Ed Tubb

Hospitals have been the province’s second-deadliest setting for COVID-19 outbreaks, behind long-term-care homes and ahead of retirement homes — but with little of the public reckoning seen in those sectors.

What’s changed, and what hasn’t, in the debate that will affect how we will protect ourselves from the spread of the Delta variant.

Even as the daily case count has dipped below 500 for the first time since September 2020 and vaccinations increase, experts point to the spread of the more transmissible B.1.617.2 or “Delta” variant as the most concerning threat on the horizon.

We closed playgrounds. Then we didn’t.

Over the past 365 days of the pandemic, the Star has been there to track and analyze the situation, compiling a day-by-day record of the virus’s local impact.

A new Star investigation finds for-profit care homes in the province have worse outcomes than non-profit and municipal homes, even when accounting for older homes and higher COVID-19 rates in the community.

Meanwhile, 32 more residents have died in long-term care compared to the previous day, with 218 LTC homes in outbreak.

Experts said increase in daily case is not unexpected given loosening of pandemic rules, but they warn against ignoring the trend

As of 5 p.m. Friday, Ontario’s regional public health units were reporting a total of 269 people had died from the disease, an increase of 35 from the same time Thursday, or a 15.0 per cent jump.

Police laid just over 200,000 provincial offences tickets in 2019, according to city data. In 2010, they laid nearly 700,000 charges.

Toronto police enforcement of serious Criminal Code traffic offences such as dangerous driving, failure to remain or impaired driving hit a new low in 2018, continuing a trend of year-over-year declines since 2012.

If the government is going to change on election night, you’ll see it happening in the larger GTA.

Another shooting, about an hour earlier and also near Jane and Finch, left a teenager with gunshot wounds.

Eight local leaders standing behind the Liberal leader were asked on Tuesday for a show of hands on their support for a national ban, something Trudeau’s plan does not call for. Eight hands went up.

A Forum survey conducted late last week found Justin Trudeau’s Liberals tied with Andrew Scheer’s Conservatives at 33 per cent support. The NDP and Greens were tied with 11 per cent each.

With the Liberal Party of Canada still dealing with the fallout over revelations Justin Trudeau had worn racist blackface makeup as recently as 2001, the leader announced two major new policies on Sunday.

Conservatives a no-show at U of T discussion as parties call for large investments in electrifying public transit and tax credits for electric vehicles.

Katie Jeanne and Dan Lovranski got creative after a Conservative candidate’s sign appeared on their front lawn.