Hey all, @thelocal has 4 paid fellowships for election coverage!

  • 3 editorial, 1 photojournalist
  • looking for early-career journalists from underrepresented communities; 1 position designated for a Two-Spirit, trans, and non-binary (2STNB) reporter
  • Brampton, Mississauga, & Toronto municipal elections
  • 13 weeks, August 4 - October 30, part-time
  • $8000

Details & application here: https://thelocal.to/local-fellowship-2026/

(if there's particular fedi media/journalism tags to add let me know)

#toronto #TOpoli #TOcouncil #GetFediHired

The Local Fellowship 2026 | The Local

Our fellowship program provides training and mentorship to emerging journalists from communities underrepresented in Canadian media. Applications are now open.

The Local

RIP Mammo, you skeevy, unhinged, attention-seeking disaster of a politician. You certainly made City Hall a lot more interesting.

I can say this for sure, never again will anyone make a budget motion to have a 0% residential property tax increase and make up the shortfall with revenue from a casino boat. Mostly because of strong-mayor legislation that took away Council's say in the budget, but still.

Ben Spurr's Star story, archive.

#TOpoli #TOcouncil

Giorgio Mammoliti, former Toronto councillor and Rob Ford ally, dies at 64: 'He was a real streetfighter'

The former Toronto councillor was known for such unusual moves as ripping off his shirt in council chambers to protest a nude beach on Hanlan's Point.

Toronto Star

y'all know municipal tree protection legislation is dear to my heart

https://www.torontoenvironment.org/speak_up_to_protect_torontos_trees

I believe this is the actual item: https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.IE27.8

#TOpoli #TOcouncil

Okay now it's over, I feel like I am dying and need to leave, thanks to anyone who is reading this

#TOcouncil #TOpoli #TObudget

If this goes over time I am going to have to tap out, I wish we could drink water in here

  • Anyway, parts 1-4 as amended carry 19-5 (Bradford, Crisanti, Holyday, Perruzza, Pasternak against).
  • Part 15, re: Parking Authority funding. "What's in that?" asks Cllr Colle distractedly. "Just read it," someone heckles. Carroll: "First rule of improv, just say yes!" It carries 20-4.
  • Part 16, re: "considering" raising parking rates, carries 20-4.
  • Part 24, on expanding the air conditioner pilot program, carries 23-1. "I feel like I'm getting older just sitting here," says Nunziata, whose birthday is in 2 days.
  • Parts 26-30, re: FIFA, carry 22-2, with Nunziata & Bradford against. "If you vote for this you get the FIFA Peace Prize," jokes Colle.
  • The rest of the item as pertaining to the TTC (so Cllr Colle, who has a conflict as his son [former councillor Josh Colle] now works for the TTC, can vote on the rest) carries unanimously, 23-0.
  • The rest of the rest of the item carries unanimously, 24-0.

#TOcouncil #TOpoli #TObudget

Now voting on the item as amended (still https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.CC38.1). Councillors want various items to be separated out. I am starting to feel overheated and woozy and am decidedly under-hydrated.

  • Parts 1-4 (the main rates) carry 21-4.
  • PROCEDURAL CONFUSION as they are unclear what they are voting on now

#TOcouncil #TOpoli #TObudget

Votes! (Once again, here: https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.CC38.1)

(Note, when there is a lone "no" it's Holyday)

  • Bradford's motion on increasing the small business tax break to 25% fails 5-20. "Perruzza!" Colle cries in disappointment (he voted for it).
  • Carroll's motion increasing it to 20% carries 23-2.
  • The other parts of her motion pass by a show of hands.
  • Matlow's motion asking for a share of the HST carries 24-1.
  • Morley's motion (drop-in sector, snow clearing for seniors & disabled people) carries 24-1.
  • Morley's Amsterdam Bridge motion carries with a show of hands.
  • Pasternak's motions re: a Major Gifts office; the Downsview Community Centre; New Deal 2.0 MoA agreeement all carry with show of hands.
  • Pasternak's motion that the City of Toronto be very stern about loss of federal housing funds carries 22-3. (Matlow and Saxe against, which is interesting.)
  • Kandavel's motion on Bluffer's Park carries with a show of hands.
  • Burnside's motion on the Aga Khan Park carries with a show of hands.
  • Bravo's motion on more transparent police (& associated divisions) budget reporting carries 23-2.
  • Perruzza's annual property tax motion carries 22-3, Bravo and Malik against.
  • Holyday's annual mechanical leaf collection motion fails 9-16. "Hey, that's one more than last year!" Holyday announces. "Keep trying," says Nunziata.
  • Fletcher's Applegrove Community Centre motion passes with a show of hands.
  • Myers's motion on more transparent TTC budget reporting carries unanimously.
  • Burnside's motion for a $0.10 fare hike fails 3-20. "If you listened more and talked less, you'd know where I'm coming from," he calls in response to Perruzza's heckling. "Sick burn!" says Carroll.
  • Crisanti's motion on free/discounted fares for senior Wheel-Trans users carries 19-5. Carroll, Matlow, Saxe (and Burnside and Holyday) against, likely for various reasons.

#TOcouncil #TOpoli #TObudget

Cllr Crisanti has a motion asking the TTC to look into "free to $1 for Wheel-Trans customers aged 65 and over during off-peak hours (10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.) on weekdays and all day on weekends".

Cllr Myers says Wheel-Trans actually costs $50 a trip, and suggests instead making fares free/discounted for "conditional passengers", people who could use Wheel-Trans but are using the regular TTC instead. Crisanti says they could look at both scenarios.

OK, speakers over, voting time i guess

#TOcouncil #TOpoli #TObudget

If I were a councillor, I would bring up the ecological cost of leaf disposal and ask why Cllr Holyday hates pollinators, detritivores, fireflies, etc., and move for a ban on mechanical leaf collection, and that is why I am not a councillor

#TOcouncil #TOpoli #TObudget

Leave the Leaves: Winter Habitat Protection | Xerces Society

Think twice before you rake, mow, and blow this year. Invertebrates rely on fallen leaves and other organic debris to cover and insulate them from the elements. Whatever your landscape, you can ensure that resources for nests and overwintering habitat are available.

Holyday has the Annual Motion to Restore Mechanical Leaf Collection In Etobicoke, as is tradition. (Like windrow clearing, a frequent subject of last-minute budget horse-trading that was cut in recent years.) I am actually laughing out loud.

#TOcouncil #TOpoli #TObudget