Staring down the DIY stair supporters. Councillor Shelley Carroll explains what really went on with the stairs at Tom Riley Park, which became fodder for a Sue-Ann Levy scandal story. The basis of Levy's piece was the notion that the city would have to spend $150,000 to build a simple flight of stairs—but Carroll says the super-high estimate was for an accessible ramp, not just some steps. Rather than admitting her reportage was torqued, Levy bragged that at least she still has a job. And now Stepgate has a monument: some new stairs that the mayor claims cost only $10,000—not including site prep, labour and the price of delaying other projects:

Cathedraltown, Ontario is now a popular tag on Instagram. Despite an offer to move a child-scaring shiny cow statue over to the more chrome-friendly environs of Yorkville, the Barber family behind the Markham subdivision won't cower, and now the GTA has another roadside attraction. (The first international coverage of the Charity, Perpetuation of Perfection scandal comes from Poland.)

“Fear and loathing” clichés slime Justin Trudeau. A Toronto Sun pundit says Rolling Stone's recent cover profile of the PM has shamed the legacy of Hunter S. Thompson. Meanwhile, another cutting critique details how the article amounts to barefaced propaganda. Still, it provided some stimulus for Canada’s cross-border thinkpiece economy. Some wonkier recent flattery came from Fareed Zakaria, who heaped praise upon a past journalism peer:

“It’s Conservative solutions that actually provide for prosperity for women who want to advance in the workplace.” Andrew Scheer disclosed his affection for beer and popcorn in an interview with Chatelaine, during which he also asserted that he’s a feminist. (Also, he's pretty sure he read The Handmaid’s Tale in high school.)

Taking off the legacy of peeler bars. The revitalized Broadview Hotel, in the former home of Jilly's strip club, has opened to acclaim, and will likely further accelerate gentrification on Queen East. Meanwhile, the last days of the House of Lancaster on the Queensway found reporter David Nickle visiting its colourful owner, Spiro Koumoudouros, who views himself as a Spartan warrior against bureaucratic efforts to banish dancing naked ladies. Either way, this business ain't what it used to be:

Star Touch is turned off. The final tablet edition of the Toronto Star was uploaded today, after a 686-day run. Based on an estimated $40-million expenditure, each edition cost roughly $58,309, yet the product failed to draw enough eyeballs to allow the Star to discontinue its print edition, like La Presse. Star Touch's survivors include the Queen. 

“Manifest Observable Behaviour” led Patreon to delete Lauren Southern. The crowdfunding platform's CEO, Jack Conte, made a video to explain why he’d rather not facillitate funding for Southern, who was using the money to make supportive videos about Europe's right-wing anti-migrant movement. Southern says Conte is wrongly suggesting that the Defend Europe mission was putting anyone’s life at risk. Meanwhile, Patreon is still processing nearly 5,000 monthly payments for campus provocateur Jordan Peterson. And the Canadian brigade railing against social justice warriors now suddenly includes Captain Kirk.