In the last decade on so, some have pushed Toronto as a world class city brand. Toronto receives high accolades as a liveable and desirable city in which to live in global surveys. In some things, such as Green Bins and Enwave city core services it has shown an important leadership and role model.
But the reality likely is that we are falling back and that much momentum in making a liveable and progressive city has slowed dramatically or even stopped and reversed. TTC/public transit issues, road congestion and surface deterioration, labour concerns (union power and costs _TTC, TPC, CUPE,....) and financial duress due to senior government indifference stand out for users of city services.
In today's Star, there is a must-read "opinion" article, A Tale of Two Cities _ Toronto: Wakeup, sleeper ( Joe Betteridge, Urban Planner) we hear what others cities are doing on two of these fronts while our city leaders are asleep at the switch: TTC fare handling compared to innovations around the world and using more non-staff labour for city needs.
These are just 2 items for discussion by all candidates as the 2010 Election discussion heats up. Mr. Betteridge poses topics that are important as well as possessing urgency.
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