When schools reopen in weeks nothing will be normal for families across the province. But for parents struggling to figure out how they will make ends meet if forced to leave a job, their reality is vastly different.
These dilemmas are compounded by a scenario that could become common: areas across Peel hardest hit by the virus also have the lowest average incomes, meaning schools in neighbourhoods with the greatest risk of infection might face more challenges because many parents can’t afford to keep children at home, increasing the likelihood of viral spread in larger classes.
Guns smuggled across the border from Canada’s southern neighbour have posed a dilemma around controlling criminal activity. One advocate says police need to take a harder look at what’s happening along the country’s borders. Illegal guns are being used more often for crime in Peel.
There was ample evidence of wrongdoing in the systematic execution of three family members in four years inside their Mississauga house. In the first of a three-part series, signs of incompetence within Peel police are revealed, one of many underlying tragedies behind the Harrison family murders.
After Peel Region was allowed to enter Stage 3 of the province’s reopening schedule case numbers in Brampton initially trended in the right direction, but for more than a week the number of COVID-19 cases in the city has been on a steady climb. Meanwhile, the rest of the region continues to show signs of progress in fighting the disease.
Hundreds of women in Ontario have lost their lives at the hands of abusive partners over the last 15 years, the majority while they were trying to break away.
Studies have shown that most men who commit domestic assault will do it again and again. So why can’t the courts keep them behind bars, and protect women like Darian Henderson-Bellman, who was tragically failed by the system?
The City of Brampton is promoting its Heritage Heights master plan to accommodate more than a hundred thousand new residents in the western portion of the sprawling suburb over the coming decades. It is a modern, complete community design featuring a grand boulevard concept rather than a congested 400-series mega-highway. The only problem is the Government of Ontario says the proposed boulevard design for Heritage Heights, to accommodate the planned GTA West Highway corridor, is not allowed. Why didn’t the City ensure its visionary plan is even feasible before time and money was spent putting it together?
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The money is part of a larger $1.6 billion allocation to municipalities across the province.
The much needed funding from Ottawa and Queen’s Park is the first envelope for municipalities struggling with deficits incurred because of the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The province continues to dump information on families and school boards about plans for September.
At the same time, anxiety among parents, students and educators has been expressed on social media as details from the PC government only seem to muddy the waters. The clock is counting down and questions about distance learning, in-class education, transportation and safety protocols are still swirling.
Contrary to claims by Donald Trump, studies have proven that known drug hydroxychloroquine is not effective in the fight against COVID-19.
Yet, Brampton’s Dr. Kulvinder Gill, a self-styled medical leader, continues to promote the drug to fight the novel coronavirus, even claiming a vaccine is not needed, but she’s now being taken to task for misleading the public.
After Toronto released ethno-racial data on COVID-19 infections, Peel Public Health has produced similar research showing the same outcomes: visible minorities are being hit harder by the dangerous virus.
The data is not surprising in another area that was also looked at, as those in occupations deemed essential have been disproportionately infected compared to people able to work remotely.
The decision by City Council received criticism for being made too quickly and without considering public opinion, while historic tensions between the Hindu and Muslim communities persist after the Azan, or call to prayer, was broadcast during Ramadan.
The rule in the Public Vehicles Act states no more than a certain number of people can be standing on a bus leaving the confines of the city.
Common overcrowding on such routes would be a violation of this rule.
The Brampton mayor was shown in a video by Rebel News at a City-run indoor ice rink last week, not wearing a mask, accompanied by a staffer and offering details of his visit that he has since contradicted.
The video raises questions about why the mayor was there, if he was allowed to play hockey throughout July and why his story doesn’t match certain facts around what was shown in the recording, which has been viewed more than 180,000 times since Saturday.
Recommendations to accommodate smaller class sizes from Peel’s public health department come after Toronto Public Health announced its stance on the Ford government’s back to school plans.
A petition demanding the province reduce class sizes and increase funding has gained more than 205,000 signatures as Ford and Minister of Education Stephen Lecce continue to ignore outcry from parents, unions and educators across the province.
After a volatile 12 months, the Peel District School Board has a new leader, Colleen Russell-Rawlins, who now has to steer the troubled organization out from choppy waters. Systemic discrimination and a culture of intolerance have permeated a board whose students are overwhelmingly non-white, while its teachers and administrators do not reflect the communities they serve.
The announcement comes as recent reports from Peel Region staff highlight the growing struggle to gain affordable housing. While Brampton and Mississauga continue to grow rapidly, affordable housing for many current and new residents has become further out of reach as a history of neglect at the regional council table has made things worse.
Furious parents, teachers and unions condemn the Ford government's recently announced plan that would see elementary schools reopen in September with pre-pandemic class sizes and high school students cohorting in groups of 15 every other day.
One teachers’ union says Peel’s schools are already facing budget problems because of the pandemic.
Dr. Lawrence Loh agrees smaller class sizes are needed to maintain physical distancing within schools this September. Premier Doug Ford reaffirmed his plan that does not call for smaller elementary school classes while critics are attacking his funding proposal to reduce class sizes for boards that wish to. They say it doesn’t provide nearly enough for every school board to hire new teachers to lower the number of students in classrooms.
Mayor Patrick Brown and Brampton councillors have voted unanimously on a series of actions stemming from an integrity commissioner report into an alleged sexual assault by Gurpreet Dhillon. During an August 5 meeting, they called on their colleague to resign, but he has already stated he will not.
The regional councillor denies all allegations against him and has commenced legal action against the report.
The City of Brampton has finally released some long awaited plans for the proposed Brampton University.
In the recent reports the City explores academic programs and degrees it wants to see at the school, how the university will be governed and the potential economic benefits of having its own educational institution.
The City’s approach of being tough on those flouting COVID-19 protocols has not reduced Brampton’s infection rate.
Instead, harsh penalties could be making contact tracing significantly harder and worsening the virus’ spread.
A developer has tabled plans to build new, dense senior living in Brampton.
The plan, proving to be wildly unpopular with local residents, illustrates the roadblocks in the way of Brampton’s attempts to achieve smart growth and raises questions about how retirement homes need to be built moving forward to reflect the lessons of COVID-19.
In 2020 alone, Mississauga has seen one film studio open and two more announced. The trend means the city is on course to offer as much indoor filming space as Toronto. As the GTA film industry continues to boom, studio space is increasingly rare and represents a golden opportunity for Mississauga to get in on the lucrative world of Hollywood North. Another suburban area, halfway around the world, used film investment to launch Bollywood’s explosion into popular culture and create dynamic upscale boroughs that now overshadow central Mumbai.
A report by the City of Brampton’s integrity commissioner into Councillor Gurpreet Dhillon was released Friday. It details allegations of sexual misconduct during a City-sanctioned trip to Turkey in 2019.
Dhillon denies the allegations, questions the commissioner’s investigation and has launched legal action to have the report thrown out.
The Pointer talks to the Mississauga legend whose accomplishments still remain frozen in time. Paul Henderson's historic winning goal in the 1972 Canada-Soviet Union Summit Series is regarded as our greatest sports moment in the 20th century. Some want him in the Hockey Hall Of Fame, as recognition of what he represents to this country, but Mississauga’s 77-year-old hockey icon never rested on his laurels, and has since scored other “goals” that he considers even more significant.
Long-term care staff and the government agree, the system has been broken for decades. Countless reports and commissions calling for action have rang out for years, but few changes have been made.
Even in the short term, it’s likely that thousands of seniors – our most vulnerable citizens – will once again be in a deadly situation if another wave of the virus hits and overworked, under resourced staff are unable to provide proper care.
After a highly anticipated announcement Thursday, Premier Doug Ford confirmed most students will be back in the classroom five days a week in the fall. The news comes after school boards were asked to prepare for three different outcomes for September.
Two new research papers, one Canadian and one from the U.S., offer differing findings about the risk of viral spread by children at school.
Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon will all move to Stage 3 of Ontario’s reopening plan first thing Friday. It will allow indoor dining, fitness centres and movie theatres to reopen, among other loosening restrictions.
Recent cases in the region have trended down, but mass gatherings in Brampton over the weekend pose problems to reopening, testing and tracing.
New money from the federal and provincial government will help Brampton improve its existing transit fleet.
Yet no commitments for increasing services have been made, despite residents raising concerns months ago about overcrowding on local buses.
Daniel Amsler, a paralegal in Mississauga, told The Pointer he fears the impact of Bill 184.
Evictions for tenants who have fallen behind on rent could allow landlords to hike their rates and lead to an even worse affordability crisis in the city.
A strategy designed to connect youth and police at local high schools left many feeling threatened and divided and has now been paused by Peel Regional Police.
The significant step is the first concrete action taken by the force and new Chief Nishan Duraiappah who has promised “systemic change” across the organization.
Lengthening council meetings at the City of Mississauga as a result of COVID-19 measures, difficult financial realities and the suspension of some committees have drawn frustration from residents.
The city’s largest and most influential residents’ group recently wrote to complain about the “lack of respect” being shown to taxpayers. As residents complain, councillors are gearing up for a summer break some now say they’re willing to forgo.
While certain violent crimes have spiked in Peel, the majority are being committed by a “small subset” of the population associated with gangs. Two men were recently arrested in connection with September’s brazen mass shooting, which left a teenage bystander dead.
With calls to defund police organizations across the globe, Peel’s chief says his organization is trying to shift toward a community-centric model of policing, but it remains unclear how that change will occur.
The spread of the novel coronavirus has highlighted the inconsistent support available for international students across Mississauga and Brampton. Some have been kicked out of their homes while others face mental breakdowns.
Support from higher levels of government, which are actively involved in the lucrative process to bring these students here, has been almost non-existent.
In Mississauga and Brampton politicians have talked about climate change for years, taking slow steps to address the issue. When COVID-19 hit, Bonnie Crombie, Patrick Brown and Doug Ford all demonstrated how rapid a crisis response can be. It remains to be seen if those lessons can be focused back on the environment.
The Wayfair child trafficking conspiracy has grabbed the public spotlight and continues to take attention away from what human trafficking really looks like.
Criminal activity in Peel and Ontario highlights the need to address the growing crisis in our own backyard.
Regional councillors were between a rock and a hard place when passing a motion to delay hundreds of millions for approved projects for up to five years.
The specific projects pushed to the back burner remain to be identified, but the move had to be made because of major losses in development revenue.
The Ministry of Education has announced funding to build 30 new schools and expand 15 more. Two of the new facilities will be in Brampton, with two others also set for expansion in Peel.
The news has been welcomed by local leaders in a region where student overcrowding has been a concern for years.
A sense of frustration is in the air as the region remains in the second stage of the province’s reopening plan, with no indication of when it will be welcomed into the third.
The issue is not a simple fix and epidemiologists stress it runs deeper than washing your hands and standing six feet apart.
Peel District School Board has released details of its plans to reopen schools in September, but cannot stipulate if children will be at home, in the classroom or both.
As they wait anxiously for answers from the province, parents are juggling work, childcare and education with fears around their kids’ safety.
Twice in 2020, councillors at the Region of Peel voted to defer a decision on a questionable development in the southwest of Caledon that does not align with smart growth principles.
Unhappy with the delay, the Town and its pro-sprawl council members went straight to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, who overruled the region. But some are concerned about safety issues and critics don’t understand the rush on a critical development that could be a domino for more bad planning.
The incident left unbelievable amounts of guilt and questions for a family who lost their loved one in an instant, but they’re determined to keep his name alive.
Stressed parents, anxious kids and nothing to do in a house sounds like a recipe for disaster. Ontario parents might have to endure more of the same in September as schools grapple with hybrid models for in-person classes.
Peel faces unique challenges with $3.7 million in decreased funding for childcare programs, potentially leading to affordable daycare closures when parents need it most.
A cost-sharing agreement between provincial transit agency Metrolinx and the City of Mississauga represents a benefit for the cash strapped city.
In the face of COVID-19, the plan could save taxpayers more than $5 million and move rapid transit along Dundas Street a step closer to reality.
Jillian McLeod has heard from numerous families who have lost loved ones in dangerous driving accidents and is frustrated that stricter punishments aren’t being pursued.
In an effort to influence change and deter such behaviour she’s taken measures into her own hands.
When COVID-19 closures were imminent in March, religious organizations were forced to think on their feet to ensure faith-based practices were made available as people were forced to isolate.
Now, even though numerous places of worship have opened their doors and others are following suit, technology will continue to play an important role.
With physical distancing measures in place, many homeless individuals are using tents in public spaces as their best option to stay safe.
A recent UN report warns Canadians that the issue is only going to get worse. Meanwhile, complaints of questionable behaviour are rising, and without proper resources to deal with these temporary living options the spread of the novel coronavirus is compounding the problem.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict manifested itself in a local dispute when an un-named high school student chanted an anti-Semitic Arabic comment at a recent protest in Mississauga.
The century-long fight over disputed territory in the Middle East and the recent efforts by Israel to annex parts of the West Bank have led to hurtful comments that have shaken many in the Jewish community as they grapple with feelings of despair in Peel.
While Trillium Health Partners has received the go-ahead from the province to resume elective surgeries, offering potential relief to those waiting in limbo during the pandemic, the threat of a second wave of COVID-19 in the fall has some worried that procedures could be paused once again.
At the end of June, Brampton’s high COVID-19 case numbers were much to blame for Peel’s delayed and questionable entrance into Stage 2.
Now, with the city still seeing the vast majority of the region’s new cases, could it be left behind when other parts of Peel are able to reopen?
