A $3 billion boost to Ontario health care

Plus, Toronto's real estate bounce back and combatting car theft [The Star] First Up [By Kevin Jiang] By Kevin Jiang Good morning. Here’s the latest on federal funds to shore up health care in Ontario, forecasts for the future of GTA real estate and Justin Trudeau taking action on Canada’s auto theft crisis. DON’T MISS Richard Lautens/The Star star exclusive [The Trudeau and Ford governments have inked a $3 billion health deal]( The federal government has finalized a deal with Ontario involving a $3.1 billion transfusion to shore up the province’s embattled health care system, the Star has learned. In exchange, premier Doug Ford’s government promised to fund more primary care teams, improving access to health care for the 2.3 million Ontarians without a family doctor. The money will also help add hundreds of new family doctors and nurse practitioners, as well as thousands of new nurses and personal support workers. Prime minister Justin Trudeau and Ford are set to announce the details later today when they meet in King City — [take a look at where the money is headed](. - What we know: [Ford’s government has been growing its network of primary care teams to help “close the gap” for Ontarians without a family doctor]( recently announcing $110 million in funding for 78 new and expanded teams — what critics have called “as useful as an umbrella in a hurricane" given the scope of Ontario’s doctor shortage. - Why it matters: Emergency departments across Canada are [cracking under the weight of overcrowding and chronic staffing shortages]( with some Ontario EDs reporting wait times of more than 20 hours to be assessed by a doctor. Richard Lautens/The Star real estate [Toronto’s real estate board predicts a boost to sales in 2024 — but numbers will still echo the downturn years]( Toronto’s real estate market appears to be on the mend from its post-pandemic downturn, with the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board forecasting slightly more inventory (and higher prices) for homebuyers this year. But while home sales are expected to improve from last year, they may still fall well short of the GTA’s 10-year average. Given Canada’s heightened interest rates, many prospective homebuyers remain wary of expensive borrowing costs, polls suggest. “This will be the start of a multi-year recovery,” a spokesperson for the board said, adding that even with lower borrowing costs, Ontario’s affordability crisis could still keep buyers on the fence. [Here’s how the situation is looking](. - Context: Toronto real estate has officially entered a [balanced market following a 37 per cent surge in home sales last month](. Some experts predict buyers may be clamouring to invest before a potential lowering of interest rates, driving a surge in demand. - Go deeper: The Bank of Canada is expecting inflation rates to recede in 2024, and [financial markets predict at least one interest rate cut arriving by April or June]( Toronto Star File Photo crime [Justin Trudeau is moving to ban high-tech devices used to steal cars ]( With Canada and Ontario enveloped in an escalating auto theft crisis, Trudeau announced his government is moving to ban the high-tech devices now used to steal cars and potentially introduce harsher penalties for car thieves. “It’s become too easy for criminals to get sophisticated electronic devices that make it simple, for example, to copy car key fobs,” Trudeau said Thursday at a summit tackling auto theft in Canada, placing the blame on organized crime and the international black market. In his opening remarks, Trudeau also blamed former prime minister Stephen Harper for gutting funding for border security, Mark Ramzy reports. [Here’s how you could be impacted]( - Word from Pierre Poilievre: The Conservative leader promised this week to [crack down on car thieves with heftier punishments should he be elected]( as well as shoring up the nation’s major ports with X-ray machines and additional border security. - Wait, what? In the time that officials met for their one day summit, a couple dozen cars will likely be stolen in the GTA — and data suggests auto theft rates are only getting worse. [Take a look at the issues Canada must address to tackle the crisis](. WHAT ELSE [Bell Canada announced it is slashing 4,800 jobs “at all levels,”]( including closing more than 100 The Source stores. 👈 That’ll also see CTV cancel most noon and weekend newscasts. [Here’s what shows are coming to an end](. Pierre Poilievre is looking to remake his relationship with Indigenous groups. [Here’s one way he’s trying to do that](. The collapse of a human trafficking case is the [latest consequence of a failure to appoint enough Toronto judges](. Opponents of the Willowdale supportive housing plan are [throwing another hurdle at the project](. Toronto may break an 86 year temperature record on Friday. [Here’s how warm it’s expected to get](. [Three young men are dead]( after a “catastrophic” overnight crash in Brampton.  [A man is wanted for attempted murder]( after a road-rage attack in Richmond Hill. Israeli strikes killed nine people in Gaza after [U.S. President Joe Biden called Israel’s approach to war “over the top.”]( Biden angrily pushed back at a special counsel’s report that [questioned his memory and handling of documents](. “It brought us together.” A store that promotes local Black-owned businesses is [closing its only physical location](. From no access to all access: [How this Scarborough photographer ended up working for Fred VanVleet](. POV Chloe Cushman Illustration for The Star [This is the real problem with extending access to MAID to those suffering with mental illness.]( CLOSE-UP Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Photo WASHINGTON, D.C.: Protesters unfurl a large banner in front of the U.S. Supreme Court Thursday as justices review a historic case that could decide whether Donald Trump could be ineligible for the ballot over his involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol attack. [Read the takeaways from the court’s arguments yesterday](. 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_208599). Andrew will see you back here tomorrow. 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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