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Groundbreaking new poll: Torontonians like nice things. They don't want to pay for them.

Garbage collection should be free. Organized kids' sports should be free. Water should be free. Electricity should be free. Health should be free. Transit should be free. Parks should be free, so Rail Deck Park should be free.

After all, roads are free... not.
 
Garbage collection should be free. Organized kids' sports should be free. Water should be free. Electricity should be free. Health should be free. Transit should be free. Parks should be free, so Rail Deck Park should be free.

After all, roads are free... not.

My favourite is "housing should be much cheaper for first time buyers" combined with "no more tall buildings, too many people".
 
Richard Florida@Richard_Florida
Meanwhile back in Toronto ... not enough planners to keep up with development ... https://t.co/XY5rRR4cah

Obvious solution here; increase fees until the planning department is self-sufficient.

Developers won't complain it costs $60k instead of $17k for a zoning amendment if they can get it in 2 months instead of 12 months.
 
Obvious solution here; increase fees until the planning department is self-sufficient.

Developers won't complain it costs $60k instead of $17k for a zoning amendment if they can get it in 2 months instead of 12 months.

Hopefully the developer understands that the added charge would also lead to a better-prepared planner pushing back on some things that with an overworked planning staff might have slid by unchallenged. But having the discussion in two months instead of 12 is still a good thing.

- Paul
 
Obvious solution here; increase fees until the planning department is self-sufficient.

Developers won't complain it costs $60k instead of $17k for a zoning amendment if they can get it in 2 months instead of 12 months.
Not that I disagree with your point, but no rezoning can happen in two months. Public notification timelines alone prevent that. On top of that, applications always have some back and forth between the city and the developer, and the developer can take some time to revise their application. The behind the scenes stuff takes time on both sides, especially with large scale proposals.
 
Groundbreaking new poll: Torontonians like nice things. They don't want to pay for them.

This is a demonstration of something more profound. It is actually a problem that in a democracy the citizens do not understand that the politicians were elected to serve, but also to tax (and spend) and that everything we do has a bill that is ultimately to be paid.

There is no - "other guys", or "them over there" waiting to pay the bill. Only us. Very politically immature thinking. Hard to fathom.

Finally and coincidentally. Two weeks after the election of Donald Trump. And twenty years after Mike Harris. If we keep saying that government is useless, then people will believe it. (Badly run government brings upon itself many of its own problems - Ornge, EHealth, Green power and electricity rates, computer leasing debacles, canoe museums, the Brampton mayor's salary, etc.) Without a functioning government, there would be anarchy. We all benefit. In this country, it provides health-care. And if we get our shit together, DRLs and Rail-deck parks. I doubt that any one else will.

A very sad and silly poll result.

Each of us needs to believe that government works and that fundamentally we are all benefiting. Greater confidence would allow us to believe that a park could be built.

Final observation.

Large parks and transit lines - questionable in many folks minds.

Parkettes, community centres, schools, hospitals and new roads or highways - no question.
 
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I thought I read that Mississauga charges more than Toronto in development fees. So why does Toronto not raise the fees also regardless of the time it takes to rezone.. Its crazy the difference in amounts from Mississauga vs Toronto
 
Large parks and transit lines - questionable in many folks minds.

Parkettes, community centres, schools, hospitals and new roads or highways - no question.

Most people don't really know what they want until somebody gives it to them. That's one reason why we have a government, hopefully one that is run by creative people.
 
I want a Rail-Deck-Park. Now. And while we're at it, I want the big-J DRL from Hwy 7 to Dundas West in one phase.

I want a partial Rail Deck. But in lieu of a full or partial we get construction started on the Don Mouth, and maybe some new islands off Humber Bay. Also for a one-phase big U DRL from Rexdale / Weston in the west to the Peanut / l'amoreux / Consumers in the east - perhaps with branches to the Ex and future Port Lands.
 
As Von Münchhausen as it sounds (and it is) clarification on the ownership of air rights alone will change the approach to adjacent zoning and planning. From all I can gather, the City owns almost, if not all, the land and the air-rights above and land underneath. The railways have lease rights, not ownership. Some of the sale of Union Station property to Metrolinx might be an exception, but the City's statutory claim is via the Province anyway with the agreement of the Parliament of Canada.

There's going to be some very disappointed 'jump-ups' when this is clarified.
 

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