Morning Brew: Rally planned for sexual assault victims, gay pride group welcome at Ford Fest, love and gravy, a Port Lands infographic, and removing the limits on pets

Local residents will hold a rally at Christie Pits Park tonight in response to a string of sexual assaults in the area Bloor and Christie area. Approximately 10 people have reported attacks in the last two months that appear to follow the same M.O.. The rally starts in the park at 7 p.m. and will move through the area.

Councillor Doug Ford says the gay pride group planning a makeshift event at mayor Rob Ford's public barbecue this month are welcome so long as there are no "shenanigans" or "political placards." When the Fords announced this year's event - an annual tradition - a Facebook group was set up to protest the mayor's absence from official Pride events.

Nothing says "I love you" like cheese curds, gravy and fries, apparently. According to The Star, poutine shops are a breeding ground for romance in Toronto.

Fixing the Port Lands isn't just a case of throwing up new buildings - the contaminated soil the area is built on also needs to be extensively cleaned. You see, the Port Lands were built by dumping industrial fill on top of natural marshland at the mouth of the Don River. Trapped methane is also a concern. The National Post has a neat infographic that explains some of the clean-up processes taking place.

In furry news, councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker wants to remove Toronto's limit on the number of pets a person can legally keep in their home. According to De Baeremaeker, the image of "a crazy cat person" is false. Currently, the limit is six animals per household. Not enough, apparently.

Finally, here's a little Labour Day retro video fun from Retrontario. It's 1985 and the Blue Jays are "flyin' high." That year the team lost to the Kansas City Royals in the League Championship Series, narrowly missing out on a World Series appearance.

ELSEWHERE:

• Rays beat up on Ricky Romero, Blue Jays [CBC]
• How bad driving habits are causing GTA traffic gridlock [The Star]
• Anna Leibenko: Thornhill woman back in Canada after Croatian catamaran accident [The Star]
• Ontario considers sweeping change to colleges and universities [The Star]
• Development decision looms over Richmond Hill observatory lands [Globe and Mail]

FROM THE WEEKEND:

• Brunch review: KOS in Kensington Market
• Spoken Word events in Toronto, September 2012
• Vintage Toronto postcards, the wholesome edition
• The top 10 movies to watch at TIFF 2012
• Toronto concerts, September 2012
• Street Style: at the Untitled Banner launch party
• Urban Hamper brings dry cleaning to your smartphone
• That time when Doctor Who educated Ontario
• Restaurant review: Bar Hop
• Cannes and Sundance award winners at TIFF 2012
• Sunday Supplement: Ford's trial, a "bathtub" parking lot, and the Sheppard line at 10
• This Week In Comedy
• This Week in Theatre

Photo: "Lake Ontario" by gdquerubin in the blogTO Flickr pool.