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Allison Smith

@allisonsmith52.bsky.social
4.2K followers 317 following 302 posts

Journalist @ The G&M. Formerly: founding editor of @torontotoday.ca; publisher of Queen’s Park Today, Politics Today; co-host of Wag the Doug

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Allison Smith @allisonsmith52.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
AI food ads make everything look like a quesadilla
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Allison Smith @allisonsmith52.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Watched last night’s Jays highlights via the Texas broadcast, and one of their announcers casually referred to Kirk as “the stocky catcher.”
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Allison Smith @allisonsmith52.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Alberta referendum remain campaign:
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Allison Smith @allisonsmith52.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
✊🏼
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Allison Smith @allisonsmith52.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
I love the new King Street West Shake Shack. #shakes
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TorontoToday @torontotoday.ca · 12/06/2026
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Toronto’s ‘naked bike ride’ has split in two, with competing events on Saturday
The clothing-optional World Naked Bike Ride planned for Saturday has been an annual event in Toronto since 2004. Now, a new one planned at the same time hopes to replace it
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Allison Smith @allisonsmith52.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...
theguardian.com
David Hockney, pioneering British artist famed for his pools and portraits, dies aged 88
The peroxide blond painter from Yorkshire made his name with sunkissed visions of California and never stopped breaking barriers, going on to become one of contemporary art’s most important figures
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Allison Smith @allisonsmith52.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
In professional news, I'm excited to announce I am joining the Globe and Mail. I am starting an editing role at the newspaper next week. Leading TorontoToday was an amazing experience. Thanks to the team for the excellent journalistic challenge (and congrats on the CAJ nom!).
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TorontoToday @torontotoday.ca · 07/04/2026
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TDSB to cut more than 600 teachers next year
The Toronto District School Board is planning to slash about 484 elementary teacher jobs and about 123 secondary teacher positions
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TorontoToday @torontotoday.ca · 06/04/2026
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Prominent Toronto tenant union expands citywide
On April 18, tenants from across the city will gather for the founding convention of the Toronto Tenant Union
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Matt Elliott @graphicmatt.com · 31/03/2026
Annoying TTC thing: the city wrapped up their construction work at Queen & Broadview weeks early (yay) but the 504 and 501 streetcars aren’t going to return to their normal routing until May 3, because that’s the start of the next “board period.” Why run an unnecessary diversion for a month?
Regular service will resume on the 504D King replacement bus as traffic restrictions tied to construction at Queen Street East between Broadview Avenue and Davies Avenue end. Buses will continue to operate between Broadview Station and King Street East and Parliament Street via King Street East in both directions.

504B/304 King streetcars are scheduled to resume regular routing Sunday, May 3.

Please note: These route changes will not be reflected on the TTC’s Routes and Schedules pages or most trip planning apps until Sunday, May 3, 2026.Regular service will resume on the 301B Queen replacement bus as traffic restrictions tied to construction at Queen Street East between Broadview Avenue and Davies Avenue, end. Buses will continue to operate between Broadview Station and King Street East and Parliament Street via Queen Street East in both directions.

There will be no change to 501/301 Queen streetcar service. 

501/301 Queen streetcars are scheduled to resume regular routing on Sunday, May 3. 

Please note: These route changes will not be reflected on the TTC’s Routes and Schedules pages or most trip planning apps until Sunday, May 3, 2026.
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TorontoToday @torontotoday.ca · 30/03/2026
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Carney calls Ford’s Billy Bishop jet plan a ‘very interesting vision’
The prime minister said removing the City of Toronto’s say over the island airport’s future would create ‘efficiency’
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TorontoToday @torontotoday.ca · 30/03/2026
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Queen Street West is getting a new park. Here's how the city's plan is shaping up
Local residents say they want to see more kid-friendly infrastructure, incorporation of public art and consultations with the local BIA as plans move forward
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TorontoToday @torontotoday.ca · 27/03/2026
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Toronto council votes to join Supreme Court case against Ford government’s Ontario Place redevelopment
Decision could put Premier Doug Ford at odds with Mayor Olivia Chow, who previously promised to drop her opposition to the Ontario Place redevelopment
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TorontoToday @torontotoday.ca · 27/03/2026
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TCDSB supervisor cuts international language elementary program, impacting 19,000 students
The longtime language program will no longer be offered in September, leading to the loss of about 100 teacher jobs, according to the teachers' union
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TorontoToday @torontotoday.ca · 19/03/2026
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Metrolinx ‘firewall’ blocking Finch LRT location data from transit apps
Locked out of its own data, the TTC admits Google Maps and popular transit apps are forced to rely on inaccurate scheduled times for the Finch West LRT
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Cycle Toronto @cycletoronto.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
"Longfield believes drivers treat stopping in bike lanes too casually — seeing it as 'not a big deal,' especially if they’re just going to be there for a few minutes. However, he said that the city’s cycling network is only as strong as its weakest link." www.torontotoday.ca/local/city-p...
torontotoday.ca
Why did Toronto bike lane parking tickets surge in 2025?
Toronto police issued over 17,000 tickets to drivers parked in the city’s bike lanes last year — up more than 6,000 tickets from 2024
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Gabe Oatley @gabeoatley.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
New: Toronto police issued over 17,000 tickets to drivers parked in the city’s bike lanes last year — up more than 6,000 tickets from 2024. #topoli #onpoli #cycling www.torontotoday.ca/local/city-p...
torontotoday.ca
Why did Toronto bike lane parking tickets surge in 2025?
Toronto police issued over 17,000 tickets to drivers parked in the city’s bike lanes last year — up more than 6,000 tickets from 2024
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Tu Thanh Ha @tuthanhha.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
The Ontario government will introduce legislation that would exempt the Premier, cabinet ministers and their offices from having to respond to freedom of information requests, allowing them to keep documents and emails about their decision-making secret. www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
theglobeandmail.com
Ontario to introduce bill exempting Premier, cabinet from FOI requests
Government’s proposed changes follow its loss of court battle over call logs for Ford’s personal cellphone
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Jonny Wakefield @jonnywakefield.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
From the inbox: two Alberta First Nations chiefs met with King Charles at Buckingham Palace about Alberta separatism
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Matt Elliott @graphicmatt.com · 11/03/2026
50+ TTC streetcars sitting unused in a yard each day seems like a huge missed opportunity. (And should probably really annoy the federal and provincial govs who helped pay for them?) stevemunro.ca/2026/03/06/t...
Table from URL showing scheduled streetcars in service versus the total fleet size.
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TorontoToday @torontotoday.ca · 11/03/2026
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Brad Bradford spotted meeting with Michael Ford as he mulls mayoral bid
Bradford described the pair as ‘close friends’ who were sharing ideas
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Allison Smith @allisonsmith52.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
Toronto’s Finest
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Jamie Bradburn @jbcurio.bsky.social · 25/02/2026
NEW! Today marks the 60th anniversary of the ceremonial opening of the Bloor-Danforth subway (now Line 2). For Toronto Today @torontotoday.ca I look at its origins and how its first few days went. Guest-starring a Shelbyville idea... #TOHistory www.torontotoday.ca/local/histor...
torontotoday.ca
60 years ago, the Bloor-Danforth Line opened. Here’s a look back at the confusion and chaos
The opening of the TTC's Bloor-Danforth line was consumed by familiar debates over car culture, streetcars vs. subways, and whether the suburbs should fund transit
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Shawn Micallef @shawnmicallef.bsky.social · 21/02/2026
The melt off in Trinity Bellwoods follows buried Garrison Creek below! You can’t keep a good creek down.
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TorontoToday @torontotoday.ca · 19/02/2026
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‘I’d call you up and rip your face off’: Ford's son-in-law tells police tribunal he was belittled by superior
The premier’s son-in-law is facing 12 police act charges for discreditable conduct, breach of confidence and insubordination
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Allison Smith @allisonsmith52.bsky.social · 10/02/2026
Administrators from six Toronto private schools, including some of the city’s most exclusive, told TorontoToday they’ve seen increased parent interest for admissions for Sept. 2026. Class sizes/TDSB troubles/teacher expertise are among the reasons why parents are looking outside the public system.
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Allison Smith @allisonsmith52.bsky.social · 10/02/2026
Administrators from six Toronto private schools, including some of the city’s most exclusive, told TorontoToday they’ve seen increased parent interest for admissions for Sept. 2026. Class sizes/TDSB troubles/teacher expertise are among the reasons why parents are looking outside the public system.
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TorontoToday @torontotoday.ca · 10/02/2026
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Toronto private schools see increased demand amid TDSB troubles
Tuition of over $30,000 per year is not holding back some Toronto-area parents from exploring private schools for their children
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Transit Toronto @transittoronto.bsky.social · 08/02/2026
Line 5 opening day is here
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TorontoToday @torontotoday.ca · 06/02/2026
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Filmores strip club wants to reopen in a new location. Will Toronto’s zoning rules allow it?
The legendary venue was one of the few remaining strip clubs in Toronto — and the city’s strict zoning rules may keep it that way
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TorontoToday @torontotoday.ca · 03/02/2026
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Rob Ford’s daughter elected to Ontario PC Party executive
Stephanie Ford is the 20-year-old daughter of late Toronto mayor Rob Ford and niece of Ontario Premier Doug Ford
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TorontoToday @torontotoday.ca · 27/01/2026
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Over $10K raised for two ‘beloved’ teachers fired by TDSB from east end school
Parents of Bowmore Road Public School are calling on the board to reinstate two Grade 7 teachers who were fired in late January
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TorontoToday @torontotoday.ca · 27/01/2026
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Toronto bike lane battle heads to Ontario’s top court this week
Provincial lawyers will argue that bike lanes on Yonge, Bloor and University aren’t actually safe enough to require preservation
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TorontoToday @torontotoday.ca · 26/01/2026
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Activists warn ROM not to 'erase Palestine' with new ancient artifact labels
The ROM is changing the labels on artifacts previously identified as originating from Palestine and/or Syria, leading to accusations the museum is bowing to political pressure
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TorontoToday @torontotoday.ca · 08/01/2026
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York U student group denies MP’s claim it blocked a planned campus event for ideological reasons
CPC MP Garnett Genuis claimed his event at York University was blocked due to free speech censorship. A student organization says that’s false.
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TorontoToday @torontotoday.ca · 23/12/2025
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Tenants of Chinatown rooming house protest landlord, citing bedbugs, rats
Tenants of the rooming house at 564 Dundas Street West protested their landlord after a previous rent strike did not lead to a resolution to their concerns
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Allison Smith @allisonsmith52.bsky.social · 18/12/2025
TorontoToday spoke to clients entering the Grifols paid plasma clinic in North York this week, where they would receive up to $100 for their plasma. All of them said they were there because they needed money. One man from Scarborough, who appeared to be in his 40s, said he was “f—ing broke.”
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TorontoToday @torontotoday.ca · 17/12/2025
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Some Torontonians are selling their blood plasma to make ends meet
Paying for blood is illegal in Ontario, but a for-profit company recently opened two new paid locations in Toronto thanks to a Canadian Blood Services exemption
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TorontoToday @torontotoday.ca · 15/12/2025
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A Toronto tattoo studio is offering ‘painless’ tattoos under anesthesia
Heartless Ink sets up high-paying clients with daylong tattooing sessions at a plastic surgery centre. Traditional tattoo artists call the service a ‘cop out’ and a ‘slap in the face’ to the industry
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Matt Elliott @graphicmatt.com · 09/12/2025
Having trouble parsing this one. Is Godzilla supposed to be a NIMBY or a YIMBY? (via www.torontotoday.ca/local/real-e...)
A poster image from a group called the “High Park North Coalition” opposing a development. Godzilla is pictured breathing fire at two proposed towers.
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TorontoToday @torontotoday.ca · 09/12/2025
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High-speed rail may not connect to Toronto’s Union Station: Alto CEO
‘The objective would be to have a station in the vicinity of Union Station,’ said Martin Imbleau, CEO of the crown corporation tasked with delivering high-speed rail between Toronto and Québec City
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Allison Smith @allisonsmith52.bsky.social · 28/11/2025
The City of Toronto plans to skirt the Ford government’s bike lane ban by narrowing the width of roads to squeeze in 20km of new bike lanes, rather than removing car lanes www.torontotoday.ca/local/city-h...
torontotoday.ca
Toronto proposes over 20 km of new bike lanes, bypassing provincial veto
The city plans to skirt the Ford government’s bike lane ban by narrowing the width of roads to squeeze in bike lanes, rather than removing car lanes
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TorontoToday @torontotoday.ca · 26/11/2025
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Two Toronto councillors travel to Israel for briefing with deputy foreign minister
James Pasternak and Mike Colle’s offices did not respond to questions about how the trip was paid for
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TorontoToday @torontotoday.ca · 24/11/2025
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Arson suspected in St. Anne’s fire: church
The Diocese of Toronto and St. Anne's said a Toronto police official told the congregation Sunday that the devastating 2024 fire is now being treated as a suspected arson
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Mike Schreiner @mikeschreiner.bsky.social · 23/11/2025
Wow, big crowd out here in Guelph for the first weekend train. Lots of happy commuters and families going to Toronto for the day. Thanks to everyone who pushed to convince Metrolinx that there is demand for weekend service.
Mike posing with 6 adults and two children on the GO train platform in Guelph. Behind them crowds of people are waiting for their train.Line ups of people waiting to get in the green GO train.A crowd of people entering the open doors of a GO train
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Allison Smith @allisonsmith52.bsky.social · 21/11/2025
Today in raccoon evolution news:
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Allison Smith @allisonsmith52.bsky.social · 22/12/2024
‘Down with Santa!’: The story of Richard Dildy, the Toronto man arrested for protesting Santa Claus A very funny tale of 1970s/80s Toronto from new @torontotoday.ca contributor @jbcurio.bsky.social www.torontotoday.ca/local/histor...
torontotoday.ca
‘Down with Santa!’: The story of Richard Dildy, the Toronto man arrested for protesting Santa Claus
Vietnam veteran Richard Dildy was arrested for shouting “There is no Santa Claus!” during Toronto’s 1980 Santa Claus Parade. He was on a crusade against lying to children.
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josh o'kane @joshokane.bsky.social · 18/11/2025
"Since 2023, expenses have grown and vastly outpaced revenues, leading to losses of more than $1.2 million over three short seasons." exclaim.ca/music/articl...
exclaim.ca
Riverfest Elora Shutters Operations After 15 Years │ Exclaim!
"The gap between what it costs to deliver a world-class festival experience and what is financially viable has grown unbridgeably wide"
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