What's the hold up with building more child care spaces?

Plus, revoked international student admissions and funding for adults with intellectual disabilities [Get This Offer]( [The Star] First Up [By Manuela Vega] By Manuela Vega Good morning. Doug Ford is “tripling down” on wanting “like-minded” judges. [Here’s how to understand the controversy in Ontario courts](. Here’s the latest on a college that revoked international students’ admissions, Toronto child care spaces and a funding plea for adults with intellectual disabilities. DON’T MISS LinkedIn Photo star exclusive [Emails reveal two colleges’ fight over rejecting international students]( A public college in northern Ontario and its private partner in Toronto turned against each other when 500 international students saw their admissions revoked last summer, Nicholas Keung reports. Emails obtained under a freedom-of-information request reveal the internal communications that took place as Northern College in Timmins rescinded admission offers to hundreds of international students headed to Pures College of Technology. “I do not believe this will turn into a PR issue based upon the timing of these rescinding/deferrals,” one email read. [Take a look at what else was said](. - Wait, what? When the college rescinded the offers, the president and CEO attributed the problem to a higher visa approval rate from the Immigration Department than had been anticipated, [leading them to be “oversubscribed” on their campuses](. - Go deeper: The high-profile incident added scrutiny to Canada’s [international student program and partnerships between public college and private partners](. - Meanwhile: Immigration Minister Marc Miller is calling [claims that Ontario was blindsided by a cap on international student permits “complete garbage.”]( Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck child care [More than 3,000 new child care spots are in jeopardy ]( Finding a child care spot in the city is already “like The Hunger Games,” Toronto Catholic District School Board Trustee Kevin Morrison says. Now, 3,000 spots across 50 child care centres slated to be built in schools — many in underserved communities — are at risk. Toronto’s public and Catholic boards will have to fight to keep funding for the centres after the provincial government said they’ve taken too long to get shovels in the ground and costs have already soared, Isabel Teotonio and Kristin Rushowy report. [Here’s a closer look at what’s at stake for families](. - Go deeper: The boards blame the province for the issue, highlighting a lengthy ministry approval process and saying they weren’t given enough money to build the child care spaces.  - Word from the province: The education ministry is considering building spaces in alternate locations, like community centres, if school boards can’t get the job done with the funding provided. “These projects started seven years ago, some of which are almost 300 per cent over budget,” Education Minister Stephen Lecce told the Star. Jilly MacIver for The Star Social Services [She needs support to be part of her community. Will Ontario step up?]( When she thinks of the funding troubles faced by agencies supporting her and other adults with intellectual disabilities, Nicole Flynn pictures herself alone on an ice floe, disconnected and drifting from her network of community support. As staff shortages, service cuts and increasing deficits become more common, advocates are warning that the provincially-funded sector is reaching a breaking point, Brendan Kennedy reports. [Here’s how a coalition of agencies is calling on the province to step up](. - More: “I call it keep-the-lights-on money,” says Chris Beesley, who leads the coalition of agencies, about an increase in funding. “This is just so we live to fight another day.” - Word from province: Michael Parsa, Ontario’s minister for children, community and social services, declined an interview for this story and his office did not directly respond to questions about the upcoming budget. WHAT ELSE Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives say they support Ukraine — [but won’t commit to keeping Justin Trudeau’s latest agreement with Kyiv](. Two people are dead after a double shooting in Toronto’s Weston neighbourhood. [Here’s how witnesses described the violent aftermath](. [A man has been arrested]( for the pro-Hamas vandalism of an Al Waxman statue. More than half of Canadians think their [keyless-entry fobs are fuelling the auto theft crisis](. [The gender and immigration pay gap is twice as big in the private sector than it is in the public sector]( a report reveals. Toronto’s new takeout item bylaw comes into effect Friday. [Here’s how it’ll impact your food orders](. [Tarion is facing its “largest claim event”]( ever as builders walk away from projects and home buyers lose deposits. A receiver’s report has accused former The One developer Mizrahi of [budget failures and serial delays](. Toronto Catholic teachers are asking to[work from home for “safety” on the day of the solar eclipse](. Toronto’s pothole problem is being smoothed over by warm winter. [Take a closer look](. Here are four books of [Canadian poetry that will soothe your soul this month](. Canadian residents can now apply to [be the next Netflix reality TV star](. POV Supplied Photo [Why I decided to “step down” from neurosurgery and choose family medicine.]( CLOSE-UP Jim Rankin/The Star TORONTO POLICE HEADQUARTERS: Christine Stought-O’Gilvie takes a moment to compose herself speaking to reporters on Tuesday. “Please, treat them with dignity,” she says, addressing Toronto police’s treatment of young Black men. [A second Toronto cop has now pleaded guilty in a “mistaken identity” arrest and Tasering of Stought-O’Gilvie’s son, a U of T student](. 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_209640). I’ll see you back here tomorrow. Get unlimited access to the Star Sale: Starting at only $1 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]( Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. 416-367-2000 [PRIVACY POLICY](