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—George Orwell

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Condo News
28 September 2017

Businesses near future safe injection site concerned about security
680 News
By: Adrian Ghobrial
13 September 2017

From crack and heroin dealers, to sexual favours being performed out in the open, the scene near a future safe injection site has been rough in recent months, according to local businesses.

They’re worried neighbourhood safety will get even worse once a planned safe injection site opens at the Queen West Community Health Centre (CHC) at Bathurst and Richmond streets. Since the site was announced last year, Patrick Penman, co-owner of The Football Factory across the street, said he’s noticed a change in the people frequenting the area, adding one of them threatened his customers.

“He threatened to cut the heads off of the people sitting on the patio and then when I told him that was not a good idea, then he threatened to cut my head off,” Penman said. “He punched me in the face, split my lip open, cut my face.

“He was tasered 12 times by cops and kept getting back up and he injured two officers in the process.”

Penman’s bar and restaurant has been in business at that location for a decade. During that time, they’ve had a bumpy but amicable relationship with their the Queen West CHC. But since it was announced the centre will be one of Toronto’s three safe infection sites, things have changed, according to Penman.

“There’s been a turnover with the local drug dealers,” he said. “The local drug dealer, or that group, had been here for a decade.

“He was murdered on the corner, and there’s a new, much more savvy, group that has come down. It’s almost like, you go where the business is. They came into the neighbourhood to take over the neighbourhood, waiting for the influx of people coming to use the safe injection sites.”

Across the street, several homes slated for redevelopment have been boarded up. But area businesses claim the new dealers on the block have begun using the vacant properties as bawdy houses, cooking drugs and bringing in sex-trade workers.

Photos provided to CityNews allegedly show people openly smoking crack, and an influx of dealers and users around the Queen West CHC when the sun goes down.

Penman and others are calling for 24-hour security outside the centre as well as security cameras. Area councillor Joe Cressy said police are working on security measures though he doesn’t believe crime is on the rise.

“The research has shown that when safe injection sites go in, local crime and public drug use goes down because it moves inside,” he said. “That doesn’t mean that we don’t have safety and security protocols in place. We’re working really closely with the Toronto Police Service and the local division to have them in place 24 hours.”``

Cressy denied claims made by citizens that the city “cherry picked the research” and “screwed the numbers” to back its claims that injection sites make communities safer.

“We have, in downtown Toronto, incidents associated with crime unfortunately,” he said. “We also have an escalating overdose crisis. I think it would be unfair to say, ‘I had a criminal experience; therefore it must be the fault of a supervised injection site to come in the future.’”

Toronto police confirm they’re working on a safety plan for the areas around the safe injection sites.

Penman said officers he’s spoken to have said their resources are being pushed to the limits. They’ve told him when they’re called to situations around the Queen West CHC, it’s basically a catch-and-release program.

Currently in Toronto there is one official safe injection site running near Yonge and Dundas streets, with more slated to open in the coming months.

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Condo News
23 September 2017

Information Session on Tenant's Rights

Host:	Dipika Damerla MPP
	Mississauga East-Cooksville
Where:	Burnhamthorpe Library
	3650 Dixie Rd, Mississauga  Room #101
When:	Saturday 30 September 2017
	2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
What:	The information session will focus on the new changes to Ontario's tenancy laws and will feature a Question and Answer period.

Who should attend?
I suggest that anyone who rents a condo unit should attend this session so you will understand the new protections that Ontario renters now enjoy.

I would also urge any condo owner who rents condo units to learn how the new tenancy laws affect you so you do not unintentionally run afoul of the new legislation.

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Condo News
14 September 2017

Condo News back in print
I was on vacation in China for three weeks so Condo News had to wait for my return. China blocks Google, GMail, MailChimp, the CBC, The New York Times plus other sites that have annoyed the national government. Also, I did not have fast enough bandwidth to upload files.

I could read the Toronto Star, the Toronto Sun and the National Post.

Condo Legal Q&A column
The latest Ontario condo law column from Gerry Hyman in the Toronto Star is very good. I hope everyone reads it.
http://bit.ly/2wsHkxa

Bandit caught on camera scaling 8-foot fence, stealing packages
A Chicago-area thief was finally caught after breaking into condos.
http://dnain.fo/2x4RLKX

Man uses hidden code to access Seattle condo complex raising call box security concerns
Condo managers and directors need to insure that the by-pass code for your Enterphone system is not set at the factory settings.
http://bit.ly/2wdttzD

Missing a manhole cover—missing a response

Trip and fall hazards on condominium property is a common concern but having a missing manhole cover is such an obvious danger that you think something would be done about it. Well, maybe here but not so in every city.
http://bit.ly/2wYfDAw

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Condo News
24 August 2017

Locker thefts—downtown condos

There are thieves targeting condo lockers in Toronto's cores. It would be wise to inform security to watch out for this and to let your residents know that their lockers are targets for thieves and so they should check on them regularly.

Woman leaves car blocking neighborhood gate, returns to find it on roof

If a condo manager in Canada has a problem with someone illegally parking, he may give the owner a letter or a parking ticket. If a condo manager in China has a problem with someone illegally parking, he may teach the car owner a lesson.

See how we can learn from each other in this world? However, your condo lawyer (party-poopers, all of them) may not think this is such a good idea.
http://bit.ly/2g6n0PN

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Condo News
22 August 2017

Police: Florida drunk driver hits 17 cars while trying to park
The Florida Highway Patrol said it was called to The Gate Apartments in Davenport on a report of an impaired driver. When they arrived they found a condominium parking lot that could've been mistaken for a junk yard.
http://cbsn.ws/2v8pz6x

Uproar at Queens condo: Residents say their property manager is a bully
A condo with images of Hitler and Mussolini in the lobby, and you are fined $100 for having a visitor overnight.
http://bit.ly/2x5zE5o

CondoMadness on vacation

Just had to share this on a slow news month.

I will be on vacation for three weeks with limited Internet service. Will resume regular Newsletters in mid-September.

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