Home The Raise Transportation Waste Tourism My Ward Blog! Donate Posters
Do you remember a time when Toronto was described as, New York run by the Swiss? When I first arrived in Toronto in the early eighties I found myself in a clean, large and functional city of which I felt proud to be a citizen. I’m not so sure that new arrivals feel the same pride and enthusiasm for our city today. The most visible changes from then to now can be summed up in one word: transportation.
As a result of poor or neglected traffic and transit planning, for a number of years now, our beautiful city looks as crowded, smoggy and dirty as any large American city. Commute times to and from work are reaching unimagined lengths from even a few years ago and have resulted in a marked jump in poor air quality days and increased health related issues for Torontonians.
Our city is the "Bike theft capital of the world" and we can’t build a reliable post for cyclists to securely lock their bicycles. Toronto is the only jurisdiction in North America that has HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lanes that ban some of the most fuel efficient and occupant efficient vehicles from using them.
One of the things that I will push for if I am elected Ward 14 Parkdale High Park councillor is secure bicycle parking at city owned parking lots. I’ve even created a model that would consider the seasonality of cycling to create summer jobs for students to operate and manage individual bicycle lots on a small business contractor basis with the city.
On transit I would propose that the T.T.C. look at offering a greater variety of flexible passes for individuals, families with more than two adults and tourists, and looking into the future a potential debit card system. I would like to see buses and streetcars incorporate some G.P.S. technology to cut down on the incidents where you see three or four transit vehicles moving in tandem, then have to wait 15 to 20 minutes for the next one.
I would also like to see video cameras installed on all city vehicles. The cost savings in insurance, litigation and the potential such cameras have to assist law enforcement officials would more than justify the initial outlay for such a program.
High Occupancy Vehicle lanes should be more properly considered high efficiency vehicle lanes. What is more efficient, a Cadillac Escalade with two people traveling at highway speed or a motorcycle or two seat car with a lone rider or driver? At the very least I would like to see motorcyclists be able to use any such lanes within the city proper.
"A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be."
Wayne Gretzky