Well, the report was scathing all right. Mayor Rob Ford called for the resignation of members of the Toronto Community Housing Corp. board on Monday, hours after the city's auditor-general, Jeffrey Griffiths, blasted the housing agency for wasting millions in untendered contracts and lavish employee expenses, including: a $40,000 Christmas staff dinner, $1,000 for Holt Renfrew chocolates, $5,000 given to one staffer without documentation of how it was spent; $800 for massages at a staff picnic. The TCHC is one of North America's largest landlords, housing about 164,000 tenants in a $6 billion housing portfolio.

The Ontario government has shot down Rob Ford's request for $350-million in financial aid for Toronto. Premier Dalton McGuinty said Monday the province is running a record deficit, forecast to hit $18.7-billion this fiscal year, after borrowing money to help stimulate the economy and bail out the auto sector during the recent global recession. So Toronto will have to "chart [its] own course."

Here's something to warm you up.The Riverdale community is rallying behind a loved corner store that's been frequently targeted by thieves. Since taking over the convenience store on Logan Avenue two and a half years ago, Paul and Juliet Kim have suffered four robberies, each one more brutal than the last. The most recent one landed Mr. Kim in the hospital with multiple stab wounds. He was released Monday to find a sign taped to the store door: "You are kind and valuable members of the community and our thoughts are with you at this difficult time. We wish Paul a speedy recovery -- The Withrow/Riverdale Community." It was signed by hundreds of locals, who also raised $900 for the Kims.

Maybe someone had a severe case of OCD. Or maybe they were for a very large, dirty house. Whatever the case may be, police recovered $150,000 worth of vacuum cleaners in a stolen transport trailer. Police have charged 4 people with the incident.

IN BRIEF:

• Leafs trade Mitchell for 7th round pick in 2012
• Groundhog Schmoundhog: Environment Canada says expect colder spring
• Agent Orange was widely used in Ontario

Photo by Bruvyman in the blogTO Flickr pool.