Gabe Oatley

Thanks for the kind words, Sara.

Larger special ed classes putting kids at risk, teachers say A TDSB superintendent has said having larger diagnostic kindergarten classes increases access for students, but some teachers say it’s making classrooms less safe

New: In July, in one of his first moves, the TDSB's supervisor approved a class size increase for specialized kindergarten classes for disabled students. We spoke with four instructors of those classes who said it's created "absolute chaos." #onted #onpoli www.torontotoday.ca/local/educat...

Why are fewer TDSB schools offering a summer school program in 2026? The TDSB’s elementary literacy and numeracy summer school program will be offered at just 11 schools in 2026, less than half of the number of locations where it was offered last year

New: A TDSB summer school program that thousands of parents have relied on will be offered at far fewer schools this year; and some parents are worried it'll mean more screen time for their kids, or more pricey camps or tutors. #onted #onpoli #topoli www.torontotoday.ca/local/educat...

Why did a PC riding association criticizing a TCDSB trustee in an ad? In the sponsored social media post, Progressive Conservative MPP Kinga Surma accused TCDSB trustee Markus de Domenico of a ‘history of dishonesty’

New: A TCDSB trustee who raised alarm about the cooling plans proposed for a new Etobicoke school has found himself on the receiving end of a critical social media ad — paid for by a PC riding association. #topoli #onpoli www.torontotoday.ca/local/educat...

What’s planned for the former site of the Dupont Street artist lofts? For several decades, 888 Dupont St. was a haven for artists chasing cheap rent. Now, a developer has proposed a 251-unit rental tower be constructed in its former place

New: Remember the live-work studios at the corner of Dupont and Ossington? After being sold to a developer, the low-rise building was demolished. Now, there are plans for a 19-storey apartment in its place. #topoli #realestate www.torontotoday.ca/local/city-p...

The Province Took Over Ontario’s Biggest School Boards to Fix Their Finances. The Numbers Tell a Different Story | The Local Analysis by The Local shows Ontario’s largest boards receive some of the lowest per-pupil funding in the province—raising questions about whether the real problem is mismanagement or the funding formu...

Analysis by The Local shows Ontario’s largest boards receive the lowest per-pupil funding in the province—raising questions about whether the real problem isn’t mismanagement but the funding formula. @wencyleung.bsky.social's latest from our School Board Takeover series. thelocal.to/ontario-scho...

City of Toronto overruled by OLT, allowing development to go forward Local residents have raised alarm that the planned tower will undermine the character of Queen Street West and ‘loom’ over an adjacent park

New: A controversial 27-storey tower on Queen Street West has gotten the green light from Ontario’s land tribunal. #topoli www.torontotoday.ca/local/city-p...

Why did the TDSB cut enrolment at 2 schools serving disabled students? Parents of students at Heydon Park Secondary School and Eastdale Collegiate Institute say the enrolment cuts will negatively impact some of the board’s most vulnerable learners

New: The TDSB has suspended Grade 9 enrolment next fall at two high schools that specialize in supporting students with mild intellectual disabilities. Some parents are concerned it's the first step to closing the schools outright. #onted #onpoli www.torontotoday.ca/local/educat...

Some Torontonians in Puerto Vallarta stranded, low on food amid cartel violence Followers of the Mexican Jalisco New Generation Cartel have torched up cars, buses and storefronts in Puerto Vallarta, prompting shelter in place orders

New: It's been a harrowing 48hrs for Torontonians on vacation in Puerto Vallarta. On Sunday, Mexican special forces killed a notorious cartel leader, sparking a wave of violence. We spoke with Torontonians who are there about how they're faring. #mexico www.torontotoday.ca/local/lifest...

Ford's son-in-law’s transfer to Toronto Police College preceded by ‘toxic’ workplace complaints The lawyer for Dave Haynes argued the complaints were bogus and that the Toronto cop was punished for whistleblowing

New: This week, the former head of the Toronto Police Service’s 22 Division told the force’s disciplinary tribunal he requested the premier’s son-in-law be transferred to another job amid concerns he had created a “toxic” working environment. #onpoli www.torontotoday.ca/local/crime-...

‘I’d call you up and rip your face off’: Ford's son-in-law tells police tribunal he was belittled by superior The premier’s son-in-law is facing 12 police act charges for discreditable conduct, breach of confidence and insubordination

New today: The premier’s son-in-law, TPS officer Dave Haynes, told the force’s disciplinary tribunal that he was "belittled" and "embarrassed" by a detective sergeant who was probing a professional misconduct allegation made against him. #topoli #onpoli www.torontotoday.ca/local/crime-...

Residents rally at Toronto MP’s office demanding more oversight on arms transfers to U.S. The demonstration was one of about 50 planned at constituency offices nationwide on Tuesday

NEW: Dozens of people rallied in front of Davenport Liberal MP Julie Dzerowicz’s office on Tuesday afternoon, demanding her support for a bill that aims to increase oversight of shipments of weapons and arms components to the United States. #canpoli #topoli www.torontotoday.ca/local/politi...

“ @thebikinglawyer.bsky.social noted that so far in 2026, city records show 5 pedestrians in Toronto have been killed in incidents involving vehicle drivers, while there have been no reports of pedestrians killed in collisions involving bicycle, e-bike or e-scooter riders.” - @gabeoatley.bsky.social

Toronto private schools see spike in demand amid TDSB troubles Tuition of over $30,000 per year is not holding back a growing number of Toronto-area parents from exploring private schools for their children

NEW: Tuition of $30K+ per year is not holding back a growing number of Toronto parents from exploring private schools for their kids for next year. In interviews and statements, six local private schools say they're seeing a jump in demand. #topoli #onpoli www.torontotoday.ca/local/educat...

The Cost of Care | The Local Stories about where money and medicine collide in 2026. Throughout January and February, we’ll publish pieces from the corners of Ontario’s health care system where entrepreneurs and corporate Canada ...

@thelocal.to's Cost of Care issue, publishing through last month and this one, offers deep-dives on the intersection of profit and health care. The shared theme of many of these stories is the modern question of a patient as a customer, or a consumer. The issue so far: thelocal.to/winter-2026/

Another Ford is stepping into politics. Who is she? Stephanie Ford is the 20-year-old daughter of late Toronto mayor Rob Ford and niece of Ontario Premier Doug Ford

NEW: Another Ford has dipped a toe in the water of provincial politics. On Sunday, Stephanie Ford, the daughter of former Toronto mayor Rob Ford (and the premier's niece), was named to the Ontario PC Party's executive committee. #onpoli #topoli www.torontotoday.ca/local/politi...

Why have drug consumption sites in shelters been forced to close? A network of safe consumption sites inside Toronto shelters has been forced to shutter alongside the higher profile facilities in Regent Park, South Riverdale and Queen West

NEW: The last of a network of supervised consumption sites operating from Toronto shelters has closed. What's forced the facilities to shutter? And what impact could it have? #onpoli #topoli www.torontotoday.ca/local/health...

Why are parents rallying behind these two east end educators? Parents of Bowmore Road Public School are calling on the board to reinstate two Grade 7 teachers who were fired in late January

NEW: More than $10,000 has been raised in a matter of days for two teachers fired by the TDSB from an east end school. Parents say the board's decision was wrong, and are calling for the teachers to be reinstated. #onted #onpoli #topoli www.torontotoday.ca/local/educat...

Why are parents saying this Toronto east end school is ‘in crisis’? Parents of Bowmore Road Public School allege their Upper Beaches school is experiencing a surge in student violence and bullying

SCOOP: Within a week, this TDSB elementary school has lost its principal, VP, and two teachers. Parents say the institution is "in crisis" and facing a surge in student violence. #topoli #onpoli #TDSB www.torontotoday.ca/local/educat...

This 139-year-old Toronto church could be turned into a skyscraper The building will tower above a Cabbagetown church and include more than 100 units of affordable housing

NEW: NEW: On Tues, Toronto's community council approved a new 48-storey development above a church. While some residents complained it would "eclipse" nearby Allan Gardens, councillors voted in favour. If approved, it'll offer 100+ units of affordable housing. www.torontotoday.ca/local/real-e...

Your next non-emergency call to Toronto police could be answered by AI The force says the new technology is expected to reduce wait-times for non-emergency calls, such as for reporting illegal parking, a break-in or graffiti

NEW: The Toronto Police Service plans to soon begin using an AI agent to handle all non-emergency calls. They'll use a Canadian company's technology, which works a bit like Alexa or Siri. The police union supports it, but two experts we spoke with are worried. www.torontotoday.ca/local/crime-...

TDSB achieved a surplus in 2025 for the first time in 3 years. How? The surplus was about $24 million more than what had been projected by the board

NEW: Under provincial supervision, the TDSB has posted it's first budget surplus in three years... But it's not because of spending less. #education #tdsb www.torontotoday.ca/local/educat...

Why can a for-profit plasma company collect plasma more often than Canadian Blood Services? Health Canada cleared Grifols, which operates two paid collection clinics in Toronto, to extract plasma from its clients up to 104 times per year

NEW: Advocates are worried Health Canada’s decision to allow a for-profit multinational company to extract blood plasma at twice the annual rate of Canadian Blood Services is putting Canadians at risk.

www.torontotoday.ca/local/health...

How this for profit company is ‘gamifying’ plasma donations in Toronto Toronto’s new paid plasma donation clinics pay a ‘bonus’ of $100 if an individual gives blood plasma 100 times in a calendar year. Advocates say ‘gamified’ incentives put donors at risk

NEW: This is the second in our two-part series on paid blood plasma collection clinics. This one looks at financial incentives driving plasma deposits of as much as twice per week and over 100 times per year. www.torontotoday.ca/local/health...

People are making money selling blood plasma. Isn’t that illegal? Paying for blood is illegal in Ontario, but a for-profit company recently opened two new paid locations in Toronto thanks to a Canadian Blood Services exemption

The ED of the @onthealthcoalition.bsky.social said paid plasma clinics exploit poor people: “It exploits the poor and the desperate in a way that is hair-raising ... It crosses a moral boundary that should not be crossed.” #health #onpoli Full story: www.torontotoday.ca/local/health...

All told me they are doing it for the money. “I came out because I’m on [Ontario Works] and I get f— all for money,” one man said. “I can’t even afford to eat, so that’s why I’ve come here to give my blood.” 3/

Yesterday, I spent an hour outside of one of Toronto's two new paid-plasma clinics, which are operated by a Spanish multinational company called Grifols. Four of the some 15 people who entered to give plasma agreed to be interviewed. 2/

People are making money selling blood plasma. Isn’t that illegal? Paying for blood is illegal in Ontario, but a for-profit company recently opened two new paid locations in Toronto thanks to a Canadian Blood Services exemption

NEW: This one shocked me. Amid an ongoing cost of living crisis, some cash-strapped Torontonians are turning to a new, controversial way to get by: selling their blood plasma. 🩸 1/ www.torontotoday.ca/local/health...

TDSB’s half-time vice principals are not completing required special ed teaching: survey The president of the TDSB’s elementary teachers’ union says the survey shows there is ‘systemic discrimination’ of special needs students within the board

NEW: About 1/5 or more of TDSB elementary schools have half-time vice principals. In the other half of their time, many of these VPs are supposed to be doing special education. But according to a new report from @ElemTeachersTO that's often not happening. www.torontotoday.ca/local/educat...

Fair point, thanks Michael!