Even on grey winter days, Jason Kucherawy meets his tour group with a buoyant greeting at a coffee shop across Nathan Phillips Square. As the main guide for Toronto’s arm of Tourguys.ca, Kucherawy said that on occasion, only one or two people show up for his free “Heart of Toronto” walking tours around Old City Hall. [...] Continue Reading

December is one of the holiest months of the year, with both Hanukkah and Christmas observed. And while these religious celebrations occur independently of each other, the origins of the faiths they represent are remarkably linked. Risa Levitt Kohn is a professor of religious studies at San Diego State University and guest curator of the Dead [...] Continue Reading

Toronto’s new green-roof by-law has earned praise from environmentalists but concern from local developers who worry about the impact of the by-law on their bottom line. The green-roof by-law, approved by Toronto City Council in May 2009 , has won kudos from environmental groups who claim green roofs are both economically and environmentally viable. Stephen Peck, [...] Continue Reading

Parking at Yorkdale Mall on a Saturday afternoon can be a stressful experience, but with new technology, it may get a little easier. There are now digitalized parking counters set up at each lot to tell customers how many free spaces there are, and when the lots are full. Robert Horst, property manager of Yorkdale [...] Continue Reading

A Ryerson engineering student says Toronto TV viewers don’t have to buy cable to receive new high-definition channels. All they need is a coat hanger and a piece of wood. Recently, Kien Nguyen, 22, purchased a high-definition (HD) television. However, his budget did not allow him to buy the cable options from Rogers or Bell to [...] Continue Reading

If you put your heart into it, even a plastic milk bag can make difference, like bringing relief to those suffering in the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake. Rachel Sauvé, a retired school office supervisor, has been involved in collecting and making plastic milk bag sleeping mats since 2008. “This is a worthwhile project,” Sauvé said. “If [...] Continue Reading

U of T geology professor Nick Eyles passed on his excitement about rocks to a Scarborough audience of 60 at Bendale Public Library last month. Continue Reading

Chewing with your mouth open won’t get you dirty looks at this establishment, especially when no one can see you. Toronto’s first completely dark restaurant, O.Noir on Church and Charles streets, wants to teach the sighted about the sightless. Owner Moe Alameddine puts his guest’s senses to the test while they dine in total darkness. Continue Reading

For Jenny Chan, 25, she did more than shopping at Scarborough Town Centre Friday, as the annual Chinese New Year Parade went through the mall. Continue Reading

Iftikhar Shaikh’s has dirt under his fingernails. His hands are scratched from working in tight spaces. Beads of sweat dot his forehead. But Shaikh, 16, a Grade 10 student at Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute in Toronto, doesn’t mind. He’s just happy to be here. Continue Reading