Where to get perfectly cooked dijon-glazed smoked ham, Ontario lamb and more for a gourmet Easter

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4:15 pm

It’s safe to say our Easter plans are going to look quite different this year in the midst of the pandemic. But the fact that we can’t celebrate with our loved ones in person, doesn’t mean we can’t treat ourselves to some familiar, comforting foods to commemorate the occasion (and maybe even share some video call time with those close to us with a virtual Easter dinner party).

If you don’t feel like doing the cooking and baking yourself, these Toronto spots have got you covered for Easter eats this weekend.

The Drake

The Drake is bringing back its annual Feaster Dinner for pick-up at either the Drake Hotel or Drake Commissary or delivery. Diners have a choice of traditional dijon-glazed smoked ham, smoked beef brisket, or mushroom and grilled artichoke hearts as their main. All meals come served with roast sweet potato, maple Brussels sprouts, and parsnip chutney purée. They recommend ordering ahead of time, if you can, to ensure availability.

The Drake’s new to-go beverage menu also gives you the option of ordering beer or a bottle of wine to pair with your dinner. This year, for every Feaster take-out or delivery order placed, The Drake will provide a meal to The Stop Community Food Centre‘s emergency food access program.

Adamson BBQ

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A post shared by Adamson Barbecue (@adamsonbarbecue) on Mar 30, 2020 at 4:11pm PDT

Although they’re not advertising it as an Easter meal per se, Adamson BBQ is offering a special lamb leg dinner for home delivery on April 10, 11 and 12. Ideal for serving four to six diners, the package includes a seven pound fresh Ontario lamb leg, which has been dry brined for two days, seasoned with house za’atar spice blend, and smoked with oak.

Sides include roast potatoes and Jerusalem artichokes, a loaf of their signature tallow white bread, and more. For dessert, there’s apple crumble cheesecake on a graham crust, topped with sweet oats and salted caramel. The whole meal comes fully prepared and oven-ready.

McEwan Catering

The McEwan Catering team is offering a range of individually packaged holiday meals, complete with instructions for heating everything up at home. Go for the feast-worthy turkey dinner with fixings, which comes with house-made stuffing, Brussels sprouts with caramelized onion and bacon, and other essential Easter sides.

Other main options include braised beef brisket, salmon, beef tenderloin, and roasted leg of lamb. As a bonus, you can get 15 per cent off your order by using the promo code APRIL2020.

OMG Baked Goodness

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A post shared by OMG BAKED GOODNESS (@omgbakedgoodness) on Apr 7, 2020 at 7:44am PDT

Cap off your culinary festivities with some sweet treats from OMG Baked Goodness. The Dundas West bakery is creating a menu of special Easter goodies that includes hot cross buns, carrot maple cake loaves, mini egg cookies and apple crumble.

Most items come freshly baked, but cookies and pies are available frozen to bake at home. Orders need to be placed before Friday at 2 p.m. for Saturday pick-up or local delivery.

Culinary Adventure Co.

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A post shared by CULINARY ADVENTURE CO.™ (@culinaryadvco) on Apr 6, 2020 at 12:55pm PDT

Local food tour operator Culinary Adventure Co. has started offering “food tour in a box” packages, which feature a curated selection of bites from vendors normally included on their food tours. They’re available for delivery in the GTA for a small fee.

They’ve created a special box for those craving Easter brunch that features ingredients and a recipe for asparagus goat cheese frittatas, along with red pepper jelly from Spice of Life, and a disco dark chocolate bunny and disco creme egg from CXBO, among other treats.

Local charity cheering kids up by dropping toys on Toronto doorsteps

By

Nikki Gill

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3:14 pm

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chai lifeline toy tank — Chai Lifeline Canada's toy tank

North York charity Chai Lifeline Canada launched its toy tank this week with the goal of bringing some happiness to the doorsteps of children who are bored at home due to school closures and physical distancing.

The toy tank hit the road for the first time on Sunday, April 5 when it visited homes within the area of Steeles Avenue down to Drewry Avenue and Yonge Street over to Bathurst Street. Families hoping to be part of the program were asked to sign up at www.chaitoytank.com to be added to the truck’s list of deliveries.

Physical distancing measures are being followed as the toy tank team member will leave the items on the doorstep for the family to collect after they have returned to the truck.

Chai Lifeline Canada has been in operation for 13 years and supports children with serious illnesses and their families by providing workshops, counselling and other programs such as summer camps, tutoring and family retreats.

“Due to the restrictions placed upon us all by COVID-19, everyone is now affected by life-threatening illness, so we extend our support to everyone,” says Mordechai Rothman, the executive director of Chai Lifeline Canada. “We hope that it will keep families healthy and safe. Stay inside and we will bring the fun to your front door.”

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BIG NEWS!!! ??? Delivering hope, cheer and smiles, the Chai Toy Tank is packed and hitting the road for the first time THIS SUNDAY, APRIL 5th. We’ll be in the area of Steeles – Clark and Bathurst – Yonge. Swipe right for the map. If this is your neighbourhood, sign up at www.chaitoytank.com. Sponsored by Perfect Locksmith Inc, our Toy Tank will drop off toys, games and crafts to your door in the hopes of alleviating some of the boredom and isolation your children are experiencing due school closures and social distancing. Chai is here to bring happiness to children and peace of mind to families. Stay inside and we will bring the fun to your front door. #togetherathome. #ChaiLifeLineCanada #ChaiLifeline #ChaiToyTank #ToyTank #StayHome #ToyDelivery #WeFightIllnessWithLove #OnOurWay #COVID19 #Toronto #Thornhill #RichmondHill

A post shared by Chai Lifeline Canada (@chailifelinecanada) on Apr 2, 2020 at 6:28pm PDT

The next stop for the toy tank is the Yonge and Lawrence area on Tuesday, April 7.

The toy tank initiative is sponsored by Perfect Locksmith Inc. and CharityBids. Other companies and private citizens can assist the program by making donations of brand new toys in original packaging to the Chai Lifeline Canada office at 300 Wilson Ave. For those who do not have items at home ready to be donated, another option is to purchase items from the organization’s Amazon wish list and those items will be delivered directly to the office.

How to make Montecito’s chicken with salsa verde at home

By

lindsaylow

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1:52 pm

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As many of us find ourselves cooking at home instead of dining out, we’re sharing recipes from some of Toronto’s top chefs and restaurants.

“This recipe is a fan-favourite here at Montecito with the perfect balance of fresh and satisfying,” says executive chef Guillermo Herbertson. “And while the salsa verde in this recipe is being used alongside our succulent chicken recipe, it’s a fantastic staple to keep in the fridge to top with fish, eggs, tacos and anything else that requires some extra flavour.”

Montecito’s chicken with salsa verde

Ingredients

half a chicken, de-boned
30g parsley (roughly 1 leaf is about .25 grams)
6g tarragon (roughly 1 leaf is about .25 grams)
6g mint (roughly 1 leaf is about .25 grams)
4g capers
5g raw garlic
1 pc lemon
100g extra virgin olive oil
Maldon salt or sea salt, to taste
toasted black pepper, to taste
10g jalapeno
10g anchovies (canned or white)
5g sherry vinegar

Method

1. Sprinkle some salt on chicken and let sit for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the salsa verde.
2. Gather all the herbs (parsley, tarragon, mint) pick the leaves and gather them together.
3. Chop finely all the herbs, place in a mixing bowl.
4. Super fine dice capers, jalapeno and anchovies and place in mixing bowl.
5. Use a zester (most common zester is by Microplane) zest the lemon and garlic in to the mixing bowl.
6. Add oil and vinegar together and mix well, adjust seasoning with salt and cracked toasted black pepper.
7. Chill in fridge to allow all ingredients to aromatize into the oil.
8. Rinse chicken from an excess amount of salt or moisture with a damp cloth, and re-season with black pepper and salt.
9. Pre-heat oven at 325 degrees fahrenheit.
10. Pre-heat a frying pan to medium-high temperature.
11. Skin side down place half chicken that has been “slightly curing”.
12. Allow chicken skin to slowly crisp up and become golden brown.
13. Place pan and chicken, skin side down in oven for 12 minutes.
14. Remove pan from the oven, and check the crisp of the chicken skin, if the skin is still soft, place over the burner at a medium to high heat and allow for the skin to caramelize and crisp up.
15. Once the skin is crispy, flip the chicken and some oil and aromatics of salsa verde into the pan and place in the over for 5-10 minutes
16. Remove from the oven and chicken should be about 95% cooked, add more salsa verde and allow to rest for 8 minutes.
17. Place chicken on a cutting board and slice.
18. Add more salsa verde to garnish and sprinkle some Maldon salt for more flavour.

Toronto Fringe festival announces first cancellation in 32 years

By

Ron Johnson

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12:39 pm

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The Toronto Fringe performing arts festival is cancelling this year’s event due to COVID-19. The 32-year-old festival issued a statement this morning.

“It seems unbelievable that this staple of the Toronto arts community will not happen this summer,” says Lucy Eveleigh, executive director of the Toronto Fringe. “The Fringe is a platform for so many, especially for those who do not always have access to present their work. It is so disappointing that these folks will not get to share their stories this year. We know we will be back to provide that platform again, along with many other festivals, events, and theatres that have had to pause. But for now, we are going to be sad for a little bit, along with all of you.”

This will be the first time the festival, which brings together over 1,100 artists and 140 shows, has been cancelled in 32 years.

The press released states that the “safety of our artists, staff, volunteers, and audience is our top priority as we navigate this difficult time, which is why the 2020 festival cannot move forward as planned.”

When Toronto Public Health announced on April 1 that there would be 12 more weeks of social distancing and that all public events in the city were cancelled, the writing was on the wall, even if the July dates of the festival were beyond that period. They would be unable to hold rehearsals or prepare in any meaningful way.

“We take the health and safety of festival participants and patrons very seriously, and know that this decision is in everyone’s best interest,” says Jason Murray, board chair of Toronto Fringe. “At this time, among other things, let’s focus on health and wellbeing. Let’s also hold on to the possibility that goodwill can come from this difficult time—more meaningful connections; world governments putting the needs of people first; and broader acceptance that education, research, and healthcare, as well as learning and experiencing through the arts, are all central to enhancing life.”

The financial impact of the cancellation is described as “devastating.”

“You will be hearing more from us in the coming weeks about programs and services we will set up for members of our community, particularly the artists affected by the cancellation of the festival.”

The organization said, it is regrouping and creating a new set of goals for 2020 and moving forward. It asks that Fringe lovers should “keep the original dates of July 1 -12 in planners – we will have some kind of Fringe spirit to share with you this summer, so stay tuned.”

To make a donation to the Toronto Fringe go here.

Looking back on the early days of Schitt’s Creek ahead of its series finale

By

Nikki Gill

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12:00 pm

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schitt's creek — Dan and Eugene Levy on the set of Schitt's Creek

Toronto restaurants start delivering pantry staples and gourmet items

By

Jessica Huras

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5:39 pm

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An ever-growing number of Toronto restaurants are offering meal kits packed with everything needed to make their signature dishes at home. Some restaurants are starting to take their Toronto delivery boxes to the next level, however, giving us the opportunity to skip a grocery store run and support some of our favourite food purveyors in the process.

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A post shared by Barberians Steak House (@barberianssteakhouse) on Mar 27, 2020 at 11:36am PDT

Iconic steakhouse Barberian’s has started offering its premium steaks, wines, and spirits to-go.

Barberian’s is known for having one of Toronto’s most impressive wine cellars — an enormous temperature-controlled space that features more than 15,000 bottles.

As if the option to have one of their excellent bottles delivered to your home wasn’t appealing enough, a recent Instagram post shows that they’re also including a toilet paper roll and a cigar in some packages.

It’s a tongue-in-cheek add-on that we doubt anyone would say no to right now.

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A post shared by LOCAL Public Eatery Lansdowne (@locallansdowne) on Apr 1, 2020 at 8:28am PDT

Local Public Eatery has kicked its Toronto delivery options up a notch by adding a concept called the Local Corner Store.

In addition to their hot food items like crispy chicken sandwiches, perogies, and tacos, the Local is now selling grocery basics such as flour, coffee, and toilet paper.

All available through DoorDash, the new line-up also includes beer, wine, spirits, and bar mixes like Angostura bitters and a Caesar cocktail kit.

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A post shared by LOCAL Public Eatery Lansdowne (@locallansdowne) on Apr 2, 2020 at 5:05pm PDT

You can also buy a kit for making their signature nachos at home. They come packaged up with individually-wrapped ingredients and instructions.

Cote de Boeuf is selling a lengthy list of fancy grocery ingredients. Those familiar with the Ossington strip butcher shop-cum-restaurant won’t be surprised to see meats like double-smoked bacon, whole heritage hens, and charcuterie on their grocery menu. But they’re branching out from their protein-heavy focus and also selling dairy products like Chagnon cultures butter, and pantry staples ranging from Louianna Organic tomato purée to Chiquilín smoked paprika.

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A post shared by Côte de Bœuf (@cotedeboeufossington) on Apr 5, 2020 at 7:33am PDT

Cote de Boeuf is also offering prepared dishes like lasagna, French onion soup, and chocolate mousse. The minimum order is $100, and deliveries are currently being done on Wednesdays and Fridays.

It’s the best of both worlds with the opportunity to order something to eat right now, plus stock up on ingredients for future meals in a single order.

New Toronto group trying to save restaurant industry from collapse

By

Ron Johnson

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2:56 pm

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Dining room closures have left the restaurant industry in crisis. More than a million hospitality workers have been laid off from their jobs and, as of April 1, many restaurants are now burdened with overdue rent payments. In an industry where profit margins are known to be thin, operators across the country won’t have the capital needed to pay back their landlords, let alone to mobilize the financial resources required to reopen once social distancing restrictions are lifted.

With the future of the restaurant industry uncertain, independent restaurateurs and stakeholders across Canada are coming together and lobbying to save it. SaveHospitalityCA is an advocacy group formed to get the restaurant industry the support it needs to rebound.

John Sinopoli, Ascari Hospitality Group executive chef, and the co-founder of SaveHospitalityCA, says that it became clear that restaurant operators needed to take the lead in telling the Canadian government how to provide support.

“I reached out to some friends of mine who are close to the government and they said the government is looking for solutions; they didn’t know what to do,” says Sinopoli. “The plight of our industry is very different from other small businesses.”

Sinopoli took up the mantle of the initiative and drafted a detailed plan, outlining the specific kinds of support the restaurant industry requires from the Canadian government. Some of the key recommendations include a freeze on restaurant rents and a large cash stimulus program, in the form of forgivable loans provided to every restaurant operator in Canada.

He says the government’s current initiatives, like wage subsidies, do little to help operators. If dining rooms are closed, restaurants are generating minimal to no revenue, and the current programs don’t come close to covering their costs. “They [the government] are just out of touch with the needs of the industry at the moment,” says Sinopoli.

“The federal government needs to look at our plan, and come to the table with us,” he says. “If they fail to do that, you’re going to see a 50 to 75 per cent failure rate of restaurants that were in operation just a month ago. That will create a negative cascade of financial consequences that they are not prepared for that will make our cash stimulus package look very cheap.”

He adds that in addition to defaulting on payments to landlords, most restaurants are also now in debt to their suppliers.

“If we can’t keep our suppliers in business, there’s no supply chain anymore for the restaurants that do survive,” he says. “If 30 per cent of restaurants go out of business, the suppliers will just die because they can’t absorb the cost of everything that’s already owed to them.”

Sinopoli stresses that the negative effects of the government failing to offer tangible support to the restaurant industry are far-reaching. “The consequences of inaction are 500,000 to 600,000 people out of work. That will put an incredible strain on social services, the health care system, the mental health care system. It will be a massive loss in tax base for the federal government,” he says.

Sinopoli adds that owners continue to appreciate supportive customers who are helping to keep their favourite restaurants afloat by purchasing takeout or picking up gift cards for later use, but the problem has become too big for customers to solve.

“It’s not our customers’ job to keep us in business at this point,” says Sinopoli. “It’s the job of the government to step in here and ensure the survival of our industry, so that all the other industries that are related to us don’t collapse as well.”

In addition to its ever-growing number of supporters, Sinopoli says that the coalition now has a small team working on it full-time. They’re reaching out to MPs, mayors, city councillors, and other provincial and federal officials on a daily basis, advocating for concrete next steps to start being taken.

“We are going to work tirelessly to ensure the survival of our industry,” says Sinopoli. “We’re not going down without a fight.”

Chef Mark McEwan picks the best carrot cake in Toronto

By

Samantha Peksa

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12:55 pm

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How James Downing, star of CTV’s Cardinal, met his wife in the ’80s

By

Nikki Gill

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12:15 pm

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james downing wedding — Nola and James Downing at their wedding

The fourth and final season of Cardinal premieres tonight on CTV at 10 p.m., so we caught up with James Downing who plays Detective McLeod in the series. The tagline for the fourth season is, “Six more weeks of winter,” as the season unfolds with a seemingly mundane missing-persons case that turns into a spree of murders.

However, there is enough grim news going around right now so instead of focusing on his detective work, we chat with Downing about the feel-good, cross-country story about how he met his wife and fellow actor, Nola.

How they met

That’s a complicated question. The only occasion to which Nola will admit was when we were introduced at the first production meeting of the Banff Centennial Musical, aptly called Hot Tub. That was in the summer of 1985. I had worked with that company on numerous occasions but had decided that I would take the summer off, but then I saw in the Calgary Herald that Nola was joining the ensemble. I had seen her in the Theatre Network’s production of Is Nothing So-Cred Anymore? and thought she was fabulous. So I changed my mind and signed on for the show. I had been in Banff for about five weeks prior, working with the television festival and had been doing some hiking. It had been a beautiful early summer, so I had a tan and was sporting the obligatory “Don Johnson stubble” that was popular back then. When Nola saw me on the first day of rehearsal, I was wearing tight jeans, a bright red linen shirt, a pale sport jacket with the sleeves pushed up and was carrying a guitar. I was walking on Banff Avenue as she drove by and she said to herself, “What do you want to bet that guy is in the show?” We had, in fact, met on two previous occasions but when I reminded her of that fact, she denied any recollection of it.

The first date

I wouldn’t so much call it a date, but a meeting. We had been doing two weeks of table work on the Hot Tub script and after the first week, she phoned me to illicit a more vigorous contribution on my part to address what we all agreed were areas of concern. We began meeting for breakfast each morning to discuss what we thought needed more work. I think I managed to gain IQ points and we became friends until I realized I had a huge crush on her.

Memorable moments

The time we got caught in the rain walking back from Sundance Canyon. I know it sounds a bit cliché but it was really lovely.

The proposal

We had been seeing each other for about a year. We were lying in bed and I said somewhat absently, “Well, I guess it doesn’t get any better than this,” and after a pregnant pause, Nola replied, “Are you asking me to marry you?” I thought for a moment and then laughed and said, “Yeah, I guess I am.” Then she punched me in the arm.

The wedding

We had a lovely candle-lit ceremony in Edmonton on July 4. I deliberately picked a day I wouldn’t forget. I considered July 1 but that seemed a little too on the nose. The best man was my good buddy Darlene. Fortunately, I’ve gotten over the fact that she looked better in the morning coat than I did. Our honeymoon was a three-week driving trip across the country to the east coast and back, with a series of visits with family and friends along the way. My family in Montreal, followed by Quebec City, Bar Harbour, P.E.I. and Cape Breton. We caught the Shaw Festival and the Blyth Festival where we saw our good friend Ray Storey’s initial production of Girls in the Gang. It was quite magical.

Balancing careers and marriage

We work on the reward system. No seriously, we were 30 years old when we got married and had been professionals for 10 years at that point. Also, we’ve always been really good friends so it was never an issue.

Shared interests

Like many actors, I supplement my income with other things. I’ve always enjoyed carpentry and I’ve been a renovation subcontractor for the last 15 years. Conveniently, Nola has excellent design taste, and yes, I’m willing to admit that. So together we’ve had fun renovating our various homes. Not to mention our shared vocation as artists. We really love what we do.

The home

For the last 15 years, we’ve been lucky enough to live right around the corner from The Old Mill with a great view of the Humber River and High Park just up the street. It’s a great part of town.

Secret of success

We make each other laugh. Or at least Nola makes me laugh. It’s quite possible she’s been humouring me all this time. We think of each other as friends instead of extensions, so there is a respect that keeps us from taking each other for granted. That means we say, “Thank you” and “I’m sorry” a lot.

Catch James Downing in the fourth and final season of Cardinal premieres on Monday, April 6 at 10 p.m. on CTV.

The ElMo will rise again

By

lindsaylow

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10:22 am

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The El Mocambo was scheduled to reopen this month before COVID-19 put an end to pretty much everything in the city and around the world. But when we get through this, it will be ready. And it will be brilliant. Before all the new measures were in place, Post City checked in with owner Michael Wekerle to talk about the project three years in the making and what happens now.

How have COVID-19 measures impacted the opening? Just delaying until safe to go ahead?

The COVID-19 virus has created a very difficult time for everyone, especially businesses. It is very important for individuals to stay home if they can and do their part to stop the spread of the virus. At the El Mocambo, we have a brand new venue/event space with a capacity of approximately 750 people. This is positive for Toronto and Canada, as it is a space that has not yet been used by the public. We are prepared to open the venue now; however, we thought it was a necessary and prudent decision to delay this for as long as it is necessary to keep the public safe and healthy.

Are there any plans for live streaming events in the meantime?

We have been in contact with three major streaming providers with a history of over 20 years of experience. We believe we will start streaming in the near future and have been contacted by numerous artists and performers, and we expect to start doing this as soon as possible. We will keep the public posted on when we will begin live streaming.

Didn’t this entire El Mocambo project start because you wanted to buy a blinking neon palm tree sign?

Wekerle: It’s true. I was coming back from a trip overseas and heard on one of the radio stations that they were getting rid of it, and I went to buy the sign. I met up with Sam Rocco, and he said, “No, I won’t sell you the sign, but I’ll give it to you if you buy the club.” The purchaser was going to be a computer store. So for a few hundred thousand more, Sam gets a chance to make a little money back after losing money for the last five years there. He’s a great guy, great family guy. And we ended up doing the deal in 24 hours.

But it turned out to be a bit more than you’d imagined, right?

I bought the building not knowing it would be a much bigger deal than I thought it would be. I thought six months to a year turnaround, and it’s now six-and-a-half years and three times my budget. But I’m here. The finished product is second to none. It’s really a building within a building, with isolated floors, so you have the true effect of soundproofing. I can have Metallica playing downstairs and Buffy Sainte-Marie on the top floor.

Did you spend much time in the El Mocambo growing up in Toronto?

Yeah, when I was younger. I grew up at Yonge and Sheppard, and the ElMo was a hard place to get into. I saw probably a dozen shows there in the ’80s. I was born in 1963, and between maybe ’79 and ’82 I saw some great ones. I didn’t see the Stones or U2, the legendary ones, but I saw Rompin’ Ronnie Hawkins there a number of times. He’s one of my favourites, and we are still friends to this day. I saw April Wine, Goddo, the list goes on. It was a unique place, and it definitely had a vibe. It was the El Mocambo, and there wasn’t a day I wasn’t excited to be there.

I heard you were a bit of a shredder in high school. Is that right?

Well, I was a very mediocre player at best. I mean, I really wanted to play the El Mocambo, and I didn’t get paid much money to play anywhere else, but now I can tell people I finally played there — I just had to buy the place.

Are you going to get the band back together to play your own venue?

Those days are gone, but when I closed the deal, I did have my mom and family there and a few drinks, and everybody showed up. So, me and a couple of friends played the El Mocambo. I fulfilled my bucket list, let’s just say that.

What bands are on your bucket list to play?

There’s a lot: of course the Rolling Stones, Pearl Jam. I just want to put that out there. Of course, U2, and I am really looking forward to having George Thorogood play. He’s one of my all-time favourites and just a true rock ’n’ roller, as well as a host of other people. Andy [Curran] is going to play. He’s with Coney Hatch, one of the bands I was a roadie for back when I was 16. That’s how long we go back. He didn’t pay me much, but he paid me in beer. So I was pretty happy.

Toronto intimates brand Knix raises $250K in PPE campaign

By

Nikki Gill

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5:28 pm

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Knix PPE campaign — Frontline healthcare workers at the London Health Sciences Centre (@simply_merissa)

On Mar. 21, Knix founder Joanna Griffiths launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to purchase and distribute personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline healthcare workers across Canada.

“We started the campaign with the goal to raise $50,000, and within less than 48 hours we surpassed that number,” said Griffiths.

Now, almost two weeks later, the GoFundMe campaign is sitting at more than $160,000 with an additional donation matching initiative by the Robert Kerr Foundation, a Toronto-based organization that addresses the basic and urgent needs to improve the lives of children and the homeless.

The foundation has made an immediate contribution of $100,000 and will contribute another $100,000 as part of its donation matching initiative. In the matching program, every dollar raised for a frontline healthcare worker will also equal a dollar raised for a homeless shelter or drop-in centre in the GTA.

“People who experience homelessness are a vulnerable group. They live in environments conducive to infectious disease, have exposed immune systems from underlying health conditions and are often transient, making it difficult to prevent transmission,” said Bri Trypuc, executive direction of the Robert Kerr Foundation.

Griffiths started the GoFundMe campaign after her speaking to her brother Chris, who is a physician at a hospital in Hamilton. He mentioned that PPE supplies were running low and Griffiths was looking for a way for Knix to help.

Since the campaign started, $150,000 has been raised through community donations that have allowed for the purchase of more than 200,000 units of PPE. The units include items such as 40,000 N95 masks, 50,000 surgical masks and 110,000 pairs of gloves.

Healthcare institutions can fill out a private PPE registry form to request supplies. So far, the campaign has received requests from more than 225 hospitals and clinics across Canada.

Knix was able to mobilize their supplier base to gain access to much-needed medical-grade masks and gloves for frontline healthcare workers. The company is also subsidizing all transportation and distribution costs for the supplies.

The first PPE shipment was made on Mar. 24 to a partner organization in Alberta and further fulfillments will cover organizations across five provinces.

“It is a crucial time for our community to come together for the common good. After understanding the severity of the issue, we immediately contacted our suppliers to see if they could help and the answer was ‘Yes,'” said Griffiths. “The feedback for this campaign has been truly overwhelming and goes beyond a monetary value. Canadians are rallying together to support our nation’s selfless frontline workers.”

To contribute to the PPE GoFundMe campaign or to make a formal request for supplies, please visit: knix.com/donate.

Toronto brand Piper & Skye manufacturing non-medical grade masks

By

Nikki Gill

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3:10 pm

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piper & skye masks — A batch of masks made by a Piper & Skye home-based sewist

Local luxury accessory brand Piper & Skye announced yesterday that it has employed more than 30 sewists to begin manufacturing non-medical grade masks to be distributed to shelters across Canada.

The Toronto brand is known for creating handbags with a lower carbon footprint than traditional leather handbags. The company has an environmental focus and uses a sustainable supply chain as well as ethically and responsibly sourced materials.

Piper & Skye has teamed up with Heather Shaw of Edmonton-based Sew Here’s The Thing, an organization that brings together philanthropists and makers to provide handmade items for those in need.

The masks will be produced by home-based sewists, many of whom were put out of work by the pandemic. They will be provided with instructional materials and patterns in accordance with the Deaconess Medical Center guidelines for mask production including cotton, filters and elastic bands.

“This pandemic has hit our global economy hard and as unemployment rates rise, I started to notice friends and family struggling with the uncertainty,” says Joanna MacDonald, founder of Piper & Skye. “I’m providing opportunities to those Canadians with the skillset to make tangible protective necessities for the communities going largely unseen right now, and augmenting the need for masks across the country.”

Once the masks are produced, they will be distributed to shelters including Aurora House in Toronto and Assaulted Women’s Helpline and their associated shelters in Ontario, as well as other organizations in need of protection for staff and clients.

“All too often, when crisis strikes it affects the most vulnerable the hardest. Thus, we are trying to support those frontline workers and vulnerable people hiding in the shadows of society that typically go unnoticed, by protecting those who do not have the luxury of coming home to a roof over their heads,” says MacDonald. “I hope this will help deter the spread in these shelters.”

In addition to this initiative, Piper & Skye is also donating 20 per cent of its net proceeds from all purchases to support the production of masks.