Anglais

Expand after-school spaces for youth to stem violence, Toronto councillor urges

Published

6 années ago

septembre 29, 2018

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The city can fill in the gaps in the availability of after-school youth spaces in neighbourhoods from Etobicoke to Scarborough — putting almost every Toronto youth within two kilometres of such a safe environment — at a cost of $3.1 million, a new proposal from a city councillor shows.

The pitch, developed as one of the planks in Josh Matlow’s re-election platform released Friday, comes at a time when violence continues to escalate across the city. On Tuesday, it claimed the life of a 15-year-old boy in Regent Park, Mackai Bishop Jackson, who loved basketball and who frequented a city-run community centre that was closed to the public when he was killed.

The Toronto Public Library operates 11 youth hubs across the city that provide a safe space for teens after school. (René Johnston / Toronto Star file photo)

Matlow mapped 21 existing youth spaces to find the gaps. Those include what are called enhanced youth lounges run by the city and youth hubs run by the public library. Both models employ consistent staff in dedicated spaces with snacks and equipment like computers, video games and other technology to make them youth-friendly. The spaces are open five to six days a week. The city runs other drop-in programs without those enhancements.

Looking at the areas not covered by those sites and existing city facilities, Matlow says 20 additional locations, doubling what’s available, should be created. That would include creating spaces in what city has deemed “neighbourhood improvement areas,” such as Kingsview Village—The Westway in Etobicoke, and Scarborough Village.

“Every young person should know there is a space available for them,” Matlow said.

In November 2008, the province was presented with a seminal study on the roots of youth violence by former Ontario chief justice and Progressive Conservative attorney general Roy McMurtry and former Liberal cabinet minister and Speaker Alvin Curling. Using a comprehensive literature review, original research and consultations with youth, it made several recommendations for tackling systemic barriers and influences that lead to youth violence.

“Indeed, the lack of space was one of the loudest messages we heard: youth and those working with them repeatedly expressed a need for youth-specific space within their communities,” the 2008 report says. “Far too many disadvantaged neighbourhoods lack space for youth to play sports, engage in the arts, dance or just hang out.”

The shortage of space, the report noted, leaves youth on the streets and exposed to negative peers and interactions. It also “deprives them of the positive development that comes from engagement in sports or arts or involvement with positive peers, youth workers and community leaders in activities that would build their skills, confidence, optimism and belief in their futures.”

Matlow kick-started Toronto’s youth equity strategy, which council approved in 2014. After years of inaction on the 2008 report, it laid out specific steps based on the work of McMurtry and Curling. The progress of the strategy is currently under review.

In recent months, council and Premier Doug Ford’s government have reacted to violence that has made headlines by committing or apply for additional funding for some community programs and policing, including controversial new technology that is said to be able to detect the sound of gunshots.

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Matlow said the money allocated for that unproven technology, combined with money council approved for additional CCTV cameras — totalling $2.6 million — is “wasteful” and could be better used to cover most of the expense of the new youth spaces.

“Every time we lose another kid, there’s another blue-ribbon panel announced or another report that’s going to be devised, and then those recommendations end up in the dusty archives of history,” he said. “We no longer need to ask what we have to do. We need to follow through with what we know we can do.”

The youth spaces that exist now have proven to be wildly popular.

A briefing note released by library staff earlier this year showed the number of visits to its youth hubs nearly doubled from 2016. That bump, staff said, is because new hubs became available — meaning the more youth hubs the city built, the more youth showed up.

A 2016 survey of participants found more than 70 per cent felt the program increased their feeling of safety and that they felt comfortable asking staff for help, the briefing note says.

Youth lounges cost $179,000 each, including one-time $10,000 startup costs to make the spaces more youth-friendly. That funding includes a full-time, dedicated staff person. The lounges are also staffed with a minimum of two part-time staff, the city said.

The library spaces cost $130,000 with one full-time staff member, who is a librarian, and support from other library staff and volunteers.

Matlow reached the $3.1-million estimate by using an average cost of $155,000 per space.

Bill Sinclair, executive director of St. Stephen’s Community House, which offers an arcade drop-in five days a week with dedicated staff, called Matlow’s push for expansion a “terrific” idea.

“I think the city is ideal to provide spaces because they have property, they have great facilities,” he said.

The city’s enhanced youth lounges are based on the St. Stephen’s model. Sinclair stressed that having two dedicated, trained staff, ideally youth outreach workers, is an important component of how they operate, allowing them to provide one-on-one counselling as needed.

Having spaces within walking distance for youth who can’t afford extra TTC fares; access to food; and flexibility in programming to allow youth to make the space their own are key, Sinclair said.

St. Stephen’s and many other non-city-run youth spaces operate through charitable donations and grant funding, making them precarious. He noted other vulnerable populations don’t rely on the same kind of spotty funding.

“No one runs nursing homes with bake sales, he said.

Matlow is supportive of more staff for the city’s youth lounges, noting any additional costs would still make creating the new spaces a relatively small investment for the city given the potential benefits for so many youth.

Jennifer Pagliaro is a Toronto-based reporter covering city politics. Follow her on Twitter: @jpags

Anglais

Nostalgia and much more with Starburst XXXtreme

Published

3 années ago

août 10, 2021

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Get a taste of adventure with Starburst XXXtreme based on the legendary NetEnt Game. The nostalgic themes are sure to capture fans of the classic version as they get treated to higher intensity, better visuals, and features. The most significant element of the game is its volatility. Patience will not be an essential virtue considering the insane gameplay, and there is a lot of win potential involved. It retains the original makeup of the previous game while adding a healthy dose of adrenaline.

Starburst Visuals and Symbols

The game is definitely more conspicuous than before. The setting happens over a 5-reel, 3-row game grid with nine fixed win lines, which function if a succession from the left to the right reel is present. Only those players that that attain the highest win per bet line are paid. From a visual standpoint, the Starburst XXXtreme slots illustrates lightning effects behind the reels, which is not surprising as it is inherited from the original version. Available themes include Classic, Jewels, and Space. The game is also available in both desktop and mobile versions, which is advantageous for players considering the global pandemic. According to Techguide, American gamers are increasingly having more engaging gaming experiences to socialize to fill the gap of in-person interaction. Starburst XXXtreme allows them to fill the social void at a time when there is so much time to be had indoors.

Starburst XXXTreme Features

Players get to alternate on three features which are Starburst Wilds, XXXtreme Spins, and Random Wilds. The first appears on reels 2,3, or 4. When these land, they expand to cover all positions while also calculating the wins. They are also locked for a respin. If a new one hits, it also becomes locked while awarding another respin. Starburst XXXtreme offers a choice between two scenarios for a higher stake. In one scenario with a ten times stake, the Starburst Wild is set on random on reels 2,3, or 4, and a multiplier starts the respin. The second scenario, which has a 95 times stake, starts with two guaranteed starburst wilds on reels 2,3, or 4. it also plays out using respin game sequence and features. The game also increases the potential with the Random Wilds feature to add Starburst Wilds to a vacant reel at the end of a spin. Every Starburst Wild gives a random multiplier with potential wins of x2, x3, x5, x10, x25, x50, x100, or even x150.

The new feature is sure to be a big hit with the gaming market as online gambling has shown significant growth during the lockdown. AdAge indicates the current casino customer base is an estimated one in five Americans, so Starburst XXXtreme’s additional features will achieve considerable popularity.

What We Think About The Game

The gambling market has continued to diversify post-pandemic, so it is one of the most opportune times to release an online casino-based game. Thankfully Starburst XXXtreme features eye-catching visuals, including the jewels and space themes. These attract audience participation and make the gameplay inviting. The game also has a nostalgic edge. The previous NetEnt iteration featured similar visuals and gameplay, so the audience has some familiarity with it. The producers have revamped this version by tweaking the features to improve the volatility and engagement.

That is characterized by the potential win cap of 200,000 times the bet. Starburst XXXtreme does not just give betting alternatives for players that want to go big. The increase of multipliers also provides a great experience. If the respins in the previous version were great, knowing that multipliers can go hundreds of times overtakes the game to a new level.

Players should get excited about this offering. All of the features can be triggered within a single spin. Whether one plays the standard game or takes the XXXtreme spin route, it is possible to activate all of the features. Of course, the potential 200,000 times potential is a huge carrot. However, the bet size is probably going to be restricted and vary depending on the casino. It is also worth pointing out that a malfunction during the gameplay will void all of the payouts and progress. Overall, the game itself has been designed to provide a capped win of 200,000 times the original bet.

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Anglais

‘We’re back’: Montreal festival promoters happy to return but looking to next year

Published

3 années ago

juillet 23, 2021

admin

In downtown Montreal, it’s festival season.

In the city’s entertainment district, a musical act was conducting a sound check on stage Friday evening — the second day of the French-language version of the renowned Just For Laughs comedy festival. Tickets for many of the festival’s free outdoor shows — limited by COVID-19 regulations — were sold out.

Two blocks away, more than 100 people were watching an acoustic performance by the Isaac Neto Trio — part of the last weekend of the Festival International Nuits d’Afrique, a celebration of music from the African continent and the African diaspora.

With COVID-19 restrictions continuing to limit capacity, festival organizers say they’re glad to be back but looking forward to next year when they hope border restrictions and capacity limits won’t affect their plans.

Charles Décarie, Just For Laughs’ CEO and president, said this is a “transition year.”

“Even though we have major constraints from the public health group in Montreal, we’ve managed to design a festival that can navigate through those constraints,” Décarie said.

The French-language Juste pour rire festival began on July 15 and is followed by the English-language festival until July 31.

When planning began in February and March, Décarie said, organizers came up with a variety of scenarios for different crowd sizes, ranging from no spectators to 50 per cent of usual capacity.

“You’ve got to build scenarios,” he said. “You do have to plan a little bit more than usual because you have to have alternatives.”

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Anglais

MELS new major movie studio to be built in Montreal

Published

3 années ago

juillet 23, 2021

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MONTREAL — MELS Studios will build a new film studio in Montreal, filling some of the gap in supply to meet the demand of Hollywood productions.

MELS president Martin Carrier said on Friday that MELS 4 studio construction will begin « as soon as possible », either in the fall or winter of next year. The studio could host productions as early as spring 2023.

The total investment for the project is $76 million, with the Quebec government contributing a $25 million loan. The project will create 110 jobs, according to the company.

The TVA Group subsidiary’s project will enable it to stand out « even more » internationally, according to Quebecor president and CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau. In the past, MELS Studios has hosted several major productions, including chapters of the X-Men franchise. The next Transformers movie is shooting this summer in Montreal.

Péladeau insisted that local cultural productions would also benefit from the new facility, adding that the studio ensures foreign revenues and to showcase talent and maintain an industry of Quebec producers.

STUDIO SHORTAGE

The film industry is cramped in Montreal.

According to a report published last May by the Bureau du cinéma et de la télévision du Québec (BCTQ), there is a shortage of nearly 400,000 square feet of studio space.

With the addition of MELS 4, which will be 160,000 square feet, the company is filling part of the gap.

Carrier admitted that he has had to turn down contracts because of the lack of space, representing missed opportunities of « tens of millions of dollars, not only for MELS, but also for the Quebec economy. »

« Montreal’s expertise is in high demand, » said Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, who was present at the announcement.

She said she received great testimonials from « Netflix, Disney, HBO and company » during an economic mission to Los Angeles in 2019.

« What stands out is that they love Montreal because of its expertise, knowledge and beauty. We need more space, like MELS 4, » she said.

There is still not enough capacity in Quebec, acknowledged Minister of Finance, the Economy and Innovation Eric Girard.

« It is certain that the government is concerned about fairness and balance, so if other requests come in, we will study them with the same seriousness as we have studied this one, » he said.

Grandé Studios is the second-largest player in the industry. Last May, the company said it had expansion plans that should begin in 2022. Investissement Québec and Bell are minority shareholders in the company.

For its part, MELS will have 400,000 square feet of production space once MELS 4 is completed. The company employs 450 people in Quebec and offers a range of services including studio and equipment rentals, image and sound postproduction, visual effects and a virtual production platform.