cent and the Conservatives’ 22.3 per cent, with 120 of 196 polls reporting. The Conservatives were polling over 50  per cent of the vote in York-Simcoe.