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Amber Shortt

@amber7shortt.bsky.social
56 followers 104 following 34 posts

Toronto Star housing editor. Email: ambershortt@thestar.ca. I write a weekly Toronto housing newsletter, sign up for SABEW award-winning "Living Here" here: thestar.com/newsletters.

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Amber Shortt @amber7shortt.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
One reason noted is fixed-term leases, which Doug Ford was at point considering for Ontario: www.thestar.com/news/canada/...
thestar.com
How Nova Scotia became Canada’s most expensive province for average asking rents
In Halifax, a one-bedroom apartment is listed for rent at $1,750 a month, located in a three-storey building on Tower Road, about three blocks east of Dalhousie University.
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Rebecca Solnit @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
@jkbjournalist.bsky.social reopened the Epstein case; Heidi Blake seems to have restarted the UK prosecuting Andrew Tate; Ronan Farrow, Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor made the system finally go after Weinstein for real. Journalism has again and again made the justice system do its job.
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Isaac Callan @isaaccallan.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
What input did Therme or Live Nation have (if any) crafting the MZO that was eventually issued to bypass approvals for Ontario Place? We’ll never know. And somehow it took the government two years to decide those communications were privileged. #OnPoli
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Liz Renzetti @lizrenzetti.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Sex toys flying from the stands at WNBA games. Jokes about slapping women. Women's sports is gaining ground, and that means the backlash is right behind, I wrote for @thestar.com www.thestar.com/gift-redeem?...
thestar.com
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Amber Shortt @amber7shortt.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
"In 2017, 1-in-100 Ontario students participated in sports betting. By 2025, it was 1-in-10. Nearly 1-in-4 students saw ads every day that encouraged — and normalized — gambling." www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
thestar.com
Iris Gorfinkel: Teen sports betting is skyrocketing. Why won’t the Ford government act?
Compared to lotteries, online wagering was 45 times more likely to result in problem gambling. Each lost wager raises desperation levels, trapping teens in a vicious cycle of chasing losses.
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Taylor Noakes @taylornoakes.com · 14/09/2026
Talking about filling out the census with family and friends at Thanksgiving
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Amber Shortt @amber7shortt.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
"The speed camera, which was near the crosswalk where the teen was hit, had been removed as part of a provincial government directive that road safety advocates and municipal leaders warned would lead to more injuries and death on city roads." www.thestar.com/news/gta/fam...
thestar.com
A Toronto teen struck near the site of a removed speed camera suffered a brain injury. Now his family is suing the province
According to the statement of claim, the boy suffered a number of injuries, including a traumatic brain injury and ongoing cognitive, psychological and behavioural effects.
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Reo Eveleth @reveleth.com · 19/08/2026
wow WHO could have POSSIBLY seen this coming?
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David Rider @dmrider.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Must-read from May Warren: Ont. govt. is selling a swath of Muskoka waterfront to an PC party donor being sued over a Vaughan condo project. A planner for the proposed resort says the govt. is guaranteeing an MZO to overrule local planning. Ford govt. denies www.thestar.com/real-estate/...
thestar.com
Did the Ford government promise an MZO as part of a secret Muskoka land deal? Residents want answers
The Ford government says there isn’t a controversial Minister’s Zoning Order on the Cliff Bay project, but the team for the developer proposing a resort on the abandoned waterfront site says it’s a co...
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May Warren @maywarren11.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Over the weekend I dug into a controversial planned development in Muskoka, a secretive deal, and a Minister's Zoning Order the province said was never promised: www.thestar.com/real-estate/...
thestar.com
Did the Ford government promise an MZO as part of a secret Muskoka land deal? Residents want answers
The Ford government says there isn’t a controversial Minister’s Zoning Order on the Cliff Bay project, but the team for the developer proposing a resort on the abandoned waterfront site says it’s a co...
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Amber Shortt @amber7shortt.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
In 10 years from now, “the (condo) financing model will be very different than it is now.” - New story from @clarriefeinstein.bsky.social on how Toronto can ditch condo presales www.thestar.com/real-estate/...
thestar.com
Toronto’s condo presale model isn’t working. Here’s how to build without it
Canadian lenders require developers to presell 80 per cent of units to gain financing, a model criticized for fueling speculation and contributing to the condo crash..
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Steve Russell @steverussell.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
The view of the Northern Ontario forest fire haze engulfing the Toronto Skyline from Humber Bay Park West. #ForestFire #TorontoHaze #TheBigSmoke #Toronto
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Amber Shortt @amber7shortt.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
"Experts from CSIS testified that anti-feminist ideology is 'an enabling factor along pathways to violent extremism' ... Is that enough to make people pay attention?" www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
thestar.com
Elizabeth Renzetti: There’s a common denominator in the worst acts of mass violence in recent Canadian history
Violent attacks can be stopped if government, tech giants, take action against tide of hatred
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Jay Pitter @jaypitter.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
This is bigger than any premier or party. If a single elected official can unilaterally advance policies with adverse public safety impacts, we should be asking hard questions about the strength of our democracy & advocating like hell for evidence-based placemaking. #EvidenceBasedPlacemaking
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Amber Shortt @amber7shortt.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
"The report also notes that two fatal collisions have occurred within 100 metres of former speed camera sites over the past six months, and collisions and fatalities in the city are the highest they have been since 2022." www.thestar.com/news/gta/spe...
thestar.com
Speeding in Toronto spiked after speed cameras were removed, city report finds
Car-related collisions and fatalities in the city are the highest they have been since 2022, the city report also found.
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Amber Shortt @amber7shortt.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Ontario's HST rebate has done little to help Toronto's market. Multiplexes might be the exception. From @manuelavega.bsky.social: www.thestar.com/real-estate/...
thestar.com
Prices are dropping for these niche Toronto homes in family-friendly neighbourhoods. Will it last?
Prices are down for these ‘missing middle’ units in lowrise neighbourhoods, but experts say builders are up against the clock.
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Amber Shortt @amber7shortt.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Toronto developer fee-cut deal comes with strings - "The bigger the units, the more affordable it is to build" www.thestar.com/real-estate/...
thestar.com
Toronto council greenlights deal to cut development charges by up to 60 per cent
City council discussed the finer details of the funding, under the Development Charge Reduction Program, at its Wednesday meeting.
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Lauren Dobson-Hughes @ldobsonhughes.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
Musk says not a single person has died due to him axing USAID. Sadly, part of my job involves tracking aid spending. So here’s a thread with just some of the people who lost their lives because of USAID cuts
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Toronto Star @thestar.com · 22/06/2026
The expanded HST rebate announced in March continued to boost new GTA home sales in May, but confusion on how it works led some buyers to hold off, according to the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD). Here's a closer look from @manuelavega.bsky.social:
thestar.com
HST boost led to nearly fourfold increase in Toronto-area new single-family home sales in May
Overall new home sales remained below historic levels, dragged down by new condo sales, says Toronto builders group.
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Toronto Star @thestar.com · 22/06/2026
#Exclusive: After months of delays, Ontario’s HST rebate program — now expanded from first-time buyers to all buyers — is officially launching today. 🏘️ New from @clarriefeinstein.bsky.social:
thestar.com
Expanded HST rebate on new Ontario homes launches Monday after three-month wait
After a three-month wait, the federal government announced it is making the regulatory changes that will see buyers save up to $130,000 on a new home.
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Amber Shortt @amber7shortt.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
"The Ford government has shut it down for 21 weeks, an 'extended summer recess.' This follows a 14-week 'winter break,' adding up to a whopping 35 weeks without a sitting legislature in a year when the health system is in crisis." www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
thestar.com
Iris Gorfinkel: Doug Ford is shutting down the legislature for 35 weeks while Ontario’s health system burns
News flash: Municipalities cannot fix mental health, ER waits and homelessness without a functioning provincial legislature.
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Shawn Micallef @shawnmicallef.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
This is a great comparison. It's hard to get the public to understand how secret Canada is, and why they should care (and why it isn't just a "journalist problem"). This lays out why, and the difference, starkly.
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Emma McIntosh @emmamci.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Update to my story from the weekend:
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Matt Elliott @graphicmatt.com · 16/06/2026
My @thestar.com column: To call the island airport expansion idea "half-baked" is an insult to baked goods. There are scant details. No credible projections. And few facts. Toronto is in absurd situation — debating a notion instead of a plan. That won't fly. www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
thestar.com
Matt Elliott: How can Toronto debate the Billy Bishop airport expansion plan? Doug Ford doesn’t have a plan
It’s not some NIMBY impulse to wonder if the central waterfront of Canada’s largest city is really the best place for a much busier airport.
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Amber Shortt @amber7shortt.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
From @ghadaa.bsky.social - gift link in reply. www.thestar.com/news/canada/...
thestar.com
Migrant farm workers will soon get less information about pesticides. Their union says Health Canada has failed them
Making it optional for pesticide companies to provide safety data sheets to farm workers puts their health at risk, union says.
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Amber Shortt @amber7shortt.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
"According to Rezvany, the TPA asked those in the meeting to sign a nondisclosure agreement, which city staff did but the mayor’s office did not." www.thestar.com/news/gta/may...
thestar.com
Mayor Olivia Chow accuses federally mandated port authority of hiding early plans for Billy Bishop
The Toronto Port Authority has repeatedly promised that all of its stakeholders, including the city, will eventually be consulted before a final version of the Billy Bishop expansion plan is made publ...
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Emma McIntosh @emmamci.bsky.social · 14/06/2026
My latest. This story is based on FOI documents released before the Ford government changed the law. Under the new rules, the province will now be able to keep records like this secret.
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Toronto Star @thestar.com · 11/06/2026
Just in: Canada’s privacy commissioner found that X’s AI image tool Grok allowed users around the world to create sexualized deepfakes of women and children because it was launched without proper safeguards. #cdnpoli
thestar.com
X’s AI tool Grok violated law with sexualized deepfakes of women and children, privacy commissioner finds
The commissioner said X has put more safeguards in place since the investigation began, but issues remain.
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Amber Shortt @amber7shortt.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
www.thestar.com/real-estate/...
thestar.com
Developer unveils vision for Toronto rail deck community at site once envisioned as a giant park
The plans include thousands of new homes, retail, office, and park space — though not as much as the original City of Toronto dream.
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Amber Shortt @amber7shortt.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
"More than anything else, the federal consultation should have made it clear that what we are looking at is a stark and likely permanent choice about what, and who, Toronto’s waterfront is for." www.thestar.com/opinion/star...
thestar.com
Richard Warnica: Expanding Billy Bishop would change Toronto’s waterfront forever. This is how Toronto can actually have a say
10 million air passengers downtown is a change the city should get a say in.
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Richard Warnica @rwarnica.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
Doug Ford cut Toronto out of the island airport debate. There’s no reason Mark Carney’s Liberals have to play along www.thestar.com/opinion/star...
thestar.com
Richard Warnica: Expanding Billy Bishop would change Toronto’s waterfront forever. This is how Toronto can actually have a say
10 million air passengers downtown is a change the city should get a say in.
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Amber Shortt @amber7shortt.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
"The fund 'receives a return on its equity investments in the form of capital appreciation, but we also measure our return based on the public benefits associated with the project.'" www.thestar.com/real-estate/...
thestar.com
Ontario is putting up to $178 million into a stalled Toronto rental project. Is it a good investment or ‘bailout’?
The province is funding the investment for the Scarborough project through the Build Ontario Fund, a Crown agency whose mandate is to invest in infrastructure that makes a profit.
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Amber Shortt @amber7shortt.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
"Lydia’s law ... would have required the province to provide statistics on how sexual assault cases are progressing through the court system." www.thestar.com/politics/pro...
thestar.com
Ford government defeats NDP bill to help sexual assault survivors
A New Democrat MPP says she's not giving up a push to help sexual assault survivors.
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Glyn Bowerman @glynbowerman.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
So JP Morgan is behind the Billy Bishop expansion push, but the people it hired to lobby all levels of government didn’t disclose it in the lobbyist registries. From @rwarnica.bsky.social: www.thestar.com/opinion/star...
thestar.com
Richard Warnica: Who’s behind the massive lobbying campaign to expand the island airport? What I discovered should worry us all
One key player? A large American bank.
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Liz Renzetti @lizrenzetti.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
This is a wild story, and everyone in Toronto should read it. A major American bank is behind the push to expand Billy Bishop airport. It has nothing to do with what people in the city want. This should be a HUGE election issue
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Amber Shortt @amber7shortt.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
Crucial work here from @rwarnica.bsky.social: "IIG was founded by JP Morgan in 2006, is staffed entirely by JP Morgan employees and run out of JP Morgan offices, primarily in New York, as something akin to an in-house private equity fund." www.thestar.com/opinion/star...
thestar.com
Richard Warnica: Who’s behind the massive lobbying campaign to expand the island airport? What I discovered should worry us all
One key player? A large American bank.
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David Rider @dmrider.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
Wonder how AI can be used (responsibly!) in journalism? Or what mayors have been doing with provincially bestowed super powers if they aren't getting a lot of housing built? Put your questions to me and Kate Allen here www.thestar.com/news/gta/dou... and we'll answer them at noon today
thestar.com
Doug Ford gave mayors powers to build homes. Join us at noon to discuss what they actually did
The Star reveals mayors rarely use their new powers for housing. Ask David Rider and Kate Allen about it May 27 at noon.
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Shawn Micallef @shawnmicallef.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
I heard from the Star's EIC Nicole McIntyre that this big investigation was coming down the pipe, along with a piece explaining the methodology + how AI was used, transparently. A rare case.
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Amber Shortt @amber7shortt.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
Gift link: Doug Ford gave Ontario mayors more powers to build housing. Here’s what has actually happened via @thestar.com www.thestar.com/gift-redeem?...
thestar.com
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Shawn Micallef @shawnmicallef.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
And it was bad to begin with! Nobody's figured out how to make this issue connect with normies vs wonks but it's critical for all. Maybe something like hiding a private jet - those angles.
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Anna Mehler Paperny @mehlerpaperny.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
Across Canada, politicians are betting you don't care about restricting access to information. Prove them wrong. ijb.utoronto.ca/news/reflect...
ijb.utoronto.ca
Reflection: What's at stake in Canadian transparency tussles - Investigative Journalism Bureau
One of the best ways to lose friends at a party is to bring up freedom-of-information legislation.  Try it the next time you want to escape an awkward social interaction. “Oh, that is so interesting. ...
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Liz Renzetti @lizrenzetti.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Really starting to wonder what Doug Ford is so desperate to hide 🤔
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Toronto Star @thestar.com · 12/05/2026
Ontario data reveals that $13.1 million in financial aid over two years — a small fraction of total disbursements — was wrongly granted to students.  The numbers raise questions about the scale of alleged abuse Premier Doug Ford cited, in part, to justify overhauling #OSAP.
thestar.com
Doug Ford cited abuse of OSAP. Here's what new data shows
Records show how much aid given due to reasons including “false or invalid information, incorrect statuses or participation in non-bona fide studies.”
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Jack Hauen @jackhauen.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
When we pushed the transportation minister on it, he said the amount of taxpayer money given to the premier's friend's company is "private." #onpoli www.thetrillium.ca/news/governm...
thetrillium.ca
Ford friend’s Metrolinx settlement ‘private’: transportation minister
Carmine Nigro’s development group sought $500 million in expropriation battle over ‘air rights’ it did not own
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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
This is courageous and essential reporting. A wake up call for Albertans and Canadians. #ableg #abpoli #cdnpoli
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Shawn Micallef @shawnmicallef.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
This is not justice. You never have to listen to an Ontario Progressive Conservative talk about law & order again. Put this back in their face. Every minister, every back bencher. They all voted for secret govt.
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Isaac Callan @isaaccallan.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
The Ford government's weakening of its FOI regime has cut off public access to hundreds of records about the Greenbelt scandal that were about to be released to @jessiecatherine.bsky.social. Processing versus cancelling timelines are notable. #Onpoli www.thetrillium.ca/news/the-tri...
thetrillium.ca
Ford government’s FOI changes block release of 219 Greenbelt 'investment-opportunity meeting' records
One email chain among the hundreds of records being withheld from The Trillium concerns a meeting between ‘Mr. X’ and Minister David Piccini about land that was later removed from the Greenbelt
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Richard Warnica @rwarnica.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
I often thought about writing a piece, when I was still in business, extending the arguments about social media and smartphones in schools to impacts of social media and smartphones at work.
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Alex Bozikovic @alexbozikovic.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
The new Ontario Place, now including a provincial police station with highway patrol and horses. A great park in the making!
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Fatima Syed @fatimabsyed.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
The Doug Ford gov't has passed its 2026 budget bill, which officially removes Ontario's right to know. How he governs, why decisions get made—we'll never know. The same bill consolidates conservation authorities. That's your democracy & your drinking water being impacted #onpoli
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