Photo: "784" by skateboy075, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

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

E-bikes are now officially allowed on Ontario roads with all the same rules as regular bicycles (except riders must be 16 and wearing a helmet). We should have electric bikes on the streets but I'm not so sure they should be in regular bike lanes; with a top speed of 32 km/h they go substantially faster than most all pedal-powered cyclists. And as an aside, I had no idea that you have to have a disability or be a mail carrier or cop to legally operate a Segway in the province.

Coming Soon: Roadwork near you! Transportation Services is going on a spending spree with $82 million in federal stimulus money. Projects must be done by March 31, 2011 so the city is gearing up for 30-35% more roadwork next summer than usual, making it the busiest summer ever for road-paving. Sadly, those efforts will only account for a drop in the bucket of Toronto streets needing repair.

Are stores that only offer plastic bags - at a nickel per - obligated to provide a free alternative? Councillor Michael Walker says yes but city manager Joe Pennachetti says no. Retailers say they're confused. I'm having a hard time getting past the part where a store's obligation (or lack thereof) to offer bags at all is bylaw regulated. If a store doesn't want to offer any bags at all, that should be their right. Just like it's a customer's right to not shop at a store if they don't like the bag policy.

Photo: "espresso @ Blondie's Cafe" by StartTheFStop, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

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

Councillor Sandra Bussin revealed herself as - and apologized for being - the "anonymous" Sandra who called into John Tory's radio show last week to defend the mayor - and slam Tory. Known as one of the mayor staunches allies, the move has some councillors salivating over the opportunity to punish Bussin. Seems to me that any councillor pursuing this further is wasting city time and money as much as they claim the Mayor is.

We've heard before that our green bin material often just ends up in the garbage, but The Star followed that compost on its direct route to Michigan. After showing that evidence to the City, garbage manager Geoff Rathbone fired the processor involved. Maybe Toronto needs to get some pigs to handle the organic waste?

Do you have a minute for sick children? Usually that question is followed by a request for money, but in the case of former SickKids Foundation president Michael O'Mahoney, he was given 2.7 million reasons to go away. O'Mahoney suggests he's received far less than the nearly $3 million reported, but at roughly $600,000 per year in salary while with SickKids, it looks like the sick kids themselves are getting the short end of this stick.

Some good news for cancer patients on Avastin in Ontario: ombudsman Andre Marin declared the cut-off for provincial coverage of the treatment arbitrary and unjust, even saying "this situation verges on cruelty." Health Minister David Caplan didn't sound so good trying to defend the current policy, but then again, how could anybody cutting off funding for cancer treatment sound good?

Photo: "King Street West, One Headlight" by Toronto Creative, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

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

Be sure, while driving, to use those cell phones and other hands-on electronic devices while you can. Toronto Police have been advised to expect the new law banning their use while behind the wheel to kick in between late October and late November. It's the classic seat belt debate all over: should you stop using your phone because it's safer (then stop now!), or because it's the law (it's fine 'til November!)?

The so-called garbage strike seems like a long time ago, but the city figured out they saved $33.2 million on garbage - $36.1 million overall - giving councillors some money to argue about how to use. Most suggest the money should roll into next year's operating budget but Councillor Doug Holyday wants a rebate to all residents. By my math residents would get a max of about $14, which hardly seems worth it to me. He's probably just annoyed the city wants to raise garbage fees by a few bucks per household.

Well is he or isn't he? Premier McGuinty assured us yesterday that the mighty Minister Smitherman is "not going anywhere," something somewhat confirmed by Smitherman himself who says he's busy running two big government ministries. Somehow all this has just amplified speculation that the provincial heavyweight will be running for mayor in Toronto next year. Expect an announcement in January, and endless speculation about Smitherman's motives until then.

Photo: "Change Room at Night" by sevennine, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

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

More condos! The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton opened a presentation office, one of at least a dozen luxury condo developments on the go in Hogtown, suggesting this economy ain't so bad after all. I guess all the news about the recession being over is true... if you can afford a luxury condo.

The taxpayer-funded provincial Criminal Injuries Compensation Board is meant to award money to victims of crime, but the Star has found the money is doled out most readily - and perhaps inappropriately - to police officers. Joe Wamback's teenage son was nearly beaten to death in Newmarket but couldn't get any money from the Board; police officers have received money for getting bit not hard enough to break the skin, a fractured finger and more. It's not that these officers don't deserve consideration, but there's workplace insurance that already covers them; victims often need - and certainly deserve - financial support.

Thursday was to be Ignatieff's glory day, bringing down Harper et al and launching into an election he must have been sure he could win. Now that the NDP will support Harper - the government will stand - Iggy must be secretly counting his blessings as the Liberals have slipped in national opinion polls and the resignation of Denis Coderre as Quebec lieutenant and defence critic is a potentially crippling blow to the party. Ignatieff might just start to squirm in the leader's seat if he doesn't bring on more non-Torontonian advisors to his inner circle.

Buying liquor near King and Spadina will no longer mean heading to Liberty Village, Chinatown or the Financial District as the LCBO is preparing to open a big new store to serve the large condo district. If all goes according to plan the store will open in December.

News of this LCBO came over a year ago, when Councillor Adam Vaughan applauded the LCBO's decision to enter the neighbourhood but urged them to re-think the "fairly dead suburban-style frontage" that was planned in favor of a design that would mesh with the many little storefronts of the downtown location.

Now that the banner has gone up announcing the impending store opening, the LCBO has a plan that they think will suit the area.

The Cutting Veg has a bold goal - aiming to cultivate personal, social, environmental and economic health. But for Daniel Hoffmann and his farm, that's exactly the mission, and he's doing it through organic agriculture. With a farm just off Highway 427 in Brampton.

It's the rare professional farmer who can find himself waking up in a big city like Toronto and still be on the farm by 5:30am, but for Hoffmann it's all in a day's work. His large variety of vegetables, especially his 15,000 heads of garlic, grow well under the Brampton sun, and Daniel doesn't have to buy a whole farm - at least not yet.

Plus, he welcomes a veritable fleet of interns and volunteers to the farm, which is how I found myself waking up as the sun rose one Sunday morning, to go pick some weeds in Brampton.