Sheila Wang

She got Botox at a Toronto-area clinic and then researched the people behind it. What she found sent chills down her spine As Ontario's esthetics industry has grown, oversight of the clinics and the individuals performing the medical procedures has remained fractured.

In the 2nd story, I looked into how one woman's journey to report alleged wrongdoing about one clinic reveals a dizzying and disjointed oversight system in the cosmetic injectable sector.

“I want them to stop hurting people,” she said.

www.thestar.com/news/investi...

How this woman’s tragic death exposes a glaring hole in Ontario’s oversight of med spas and beauty clinics Loose policies have led to a flood of unsupervised medical procedures performed by unqualified staff, putting patients at risk, experts warn.

This is one of the two stories I published this week about the aesthetic industry where people get treatments like Botox and fillers and why expert say the loose policies have opened up a floodgate for unsupervised medical procedures performed by unqualified people.

www.thestar.com/news/investi...

The Toronto District School Board was duped into sending $1 million to fraudster who ‘can barely spell’ As the school board uses the court to recover the stolen money, security experts question how it fell for a "low-tech" scam with "so many red flags."

The Toronto District School Board was duped into sending $1 million to fraudster who ‘can barely spell’
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Ontario pushes ahead with plans for controversial Oakville condo project that stands to benefit developer friend of Doug Ford The province has proposed minister's zoning orders to greenlight the building of 11 skyscrapers on a plot the size of the Rogers Centre.

MY LATEST: Ontario pushes ahead with plans for controversial Oakville condo project that stands to benefit developer friend of Doug Ford

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The trail had gone cold for millions in stolen crypto. Then came the ‘aha!’ moment that unlocked the mystery Bitcoin taken from Canadians ended up in crypto wallets controlled by ‘a hidden company.’ The fight to recoup the funds is far from over.

Kyrrex controlled #crypto wallets that contained funds originally stolen from victims across the globe: a Canadian farmer, a Belgian scientist, a Danish politician...

From @emmamci.bsky.social and me in collab with @icij.org

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Inside Canada’s shadowy crypto banking system that makes it easy to facilitate ‘an unlimited amount of crime’ Reporters went undercover to expose a growing crypto-to-cash industry that is openly flouting anti-money laundering measures.

New from @sheilawang.bsky.social + me, with @icij.org, @lapresse.ca + @cbcradiocanada.bsky.social. A surge of unregistered firms are allowing Toronto crypto users to anonymously cash out big sums in violation of anti-money laundering law. Sheila tested it undercover:
www.thestar.com/news/investi...

Toronto Parking Authority officials ‘cooking the books’ to hide Green P credit card security flaws, complaint alleges The City of Toronto has launched an investigation into the allegations, made by a former cybersecurity analyst at the parking authority.

MY LATEST: The City of Toronto has launched an investigation into allegations that the operator of Green P manipulated internal records in an attempt to hide its failure to properly protect customers’ payment card data.
#toronto #greenp #creditcard #parking

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How developers will benefit from the Yonge subway route change – and why it’s raising the spectre of the Ford government’s Greenbelt scandal The Premier’s office said the new route, chosen by Metrolinx, is “the best option” to serve the needs of the growing region.

From last September:

How developers will benefit from the Yonge subway route change – and why it’s raising the spectre of the Ford government’s Greenbelt scandal

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Ontario’s auditor general to investigate how Metrolinx picks subway stations | Globalnews.ca A new page on the legislative watchdog's website reveals the full list of audits Auditor General Shelley Spence and her team are currently undertaking, including the subway probe.

NEW: Ontario's auditor general will be digging into how Metrolinx chooses subway stops as one of her new reports toward the end of this year.

Other investigations include child care, special ed and the skills development fund #OnPoli
globalnews.ca/news/1141669...

‘The threat of more poison in our water’: A gold mining firm plans to discharge wastewater upstream from Grassy Narrows Kinross Gold says it adheres to the highest environmental standards. But there is growing concern about its history of alleged pollution.

New from me and @sheilawang.bsky.social:

A mining firm with a history of pollution allegations in the U.S. wants to dig for gold upstream from Grassy Narrows First Nation.

The plan risks worsening the effects of old mercury lingering in the rivers, the nation says.
www.thestar.com/news/investi...

My final investigation for The Narwhal:

Hours of audio and video evidence is missing from Maplehurst guards’ crackdown on inmates The missing footage, which some jail staff allege was purposely destroyed, has fueled calls for a public inquiry into the violent incident.

NEW: Hours of audio and video evidence is missing from Maplehurst's crackdown on inmates in December 2023.

The missing footage, which some jail staff allege was purposely destroyed, has fueled calls for a public inquiry into the violent incident.

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Ontario Line construction unleashed rats into her home. But Metrolinx has not footed the full bill — and won’t tell her why After Ontario Line work unleashed rats into a retiree’s home, Metrolinx promised to pay for the exterminator. The agency hasn’t said why the payment was $1,000 short.

Ontario Line construction has unleashed a rat problem for some residents living nearby. Metrolinx has promised to pay for exterminators — but many say they’ve been left with the bill. From @andytakagi.bsky.social and me:
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Tarion shelled out tens of millions to homebuyers whose houses were never built. Now it’s suing this Ontario developer to recoup those losses The Ontario agency is seeking at least $87 million in damages it says it suffered in compensating more than 900 StateView Homes purchasers.

Tarion shelled out tens of millions to homebuyers whose houses were never built. Now it’s suing this Ontario developer to recoup those losses

www.thestar.com/news/investi...

Ontario animal welfare agents seized dogs they said were in distress. Then the animals started to die on the government’s watch The dogs’ experience, critics say, reveals flaws in the provincial system that endangers the welfare of the animals it’s supposed to protect.

Ontario animal welfare agents seized dogs they said were in distress. Then the animals started to die on the government’s watch via @thestar.com

#investigation #dogs #huskies #animalwelfare #Ontario

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Ontario’s jails are deadlier than ever — and this one is ‘the worst in every respect’ Forty-six inmates died in provincial jails last year. More than a quarter of them were at Maplehurst Correctional Complex.

While Ford & Poilievre tout bail-reform policies that would see more people incarcerated, Ontario's jails are deadlier & arguably more dysfunctional than ever.

We have several stories coming on this topic. This one is about Maplehurst, the province's deadliest jail.
www.thestar.com/news/investi...

Judge slams jail guards’ ‘disgusting and gross’ treatment of prisoners at Maplehurst Correctional Complex in Milton Some jail officials testifying on behalf of the crown seemed to have “suffered amnesia” about the incident, judge added.

NEW: Another Ontario judge has slammed correctional authorities over a Dec 2023 incident in which Maplehurst jail guards in full riot gear tormented nearly 200 inmates in apparent act of collective punishment.

“Something like this should never happen in this country"
www.thestar.com/news/judge-s...

Oakville councillors blindsided as Ford government steps in with plan for developers’ stalled condo project Provincial officials have said the cluster of condo towers near the GO station will deliver new housing, jobs and community amenities.

Great investigation by @sheilawang.bsky.social into Oakville condo development being pushed by the province despite opposition from Oakville's council. The developers are PC donors with ties to Doug Ford.

www.thestar.com/news/investi...

Ontario has a new rule to fight illegal home sales by rogue developers. It could end up punishing some buyers Under a controversial new rule, some homebuyers may end up getting less deposit coverage if things go awry with their builders.

#StarInvestigation: Ontario has a new rule to fight illegal home sales by rogue developers. It could end up punishing some buyers.

Under a controversial rule, some homebuyers may end up getting less deposit coverage if things go awry with their builders.

The former Ford government staffer at the heart of the Greenbelt scandal has been accused of promising to help developer for money A lawsuit alleges Ryan Amato and another government staffer promised to use “backchannel contacts” to secure rezoning. Both men deny the allegations.

As first reported by @jessiecatherine.bsky.social, @charliepinkerton.bsky.social & @jackhauen.bsky.social at The Trillium, two former Ford government staffers have been accused in a lawsuit of promising to help a developer get land rezoned for money. Full story 👇 www.thestar.com/news/the-for...

An Ontario business faces charges of illegally excavating and selling limestone. Toronto is one of its biggest clients Toronto is among Picton Terminals’ biggest clients, which four residents allege is running an illegal shoreline quarry to dig and sell limestone across Ontario.

NEW:

An Ontario business faces charges of illegally excavating and selling limestone. Toronto is one of its biggest clients

www.thestar.com/news/gta/an-...

Poor budgeting and too many consultants behind soaring cost of Toronto subway projects, study reveals Doug Ford's four priority transit projects cost Ontario taxpayers more to build than comparable projects in cities around the world, researchers found.

Reposting my article from December.

Poor budgeting and too many consultants behind soaring cost of Toronto subway projects, study reveals

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