Can this mayoral candidate be the fighter Toronto needs?

Plus, Toronto’s condo market in a “moment of reckoning.” What does it mean for investors? [Get This Offer]( [The Star] First Up [By Ashley Okwuosa] By Ashley Okwuosa Good morning. The TTC is advising commuters of [“significant” service changes coming to its streetcar and bus service starting next weekend](. Here’s the latest. MUST READS Susan Kao/Lance McMillan/Toronto Star illustration RACE TO CITY HALL [Ana Bailão is a consensus builder. But can she be the fighter Toronto needs?]( As a centrist with a progressive bent, mayoral candidate Ana Bailão has built a political career on collaboration and consensus. But critics have questioned whether, as mayor, Bailão’s conciliatory approach would leave Toronto in a weak position with provincial and federal leaders. In a 360 performance review of Bailão’s career in politics, Amy Dempsey speaks to those who have worked above Bailão, next to her and under her to understand [her strengths and weaknesses as voters prepare to decide who will be Toronto’s next leader](. Toronto Star illustration REAL ESTATE [Toronto’s condo market in a “moment of reckoning.” What does it mean for investors?]( The Toronto condo investment has become a staple of the city and produced windfall profits for those who bought at the right time. However, new Urbanation and CIBC Capital Markets research found that for the first time, more than half of investors who bought pre-construction condo units in the GTA were losing money. Is this a moment of truth for the investment condo? May Warren spoke to researchers and real estate professionals, and though some believe the industry may be at a turning point, [here’s why they think condo investment will continue to shape the rental market for years to come](. Andrew Francis Wallace/Toronto Star RACE TO CITY HALL [Inside the Toronto election campaign: A baby, a dog — and some hazy climate policy]( The wildfire smoke this week wafting in from northern Ontario and Quebec may have covered up the scent of desperation in the mayoral race as we enter the home stretch, but all the signs are there, writes Alyshah Hasham. From the most recent development in Brad Bradford’s campaign to an analysis of the climate-related policies of each mayoral candidate, [here’s what you might have missed on the campaign trail this week](. Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press Opinion [I listened to all four hours of Pierre Poilievre’s fake filibuster. Here are 7 things I learned]( The Conservative leader kicked off the week announcing his party planned to block passage of the Liberal government’s budget unless two conditions were met: that it was rewritten with a path to balance, and that no new carbon levies were imposed. Despite the gamesmanship, the Liberals’ budget was law by the end of the week. Poilievre’s four-hour speech Wednesday, however, proved illuminating — not for its critique of the Liberals’ economic plan, but for what it revealed about his own political thinking, writes Althia Raj. [Here are a few take-aways from Poilievre’s speech](. Lance McMillan/Toronto Star FOOD [This pound of butter costs nearly $10 at Loblaws. Why is it so expensive?]( The latest example of food inflation gone wild has sparked a chorus of online outrage after Toronto writer Jamie Bradburn tweeted an image of a 454 g package of Lactantia unsalted butter selling for $9.29. So, why is butter so expensive these days? Food industry experts say the complex reason goes back to the farm, reports Dhriti Gupta. [Here’s what you need to know about how grocers set the price for this staple ingredient](. [Next Up] There’s a new way to end your day with the Star. Our new nightly newsletter, Next Up, is your can’t-miss way to keep up with all of the latest developments everywhere from city hall to the Greenbelt. Every evening, it’ll give you the newest updates on the day’s top stories — plus what to expect tomorrow. [Sign up for free here](. POV David Olive: [Bank of Canada is walking the talk with latest rate hike](. Heather Mallick: Every nation has its human badge of failure. [Canada has lassitude](. Martin Regg Cohn: Who can play dragon slayer and defeat Doug Ford? [Here’s where we’ll find them](. David Robertson: While fires rage, [Doug Ford announces a program to burn more wood](. Vinay Menon: Blame Canada? [Why the wildfires are fuelling some…pretty wild conspiracy theories](. Bob Hepburn: [How Ana Bailão can catch Olivia Chow in the Toronto mayoral race](. SUPPORT THIS Supplied Jodi Isenberg and Renée Letros have remained friends for over four decades and many moves from California, British Columbia, Montreal, and back to Toronto. Jodi credits the summer camp where they met for the lifelong friendship. That’s why she’s encouraging readers to support [The Star’s Fresh Air Fund, which sends kids to camp who may not otherwise be able to have their own adventures](. Thanks for reading. Before you go, [here’s how to stop all those spam calls you’re getting](. 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_186023), and I will see you back here tomorrow. BEST OFFER OF THE YEAR Get unlimited access to the Star: $3.33/month for 12 months [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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