Focusing on Real Solutions to Toronto's Traffic Gridlock
Every day, too many Torontonians find themselves stuck in traffic gridlock, this is unacceptable. While there are many reasons for this, such as a lack of much-needed transit expansion over generations, along with the continuing need to provide people with more options to get around. I am actively calling for change. Far too many of our city's curb lanes are occupied for 2 or 3 years at a time for construction staging. I don't believe this is acceptable and I am calling for change.
Please read this thoughtful Toronto Star story about this priority.
A City Charter - Fighting for Toronto’s Autonomy and Effective Local Governance
Doug Ford’s latest overreach into municipal jurisdiction is another reminder that Canada's constitution was written in 1867 when our country was largely an agrarian society. Today, with over 80% of Canadians living in urban areas, large cities like Toronto are now responsible for delivering, and funding a large share of, transit, roads, social housing, recreation, and other services residents rely on every day. Yet the province can overturn any of our considered and debated decisions on a whim.
Constant provincial meddling in municipal affairs undercuts local democracy and threatens civic engagement. We risk Torontonians tuning out our public meetings and consultations if the sentiment that the province will just overturn Council decisions takes root. Whether Torontonians agree with a Council decision regarding a development plan, how elections are conducted, what revenue is generated, or a bike lane, the level of government making the decision should be accountable.
That’s why I moved a motion in Council this week to start the work on a new arrangement with senior levels of government that ensures we have the independence necessary for 21st century cities to thrive and achieve results for residents. Common in the United States and elsewhere, Charter Cities have supreme authority over “municipal affairs.” Also referred to as “Home Rule”, a Charter City’s law concerning a municipal affair will trump a state law governing the same topic.
It's time for Canada's largest city to have the tools it needs to effectively chart its own course to decide how we grow, get around, support each other, and improve our quality of life. A City Charter will also assist in making the division of roles and responsibilities between senior levels of government and City Hall more transparent and therefore more accountable to the public.
No one can be under any illusion that a Charter is possible at present given such a move would require support from the provincial government. However, it is important to start work on how greater independence could be structured and communicate the benefits to Torontonians, other municipalities, and senior levels of government.
SmartTrack Off the Rails: Now Further Reduced to Only 3 Stations
SmartTrack was never anything more than a dishonest brand used as a campaign slogan, and we’re still paying for that brand a decade later. With 19 stops fewer, all that remains of John Tory’s promise is 3 stops & a $1.7 billion bill that should’ve never been on Toronto’s tab.
The key plank in Tory’s 2014 Mayoral platform, SmartTrack was successfully sold as a 22 station, 53km transit line, with a spur to the airport, you could hop on for a TTC fare that wouldn’t require upfront property taxes.
The sales pitch worked. Tory made SmartTrack the dominant issue in the 2014 campaign, riding the idea to the Mayor’s office, despite a lot of questions from other candidates and the media.
During the campaign, Globe & Mail reporter Oliver Moore took an altimeter and maps along the proposed western portion of the route finding that Tory’s promises didn’t match the reality on the ground. Moore found that because of grade changes and limited surface area SmartTrack would require an 8km tunnel and a vastly higher price tag, which Tory disputed. Even after taking office, Tory wrongly dismissed those asking questions about the viability of SmartTrack as “Douglas or Debbie Downers”.
As early as 2015, it was becoming apparent the Downers were right. A City report found the western spur to the airport would indeed have to be tunnelled at great expense and was removed from consideration. Reality dealt a worse blow to Tory’s campaign narrative in 2016 with a staff report paring the number of stations down to six. Lawrence East Station was removed in 2021, further reducing the number of SmartTrack stops to five.
In 2023 the cost of the remaining 5 stations increased by $234M. City Council requested the province to cover the increase, a request that has so far been denied.
Looking at the $1.7B cost today for only 3 stations it’s worth noting that the SmartTrack idea came from the 2011 provincial Liberal platform, which eventually became GO RER. There was never any suggestion of city funding. The GO RER plan received little public attention, opening the door for Tory to use it in his campaign. He effectively put up Toronto’s hand to pay for provincial infrastructure when he won on that promise and Toronto taxpayers are still on the hook- but not on the train. I am committed to working with my colleagues to support transit expansion into the communities that need it.
For more information, please see the SmartTrack report debated at Council this week
Moving Forward with a Maximum Temperature By-Law
I am pleased to report that Toronto is finally moving forward with a maximum temperature by-law to protect tenants from excessive heat. The Medical Officer of Health has long said that indoor temperatures above 26 degrees Celsius for prolonged periods can have serious health impacts on vulnerable renters, especially seniors and individuals with pre-existing medical issues including heart disease and diabetes. That’s why I first moved a motion on this issue in 2012. While I’m frustrated that it took 12 years, it’s important that significant progress is finally happening.
This spring, Landlords will be required to turn on air conditioning on May 15th, instead of June 1st, if we experience an early start to summer as we have in recent years. The previous date has left too many renters roasting in their apartment. The full by-law enacting a maximum indoor temperature is expected next fall.
This week’s important measure passed at Council was thanks to the advocacy of Toronto Acorn, the Federation of Metro Toronto Tenants Associations, the Advocacy Centre for Tenants in Ontario, and local tenants associations in Midtown and across Toronto.
Demanding Action on TTC Service Delays
The last few weeks have seen several major disruptions to TTC service, often during the peak of morning rush hour. These delays meant that people were late for school or work, stuck in trains underground or waiting too long for overcrowded shuttle buses. TTC must take urgent action to address the root causes of these disruptions, improve the way it communicates, so to regain the trust of Torontonians in our transit system.
That’s why I will be moving the following motion at the next TTC board meeting. This motion seeks to prevent further incidents by investigating the root cause of the delays and putting in place measures to better manage and communicate about incidents when they do occur. In particular, this motion requests TTC Staff to:
- Conduct an external review of signaling system maintenance
- Improve communication with riders during service disruptions
- Explore ways to make shuttle bus service start sooner after a disruption and ensure they run more efficiently
- Explore providing more options for transit riders so if there are subway disruptions other modes are available, including the potential of priority surface lanes on parallel routes
- Request the Province of Ontario to fund platform edge doors starting with the stations in greatest need
We risk losing riders if they cannot count on the transit system to get them to work, school or appointments on time. I am committed to continue fighting for a safer and more reliable TTC.
Protecting full door-door Wheel Trans Service
I am committed to protecting full door-door Wheel-Trans service for all Torontonians who need it. At the TTC Board meeting in December, I fought alongside disability and transit advocate groups to protect the service and to ensure that the voices of persons with disabilities are represented.
While there is not an immediate proposal to cut Wheel-Trans service for people who currently have it, the TTC has expressed a desire to shift more people to a “Family of Service” (FOS) model that includes trips with both Wheel-Trans and the use of the “conventional system”. I am strongly opposed to forcing mandatory family of service trips on Wheel-Trans users. FOS is not currently mandatory, and Wheel-Trans users can refuse FOS trips.
There are many problems with the FOS model that have been highlighted by advocates, most importantly being the inaccessibility of the conventional system. While City has been investing significantly into station upgrades to make its stations more accessible, many issues remain with elevators and escalators that are frequently out of service. Further, all TTC riders know that the service can often be unreliable and crowded, which disproportionately impacts the most vulnerable.
That’s why I moved a motion at the TTC Board meeting that requested staff to report back with an equity analysis of the impacts of FOS trips on Wheel-Trans users, which was approved by the board. I look forward to the results of this work, and remain deeply committed to fighting to protect Wheel Trans service for the people who rely on it.
