Here's where mayoral candidates stand on drugs

Plus, airlifting Canadians from Sudan and electrifying the TTC [Get This Offer]( [The Star] First Up [By Ashley Okwuosa] By Ashley Okwuosa Good morning. Here’s the latest on Toronto’s drug crisis, Canadians stuck in Sudan, and the TTC’s financial shortfall. DON’T MISS Lance McMillan/The Star race for city hall [How Toronto’s mayoral hopefuls would tackle the city’s drug crisis]( Overdose fatalities spiked in Toronto during the pandemic and have shown no sign of decreasing, reports Alyshah Hasham. An estimated 499 people died in 2022, a figure that could have been twice as high without supervised consumption sites, according to Toronto Public Health. While mayoral candidate Mark Saunders has said he knows supervised consumption sites save lives, he has also said he does not want to “normalize” drug use and will push for more “treatment and recovery options.” Other mayoral candidates have supported calls for decriminalization of personal use and a safe, regulated drug supply. Saunders is the only high-profile candidate to oppose the city’s decriminalization push. [Here’s why one advocate says the approach of the next mayor to the city’s drug crisis will be a matter of “life and death.”]( - More: The city’s current drug strategy — which will be released in full in the fall — includes expanding the hours and services at supervised consumption sites through hospital partnerships and a proposal for a 24/7 crisis centre. - Go deeper: The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health has documented a significant spike in crystal meth-related visits in the past five years, prompting them to call on mayoral candidates to invest $500,000 in a walk-in addiction medicine hub with a methamphetamine and stimulant focus. Marwan Ali/AP Photo federal politics [Justin Trudeau has revealed a plan to rescue Canadians trapped in Sudan]( The prime minister announced on Monday that Canada will use a military transport plane to airlift citizens out of Sudan, as the northeast African country is gripped by deadly violence and diminishing access to vital goods. It was the first clear indication of what Ottawa will do to help the 1,473 Canadians who have registered with the federal government since armed clashes broke out between the Sudanese military and a paramilitary group on April 15. The actual number of Canadians in the country is believed to be much larger. Alex Ballingall and Omar Mosleh break down [what we know about the government’s plan and why Conservative MP’s believe the government is woefully unprepared to help Canadians stranded abroad](. - Go deeper: One government official speaking on condition of anonymity said there are still challenges to staging an airlift in Sudan. The situation is so volatile that Global Affairs Canada is urging people stranded in the country to shelter in place and lock their windows and doors. Asking Canadians to rally at a certain location could expose them to danger without a trustworthy ceasefire. - What we know: The United Nations reported on Sunday that at least 427 people have been killed and 3,700 injured so far, with at least 11 health facilities reporting attacks during the fighting. Lance McMillan/The Star transit [Ottawa will give the TTC money for new electric buses, but no funding to operate them]( Ottawa will chip in $349 million to help the TTC buy more electric buses — but no money to help the cash-strapped transit agency run them, reports Lex Harvey. The federal funding, combined with $348 million pledged by the city in this year’s budget, will enable the TTC to purchase 340 zero-emission buses and 248 bus chargers, as well as support infrastructure upgrades. There was no timeline for the delivery of the buses. [Here’s why critics are calling Ottawa’s latest funding announcement “out of touch.”]( - More: Electric buses, along with hybrid buses and electric Wheel-Trans vehicles, are a big part of the TTC’s plan to transition to a zero-emissions fleet by 2040. Toronto currently has 60 electric buses and plans to have 1,850 by 2033, according to the TTC’s capital investment plan. But it will need significant funding — even beyond this latest investment — to get there. - Go deeper: Despite the investment, the transit agency faces a $360-million shortfall in its operating budget — neither the province nor the federal government has pledged to cover it, despite the city’s pleas. [Food Crawl newsletter] Where should you eat next? If you’re wondering where to eat as the city heats up, you need Food Crawl, the Star’s free food newsletter. Whether it’s a strip mall standout or a downtown gem, Food Crawl will make you an insider on the best eats in Toronto and beyond. [Sign up for free here](. WHAT ELSE Doug Ford’s government is defending its [controversial 95-year lease for the Ontario Place spa](. The Treasury Board has reached out to striking PSAC workers [as pressure on the Trudeau government grows](. One third of Canadian homeowners now have [mortgage periods of more than 30 years](. Doug Ford’s campaign manager is allowed to [sue a controversial evangelist for $3 million](. “Still on the sidelines.” [Sales of new GTA homes and condos continue to slide](. McDonald’s new menu changes have some [Americans crying foul over onions](. Jagmeet Singh’s NDP has been slammed by top gun control group over [backtracking on firearms promises and amplifying “disinformation.”]( Police have issued a Canada-wide arrest warrant for a man who [“intentionally went missing” to plot a Brampton woman’s murder](. “To take people to Mars is not easy.” [What does the failed SpaceX launch mean for deep space exploration?]( Elon Musk is apparently [making over $148,000 a month from subscriptions to his personal Twitter account](. Ahead of King Charles’s coronation, a new survey suggests [60 per cent of Canadians oppose recognizing him as monarch](. Where could Tucker Carlson go next? [He’s already getting offers](. POV Canadian Press/Nathan Denette [Doug Ford has plunged colleges and universities into crisis with historic funding cuts — and there’s no plan for the future.]( CLOSE-UP Alex Masse PARKHILL: Residents of southern Ontario were treated to another rare display of northern lights late Sunday night and early Monday morning. Also known as aurora borealis, the purple, pink and green colours were visible in the northern tier of the United States and across Canada. Thank you for reading. You can reach me and the First Up team at [firstup@thestar.ca](mailto:firstup@thestar.ca?source=newsletter&utm_source=ts_nl&utm_medium=emailutm_email=6C53B63A8E3FAD70AD4EF13004527437&utm_campaign=frst_178417). I’ll see you back here tomorrow. Get unlimited access to the Star Sale: Only $2/month for a limited time [Get This Offer]( If you're not enjoying these emails, please tell us how we can make them better by emailing newsletterfeedback@thestar.ca. Or, if you'd prefer, you can unsubscribe from this newsletter by clicking the first link below. [Unsubscribe From This Newsletter]( [Sign Up for More Newsletters and Email Alerts]( [View in Browser]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. One Yonge Street, 4th Floor, Toronto, ON M5E 1E6. 416-367-2000 [PRIVACY POLICY](