Next Gen Insider

Morgan Sharp reports from Toronto on the city's young population and their civic engagement and impact on the local institutions that make democracy function.

Canada's National Observer is a proud participant of the Local Journalism Initiative, which supports the creation of original civic journalism that covers the diverse needs of underserved communities across Canada.

531 Articles

Tenants rally demanding rent relief, extended eviction ban from Ford government

Tenants from across the Greater Toronto Area took their call for a complete ban on pandemic-related evictions to the Ford government on Tuesday, milling outside the provincial legislature in a socially distanced protest.

Morgan Sharp

June 9th 2020

Toronto police chief stepping down, city council to debate defunding police

The chief of Toronto police is stepping down early, while a city councillor is calling for the force’s budget to be cut by 10 per cent amid widespread protests about police brutality and misconduct.

Morgan Sharp

June 8th 2020

Tech company interns seek the positive in virtual experience

Interns at software company SAP Canada are pushing through the challenges of experiencing a corporate environment from home.

Morgan Sharp

June 5th 2020

Calls to defund police grow, but Toronto mayor not buying in

The outpouring of outrage over the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police is morphing into a growing movement to defund law enforcement and reinvest public funds in community-led safety. Toronto Mayor John Tory does not think it is a credible idea.

Morgan Sharp

June 5th 2020

Pandemic could hasten higher education transformation, but critics abound

Canada’s universities and colleges face challenges on multiple fronts due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the solutions may include sharing more and hiring less, a discussion paper from the Royal Bank of Canada says. Student and faculty unions are dubious.

Coronavirus in Canada

Morgan Sharp

June 3rd 2020

Canada protests police violence, racism in shadow of U.S. tumult

Protesters across Canada this weekend joined those south of the border in standing up against police brutality in the wake of the death of a young Black woman in Toronto.

Morgan Sharp

June 2nd 2020

Kids of colour breaking down Toronto tech barriers

The technology industry has a diversity problem. But youth initiatives are creating the pipeline of talent their founders say can help fix it.

Morgan Sharp

May 28th 2020

Ontario pushing through changes to tenancy law as crisis looms

Premier Doug Ford's government is going ahead with changes to tenancy law that would make it easier for landlords to evict renters just as the COVID-19 pandemic is swelling the ranks of those falling into arrears.

Morgan Sharp

May 27th 2020

Pandemic means a shift in tactics for social justice movement

With few schools open from which to walk out in protest of the climate crisis, young activists are seeking to keep the momentum going in the digital realm. Meanwhile, Canadian civil society is angling to shape the recovery from COVID-19.

Morgan Sharp

May 25th 2020

Ontario high school union wants say in government’s reopening plan

The head of Ontario's biggest high school union says the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation must be consulted by the Ford government as it plans for schools to reopen in September.

Morgan Sharp

May 22nd 2020

Making rent: pandemic exposes Ontario’s precarious rental market

As income loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic stretches into a third month, both landlord and tenant groups are bracing for even more households to fall into rent arrears. That could lead to a tidal wave of evictions once a tribunal to deal with them is reopened.

Coronavirus in Canada

Morgan Sharp

May 22nd 2020

High schoolers get ready for a virtual prom

When high school proms got cancelled across the country in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemics, hundreds of graduating seniors volunteered to help Student Life Network create a virtual version.

Coronavirus in Canada

Morgan Sharp

May 19th 2020

Ontario cancels rest of the school year, no overnight summer camps

Ontario schools will remain closed for the rest of the academic year and overnight summer camps have been cancelled, the provincial government said on Tuesday. A plan for how to re-open in September will be announced by the end of June.

Coronavirus in Canada

Morgan Sharp

May 19th 2020

Questions remain as post-secondary students start seeking relief

Students can now apply for targeted pandemic relief, but confusion lingers over eligibility requirements.

Coronavirus in Canada

Morgan Sharp

May 19th 2020

Ontario hospitals on lookout for cases of a rare inflammatory illness in children

Ontario is watching for a possible link between COVID-19 infection in children and a rare inflammatory illness that can require intensive care.

Coronavirus in Canada

Morgan Sharp

May 14th 2020