Will this deadly stretch of road get a bike lane?

Plus, Ford's pre-election payout and Tory MPs tied to foreign meddling [Get This Offer]( [The Star] First Up [By Andy Takagi] By Andy Takagi Good morning. Here’s the latest on why a planned bike lane is in limbo, some pre-election cash from Doug Ford and a hint of Tory MPs tied to foreign meddling. DON’T MISS Richard Lautens/The Star transportation [A deadly Toronto road may not get its planned bike lane]( Road safety measures proposed for a dangerous stretch of road on the eastern edge of High Park are in limbo, as city officials wait for more details on Doug Ford’s new bike lane plan. Council voted to explore safety measures for Parkside Drive after a deadly crash that killed two seniors in 2021. [Here’s why a new provincial plan might stop any changes in their tracks](. - The plan? The proposed redesign would include removing one traffic lane and replacing it with a two-way cycle track. A traffic analysis predicted car travel times would increase during peak periods and vehicle volumes would go down. - Bike lane battle: The back-and-forth over bike lanes is playing out in the streets, too. [Residents and cyclists clashed outside a meeting about bike lanes on Bloor Street West hosted by Coun. Amber Morley last night](. Canadian Press/Darren Calabrese star exclusive [Doug Ford’s pre-election plan includes cheques for millions of Ontarians]( The premier may soon send pre-election presents straight to your mailbox: a tax-free cheque of at least $200. Sources told the Star’s Robert Benzie that the premier’s gambit will officially be announced at the end of the month and could cost the provincial coffers about $3.2 billion early next year. [Here’s when — and more importantly, why — Ford is mailing out free money](. - Déjà vu? Ford hasn’t shied away from pre-election spending in the past. [He eliminated licence plate sticker renewal fees and scrapped tolls on the 412 and 418 just before the 2022 election](. Canadian Press/Justin Tang foreign interference [Which MPs are connected to foreign meddling? Justin Trudeau knows]( In the hot seat of a foreign interference inquiry, the PM revealed that he knows which Conservative MPs have potential ties to foreign interference activity. Trudeau turned the tables on Pierre Poilievre, who has refused to obtain the security clearance needed to receive that intelligence. [Here’s what Poilievre had to say in response](. - The matter at hand: Trudeau also revealed that he asked Canada’s intelligence agencies to [look into India’s ties to a Canadian’s murder](. - Sending back up: [U.S. and British allies want India to co-operate]( with the ongoing investigation into allegations of a co-ordinated intimidation campaign on Canadian soil. - Robin V. Sears’s take: [India will pay heavily for deliberately crossing a red line in nations across the globe](. WHAT ELSE Olivia Chow wants Toronto to be North America’s most sought-after business market. [Is her 25-year plan feasible?]( “Staged to look like a theft.” [A long-suspended Toronto cop pleads guilty to attempted insurance fraud](. [The Ford government wants to boost electricity expansion]( to meet surging demand. Canadian public servants are locked in a [fight over federal back-to-work mandate](. Taylor Swift concerts are a huge strain on cell networks. [Rogers has an $8 million plan to fix it](. Spotify is hiking its prices in Canada — [and they say new federal regulations are to blame](. Options for TDSB students with special needs are “brutally difficult” to navigate, parents say. [Here’s what they’d like to see change](. A study, a scare and a long silence. [How menopause became a health crisis for Canadian women](. Can you save money by buying Halloween candy earlier? [Or is it better to play the waiting game?]( This new COVID, flu and RSV test might be [coming to a school near you](. The provincial cannabis store wants to [kill your illegal buzz](. The Raptors are building a better offence. [Here’s how](. POV R.J. Johnston/The Star [Metrolinx’s shakeup was long overdue — just like its Eglinton Crosstown LRT.]( CLOSE-UP Natacha Pisarenko/AP Photo BUENOS AIRES: Liam Payne — a former member of One Direction — was found dead after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina. He had skyrocketed to fame as part of a generational boy band that formed in 2010. He was 31 years old. [Here’s how fans are remembering him](. 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_3974). I’ll see you back here tomorrow. Get [thestar.com]( + ePaper edition. Only $1 for 6 months! Save over $100. 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