Ranked Choice Voting: Toronto democracy fixed in three easy steps
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More people should be talking about GO Transit’s Scarborough potential
It’s not often that GTA transit riders get a legitimate piece of no-fooling great news, but it happened a couple of weeks back when Metrolinx announced that, starting in June, service on GO Transit’s Lakeshore line will increase to see … Continue Reading
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BIXI Bikes: Failure is not an option
For BIXI, Toronto’s two-year-old bike sharing system, there’s good news and then there’s bad news. First the good news. According to a report released at city hall last week, the BIXI system “has been very successful” from an operational perspective, … Continue Reading
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This spring, get a bike in Toronto
It’s springtime in Toronto. And with the promise of warmer weather comes an opportunity to give out the best piece of advice I have about living in Toronto: You should get a bike. I understand if you’re skeptical. I was … Continue Reading
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Toronto transit: At least we’ve got Presto…
It seems fair to say that, when it comes to how we pay our fares, the GTA’s transit systems have historically lagged behind much of the rest of the world. In Toronto, many riders still pay their TTC fares the … Continue Reading
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Growth can only be a good thing for Toronto
It’s official: the City of Toronto now considers itself more populous than Chicago, according to a press release issued last week. That makes us the fourth largest city in North America. So take THAT, Chi-Town. You may have an internationally-renowned … Continue Reading
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Homeless are dying on Toronto streets – and the solution is about more than just funding
In the debate about shelters and homelessness, both sides have their numbers. On one side, represented mostly by Mayor Rob Ford and his allies on city council, who last week voted to delay debate on the subject until next month, … Continue Reading
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How Toronto chief planner Jennifer Keesmaat wants to fix our transit problem
Toronto’s chief planner thinks this city has had enough. Enough with the delays, the congestion and the massive unpredictability of getting around this city. Enough with the packed subway trains, interminable waits in traffic and short turns that dump passengers … Continue Reading
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Bottom line for budget chief Mike Del Grande: He deserved better
After watching his second consecutive city budget get rewritten on the fly by his colleagues on council last week, Coun. Mike Del Grande stepped down from his post as budget chief. He quit suddenly, prompting a messy round of finger … Continue Reading
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The curious case of vanishing studies at Toronto City Hall
It should have been a simple question. Stuck with news that it’ll cost a half-billion dollars to repair the crumbling Gardiner Expressway, Toronto city councillors spent some time at a budget meeting last month trying to figure out what happened … Continue Reading
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A Toronto city hall watcher’s Christmas wish list
They say the holidays are a time to be hopeful. And so, on Christmas Eve, this Toronto City Hall watcher is making three wishes. They’re all being made, of course, under the long-shot assumption that I’ve been nice enough this … Continue Reading
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Karen Stintz vs. Rob Ford II: The Reckoning. In theatres next week
Within the next couple of weeks, TTC chair Karen Stintz will help lead a revolt at city hall, joining with more than 30 of her council colleagues to force a reversal on a decision made by Mayor Rob Ford relating … Continue Reading
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Toronto politics: An endless loop of the same issues, over and over again
Here’s a theory: politics in Toronto works on a big loop, with the people of this city doomed to debate the same issues again and again and again. I’m not sure how else to explain the reemergence last week of … Continue Reading
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TTC’s big streetcars are a big step forward for Toronto
Looking through some of the headlines since the first of Toronto’s new streetcar fleet arrived in town from Bombardier’s factory in Thunder Bay, you’d be forgiven for thinking that this city’s new ride is a streetcar named disaster. First there … Continue Reading
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Stakes of a downtown Toronto casino still unknown
Imagine this. You walk onto a casino floor and approach a card dealer. “You should play,” the dealer says, pointing at the green felt table in front of him. “OK,” you say, considering it. “What are the rules?” The dealer … Continue Reading
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What the Death Star can teach us about civic engagement
It seems fair to say that most people in the GTA don’t feel overly engaged with local government. To fix that, I’m thinking we should take a cue from the Americans and their government’s official response to a petition calling … Continue Reading
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TTC fare-by-distance not fair to Toronto commuters
An understandable thing happens as temperatures plummet and Toronto gets itself reacquainted with the concept of snow. Travellers in and about the city who might otherwise move by foot or bike find themselves relying on the TTC again. And with … Continue Reading
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Advice for Mayor Rob Ford’s next chapter: Be super boring
Rob Ford may have beat the rap in divisional court last week, but the mayor of Toronto still finds himself in a tough spot. He’s spent the last few months distracted from day-to-day issues, stuck dealing with various legal entanglements. … Continue Reading
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The GTA deserves better than a ‘hail mary’ on transit planning
Here’s the good news. At long last, it seems that most of the GTA’s political leaders, activists and advocates agree that the region is in desperate need of billions of dollars in infrastructure spending. Without fresh investment in subways, GO … Continue Reading
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Predictions: If we lose Rob Ford in 2013
About halfway through his four-year term, Mayor Rob Ford has already delivered enough headline-grabbing gaffes to fill an entire political career. And all along the brash gravy fighter from Etobicoke has shown little interest in cleaning up his act. Now, … Continue Reading
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Toronto budget 2013: Increasing arts funding should be a no-brainer
Toronto city hall is set to make a bunch of tough decisions as they dig into their 2013 budget, but there’s one part of the budget that shouldn’t require much debate. After more than a decade of stalled promises, increasing … Continue Reading
