Why TTC riders are feeling uneasy

Plus, a pricey ticket out of Gaza and today's byelection in Durham [Get This Offer]( [The Star] First Up [By Kevin Jiang] By Kevin Jiang Good morning. Here’s the latest on safety on the TTC, the high price of fleeing Gaza and why Pierre Poilievre will be watching today’s byelection closely. DON’T MISS R.J. Johnston/The Star transportation [TTC data shows violence has eased — so why do riders feel uneasy?]( A spate of random stabbings, shovings, swarmings and other assaults on the TTC over the past two years have sparked fear in riders and drove the transportation system into crisis. Today, data shows crime rates on the TTC have dropped modestly, following the deployment of dozens of police officers to the subway, the hiring of additional TTC staff and the boosting of social outreach programs, Lex Harvey writes. But experts argue any lasting change must first address the root causes of crime — including a lack of support for struggling individuals. As vulnerable people increasingly turn to the TTC for respite, [riders are grappling with an uncomfortable new issue: visible homelessness]( - What we know: A sign of Toronto’s overlapping crises, vulnerable people — turned away from the city’s overloaded shelters and warming centres — are packing into overnight buses and regular daytime routes. By late January, [the TTC had recorded more than 1,000 overnight bus stays this winter](. - Context: A woman pushed onto the TTC tracks. Another doused with flammable liquid and set aflame. Multiple fatal stabbings. These are just some of the many incidents recorded on the TTC since April, 2022 — [take a look at our timeline of events](. Mohammed Abed/AFP via Getty Images israel-hamas war [“King of the Crossing.” Meet the tycoon selling passage out of Gaza]( The only hope of escape from war-torn Gaza rests with an Egyptian business tycoon. Buses coordinated by Hala Consulting & Tourism, a business set up by Egyptian construction magnate Ibrahim El-Organi, are now the only way out of the country for desperate Palestinians — so long as they can afford to pay thousands of dollars for a highly-sought after exit permit, Allan Woods reports. With Canada and other nations consistently foiled in their attempts to extract refugees from Gaza, people are beginning to question why this one man has been able to open the gates where so many failed. [Take a closer look at the situation](. - Go deeper: Palestinians are increasingly turning to online crowdfunding to scrounge up the money for passage to Egypt — [even cold-calling influencers to reach a larger audience]( - Why it matters: The Canadian family members of Palestinians trapped in Gaza have lobbied the government for their temporary residence here, with little success. The Star spoke with terrified civilians caught in the war — [here’s what they’re experiencing](. Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick federal politics [Here’s why Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives will be closely watching today’s byelection ]( Voters in Durham head to the polls today and Pierre Poilievre’s party says they’re taking nothing for granted in the longtime Conservative stronghold, Stephanie Levitz and Alex Ballingall write. Ever since Stephen Harper took office two decades ago, the riding has consistently elected a Tory MP, even providing an ill-fated leader in the form of Erin O’Toole (whose 2022 resignation was the catalyst for today’s vote). Now, Conservative candidate Jamil Jivani, a former broadcaster, Ivy League law school grad and youth advocate, will duke it out against Liberal candidate Robert Rock, a local municipal councillor in Scugog who had flirted with running for the Tories. [Here’s what you need to know about the race and its implications for Ottawa](. - By the numbers: The latest Abacus polling from late February shows 41 per cent of Canadians would vote Conservative should a federal election happen today — compared to just 24 per cent who say they’ll vote Liberal. [Track the parties’ performance using our polling tool](. - Emma Teitel’s take: If recent polling is to be believed, it appears voters really, really don’t want to have a beer with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (as the old electability cliché goes). [Though the Liberals implore Canadians to look at their record, it remains dwarfed by their leader’s unpopularity](. WHAT ELSE One premier is threatening to kill Justin Trudeau’s controversial carbon levy. [What happens if he succeeds?]( He failed a background check and lost his career. [Was it over that time he was carded by Toronto police?]( [Here’s how one Toronto hospital is battling the ER crisis]( — and winning. U of T workers won’t strike, [after coming to an agreement minutes before midnight](. A chance to “stand up for my mom.” [After 40 years, families prepare to face cold-case killer in Toronto court](. “This is for you, Billy.” [The family of a cyclist killed in Scarborough spoke at a memorial ride](. More than half of Canadians nearing retirement don’t have enough. [If that’s you, here’s what to do](. Still working from home? The tax rules for 2023 have changed. [Here’s how to claim your expenses](. Nikki Haley wins the District of Columbia’s Republican primary and [gets her first 2024 victory](. The U.S. Supreme Court could [decide today whether Trump can be barred from the 2024 ballot](. The Maple Leafs can’t let this NHL trade deadline pass without adding to the defence. [They aren’t like other teams](. “I really need help.” [Can this teacher — who rents — ever dig his way out of $140,000 in debt?]( POV Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld [Why has Canadian politics become so stupid?]( CLOSE-UP Nick Lachance/The Star MATTAMY ATHLETIC CENTRE: As the NHL struggles to support the LGBTQ+ community, [a gay hockey league in Toronto is about to celebrate its 30th birthday](. Once forced to organized in secret, the Toronto Gay Hockey Association has become a safe haven in a sport that has long-struggled with homophobia. 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_209901). Manuela will see you back here tomorrow. 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