Missed the latest on Ontario Place plans and policing? Get up to speed here

Plans for Ontario Place and changes to policing in the province have dominated the news cycle in recent weeks, as Premier Doug Ford's government has both instituted changes for law enforcement training and pitched plans for the lakefront attraction.

CBC Toronto's senior provincial affairs reporter Mike Crawley was a guest on CBC's daily news podcast Front Burner on Wednesday to discuss some of those latest developments from Queen's Park.

Crawley and guest host Alex Panetta chatted about Premier Doug Ford's latest effort to get more police officers on the streets, which includes scrapping his own government's requirement that recruits have a post-secondary education. The province will also pay for mandatory training for new hires and boost the number of officers graduated by the Ontario Police College each year.

The conversation then shifted gears to the province's controversial redevelopment of Ontario Place. That plan would see a sprawling 65,000-square-metre, seven-storey private waterpark and spa built on the West Island. The proposal has drawn fierce pushback from some local residents and city councillors.

Lastly, the pair talked about how Ford could influence Toronto's upcoming mayoral byelection in June. 

Listen to the full discussion:

Front Burner24:09Police, a private spa, and more from Ford’s Ontario

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has announced new measures to get more police “boots on the ground,” including covering the costs of mandatory training and scrapping the post-secondary education requirement to be hired as an officer. Ford has also been making headlines for his plans for the redevelopment of a parcel of public land on Toronto’s waterfront which include a sprawling private spa. Today, provincial affairs reporter Mike Crawley brings guest host Alex Panetta up to speed on both issues, and discusses the role Ford could play in Toronto’s upcoming mayoral election. For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts