The TTC wants to install suicide barriers at subway stations on the Yonge line, despite facing chronic funding shortfalls. At a cost of $10-million per station, this is an extremely costly proposition... but the theory is that it would save lives and make the system run more efficiently. Is this a prime example of a nanny state and waste of money, or is this money well spent and is it the TTC's duty to protect people from themselves? Every year, more than 20 people jump in front of subway trains.

It seemed like only a matter of time. A class-action lawsuit in the sum of $100-million has been launched by businesses on St.Clair Avenue against the City of Toronto, the Province, and the TTC. 100 people are expected to sign on to the lawsuit, which is the result of the dedicated right-of-way LRT streetcar construction project that went over double the estimated budget and is was incomplete for many years. The lawsuit accuses the organizations of public abuse of authority, insufficient oversight, and gross negligence in the construction and delivery of the project respectively... which lead to many commercial enterprises suffering huge losses.

Slow but steady recovery of the economy is being cited as the reason for a slightly lower than anticipated provincial deficit of $21.3-billion for fiscal 2009-2010. It's still a record high deficit for Ontario, but it being lower than originally thought bodes well for the government's 7-year plan to get out of the red and into the black. The budget will be revealed today, and preserving education and health care services are said to be priorities

A Durham region police officer has been charged with street racing. Although a spokesperson for the force wouldn't reveal what speed he was clocked at, we do know that the infraction occurred in an 80km/h zone and that in order to be charged under the controversial law, a driver must be doing 50km/h above the limit. Doing in excess of 130km/h, eh? Tsk, tsk (off duty or not).

And things got stabby and bloody outside a Blansdowne strip club yesterday. Three workers were treated in hospital for non-life-threatening stabbing injuries after a dispute escalated and turned violent and a knife was pulled. Nothing says Club Paradise like the sterile waiting room of a hospital and assault charges.

Photo: "Caution: Driver Just Doesn't Give a Shit Anymore" by -- brian cameron --, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.