Remembering Dr. ‘Skip’ Jones By Josh Sherman
“HE WAS a good man.” Shirley Jones keeps returning to this phrase as she and two of her daughters, Laurie and Heather, share memories of her late husband Dr. “Skip” Wentworth Jones, who died Feb. 13. He was 86. Continued on Page 4
Volume 46 No. 23
Dr. “Skip” Wentworth Jones
February 20, 2018
PHOTO: JOSH SHERMAN
Yes, this man is about to jump in the lake Meet Hastings Withers, the man who has a weekly date with the icy waters of Lake Ontario. On Page 9. (Don’t try this at home.)
First Nations housing providers face funding issues By Josh Sherman
AHEAD OF the federal Liberal government’s anticipated announcement of a plan to address Indigenous housing issues, a local non-profit Indigenous urban housing provider is underscoring funding issues facing organizations like itself. “There will be no reconciliation as long as First Nations peoples are required to live in grossly sub-standard and utterly unaffordable housing,” said Angus Palmer, general manager of Wigwamen Incorporated, which has dozens of affordable units in Beaches-East York. Wigwamen offers below-market rental units through a variety of funding programs, some dating back decades. In certain cases, Wigwamen receives monthly government subsidies for each unit in a building, which allows them to charge lower rents. Other times, the housing provider has received capital grants up front to fund the construction of new affordable housing. But sometimes the operating subsidies model falls short, Palmer suggested.
“When the mortgage is paid off… the operating subsidy stops… but you still have people with low incomes living in those units, and so the question is, ‘Is there still going to be funding?’” he asked. Palmer said losing subsidies has not been a problem for Wigwamen. But it has been for other non-profit housing providers he is aware of. Some have faced challenges as a result, as operators are still responsible for paying utilities, taxes and the cost of repairs adds up, he said. Beaches-East York MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith acknowledged the problem. The intention of the subsidies was that, with the savings Indigenous housing providers receive, once the mortgage was paid off, organizations would be in a position to continue to offer below-market rents, the Liberal MP said, noting he was aware this is not always the case. “You still have to put money aside for potential capital repairs,” he explained. Continued on Page 3
Ideas brewing for future use of 55 Division police station By Josh Sherman
A COMMUNITY centre or hospice are some ideas being floated for the 55 Division police station on Coxwell and Dundas once Toronto Police Services moves into the TTC garage site opposite Coxwell subway station. Coun. Mary-Margaret McMahon, who represents Ward 32, the ward in which both sites are located, has said more than one group has voiced interest in the old cop shop at 101 Coxwell Ave. “It’s a key site, I’ll say, and it’s accessible and close to many things,” McMahon said. The councillor said she has been in talks with Applegrove, which is based at Duke of Connaught Junior and Senior Public School and offers community programming, and a palliative care group interested in establishing a standalone hospice in the area. “Other people have talked about affordable housing,” McMahon added. She explained that she is “happy to entertain different ideas, and we’ll go from there—but it’s early days still.”
At the turn of the month, Toronto city council approved plans to create a new police station for an amalgamated 54 and 55 Division at the TTC’s Danforth Garage at 1627 Danforth Ave. while also setting aside space for future community uses. The decision was the culmination of a months-long community consultation process that presented two other main options for an amalgamated station. The East York Civic Centre at 850 Coxwell Ave. and 101 Coxwell Ave., the current home of 55 Division which is in need of renovations, were the two other finalists TPS and Toronto Real Estate Services selected from a list of hundreds. Applegrove Community Complex Executive Director Susan Fletcher confirmed the organization’s early interest in 55 Division once police move into new digs. “Applegrove’s strategic initiative committee is looking at options that might be possible for that site,” she said. Continued on Page 3