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No impact to Toronto’s green standard under new Ontario law, city staff says – Toronto
A newly released report from city staff says Toronto still has the authority to mandate new buildings meet certain climate and sustainability targets, despite concerns those powers could be undercut by a recent Ontario law.
The report set to go before the city’s executive committee today says there’s “no impact” to the city’s ability to apply its green standard to new development under the recently passed Bill 17, Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act.
Several environmental and industry groups have suggested the law may prevent municipalities from setting standards beyond what’s already required in the provincial building code.
Toronto’s green standard is considered a key plank of the city’s climate plan and is touted as a way to make new buildings more resilient to climate-fuelled extreme weather while cutting back on emissions.
Among other things, it requires new builds to retain stormwater to prevent flooding during extreme rainfall and have enough tree canopy to help stave off extreme heat. It also requires buildings to meet annual emissions targets, pushing developers to consider low-carbon heating options such as heat pumps over natural gas, and install parking spots for bikes and electric vehicles.
A spokesperson for Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Rob Flack did not directly say whether the bill would impact Toronto’s ability to enforce the standard, but she did say it was adding to building costs and slowing down construction.
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“Our government is focused on what the economics support, setting the same rules for everyone to get shovels in the ground to build more homes faster,” Alexandra Sanita wrote in a statement.
The Atmospheric Fund, a regional agency that supports climate solutions in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, has suggested green development standards may actually help accelerate development timelines by streamlining sustainability-related planning requirements into a single document with clear expectations.
In a letter to the province, it pointed to data that suggested Toronto and Pickering, two municipalities with green standards, have both seen their approval timelines improve in recent years, although they remain above the national average.
Bryan Purcell, a vice-president at The Atmospheric Fund who’s worked closely on green standards, says he was “somewhat surprised” but “very encouraged” by how definitive the city’s position was in the staff report. He says green standards are “so core” to Toronto’s climate objectives that “we can’t really afford to lose it.”
But he said the bill had generated enough confusion to possibly stall efforts by municipalities interested in pursuing their own version of the standard.
“I think the biggest immediate impact is that I expect to see some slowdown in those cities that were on the path of developing their first green standards,” he said in an interview.
The omnibus Bill 17 was rushed through the legislature and passed into law earlier this month before a public comment period closed and without further review by a legislative committee.
Changes made under the new provincial law prevent municipalities from passing bylaws respecting the construction or demolition of buildings. Some law firms and regulatory bodies, including the Ontario Association of Architects, have said that change would appear to make green standards obsolete.
Others have suggested the province may use the bill to limit what types of studies a city can require from a developer before approving a project. Toronto’s green standard, for example, requires a developer to submit an energy modelling report that outlines how the building will keep greenhouse gas emissions in check.
The OAA says green standards should not be lost, adding they help “everyone understand energy consumption in buildings,” and position Ontario to achieve its climate targets.
More than a dozen other Ontario municipalities have used Toronto as a model to come up with their own green standards. While Toronto, Halton Hills and Whitby are among those with mandatory standards, most are voluntary.
The Residential Construction Council of Ontario, a vocal critic of the standard, has suggested it’s adding to housing costs. RESCON sued Toronto over the standard last year in a case still before the courts.
President Richard Lyall called the city staff report set to be discussed Tuesday “delusional and unsubstantiated.”
“We’re going to make our views known to the committee,” he said.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
TORONTO – The Toronto Blue Jays made several changes to their pitching staff Tuesday, placing starter Bowden Francis on the 15-day injured list due to a right shoulder impingement and designating reliever Erik Swanson for assignment.
The team also selected left-hander Justin Bruihl to the major-league roster and recalled right-hander Paxton Schultz from Triple-A Buffalo.
After a stellar second half of the 2024 season, Francis earned a rotation spot but has struggled this year. He posted a 2-8 record and 6.05 earned-run average over 14 starts.
The move to the IL was retroactive to last Sunday, the team said.
“He’s been dealing with it for probably the last two or three starts but not enough to hold him out,” said Blue Jays manager John Schneider. “I think just after (his last start) Sunday, we wanted to get some imaging done.
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“There’s nothing structurally wrong, just some inflammation in his shoulder. So hopefully we’ll get that calmed down and get him back on track.”
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The team announced the moves a few hours before the start of a three-game series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Swanson, meanwhile, was 1-0 with a 15.19 ERA over six appearances this season.
He was a reliable high-leverage option for the Blue Jays in 2023 but his ERA rose to 5.03 last season from 2.97 a year earlier.
Swanson dealt with a median nerve entrapment in training camp and experienced right forearm soreness in late April. Schneider said it was a “tough conversation” when he gave him the news.
“It kind of happens in the game when things aren’t going your way,” he said. “And he understands that part of it. It’s still hard to move on from a guy like that that’s meant a lot for you the last couple years.”
There could be some relief on the way for the Toronto pitching staff.
Starter Max Scherzer (thumb), who has made just one appearance for the Blue Jays, was slated to throw 70-75 pitches on Wednesday for Triple-A Buffalo, Schneider said.
Nick Sandlin (lat strain) was slated to throw for the Bisons on Tuesday night and fellow reliever Yimi Garcia (shoulder) planned to throw a live bullpen session Thursday at the team’s development complex in Florida.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 17, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
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‘Deception and coercion’: Ontario men charged in labour trafficking case at sushi restaurant
Two Ontario men are facing charges in a labour trafficking investigation at a local sushi restaurant.
In a news release, Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) says it began investigating in March after receiving a report that three adult men from Mexico were being exploited while employed at the August 8 Sushi Restaurant on North Service Road West in Oakville.
Police say the men were brought to Canada and forced to work under poor conditions through “deception and coercion.”
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Investigators say the victims lived in cramped, overcrowded and unsanitary conditions and that they were made to feel powerless and dependent. Police also say their rights, including their sexual integrity, were violated.
Search warrants were carried out at the restaurant and two homes in Oakville and several items were seized.
Police say additional victims have since come forward.
On June 11, 2025, police arrested two men.
A 46-year-old man, the restaurant’s owner, has been charged with human trafficking, receiving money from the crime, employing foreign workers without permission, and possessing property obtained through crime.
A 27-year-old man, the head chef, is charged with human trafficking and receiving money, as well as sexual assault, withholding ID documents and hiring foreign workers illegally.
Both men are being held in custody while they wait for a bail hearing in Milton.
Police believe there may be more victims. Anyone with information is asked to call Halton police non-emergency line or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers.
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Officials say the Eglinton Crosstown LRT is one step closer to opening and remains on course to finally launch in September as Toronto’s transit agency takes over running trains on the line.
At an event on Tuesday, Metrolinx interim-CEO Michael Lindsay said the Toronto Transit Commission had taken over control of the 28 trains on the mid-town line as various tests continue.
“About a week ago, we moved control of the line from the backup operations command centre to the TTC’s command centre at Hillcrest, which means as of today or tomorrow, movement of trains on the line is actually governed by the TTC, as it will be when the line is in revenue service,” Lindsay said.
Giving the TTC control of the trains themselves takes the line closer to completion. Lindsay said civil infrastructure and driver training are both complete; a 14-day formal trial and a 30-day practice are still necessary before the whole project is officially finished.
The latter will mean “literally run(ning) the system as it will run when it is open to the public with no passengers on it.”
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A spokesperson for the TTC clarified that the transfer of control does not mean the complete transfer of the line.
“The good news, though, is that this week, train operations were transferred into our Transit Control Centre from a temporary control centre as testing, training and construction continue,” a spokesperson said.
“We leave it to the province to announce an opening date when we are confident the line is ready for safe and reliable operations.”
While control of the trains has been transferred from Metrolinx to the TTC, other parts of the line have not yet been given to the transit agency.
Crosslinx Transit Solutions, the consortium responsible for constructing the line, is currently counted as the project manager. When the Eglinton Crosstown LRT is ready to open, the TTC will take on the lead role and Crosslinx will be responsible only for its maintenance.
Empty retail spaces built into the stations will be given to the TTC to fill with businesses once the line is officially done, and control of ticketing and revenue collection needs to be passed to the agency as well.
Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said Tuesday he hoped the line would still open by September, as previously planned.
“As long as we ensure it’s a safe and reliable system, we’re on track for that date,” he said.
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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