Ontario Today Phone-Ins

Markham Hislop, energy journalist with Energi Media hears your stories. Commuters, delivery drivers, transport truckers, farmers weigh in as the price of gas and diesel continue to soar.

Our guest is Patrick Watson, assistant professor of criminology at the University of Toronto. He studies policing and police oversight.

Paul Zammit starts the show with some tips on keeping industrious squirrels away from the garden. Paul is a professor horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

Your stories as new rules come in from the provincial government aimed at tenants who fail to pay the rent. Our guest, tenants' lawyer Samuel Mason, says they throw the balance in favour of landlords. We also hear from Tony Irwin, President and CEO of the Federation of Rental-housing Providers of Ontario.

On this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we explore the growing Indigenous TV industry with Karrmen Crey, a member of the Cheam First Nation, who teaches in the School of Communication at Simon Fraser University. Also with us, one of the stars of the North of North comedy, Zorga Qaunaq.

Your calls and stories with our guest for the hour, Sachin Maharaj, an education professor at the University of Ottawa.

If you want to grow your own garlic now's the time to think about getting it in the ground. We'll get some tips from Paul Zammit, our regular gardening expert. Paul is a professor horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

The federal government is looking to lease out opperations at four of Canada's largest airports, including Toronto Pearson. We hear your perspectives and we get insights from guest, John Gradek. He is an aviation management professor at McGill University.

We hear about the ways people are working to not only extend their lives but also extend their good health. Our guest for the hour is Stephanie Hatzifilalithis, a scientist at the Women’s Age Lab at Women’s College Hospital.

Swiping fatigue and AI bots are driving more and more people to real life experiences to find love. Your stories about how people are meeting now with Treena Orchard, author of "Sticky, Sexy, Sad: Swipe Culture and the Darker Side of Dating Apps."

Our guest today is Université de Montréal AI researcher David Krueger. He is the founder of the non-profit Evitable which advocates for a pause on superintelligent AI development and warns the public about the risks of unfettered AI advancement.

Gunfire outside a eastern Ontario synagogue wounded a man and a police officer. We bring you the latest and hear from the Jewish community in our audience. Please note: one of our callers stated there is no Palestine during the show. Many countries, including Canada, now recognize Palestinian statehood.

Our weekly gardening expert Paul Zammit starts the show with some advice on bringing in tropical plants. Paul is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

Your urban wildlife stories with Dan Werb, author of: Our Wild Familiars: How Animals Are Adapting to Cities and Reshaping the Natural World.

Our guest is Achim Hurrelmann, a political science professor and the co-director of the Centre for European Studies at Carleton University. We also hear from CBC's Mark Carcasole in Washington.

You weigh in as thousands of teachers show solidarity in upcoming labour talks with the province by wearing red or purple. Lana Parker, associate professor of education at the University of Windsor hears your stories. We also hear from OSSTF president Martha Hradowy .

As we head into the municipal election season, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario has crunched the numbers on candidates, and found fewer acclamations and more women running. AMO's executive director Lindsay Jones joins as we hear your stories. 

Our guest is Mahmood Nanji, policy fellow at Western University's Ivey School of Business and former Ontario Associate Deputy Finance Minister.

We'll hear about the tree that won this year's Ontario Tree Pageant from volunteer judge and our regular gardening expert, Paul Zammit. When he's not judging trees, Paul is a professor horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

Schools in New York and Los Angeles have all recently announced greater restrictions to students using artificial intelligence in class. And New York is also adding more limits to screen time for its youngest students. So is this part of a "techlash?" What place does A.I. and technology have in today's classroom? Our guest is Tom D'Amico, the former director of education for the Ottawa Catholic School Board, and currently an education consultant who specializes in A.I.

New research on brain injuries in former professor football players is affecting how some people approach contact sports. Not just at the professional level but recreationally as well. Neil Vasdev is the scientific director of the Brain Health Imaging Centre at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. And Tim Fleiszer is the executive director of the Concussion Legacy Foundation Canada. 

Labour Day has come and gone which marks the unofficial end of summer.

The Court of Appeal says the Ontario government reserves the right to remove bike lanes from Toronto's busiest street corridors. This comes a few years after the Ontario government passed legislation that requires municipalities to ask the province for approval to install bike lanes, if the installation could remove a vehicular lane. Hear what people think are the wins and losses of the court decision.

Canada reports single child households are in the majority now. But social philosopher Catherine Ruth Pakaluk says growing up with a sibling can make a big difference in shaping a person. What difference do your siblings have on your life? Your stories, and an interview with economist and social philosopher Catherine Ruth Pakaluk, author of Hannah’s Children: The Women Quietly Defying the Birth Dearth 

Problem gambling support groups are seeing a surge in people seeking information or help. Which they link to the rise in on-line gambling. And they say government funding to help those addicted to gambling has not kept out. We hear what listeners are experiencing, and also from Nerin Kaur, who leads ConnexOntario, which helps problem gamblers.

We hear your stories about summer plans canceled or changed over extreme weather with Dr. Samantha Green of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. 

We talk about how to make gardens resistant to extreme weather. And hear your questions as well. Our expert gardener, Paul Zammit, is a professor of Horticulture and Environmental Studies at Niagara College.

U.S. president Donald Trump signed an executive order last week that changes Lake Ontario to Lake America. But only Americans will call it that. Here in Canada it will still be known as Lake Ontario. So does it matter? Hear what listeners think. Our guest is Mary Baxter, an expert on the history of the Great Lakes region.

When was the last time you stopped to look at the clouds? Or listened to a bird chirping at a bus stop? Psychology professor Holli-Anne Passmore says noticing the nature around us can help boost our well-being and lower anxiety. More on her research, plus your nature sotries this summer. 

Days after trade talks ended with the Trump administration, Canada is rolling out $7.5 billion to help businesses weather the new 50 per cent tariffs imposed by the U.S. We hear from small business owners about ​the impact with former diplomat Colin Robertson​.

Your stories with Dr. Peter Selby, physician and Senior scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

Ontario Today covers the Carney news conference in the wake of the collapsed trade deal with the Globe and Mail's Marieke Walsh and Drew Fagan at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy.

Karen van Kampen hears your stories. She is the author of a new book "The Brain Never Sleeps: Why We Dream and What It Means for Our Health"

A national monument opening this week is dedicated to recognizing the discrimination faced by 2SLGBTQ+ Canadians, including a decades-long campaign to identify and fire thousands of people from the public service and the military. We hear your stories on why this moment matters, with the LGBT Purge Fund’s Todd Ross. 

A new poll from Abacus Data suggests one out of 5 people under 44 would prefer an authoritarian system of government. Only half say democracy is the best system. We hear what you think with pollster David Coletto and Freedom House's Yana Gorokhovskaia. 

As Ontario begins a comment period from citizens on building new AI data centres, we hear what you think the government needs to know. Tech analyst and journalist Carmi Levy hears your stories. Burlington city councillor Lisa Kearns tells us how the debate is going in her community. 

During this week's gardening column, we talk about dividing some of your perennials. Our expert gardener, Paul Zammit, takes your gardening questions. Paul is a Professor of Horticulture and Environmental Studies at Niagara College.

As the trade deadline looms, Ottawa tells premiers that U.S. booze may need to be put back on the shelves should the two countries reach a trade agreement. We dig into the latest with Rob Benzie, Queen's Park Bureau Chief of The Toronto Star.

We hear about the moments that hooked callers on gazing up at the night sky and we speak to Diane Ferguson, an organizer with Star Fest, Canada's largest amateur astronomy conference and star party. 

We take your calls about heroism in the ER with Dr. Brian Goldman. He's the host of CBC's 'White Coat, Black Art' and 'The Dose.' He's written a new book called 'The Casino Shift: Stories from an ER on the Edge'.

New data from SickKids and CHEO points to a rise in e-scooter injuries in children -- even though kids under 16 are banned from using them under an e-scooter pilot project in Ontario. We speak to Pamela Fuselli, President and C-E-O of Parachute, a national charity focused on injury prevention. We also hear from Catherine McKenney, NPP MPP for Ottawa-Centre.

We speak to Kathryn Bakos -- Managing Director of Finance and Resilience, Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation at the University of Waterloo about those record-setting rainfalls. Then, we hear from the Mayors of St. Catharines and Niagara-on-the-Lake whose communities were hard-hit by back-to-back floods.

This week, we talk to our gardening columnist Paul Zammit about saving the seeds of your favorite plants from this year's garden, planning ahead for 2027.

We hear your thoughts on who should the Ontario Liberal Party. Plus, we'll hear from Sabrina Nanji, journalist and founder of Queen's Park Observer.

Taking a break isn't just for students. Your stories of mid-career adventures with Michelle Dittmer, President of the Canadian Gap Year Association.

Rates of substance use and overdose are higher in the trades than other types of work. We hear why from callers and Brian Webster, an addiction and mental health counsellor with the Canadian Mental Health Association of Thames Valley. We also hear from Trevor Botkin from the Canadian Men's Health Foundation about a peer-support network he's building.

We hear your thoughts on the federal government pulling support for expanding the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and we'll hear from Rob Benzie, Queen's Park bureau chief for the Toronto Star.

Our regular gardening expert Paul Zammit talks about deadheading and other August jobs in the garden and takes your plant-related questions.

We hear how noise in the city is changing life for you with Ingrid Buday, founder and executive director of No More Noise, a group that advocates for measures to limit noise in Toronto and beyond. We also hear an update from Coun. Lily Cheng who is trying to put forward a noise camera pilot project in Toronto. 

Callers tell us about what they would have done differently to avoid unnecessary pain and heartache in a bad breakup. Our guest is relationship and sex researcher Serena Corsini-Munt, she's an associate professor at the University of Ottawa.

Your stories and we hear from Dr. Kerstin de Wit. She is an emergency room doctor and the research director for the department of emergency medicine at Queen's University in Kingston. 

New research out of TMU in Toronto shows how the deep cut in Canada's immigration levels had a dramatic effect on city growth. We speak wtih Sabrina Maddeaux, Associate Vice President of Communications at the consulting firm Global Public Affairs and co-host of the Missing Middle podcast, about why more and more people are leaving Toronto.

We hear about the difference a new international crossing will make for Ontarians and speak with Marta Leardi-Anderson. She's a cross-border expert at the University of Windsor and worked as executive vice president of P3 procurement and policy for the Gordie Howe International Bridge project. 

Gardening expert Paul Zammit talks about why you should consider growing milkweed and takes your gardening questions. 

We hear about the roadside attractions that made you stop and we hear from Troy Young, CEO of Attractions Ontario. 

The former president of the Canadian Medical Association, Dr. Alika Lafontaine shares a new way to frame outrage in a new book called: "The Outrage Cure: How Overcoming Anger and Betrayal Can Transform the Way We Live, Connect and Heal"

We hear from pet owners across Ontario and Charmaine Brett, CEO and president of the Ontario SPCA about the rising cost of pet food and veterinary care.

You weigh in with international trade lawyer and policy strategist Barry Appleton, former advisor to BC and Ontario on NAFTA. We also hear from CBC senior reporter Janyce McGregor who is following the premiers' meeting in Prince Edward Island. 

There has been a rise in applications for gun licences in the Toronto area since 2016 -- listeners tell us what's behind the trend. Our guest is AJ Somerset, former soldier and author of Arms: The Culture and Credo of the Gun.

Our gardening expert has some tips on growing the sought-after flower that has a reputation of being a little high maintenance. Paul Zammit is a professor horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

We bring you updates from efforts to control wildfires primarily in northwestern Ontario and relief efforts to help evacuees in Thunder Bay. Voices in the broadcast include: Environment Canada, Mayor of Thunder Bay and we hear from wildfire emergency expert Eric Kennedy.

We hear how smoke and wildfires are affecting your life and we hear from Eric Kennedy, associate professor of disaster and emergency management at York University. We also hear from Dr. Sehjal Bhargava, incoming president of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and New Democrat MPP Lise Vaugeois.

Stories from patients sharing their experiences tapering off anti-depressants and anxiety meds and the growing movement to deprescribe with psychiatrist, Dr. Gary Rodin.

A host of new rules come into effect in the regulation of immigration consultants in Canada starting Wednesday. We hear from callers about their experiences with immigration consultants and we hear from lawyer Eoin Logan. He specializes in professional negligence claims against immigration consultants and lawyers. We also hear from immigration consultant in Brampton, Manan Gupta.

Pipeline announcements are making headlines in Canada this month which, if they go ahead, would increase this country's emissions -- at a time when parts of Canada and Europe are roasting. The Climate Action Network Canada predicts 2026 will be one of the hottest on record, along with the past three years. So how does a climate warrior keep up the fight? We hear from callers and Canadian author, environmental activist and legendary broadcaster David Suzuki. His new book is called Lessons From a Lifetime: Ninety Years of Inspiration and Activism.

Our expert gardener Paul Zammit starts the show by talking about how green thumbs can lend a hand in the community and we hear your gardening questions. Paul Zammit is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

Two people were killed and four others suffered wounds after gunfire erupted Saturday evening at Toronto's Salsa on St. Clair festival, one of the city's largest annual celebrations of Latin culture. We hear from callers about whether violence has them thinking twice before attending outdoor events and we hear from Coun. Josh Matlow, who represents the ward where the shooting took place. 

People who love pickleball, love it hard. So what's the appeal? Jonathon Moody is the president of Pickleball Ontario. He joins guest host Stu Mills to hear what's drawing so many people to the sport.