Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Cole Webber @colewebber.bsky.social · Sep 16

Virlene's LTB eviction hearing is scheduled on Tuesday, September 23 at 9am. Log in to observe the hearing:
bit.ly/ZLTBVideo145

Cole Webber @colewebber.bsky.social · Aug 28

After the landlord allowed the roof at 2866 Keele Street to fall into disrepair, the City of Toronto ordered the repairs that Lingyan Lu is using as a basis to renovict tenants
www.torontotoday.ca/local/real-e...

Landlord-tenant mess: How a multi-year ceiling leak spiralled into assault allegations, a lost job and eviction threats

Tenants claim their landlord’s negligence has left them living in slum-like conditions, but the landlord denies it, alleging tenants have blocked much-needed repairs

www.torontotoday.ca

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Reposted by Cole Webber

Ill Will @illwill.bsky.social · Sep 7

A new essay by Phil Neel laying out the various levels and forms of revolutionary organization, the function limits of "sigils" and tactical leadership, and the two kinds of "invariance" in communist struggle.

illwill.com/theory-of-th...

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Cole Webber @colewebber.bsky.social · Sep 6

A reporter attributed to Ricardo Tranjan comments that falsely implied the Thorncliffe Park rent strike dragged on because tenants did not know who their landlords were. In fact, Starlight and PSP could not subdue tenants' organizing because it effectively targeted both landlords

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Cole Webber @colewebber.bsky.social · Sep 5

'Philip Zigman says the fact that tenants got an acceptable agreement “speaks to the power of working class organizing"...residents have set an example that could encourage other Toronto tenants to organize and start their own rent strikes'
www.torontotoday.ca/ontario-news...

Toronto tenants, landlord reach agreement after lengthy rent dispute, eviction threat

TORONTO — Tenants at three buildings in Toronto’s east end and their landlord say they have reached an agreement to end a public battle that lasted more than two years.

www.torontotoday.ca

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Reposted by Cole Webber

Toronto Star @thestar.com · Sep 4

About 100 households in East York have reached an agreement with landlord Starlight Investments, seemingly ending a lengthy public battle that saw a large group of working-class tenants withhold rent from Canada’s largest private landlord for two years.

Around 100 households on rent strike and facing mass eviction reach ‘amicable agreement’ with landlord

Tenants at 71, 75 and 79 Thorncliffe Park Dr. began withholding rent from landlord Starlight in May 2023.

www.thestar.com

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Reposted by Cole Webber

Montreal Gazette @mtlgazette.bsky.social · Sep 1

Landlord knocks hundreds of dollars off rent increase after tenant stages protest

The property owner cancelled a $283 increase, while the renters agreed to pay for hydro and call off future demonstrations

bit.ly

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Cole Webber @colewebber.bsky.social · Aug 28

After the landlord allowed the roof at 2866 Keele Street to fall into disrepair, the City of Toronto ordered the repairs that Lingyan Lu is using as a basis to renovict tenants
www.torontotoday.ca/local/real-e...

Landlord-tenant mess: How a multi-year ceiling leak spiralled into assault allegations, a lost job and eviction threats

Tenants claim their landlord’s negligence has left them living in slum-like conditions, but the landlord denies it, alleging tenants have blocked much-needed repairs

www.torontotoday.ca

1 4

Reposted by Cole Webber

Dan Cohen @dancohen.bsky.social · Aug 28

Great long-form journalism on how Nous consultants have hawked their standardized, corporate model of universities to a willing class of managerial administrators: "You can’t just blame the vampire. Their victims invited their own fate and paid handsomely for it."

nationalpost.com/feature/how-...

How to fix Canada's broke universities? There's a template for that

Nous Group's template for getting out of the red has been adopted by major schools. Critics call it the corporatization of higher education.

nationalpost.com

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Cole Webber @colewebber.bsky.social · Aug 27

As advocates laud Toronto's new renoviction by-law, tenants like Virlene and her neighbours at 2866 Keele are fighting a renoviction attempt by their landlord, Lingyan Lu

Gabe Oatley @gabeoatley.bsky.social · Aug 27

NEW: In a city with more than half a million renters, hostility between landlords and tenants often simmers just below the surface. But rarely do disputes become as heated and have such significant consequences for both sides as this one has. www.torontotoday.ca/local/real-e...

Landlord-tenant mess: How a multi-year ceiling leak spiralled into assault allegations, a lost job and eviction threats

Tenants claim their landlord’s negligence has left them living in slum-like conditions, but the landlord denies it, alleging tenants have blocked much-needed repairs

www.torontotoday.ca

3

Reposted by Cole Webber

Gabe Oatley @gabeoatley.bsky.social · Aug 27

NEW: In a city with more than half a million renters, hostility between landlords and tenants often simmers just below the surface. But rarely do disputes become as heated and have such significant consequences for both sides as this one has. www.torontotoday.ca/local/real-e...

Landlord-tenant mess: How a multi-year ceiling leak spiralled into assault allegations, a lost job and eviction threats

Tenants claim their landlord’s negligence has left them living in slum-like conditions, but the landlord denies it, alleging tenants have blocked much-needed repairs

www.torontotoday.ca

3 5

Reposted by Cole Webber

The Breach @breachmedia.ca · Aug 21

A notorious RCMP unit will be at the forefront of enforcing new laws in British Columbia that fast-track resource projects.

@shirip.bsky.social and Tia Dafnos reveal B.C. will deploy the unit as it deregulates environmental laws and overrides Indigenous rights. breachmedia.ca/rcmp-unit-co...

Controversial B.C. RCMP unit to police opposition to fast-tracked resource projects ⋆ The Breach

A widely-criticized police unit is participating in provincial committees coordinating surveillance and policing of protest against major resource projects—including those fast-tracked under new legis...

breachmedia.ca

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Reposted by Cole Webber

Toronto Star @thestar.com · Aug 18

#Breaking: Air Canada flight attendants’ union head defies back-to-work order: ‘If it means jail, so be it.’

Air Canada flight attendants’ union head defies back-to-work order: ‘If it means jail, so be it.’

CUPE union president Mark Hancock refuses to obey Ottawa orders. 'If Air Canada thinks flights will be operating this afternoon, they're sorely mistaken,' as picketing continues.

www.thestar.com

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Cole Webber @colewebber.bsky.social · Aug 14

Since Lu bought the 11-unit building at 2866 Keele in 2022 she has tried to evict several tenants. Last winter, the ceiling in the third floor stairwell landing collapsed from water damage. After the City ordered Lu to repair it, she issued N13s to 3 tenants on the third floor.

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Cole Webber @colewebber.bsky.social · Aug 14

⚡☎️PHONE ZAP

TODAY: Support tenants at 2866 Keele facing renoviction. Join in calling and emailing their landlord Lingyan Lu to demand she withdraw the N13 eviction notices and do the roof and ceiling repairs while tenants remain in their homes.

Phone Zap

Tenants at 2866 Keele demand Lingyan Lu withdraw the eviction notices and allow tenants to remain in their homes during the roof and ceiling repairs.

Support tenants at 2866 Keele by calling and emailing their landlord, Lingyan Lu, and demanding she withdraw the N13 eviction notices.

Lingyan Lu
647-716-6019
cn60188@hotmail.com

Sample script

I’m calling in support of the tenants at 2866 Keele and demand you withdraw the N13 eviction notices. Since you bought the building in 2022, you have neglected regular repairs and maintenance, and last winter the ceiling in the third floor stairwell landing collapsed from water damage. Instead of repairing the leaking roof, you sent texts and emails to tenants telling them to move out. Now, you must work with the third floor tenants to repair the roof of the building without evicting them. It is unacceptable for you to use the roof repairs as an excuse to push tenants out their homes.

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Cole Webber @colewebber.bsky.social · Aug 14

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Evictions, spatial inequality, and the financialization of rental housing in Toronto

This paper examines the link between the financialization of rental housing and the rate of landlord eviction filings in Toronto, Canada. Our analysis is based on a novel database of all purpose-bu...

www.tandfonline.com

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Cole Webber @colewebber.bsky.social · Aug 14

"Starlight Investments increased the rate of eviction filings in acquired properties by an average of 3.9 times (or 220%) across the 10,129 suites they bought during our study period"

Toronto Star @thestar.com · Aug 14

Financial firms in Toronto pursue evictions more often than any other type of landlord in the city, a groundbreaking new study has found.

Financial firms file for eviction more than any other Toronto landlord, new research finds

The research looked at more than 200,000 evictions and found financial firms pursue evictions at a rate 1.5 times higher than chain landlords and 2.5 times more than single-building landlords.

www.thestar.com

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Reposted by Cole Webber

Ricochet Media @ricochetmedia.bsky.social · Jul 23

How Montreal’s predatory landlords are turning poverty into profit

A new investigation by @zacharykamel.bsky.social reveals how landlords exploit vulnerable tenants, weaponize housing laws, and leave homes empty—all in the name of return on investment

ricochet.media/justice/hous...

#housingcrisis

Evicted and erased: How Montreal’s predatory landlords are turning poverty into profit

A Mexican immigrant now living in a tent is just one casualty of a growing eviction-for-profit scheme. A new investigation reveals how landlords exploit vulnerable tenants, weaponize housing laws, and...

ricochet.media

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Cole Webber @colewebber.bsky.social · Jul 21

“After tenants agreed to the landlord’s offer in principle, the landlord added the ‘non-disparagement’ clause, Sameer Beyan said.”
www.thestar.com/news/gta/ten...

Tenants facing mass eviction say negotiations broke down over clause meant to ‘silence’ them

Landlord Starlight Investments says it "has never sought to prevent residents from raising concerns."

www.thestar.com

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Cole Webber @colewebber.bsky.social · Jul 8

There are now almost as many homeless people whose main source of income is from work (15%) as there are on ODSP (16%)

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Cole Webber @colewebber.bsky.social · Jul 8

Homelessness in Toronto has doubled since 2021 and the number of working homeless is up four percent in the same period, according to the city's new survey numbers. Part-time work is now the third most frequently reported source of income among homeless people after OW and ODSP

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Reposted by Cole Webber

Dan Cohen @dancohen.bsky.social · Jun 28

New: 'Follow the liquidity: Monetary policy, spatial inequality and the Bank of Canada's emergency COVID-19 corporate debt programs.'

We trace the BoC's corporate debt purchases spatially uneven effects and its bolstering of a financialized status quo.

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Follow the liquidity: Monetary policy, spatial inequality and the Bank of Canada's emergency COVID-19 corporate debt programs

In a financial crisis, maintaining liquidity in the economy is a central concern of monetary policymakers seeking to stave off frozen financial market…

www.sciencedirect.com

1 8 14

Reposted by Cole Webber

Toronto Star @thestar.com · Jun 26

Another Toronto high school is being accused of suppressing student voices after all Grade 12 quotes were removed from its yearbook over student submissions related to Palestine and Tibet.

Some Toronto students offered Free Palestine and Free Tibet as yearbook quotes. The school removed quotes from the entire Grade 12

Parkdale Collegiate administration said the decision was made to align with a provincial directive to avoid political biases in the classroom.

www.thestar.com

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Reposted by Cole Webber

Gabe Oatley @gabeoatley.bsky.social · Jun 25

Scoop: York University's president Rhonda Lenton has announced she will depart from the top job 18-months early. Her term has been marked by institutional expansion, but also by protest, a significant faculty strike in 2018, and recent program cuts --> www.torontotoday.ca/local/educat...

York University president announces resignation

Rhonda Lenton is ending her second 5-year term early — after a tenure marked by the university’s launch of a new Markham campus, but also faculty strikes and program cuts

www.torontotoday.ca

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Reposted by Cole Webber

Radical Housing Journal @radicalhousing.bsky.social · Jun 20

In Issue 7.1 #LongRead "Exploring the spatial composition of UK social housing", Nick Clare, Joe Kearsey & Shaun French discuss the challenges of organising in, against-and-beyond social housing, through insights from successful & unsuccessful campaigns.

radicalhousingjournal.org/2025/explori...

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Reposted by Cole Webber

Fred Burrill @fburrill.bsky.social · Jun 17

Courageous youth speaking truth. It is exceedingly difficult as a high school student to challenge authority, as your day is literally structured around taking orders from petty tyrants.

Nathan Kalman-Lamb @nkalamb.bsky.social · Jun 17

Full story:

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Valedictorian told to stay home after making pro-Palestinian remarks in grad speech | CBC News

Elizabeth Yao, the graduating valedictorian at Bell High School in west Ottawa, said she was told not to go to school on Monday after she made pro-Palestinian remarks during a speech at her commenceme...

www.cbc.ca

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