How would you describe Toronto in one word?

Plus, what researchers want us to know about the new COVID variants [Get access now!]( [The Star] First Up [By Ashley Okwuosa] By Ashley Okwuosa Good morning. Metrolinx says [commuters in Oakville, Mississauga, and Toronto will see reduced GO train service for the next two Sundays]( starting tomorrow. Here’s the latest. MUST READS Steve Russell/Toronto Star Municipal politics [Toronto councillor Cynthia Lai has died]( Three days before she was expected to be re-elected in Ward 23 Scarborough North, Lai’s re-election campaign announced that the councillor and businesswoman had died on Friday afternoon “surrounded by family at the hospital.” Francine Kopun reports on [what Lai’s colleagues in City Hall have to say about her, and what her shocking death will mean for Ward 23 voters on Election Day](. Becky Guthrie Illustration/Toronto Star VIBE CHECK [How do you sum up Toronto in one word? We asked and 625 people answered]( Ahead of the Toronto election, the Star sent 25 reporters to all 25 wards to ask 25 people to sum up the city’s current state in a single descriptor. Many residents praise the city for its diversity, while others critique how expensive it’s become. And, while many feel positive about Toronto’s vibrancy, some are angry about the ways the city is falling apart. [Here’s what 625 people say about Toronto — the good, the bad, and the ugly](. Ramon Ferreira/Toronto Star Illustration COVID-19 [Here’s what you should know about the new COVID variants]( Researchers say we can expect an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases as variants spread, but remain hopeful that the severity of illness will not be worse, reports Kenyon Wallace. While this might cause some to breathe a sigh of relief, experts are still worried that our health-care systems will crumble under the pressure of new cases along with the growth of other respiratory viruses, like influenza. [Here’s what we can expect from the virus that has already changed our world](. Lance McMillan/Toronto Star Housing [Living spaces in Toronto keep getting smaller. And that’s a big problem]( Housing data shows that rental units in the GTA have shrunk remarkably since the mid-90s. The median size of units, which was a little over 1,000 square feet in 1994, has dropped to 600-odd square feet over the last three years, report May Warren and Victoria Gibson. What’s more, rental prices have surged. [Here’s why developers are building smaller apartments, and what this means for Torontonians with growing families in shrinking homes](. Jason Franson/The Canadian Press ALBERTA [What does the World Economic Forum have to do with Alberta’s COVID restrictions?]( Alberta’s new Premier, Danielle Smith, is calling for residents fined under COVID public health restrictions to receive blanket amnesty, and for Alberta Health Services to cut ties with the World Economic Forum. Smith’s latest comments signal an association with conspiracy theories, and fail to showcase a desire for continuity and competence, Kieran Leavitt reports. [Here's how the Premier Smith’s headline-grabbing remarks detract from her first major move — selecting her cabinet](. POV Andrew Phillips: In ‘Freedom Convoy’ inquiry, [nothing we’ve heard so far justifies bringing down the hammer of the Emergencies Act](. Jim Stanford: [Canadians aren’t buying Loblaw’s false compassion](. Donovan Vincent: [Women are under-represented in Toronto Star’s sports coverage](. Andrew MacDougall: [Britain’s Conservatives need to figure out what conservatism means](. Thomas Walkom: The government no longer cares about unemployment — [its only concern now is fighting inflation](. Edward Keenan: Wish Toronto politics were more interesting? [Remember, there are worse things than boring politics](. EAT THIS R.J. Johnston/Toronto Star For nearly 30 years, Elias Makhoul’s bakery and Lebanese lunch spot, Mystic Muffin, has gained a loyal following among Torontonians. Whether you’re there for the delicious apple cake, the chickpea salad, hummus and falafel, or the muffins — it’s all served with a side of Makhoul’s sense of humour. [Read Karon Liu’s ode to the east end gem here](. Thanks for reading. You can reach 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_150301), and I will see you back here tomorrow. Get unlimited access to all articles Only $0.50/week for a limited time [Subscribe Now!]( If you're not enjoying these emails, please tell us how we can make them better by emailing newsletterfeedback@thestar.ca. Or, if you'd prefer, you can unsubscribe from this newsletter by clicking the first link below. [Unsubscribe From This Newsletter]( [Sign Up for More Newsletters and Email Alerts]( [View in Browser]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. One Yonge Street, 4th Floor, Toronto, ON M5E 1E6. 416-367-2000 [PRIVACY POLICY](