Top feature stories of 2013
Sheena Lyonnais |
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
It's hard to believe 2013 is already coming to an end. Yonge Street is taking a short break for the holidays and will return with a brand new issue on January 8, 2014. Until then, we've rounded up 15 of our best feature stories from this past year. From ukuleles to local startups, these are the stories you read the most in 2013.
Ukulele gangsters will shake up unhappy public transit commutes
Entrepreneur Adil Dhalla has put together a ukulele orchestra to make the TTC morning commute happier. Project Ukulele Gangsterism will feature spontaneous public transit demonstrations culminating in a music video for an Emersonian-inspired track called "Have An Awesome Day." [...
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How immigrant entrepreneurs are driving Toronto's tech startup renaissance
Canada realizes a key to being competitive in the startup world is to attract talented immigrants. Mejuri is one Toronto startup that represents a growing number of new Canadians that are launching companies and impacting the city and beyond. [...
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One man's Legoland becomes Toronto's playground
Graeme Dymond has turned his love of lego into a career. After winning a highly competitive national contest to become the master builder at the new Legoland Discovery Centre in Vaughan Mills, he talks about the new development and his new job as a professional kid. [...
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First Tool Libraries, now Timebanks: Toronto's Zeitgeist movement is expanding
Ryan Dyment, co-founder of the Tool Library and soon-to-be-unveiled Toronto Timebank, opens up about the Zeitgeist movement, leaving the rat race, and his vision for a resource-based economy. [...
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Why international investors are investing more in Toronto-based startups
From Toronto to New York: International investors, especially American ones, are starting to invest in the city's most promising startups. We look at how Toronto's 500px scored its first investment and what that means for the city's ecosystem. [...
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The Toronto Zoo to turn animal poo into power
The Toronto Zoo's new ZooShare partnership is the Province's latest foray into community power. The Zoo will begin construction on a biogas plant this coming spring, turning the zoo's animal waste into energy that will be fed into Ontario's power grid. [...
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Exploring Roncesvalles Village: How the little neighbourhood that could still gets it done
Roncesvalles has seen many changes in recent years, but the charming west-end locale remains alive and bustling. From doggie boutiques to hip new eateries, its diversity makes it a model for how Toronto neighbourhoods can integrate various communities. [...
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The lady that made Hamilton the bra-making capital of the world
Beverly Johnson's quest to launch a made-to-measure bra-making business has made Hamilton an international destination for aspiring lingerie designers. More than 85 designers have flocked to Southern Ontario to participate in the only teaching program of its kind. [...
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How Ubisoft is changing the Junction's game plan
With its first title released on August 20, Ubisoft Toronto has a lot to celebrate. So does its neighbourhood, the Junction, which has developed progressively since the video game studio moved in back in 2009. [...
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The top female tech leaders in Toronto
Twitter launched its Canadian office last week, and former CBC exec Kirstine Stewart is at the helm. With Marisa Mayer and Sheryl Sandberg making headlines for their work at Silicon Valley tech companies, Yonge Street looks at Stewart and two other women who are leading Toronto's tech industry. [...
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Toronto's backyard bylaw isn't eggs-actly effective, and urban poultry lovers are crying fowl
It's legal in many parts of Canada and the U.S., but Toronto's decades-old ban on backyard chickens continues to ruffle the feathers of urban egg farmers. Is the ban forcing these farmers to literally take urban poultry underground? [...
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Startup University: How local universities are prepping next-gen entrepreneurs
In an attempt to meet the needs of 21st century industries, Toronto universities are looking to the startup world for inspiration. They've launched entrepreneurial programs, incubators and accelerators to ensure graduates learn to think creatively. [...
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The new downtown economy is pedal powered
The growing cargo bike delivery movement in Toronto has resulted in the emergence of a new economy, one where local businesses support one another with minimal impact on the environment. On a worldwide scale, Toronto falls behind. But a few local cyclists are gearing up to change that. [...
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Inclusive mobile technology will increase job opportunities for those with disabilities
At Komodo OpenLab, it's not just the innovations but the innovators that make the company unique. In partnership with Toronto colleges, software developer Eric Wan helped create a revolutionary product that is allowing people with disabilities--including himself--to control mobile devices through wheelchairs. [...
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The role of public art in Toronto's condo boom
Condos are turning into canvases as property developers look to local and international artists to create original art and public installations in an effort to attract new condo buyers. As a result, properties are becoming art galleries, attracting known artists and creative-minded residents alike. [...
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NXNEi: Rebranding Toronto as "Music City"
A group of music industry veterans and city councillors unveiled their campaign to rebrand Toronto as "Music City" at last week's interactive NXNEi conference. The 4479 Toronto campaign aims to promote Toronto as one of the world's best music destinations all while boosting tourism, funding, and opportunities for musicians. [...
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