This Matters

Guest: Ava Smithing, advocacy director at the Young People's Alliance Young people today have been raised with the most powerful tools in human history at their fingertips. Entire childhoods have played out online, with algorithms acting as babysitter, therapist, and mirror through which they see themselves. And now, we’re seeing what happens when the first generation raised on smart phones comes of age; shaped by platforms designed to manipulate attention and monetize minds. Ava Smithing was just 12 when she spiraled into a social media rabbit hole that nearly took her life. Years later, she walked the halls of Congress to warn lawmakers about the harms of Big Tech. Now, she’s the host of the Toronto Star’s new podcast series Left to Their Own Devices that takes a hard look at what happens when kids are left to figure it out alone. She joins This Matters to talk about what led her here. Produced by Paulo Marques and Sean Pattendon

Guests: Star journalists Ben Spurr and Mahdis Habibinia The Star’s City Hall bureau has been digging deep into the garbage with its Waste Not, Want Not series, examining how Toronto handles its trash and how the choices we make shape our city. In this episode, City Hall Bureau Chief Ben Spurr explains where most of our garbage actually ends up and what options the city has next, with its main landfill nearing capacity in just over a decade. Then, reporter Mahdis Habibinia shares what she learned from Torontonians trying to live a zero-waste lifestyle, and offers some practical advice on how the rest of us can start cutting down on trash at home. Produced by Paulo Marques

Lately, speed cameras in this city and neighbouring cities have become a symbol and target of people’s rage. The Parkside Drive speed camera was erected when this spot saw a horrific and fatal crash in 2021, due to speeding. It is now Toronto’s most prolific speed cam and was recently cut down by vandals for the seventh time in eleven months. And earlier this month 16 cameras across the city were taken out in a single night. This week, three more have come down. The City of Vaughan has decided to remove speed cameras all together after rolling out its program just earlier this year. Premier Ford has voiced his disdain for speed cameras and some individuals vocally echo him. Community safety organizations and reports, however, say they’re effective. We’re joined today by Toronto Star’s resident Speed Cam man, Raju Mudhar, to give us the facts while we zoom out and chat about what all of this may really be about. Audio Sources: Deputy Inspector Peter Wallace, Toronto Police Service, CP24

Guest: Nicholas Keung, Toronto Star Immigration Reporter Canada is quietly but significantly changing course on immigration. As the federal government moves to reduce the number of non-permanent residents, critics warn this may signal a harder shift in policy, with growing efforts to tighten border controls and slow down immigration processing. Questions are mounting about how these changes will affect the labour market, the economy, and the people caught in the middle. In this episode, immigration reporter Nicholas Keung explains what’s shifting, why it’s happening now, and what it could mean for Canada's future as a destination for newcomers. Produced by Paulo Marques and Sean Pattendon 

Guest: Jason Miller, Toronto Star crime reporter On Aug.16, eight-year-old JahVai Roy was shot and killed in his North York apartment when a bullet pierced his bedroom window. A teenager has since been charged, and Toronto police are looking for two more teen suspects. But for JahVai’s family, the trauma didn’t end that night. They’re now displaced, grieving, and navigating a system with few real supports. In this episode, we look at how gun violence continues to disproportionately impact Toronto’s most marginalized communities—even as crime stats go down—and what we’re still missing in how we respond to the aftermath. Produced by Sean Pattendon

Guests: Star reporters Amy Dempsey Raven and Megan Ogilvie A new Ontario law was meant to protect vulnerable children in care, but it may be deepening the very crisis it set out to solve. The province has expanded police background checks for people working or volunteering in the child welfare system. But under the new rules, it is not just criminal records that show up. Any documented interaction with police, including traffic stops, noise complaints or mental health calls, could be flagged.Experts warn this opens the door to discrimination and bias, especially for racialized and marginalized communities who face disproportionate police contact. Meanwhile, child welfare agencies say the rollout has been chaotic, delaying adoptions and disrupting foster placements at a time when the system is already under strain. This episode was produced by Sean Pattendon and Paulo Marques. 

This year marks TIFF’s 50th anniversary. The festival has done many things over the years - it’s been a bellwether for industry talent along with changing how movies are made and marketed. It’s also really helped shape the identity of this city. Today we speak with two veterans who have been covering TIFF for decades. Peter Howell, long-time Toronto Star film critic remembers his first time covering TIFF in the 70’s all the way up until present day; what’s changed, what’s stayed the same (for better or worse) and an elevator encounter with a beloved movie star who’s *almost* as tall as Peter 6’6" frame. Then we speak with Richard Lautens, a long-time photojournalist with The Star, about memorable red carpet moments, shooting divas & nice guys alike and a tiny object - still in his possession - that got him into those *special*, special TIFF parties. Clips from: Miramax, BritBox, Rotten Tomatoes

Guest: Manuela Vega, Toronto Star housing reporter A new study has found that financial landlords are filing eviction applications at much higher rates than other types of landlords in Toronto, especially after acquiring new buildings. In one case, more than half the tenants in a building received an eviction notice in a single year. Experts say this reflects a wider business strategy and it’s reshaping the rental market, raising concerns about affordability, and who gets access to housing in this city. On today’s episode, we unpack the numbers, what the study reveals and its implications. This episode was produced by Paulo Marques

Guests: Star reporters Raisa Patel and Josh Rubin Prime Minister Mark Carney is pulling back on Canada’s trade fight with the U.S., dropping retaliatory tariffs on goods covered under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) even as Donald Trump escalates with new penalties on Canadian steel, aluminum, and hundreds of manufactured products. It’s a sharp turn from Carney’s “elbows up” campaign promise, and it’s raising questions in business and political circles alike. We unpack the political strategy behind Carney’s pivot, which Canadian industries are hardest hit by the trade wars, and whether another U-turn will win any ground with Trump. Audio sources: CBC News, Toronto Star  This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz and Paulo Marques

Guest: Kris Rushowy, Toronto Star reporter It’s back-to-school season and Ontario universities are packed like never before. A record number of more than 84,000 first-year students are starting this fall. But even with record enrolment, schools are facing an $80 million shortfall. For years, international students have been the financial safety net, paying up to six times the tuition of Ontario students. Now, with Ottawa tightening immigration rules and visas harder to get, those numbers are dropping. Universities say the system is already in distress. Programs are being cut, staff laid off, and almost half are running deficits. And now, with higher demand from local students, there is even less money to teach them. Produced by Saba Eitizaz, Sean Pattenden and Paulo Marques

Listen here or subscribe at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts. If you would like to support the journalism of the Toronto Star, you can at thestar.com/subscribe. Guest: Nathan Bawaan, Toronto Star reporter Youth unemployment in Toronto is at its highest level in decades outside of the pandemic and it’s not just a tough job market. A new report reveals that discrimination based on race, age, gender, language, and even postal code is one of the biggest barriers keeping young people from getting hired. Some recent grads are giving up on job hunting altogether and turning to grad school, not out of ambition, but because they feel stuck. We break down what’s behind the crisis. Produced by Saba Eitizaz and Paulo Marques

Guest: Kevin Jiang, Toronto Star reporter  Nearly one in five Canadians who had COVID—more than more than 3 million people—went on to develop long COVID, also called post COVID 19 Condition (PCC). Symptoms can include fatigue, brain fog, breathing problems and heart damage, sometimes lasting for years. In Ontario there is still no coordinated plan for care. Funding for specialized clinics has disappeared, rehab services often have to be paid for out of pocket and most patients report getting little to no treatment. Toronto Star’s Kevin Jiang takes a look at what it is like to live with the long tail of a pandemic that is far from over for those still living with it.  Produced by Sean Pattendon, Paulo Marques and Saba Eitizaz 

Guest: Andy Takagi, Toronto Star transportation reporter  Premier Ford says he’s pitching an unprecedented plan to tackle one of the GTA’s biggest headaches; gridlock on Highway 401, the busiest road in North America. His vision is a single three-level tunnel running under the highway, which could stretch from Brampton to Scarborough. He outlined the concept at an unrelated press conference this week, but he’s been talking about it for nearly a year. Ford says this will serve people for decades to come, but a two-year feasibility study has just begun, and experts are raising questions about the costs, the timelines and whether this would actually ease traffic congestion.  We take a look at what Ford is proposing, why experts say it might not work and what it could mean for commuters and communities along the  401.  Audio sources: CP24 Produced by Saba Eitizaz and Sean Pattenden 

Guest: Dr. David Barber, Chair OMA’s General and Family Practice Two million people in Ontario do not have access to a family physician, and that number is expected to more than double by 2026. At the same time, many doctors are stepping away from comprehensive care, citing burnout, bureaucracy, and financial strain. In this episode, Dr. David Barber shares what is happening inside the system through his own lived experience. He is a family physician in Kingston and chair of the Ontario Medical Association’s Section on General and Family Practice. He explains what it looks like to stay in the profession as the pressures mount, why so many of his colleagues are walking away, and what it means for patients who are being left behind. Produced by Saba Eitizaz, Paulo Marques and Sean Pattendon

Guest: Star Queen’s Park Bureau Chief, Robert Benzie Last week, Canada’s premiers wrapped up their annual Council of the Federation meeting in Ontario’s cottage country, against the backdrop of serious political and economic pressure. With Trump’s threat of tariffs on August 1 looming large, and Prime Minister Mark Carney facing his first major leadership test, the summit was framed as a show of strength and unity. But was that solidarity real behind the scenes? And how prepared are the provinces for an unpredictable trade fight with Trump? Toronto Star Queen’s Park Bureau Chief Robert Benzie joins This Matters to break it all down. 

Guest: Toronto Star court reporter Jacques Gallant All five former members of Canada’s 2018 World Junior hockey team accused of sexual assault have been found not guilty, ending one of the most closely watched trials in Canadian sports. The case centred on a woman known publicly only as “E.M.” due to a publication ban. Her allegations against the players shook the sport, triggered years of scrutiny, reopened a police investigation, and fueled a national reckoning over Hockey Canada’s handling of sexual misconduct. After eight weeks of testimony, Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia ruled the Crown failed to meet the burden of proof, raising doubts about the reliability of key evidence. But while the players were acquitted, key questions remain. How do we define consent? Can the justice system support those who come forward while also meeting such a high legal threshold? And what does this outcome say about how society grapples with power and accountability? Star reporter Jacques Gallant covered this trial from the beginning, and he joins This Matters to explain what we learned inside the courtroom and what might happen next.  Produced by Saba Eitizaz and Paulo Marques

Guest: Toronto Star reporter Abby O'Brien A bike ride to the local pool. A perfect dive off the board. A backyard trampoline showdown with the kids next door. Childhood can be full of fun but also dangers. Parents often think about the obvious dangers, like unsupervised swimming or biking without a helmet. But some of the biggest hazards may surprise you. We spoke with Toronto’s top pediatric emergency doctors about the activities they would never let their own kids do and why. From bouncy castles to shopping carts, they’ve seen it all in the ER. So if you to keep your kids safe this summer, start here.

Guest: Morgan Sevareid-Bocknek, investigative reporter Imagine you want a biological kid and you need the help of a fertility clinic. But then imagine they implant the wrong embryo inside of you. Or half the wrong embryo - right egg but wrong sperm. Or the child is a race you weren't expecting. These scenarios and more have happened at Ontario fertility clinics, which remain under regulated. That means it’s a challenge to hold them to account when things like that happen and hard data for those trying to figure out which clinic to choose is hard to come by.  How could something so important, so medically invasive and psychologically delicate remain under regulated in Ontario? And though the government got close to closing gaps in regulation, it was never completed. Tune in to find out why. PLUS: We speak with a lawyer who specializes in fertility negligence law who details some of the worst cases she's seen - and how the province might be able to forge a path forward. Produced by Julia De Laurentiis Johnston, Paulo Marques and Sean Pattendon

Guests: Toronto Star reporters Isabel Teotonio and Kristin Rushowy With the summer break, Ontario is wrapping up the first full school year under new cellphone restrictions. Last September, the Ford government introduced restrictions on personal mobile devices in schools, with boards required to update their own policies and ban social media sites, such as Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat, from networks and devices. Other provinces have followed suit. But the results have been mixed, and students can still access those sites using personal data. Some teachers did see students more focused and present. Others are still in a constant battle for their attention. So, did the cellphone ban really change anything?  This Matters speaks to Toronto Star reporters Isabel Teotonio and Kristin Rushowy. One’s been hearing from teachers and students in classrooms. The other’s been tracking the political story behind the policy. Audio sources: CBC News, Isabel Teotonio  Produced by Saba Eitizaz and Paulo Marques

GUEST: Star climate change reporter Kate Allen Toronto just sweltered its way through one of the most intense heatwaves on record. Many Torontonians seeking relief from the heat were met with disappointment and locked doors at more than a dozen public pools as they ended up being closed because of heat safety protocols for the lifeguards. What followed was a political showdown between Mayor Olivia Chow and Premier Doug Ford, with both sides pointing fingers over who was responsible.  And amid the public backlash, Mayor Chow has introduced a new motion calling for more resources and look to bringing back 24/7 cooling centred that were cancelled in 2019.  As extreme heat becomes our new normal, is the city prepared to provide equitable access to cooling for all its residents?  Produced by Saba Eitizaz and Paulo Marques