Toronto Council meets today!
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Dealing with some quick items, Council votes to refer a forensic audit on the city's snow clearing contracts to the Infrastructure & Environment Committee. The new festival strategy is APPROVED via show of hands after an amendment from Ainslie to include digital payment options for permits.
Council has resumed its debate on potholes. Councillor Paul Ainslie wants to know why reported pothole issues are marked as resolved when staff go out and can't locate the reported pothole. Staff say improvements are coming on process to "close the loop."
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Council has resumed its debate on potholes. Councillor Paul Ainslie wants to know why reported pothole issues are marked as resolved when staff go out and can't locate the reported pothole. Staff say improvements are coming on process to "close the loop."
Councillor Jon Burnside asks staff if it's true that state-of-good-repair funding for roads was higher under Tory than it is under Chow. The CFO says he'll need to look at the numbers, but points out much of the transportation repair budget under Tory was going to the Gardiner.
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Council is getting set for the start of day two. We're anticipating a very long debate about flag protocol today, so get hyped for that.
The meeting stream for today is here. I'll keep posting until there's nothing left to post about. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0CJH1SGjPo
@GraphicMatt thank you, Matt.
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Councillor Jon Burnside asks staff if it's true that state-of-good-repair funding for roads was higher under Tory than it is under Chow. The CFO says he'll need to look at the numbers, but points out much of the transportation repair budget under Tory was going to the Gardiner.
Councillor Alejandra Bravo asks if the increasing weight of vehicles is causing more potholes on Toronto streets. Staff say that's a factor, yes.
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Councillor Alejandra Bravo asks if the increasing weight of vehicles is causing more potholes on Toronto streets. Staff say that's a factor, yes.
@GraphicMatt Sounds like a good rationale for registration fees scaled with GVWR.
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Councillor Alejandra Bravo asks if the increasing weight of vehicles is causing more potholes on Toronto streets. Staff say that's a factor, yes.
On potholes, Councillor Neethan Shan moves for staff to investigate ways to improve the pothole reporting process. He also wants a map to track requests for potholes "larger than a shoebox."
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On potholes, Councillor Neethan Shan moves for staff to investigate ways to improve the pothole reporting process. He also wants a map to track requests for potholes "larger than a shoebox."
Councillor Jamaal Myers, meanwhile, has a motion to create a road repair task force to try to get to the bottom of why Toronto roads are deteriorating so quickly.
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Councillor Jamaal Myers, meanwhile, has a motion to create a road repair task force to try to get to the bottom of why Toronto roads are deteriorating so quickly.
Councillor Holyday wants a report for Q1 2027 on the road repair backlog, with options to speed up repairs.
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Councillor Holyday wants a report for Q1 2027 on the road repair backlog, with options to speed up repairs.
Still stuck on potholes. Councillor Lily Cheng moves for staff to look at smart cameras on buses and other city vehicles to identify potholes. She also wants to look at new innovations in asphalt.
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Still stuck on potholes. Councillor Lily Cheng moves for staff to look at smart cameras on buses and other city vehicles to identify potholes. She also wants to look at new innovations in asphalt.
Time, at last, for some pothole votes. Councillor Jamaal Myers' motion to create a road repair task force to figure out why Toronto's roads deteriorate so quickly FAILS 9-13.
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Time, at last, for some pothole votes. Councillor Jamaal Myers' motion to create a road repair task force to figure out why Toronto's roads deteriorate so quickly FAILS 9-13.
Councillor Lily Cheng's pothole motion to look at smart camera tech and asphalt innovation CARRIES 19-5.
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Councillor Lily Cheng's pothole motion to look at smart camera tech and asphalt innovation CARRIES 19-5.
All other pothole motions carry via show of hands. Mayor Olivia Chow's pothole blitz is approved 24-0.
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All other pothole motions carry via show of hands. Mayor Olivia Chow's pothole blitz is approved 24-0.
Councillor Lily Cheng rises to object to Nunziata trying to speed councillors along during their speeches. Then she points to a group of pastors in the chamber who have been "praying for city council." But whoops, the pastors have already left.
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Councillor Lily Cheng rises to object to Nunziata trying to speed councillors along during their speeches. Then she points to a group of pastors in the chamber who have been "praying for city council." But whoops, the pastors have already left.
Up now: an item about Metrolinx transit construction. Chernos Lin asks for an update on council's request for trucks working on the project to have GPS and signage. Staff say Metrolinx is working on it, but there's no indication when the request will be completed. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.EX29.7
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Up now: an item about Metrolinx transit construction. Chernos Lin asks for an update on council's request for trucks working on the project to have GPS and signage. Staff say Metrolinx is working on it, but there's no indication when the request will be completed. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.EX29.7
After some justifiable grousing about Metrolinx, council approves the construction report via a show of hands. Up now: should Toronto pay people to shovel snow after big storms, like they do in NYC? The mayor wants a program. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.EX29.13
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After some justifiable grousing about Metrolinx, council approves the construction report via a show of hands. Up now: should Toronto pay people to shovel snow after big storms, like they do in NYC? The mayor wants a program. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.EX29.13
Councillor Crisanti asks about the staff time and resources required to develop this pay-to-shovel program. "We have absolutely no idea," says City Manager Paul Johnson. "We have no one available at this point who is able to be assigned to this."
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Councillor Crisanti asks about the staff time and resources required to develop this pay-to-shovel program. "We have absolutely no idea," says City Manager Paul Johnson. "We have no one available at this point who is able to be assigned to this."
"Why would we pay twice?" Councillor Holyday wonders, pointing out that the city already pays $145 million a year to contractors to remove snow. He likens this to "the checkers checking the checkers who check things."
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"Why would we pay twice?" Councillor Holyday wonders, pointing out that the city already pays $145 million a year to contractors to remove snow. He likens this to "the checkers checking the checkers who check things."
Holyday urges councillors to "think carefully" about the pay-to-shovel program. "I understand the politics and wanting to signal innovation, but I really don't think this is a good use of staff's time." He says the program is "fraught with risk."
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Holyday urges councillors to "think carefully" about the pay-to-shovel program. "I understand the politics and wanting to signal innovation, but I really don't think this is a good use of staff's time." He says the program is "fraught with risk."
Councillor Dianne Saxe moves to make sure the city talks to the union while developing this pay-to-shovel program.
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Councillor Dianne Saxe moves to make sure the city talks to the union while developing this pay-to-shovel program.
"I think this is a terrible idea," says Burnside. He laments that the city has taken on so much responsibility for sidewalk snow and says business and residents should just do it. "Newsflash: people don't want tax increases, so maybe they're going to have to start picking up a shovel themselves."
