Brampton Civic seeing fewer severe COVID cases compared to previous waves, but staffing crisis threatens to overwhelm hospital 

Brampton Civic seeing fewer severe COVID cases compared to previous waves, but staffing crisis threatens to overwhelm hospital 

William Osler Health System just lifted its “Code Orange” called earlier in the week due to the rise in patients and declining staff numbers.

While admissions to ICU as a result of COVID are lower when compared to previous waves of the pandemic, the ongoing staffing crisis — driven by Omicron’s transmissibility and staff burnout — is placing growing pressure on the city’s chronically stretched healthcare system. 



Wage theft, ‘rogue’ trucking schools hurting industry; Ontario needs a fix, AG says

Wage theft, ‘rogue’ trucking schools hurting industry; Ontario needs a fix, AG says

Despite a severe shortage of truckers across North America, drivers in Canada are fighting against inadequate training, unpaid wages and unfair layoffs.

In a disturbing report, the office of the Auditor General highlights the mismanagement by Ontario’s Ministry of Colleges and Universities, putting many young truckers, including international students and other foreign workers across Peel, in precarious situations.



Notorious Islamophobe & former Mississauga mayoral candidate, Kevin Johnston, arrested after fleeing to U.S. says he was seeking ‘asylum’ 

Notorious Islamophobe & former Mississauga mayoral candidate, Kevin Johnston, arrested after fleeing to U.S. says he was seeking ‘asylum’ 

The man who came in second place in Mississauga’s 2018 mayoral race, after spreading hateful anti-Islamic messages for years, has provided The Pointer with a wild statement justifying his illegal crossing into the United States. 

Kevin Johnston tried to flee Canada ahead of a jail sentence and is now claiming he’s a victim of his own “conservative” views.



Lack of N95 masks, Bill 124 choking Nurses as Omicron advances; Acute care beds in Peel at 100% capacity

Lack of N95 masks, Bill 124 choking Nurses as Omicron advances; Acute care beds in Peel at 100% capacity

The Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario wants Premier Doug Ford to consider repealing Bill 124 (which caps salary increases at 1 percent) to retain and bring back nurses before Ontario deals with a fifth wave.

With a lack of N95 masks and the unaddressed shortage of nurses, the RNAO says public health measures to contain Omicron are “not enough”, once again putting the health system under incredible stress.



UPDATED: A COVID watershed—Case counts don’t mean what they used to, but risks can’t be taken with the public’s health

UPDATED: A COVID watershed—Case counts don’t mean what they used to, but risks can’t be taken with the public’s health

The rapid rise of the Omicron variant has shattered the collective return to normal so many were preparing for. The latest wave appears to include milder infections in populations where vaccine and acquired immunity have been built up. 

Competing data has left officials scrambling, trying to determine if alarming new case counts should be weighted alongside hospital information that at least early on suggests a less formidable viral enemy. Leaders in Ontario, and across the world, must now decide how policy around COVID will be determined going forward.



Peel residents to pay $9.5M for odour mitigation at Mississauga wastewater plant next to giant lakefront development 

Peel residents to pay $9.5M for odour mitigation at Mississauga wastewater plant next to giant lakefront development 

Lakeview Community Partners, the development consortium building a massive new project along Mississauga’s eastern waterfront, has always known the former industrial property sits right next to a wastewater facility that generates unpleasant odours.

Now, the developers have convinced Peel Region to have residents and future buyers pay the $190 million overall cost to reduce the smell.



After two lost statistical years, redrawing meaning from the numbers that have always told the story of our lives

After two lost statistical years, redrawing meaning from the numbers that have always told the story of our lives

Two years of shifting restrictions have left a confusing mark on the facts and figures that track our lives. Economic activity has changed, tourism has been decimated, academic benchmarks torn up and sporting records have been left with multiple asterisks next to them.

An entire industry of statisticians is working overtime to document these changes and work out how to contextualize them. For historical and comparative accuracy, some information can be cleaned to find trends, while other numbers are near-impossible to work with.



Has Ford’s ‘end run’ around environmental protections to build highways handed Trudeau a perfect opportunity?

Has Ford’s ‘end run’ around environmental protections to build highways handed Trudeau a perfect opportunity?

Premier Doug Ford’s aggressive push to build Highway 413 and the Bradford Bypass will cause irrevocable damage to local ecosystems and compromise municipal, provincial and national climate goals. 

The PC giveaway to developers has also trampled on the democratic rights of Ontarians. Are Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s recent statements about protecting our climate and preserving democracy a signal that Ottawa is planning to intervene?



Two years behind schedule, can the Hurontario LRT avoid further pitfalls that have tripped up other major transit projects? 

Two years behind schedule, can the Hurontario LRT avoid further pitfalls that have tripped up other major transit projects? 

The Hurontario LRT has already been bumped from an initial opening date of 2022 to 2024 — on top of a dramatic reduction to future train service and the cancellation of Mississauga’s downtown loop due to budget issues. 

Mobilinx, the consortium building the high-order transit project, tells The Pointer construction remains on schedule for a 2024 opening, but has it learned from delays that snagged similar plans in Ottawa, Toronto and Waterloo?



Will the cars of tomorrow be built in Brampton? Workers at Chrysler plant left in the dark about their future 

Will the cars of tomorrow be built in Brampton? Workers at Chrysler plant left in the dark about their future 

Stellantis, the corporate leader of the Fiat/Chrysler assembly in Brampton is not making any promises about the plant’s future, leaving workers wondering what will happen when contracts expire in 2023. 

With the rising popularity of electric vehicles across Canada and the United States, as both try to meet lofty climate targets, is there a future in Brampton that sees the auto manufacturer shift from gas-powered muscle cars to green electric vehicles?



Guilty or not? A range of outcomes as Mississauga theatre company puts diverse audience in the jury seat with Terror

Guilty or not? A range of outcomes as Mississauga theatre company puts diverse audience in the jury seat with Terror

A new theatre production from Crane Creations posits the question: is it okay to kill 164 people while potentially saving 70,000? 

It’s left for audience members to decide as part of the latest production from Mississauga’s sole theatre company as it continues its efforts to broaden the arts in the city. 



Mississauga community bands together to confront widespread food insecurity

Mississauga community bands together to confront widespread food insecurity

Reliance on emergency food banks in Mississauga has spiked during the pandemic as the root causes of food insecurity have gone unaddressed by elected officials. 

But community members are giving back in a serious way during the holiday season, hoping to assist those struggling to feed their family. 



Questionable Brampton University plan goes dark after $600K handed to Brown and Santos associates

Questionable Brampton University plan goes dark after $600K handed to Brown and Santos associates

The once hyped plan to build a university in Brampton is floundering with little to report after more than two years. The City has spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars on consultants with almost nothing to show for it.

While the community has seen no benefits from the wild proposal, the two men that won contracts to work on BramptonU have links to Mayor Patrick Brown and Councillor Rowena Santos, who have gone silent after pushing the ill-conceived idea.



Key accountability mechanism in Brampton City Hall failing under Mayor and CAO

Key accountability mechanism in Brampton City Hall failing under Mayor and CAO

Freedom of information requests are a key pillar of transparency and accountability in local government, granting residents access to a range of public documents to help them better understand how key decisions have been made and hold public officials to account.

In Brampton, the system is failing. Staff in 2020 received just 158 requests for information from the public and failed to return almost 40 percent of them on time.



‘That day all of me died’: Court hears totality of agony triggered by crash that killed Caledon family

‘That day all of me died’: Court hears totality of agony triggered by crash that killed Caledon family

An outpouring of anger and grief filled a Brampton courtroom this week as friends, family, and colleagues of Karolina Ciasullo, told how their lives were shattered when an out-of-control car, driven by Brady Robertson, who had eight times the legal limit of THC in his system, slammed into the family vehicle carrying the young mother and her three daughters.

The victim impact statements were offered ahead of the sentencing for Brady Robertson on four counts of dangerous driving causing death.



Volunteers bring history to life in the heart of suburban Brampton but some on council upset about $1M plan

Volunteers bring history to life in the heart of suburban Brampton but some on council upset about $1M plan

Bovaird House has stood in Brampton since the 19th Century. It is a striking piece of heritage in a city dominated by cookie-cutter subdivisions. A group of volunteers who call themselves the Friends of Bovaird House have devoted thousands of hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars to maintain this mini-museum.

The benefit and financial value of the project was the subject of a recent heated debate between City of Brampton council members.



Jason Tamming, Brampton’s head of communications, makes misleading claims about his corrupt behaviour in Niagara scandal

Jason Tamming, Brampton’s head of communications, makes misleading claims about his corrupt behaviour in Niagara scandal

The man who runs City Hall’s public relations department, which is supposed to provide citizens with accurate and transparent information about operations that use their money, has instead tried to manipulate The Pointer, attempting to have false claims published about his involvement in a high-profile scandal that rocked Niagara Region.



Even with Omicron looming Peel’s in much better shape compared to the nightmare a year ago 

Even with Omicron looming Peel’s in much better shape compared to the nightmare a year ago 

As Ottawa and Queen’s Park make moves to minimize the impact of Omicron, Mississauga and Brampton are light years ahead of where the two cities stood ahead of last year’s holiday season.

The uncertainty in the pandemic’s latest chapter comes with questions about what Peel, and the rest of the world need to consider as COVID clearly settles into its permanent place among the human population.



Despite clear warning that homelessness could spike 25% by next year, Region won’t create more units in 2022

Despite clear warning that homelessness could spike 25% by next year, Region won’t create more units in 2022

After little debate or consideration, Peel Region Council passed the 2022 budget with a worsening housing crisis looming over the heads of elected officials.

Instead of a promise for more affordable housing in a post pandemic world in which the waitlist has ballooned, the Region is still relying on out-dated pre-pandemic strategies, while funding to help families was once again largely ignored.



Doug Ford and Patrick Brown want developers, not the public to shape the places where you live

Doug Ford and Patrick Brown want developers, not the public to shape the places where you live

Leaders at the top of municipal and provincial government have disregarded key consultation rights held by everyone in Ontario. The trend has been chronicled by Ontario’s auditor general in a series of reports released in November and December. 

While Queen’s Park has neglected its duty to listen to citizens under the Environmental Bill of Rights, the City of Brampton has joined in with a series of requests to cut the public out of the planning process.



‘They're leaving every day’: Peel Nurses giving up on profession, especially after PC’s wage suppression law 

‘They're leaving every day’: Peel Nurses giving up on profession, especially after PC’s wage suppression law 

It's almost 2022 and the lingering pandemic is forcing more and more burnt-out nurses who have carried us through wave after wave of this health crisis out of the profession as they can no longer cope with the unrelenting demands.

Physically and emotionally drained nurses are leaving, some pushed past their breaking point by Bill 124, passed by the PC government to limit wage increases for public sector workers including teachers, pharmacists and nurses, to one percent.



‘We’re cutting everywhere to get to zero’: Brampton’s fourth straight tax freeze guts infrastructure and transit, ensures future financial chaos 

‘We’re cutting everywhere to get to zero’: Brampton’s fourth straight tax freeze guts infrastructure and transit, ensures future financial chaos 

The City of Brampton has approved its 2022 budget with another freeze to the local share of property tax. The move to crush a 2.8 percent increase was introduced on the fly by Mayor Patrick Brown Monday and ratified Wednesday.

To achieve its latest freeze, the City will cancel $8.4 million in capital projects to cover a debt payment that’s not even supposed to come out of the capital budget, scrap an increase to its infrastructure levy and reject Brampton Transit’s request for more funding to cover the increasing price of diesel.



Go Green—Mississauga plows ahead with big transit dreams as council approves 2022 budget

Go Green—Mississauga plows ahead with big transit dreams as council approves 2022 budget

On December 8, Mississauga City Council approved the 2022 budget, setting in stone decisions for the upcoming year.

Among pandemic-related challenges that have impacted new initiatives, the municipality is prioritizing large-scale transit infrastructure, hoping to entice riders back, while continuing Mississauga’s slow transition away from the car.



Brampton council rubber-stamped developer’s request to circumvent local planning for massive project without even telling the landowners

Brampton council rubber-stamped developer’s request to circumvent local planning for massive project without even telling the landowners

Brampton councillors accepted a request from a developer to fast-track a massive residential/commercial project and skip public consultation, despite the landowners having no idea of what was being planned.

A baker and Canadian retail giant have been left shocked by a motion to build a planned community of 12,500 people on land they own, without telling them first.



After years of neglect, Mississauga’s new fire chief prioritizing key investments & education

After years of neglect, Mississauga’s new fire chief prioritizing key investments & education

A dearth of fire stations across Mississauga means fire fighters are travelling farther and longer to arrive at emergencies. Elected officials have done little over the years to address this growing problem. 

The 2022 budget finally gets the ball rolling on investment for Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services, including a new station, renovations to aging fire halls and an expansion of its education program in hopes of stopping the problem at the root.



Patrick Brown forces defunding of projects he’s trumpeted to avoid implementing vital hospital levy

Patrick Brown forces defunding of projects he’s trumpeted to avoid implementing vital hospital levy

Faced with a difficult and potentially unpopular choice, council members in Brampton are opting for a Band-Aid solution. Rather than building a specific healthcare levy into the City budget, a majority decided to steal away funding from other key projects.

Multiple major Brampton growth plans, including the Centre For Innovation, a potential sports stadium on City land, a new fire station and an expanded animal shelter are now all without funding. The move was part of a push by Mayor Patrick Brown and his allies to once again freeze the size of the Brampton budget.



‘They are engaging in a fundamental violation of the Human Rights Code’: Virtual council meetings a nightmare for local accountability

‘They are engaging in a fundamental violation of the Human Rights Code’: Virtual council meetings a nightmare for local accountability

Some residents in Peel Region have found online-only council meetings a major barrier to participation. 

Those that aren’t comfortable with technology have been shut out, while others have been muted when they try to speak. Inaccessible video conferencing software — and mismanaged discussions — are also shutting out Ontarians living with a disability.



Regional council rubber stamps 2022 budget; staff blame Queen’s Park for additional costs to Peel taxpayers

Regional council rubber stamps 2022 budget; staff blame Queen’s Park for additional costs to Peel taxpayers

Councillors at the Region of Peel have passed the final budget ahead of their re-election campaigns next year. The process saw no changes made to the document staff presented, with politicians essentially approving the budget bureaucrats, not elected officials, shaped.

Social services including affordable housing and help for those facing a range of financial challenges have once again been largely ignored by staff and council members.



New Peel group needs government support as critical homeless healthcare funding dries up

New Peel group needs government support as critical homeless healthcare funding dries up

It was an all-hands-on-deck approach from every level of government at the beginning of the pandemic. Funding was flowing to ensure the protection of the most vulnerable but now, as the public health crisis abates, Peel’s growing homeless population is relying increasingly on an organization doing vital work.

To continue their efforts, founders need sustained funding from the very governments pulling back.



Huge investment in Mississauga hospital expansion bitter-sweet for Brampton

Huge investment in Mississauga hospital expansion bitter-sweet for Brampton

The Ontario government reaffirmed its commitment to fund a widescale redevelopment of Mississauga Hospital, building a brand new facility on the Hurontario Street and Queensway site that will house more than 950 beds, while creating one of the largest emergency departments in the province. Trillium Health Partners, which operates Mississauga’s hospitals and a facility in Etobicoke, will also expand that health centre next to the Sherway Gardens mall by 350 beds.

Meanwhile, in Brampton, many are wondering why their city has once again been neglected by the provincial government, which is only providing a 250-bed expansion of Peel Memorial Centre for Integrated Health and Wellness, for non-acute care, despite a request for at least 850 new beds and the creation of an actual hospital.



‘Brampton businesses are losing confidence in the City's ability to plan’: Industry leaders blast Patrick Brown’s incompetent budget

‘Brampton businesses are losing confidence in the City's ability to plan’: Industry leaders blast Patrick Brown’s incompetent budget

Brampton’s business community is losing faith in City Hall after years of tax freezes under Mayor Patrick Brown and inexperienced CAO David Barrick. A damning presentation made by the Board of Trade to budget committee laid bare the recklessness of Brown’s tax freezes.

Business leaders highlighted the lack of basic planning, the late release of information and an air of incompetence emanating from Brampton, its council and staff.



Developer invokes new Peel Police division to bypass local planning for large Brampton subdivision

Developer invokes new Peel Police division to bypass local planning for large Brampton subdivision

A major GTA developer is using the incentive of a new divisional facility for the Peel Regional Police to skirt local planning scrutiny and apply for a Minister’s Zoning Order that could spring an entire Brampton subdivision.

In a letter to council that resulted in a unanimous request for the Province to waive the standard planning process, the developer, Argo, said time is of the essence to build a new police facility. Despite being front and centre in the builder’s pitch, the new police building would take up less than four percent of the total land that would be developed if Queen’s Park gives the green light to proceed. 



Brutal Auditor General report shows PC government ignoring environmental rights of residents 

Brutal Auditor General report shows PC government ignoring environmental rights of residents 

The world is hurtling closer to climate instability, with many governments refusing to take the threat seriously. Last week Ontario’s Auditor General, Bonnie Lysyk, released an in-depth report laying out the lack of transparency and effort of provincial ministries tasked with reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Shortly after, a federal government watchdog released a similar report outlining the lack of climate action on behalf of Canadians. While Earth is heating faster than scientists predicted just a decade ago, the lack of action by politicians is making our future even more unpredictable.



In Peel’s budget season are elected officials and civil servants using your $6.6 billion for the public's interests, or theirs?

In Peel’s budget season are elected officials and civil servants using your $6.6 billion for the public's interests, or theirs?

Your hard-earned money is increasingly being spent on the political ambitions of Peel’s elected officials, pet projects that benefit private and personal interests, consultants and other contracted workers with direct ties to City Hall, and, most alarmingly, on the egregious salaries, bonuses and special perks such as lavish car allowances being handed to non-union staff, and some unionized workers, in a municipal sector with little accountability and oversight of the men and women who spend your money.



Peel Children’s Aid Society CEO, Rav Bains, placed on leave by board amid ongoing investigations

Peel Children’s Aid Society CEO, Rav Bains, placed on leave by board amid ongoing investigations

Juliet Jackson, the president of Peel CAS’ board of directors, has informed staff that controversial CEO Rav Bains has been placed on administrative leave.

Bains has been under scrutiny after a provincially-backed review pointed to financial concerns under his leadership of the organization. Two expenses claimed by the CEO in 2019 for personal success coaches are at the heart of inquiries being carried out by Jackson and the board.



In Peel’s tug-of-war between sustainability and human desire, is 7,400 acres too much for future housing?

In Peel’s tug-of-war between sustainability and human desire, is 7,400 acres too much for future housing?

Regional staff are plowing forward with Peel’s plan for the next 30 years, trying to appease those concerned about climate change and others demanding new land for homes. As cities sprawl closer to the beloved Greenbelt the accommodation of the housing market raises questions: will the Region say no to developers; and can smart growth built around transit realistically meet the demands of future home buyers? 



‘A real dangerous precedent’: Move to expropriate private land to help developers hidden from Brampton taxpayers

‘A real dangerous precedent’: Move to expropriate private land to help developers hidden from Brampton taxpayers

Brampton City Council has voted to begin the process of expropriating land held by private property owners in the north of the city to help a group of developers that wants to build a massive subdivision. The highly unusual move could see government powers and public funds being used to benefit private interests.

City staff say it has never been done before. Councillor Harkirat Singh took the unprecedented step of moving the motion for expropriation to help the developers, but has not answered questions about why he did it.



Britannia Farm — Mississauga’s hidden jewel

Britannia Farm — Mississauga’s hidden jewel

Britannia Farm is one of Mississauga’s best kept secrets. The 200 acres sits almost at the geographic centre of the booming city, right off its busiest boulevard. But it remains closed off to the general public.

For years, Peel District School Board has owned the land, operating a few buildings on the property for educational purposes. But after decades of residents pleading for access to the vast greenspace in their backyard, Carolyn Parrish, the Ward councillor, has helped shape an inviting master plan to create a central outdoor destination in the city that was finished in 2016. Five years later, little movement on the project has taken place and this sprawling greenspace sitting at the heart of an urban transformation remains largely hidden from the residents of Mississauga.



PCs Prabmeet Sarkaria and Amarjot Sandhu say ‘No’ to motion for two new hospitals in their own city

PCs Prabmeet Sarkaria and Amarjot Sandhu say ‘No’ to motion for two new hospitals in their own city

Wednesday saw the Liberals, Greens and NDP stand together asking Ontario’s legislators to support a motion that would bring 850 beds, an actual second emergency department as part of a commitment to transform Peel Memorial into a full-service hospital and a third hospital to address the city’s ongoing hallway healthcare crisis.

But the majority PCs, including Brampton MPPs Prabmeet Sarkaria and Amarjot Sandhu, once again killed the NDP effort to end hallway medicine in Ontario’s fourth largest city.



Hoping for a green future: Mississauga’s 2022 budget invests in reaching critical climate change targets

Hoping for a green future: Mississauga’s 2022 budget invests in reaching critical climate change targets

The past few years have been devastating for cities carrying the brunt of COVID-19 financial losses into 2022.

Even with the pandemic still very much looming over it, Mississauga is continuing to invest in a greener future through various capital projects planned for the coming years. 



Mississauga staff admit they ignored required asbestos inspections in Malton hockey arena & other facilities

Mississauga staff admit they ignored required asbestos inspections in Malton hockey arena & other facilities

The City of Mississauga has been aware of asbestos in some of its buildings since at least 2009.

Presented with documents obtained through a freedom of information investigation that show the City has neglected crucial responsibilities aimed at ensuring the safety of the public, staff admitted they failed to follow provincial regulations that demand regular inspections of the cancer-causing material.



Brown mortgages the future, ignores inevitable cost of repairing pipes, buildings and roads

Brown mortgages the future, ignores inevitable cost of repairing pipes, buildings and roads

The City of Brampton owns more than $6 billion worth of infrastructure, ranging from community centres to fire stations and roads. The City is supposed to save a growing pot of funds each year to be ready to replace these critical assets as they reach the end of their useful life. 

However, under Mayor Patrick Brown and CAO David Barrick, Brampton has stopped saving. A key infrastructure levy has dropped from 2 percent to just 0.5 percent in 2022, threatening the very streets Brampton taxpayers walk on.



Gritty Mississauga arts community making a name for itself 

Gritty Mississauga arts community making a name for itself 

The city’s determined arts council is showing Mississauga creatives they can find success in their own community. It’s hard to carve out a space next to the country’s largest city, where artists in all genres are drawn from all corners of Canada, hoping to make it big.

But as the sixth largest municipality continues to boom, its evolving arts scene is gaining momentum. 



Mississauga budget proposes few new initiatives in 2022 but 4.3% increase for City’s share of tax bill

Mississauga budget proposes few new initiatives in 2022 but 4.3% increase for City’s share of tax bill

The City of Mississauga is using most of its 2022 budget simply to keep the lights on, leaving little left over for new investments.

Conservative budgeting by staff who hope the frugal approach will allow them more funding opportunities in the years after COVID-19, will hopefully help residents hit hardest get back on their feet in the meantime.



In 2022, Brampton will spend more on a single road than all of its climate initiatives combined 

In 2022, Brampton will spend more on a single road than all of its climate initiatives combined 

The City of Brampton’s 2022 budget has promised minimal funding to help with climate change adaptation and mitigation. The document is short and extremely vague in its environmental commitments, with none of the game-changing plans its 2019 climate emergency declaration demands. 

At the same time, Brampton continues to invest in expanding its road network and will not add any transit service hours next year.



Judgement withheld on Brady Robertson’s sobriety during deadly crash as constitutional challenge around driving laws & cannabis use continues

Judgement withheld on Brady Robertson’s sobriety during deadly crash as constitutional challenge around driving laws & cannabis use continues

In a Voir Dire decision, a judge said it has not been proven beyond a reasonable doubt Brady Robertson was impaired by drugs when he crashed his vehicle into the SUV of a mother and her three children, but she has not made a final ruling.

At the time, Robertson had eight times the legal limit of THC in a blood sample taken 45 minutes after the deadly accident. The defence is mounting a constitutional challenge against the current laws around impaired driving involving cannabis.



‘We will never, ever give up on Brampton families’: NDP planning motion to ensure two more hospitals

‘We will never, ever give up on Brampton families’: NDP planning motion to ensure two more hospitals

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath is calling for the Peel Memorial expansion to convert the facility into a full-service hospital including an emergency department and will put forward a motion next week for a third hospital in Brampton. 

Horwath says regardless of the city’s ability to raise its share of the capital, if elected next year, an Ontario NDP government will fund the Peel Memorial expansion to ensure it will be a full-service hospital and also build a third hospital in the city.



Trucking industry concerned over driving schools popping up across Brampton & poorly trained graduates

Trucking industry concerned over driving schools popping up across Brampton & poorly trained graduates

The trucking sector is the backbone of many critical industries in Canada — agriculture, retail, manufacturing, forestry — which rely on trucks and drivers behind the wheel to get their goods to market. But earlier this year, the industry was short 18,000 drivers.

Some drivers who are on the road, experts say, are often under-trained, under-paid, and overworked, putting others at risk while supply chains rely on a stretched labour force. 



Letter to The Pointer from William Osler Health System’s Board Chair

Letter to The Pointer from William Osler Health System’s Board Chair

Brampton's frontline healthcare needs have been the key topic of public discussion in the city for years, long before the COVID pandemic. The organization tasked with providing clinical care to Brampton residents is calling on all corners of the community to support efforts to transform Peel Memorial into the city's badly needed second full-service hospital.



‘Pimps will torture, they will beat, and they will kill’: New report reaffirms the dire need for housing supports in Peel

‘Pimps will torture, they will beat, and they will kill’: New report reaffirms the dire need for housing supports in Peel

Young women and girls are trafficked in Peel at a rate that is more than double the national average. 

Yet, for those looking to escape this heinous crime, there are few spaces to turn.

New data from the Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking shows there is a need to provide increased housing supports for survivors across the country.