CMQSD402F9011
New Member
That would be the solicitor general to act on. Ford hasn’t addressed the Court backlogs and the Jail overcrowding in this time. And courts in Ontario are already overburdened.
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Premier Doug Ford's Ontario
- Thread starter animatronic
- Start date
Northern Light
Superstar
Absolutely not Violent crime is down significantly in Ontario in the last few years. There is no sociological phenomenon at work that suggests arming more people is a good idea.
If that idea were effective fighting crime, like the death penalty and stiff sentences, the U.S. would be crime-free. Instead its the most violent nation in the G7 and 2nd most in the OECD.
Its a terrible strategy, and one that reeks of knee-jerk politics instead of thought-out, considered policy.
thettctransitfanatic
Senior Member
Ontarians will soon be allowed to 'BYOB' at outdoor public events
The Ford government will soon be allowing Ontarians to bring their own alcoholic beverages to outdoor public events.
toronto.citynews.ca
christiesplits
Senior Member
We were due for another Doug Ford booze related announcementOntarians will soon be allowed to 'BYOB' at outdoor public events
The Ford government will soon be allowing Ontarians to bring their own alcoholic beverages to outdoor public events.
UtakataNoAnnex
Superstar
What about the drunk and disorderly, Doug...
"That's what the pepper spray is for, stupid!"
...I am not sure I am the one being stupid here. >.<
"That's what the pepper spray is for, stupid!"
...I am not sure I am the one being stupid here. >.<
thettctransitfanatic
Senior Member
https://www.cp24.com/politics/queens-park/2026/03/17/ontario-could-soon-let-lone-drivers-use-hov-lanes-at-off-peak-hours/
The Ford government is eyeing changes to the Highway Traffic Act that would allow single-occupant vehicles to use High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes during off-peak hours, CTV News Toronto has learned.
“Gridlock is costing our economy billions of dollars every year and robbing Ontario drivers of valuable time and quality of life,” Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said.
“By allowing single-occupant vehicles to use HOV lanes during off-peak hours, we would help keep drivers moving across the province, so they can spend less time in traffic and more time with their families and friends.”
The government has not yet defined what times would constitute off-peak hours, but officials say that will be determined through consultations and by analyzing traffic data.
The new off-peak hours would be set out in regulation after being finalized later this year. The changes would apply to all existing, planned and future HOV lanes.
If finalized, the proposed changes would be implemented by the end of the year.
Sarkaria’s office said Ministry of Transportation modelling shows the proposed changes would improve travel times for all users, with average speeds increasing in both HOV and general-purpose lanes across major highways during off-peak hours.
Details about the projected time savings from the modelling have not yet been shared publicly.
Currently, HOV lanes are restricted to vehicles with two or more occupants. Other vehicles that are allowed to use the lanes include buses, licensed taxis, green-plate vehicles, airport limousines, motorcycles and emergency vehicles.
Lone drivers who win High-Occupancy Toll permits through a lottery can also pay to access HOV lanes on sections of the Queen Elizabeth Way, Highway 403 and Highway 410.
There are currently 237 kilometres of HOV lanes in the province, with another 146 kilometres planned.
Commercial vehicles longer than 6.5 metres would still be restricted from using HOV lanes under the proposed changes, the province says.
A study released in late 2024 estimated that congestion costs the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area close to $50 billion a year.
Last year Manhattan, N.Y. introduced a congestion toll to deal with gridlock, a move many congestion experts applauded, but some politicians decried.
The Ford government has vowed never to add tolls or congestion pricing to Ontario roads and has passed legislation in 2024 to prevent any future administration from taking that step.
Drivers with no passengers could soon be allowed to use Ontario HOV lanes
Lone drivers battling gridlock may soon be able to make use of carpool lanes to get around Ontario highways faster during certain times of the day.The Ford government is eyeing changes to the Highway Traffic Act that would allow single-occupant vehicles to use High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes during off-peak hours, CTV News Toronto has learned.
“Gridlock is costing our economy billions of dollars every year and robbing Ontario drivers of valuable time and quality of life,” Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said.
“By allowing single-occupant vehicles to use HOV lanes during off-peak hours, we would help keep drivers moving across the province, so they can spend less time in traffic and more time with their families and friends.”
The government has not yet defined what times would constitute off-peak hours, but officials say that will be determined through consultations and by analyzing traffic data.
The new off-peak hours would be set out in regulation after being finalized later this year. The changes would apply to all existing, planned and future HOV lanes.
If finalized, the proposed changes would be implemented by the end of the year.
Changes would save drivers time, province says
Government data show that as of 2022, single-occupant vehicles represented 72 per cent of vehicles on provincial highways.Sarkaria’s office said Ministry of Transportation modelling shows the proposed changes would improve travel times for all users, with average speeds increasing in both HOV and general-purpose lanes across major highways during off-peak hours.
Details about the projected time savings from the modelling have not yet been shared publicly.
Currently, HOV lanes are restricted to vehicles with two or more occupants. Other vehicles that are allowed to use the lanes include buses, licensed taxis, green-plate vehicles, airport limousines, motorcycles and emergency vehicles.
Lone drivers who win High-Occupancy Toll permits through a lottery can also pay to access HOV lanes on sections of the Queen Elizabeth Way, Highway 403 and Highway 410.
There are currently 237 kilometres of HOV lanes in the province, with another 146 kilometres planned.
Commercial vehicles longer than 6.5 metres would still be restricted from using HOV lanes under the proposed changes, the province says.
A study released in late 2024 estimated that congestion costs the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area close to $50 billion a year.
Last year Manhattan, N.Y. introduced a congestion toll to deal with gridlock, a move many congestion experts applauded, but some politicians decried.
The Ford government has vowed never to add tolls or congestion pricing to Ontario roads and has passed legislation in 2024 to prevent any future administration from taking that step.
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Mihairokov
Senior Member
We're nearing the point where Ford may as well just come out and say it's to muzzle journalists. Why not? It doesn't seem like his government can do anything to lose their voting base at this stage.
zang
Senior Member
By definition wouldn't "peak hours" be 95% of time the highway is congested, and generally the hours that business is being done (and thus, "lost productivity")?
And if so, what use does one actually gain from using HOV lanes outside of those peak hours? It's just adding an extra lane to a highway at a time it's not usually congested. WTF?
The 401 is North America's busiest highway. It's congested many hours of the day. Putting hourly limits means it'll either clog up the HOV lane at times when it's actually busy, or end up being functionally useless.
This seems like another useless piece of legislation aimed at appealing to his base. It's funny how the government throws stuff like this out when they're facing scrutiny.
UtakataNoAnnex
Superstar
...gotta feeling this is going to make congestion worse.
Monarch Butterfly
Superstar
Johnny Au
Superstar
I find the timing of this announcement more interesting because of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and various fan zones.Ontarians will soon be allowed to 'BYOB' at outdoor public events
The Ford government will soon be allowing Ontarians to bring their own alcoholic beverages to outdoor public events.
urbanclient
Active Member
Education policy discussion from a GO transit thread:
East Asia now has similar university graduation rates as Western countries. Naturally, all these countries have similar levels of underemployment and overeducation. Pencil pushing jobs that did not require a Bachelor's or Master's degree in the past now do. Cultural shifts and credentialism are part of the equation, but have those changes been wholly beneficial?
According to the OECD, 39% of working age Canadians now have a Bachelor's or higher (26% Bachelors, 13% Masters or higher). But I theorize that around a quarter of those 39% are in jobs that do not require their level of degree, if any degree at all in the past. Given that roughly half of Bachelor's degree holders may be considered underemployed after 10 years, and around a quarter of master's degree holders may be underemployed after 5 years, assuming American-specific data holds true for Canada.
Since underemployment is subjectively defined, different sources give very different numbers. In 2021, StatsCanada said: "The proportion of bachelor’s degree graduates under the age of 35 who obtained their degree in 2012 and 2013 and had an occupation in 2016 that required at most a high school diploma was 16.7%."
However, it did not separately identify bachelors degree holders in jobs that require only a college diploma or certificate.
www150.statcan.gc.ca
Perhaps it would be beneficial to move away from credentialism while also moving back to the collegiate, technical, and commercial model of high school education. But this is only my pipe dream.
An easier fix in the interim is to remove the postsecondary study requirement for professional programs like Medicine and Law; make them direct entry from high school like Europe. If necessary, lengthen the program for high school grads, keep the program length for applicants with prior postsecondary study.
Not everyone in pre-Med-y pre-Law-y programs in Canada go on to MD and JD programs. Some end up overeducated with less useful degrees.
"Table A1.1. Educational attainment of adults (2024) Percentage of 25-64 year-olds with a given level of education as the highest level attained"
Screenshot from (USA) TALENT DISRUPTED FEBRUARY 2024 College Graduates, Underemployment, and the Way Forward
It's this aspirational individualistic goal vs. what would be most beneficial to society... that is the issue. Sure it would be nice for everyone to push papers, but who's going to do the jobs essential to the functioning of society? The obvious one is construction, but what about maintenance and cleaning of infrastructure? Electricity, water, sewage etc... I know construction theoretically could use more skilled workers. But I don't know about the maintenance and cleaning. And both seem to be restricted by lack of capital in Canada.
East Asia now has similar university graduation rates as Western countries. Naturally, all these countries have similar levels of underemployment and overeducation. Pencil pushing jobs that did not require a Bachelor's or Master's degree in the past now do. Cultural shifts and credentialism are part of the equation, but have those changes been wholly beneficial?
According to the OECD, 39% of working age Canadians now have a Bachelor's or higher (26% Bachelors, 13% Masters or higher). But I theorize that around a quarter of those 39% are in jobs that do not require their level of degree, if any degree at all in the past. Given that roughly half of Bachelor's degree holders may be considered underemployed after 10 years, and around a quarter of master's degree holders may be underemployed after 5 years, assuming American-specific data holds true for Canada.
Since underemployment is subjectively defined, different sources give very different numbers. In 2021, StatsCanada said: "The proportion of bachelor’s degree graduates under the age of 35 who obtained their degree in 2012 and 2013 and had an occupation in 2016 that required at most a high school diploma was 16.7%."
However, it did not separately identify bachelors degree holders in jobs that require only a college diploma or certificate.
Overqualification among 2012 and 2013 bachelor's graduates
Using a new database created by integrating information from the Postsecondary Student Information System (PSIS) with 2016 Census data, this article examines the extent to which 2012 and 2013 graduates with a bachelor's degree who did not go back to school full time after graduating held a job...
Perhaps it would be beneficial to move away from credentialism while also moving back to the collegiate, technical, and commercial model of high school education. But this is only my pipe dream.
An easier fix in the interim is to remove the postsecondary study requirement for professional programs like Medicine and Law; make them direct entry from high school like Europe. If necessary, lengthen the program for high school grads, keep the program length for applicants with prior postsecondary study.
Not everyone in pre-Med-y pre-Law-y programs in Canada go on to MD and JD programs. Some end up overeducated with less useful degrees.
"Table A1.1. Educational attainment of adults (2024) Percentage of 25-64 year-olds with a given level of education as the highest level attained"
Screenshot from (USA) TALENT DISRUPTED FEBRUARY 2024 College Graduates, Underemployment, and the Way Forward
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UtakataNoAnnex
Superstar
...I read that as sleep with the fishes. >.<
Monarch Butterfly
Superstar
Allow restaurants to give alcohol to go, including drinks you haven't finished, so you can walk out the restaurant with the left over beer or wine in a to go container.
thettctransitfanatic
Senior Member
New Ontario Abacus poll:
OPC 44 (-)
OLP 32 (+2)
ONDP 16
GPO 5 (-1)
Other 3 (-1)
OPC leads in every region of Ontario, but huge differences among age:
18-29: OLP 48 OPC 26
30-44 OPC 39 OLP 37
45-59 OPC 52 OLP 23
60+ OPC 51 OLP 26
48% say it is definitely time for a change in government. Another 18% say it would be nice to have a change in government. Combined, 66% say they want a change, just 35% combined say the PCs deserve to be reelected.
OPC 44 (-)
OLP 32 (+2)
ONDP 16
GPO 5 (-1)
Other 3 (-1)
OPC leads in every region of Ontario, but huge differences among age:
18-29: OLP 48 OPC 26
30-44 OPC 39 OLP 37
45-59 OPC 52 OLP 23
60+ OPC 51 OLP 26
48% say it is definitely time for a change in government. Another 18% say it would be nice to have a change in government. Combined, 66% say they want a change, just 35% combined say the PCs deserve to be reelected.
