Aria Popal

Planner. @YorkUEUC grad. She/her. 🌆👩🏻‍🎓🎨☕️. Views are my own.

[The New Yorker @NewYorker]

The cover of this week’s issue, “New York’s Toughest,” by Peter de Sève. Start exploring: https://t.co/RmphKSfnFT

[Toronto Star @TorontoStar]

Dunn House gave homeless ER patients a home and saved Toronto hospitals millions. Now they're building another one https://t.co/LkNmb2COvL

[The New York Times @nytimes]

Breaking News: Frank Gehry, a titan of architecture, has died at 96. He designed some of the world’s most recognizable buildings — many widely regarded as masterpieces. https://t.co/7M0tT1NvXJ

[Toronto Star @TorontoStar]

'A major problem': Black boys represented more than 40 per cent of missing youth cases reported to Toronto police https://t.co/HR6gIERB0F

[The New Yorker @NewYorker]

A sneak peek at the cover of next week’s issue, which celebrates Zohran Mamdani’s historic win. #NewYorkerCovers
https://t.co/ple5slwnqc

[Andrew Boozary MD @drandrewb]

It’s been one year since we opened Dunn House — Canada’s first social medicine housing initiative. And this has been family over the past year.

The data is staggering. Emergency Department visits for the tenants have plunged by over 50%. And days spent in hospital have similarly plummeted by nearly 80%.

What started as a “radical” idea — turning a parking lot into 51 homes — became a place where people who were living inside and out of hospitals, shelters, or on the street could finally exhale.

But the real drive for change, I hope, is how human dignity and health economics are completely aligned in the stories we tell.

The first story is from @_VictoriaGibson at the Toronto Star — about Jason Miles, a man whose addiction and homelessness cost more than $260,000 through ER visits, shelters, and jail stays. Not because he wanted that path, but because there wasn’t another one.

The second is from @liamdevlincasey in the CBC, about our @UHN teams and community partners deciding to try something different and center those patients that been sidelined in the health system. The cost calculus is clear when it can be over $50k per month in hospital, $15k in provincial jail and $4k for supportive housing.

I believe both these stories show the cost of crisis — and the return on compassion.

It’s still early, and there’s a lot more to do across the province. But one year in, I’m certain of this more than ever:

housing is healthcare.
compassion saves lives.
and dignity has to be co-designed into the system — not left to chance.

[Mayor Olivia Chow 🇨🇦 @MayorOliviaChow]

Today, I was honoured to award the Key to the City to Scarborough-born music superstar Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye.

In addition to his creative achievements, The Weeknd has made significant philanthropic contributions including raising and donating $500,000 to the Scarborough Health Network during the COVID-19 pandemic. He has championed his heritage through contributions to the University of Toronto’s Ethiopian Studies program and is the co-founder of HXOUSE, a Toronto-based not-for-profit innovation hub that empowers emerging creatives and entrepreneurs.

In honour of today’s special recognition, The Weeknd, in partnership with Live Nation, is again supporting the community that shaped him. Together, they are investing in the Boys & Girls Club of West Scarborough and Birchmount Park Collegiate Institute to create spaces for youth to connect, create and thrive.

[City of Toronto 🇨🇦 @cityoftoronto]

During the #HeatWarning, these buildings are open this weekend until 9:30 p.m.:

📍North York Civic Centre
📍Scarborough Civic Centre
📍Etobicoke Civic Centre
📍York Civic Centre
📍East York Civic Centre

📍 Metro Hall is also open as a 24/7 Cool Space.

[CreateTO @_CreateTO]

Due to the snowstorm on February 12, we had to postpone the community meeting for 40 Bushby Drive.

We are pleased to share that the meeting has been rescheduled and will now take place on Thursday, March 20.

🗓️ Details:
Thursday, March 20, 2025
7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
JC Banquet Hall
1686 Ellesmere Road

This meeting is an opportunity to learn more about the project, ask questions, and share your feedback.

We appreciate your patience and hope you can join us on the new date. Learn more about the project on our website: https://t.co/Pero3StjKC

#CityBuilding #Housing #CommunityEngagement

[CreateTO @_CreateTO]

Just steps away from Scarborough Centre Subway Station, 158 Borough Drive will support the vision for Scarborough Centre as a vibrant and sustainable transit-oriented community.

The new development will include 678 housing units, with 229 of those being affordable rental units.

Learn more about the project on our website: https://t.co/dTD2IPeaoJ

#Housing #AffordableHousing #TransitOriented #Scarborough

[Canadian Centre for Housing Rights (CCHR) @HousingRightsCA]

Last day to apply!

We're hiring for three new roles to support our expanded efforts to advance the #Right2Housing for all.

➤ Senior Legal Education Specialist
➤ Lawyer
➤ Outreach & Education Advisor

Learn more & apply now ⬇️
https://t.co/ZohLAFVozM

[David Rider @dmrider]

Applause to whomever wrote this headline.

[City of Toronto 🇨🇦 @cityoftoronto]

City of Toronto unlocks more than 7,000 net new rental homes through purpose-built rental housing incentives stream

News release: https://t.co/kexN56CcOd

[City of Toronto 🇨🇦 @cityoftoronto]

Fall into Fun: City of Toronto releases fall recreational program listings

News Release: https://t.co/13RWVJc30j

[Infrastructure Institute @IIutoronto]

APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN! The Organizational Readiness Program is a 6-week program for not-for-profit, Ontario-based organizations seeking support with an assessment of their “readiness” to develop a project. More info-> https://t.co/GlstMaOtcR

[John Lorinc @JohnLorinc]

#topoli Moveable chairs in public spaces: New York, Montreal, Paris, Nashville, Brisbane: all these cities have embraced an approach to animating public spaces & parks first bruited in 1981 by William Whyte. Why won’t @cityoftoronto follow their lead? https://t.co/w9ajUVsFi7

[keisha st. louis-mcburnie @KeishaStLouis]

Round 3! All graduate students at @UofT are welcome to apply to join Chiyi and I in Planning and Designing for Community Power. We're thrilled to offer this seminar again with the support of @geo_uoft, @UofTCities and @UofTDaniels. Let's dream up alternative futures together!

[Dr. Adil Shamji 🇨🇦 @ShamjiAdil]

It makes me furious that @fordnation can publish an interactive map to find beer after just one weekend but he won’t do the same thing to help any of the 2.3 million Ontarians who can’t find a family doctor.

#onpoli #onhealth

[CP24 @CP24]

#BREAKING: Ontario reversing decision to dissolve Peel Region
https://t.co/cDfXj2zePI

[Uber Canada @Uber_Canada]

Since the Scarborough RT derailed and closed prematurely this summer on July 24, we have seen Scarborough residents rely on Uber to get around Scarborough and to Kennedy station to connect with the subway and GO transit.