Will Toronto’s fun summer programs stick around as COVID restrictions ease?
People exercise in the warm weather in Toronto, on Sunday, May 3, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
The City of Toronto implemented a number of summer programs over the past two years since the pandemic started in 2020.
Despite COVID-19 restrictions rolling away, many of them are here to stay.
CTV News Toronto has compiled a list of which programs will return for another year.
CaféTO
The CaféTO program, which allowed for restaurant and bar operators to expand their outdoor dining spaces onto curb lanes and sidewalks, started up to provide a safer option amid the pandemic and to help struggling businesses cope with COVID-19 closures.
Last November, Toronto council voted in favour of making the CafeTO program a permanent fixture of city life starting in 2023. The program was also revived for summer 2022, and the city asked bars, restaurants and cafes to start registering in January to expedite the application and permitting process.
Summer CampTO
For the third straight year, the City of Toronto is offering its in-person summer day camp programs. However, the big change this year will be the absence of COVID-19 restrictions. This program will run from July 4 to Sept. 2 and will be open to children and youth between the ages of four and 16.
ActiveTO
ActiveTO will continue in some form into 2022. The city says it will continue to expand Toronto's cycling network and close major roads to traffic so that people in the city have access to more recreation space on weekends. The city told CTV News Toronto on Tuesday that more details would be announced soon about the program.
Outdoor recreation programs
Amid the pandemic, The City of Toronto came up with a couple of initiatives to provide free outdoor programs in parks for children and youth in Toronto, including the ParksPlayTO program for children aged 12 and younger and the Summer is the 6IX program for youth aged 13 to 24.
On Tuesday, the city said the programs are not yet scheduled for 2022, but information about the programs will be available in the “near future.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Kinew pledges landfill search for remains of First Nations women, says federal role wasn't part of conversation with PM
Manitoba premier-designate Wab Kinew insists he will keep a commitment to search the Prairie Green landfill for the remains of two First Nations women who are suspected to have been victims of an alleged serial killer.
Liberal MP sides with Conservatives on failed motion to 'repeal all carbon taxes'
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's latest unsuccessful attempt to call on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to repeal his carbon pricing system has secured the support of one Liberal MP.
Here's how much it costs to raise children in Canada, according to new statistics
A new report from Statistics Canada estimates how much parents will spend on children over the course of their lifetime.
Canada-India tensions: How we got here and what's at stake
In the past month, Canada has accused the Indian government of being involved in a murder on Canadian soil and India has ordered Canada to remove most of its diplomats from the country. Here's how the two countries got to this point, as well as what's at stake if tensions don't ease.
Premier Wab Kinew: From rapper to reporter to Manitoba's top political office
Rap artist. Journalist. Economics student. Premier. Wab Kinew's path as a young man, including several brushes with the law and some convictions, did not appear a likely path to becoming the first First Nations premier of a province.
Rideau Hall apologizes for honouring Nazi veteran, Trudeau 'carefully' considering unsealing records
Rideau Hall is apologizing for the historic appointment of a man who fought for a Nazi unit in the Second World War, to the Order of Canada. Now, Gov. Gen. Mary Simon's office says it is examining two subsequent medals granted in the last two decades. This, as Jewish advocacy groups say the recent and resurfacing recognitions further make their case for the need to unseal Holocaust-related records.
Veterans' headstones vandalized in Fredericton cemetery
It’s been more than a week since a number of headstones in the veterans’ section of a Fredericton cemetery were vandalized and still no leads on who was behind it.
Rail outage that stranded Via, GO Train, other passengers caused by software upgrade: CN
The massive outage on Canadian National Railway Co. lines that delayed thousands of Toronto-area commuters during the evening rush hour Tuesday can be traced to a software upgrade, the company says.
Canadian public libraries played an important role during the pandemic: report
A new report finds that Canadian public libraries were national assets in providing access to knowledge and health to communities during the pandemic, according to the Canadian Urban Institute and Canadian Urban Libraries Council.
Montreal
-
13 charged after investigation into 'grandparent scam' targeting seniors in the U.S.
A task force headed by Quebec provincial police is targeting a criminal organization specializing in 'grandparent' fraud, preying predominately on elderly people in the United States.
-
WEATHER
WEATHER Temperature hits 29 degrees in Montreal, breaks record
Quebecers got smacked with a heavy dose of sun and heat this week as temperatures rose to record heights. In Montreal, the mercury rose to over 29 degrees on Wednesday, breaking a 2005 record.
-
Quebec slow to improve public services for Indigenous people, says ombudsman
The Quebec government has failed to implement most of the recommendations in a landmark report that found Indigenous people suffered systemic discrimination when accessing public services, the province's ombudsman said Wednesday.
London
-
'I am a white nationalist': accused in fatal truck attack in London penned his own manifesto
Nathaniel Veltman, 22, is on trial for four counts of terrorism-motivated first-degree murder and one count of terrorism-motivated attempted murder.
-
'Don’t foresee large mandatory restrictions': MLHU provides fall preview with increasing COVID cases
COVID cases are on the rise across the province, but the Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) is not expecting any restrictions.
-
73 year old from London dies in single-vehicle crash
A 73-year-old individual from London has died after a single-vehicle crash in Middlesex Centre on Wednesday morning.
Kitchener
-
Paris, Ont. family says vehicle stolen using key fob copying technology
A family in Paris, Ont. is without a vehicle after they woke up Tuesday morning to find it was no longer parked in the driveway.
-
Two people arrested for alleged carjacking at Conestoga Mall
Waterloo regional police say two males have been arrested in connection to an alleged carjacking at Conestoga Mall.
-
Park users question continued closure of Roos Island
More than five months after the City of Kitchener shut down access to Roos Island in Victoria Park, the area remains closed to the public – and some park users are frustrated.
Northern Ontario
-
Historic Manitoulin Island ferry being towed away for recycling
A historic ferry that has been moored on Manitoulin Island for nearly 50 years after being decommissioned in 1974 is being towed away Wednesday to be recycled and there is mixed reaction from residents.
-
Timmins police investigating fatal parking lot explosion
An explosion that killed one person in a hotel parking lot in Timmins on Tuesday night is under investigation and has displaced several people.
-
Here's how much it costs to raise children in Canada, according to new statistics
A new report from Statistics Canada estimates how much parents will spend on children over the course of their lifetime.
Ottawa
-
Ontario 'asking questions' about Ottawa clinic charging membership fee, health minister says
Ontario's health minister says the Ontario government and Ministry of Health will shut down any clinic charging for services covered by OHIP, as a clinic in Ottawa's south end is under scrutiny for charging a $400 membership fee to access a nurse practitioner.
-
Condo sales drop in Ottawa
A report from Re/Max says condominium sales fell in all but two of Canada's seven largest markets compared to last year. The latest numbers from the Ottawa Real Estate Board indicate condo sales are down 16.1 per cent.
-
Ottawa school bus authority appoints interim operations manager
The organization that oversees school bus service for tens of thousands of students in Ottawa has appointed an interim manager, as the Ontario NDP call on the Ontario government to expedite the approval of medical reports for potential bus drivers to fill the driver shortage in Ottawa.
Windsor
-
City of Windsor set to expand 311 services
The City of Windsor is set to expand its 311 service to help support residents and businesses who come across issues affected by homelessness.
-
Boil water advisory lifted for Wheatley area following treatment plant fire
Chatham-Kent Public Health has lifted a boil water advisory that has been in effect for weeks following a fire at the Wheatley water treatment plant.
-
'I am a white nationalist': accused in fatal truck attack in London penned his own manifesto
Nathaniel Veltman, 22, is on trial for four counts of terrorism-motivated first-degree murder and one count of terrorism-motivated attempted murder.
Barrie
-
Suspects wanted for pouring gasoline on driveway and damaging cars at Barrie home
Police in Barrie are investigating after two suspects allegedly damaged cars, spray-painted private property and attempted to set a fire at a residence.
-
Barrie job fair bridges gap between job seekers and employers
Hundreds of job hopefuls attended a job fair at the Southshore Community Centre in Barrie on Wednesday.
-
Woman says 'system failed' her family in Collingwood man's murder case
Jamie-Lynn Brennan left the Barrie courthouse frustrated on Wednesday, accusing the police of not doing enough to prevent the death of her uncle despite her multiple calls for help.
Atlantic
-
How tropical storm Philippe will impact the Maritimes on Thanksgiving weekend
The official forecast cone issued for tropical storm Philippe by the U.S. National Hurricane Center shifted significantly to the west on Wednesday.
-
After critical report, N.S. promises to fine ambulance company for poor service
A Nova Scotia Health Department official says the government will fine the province's ambulance service if it fails to meet performance standards for response times.
-
Cost of groceries puts damper on Thanksgiving
According to Dalhousie University food distribution professor Sylvain Charlebois, this year’s Thanksgiving dinner will be a lot more expensive than last year.
Calgary
-
Police investigating alleged sexual assault of student, 16, at Lethbridge high school
Police are investigating an alleged sexual assault involving a 16-year-old student at a Lethbridge high school.
-
Owner charged after dog attack leaves pregnant woman injured and her dog dead
A dog owner has been charged following an attack that left a pregnant woman injured and her dog dead.
-
'Bear attack bad': Alberta couple identified as pair killed in grizzly attack
A family member of the couple killed by a grizzly bear in the wilderness of Banff National Park says he knew something was wrong as soon as he received a call with a message from their satellite device.
Winnipeg
-
Ottawa puts more money toward studying possible Winnipeg landfill search
The families of two slain First Nations women whose remains are believed to be in a Winnipeg-area landfill say they have renewed hope after Manitoba's provincial election and the federal government's commitment of $740,000 toward further assessing the scope of a search.
-
What Wab Kinew has planned for health-care, homelessness and the landfill search
One day after Wab Kinew’s historic win, the premier designate spoke to the media about his plans for health-care, homelessness and searching the Prairie Green Landfill.
-
Manitoba Tory cabinet minister denounces right-wing pivot in election campaign
A Manitoba cabinet minister defeated in Tuesday's provincial election says the Progressive Conservative party she has served for years took a hard-right pivot during the election campaign, and now needs to address an identity crisis.
Vancouver
-
LIVELIVE Thousands gather to mourn fallen B.C. RCMP Const. Rick O'Brien at regimental funeral
Mourners lined the streets of Langley, B.C., on Wednesday to pay their respects to Const. Rick O'Brien as the slain RCMP officer was honoured with a regimental funeral.
-
B.C. court rules it lacks jurisdiction to hear 'deeply troubling' allegations from former CSIS employee
The B.C. Supreme Court has dismissed a sexual assault and harassment lawsuit from a former employee of Canada's spy agency, on the grounds that it lacked jurisdiction in the case.
-
Stanley Park's Halloween train cancelled for 4th year in a row
Yet again, the Stanley Park Ghost Train will be absent from this year’s Halloween festivities, the Vancouver Park Board announced Wednesday.
Edmonton
-
Caught on camera: Edmonton restaurant worker robbed at gunpoint
Police in Edmonton asked for help Wednesday to identify a man who robbed a restaurant with a silver handgun six months earlier.
-
Edmonton considering compensating businesses constricted by construction following tight vote
The negative impact on small companies caused by the continued buildout of the West LRT in Edmonton has pushed one city councillor to champion the idea of giving businesses a relief program to deal with multi-year construction projects.
-
'Bear attack bad': Alberta couple identified as pair killed in grizzly attack
A family member of the couple killed by a grizzly bear in the wilderness of Banff National Park says he knew something was wrong as soon as he received a call with a message from their satellite device.
