The TTC fare hike was debated this afternoon at the much anticipated Toronto Transit Commission meeting, and a conclusion has been reached and voted on. We will indeed be seeing increases implemented on January 3rd, 2010.

Adult cash fare will rise to $3 (from $2.75), but the adult Metropass will not jump to $126 as previously recommended, instead settling at $121 (up from $109). Tokens will rise to $2.50 (up from $2.25), and weekly passes will rise to $36 (up from $32.25).

What's not entirely clear is how much loyal rider rage will increase (up from already too high). Or how much harder it will get to buy tokens before the hike (it's become a real pain).

The annual Whodunit? Mystery Art Sale at the Ontario College of Art & Design always represents a great opportunity to buy art incredibly low prices. When you throw in an element of mystery, by learning the identity of the artist only after purchasing the art, it can be pretty fun as well.

The 2009 Whodunit? Sale is just around the corner. From November 18th to 20th, prospective buyers will be able to preview this year's vast collection of lovely, donated 5.5x7.5 works, each created by a mystery artist (some famous and others aiming to be) and available for purchase for just $75 on a first-come-first-served basis on November 21st. Only after the works are sold will the artists be revealed.

blogTO has prize vouchers to give away to three lucky readers.

Photo: "dancing at sunrise" by louise@toronto, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

What's happening in the GTA (and sometimes beyond):

Just how sketchy has the Annex become? It's certainly seen a shift toward being a destination for cheap eats and booze, and along with that has come dirtiness, drunkenness, and violence. In an interesting roundup of opinions, Adam Vaughan takes a jab at the 905 mentality, local shop owners talk about the rapid fall, and chicken wings take some of the blame.

Police in East York responding to an armed mugging of a fast food chicken delivery guy discovered a loaded gun that is believed to have been stolen from the Detroit Police some time ago.

Toronto-area drivers that suddenly get questionable 407 ETR bills (in the tune of hundreds or even thousands of dollars, mostly accrued interest) shouldn't rely on the provincial government to do much about it. According to Transportation Minister Jim Bradley, the 407 "is responsible for establishing its own business practices," and he's "not aware of anything" Queen's Park can do to change it. So what's to stop them from simply holding onto unpaid invoices, sending out notification after waiting for heaps interest to accrue, and then seeking payment?

With the rapidly growing adoption of GPS- and email-enabled, camera-equipped smartphones like the iPhone and Blackberry, interaction between everyday citizens and local government is trending toward mobile and real-time.

The City of Toronto recent launched the 311 Toronto service, an online and phone-in call center that aims to allow for more efficient and trackable question-answer interactions related to city services. And they accept email submissions and queries, including (but not limited to) reporting of potholes, vandalism, and health and safety concerns.

Now, thanks to a Seattle-based company called Urban Anomaly, there's a way to very quickly and easily submit these types reports to 311 Toronto, from the iPhone.

Photo: "Underneath" by M_Ruth, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

What's happening in the GTA (and sometimes beyond):

A brave 84-year-old WWII Navy veteran and a 64-year-old volunteer foiled an armed robbery attempt at a Toronto-area Royal Canadian Legion. A man was looking to steal donations collected from Remembrance Day poppy sales, but the two got all Chuck Norris and lunged at him, scuffled with him, and saw him run off empty-handed. It's a great hero story, but I'm not convinced that it was the best way to deal with the problem - it could have easily gone the other way and the news headlines would have read quite different.

Back in 2003, Toronto's Jan Luedecke had non-consensual sex using a condom with a woman who woke up to him on top of her, in the act. After six years in the courts, he's finally been found to be not criminally responsible for sexual assault, deemed no threat to the public, and been granted an absolute discharge. He suffers from a rare condition called sexsomnia, over which he has no conscious control.

Photo: "5753 KENSINGTON SKY" by Xander N'Dante, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

What's happening in the GTA (and sometimes beyond):

Gender equality should apply across the board - and on the ice. Girls hockey teams have been experiencing difficulties getting reasonable ice time, and all it took was a threat to launch a human-rights complaint and a flurry of media attention before the mayor stepped in and vowed to ensure that its existing equity policy is enforced.

Does Kensington Market need a BIA? City council will debate the merits of the creation of a Business Improvement Area for the old neighbourhood at the end of November, but store owners are already divided on the issue, some fearing that too much politicking will result in the lovable, chaotic nature of the area being lost.

Somewhere between 30 and 100 teens (possibly with ties to gangs) got into a brawl in the Don Mills & 401 area last night, and two people ended up in stable condition in hospital. One was shot in the back, and the other was stabbed in the back. Man-to-man, face-to-face fistfights are a thing of the past, apparently.