CFTO - Wednesday, May 22, 2024 - 06:00 p.m. (ET) - Segment #1

>>> Christine sinclair is a well-accomplished canadian athlete with a long list of wins and titles. She's also inspired a legion of young canadians at the play competitive soccer, and now she has inspired something else. Ctv's sarah plowman joins us now. Sarah, there is a christine sinclair barbie. >> Reporter: merella, christine sinclair is a three-time olympic medallist. She scored more international and more olympic goals than any player in the world, and now she's being honoured in a very small, but big way. >> Again, there's sinclair. Wide open goal! It's christine sinclair! >> Reporter: the belief christine sinclair gave canadians was contagious. That they could dream, win, and be the best in the world. A role model. >> That's me, my face. >> Reporter: and now mini model. A barbie with her signature headband and jersey. >> They got the gold medal, most important, right? High socks. High socks 'cause the cool kids wear high socks. >> Reporter: for its 65th anniversary, barbie is honouring nine athletes from around the world. Tennis star venus williams is another. >> I mean, there's moments in life that you can't even dream about. I never thought that I would be, you know, made as a barbie doll. >> Reporter: while the aim may be to inspire, the maker of barbies says the dolls aren't for the public. They won't be for sale. >> So the role model dolls are created just in their likeness truly to honour those athletes. And I would love a doll, too. I feel everyone's pain out there. But there is only one and it is gifted to the role models. >> Reporter: that puzzles parents. >> Why not sell them all? Sell them all to all the girls so the girls can blais with barbies not only just princesses. They can actually be kicking a ball or -- >> Sandie: sinclair says being a barbie role model is an honour. >> You know, an iconic toy. Hopefully it can inspire the next generation of young canadians. >> Reporter: I asked the makers of the dolls whether they're considering selling them to the public and I was told that there are no plans right now, but you never know what the future holds. Merella. >> Merella: yeah, what a shame. Sarah, thank you.

>>> And that's our newscast for this wednesday. Thanks for sharing your time with us. Be sure to join todd van der heyden later tonight. And for ongoing coverage of canada's top stories, tune into ctv news channel. I'm merella fernandez. I'll see you again tomorrow. Your local ctv news begins right now. [ ] >> Announcer: "ctv national news," canada's number one newscast. [ ] >> Nathan: good evening. They are a visible presence in parks across the city. Homes encampments are something officials have been dealing with for several years, and today, they announced a new strategy. >> Michelle: providing enhanced supports to help people

find shelter and stable housing. Beth MacDONNELL is live tonight with more on this. Beth? >> Beth: michelle, nathan, the city says this shift in its approach to encampments is based on feedback from the public and the city's ombudsman. >> Reporter: instead of clearing homelessness encampments, a new city of toronto report recommends a housing first human rights-based approach. >> The clearing is not a strategy that works. It removes people from one place and -- to go where? >> Reporter: this is what clarence square park near spadina and front is like now. The city says with a lack of mental health care services, a lack of housing and high rent costs, more people are struggling on the streets. The aim: by using more outreach workers and compassion, more people will find shelter and stable housing. But removing encampments will not be a priority. >> There are situations where there's a safety concern. Either for individuals who are in encampments, for example, because of fire, that where -- a call may require that a notice is for -- for removal. But that's laid out now. >> Reporter: the pressures on the shelter system are huge. A situation that led many new arrivals to stay in church basements last summer. Refugees now taking up about half the spaces. >> What is desperately-needed is a coordinated regional response to this issue, and the establishment of a regional reception centre, something that city council has long asked for, as well as our community partners. >> Reporter: two women here say outreach workers are trying and people are filling out the paperwork to move on, but securing a place is tough to finalize. >> They're not coming here to say, today is moving day. >> Or they never take you will to see the place or give you a a day to check it out if you want to. >> Reporter: police say the gentle approach has been successful at allen gardens. Last year, there were 84 encampments. Now, just nine. >> Said that people need safe resources, but none of the protocol recommends any of that, so, it mainly focuses on committing clearly to people that they will be cleared if they don't accept the shelter option. >> Reporter: and until the other than arching situation are addressed, more of the right housing and services are available, encampments will keep popping up. >> Beth: the report says the city will strive to give written notice when enforcement is required. And in most cases, it will provide 72 hours' notice. This report goes to the economic development committee next week. Reporting live at city hall, I'm beth MacDONNELL. Nathan, back to you. >> Nathan: thank you, beth.

>>> Still ahead, where to find the money to keep the water running and traffic flowing. City councilors meet to tackle toronto's growing infrastructure issues. Ctv's natalie johnson will have more in minutes. >> Michelle: but first, a teenager is dead following a crash involving a mini bike. >> Nathan: it happened in a residential area in vaughan, and that's where we find ctv's mike walker tonight. Mike? >> Mike: nathan, michelle, police say the mini bike and vehicle collided at this intersection behind me, which is a four-way stop. The 4-year-old driver of the vehicle is now facing several charges. >> Reporter: viewer photos show a mini bike lying in the middle of a neighbourhood. Neighbours describe hearing a violent impact. >> He was a big man, and then noise of something, you know, scratching the street like it was a -- like something was tagging along with the car or something. >> Reporter: york regional police say around 10:45 P.m., a 16-year-old boy was raiding a mini bike when he was struck and killed by a vehicle at this four-way stop at martin grove road and forest drive drive. >> The bike crumpled up, lying over there. There was a boy. Paramedic came. They were doing cpr over there. All the debris of the car and the bike were all the way up to the stop sign. >> The first thing I noticed was that mangled bike. I'm going, this is not good. >> Reporter: the teen was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries, where he later died. >> At this time, what we can say is that the vehicle and the mini bike collided with each other at the intersection. Again, in terms of the sequence of events leading up to that collision, we're till trying to get witness accounts to help piece that together. >> Reporter: witnesses tell "ctv news" the vehicle came to a stop by these mailbox, more than 150 metres from where they say the crash occurred. The driver, they say, was nowhere to be found. >> He left the door open, so whoever was -- took off. >> Reporter: officers arrested the driver near the scene. The 24-year-old has been charged with dangerous operation causing death, failure to stop after an accident causing death, and possession of of a controlled substance. >> He was not impaired at the time, but the possession of a controlled substance charge was the result of searching the vehicle and finding what we believe to be a controlled substance in the vehicle. >> We believe it to be cocaine, but we can't confirm that right now. >> Reporter: residents say speeding is a problem at this intersection. >> It's sad to hear. Honestly, it's sad. This is a recurring problem along this street. Cars are just whizzing by. They speed through that stop sign. >> I have a teenaged girl and a small boy, and I'm scared to even take them on a bike ride. >> Reporter: police say the accused is bound by a release order for an unrelated offence but didn't reveal the charge. >> Mike: police say their investigation is ongoing, and they are continuing to appeal for witnesses. Anyone with dash cam or surveillance video to come forward. Reporting live in vaughan, I'm mike walker, nathan, back to you. Knight knight thank >> Nathan: thank you, mike. Time no for a exec on the forecast. There's a chance of thunderstorms? Some areas, so keep that in mind if you've got plans tonight. Jessica smith is here with a look at the current conditions and looking at the water, things look fine. >> Jessica: it's nice in the downtown core, down by the lake shore, beautiful. It's more so the gta areas north of the city, east of the ciiy still contending with this messy weather. It is still prompting the likelihood of a pop-you are shower before the day is all said and done, but the heavier showers are anywhere barrie kind of towards bancroft and out towards the borderline with québec. Now, we are still under a thunderstorm watch here in the city. We have the right conditions. Warmer air at the surface, cooler airline aloft, and wind sheer, so we have all of those things that can make up the recipe for severe thunderstorm possibilities. Temperature-wise, nathan is right. It is still very hot. Humidex values into the MID-30s. Heading into this evening, though, it doesn't get much better, but at least the winds get a little bit lighter, but tonight that chance of active weather is going to linger. Comingcoming up, I'll have a look at your long-range forecast, but right now, back over to michelle and nathan. >> Michelle: thank you, jess. >> Nathan: at a council meeting today, councillors were discussing how to best deal with the growing financial issue. Ctv's natalie johnson is live tonight at city hall with the very latest. Natalie? >> Natalie: hi, nathan. It is no secret that so much of toronto's infrastructure is aging. Everything from roads to bridges to buildings found that 40% of them were in poor condition. And the cost here to maintain them is enormous. We're talking $40 billion, with a "b," over the next ten years. That is $26 billion more than the city expected. >> Reporter: the fountain in

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