February 27th, 2020 · Comments Off on FORUM: Budget challenges at City Hall (Feb. 2020)
Not all priorities can be met by property tax base
By Mike Layton
It is with great pride that I have the privilege of serving on the City of Toronto’s Budget Committee, which allows me the opportunity to help shape the direction of services over the coming year. Simply put, the annual budget is a chance for Toronto to set priorities as a city and take action on what needs to change. Read more
February 27th, 2020 · Comments Off on FORUM: Catastrophic climate change is here. How do we respond? (Feb. 2020)
Australia is the canary, we must act now
By Jessica Bell
Australia is my original home, and it is experiencing a climate catastrophe. Armageddon fires are still burning up the country. Half a billion animals are dead. Towns have been destroyed. Billions are needed for rebuilding. Read more
February 27th, 2020 · Comments Off on FROM THE ARCHIVES: Fear of high buildings groundless (Feb. 2020)
Tall structures can curb urban sprawl
Designed by IBI Group, the Theory Condo building is projected to rise 30 storeys and will house 243 condo units. BRIAN BURCHELL/GLEANER NEWS
In May 2020, the Annex Gleaner celebrates 25 years of publishing. In celebration, we are republishing highlights of our past; this feature, Fear of High Buildings Groundless by city-building columnist Alfred Holden, is from May 2001. As thirteen developments are going up in the Annex area it appears Holden’s views were prophetic. Read more
January 31st, 2020 · Comments Off on GREENINGS: Emergency climate calls to city met with busy signal (Jan. 2020)
City is caught flat-footed as alarm bells ring
By Terri Chu
I was mildly optimistic when Toronto City Council officially declared a “Climate Emergency”, in October, 2019. How naïve I was to think that an “emergency” meant that something might actually happen. The situation appears to me as though teenagers are dialing 911 and screaming in terror into the phone while the operator on the other end says: Please hold, your call is important to us. Read more
December 9th, 2019 · Comments Off on FORUM: Ford plows ahead with cuts (Dec. 2019)
Back at Queen’s Park, Ford resumes his agenda
By Jessica Bell
After ordering the longest break in almost 25 years, Doug Ford finally let Queen’s Park get back to business last month. While the government signalled they would take a more tempered approach, the legislation the government has introduced shows the premier is continuing his destructive path. Read more
December 9th, 2019 · Comments Off on FORUM: Affordable housing is a growing crisis (Dec. 2019)
Inclusionary Zoning is the answer for responsible development in Toronto
By Mike Layton
Development in Toronto is continuing to boom. However, we are not building affordable housing at the same pace as we are luxury condominiums. Our waiting lists for affordable housing continue to grow and we are now above 100,000 names on the active waiting list. Last year we only managed to house people in 522 units, while 6,181 names were added to the list. Read more
December 9th, 2019 · Comments Off on GREENINGS: Moral cowardice fuels our failures (Dec. 2019)
Silence on Hong Kong and climate crisis has parallels
On November 11, Canadian leaders extolled the virtues of soldiers who lost their lives defending the ideals of democracy. On that day, we might have told the story of the nearly 2,000 Canadian soldiers who fought to defend Hong Kong against Japanese invasion in 1941. Five hundred of those soldiers did not come back, and many others returned deeply scarred after living as prisoners of war. Read more
