Mayor Olivia Chow's Toronto

[Voltz]

Not sure if I missed it in another thread, but I find it completely unacceptable that the Toronto Police Association is writing anti-Trudeau posts on Twitter.

I was never huge on defunding the police, but have started leaning much more that way in recent years.

The Toronto Police would rather complain about Trudeau than do their actual jobs--they should be defunded.

That is their association though, not the police service, different organization, So you can't say they are making political posts instead of doing their jobs.

 

[Dan416]

That is their association though, not the police service, different organization, So you can't say they are making political posts instead of doing their jobs.

My understanding is that the police association represents the police. So yeah, I can say they're making political posts. They're just as useless as the NYPD just walking by the woman on the subway being burnt alive.

 

[lead82]

Chow has been a lame duck mayor and doesn’t have the strong will to implement any significant changes. She will be a much forgotten mayor much like Tory. Both will leave a legacy of nothing for the city. Chow should focus on 1-3 top things and execute on them. Whether it’s housing or the TTC service L/ reliability. Instead she is all over and has yet to start tackling the clean up of this city. It’s become a giant dumpster and full of homeless and beggars on many corners. Sad to see the dilapidated state of the city continuing to deteriorate while taxes keep going up and up with nothing to show for it. Where is all the money going?

 

[Voltz]

My understanding is that the police association represents the police. So yeah, I can say they're making political posts. They're just as useless as the NYPD just walking by the woman on the subway being burnt alive.

The association represents the employees of the TPS to management and the board, like a union does to other organizations. It is a separate organization, they don't do what they do, such as making political posts, instead of policing.

 

[Toronto Rocks]

Agreed. Where is all the money going?

Good question, with all the new taxes streams introduced, plus the extra property tax stream from the thousand of new condos that where built in the past ten years; as well as the huge cost over runs on any city run project, that is a very good question.

There is little press relating to the new contracts/ salary increase which city employees received which were quietly announced a day before Christmas.

The history books will remember her a the tax increase Mayor.

 

[Northern Light]

Chow has been a lame duck mayor and doesn’t have the strong will to implement any significant changes. She will be a much forgotten mayor much like Tory. Both will leave a legacy of nothing for the city. Chow should focus on 1-3 top things and execute on them. Whether it’s housing or the TTC service L/ reliability. Instead she is all over and has yet to start tackling the clean up of this city. It’s become a giant dumpster and full of homeless and beggars on many corners. Sad to see the dilapidated state of the city continuing to deteriorate while taxes keep going up and up with nothing to show for it. Where is all the money going?

I see you're in multiple threads today, dumping on Canada as a country, dumping on Toronto as a City, and otherwise failing to post anything reasonable or constructive. Please stop. Your absence would not be missed.

 

[DSC]

Agreed. Where is all the money going?

Good question, with all the new taxes streams introduced, plus the extra property tax stream from the thousand of new condos that where built in the past ten years; as well as the huge cost over runs on any city run project, that is a very good question.

There is little press relating to the new contracts/ salary increase which city employees received which were quietly announced a day before Christmas.

The history books will remember her a the tax increase Mayor.

Frankly, it is good she had the balls to put through a tax increase as the City was simply falling to pieces after years of 'no tax increase' Mayors like Ford and Tory. Yes, there is certainly some waste in the City but overall it runs pretty well and it has only one - rather poorly designed - source of income, property taxes.

 

[Northern Light]

Agreed. Where is all the money going?

Good question, with all the new taxes streams introduced........

What new tax streams? Land Transfer Tax has been in effect for ages, going back to the Miller Era.

The Vehicle Registration tax which existed then has since been rolled back.

There was a significant property tax hike last year, but this comes after years of multiple tax freezes in which there was no increase for inflation or population growth.

plus the extra property tax stream from the thousand of new condos that where built in the past ten years; as well

There wasn't that much net assessment growth after considering the cost of serving all the new residents.

There is little press relating to the new contracts/ salary increase which city employees received which were quietly announced a day before Christmas.

There was a press release:

City Council ratifies collective agreement with TCEU Local 416 – CUPE

News Release December 20, 2024 Earlier today, Toronto City Council ratified the new four-year collective agreement with TCEU Local 416 – CUPE, the union representing the City’s 4,200 outside workers. This follows the ratification by the bargaining unit members on Wednesday, December 18. The new...

www.toronto.ca

The wage increase numbers are public.

The history books will remember her a the tax increase Mayor.

They may, or may not.............I think that's premature to judge.

****

We know there will be a large increase in Library Hours in the coming year.

Most other service level changes remain under wraps, as does this year's proposed rate hike.

How about we return to this discussion after the public budget announcement in ~ 2 weeks.

 

[zang]

Frankly, it is good she had the balls to put through a tax increase as the City was simply falling to pieces after years of 'no tax increase' Mayors like Ford and Tory. Yes, there is certainly some waste in the City but overall it runs pretty well and it has only one - rather poorly designed - source of income, property taxes.

Precisely, and mainly because the Province has always knocked down attempts to bring in funds in other ways.

 

[Northern Light]

I am now able to report, since its leaking out................that something I have long lobbied for will be in the upcoming budget........longer Community Centre hours.

I don't know the extent of proposed expansion, but I'm pleased to see it included.

I've been pushing for that at least going back to the beginning of Tory's first term.

 

[taal]

Any thoughts on how Ford's policies toward unhoused encampments on public grounds will play out in Toronto ? Of course it was an offer and I've only seen a few cities take him up on it, really the legality around evictions. While not directly related in anyway there's also the new shelters being building that was recently announced by the city (none of which are downtown proper by the way).

 

[Northern Light]

Any thoughts on how Ford's policies toward unhoused encampments on public grounds will play out in Toronto ?

For now, I don't expect much to come of it.

The City has managed to largely remove the encampments from Allan Gardens and from Clarence Square, without any new powers.

The requirement of the court in the precedent ruling in K-W was that to carry out an eviction there had to be an offer of alternative shelter.

When the City wants to move on an encampment they generally ensure they have some shelter beds/housing units/LTC rooms on standby for the community they are seeking to evict.

Those who accept help move along; those who do not may given 'encouragement' by City workers and police.

The City is generally not doing this in locations where encampments are low profile, but instead where they have created persistent friction with the broader community.

Of course it was an offer and I've only seen a few cities take him up on it, really the legality around evictions. While not directly related in anyway there's also the new shelters being building that was recently announced by the city (none of which are downtown proper by the way).

The City is delivering some new shelter beds in the core; see the indigenous facility at Adelaide/Church. (67 Adelaide E. - 75 beds).

But in general, the City is seeking to more equitably distribute resources so as to not to overwhelm any one area.

New affordable housing and rental are coming to the core in the next phases of Regent and Alexandra Park, in the site at 26/27 Grosvernor, in the West Don Lands, Quayside, City Place and others.

 

[taal]

For now, I don't expect much to come of it.

The City has managed to largely removed the encampments from Allan Gardens and from Clarence Square, without any new powers.

Is that true? I haven’t been to the area in a while, but I thought the number of encampments at Allan Gardens was increasing again after having been significantly reduced. I also hadn’t heard about any changes at Clarence Square.


Alright, let me answer my own question. There’s quite a bit of chatter about this on reddit, so it seems like you’re onto something. Some people are even speculating that it might be linked to the recent Taylor Swift concert —hopefully, that’s not the case, as it shouldn’t take an event like that to prompt action.


The city really needs to stay proactive about managing these situations, as they’ll inevitably continue to arise in different locations—hopefully with less frequency. My concern was that the current leadership might adopt a more passive approach, essentially allowing encampments to grow unchecked, even to the point of overtaking entire parks. I believe that would be a detrimental path for everyone involved, including those living in the encampments and the residents who effectively lose access to these shared spaces, no matter how it’s justified.

The City is delivering some new shelter beds in the core; see the indigenous facility at Adelaide/Church. (67 Adelaide E. - 75 beds).

But in general, the City is seeking to more equitably distribute resources so as to not to overwhelm any one area.

Exactly, and I think this is a solid idea overall. Unsurprisingly, it’s facing a lot of backlash in NYCC, but that’s to be expected. Ultimately, though, this and similar initiatives are the only viable long-term solutions.

 

[Towered]

For now, I don't expect much to come of it.

The City has managed to largely removed the encampments from Allan Gardens and from Clarence Square, without any new powers.

The requirement of the court in the precedent ruling in K-W was that to carry out an eviction there had to be an offer of alternative shelter.

When the City wants to move on an encampment they generally ensure they have some shelter beds/housing units/LTC rooms on standby for the community they are seeking to evict.

Those who accept help move along; those who do not may given 'encouragement' by City workers and police.

The City is generally not doing this in locations where encampments are low profile, but instead where they have created persistent friction with the broader community.

I hope they prioritize Dufferin Grove next - it's getting quite bad now, and the community concern/outrage over it has been growing recently...

 

[Northern Light]

I hope they prioritize Dufferin Grove next - it's getting quite bad now, and the community concern/outrage over it has been growing recently...

If that's your priority, communicate it to the Mayor's office and explain why (numbers, tension, adverse impacts).

Numbers and quality arguments do get attention.