Quick post to move the discussion forward, not rehash, and this was mentioned in the now moribund prior amalg thread:
Is it time to create a super-Metro?
Regional government could play a huge role in helping the GTA compete globally.
By Greg Spencer, TorStar
Tues., May 17, 2016
A recent article in The New York Times praised the former Metro Toronto regional government for laying the groundwork for the city’s current prosperity while helping to prevent the sort of local schisms that have damaged many cities in the U.S.
Although the former Metro government eventually gave way to an amalgamated Toronto, it provided much of the critical infrastructure that is now foundational to the local economy.
Mississauga is currently dealing with a similar scenario, having built to its boundaries. Mayor Bonnie Crombie recently proposed that her city leave the Region of Peel and encouraged its neighbour, Brampton, to do the same.
Though Metro Toronto, and even Peel Region, may have outgrown their usefulness, it is time we give upper tier municipal government a major rethink rather than throwing it out altogether.
Toronto Mayor John Tory has just returned from a trade mission that took him to Silicon Valley and Asia. On the tour, he didn’t just tout his own city, but the larger region stretching to Kitchener-Waterloo. This is the right way to go.
Our research at the Martin Prosperity Institute shows that economic competition is now primarily between cities rather than countries. To be successful in this environment, Toronto and its neighbours need to find a way to erase local divisions and solve their problems together. To be sure, there are organizations such as the Toronto Region Board of Trade that are already leading this charge. Similarly, Metrolinx on transportation and the Ontario Growth Secretariat on planning issues also work at this scale. [...]
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/05/17/is-it-time-to-create-a-super-metro.html
All fodder for discussion, and other regions in the US, UK, Europe, Australasia are approaching or have already instituted same.
As that pertains to transit, Transport for London is reversing the privatization of a number of commuter lines that not only operate within Greater London, but in surrounding areas feeding into London. Posted are a couple of older (within a year) references, but with ongoing strikes right now, it's become an immediate flashpoint for change:
Accelerate TfL takeover of Southern train services – MPs
MPs have called on the government to accelerate a proposed takeover of Southern metropolitan services by
Transport for London, as the train operating company Govia Thameslink Railway prepares to cut back its timetable by 350 trains a day.
An early-day motion sponsored by Labour former shadow business secretary
Chuka Umunna, and backed by MPs of other parties in affected constituencies, has added to opposition calls to strip GTR of its franchise. It proposed that TfL run the trains instead by adding them to its London Overground network.[...]
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...e-tfl-takeover-of-southern-train-services-mps
TfL's London Overground is being given control over London's entire suburban rail network
The Tube map is likely to be redesigned to accomodate the lines
Thursday 21 January 2016 UK Independent
London’s entire suburban railway network will be handed to Transport for London to be run by the capital’s Mayor, it has been announced.
TfL currently runs the Tube network and London Overground services, but the capital’s extensive above-ground rail network has long been under the control of a patchwork of competing private franchises.
Under the new plan, all suburban lines in the capital will be integrated into TfL’s Overground network as their current franchises expire, the city’s Evening Standard reports.
[...]
The change will see the Southeastern franchise taken over as early as 2018, with Thameslink, Great Northern, and Southern put under public control in 2021.
The newspaper says the timing of the incorporation of the South West Trains is currently under negotiation but that it could be handed to the Mayor as early as 2019. [...]
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...ns-entire-suburban-rail-network-a6824761.html
Even though the UK is devolving to "regional government" (and that will be further exacerbated and complicated with Brexit) rail is a national competence with, over time, varying degrees of urban autonomy. It's not a linear comparison to Ontario, but the point is very clear as that pertains to "Super Region" competency in some areas, notably transport/transit. I'll post other examples later, as the UK in general has become incredibly inefficient in delivering rail services, now touted to cost *five times* that of equiv Euro Mainland service. No wonder London (and surrounding counties) wants to take control.
The TTC is a mess, albeit not entirely of its own making, and Metrolinx could be any more of a political football for Queen's Park that it now is. It's time to for the GTHA "super-region" to handle transit, transportation and services in a region wide manner, and devolve local matters to local boroughs.
This isn't a question of 'de-amalgamation'...it's one of 'reformation' in a much more modern and meaningful way.
Addendum: A quick description of how London UK is governed:
Local government
Main articles:
Local government in London,
History of local government in London, and
List of heads of London government
The administration of London is formed of two tiers—a citywide, strategic tier and a local tier. Citywide administration is coordinated by the
Greater London Authority (GLA), while local administration is carried out by 33 smaller authorities.
[98] The GLA consists of two elected components; the
Mayor of London, who has executive powers, and the
London Assembly, which scrutinises the mayor's decisions and can accept or reject the mayor's budget proposals each year. The headquarters of the GLA is
City Hall,
Southwark; the mayor is
Sadiq Khan, the first Muslim mayor of a major Western capital.
[99][100] The mayor's
statutory planning strategy is published as the
London Plan, which was most recently revised in 2011.
[101] The local authorities are the councils of the 32
London boroughs and the
City of London Corporation.
[102] They are responsible for most local services, such as local planning, schools,
social services, local roads and refuse collection. Certain functions, such as
waste management, are provided through joint arrangements. In 2009–2010 the combined revenue expenditure by London councils and the GLA amounted to just over £22 billion (£14.7 billion for the boroughs and £7.4 billion for the GLA).
[103]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London#Local_government
To bring that all back to Ontario: Is it time for a complete re-write of the Ont Muni Act and subsidiary Toronto, Hamilton, etc ones? Absolutely, it's *beyond time*, and for the OMB. And with that integration of the TTC (in part) with a regional transit authority? (Been done before, became political football). Metrolinx must be devolved from Queen's Park for integration to work.
Ultimately, Ontario has made the mess that Toronto (and other conurbations) are in right now. And again, nothing shows that as prominently as transit and transportation.
To be cont'd...
