World Headlines: Tory's leaving — but there's a catch

First Up

By Manuela Vega

Good morning. Here’s the latest on John Tory’s resignation timeline, federal health-care funding for provinces and territories and a nursing home staffing crisis.

DON’T MISS

Canadian Press/Arlyn McAdorey

city hall

John Tory is sticking around until the 2023 budget passes

Days after Tory announced he would be stepping down — which came on the heels of a Star investigation revealing he had a relationship with a former staffer — the mayor says he’ll remain in office until the 2023 budget is finalized. The controversial decision comes as allies at city hall try to convince him to walk back his resignation and amid concerns from some Conservatives and right-leaning Liberals that, in Tory’s absence, left-leaning councillors would cut police funding, enact successive property tax hikes and go to battle with Premier Doug Ford’s government. Ben Spurr and David Rider report on opposing views within city hall and what could happen next.

Watch for: Tory could remain on the job for weeks if the majority of councillors vote to change the budget and he chooses to veto the amendments. Council would also have an opportunity to override the veto with a majority.
The race to replace John Tory: Who’s in, who’s out and who’s on the fence.
Martin Regg Cohn’s take: Everyone has heard of Tory’s affair — but the dirty details of Ford getting into bed with rich developers may never fully sink in.

Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick

federal politics

Premiers have accepted Justin Trudeau’s health-care funding offer

After agreeing to the federal government’s 10-year deal to inject $46.2 billion into provincial health spending, premiers have moved on to negotiating bilateral deals with Ottawa to improve family health services, worker backlogs, mental health and addiction services, and to modernize the collection of medical data. Despite accepting the cash, some premiers still say they’re concerned the Trudeau government’s “best offer” isn’t a long term solution. Tonda MacCharles breaks down the proposal.

Context: Under the offer, annual federal transfer payments to the provinces would increase by $17.3 billion over the next decade. Trudeau also set out a separate $25-billion fund over 10 years for bilateral deals with each province.
Watch for: Trudeau said the health transfer would grow by at least five per cent (up from the current three per cent) each year. Then, for the remaining five years of the 10-year deal, the “floor” would drop back to three per cent. But provinces want that reviewed after five years, a federal source said.

Richard Lautens/The Star

long term care

Temp agency fees are eating up government funds amid a nursing home staffing crisis

By March 31, 2025, the Ontario government wants every nursing home resident to receive four hours of daily hands-on care — and it said $4.9 billion will be spent to hire workers that would make that happen. But several not-for-profit homes are unlikely to meet that goal because workers are leaving for higher-paying temp agencies, which then charge the homes exorbitant fees to replace the very staff they poached, industry leaders say. Moira Welsh reports on the factors pushing workers to temp agencies — and calls for government to restrict the fees that agencies can charge.

By the numbers: A survey released Tuesday by Advantage Ontario looked at 100 of its member homes and found they spent a collective $6 million per month on agency fees from June to September last year. Of those homes, 34 per cent said they won’t be able to meet this year’s incremental hours-of-care increase.
More: On average, the survey found registered nurses working for homes made $43 an hour, while fees for agency RNs were $88 an hour.

WHAT ELSE

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This isn’t the first time Ontario has been shook by a mayoral scandal — remember these?

The Peel public school board has a plan to dismantle its anti-Black racism. Here’s why parents and students are cautiously optimistic.

This physician never learned about Canada’s first Black doctors in medical school. Here’s why he wants all students to know their names.

A new report predicts Canadian home prices could drop by 30 per cent. Take a closer look at the numbers.

A photographer and news outlet are suing the RCMP for an arrest at a B.C. gas pipeline protest. Here’s why.

A fifth teen girl has been granted bail in the death of homeless man Kenneth Lee.

Hazel McCallion’s funeral will be held today. Here’s what you need to know.

Toronto will enjoy double-digit temperatures before flurries move in this week.

How does it feel to lie? With Netflix rules changing, people are testing the waters.

Bed Bath & Beyond is leaving Canada, axing some 1,400 jobs. Here’s what’s behind their losses.

First, they came for our booze. Now coffee is bad for us too? 😭

ICYMI

Steve Russell/The Star

When was your last shot? Experts are concerned over plunging COVID vaccine uptake.

CLOSE-UP

Andrew Francis Wallace/The Star

TORONTO: Vanessa Lee, who taught herself how to refurbish furniture by watching videos on social media, works on a piece in her studio apartment. Here’s what you need to know about the furniture flipping trend — and why its appeal goes beyond the money.

One last thing before I go: with the days finally getting longer, we want to see what your morning looks like. Show us your view of the sunrise — whether it’s from your home or during your commute. Send your picture to firstup@thestar.ca and we may feature it in an upcoming edition.

Thank you for reading. You can reach me and the First Up team at firstup@thestar.ca. I’ll see you back here tomorrow.

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