The government’s Scrooge-like plan is not what we need

By Jessica Bell

It’s easy to make bold and lofty promises at a press conference, but a budget reveals a government’s true priorities.   Read more

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Parks must grow with the city

By Mike Layton 

As summer slowly comes to a close, it is important to reflect on the ways that our city has developed during these challenging times. Our response to the pandemic has uniquely highlighted that investing in public green spaces and active transportation infrastructure means a better quality of life for Torontonians.   Read more

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READ MORE BY BRETT LAMB:  Read more

• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Jan. 2020)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Dec. 2019)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Nov. 2019)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Oct. 2019)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Sept. 2019)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How nice (August 2019)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Summer 2019)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (May 2019)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Spring 2019)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How nice (December 2018)

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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

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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

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Tall structures can curb urban sprawl

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

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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

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READ MORE BY BRETT LAMB:  Read more

• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Nov. 2019)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Oct. 2019)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Sept. 2019)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How nice (August 2019)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Summer 2019)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (May 2019)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Spring 2019)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How nice (December 2018)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (City Election 2018)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (October 2018)

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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

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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

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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

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READ MORE BY BRETT LAMB:  Read more

• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Oct. 2019)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Sept. 2019)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How nice (August 2019)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Summer 2019)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (May 2019)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Spring 2019)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How nice (December 2018)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (City Election 2018)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (October 2018)
• EDITORIAL CARTOON: How nice (Aug./Sept. 2018)

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Layton seeks a more “robust” approach to snow clearing

By Mike Layton

Before the weather goes below zero, and the fall rain turns into ice and snow, I thought I could take a moment to talk about a topic that will be top of mind for many Ward 11 residents in the coming months – snow removal.  Read more

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