RE: OPINION: Empty cars don’t buy things, people do (May/June 2025)

After reading the opinion piece in the latest paper a few days ago, I thought I would give it some time. A week later, the profound disappointment at the tone of the piece still holds sway.

I have been a part of this community since 2009 and in business since 1998 on College Street, where I also got the Gleaner in my mailbox. And I have been gobsmacked at the divisiveness that has surfaced with the proposal from RapidTO. 

From my perspective, the polarization of this topic is due mainly to the misrepresentation in the media of the parties involved.

Nowhere in this piece does it mention that the proposal involves dedicated transit lanes 24/7. That means no stopping, no loading, no deliveries, no pickups. That means no access, at any time.

This affects residents, the elderly, the schools, the theatres, the wellness clinics. Because for a good stretch of Bathurst there are no back lanes. There are no alternatives for a lot of addresses.

Referring to the success of the revamped Bloor Street is a clumsy argument. They still have parking and loading zones.

And that is what most of those affected are advocating for: a modified proposal that considers all the needs of the communities involved.

I hope there is a considered response to this.

—Regards,
Trish, Owner
EWANIKA   
1072 Bathurst Street

My name is Paul Macchiusi. I am a Bathurst Street resident and business owner who is writing to express my profound disappointment with the opinion piece published on the front page of your May/June, Vol. 31, No.1 issue, titled “Empty Cars Don’t Buy Things— People Do” by Terri Chu.  

As a community advocate who has actively engaged with stakeholders on the RapidTO initiative, I find the article’s misrepresentation of our position, lack of diverse voices, and reckless call to boycott local businesses both divisive and harmful to our equitable, bicycle-friendly and transit-oriented neighbourhood.

Your publication was invited to attend our recent press conference on June 11 at Kos Café, and you did attend. We clearly outlined our stance: We are pro-community, pro-transit, and pro-inclusive planning. 

Yet, the Gleaner decided to publish a piece that fails to reflect the opposition to said perspectives, especially given that there were over 100 community members in support of our cause where 6 speakers were showcased and spoke on issues arising from the proposed changes. 

Instead, you painted a one-sided narrative that mischaracterizes the entirety of why RapidTO is being opposed and absolutely ignored our concerns about permanent implementation and the need for broader consultation to ensure the plan serves all residents, including those who rely on reliable transit along Bathurst Street.

The author’s claim that transit delays are solely due to “empty cars” and congestion, oversimplifies a complex issue.  TTC service reliability has been a documented challenge for years, with internal operational issues playing a significant role in the unreliability of their service. 

To attribute delays entirely to street conditions dismisses the lived experiences of residents, and our advocacy seeks to address these systemic issues collaboratively, not to obstruct progress.

Most egregious is the article’s call to boycott businesses that support our position. 

This is not a “transit corridor” in the sense of a highway; it is a vibrant neighbourhood where residents and businesses coexist. 

Your publication is to support the community it calls home, and instead, published a piece that has a resident calling for a boycott of local establishments—part of the very community your paper claims to serve—and it is irresponsible and undermines the economic and social fabric of our area. 

These businesses are not rallying against transit but are advocating for a plan that balances accessibility, equity, and community needs.

The Annex Gleaner has a responsibility to foster dialogue, not division. By amplifying a single perspective without engaging the diverse voices of our community, you have done a disservice to the principles of fair journalism.

I urge you to issue a correction that accurately represents our advocacy and to publish a follow-up piece that includes input from all stakeholders. 

We remain open to collaboration and invite you to meet with us to discuss how RapidTO does not benefit our already equitable, transit-friendly neighbourhood.

I look forward to your response and hope the Gleaner will take steps to rebuild trust with our community.

—Sincerely,
Paul Macchiusi
Bathurst Street Resident, Business Owner and Community Advocate
www.protectbathurst.ca

In her recent article, “Empty Cars Don’t Buy Things—People Do,” Terri Chu states that “A luxury Lexus with nobody in it is not entitled to take up the same space as a vehicle that transports dozens of the city’s most hardworking people. The rich are not entitled to public space. This space absolutely needs to be taken back…” 

C’mon, a little harsh don’t you think, especially since many of your readers live in some of the most expensive real estate in Canada!

—Elden Freeman, Broker of Record
Freeman Real Estate Ltd. 
988 Bathurst Street, Toronto

READ MORE:

• OPINION: Empty cars don’t buy things—people do (May/June 2025)
• FORUM: Easing congestion into summer (May/June 2025)