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Picture of Toronto homelessness emerging from research into Out of the Cold program

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Dennis Brooks says there are no warm places when you’re homeless. He should know. Originally from Glace Bay, N.S., Brooks, 54, was homeless in Toronto on and off for more than 20 years.

« Nobody’s experienced what we have, up and down these hard roads, » Brooks said while sitting in a church near Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue. « People have been beaten and beaten and beaten all our lives, like myself. »

During his homeless years, which ended this fall, Brooks says he drank too much, used drugs and was in and out of relationships. He was terribly lonely. He was assaulted. In summer, he would sometimes live in a tent. Mostly, though, he says he was careful not to mess with the wrong people.

He began to cry when he talked about all he has been through.

« Where do you draw the line? » he says.

Brooks is one of about 90 people who has taken part in a research project on homelessness being conducted by Dixon Hall, a non-profit, multi-service agency that provides programs and services to Toronto’s most vulnerable residents. A final report is to be released in the spring.

« I was asked how can I help the next guy, » Brooks says. « If I can change things, that’s good for me. » 

Nadia Jamil, principal researcher at Dixon Hall, says the research project was launched because the agency wants to understand why some homeless people use the Out of the Cold program year after year and why they prefer it to a more formal shelter system. (Kali Madej/ Dixon Hall)

Dixon Hall is aiming to deepen its understanding of the complex needs of homeless people who use Toronto’s Out of the Cold program. Its housing services department operates two emergency shelters, Schoolhouse and Heyworth House, and provides support to 16 Out of the Cold sites in Toronto.

Project 1st to interview Out of Cold users

Out of the Cold is a program offered by faith-based organizations that began over 30 years ago in Toronto as an emergency response to prevent homeless people from freezing to death in winter. The 16 organizations open their doors one night per week to the city’s homeless, providing a nutritious meal, a mat to sleep on and TTC tokens. 

The program, which runs from November to April, relies heavily on volunteers. Some sites provide clothing, a nurse on site and access to a client intervention worker. Dixon Hall has been supporting the program since 2003, sharing resources, client intervention workers and data co-ordination.

A man sleeps on a vent outside a Toronto hospital. A Street Needs Assessment published by the city includes an estimate of the number of people who sleep outdoors. (Doug Ives/Canadian Press)

In its 2017 to 2018 season, about 1,260 people used the program. A total of 27,150 meals were served and 18,262 tokens distributed.

The Innovative Solutions to Homelessness Project, which received a grant from Employment and Social Development Canada of $288,421, is the first formal one of its kind to interview Out of the Cold program users, according to Dixon Hall. It began in January 2018. 

Researchers have held four focus groups with 31 homeless people and conducted 75 one-on-one surveys in June and October. They have also given 70 cell phones to homeless participants to stay in touch with them as data is collected.

About 12 cell phones, months after they were handed out, are still in use. 

Participants include not only Out of the Cold program users, but also homeless people who use the city’s shelter system.

According to the city’s Street Needs Assessment, published in November, the number of homeless people in Toronto staying outdoors, in emergency shelters, and in correctional and health care facilities on the night of April 26, 2018 was estimated to be 8,715. 

‘Community of acquaintances’ exists in program

Nadia Jamil, principal researcher at Dixon Hall, said a picture of homelessness in Toronto is emerging from the research, but it is complex. Jamil said Dixon Hall launched the project largely to understand why a specific group of homeless people is using the Out of the Cold program year after year, and why they prefer it to the more formal shelter system. 

« Basically, within the Out of the Cold program, there is a sense of community that exists, even if it’s a community of acquaintances. It seems like guests look out for each other. They notice if somebody is missing, » she says.

First Interfaith runs its Out of the Cold program at St. Matthew’s United Church in Toronto. (Haweya Fadal/CBC)

According to preliminary findings, Out of the Cold program users report they prefer the faith-based organizations to shelters because they are concerned about hygiene, violence and theft at shelters.

As well, they are concerned that, when it comes to barring guests due to disruptive behaviour, practices vary from site to site. Some suggested that the Out of the Cold season could be extended and more sites available in the middle of the week to ensure there is more than one site open per night.

‘Hard to be in such close quarters with the same people’

Shelter residents, according to the preliminary findings, are fearful about losing their beds.

« It’s hard to be in such close quarters with the same people night after night, » Jamil says.

The shelter residents report they want more information about available services, to search more independently for housing, and more counselling available in house because they are sharing space with people who have mental health issues. They also want more affordable housing, assisted living and life skills development.

The city will set up three of these tented structures to help house members of Toronto’s homeless population. (Lauren Pelley / CBC News)

When it comes to barriers to housing, both groups report experiencing discrimination from landlords. Many Out of the Cold users report being uninterested in housing because they cannot afford it, they haven’t paid their taxes, they have bad credit, they have criminal records, buildings are unsafe, or they need more supports to maintain housing.

« We just need to remember that the homeless community is not a homogeneous community. There are so many diverse voices within it. Some people are just not interested in being housed, » she added.

Technology used to help, Freedom Mobile says

Freedom Mobile donated the Samsung cellphones, each with seven-month paid data plans. Participants who still have phones will be able to keep them but the paid plan will be discontinued.

The phones were in part meant to be a direct connection between homeless people and client intervention workers who could help them find housing.

A Freedom Mobile spokesperson says the company was pleased to help.

« We saw this as an opportunity to use technology to help individuals during a difficult time of year, and support our partners as they strive to find innovative solutions that create a better Toronto, » says Chetham Lakshman, vice-president, external affairs for Freedom Mobile.

Mayor John Tory helped to hand out Thanksgiving dinner this year at Good Shepherd Ministries, a charity in downtown Toronto for homeless people. (CBC)

Jamil acknowledges that the cellphones did not work out as planned. 

« A lot of the guests had difficulty around theft, around losing them, around people stealing them where they were staying, or some were broken, and things like that. Also, we don’t actually know what happened to some, » she said.

« This was also part of the research, testing whether technology can help build a bridge with such a marginalized, precarious community. »

‘Just listen to us’

For his part, Brooks, who still has the cellphone he was given, said he obtained housing with the help of Dixon Hall. On Oct. 1, he moved into a one-bedroom apartment in the east end where there are food banks close by.

« It feels good. It feels warm. And nobody can bother you. »

Asked what he would tell Toronto Mayor John Tory about being homeless, Dennis Brooks says: ‘Just listen. Just listen to us. We’re people.’ (Muriel Draaisma/CBC)

But he said it has been a journey. Having moved here when he was seven, he grew up in low income housing in the west end. His parents never really cared about him, he says. He failed every course he took in high school. At 18, he was homeless for the first time. A large part of his life was spent on the streets. He has held jobs and is talking about going back to school. He has a son, 28, who has a job and family in Oakville, Ont.

On Christmas Day, he plans to invite five of his friends over — « the boys »— who live in tents. « I got presents for every one of them, » he says.

Asked what he would tell Toronto Mayor John Tory about being homeless, he said: « Just listen. Just listen to us. We’re not rich, we’re not poor, but we’re people. » 

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Anglais

Nostalgia and much more with Starburst XXXtreme

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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

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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

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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.

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