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Ontario’s plan to remove bike lanes unconstitutional, court rules

Cyclists on Bloor Street West. The Ontario government passed a law last fall giving itself power to remove existing bike lanes along Yonge Street, Bloor Street and University Avenue.

A judge has ruled that the Ontario government’s plan to remove bike lanes along three major streets in Toronto is unconstitutional and violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms by putting people at “increased risk of harm and death.”

The Ontario government passed legislation last fall giving itself the power to remove existing bike lanes along Yonge Street, Bloor Street and University Avenue, while also preventing municipalities from creating new bike lanes that replace traffic lanes. At the time, Premier Doug Ford complained about bike lanes creating gridlock.

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Protesters express support for complainant in Hockey Canada sexual-assault case outside courthouse

Protesters were at the courthouse in London, Ont., to support the complainant ahead of the verdict. The five hockey players accused of sexual assault were found not guilty.

The five hockey players who were acquitted Thursday of sexual assault arrived at a courthouse in London, Ont., to a crowd of protesters holding signs and chanting slogans.

Most of the several dozen protesters were there to support the complainant in the case, known publicly as E.M. because of a publication ban. They held signs saying they believed E.M. and calling for justice, and someone had written “believe” in chalk in the sidewalk.

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Quadeville residents question police over response to attack on eight-year-old girl

Ontario Provincial Police acting Chief Supt. Derek Needham speaks to Quadeville residents during a town hall on Saturday about the recent attack on an eight-year-old girl.

Quadeville, a tight-knit town two hours west of Ottawa with a population in the low hundreds, finds itself in the spotlight for the worst of reasons: a brutal attack on an 8-year-old girl, which police first attributed to a wild animal but then charged a teenager from the community.

On Saturday evening, three weeks after the girl was found with life-threatening injuries, police faced questions from shaken residents of the rural Ontario town who packed the local community centre for a town hall.

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Residents of Quadeville, Ont., shocked to learn a human – and not an animal – may be behind injuries to eight-year-old girl

Police have charged a 17-year-old boy with attempted murder and sexual assault of an eight-year-old girl that police initially believed was an animal attack.

Up until two days ago, the residents of the tiny Ontario community of Quadeville had been on high alert. Some children were kept indoors, and parents were on the lookout for a possibly violent and unpredictable creature.

The fear stemmed from the discovery of a missing eight-year-old girl on June 24 who had been so savagely attacked, investigators warned residents that they believed it must have been an animal.

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Toronto Mayor confident city’s compromise on sixplexes won’t risk federal housing funding

Mayor Olivia Chow says Toronto’s housing plan, which includes allowing sixplexes in some city wards, is ambitious.

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow says she’s confident that $30-million in federal housing funding is not at risk despite council’s refusal to permit sixplexes across the entirety of the city − a condition of its agreement with Ottawa.

“Look at me. Do I look worried?” Ms. Chow told The Globe and Mail on Friday at a meeting with its editorial board.

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Toronto to review gaps in city’s heat strategy at Mayor Olivia Chow’s request

Temperatures in Toronto soared to the mid-30s, with humidity making it feel as hot as 46 degrees.

Toronto council has endorsed a proposal from Mayor Olivia Chow to update and review the city’s heat relief strategy.

The motion, which passed in a Thursday-night vote, also requires the city to consider reopening 24/7 cooling centres and bringing back the position of chief resiliency officer, a role dedicated to addressing gaps in the city’s heat response strategy over the long term.

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Iranian-Canadians gripped with fear and uncertainty as they try to reach family after U.S., Israeli attacks

Saeed Abdollahi holds a picture of his family. The 31-year-old, who came to Canada in 2021, worries about relatives who remain in Iran.

Saeed Abdollahi had just returned to his Calgary home after work when a friend phoned with the news that U.S. air strikes had targeted his hometown of Isfahan, in central Iran. His heart sank; this was the moment he had feared.

The 31-year-old architectural designer turned on the television, desperate for more information from news channels. He frantically tapped out messages to family and friends in Iran, knowing that a near-complete internet blackout meant they wouldn’t be received. The government has said it ordered the shutdown because of cybersecurity concerns.

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