Key Issues Facing Toronto

(1) Transparency at City Hall: Institution of tough fund-raising, conflict of interest and lobbying restrictions, explicit codes of ethics for both politicians and civil servants; elimination of appointed bodies which do not protect community interests.

(2) Affordable Housing: Restoration of non-profit housing programs to 1990 levels, in order to begin rebuilding the supply of mixed income, affordable rental housing.

(3) Tenant Regulations: Development of more effective tenant and landlord regulations to ensure fair rents, high quality maintenance and secure living environments for tenants and reasonable intervention capabilities for landlords.

(4) Housing the Homeless: Provision of adequate housing, in combination with support and rehabilitation programs for homeless persons; strong interventions for mentally ill, alcohol and drug debilitated street persons, to get them off the street and into safe supportive surroundings.

(5) Health Care: Provision of adequate health care funding and the creation of comprehensive public clinics, family practices and home care programs at the neighbourhood level.

(6) Community Programs: Creation of local community education and support programs for children, adolescents, seniors, handicapped persons, immigrants and newcomers to Toronto, delivered in accessible and appealling forms, languages and settings.

(7) Public Education: Improvements to public education, including reductions in class size; better before and after school care; increased preparation time for teachers; high quality special education assistance; support for heritage languages; and strong after-school artistic, recreational and social activities.

(8) Economic Development: Aggressive programs to develop Toronto as a knowledge-based city, and the institution of more aggressive economic development and investment attraction initiatives.

(9) Employment Programs: Provision of adequate minimum wages, job retraining and apprenticeship programs; protection of the right to organize; and the creation of programs to expedite immigrant entry into the workplace.

(10) Community Facilities: Elimination of user fees for public recreational and community facilities and upgrading of these resources to serve the broadest possible population.

(11) The Arts: Increased funding for the arts, with particular support for uniquely Torontonian or Canadian interpretations, and the promotion of arts and culture-based attractions for both Torontonians and visitors.

(12) Public Transit: Setting of stable and affordable public transit fares; expansion of Toronto, GTA and Southern Ontario public transit, linked to inter-city rail services; use of gas tax, road usage and parking taxes to finance public transit improvements; restrictions on expressway and arterial road expansion coupled with the introduction of reserved transit lanes and expanded light rail.

(13) High-Speed Rail Transportation: Development of frequent, very high speed, affordable regional passenger rail service in the Windsor to Quebec City corridor and into near northern Ontario and the adjacent US.

(14) Alternative Modes of Transportation: Upgrading of pedestrian, cycling and handicapped access facilities and creation of car free zones; improvements to streetscapes, parks and other outdoor amenities.

(15) Island Airport: Closing of the polluting and disruptive Toronto City Centre Airport, with restoration of the site to wetlands, beach and parks use; tight restrictions on aircraft flight activity over Toronto.

(16) Port Lands: Redevelopment of the Port Lands featuring parks and wetland, alongside mixed-use housing and high technology and knowledge-based commercial space; transfer of industrial port activities to other Golden Horseshoe areas.

(17) Streets and Parks: Improved streets and parks environments and maintenance.

(18) Policing: Redirection of policing with proactive initiatives to support community based policing and proactive crime prevention; curb illegal weapons dealing and possession; pursue white collar crime; provide stronger supervision and leadership to street level officers; institute significantly stronger civilian oversight and discipline functions; reconstitute the department to reflect the makeup of the city’s population; strengthen training and orientation to better provide social services related capabilities.

(19) Air Pollution: Dramatic reductions in air pollution through elimination of fine particulate pollution, carcinogens and noxious gases from power plants, transportation sources and industrial processes, coupled with greater usage of fuel cells, wind and solar energy and hybrid, low pollution energy technologies.

(20) Parkland: Accelerated creation of nearby parks and conservation areas, encompassing lake and waterway edges and watersheds, moraines and other geological features, plant and wildlife refuges.

(21) Land Use: Promotion of intensification of land use throughout the GTA, within existing transit corridors and nodes; institution of policies which encourage location of people’s residences in proximity to where they work; protection of existing residential neighbourhoods.

(22) Energy and Waste Services: Assurance of the long-term security of delivery of affordable energy, potable water, sewage treatment, waste collection and recycling services in an environmentally friendly and sustainable form.

(23) Language and Culture: Promotion of the bilingual and multicultural aspects of Canada, including strong links with Quebec, with Aboriginal peoples and with other distinctive regions.

(24) Public Leadership: Assumption of a North American and global leadership role in creative urban affairs and innovations; taking on a leadership role in the Great Lakes basin.

(25) Regional Governance: Development of a strong coordinating function for the GTA and the Golden Horseshoe, particularly in respect to curbing urban sprawl; eliminating pollution; creating green protective zones; and improving public transit.