Toronto Council meets today!
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Up now: an updated secondary plan for North York Centre. Councillor Lily Cheng, the local rep, has concerns about how the area could support 100,000 more people moving in over the next 30 years. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.PH28.6
Councillor Mike Colle emerges from the shadows to complain about development and the Ontario Land Tribunal. "We have an unworkable system that basically rubber stamps development after development, and we have no way of providing any kind of community infrastructure," he says.
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Councillor Mike Colle emerges from the shadows to complain about development and the Ontario Land Tribunal. "We have an unworkable system that basically rubber stamps development after development, and we have no way of providing any kind of community infrastructure," he says.
"21 condos there on Marlee! You can't even walk up the street, there's so much traffic! You don't have a place to even pee on Marlee Avenue. You've got no community facilities at all," complains Colle.
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"21 condos there on Marlee! You can't even walk up the street, there's so much traffic! You don't have a place to even pee on Marlee Avenue. You've got no community facilities at all," complains Colle.
Councillor Cheng has motions on the North York Centre plan, including asking staff to look at visitor parking and a new recreation centre. She also wants to consult with faith leaders.
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Councillor Cheng has motions on the North York Centre plan, including asking staff to look at visitor parking and a new recreation centre. She also wants to consult with faith leaders.
After Planning & Housing Chair Gord Perks urges colleagues to support Cheng's motion, it CARRIES via show of hands. So does the North York Centre secondary plan.
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After Planning & Housing Chair Gord Perks urges colleagues to support Cheng's motion, it CARRIES via show of hands. So does the North York Centre secondary plan.
Now: the redevelopment of land at Queen East & Kingston Road in Councillor Brad Bradford's ward. He moves to REJECT the application for an 11-storey building. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.TE29.12
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Now: the redevelopment of land at Queen East & Kingston Road in Councillor Brad Bradford's ward. He moves to REJECT the application for an 11-storey building. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.TE29.12
After a short and very confusing debate, Councillor Bradford's motion to REJECT the Queen East & Kingston development application FAILS 5-19.
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After a short and very confusing debate, Councillor Bradford's motion to REJECT the Queen East & Kingston development application FAILS 5-19.
Councillor Perks' motion to APPROVE the development application for Queen East & Kingston Road in Bradford's ward CARRIES 22-3.
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Councillor Perks' motion to APPROVE the development application for Queen East & Kingston Road in Bradford's ward CARRIES 22-3.
That was a very strange one. The developer had made some concessions to reduce the size/density of the proposal, but normally pro-housing Bradford still came out against it.
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That was a very strange one. The developer had made some concessions to reduce the size/density of the proposal, but normally pro-housing Bradford still came out against it.
Moving on, Councillor Rachel Chernos Lin has a motion to support locally-elected school board trustees, in light of concerns that the Ford government might nix the role. Supporting the motion, Pasternak points out that about half of council are former trustees. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.MM39.10
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Moving on, Councillor Rachel Chernos Lin has a motion to support locally-elected school board trustees, in light of concerns that the Ford government might nix the role. Supporting the motion, Pasternak points out that about half of council are former trustees. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.MM39.10
Mayor Chow has crunched the numbers. "There are 11 former trustees among us. About 43%." And they all seem to want to give a speech tonight about how important the role of school board trustee is.
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Mayor Chow has crunched the numbers. "There are 11 former trustees among us. About 43%." And they all seem to want to give a speech tonight about how important the role of school board trustee is.
And indeed, most of them do give speeches. In the end, council votes via show of hands to express their support for elected school board trustees.
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Up now: an updated secondary plan for North York Centre. Councillor Lily Cheng, the local rep, has concerns about how the area could support 100,000 more people moving in over the next 30 years. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.PH28.6
@GraphicMatt Thanks for sharing all this. I always wondered what happened in those meetings. Seems like a lot. Keep up the good work.
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And indeed, most of them do give speeches. In the end, council votes via show of hands to express their support for elected school board trustees.
Councillor Josh Matlow's motion to look at easing the Type G loading space requirement standards for "specialized housing" CARRIES 24-1. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.MM39.86
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Councillor Josh Matlow's motion to look at easing the Type G loading space requirement standards for "specialized housing" CARRIES 24-1. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.MM39.86
Up now: Should Toronto have city-run grocery stores? Councillor Perruzza, who brought the item to council, moves to amend his motion to add some clauses about pooling food purchases. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.MM39.27
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Up now: Should Toronto have city-run grocery stores? Councillor Perruzza, who brought the item to council, moves to amend his motion to add some clauses about pooling food purchases. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.MM39.27
Councillor Saxe moves for a report on ways the city can support non-profit food cooperatives like Karma Co-op. "Everyone who can should sign up for Karma Co-op. It's a great organization!" she adds.
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Councillor Saxe moves for a report on ways the city can support non-profit food cooperatives like Karma Co-op. "Everyone who can should sign up for Karma Co-op. It's a great organization!" she adds.
Councillor Holyday says he won't support city-run grocery stores. "I don't think the government could possibly run this more efficiently than the private sector does," he says.
"To suggest that a government-run store is suddenly going to be better is preposterous."
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Councillor Holyday says he won't support city-run grocery stores. "I don't think the government could possibly run this more efficiently than the private sector does," he says.
"To suggest that a government-run store is suddenly going to be better is preposterous."
Councillor Ainslie has a motion to look at alternative models for grocery delivery. He says he used to work in food distribution and has concerns about Perruzza's suggestion of four locations, pointing out that a lot of people can't travel far.
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Councillor Ainslie has a motion to look at alternative models for grocery delivery. He says he used to work in food distribution and has concerns about Perruzza's suggestion of four locations, pointing out that a lot of people can't travel far.
Both Morley and Bravo rise to say they'll support Perruzza's city-run grocery store motion. I'm a bit surprised no one has tried to scale it back to a report request and extend the timeline -- asking staff to come back with an implementation plan next month is aggressive.
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Both Morley and Bravo rise to say they'll support Perruzza's city-run grocery store motion. I'm a bit surprised no one has tried to scale it back to a report request and extend the timeline -- asking staff to come back with an implementation plan next month is aggressive.
Ah, there we go. Mayor Olivia Chow has advance circulated a motion pushing the report-back date on city-run grocery stores to Q2 2027. The report would look at both city-run grocery stores and "broader food security and affordable measures."
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Ah, there we go. Mayor Olivia Chow has advance circulated a motion pushing the report-back date on city-run grocery stores to Q2 2027. The report would look at both city-run grocery stores and "broader food security and affordable measures."
Chow says she recently went grocery shopping with a family that "has trouble making ends meet" and saw the mother having to deny her kids the snacks they wanted because of the high cost of food.
"Torontonians want the city to play a role to help them with the cost of living," she says.
