Toronto Council meets today!
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On SmartTrack, Myers says, "It's really sad that we spent so much money on this program while we allowed the TTC to deteriorate to the state that it is ... think of what we could have done with $1.5 billion had we just focused that on the TTC."
"This is a real scandal," says Councillor Alejandra Bravo of SmartTrack. "Property tax dollars that should have been invested in the city of Toronto went into a fictional plan called SmartTrack, which was essentially to subsidize a provincial plan that cannot materialize."
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"This is a real scandal," says Councillor Alejandra Bravo of SmartTrack. "Property tax dollars that should have been invested in the city of Toronto went into a fictional plan called SmartTrack, which was essentially to subsidize a provincial plan that cannot materialize."
Myers' motion to request Metrolinx provide documents for a city audit, that the provincial Auditor look into the SmartTrack project, and that the city put audit clauses into future transit agreements CARRIES 24-1.
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Myers' motion to request Metrolinx provide documents for a city audit, that the provincial Auditor look into the SmartTrack project, and that the city put audit clauses into future transit agreements CARRIES 24-1.
Council approves a continued investigation into the SmartTrack project. The vote is 25-0.
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Council approves a continued investigation into the SmartTrack project. The vote is 25-0.
And that takes Council to the matter of lunch. There are 103 items left on the agenda, though the member motion run-through after lunch will help to quickly dispense with many of them. I hope. I pray.
See you back here at 2 p.m.
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And that takes Council to the matter of lunch. There are 103 items left on the agenda, though the member motion run-through after lunch will help to quickly dispense with many of them. I hope. I pray.
See you back here at 2 p.m.
Council is stirring to life. Before they get back to business, a presentation about the winners of the Mayor's AI Awards is on the schedule. Prepare for emdashes and emojis.
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Council is stirring to life. Before they get back to business, a presentation about the winners of the Mayor's AI Awards is on the schedule. Prepare for emdashes and emojis.
Mayor Chow takes the lectern to talk about the awarded AI projects: a recreation planning project, a 311 virtual assistant, an IT assistant, and a building permit precheck project.
"The work reflects what's possible when technology supports — not replaces — the people who serve our city," she says
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Mayor Chow takes the lectern to talk about the awarded AI projects: a recreation planning project, a 311 virtual assistant, an IT assistant, and a building permit precheck project.
"The work reflects what's possible when technology supports — not replaces — the people who serve our city," she says
Chow gives a shoutout to former councillor and mayoral candidate David Soknacki, who has been working with her on tech initiatives and encouraged Chow to launch the AI Awards.
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Chow gives a shoutout to former councillor and mayoral candidate David Soknacki, who has been working with her on tech initiatives and encouraged Chow to launch the AI Awards.
It's video time. A narrated vid gives us some quick screenshots of the winning AI projects.
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It's video time. A narrated vid gives us some quick screenshots of the winning AI projects.
On to member motions. Councillor Anthony Perruzza's motion to introduce city-run grocery stores is ADDED to the agenda, 22-4. They'll debate it later. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.MM39.27
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On to member motions. Councillor Anthony Perruzza's motion to introduce city-run grocery stores is ADDED to the agenda, 22-4. They'll debate it later. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.MM39.27
The financial impact summary for Perruzza's city-run grocery stores item suggests council tread carefully, noting that the program would likely come with high costs that do not exist within the budget. It suggests a "robust analysis" first.
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The financial impact summary for Perruzza's city-run grocery stores item suggests council tread carefully, noting that the program would likely come with high costs that do not exist within the budget. It suggests a "robust analysis" first.
Councillor Burnside's motion to change city hall's flag policy and restrict the flying of foreign flags on "courtesy flagpoles" is added to the agenda, 22-4. They'll come back to it. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.MM39.35
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Councillor Burnside's motion to change city hall's flag policy and restrict the flying of foreign flags on "courtesy flagpoles" is added to the agenda, 22-4. They'll come back to it. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.MM39.35
Councillor Morley's motion to look at easing up on the mute swan population control program CARRIES 20-4. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.MM39.42
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Councillor Morley's motion to look at easing up on the mute swan population control program CARRIES 20-4. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.MM39.42
Noting that council has delegated flag raisings to the protocol office, Nunziata rules Councillor Lily Cheng's motion about raising the old "Lion and Sun" Iranian flag to be out of order. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.MM39.43
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Noting that council has delegated flag raisings to the protocol office, Nunziata rules Councillor Lily Cheng's motion about raising the old "Lion and Sun" Iranian flag to be out of order. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.MM39.43
Cheng's motion to consider getting rid of recycling receptacles in future on-street litter bins — encouraging people to carry their recyclables home instead — is added to the agenda, 22-4. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.MM39.45
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Cheng's motion to consider getting rid of recycling receptacles in future on-street litter bins — encouraging people to carry their recyclables home instead — is added to the agenda, 22-4. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.MM39.45
The motion to consider encouraging a "carry-in, carry-out" model for recycling and making future public bins litter-only, CARRIES 22-4.
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The motion to consider encouraging a "carry-in, carry-out" model for recycling and making future public bins litter-only, CARRIES 22-4.
@GraphicMatt This is how you get recycling in the litter stream. Then again, Ford's just going to send it all to landfill anyway...
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The motion to consider encouraging a "carry-in, carry-out" model for recycling and making future public bins litter-only, CARRIES 22-4.
Councillor Bradford's "safer subways" motion about adding cops in subway stations and installing platform edge doors gets added to the agenda on a voice vote. They'll come back to it. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.MM39.50
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Councillor Bradford's "safer subways" motion about adding cops in subway stations and installing platform edge doors gets added to the agenda on a voice vote. They'll come back to it. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.MM39.50
Councillor Matlow's motion calling for the city to join the legal battle against Doug Ford's Ontario Place redevelopment CARRIES 21-5.
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Councillor Matlow's motion calling for the city to join the legal battle against Doug Ford's Ontario Place redevelopment CARRIES 21-5.
Councillor Dianne Saxe's motion on protecting Chinatown as a cultural district, including asking the province to introduce rent control for commercial units, CARRIES 23-2. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.MM39.53
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Councillor Dianne Saxe's motion on protecting Chinatown as a cultural district, including asking the province to introduce rent control for commercial units, CARRIES 23-2. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.MM39.53
Deputy Mayor Malik's motion calling for a commemorative naming process for any additional future city ferries CARRIES 23-3. (The city is running a naming contest for the new island ferries they've already ordered, but the suggested names are a bit of a snooze.) https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.MM39.54
