Seven newly-elected Toronto city councillors are calling for further investment in social services that address the root causes of crime following the approval of Mayor John Tory’s proposed $48.3 million increase to the Toronto police budget.
In a joint statement released Monday afternoon, the seven councillors voiced their support for the expansion of services such as community-led crisis response programs, but stopped short of opposing the police budget increase, which was unanimously passed on the same day by the Toronto Police Services Board.
That budget increase is expected to pay for the hiring of an additional 200 police officers.
“Everyone in our city deserves to feel safe. A collaborative partnership between the City of Toronto, the Toronto Police Services, and residents is an important part of this,” the statement read.
“However, for too long, governments have prioritized enforcement over addressing the root causes of crime and violence: poverty, discrimination, lack of opportunities, underinvestment, and inequality.”
The seven councillors who signed the statement are Amber Morley, Ward 3 Etobicoke-Lakeshore, Alejandra Bravo, Ward 9 Davenport, Ausma Malik, Ward 10 Spadina-Fork York, Dianne Saxe, Ward 11 University-Rosedale, Chris Moise, Ward 13 Toronto Centre, Lily Cheng, Ward 18 Willowdale and Jamaal Myers, Ward 23 Scarborough North.
Cheng is a member of the Toronto Police Services Board and voted in favour of the budget increase on Monday.
Although the seven councillors didn’t concretely voice opposition to the budget increase, they did say that “decades of research and evidence has shown that increasing police spending without simultaneous investments in social and community infrastructure does not make our communities safer.”
“For more than 40 years, solutions and recommendations have been presented, offering tangible actions and social investments necessary to truly create a safe city,” the statement read.
“These solutions have been proven in other jurisdictions, and many additional programs have shown promise right here in Toronto.”
One of those solutions, says Malik, is the Toronto Community Crisis Service (TCCS), which provides an “alternate approach to responding to someone in crisis that focuses on health, prevention and well-being,” eliminating the need for traditional police enforcement.
Malik says the program, which is in its pilot stage in four areas of the city, has been successful so far and should be expanded.
“One of the big initiatives that we have invested in in Toronto is the TCCS, and it has been successful in its pilot areas in taking a community-based approach to responding to mental health crises without involving police,” Malik told CP24.com
“And one of the big commitments that I’m looking forward to and that I’ve been advocating for is to be able to expand a program like that to every neighbourhood in Toronto to be able to create a safer city.”
Malik said without parallel investments to these types of services, the increased police budget as it stands is “not necessarily what’s going to make people safer.”
Morley told CP24 on Monday that “Torontonians understand that there are direct connections between the resources we have access to and our ability to be well, and so we want to ensure that as many Torontonians as possible have accesses to the resources and support that they require.”
Morley also stressed the need to invest in a multifaceted approach to improving community safety.
“We on council, in addition to supporting our police services, understand that we can’t police our way to committee safety,” Morley said.
“We’ve talked in the past and the mayor has highlighted a need for a three-legged-stool so to speak, which is a multifaceted approach, including ensuring that our critical social services and things like housing options for example, out of the cold programs, warming centers, that they are a critical part of how we’re responding to need and responding to community safety and community health.”
Along with the additional 200 officers added to the force, Tory’s police budget increase will include an additional $2 million for youth and families, allocated to anti-violence programming to address the roots of violence and build on existing programming to support youth supports including employment.
Toronto police Chief Myron Demkiw said the nearly $50 million increase was also necessary to improve response times.
A June 2022 report by the city’s auditor general, Beverly Romeo-Beehler, found that response times to all calls were increasing and service levels were not keeping up with demand.
Malik says that investing in alternative social programs will help to improve police response times, as it frees up officers to respond to incidents of crime and violence rather than mental health and crisis calls that can be dealt with by trained support workers.
“If we’re able to fund and see that evidence and make those investments, there’s so much more that we can do in terms of being able to address the concerns that are being raised in our communities, and to make sure that police are doing the work that only they can do,” she said.
The statement signed by the seven councillors goes on to say that investment in things like “affordable housing, mental health services and good jobs” will also help to create safer communities within the city, and that these types of investments need to be made as soon as possible.
“Now is the time for real investments that make our city more affordable, accessible, and safer for everyone,” the statement read.
“Toronto can’t wait any longer.”
-With files from CTV News Toronto’s Phil Tsekouras
With increased adoption of cryptocurrencies and proliferation in the online gaming industry, Bitcoin casinos are becoming increasingly common. Bitcoin, being one of the alternative currencies, may offer immense advantages in security, anonymity, and speed of every transaction, from appealing to new and seasoned players. The following article will outline the main benefits of using Bitcoin for online casino betting and will describe in detail how this cryptocurrency enhances gaming.
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1. Speed of Transaction
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Why does this matter?
Fast transactions equal the ability for players to fund their accounts straight away with no need for confirmation. Since some gamers just want to get started immediately, or just simply cash out and go, this can come pretty in handy. While most bank transfers involve verification by means of a financial intermediary that is likely to be slow, Bitcoin involves a decentralized network of computers handling processing without any interference from an intermediary.
2. Savings on Fees
Deposits and withdrawals have made it possible for players to cut down or totally eliminate fees imposed by financial institutions through Bitcoin. Banks, credit organizations, and networks of all kinds impose a fee on any transaction, but especially international ones. Due to the fact that this is a network where users make transactions directly, the network fees for Bitcoin are minimal.
How Does This Affect Players?
The lower fees translate to savings that the player will make every time a transfer is made. There are some online casinos that absorb even this negligible Bitcoin network fee; thus, this makes deposits and withdrawals absolutely free for players. To players usually performing lots of transactions or large quantities, this difference in fees may prove critical.
3. Improved Security and Data Protection
Bitcoin uses blockchain technology, one of the most secure and transparent systems in the world. All the transactions involved in blockchain are encrypted; hence, fraud and hacking have almost nil chances of being performed. Furthermore, there is no necessity for sharing personal data while using Bitcoin for online betting as your card number or bank details will not come into play.
Anonymity and Privacy Protection
In the case of Bitcoin, players can preserve anonymity, since for a transaction, one needs only a Bitcoin address. Hence, Bitcoin casinos are true Catch-22 for those who value privacy in financial operations and want to avoid unnecessary checks from banks and other institutions.
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A lot of countries ban gambling or strictly regulate any operations including online casino transactions. This may raise serious barriers for players to access their favorite platforms or even to get accounts suspended. Bitcoin transactions do not go through the banking system and therefore are not regulated like traditional money. This means greater freedom for users.
Benefits to International Players
For players whose countries have restricted gambling, Bitcoin is an easy way around any legal restrictions. For people in countries with unfinished developed banking or those, due to which one can’t access every type of payment, Bitcoin casinos are a great way to access different kinds of bets.
5. Bonuses and Special Offers for Bitcoin Users
Most online casinos welcome the use of Bitcoin by giving bonuses for cryptocurrency choices. In many cases, higher welcome bonuses, cashback on deposits, free spins within the slot machines, and others are common.
How Does This Benefit Players?
The Bitcoin bonus can increase the player’s budget very much and bring extra value to players. Online casinos are happy to see this cryptocurrency, as it cuts some transaction processing costs for them, either. Because of that, promotion activities targeting depositors and withdrawers of Bitcoins can be regularly found.
6. Bitcoin for Gaming Bankroll Management
Being a cryptocurrency, Bitcoin allows players to have flexible banking of their bankroll. Many users keep their winnings in the form of Bitcoins, since it can surge in price. This adds the opportunity to earn extra income from its volatility when Bitcoin prices surge upwards.
Example of Bankroll Management
Using Bitcoin Many players keep their winnings in Bitcoin, due to the fact that its price might go up. In this case, casino winnings create passive income. But one should keep in mind that Bitcoin’s price also goes down, so this strategy is to be used with care.
Financial independence is an important component of success. To avoid wasting everything, you need to be able to save and invest. Thanks to this, it will be possible to create a financial cushion. You can get additional income with the help of brokers. Every adult can register on the Trade-X website and start trading activity. The latter is based on the conclusion of transactions for the purchase and sale of material values, currency, contacts and shares of well-known companies. As reviews show, the broker sets a minimum commission and charges the trader a certain amount after a successful profit. With the right approach and the ability to analyze data, the trader receives a tangible profit from his deals.
Let’s consider what the trader’s work is and read the real comments of Trade-X clients.
Recommendations and reviews about Trade-X
Choosing a source of income, many people monitor websites and look for what they write about the broker in reviews. After all, safety on the Internet, especially when entering your personal data and bank cards is very important. Newcomers who are just entering the market are especially concerned. It is known that the Trade-X company is officially registered in London and acts according to the legislation. It carries out work with an exchange expert and a hedge fund, has more than 200 assets. Trading conditions, including commissions and spreads, are transparent, which does not allow the broker to change them in its favor.
Participants of Medium, Linkedin, Reddit platforms often write good reviews that no fraudulent schemes were observed on the sites, and the support service always responded quickly to questions and any difficulties, if they arose. The broker company has an arsenal of trading tools, signals and training materials, where everyone can understand the nuances of the profession for free. The reviews also say that the terminals work well without delays, price movements are displayed on the charts. By the way, you can monitor the status of the launched order both from your computer and from your phone by installing the Trade-X broker application.
Features of cooperation with the provider of trading platforms
The provider offers trading platforms with access to many financial instruments. It is a kind of analytical center with access points to currencies.
The following are the features of operations:
Ease of management of the personal account and the site as a whole for novice depositors and professionals.
Analysis tools: different timeframes, indicators and analytical tools, which simplifies predicting and planning transactions.
Minimal costs. Trade-X brokers provide competitive spreads on major assets, as well as no commissions for certain types of accounts, which can be beneficial for traders with frequent trades.
24/7 market access: support for 24/7 trading, especially for cryptocurrencies and some international markets.
Margin trading and leverage: Trade-X offers leverage to help increase trade volume, although it also increases risk.
Automation and trading robots: integration with trading robots and algorithmic systems is supported, allowing for automated trades.
Security: state-of-the-art technology to protect funds and data, such as encryption and two-factor authentication.
Training and support: video tutorials, personalized mentoring, group webinars, literature.
Access to the platforms is open to adults who have completed the registration and document verification process. The minimum deposit is 500 dollars. After depositing this amount, you can start investing in any asset. You can follow the course of events by connecting to mobile Internet from anywhere in the city and even in the country. They write in the reviews that it is very convenient. The international resource Trade-X operates in 197 countries, so entry is free for those wishing to invest in the most popular resources. In case of difficulties with authorization, you can use the site mirror or connect VPN services.
What to trade on Trade-X site
More than 200 assets are presented on the site. It is easy to get confused when choosing from such an arsenal. However, experienced participants of the investment market recommend choosing currency pairs. In any case, it is necessary to be aware of possible rate drops or growth. You can learn this from the news, the current chart and your observations.
The most common trading options on the Trade-X website:
Currency pairs, which are the ratio of the prices of two currencies.
Resources: gas, oil, ores, metals.
Stocks: a share of ownership in a company.
Futures: a contract on future purchase.
Trading on the stock exchange for beginners most often starts with currency pairs – they seem more familiar, clear and predictable. It is not difficult to calculate the dynamics of quotations with the large availability of tools and comprehensive assistance from the administration. Visual representation of price movements is significant for a trader, and the latest news in the world economy provides an additional stimulus for correct calculation of ask and bid.
Trade-X services have long been considered the gold standard of the industry. Since its foundation, the online broker has not stopped its development even for a day or an hour. Its services are becoming more and more technological and interesting for users. This allows to get a significant increase in the client base. Positive reviews allowed the company to stand out among other trading platforms, and assigning a personal manager to you will allow you to feel more confident if you are just at the start of trading.
NEW YORK (AP) — Shares of Tesla soared Wednesday as investors bet that the electric vehicle maker and its CEO Elon Musk will benefit from Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
Tesla stands to make significant gains under a Trump administration with the threat of diminished subsidies for alternative energy and electric vehicles doing the most harm to smaller competitors. Trump’s plans for extensive tariffs on Chinese imports make it less likely that Chinese EVs will be sold in bulk in the U.S. anytime soon.
“Tesla has the scale and scope that is unmatched,” said Wedbush analyst Dan Ives, in a note to investors. “This dynamic could give Musk and Tesla a clear competitive advantage in a non-EV subsidy environment, coupled by likely higher China tariffs that would continue to push away cheaper Chinese EV players.”
Tesla shares jumped 14.8% Wednesday while shares of rival electric vehicle makers tumbled. Nio, based in Shanghai, fell 5.3%. Shares of electric truck maker Rivian dropped 8.3% and Lucid Group fell 5.3%.
Tesla dominates sales of electric vehicles in the U.S, with 48.9% in market share through the middle of 2024, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Subsidies for clean energy are part of the Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2022. It included tax credits for manufacturing, along with tax credits for consumers of electric vehicles.
Musk was one of Trump’s biggest donors, spending at least $119 million mobilizing Trump’s supporters to back the Republican nominee. He also pledged to give away $1 million a day to voters signing a petition for his political action committee.
In some ways, it has been a rocky year for Tesla, with sales and profit declining through the first half of the year. Profit did rise 17.3% in the third quarter.
The U.S. opened an investigation into the company’s “Full Self-Driving” system after reports of crashes in low-visibility conditions, including one that killed a pedestrian. The investigation covers roughly 2.4 million Teslas from the 2016 through 2024 model years.
And investors sent company shares tumbling last month after Tesla unveiled its long-awaited robotaxi at a Hollywood studio Thursday night, seeing not much progress at Tesla on autonomous vehicles while other companies have been making notable progress.
