The $60-billion wrench in the Trudeau's policy plans

Plus, Toronto's clunky recreation website and another side of the pediatric crisis  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

First Up   By Manuela Vega   Good morning. Two TTC operators were assaulted in what the transit agency called a “despicable swarming” attack by youths. Plus, the latest on the federal government’s budget, trouble with Toronto’s recreation website and the pediatric crisis.       DON’T MISS Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick   federal politics Justin Trudeau’s spending plans will be threatened by higher interest rates and a looming recession A new report is painting a pessimistic picture of the Liberal government’s plans to grow the economy and get the public books in order, crediting the government’s evolving, ambitious political promises, higher global interest rates and the “high likelihood of a more severe recession in 2023.” It says the government last year made projections based on “a plausible but optimistic set of assumptions” — and it may now need an additional $60 billion to meet its policy goals, Tonda MacCharles reports. Here’s what we know about the road ahead. Context: The report was written by former Bank of Canada governor and deputy finance minister David Dodge, and Robert Asselin, former finance policy adviser to the Liberal government now with the Business Council of Canada. Wait, what? While it looks at several scenarios, the report casts doubt on the sustainability of public finances in the face of Canada’s debt, lagging productivity and government revenues, as well as the Trudeau government’s desire to boost health-care spending, tackle climate change and spur a transition to a stronger digital economy.   Toronto Star File Photo   toronto Frustrated by the sign-up process for city swimming lessons? A fix for the “clunky” website is years away According to a 2018 report, Toronto’s recreation website is the city’s most popular public-facing digital interface, facilitating more than 80,000 recreation programs. But it’s been the same since 1999 — and now, it’s outdated, hard to use and frustrating for parents trying to sign up their kid for a swim class, day camp or skating lesson. The parks department acknowledges that it’s “at the end of its natural life,” so why do residents have to wait until the end of 2026 for a revamp? Ben Spurr reports on what budget documents reveal about the years-long saga to see improvements. Context: The website has a “clunky” interface that’s not responsive on smartphones, and according to the 2018 report, has forced staff to manually manage wait-lists. Its ability to collect important data that would help the city tailor recreation programming to residents’ needs is also limited. More: The city hopes to begin phasing in a version of a new portal before the end of 2026, but some council members are describing the delays, which the city blames largely on the termination of a previous contract for a new site, as unacceptable.    Lance McMillan/The Star   health care Kids stuck at rehab hospitals show the other side of the pediatric crisis It hasn’t just been ERs and pediatric ICUs feeling the pressure of children sick with respiratory infections. Thanks to chronic underfunding and years of wear from the COVID-19 pandemic, other pediatric services, from rehabilitation to home care supports, are also under immense strain, Megan Ogilvie reports. Mackenzie Mitchell’s parents have seen it first-hand; their baby has spent all nine months of her life in hospital, and despite her delayed discharge and the parents making every effort, they’ve still taken more than two months to secure the supports they need to ensure their daughter can safely be at home. Here’s a closer look at their journey. More: “Rather than coming to us for rehabilitation when they are medically stable, (patients) are coming to us with many more acute care needs,” said Dr. Golda Milo-Manson, a pediatrician and vice-president at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. “Our nurses, therapists and physicians, they have had to get used to seeing kids who are much more acutely ill.” Go deeper: “We have always had in pediatrics bare-bone — if that — coverage to take care of our kids,” Milo-Manson said. “Now, we’re seeing a system that is past its tipping point.”       WHAT ELSE   Hundreds of thousands of jobs are at risk if the Bank of Canada raises its key rate again Wednesday, economists warn.   If Toronto’s 2023 budget is any indication, reaching our climate goals is nothing but a “fantasy,” advocates say. Ontario’s supervision of the Peel public school board, imposed due to concerns of racism and dysfunction, is over. Here’s what you need to know.   The Alberta government says a search has found no emails between staff at the premier’s office and Crown prosecutors, in the wake of a CBC report. Presto credit payments are expanding to more 905 transit riders, while TTC riders will have to wait.   This busy downtown Toronto intersection is closed for at least two weeks for broken water main repairs. Low-risk alcohol guidance is sparking debate as drinkers start examining habits and evidence.   Chicken for $40? Forget it. How one Toronto condo building found a solution for the rising cost of food. Toronto is putting aside millions for World Cup 2026 — despite a pretty serious cash crunch.   Sales of new construction homes plunged last year, while prices barely budged. Take a look at the numbers. Economists say mortgage rates will likely peak out this week and could start declining by the end of the year. Here’s what homeowners and buyers should know.   Are you about to retire and still have a mortgage? These are your options.       GET THIS McKenna Deighton/The Star One building at a Toronto University has seen a sharp increase in security incident reports. The university’s response is under fire.       CLOSE-UP Lance McMillan/The Star   DAVID AND MARY THOMSON COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE: Student Nately Sido works on a laptop as she gets some studying in. Many Ontario students will be writing exams this week for the first time ever, with schools holding special study sessions to help them prepare. Here’s why they’re putting more than just students’ nerves to the test.      Thank you for reading. You can reach me and the First Up team at firstup@thestar.ca. I’ll see you back here tomorrow.   Get unlimited access to the Star Subscribe annually and save $35 for a limited time Get This Offer   If you're not enjoying these emails, please tell us how we can make them better by emailing newsletterfeedback@thestar.ca. Or, if you'd prefer, you can unsubscribe from this newsletter by clicking the first link below.   Unsubscribe From This Newsletter Sign Up for More Newsletters and Email Alerts View in Browser Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. One Yonge Street, 4th Floor, Toronto, ON M5E 1E6. 416-367-2000 PRIVACY POLICY