🏨 Toronto’s shelter system has three times as many kids today compared to 2016. The family shelter system doesn’t have enough space, so the city is paying for thousands to temporarily live in hotels and Airbnbs.
🤼♂️ Everything cool in the 90s is making a comeback. Justin Roberton has a lovely feature in the Globe and Mail on indie wrestling’s surge in popularity in cities across Canada.
🚲 Toronto Star columnist Edward Keenan thinks the Ford government’s anti-bike lane crusade will fizzle out because the Tories have already gotten the headlines they want.
📞 Some 911 callers faced a 12-minute wait on Thursday, a source told CityNews. The Toronto Police Association said lower compensation relative to neighbouring cities has caused a dispatcher brain drain. The Toronto Police Service said it doesn’t have specific data for Thursday but said the average wait time for calls this month is just over a minute.
🎨 Most of the city’s arts funding goes to downtown wards. Matt Elliott, another Star columnist, says it needs fixing. How? By dedicating a percentage of the highly successful short-term rental tax to helping starving artists.
⚖️ Coun. Michael Thompson’s sexual assault trial continued on Monday with the first complainant taking the stand for the first time.
🚌 For Spacing, Jessie Ye argues High Park should stay car-free. But that raises some accessibility issues. The solution? The city must follow through on that shuttle bus it promised long ago.
🎫 The Globe has an explainer on how to spot a fake Taylor Swift ticket ahead of her touching down in Toronto. Key takeaway: transfers only start 72 hours before the event. If someone’s promising you a ticket today, shake them off in style.
Commuter corner
Today through Friday, subway service between Victoria Park and Kennedy will end at 11 p.m. Replacement buses will run instead.
Today through Friday, shuttle buses will replace the 509 Harbourfront streetcar from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m.
Today through Thursday, the 501 Queen streetcar will divert along King between Shaw and Roncesvalles from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m.
Events, dear boy, events
Maggie Rogers plays Coca-Cola Coliseum tonight.
Tori Kelly is at History tonight. Vince Staples is up tomorrow.
Clairo is at Massey Hall from Oct. 23 to 25.
Today, the folks at the Royal Ontario Museum want to take you on a tour of Toronto’s architectural marvels, which includes a Presbyterian church that turned into a mosque and a synagogue that became a Greek Orthodox church.
Ambassador Pizza Co. is hosting a Super Smash Bros tournament on Oct. 24.
Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach, also known for his cameos in Trailer Park Boys, is at the Phoenix Theatre on Oct. 24.
Have a night at the museum with the ROM’s After Dark: Halloween event on Oct. 25.
The Better Living Centre hosts the Ski and Snowboard Show from Oct. 25 to 27.
A huge art festival, Art Toronto, is at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre from Oct. 24 to 27.
Celebrate Diwali with the festival of lights at Nathan Phillips Square on Oct. 26 and 27.
Want to see a haunted TTC station? Head over to Lower Bay Station (the shuttered station underneath Bay Station, for those who don’t know) on Oct. 26 and 27 for a Halloween festival.
