The peaceful end of the U of T encampment

Plus, Toronto's stagnant real estate market and booming rat population [The Star] First Up [By Andrew Joe Potter] By Andrew Joe Potter Good morning. Here’s the latest on the final hours of the University of Toronto encampment, Toronto’s crashing condo market and the hunt for solutions to the city’s gnawing rat problem. DON’T MISS Carlos Osorio/AP Photo campus protests [Inside the final hours of the U of T pro-Palestinian encampment]( Staring down a court-backed 6 p.m. deadline to leave the University of Toronto grounds, the pro-Palestinian encampment at King’s College Circle disbanded peacefully on Wednesday, leaving a tent-scarred lawn and vowing to continue the fight for the school to divest from companies that support the Israeli military or activities in the West Bank. As the sun set, a man and woman draped in the Israeli flag entered the abandoned space, toppling its sole remaining structure: a papier-mâché olive tree. Ben Cohen, Marco Chown Oved and Raju Mudhar bring us [other sights and sounds from the final day of the encampment’s months-long occupation](. - Go deeper: Despite the looming threat of potential arrests, the mood was upbeat among protestors, with speakers citing the fact a judge found no evidence of hatred and antisemitism within the camp. - Word from the school: “I am pleased that the protesters have ended the encampment peacefully so that front campus can be restored and returned to the entire community,” U of T President Meric Gertler said in a statement.  - Word from organizers: “Our movement is not defined by the spaces we occupy but by the principles that we uphold,” said camp spokesperson Mohammad Yassin. “We have lit a flame of resistance that will not be extinguished by court orders or police threats. This is just the beginning.” Nick Lachance/The Star real estate [Toronto’s real estate sales continued to crash in June — but for many, the price still isn’t right]( Despite the Bank of Canada’s first interest rate cut in four years, Toronto’s real estate market continued to sputter last month, with condo sales alone dropping 28 per cent from June 2023 figures, Carrie Feinstein reports. While new listings were up 12 per cent year over year, buyers have continued to wait on the sidelines, eyeing the potential of future rate cuts, according to the latest report from the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board. [Recent polling suggests the Bank of Canada will have to hit a specific cumulative number for would-be buyers to get back in the game](. - Context: After the overnight rate fell by 0.25 base points on June 5, economists expect the Bank of Canada to stick with its gradual approach, forecasting one or two more rate cuts by the end of 2024. - The aftermath: Anyone remember Economics 101? With supply up but interest still muted, sale prices were down across Toronto and GTA for all property types last month. Semi-detached houses saw the biggest price drop at 9.3 per cent. - Miss something? In the thick of a housing crisis, Toronto’s condo market has become a “ghost town.” [Here’s why some say it’s a result of the province over-catering to developers](. Richard Lautens/The Star city life [Rats! With infestations rising, two city councillors are pushing Toronto to embrace a coordinated pest control policy]( With Toronto experiencing an increase in rodent complaints in 2022 and 2023, city council has adopted a motion to have city staff draft a report on strategies for mitigating Toronto’s growing rat problem. Councillors Amber Morley (Ward 3, Etobicoke-Lakeshore) and Alejandra Bravo (Ward 9, Davenport) also asked city staff to determine what responsibility construction companies bear for the sharp rise in vermin, Mahdis Habibinia reports. [Here’s why the councillors are pointing to Alberta as a beacon for rat-free living](. - Wait, what? It’s likely that major private and public construction projects have contributed to the accelerated displacement of rats into more residential areas, Bravo said. - Go deeper: Despite the rodents’ pervasiveness, Toronto doesn’t currently have a formal process for dealing with them. Toronto Animal Services doesn’t even respond to requests to pick up their carcasses. WHAT ELSE With Hurricane Beryl raging, [at least seven flights from Pearson to Jamaica were cancelled on Wednesday](. Joe Biden vows to remain in the race for re-election, [even as his support on Capitol Hill appears to be rapidly eroding](. A couple previously convicted of killing their 4-year-old son will [get a new trial due to a judge’s closed-door remarks](. As Canada’s office vacancy hits a three-decade high, [landlords are scrambling to adjust — or ride out the storm](. Analysts say The Bay’s reported deal to buy Neiman Marcus [will do little to improve the retailer’s fortunes](. LCBO workers will likely strike if a deal isn’t reached by Friday. [Use the opportunity to shop at these local vendors](. Court filings indicate that ex-Raptor Jontay Porter, [who passed info on to bettors, will be charged with a felony](. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is once again an All-Star starter. [He has his tremendous turnaround at the plate to thank](. The 10th anniversary edition of sex writer Kayleigh Trace’s frank memoir [continues to extol the triumphs of intimacy](. Looking for kid-friendly multiplex fare? [“Despicable Me 4” is the animated film series’ best entry in years](. POV Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld [Justin Trudeau and Joe Biden are two leaders with one problem: Many of their supporters think their time is up.]( CLOSE-UP Canadian Press/Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society VANCOUVER: Tofino, an orphaned sea otter pup rescued in critical condition last month, is now thriving under 24-hour care by the Vancouver Aquarium’s Marine Mammal Rescue Society. The young otter has become a star for the rescue society, drumming up public attention for its fundraising efforts. [Up next for the pup: learning how to dive](. Thank you for reading. You can reach me and the First Up team at [firstup@thestar.ca](mailto:firstup@thestar.ca?source=newsletter&utm_source=ts_nl&utm_medium=emailutm_email=6C53B63A8E3FAD70AD4EF13004527437&utm_campaign=frst_216074). I’ll see you back here tomorrow to round out the work week. If you're not enjoying these emails, please tell us how we can make them better by emailing newsletterfeedback@thestar.ca. 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