CFTO - Wednesday, May 22, 2024 - 12:00 p.m. (ET) - Segment #2

word yet on what sparked the fire. >> Nathan: a crash in north york sent one person to hospital last night. At 23-year-old man has serious but nonlife-threatening injuries following a crash near oakdale and shepherd. It happened around 10:20 last night. The man was riding a motorcycle and was struck by another vehicle. The driver was not injured and remained at scene. No word of possible charges. >> Michelle: turning to toronto police headquarters. Police have dropped some of the charges and alleged hate motivated mischief. >> Nathan: it comes six months after red paint was spattered on an indigo store in yorkville over the ceos ties to israel. Here is more. >> Reporter: good afternoon. We heard from the individuals who is had their charges dropped after six months but he says while the charges against him have been dropped the fight continues for the seven others that are being prosecuted. >> These were false and proven to be so. >> Reporter: after accusing and charging a loving people in hate motivated mischief police have dropped the charges against four individuals who say they were unfairly targeted for supporting palestine. >> It allows police to drag our reputations through the mud and call as criminals we have not been charged with hate crimes. >> Reporter: november 10th officers were called to the yorkville area. Posters were glued to the doors and windows of an indigo book store and red paint had been spattered to. The 11 accused had all being charged with multiple offences including mischief over $5000. >> Allegations of posters and paint do not meet the standard set up by the court of appeal for mischief. There is a court case I encourage people to read and it discusses the importance of how posters in our communities are used for expression by people. >> Reporter: in the response the crown attorney office says the decision should not be seen as a criticism of the police determination that there were reasonable grounds for the arrest of these four individuals however the standard for proceeding with the prosecution is properly higher and more rigourous. The indigo bookstore has been the subject of boycott campaigns for years over its founders foundation for loans shoulders -- soldiers. Calling out the company is a form of activision against the foundation which offers scholarships to people without family in israel another the less serve in the israeli army. >> It is a legitimate form of protest. Targeting indigo is not anti-semitic. >> Reporter: lawyers for the seven people who are still being prosecuted are calling for all charges to be dropped. The crown prosecution says the alleged actions have a widespread impact on the community and they are ready to set trial dates. I'm rahim ladhani, back to you michelle. >> Michelle: students at ontario tech have taken down an encampment after reaching an agreement with the school administration. As part of the agreement with students the university has vowed to not invest in companies benefiting from the is really -- from the israeli war. This is believed to be the first agreement of its time involving a pro-palestinian encampment at a canadian university. >> Nathan: it's only may but it already feels like summer. >> Reporter: the ontario federation of labour and the ndp are taking the heat seriously looking to introduce legislation to help keep workers on the job safe from heat stress. The park bureau chief siobhan morris joins us with more. >> Reporter: if you are in a workplace with access to cold water and air condition count yourself lucky but we heard from groups that isn't true for everyone and with climate change continuing to put pressure on the planet it's not something going away anytime soon. On a warming planet with no escape... >> We need better protection for workers from heat stress as ontario faces were climate driven extreme heat events. The time for action is no. >> Reporter: new democrats, the ontario federation of labour and workers wants to find ways to protect them from heat. >> From sweltering classrooms to poorly ventilated and not cool long-term care homes. From sweltering shop floors the heat is a hazard that many cannot escape. >> Reporter: these are jobs where air conditioning alone will not work to cool things down. >> I'm wearing heavy leather and a mask and gloves and sometimes I can only stand there ten minutes and I have to stop and peel it off. >> Reporter: the ndp will look at other jurisdictions are doing. >> Making sure their cold water available and more breaks and shade and where you have an

indoor space and you can air condition making sure you have that solution. >> Reporter: there is an acknowledgement the solutions will cost money. >> There is also a cost when workers cannot work and they have to go home and we see lives lost. >> Reporter: there is a plan to introduce a motion that would bring the heat protection into part of worker protection. He's planning a more robust piece of legislation to be introduced this fall. I'm siobhan morris, reporting live from queen's park. Back to you. >> Michelle: thank you. A busy agenda ahead with major funding gaps being the main talking point. >> Nathan: there is a long list of infrastructure products toast projects but a lack of money to do it. Natalie johnson is live with an update. >> Reporter: that is right nathan. The cost to maintain the current service level with the capital plan is $40 billion and that is 26 billion more than the city had planned for it. So the question today for council is what to do about it. It's the start of summer with the iconic fountain sitting idle. When it's turned on it leaks to the parking lot below and the city has no money to fix it. >> Our infrastructure is falling apart slowly and it requires replacement and renovation and rebuilding. And we have an infrastructure gap of $26 billion. >> Reporter: the city staring down a shortfall when it comes to maintaining roads and bridges and buildings and more. Council debating about what to do about a ballooning budget the city can afford. The asset portfolio is graded as poor or very poor in 40 percent. >> We have been pointing this out for years and we need a new deal for the city of toronto. >> This is a direct consequence of the tight budgets of the previous mayors who would not invest in keeping our infrastructure in good repair and it's like everyone knows. A stitch in time saves nine. >> Reporter: one of the most expensive infrastructure projects have been added to the agenda. The three year construction on the gardiner that has cut capacity between dufferin and volland by 30 percent and tied up traffic like never before. >> The idea we would tie up a major gardening -- a major artery like the gardiner for three years is unacceptable. My motion in front of council at this meeting is to do everything we can to expedite the construction. >> We should get the work done 24/7 and give them the noise exemptions they need and get the job done. >> Reporter: the mayor says the city is working with the current contractor to develop a plan to expedite the work and the contractor's testing noise levels that would be created by overnight demolition. >> It is a demolition rebuild of the gardener. It's not repair work. Literally you have to shored up -- the gardiner. As you can demolish the other side. While using the gardiner. That is really quite difficult. >> Reporter: council faced with mounting challenges over infrastructure whether gardiner gridlock or the fountain that they don't have the funds to fix. This is part of the new deal with the province to help the financial situation but it's not enough to solve the shortfall. Council calling on the federal government for infrastructure money. Reporting live, I'm natalie johnson. Over to you. >> Michelle: a special tribute for jay robinson who died after a long battle with cancer. >> To remember our friend and colleague. >> Michelle: a moment was held in silence in her memory. Her husband and three sons were in attendance as robinson's colleagues remembered her for her dedication and her service. >> She was a good friend of mine. I remember when she was here in the councillor's chamber she would walk by me and say can you please tell them to be quiet. [ Laughter ] my condolence goes out to the family and she will be missed. >> Nathan: robinson represented don valley west and she was first elected in 2010. She held several positions over the years including chair of the infrastructure committee. She took a leave of absence in 2019 to undergo treatment for breast cancer. Robinson returned to work a year later but mostly attended meetings virtually. She leaves behind her husband and three sons. >> Michelle: more than 200 stolen canadian vehicles have been found each week around the world since february. Interpole says a total of 1500 vehicles have been identified and that is due to the rcmp decision to integrate canada's database for stolen vehicles with that of the international

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