When will Toronto’s “postapocalyptic hellscape” east-end get better?

Plus, here’s why so many condo elevators are out of service [Get This Offer]( [The Star] First Up [By Ashley Okwuosa] By Ashley Okwuosa Good morning. TTC subway closures, service changes and road closures this weekend to accommodate events and construction may make getting around the city difficult. [Here’s how you can be prepared]( and here’s the latest. MUST READS Richard Lautens/Toronto Star photo illustration GTA [East-enders are seeing red over “postapocalyptic hellscape” on Lake Shore. How will they cope with years of traffic turmoil?]( A series of ambitious projects are underway in Toronto intended to make navigation easier — someday. From early work to realign the Gardiner Expressway and Lake Shore Boulevard East, to the Port Lands Flood Protection Project and the four-plus year diversion of the Queen Streetcar to build the Ontario Line, east-enders are dealing with potholes, diversions and hours of traffic. [Katie Daubs reports on whether residents feel the progress to come is worth the pain](. Tara Walton/The Canadian Press Star exclusive [Talks stall as Trudeau and Ford’s multibillion offer to save Stellantis EV battery disappoints]( Weeks of crisis talks to keep Stellantis from moving a massive EV battery plant out of Canada are at an impasse as Ottawa’s latest offer falls short. While the provincial and federal governments have proposed billions to keep Stellantis in the country and construct a facility that would make 400,000 batteries a year, Tonda MacCharles and Robert Benzie report that the company is eyeing richer subsidies in the U.S. [Here’s what we know about negotiations between the automaker and the leaders of the provincial and federal government](. Toronto Star photo illustrion/Dreamtime Business [Why are so many condo elevators out of service? Monopoly and oversight]( A growing number of condo dwellers in Toronto are facing a daily challenge when entering and exiting their buildings: malfunctioning elevators. While there are a few contributing factors, four major companies build most of the elevators in Ontario, and they build them in such a way that only they can supply many of the parts to repair them, which limits competition and prolongs wait times, reports Clarrie Feinstein. [Here’s why large elevator companies may be responsible for “worsening elevator safety” and how regulators plan on addressing the issue](. Wakil Kohsar/AFP via Getty Images Star exclusive [Afghan-Canadians sue Ottawa, claiming immigration rules are discriminatory]( Two Afghan-Canadians who worked for the Canadian military in Afghanistan are asking the Federal Court to declare the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program in breach of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and expand it to include nationals from all countries. They argue the program is discriminatory because its wide-ranging provisions only apply to Ukrainians, as opposed to all those fleeing conflict, reports Stephanie Levitz. [Here’s more on the different immigration programs Canada has made available to individuals fleeing conflict in Afghanistan and Ukraine](. Todd Korol/The Canadian Press alberta [Could COVID vaccination status shift the vote in Alberta?]( With just days to go before Monday’s election, a new poll asked people how they planned to vote. Of the people who were unvaccinated for COVID-19, 91.1 per cent of decided voters intended to vote for the United Conservatives and Danielle Smith, a leader who declined to get vaccinated and compared those who were to Hitler's followers. Alex Boyd reports that those who believed the fewest pieces of false information were likelier to support the NDP, while those who scored highest on the poll’s “disinformation index” tended to support the UCP. [Here’s how misinformation about COVID vaccines could play a role in Alberta’s upcoming election](. POV David Olive: Working from home is here to stay — [here’s how to make it work for everyone](. Bob Hepburn: [Here’s how to fix Toronto’s mayoral election nightmare](. Martin Regg Cohn: [Canada can’t run away from the mess it made worse in Sudan](. Star Editorial Board: Fancy living in a c-suite? [The potential of empty offices to ease the housing crisis](. Steven Reid and Mary Reid: Ford government’s education playbook: [manifest a crisis, ignore research, abandon educators](. Thomas Walkom: [Why a public inquiry into foreign interference won’t work](. SUpport THIS Camp supplied photo Janet Hurley’s memories of camp are sprinkled with the good and the bad, from friendship bracelets and campfire songs to homesickness and a desire to fit in. However, the benefits of growth and change outweigh everything else, [which is why Janet sent her two daughters to camp and is supporting the Fresh Air Fund, which is raising $650,000 to ensure more children experience the respite of time away]( Thanks for reading. You can reach 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_183908), and I will see you back here tomorrow. Get unlimited access to the Star Limited time sale: Only $1/week for 52 weeks [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. 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