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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
About Richmond Row's Pressing Safety Issues
What’s Happening With Downtown Toronto’s Homelessness Crisis?
Ironically, Halloween as a Holiday Might Be Dying Out (For Us)
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
By: Grace Yao
October is known for many prominent holidays, including Halloween, Thanksgiving and many others. However, a lesser known celebration of October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month!
(photo: Saint John’s Cancer Institute)
Breast cancer is a type of cancer that develops within the cells of the mammary gland, or in other breast tissue. These cancerous cells begin to grow more rapidly and abnormally than usual cells and begin to accumulate, creating a lump. If not diagnosed and treated early, cancerous cells may spread to other parts of your body. This illness affects one in 8 women, so chances are you or someone you know will be affected by breast cancer in your lifetime. Breast cancer is also the second most deadly type of cancer in women after non-melanoma skin cancer, and over 28,000 women will be diagnosed with it in Canada alone. While men can also develop breast cancer, it is a much rarer occurrence with about 1 in 833 males being diagnosed with the cancer.
October is about spreading awareness about the struggles of breast cancer, and educating the public about this horrendous disease. On a lighter note, here are a few things you can do to support and promote the research and treatment of breast cancer!
Wear pink, or a pink ribbon lapel pin
(photo: Mayo Clinic Health System)
You have probably seen these ribbon lapel pins worn during October to represent cancer awareness but did you know that each colour actually represents a type of cancer? The colour symbolising breast cancer awareness is pink. The pink ribbon lapel became the symbol of breast cancer awareness in 1992, when Alexandra Penney, chief editor of Self magazine, wanted the newly released Breast Cancer Awareness article to draw more attention. To do this, she created the folded pink ribbon, and distributed them in large cosmetic stores in New York City. Since then, the pink ribbon has been a well-recognized symbol of breast cancer awareness.
Wearing a pink ribbon lapel or the colour pink in general represents your honour for breast cancer survivors, condolences to people who lost to the disease, and support for further research and treatment of breast cancer so be sure to get involved!
You can learn to make pink ribbon lapel pins here.
Donate to charities
Even though it may seem simple, donating to charities or fundraisers makes a huge difference. Your donations sustain the fight to end breast cancer as well as educate the public about it. Finding a treatment for breast cancer will save millions of lives in the future. In addition, it will also improve the care and comfort of current breast cancer patients. Considering the fact that encountering someone with breast cancer is highly likely, your contributions will have an impact on someone out there — maybe even someone you’ll know.
To join the effort to end breast cancer, you can donate to the following foundations: The Canadian Cancer Society, after Breast Cancer, The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, The Breast Cancer Support Fund, and you can find many other Canadian foundations here.
We really hope you learned a few things about breast cancer from this article and even thought about donating. October is an opportunity for supporting those affected by breast cancer, celebrating the progress made against it, drawing awareness to the disease, and most importantly, educating others on it.
About Richmond Row's Pressing Safety Issues
By: Joanne Liang
On December 23, local boutique store Frankly Scarlett will be closing its doors for the last time, after six years of operation. This follows the trend of other stores which have also been closing down within the area of Richmond Row, Downtown London. According to the owner, the environment in which the business can operate is just too unsafe.
(photo: Global News)
“The daily challenges of homelessness, vandalism and drug addiction plaguing our downtown has made it impossible to provide a safe environment for our staff and customers and the necessity of locking the front door has diminished any chance of retail success,” they wrote in their business’s Facebook post. Many local citizens agree with this sentiment as well.
“I owned property on Richmond Row since the glorious 80s and I ran a business there but I sold everything and ran for the hills. This massive enabling program has ruined a once thriving and important part of the city.” One commenter says on The London Free Press, in an article about the challenges that Richmond Row faces. Their concerns aren’t unwarranted either. It’s terrible, having to run a business and spend hours a day in an environment where you have to fear for your employees and customers’ lives and safety.
A few months ago, nearby establishments such as Brown & Dickson Bookstore and Budapest Restaurant were also forced to close their doors, with safety being the main concern once again.
With all this information, you probably only have one question on your mind. You’re probably wondering: what happened? How can such a once prospective and lively space like Richmond Row turn out to be…this, after so many years? Finally, is the community undoubtedly doomed? That’s the golden question–– and in a search for an answer, we've decided to do a little research and dig around for our own little case study.
It turns out, one of the largest reasons for the growing safety concerns— and subsequently, London’s beloved stores closing down–– is, undoubtedly, COVID-19. The two year-long pandemic marked a huge economic shift for everyone, with the sudden shift to quarantine making it difficult for businesses to adapt. This change especially impacted smaller businesses which relied on loyal, in-person customer bases. At the same time, many workers lost their jobs or were laid off due to a variety of reasons; most, however, ultimately tied back to COVID.
Now, what happens when the economy struggles and people lose their jobs? You’ve guessed it. Within these two years, the homelessness and violence rates spiked not just in Downtown London, but every major city hub in Canada. According to York Region’s 2021 Homeless Count Report, the rising housing market pressure which concurrently happened at the time of the pandemic also contributed to increased long-term homelessness. To cite, “over half (53%) of respondents reported experiencing long term or chronic homelessness, up from 45% in 2018 and 33% in 2016” (York Region 2021).
The COVID pandemic might be over, but the impact of these times are still prominent in some of York Region’s communities. Downtown London is just one of the many places that hasn’t been quite able to get back up on its feet.
Furthermore, the closing of Brown & Dickson Bookstore in February earlier this year also cited an ongoing opioid epidemic plaguing downtown. This shines light on some issues that may already have been spreading negativity in the neighbourhood–– COVID was merely the final straw for these businesses. Other problems, such as the lack of parking and expensive operating costs make it even more difficult to operate in this area.
That said, amidst the unfortunate news of Richmond Row’s beloved stores closing down, the London Ontario city council is ever more focused on alleviating these plaguing issues. In light of Richmond Row’s economic struggles, a plan to implement 3 new homeless hubs in the heart of the municipality has just recently been approved. It’s a start, and it shows that the community isn’t giving up on Richmond Row just yet.
The drug epidemic shouldn’t be taken lightly either. Mental health and addiction services are more crucial than ever for vulnerable people that require this assistance; meanwhile, it's also a call for concern for local police. who are responsible for enforcing the law and stopping criminal activity, to enforce stricter control over street drugs.
Overall, it seems that the largest issue to tackle firsthand is regarding Richmond Row’s safety. The city council’s plans essentially acknowledge the significance of the problem running rampant and the central role that it plays, and it even raises concern that the root of these problems are possibly macro-level and not restricted to the municipality solely. If we are to hope for a safe community at Richmond Row, we have to directly address the current issues, but the causes shouldn’t be ignored either.
That’s not to say that it's out of our control though; we definitely shouldn't just leave the fate of downtown in someone else’s hands and just… pray for the best. It will definitely take months, possibly even years before Richmond Row can go back to what it once was, but in the meantime, it helps to spread awareness about the significance of the problem and, at the bare minimum, believe that it will be possible to salvage the community
P.S. If you’d like to support or even check out some of the businesses mentioned, Frankly Scarlett can be found on Facebook. They also have another location that’s booming with business down in Port Stanley, Ontario! Meanwhile, Brown and Dickson Bookstore is also thriving on their Instagram page.
What’s Happening With Downtown Toronto’s Homelessness Crisis?
By: Joanne Liang
In Spring of 2023, hundreds of refugees from Sudan, Uganda and Mexico crossed Canada’s borders in hopes of seeking asylum. The majority were rejected from shelters each day. Emergency spaces aren’t enough anymore–– now, hundreds of asylum seekers find refuge in churches, airports, and hotels, if not living entirely out on the streets. This is a problem that every citizen in Toronto is, at the bare minimum, vaguely aware of, but nobody knows how to address as it becomes increasingly prominent in the very streets that we walk; despite this, winter approaches, and Downtown Toronto struggles to discern a long-term solution to its raging homelessness crisis.
According to CTV, the influx in refugees is due to an amalgamation of reasons: climate change, war and armed conflict and human rights violations are a few off the top of the list. As the friendly peace-loving neighbour that the world recognizes Canada as, we’ve built up quite the reputation for accepting refugees and immigrants regardless of backgrounds, promoting our diversity and inclusivity.
(Justin Trudeau’s famous and widely received 2017 tweet, initiating the hashtag “#WelcomeToCanada”.)
However, due to many issues, this approach is beginning to backfire as Toronto’s streets populate with more refugees than it can accommodate for.
There have also been speculations about some foreigners attempting to loophole the refugee immigration system via “visiting”–– that is, visiting Canada by means of vacation or education and then claiming asylum to start life anew abroad. This is incredibly unfair for those who do meet the refuge requirements but are subsequently rejected, and it only makes the selection process more difficult for the federal government. Some have even expressed their concerns on social media platforms such as r/Toronto on Reddit; for example, those who have made it past Canadian borders continue to worry if their immigrant parents are still eligible.
“Yeah, at the current state of the economy, even Canadians are sleeping on the street,” one user says in response to an article on Toronto asylum seeking. Overall, the Canadian public’s reactions are less than ecstatic. All the while, Toronto’s homelessness crisis remains bleak.
As of October 1st, 2023, the number of refugees in Toronto’s shelter system has shot up by over 600 percent in the past two years, spiking up to 3,682 according to CP24. The city’s emergency care systems simply do not have the capacity to accommodate this growing demand. With the City of Toronto’s decision in Spring to turn away refugees and asylum seekers from daily shelters, many have been left with no other option but to rely on the streets for survival. This is most evident on the sidewalks of Peter Street, Toronto, where rejected refugees have gathered in place of shelter.
(photo: The Star)
There’s definitely a great deal to consider when taking into account the scale of Toronto’s homelessness crisis. As we speak, churches and airports are being filled past their capacity, a less than stellar temporary bandage to the symptoms of a larger issue.
It may not seem like much, but it means a lot to donate clothing and food to local charities, or even spend time volunteering with non-profit organisations and homeless shelters. It even helps to spread awareness on the issue. Share this article with your friends, promote the topic on social media, just don’t let the problem right in front of us go unnoticed. Toronto is a beloved city for us all, home to tons of entertainment and small-time businesses and cultural gems. That’s why, as citizens of the GTA, we’ve got to do everything we can for this city too.
Ironically, Halloween as a Holiday Might Be Dying Out (For Us)
By: Joanne Liang
A lovely thank you to my friend Aswini for being a great inspiration for this article! :)
That's right, all you fellow spooky season enjoyers, it's that time of year again. Halloween, the only day in a year where you can parade around your daily life dressed as anything you want to be–– where the unordinary becomes ordinary. There's so much to do to celebrate Halloween festivities! You can go trick or treating, pumpkin carving, even visit the neighbourhood and admire all the nice decorations that others have put up...except, "hold on, is it just me, or is there not as much hype as there should be??"
(image: Eddy Travels)
It's not just you. After interviewing several students across York Region schools, similar opinions also came up in conversation. The question remains: Is Halloween as a holiday dying out?
"Yes, I do think so. When I was younger the neighbourhoods used to be decked out in halloween decorations, but now it's not common to even find a house with a pumpkin in front of it, let alone feel the halloween spirit." One student from Markville Secondary School says.
Statistically speaking, only 52% of Ontarians plan on celebrating Halloween this year. That's a whopping 19% lower than our Atlantic counterparts. In an article by CTV News, many of the reasons cited by adults involve the inflation of prices for snacks and Halloween decorations in general. Historically, the holiday is also something primarily celebrated by the youth, not so much as appealing to older generations.
In fact, a lot of the reason just has to do with growing up. Many of our readers feel this impact more profoundly too, since Halloween is so closely entwined with the sense of childhood. Once you're past a certain age, trick or treating begins to have this stigma around it, being seen as an activity for kids and only kids. Responsibilities begin to pile up, and the transition into adulthood means your previously empty schedules are now filled with an endless number of tasks. For some of those around us, they just simply don't have the time for Halloween anymore.
Despite all of this, the short, retrospective answer is: no. Halloween is still very much thriving as a holiday, just only in certain neighbourhoods (and for younger demographics). And it's been like that for quite a while–– Mainstreet Unionville and Cornell are some of the best go-to trick-or-treat destinations, filled with haunted houses and stores that actively participate in festivities.
(photo: Main Street Unionville on X/Twitter)
At the same time, for even older generations, Halloween traditions are constantly changing. Did you know? A few decades ago, trick or treating wasn't even common practice, and carving jack-o-lanterns was originally done with radishes instead of pumpkins. Things might be different now compared to your childhood; yet, the spirit of Halloween has never died despite that. It does suck that each Halloween will never be the same, but things change, and that's just part of growing up.
From my personal experience, there's still joy to be found in holidays even as you grow up and enter adulthood! I still go trick or treating as a high schooler with my friends, and I'm always having fun with it because I enjoy the memories being made. The others in our social groups might not be as hell-bent on doing the same traditions anymore, but they still find time to hang out at gatherings and simply enjoy the festivities. In a way, that might be the most festive thing about Halloween–– not the candy, or the decorations, or even the costumes but the holiday spirit that'll never die no matter how much traditions change.
TL;DR: If you were worried, no, Halloween is not a dying holiday. All you need to do is discover the right places to celebrate (go check out our September article which features some spooktacular recommendations!). So, what are you waiting for? Go out there and have some fun!
Wow, published just in the nick of time before Halloween ends…thanks for tuning in to yet another one of our newsletters! Our writers’ team is constantly on the hunt for interesting content to cook up trendy and relevant articles for our local community. If you want to stay updated on awesome pieces like these, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter to get email notifications every time we publish something new. Thanks so much for your support guys! We’ll see you next month :)
Your very grateful (and amazing) writers,
Grace and Joanne