Preville on Politics
Visionary and incendiary
Posted on June 29, 2007 by Philip Preville
Those of you who read my column in the June issue of Toronto Life already know just how disorganized the city’s planning bureaucracy is, but it appears the politicians in charge of the department are no better: only three members of council’s Planning and Growth Management Committee showed up for Thursday morning’s meeting, leaving it short of quorum. As a result, guest speaker Greg Clark, a British consultant and one of the world’s foremost experts on urban economic growth, said a lot of fascinating, visionary, and incendiary things to a bunch of empty chairs. Here are the highlights:
The federal and provincial governments’ regional development policies are sooooo 20th century. Old thinking: you throw money at rural regions and under-performing cities and leave the well-performing places to look after themselves. New thinking: invest in the well-performing places (ie. your big-city metropolises) and link them to their surrounding regions more strongly. Most other countries in the world have figured this out. If Canada fails to catch on, its major cities will fall behind.
Smart cities are rediscovering their waterways as transit thoroughfares. Rivers and canals are like rail lines that don’t need to be built. Paris has boats moving people along the Seine and its canals. Clark didn’t say this would makes sense for Toronto, but what a dream: build a few locks along the Don and the Humber, flood them, and have the TTC operate some Floating Rockets.
Congestion charges don’t work without a clear economic imperative. London implemented congestion charges because it had become truly impossible to move people into and out of the central business district (CBD). They studied how bad their congestion was compared to other cities, and fared so poorly that they knew they had to act. London’s congestion pricing has also lowered emissions and improved air-quality—but these are merely side-effects. The primary objective was to improve London’s business climate.
Waterfront redevelopments have a habit of sucking the life out of downtowns. This, Clark says, has happened in many cities, including London, where the Docklands redevelopment was for a time having a detrimental effect on London’s CBD. The trick is to make sure the two are well-connected by both roads and transit lines. He seemed to hold up this warning in particular for Toronto, using the term “isolated” a number of times during the discussion about waterfront schemes.
The redevelopment of city centre airports have, in many cases, been a huge boon for cities. This is particularly true in Europe. London’s Docklands project included the redevelopment of a tiny runway there. Though only propeller aircraft can land there, it is still accessible to about 30 major urban centres throughout Europe, and business travelers love it. Meanwhile, emerging cities such as Riga, Latvia and Reykjavik, Iceland have made themselves attractive as business destinations thanks to the redevelopment of their centrally-located airports. No doubt Porter Airlines, which recently received clearance to begin landing at Newark Airport, is aware of successes across the pond.
Image: Greg Clark, courtesy of www.gregclark.net
Philip Preville
Veteran freelance writer Philip Preville lived much of his life in Montreal and Edmonton before he was lured, like so many Torontonians before him, by the promise of more work and a better living. A National Magazine Award winner and former Canadian Journalism Fellow at the University of Toronto’s Massey College, Preville writes Toronto Life’s politics column. He lives with his wife and one-year-old son in Riverdale, just close enough to the Don Valley Parkway that he can hear it when he steps outside his house—but just far enough away that it doesn’t keep him awake at night. On his office wall hangs a 1938–39 press pass belonging to his grandfather, Elias Gannon, who wrote for the Montreal Star.
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Comments
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Mark Dowling June 29, 2007 at 10:20 p.m.
It is amazing to contrast your pieces with the OMB-root-of-all-evil Kool Aid in John Barber's piece today. With his record on the Island Airport today, I wouldn't put much faith in his byline staving off Wal-Mart.
Andre Maingscott July 3, 2007 at 12:01 p.m.
Surprised Clark didn't speak more to the relationship between Toronto and its ring cities. Increasing connectivity between the 416 and the 905 is paramount to the future vitality of the city. While all of his suggestions could tangentially be linked to this issue (congestions charges, public transit solutions, relationships between metro centers and outside areas) A truly constructive dialogue about the urban issues in this city has to make this issue its focal point. This means talking about: major overhauls to 905-416 public transit and the flow of people in the city, discussions about green alternatives for commuters, the issue of green planning and the prevention of unchecked sprawl. Toronto's politicians may only be nominally responsible for 2.5 million people, but there are another 3 million whose lives depend on their policies.
Matheo Herrmaing July 3, 2007 at 2:36 p.m.
Andre,
While some of your points are poignant when it comes to the future of Toronto, I disagree with certain things. You clearly feel very strongly about the 905 area, I might even deduce that you are from that region. But Toronto can't extend its focus past the 2.5 million Torontonians until those citizens have been taken care of. In essence, Toronto must ensure the issues facing the 416 residents are being properly addressed. If there is a transit problem within the 416, it would be irresponsible to ignore it in order to accommodate the 905. Furthermore, as the development of the city continues to transform the inner city into the outer city, the focus needs to be on the transition first and foremost. The 905 has access into the city from various points, and the illogical yet fun sounding floating rockets might just me yet another means of conveyance. I do agree however that the green issue needs to be addressed, and I know that 905 transportation on the highways is very bad for the environment. Perhaps some initiative in the 905, the creation of some infrastructure outside Toronto might just be the key…until the floating rockets that is.
Andre Maingscott July 3, 2007 at 2:56 p.m.
Matheo, I think you're missing the point of my argument. It is impossible to segregate the 905 and the 416. They are not two autonomous freestanding entities. They are inexorably linked, indeed they are part of a greater metropolitan fabric. To change one is to affect the other and vice versa. For example, if we address public transit only within the limits of the city, it increases the number of drivers from the 905 that are on the highways and byways of the downtown because limited options exist elsewhere. As a result, the inner arteries of Toronto clog, causing congestion, pollution and frustration to escalate for everyone. To allow environmentally and socially irresponsible sprawl to escalate in the 905 causes disasterious environmenal problems for everyone; valuable country land is destroyed and carbon dioxide emmissions increase. People in the 416 may not venture north of Steeles, but you can bet that smog isn't so conscious of municipal boundaries. Your suspicion that I am a 905er is ill founded. I am merely a conscientious citizen who cares deeply about the future of the city.
Matheo Herrmaing July 3, 2007 at 3:15 p.m.
Andre,
I agree that the environmental issues are at the forefront of your discussion. I am at a loss however, in terms of how fixing the public transit within the city would somehow increase the number of commuters on the highway. "For example, if we address public transit only within the limits of the city, it increases the number of drivers from the 905"
This simply isn't the case. It would be a necessary step in accommodating the ever increasing number of individuals that are coming into the city. I agree that the issue of commuters needs to be resolved, but so do the other issues. The fact of the matter is that Toronto transit systems tend to work off central hubs, which in turn funnel into the rest of the system. In order to facilitate a system that would theoretically bring in a number of people similar to Go Trains each morning, the Toronto system would need to be prepped before it could branch out. I too am a conscientious citizen who doesn't want to see my city get ahead of itself.
On a side note, your claim that valuable country land would be destroyed by not addressing the 905 commuters is quite interesting, considering the increasing size of the 905. As we speak countless acres of "valuable country land" are being destroyed to build more and more houses to increase the size of the 905, and in turn increase the number of commuters. Hence my comment about the value of creating some degree of infrastructure in the 905, possibly changing the direction of some of the commuters.
Andre Maingscott July 3, 2007 at 3:44 p.m.
The issue wasn't 'fixing' the public transit in the city, but instead the allocation of resources. True, if we allocate resources to Toronto Tranist, then the number of Torontonians in cars and on highways will decrease. This will NOT, however, cause an overall decrease in aggregate congestion along MAJOR THOROUGHFARES. Simply put: There are more 905ers than people living in the 416. A vast number of them commute to the city. If they don't have another option, they will flock to the highways. Furthermore, the 905 is growing at a faster rate than the 416. The population of Toronto has grown marginally over the past 20 years, while the 905 has exploded. Mississauga is now the 6th largest city in Canada, and it will continue to grow. These are pressing problems that reach beyond municipal fault lines. They affect everyone. What do you say to that Maing?
Doris Mayweather July 3, 2007 at 3:47 p.m.
Dear Mr. Preville, I have been a reader of your blog for quite some time, but I have never been incensed to write anything until now. It seems to me that you have a genuine discussion on your hands, and as the resident expert, I was hoping you could impart your wisdom on what these two passionate people have said.
Laura July 3, 2007 at 3:54 p.m.
At the risk of sounding like a Toronto-centric snob, I'm going to jump into this discussion.
Andre and Mateo, you both have valid points vis-a-vis commuting and environmental issues, however you're both forgetting one essential element...politics.
Toronto politicians have no political clout in fighting sprawl in the 905..scary when you add in the fact that it is indeed prime agricultural land and a little thing called global warming is throwing global food supplies into the balance. While realistically the 905 and 416 are inextricably linked, politically they still are very much free-standing autonomous units, functioning entirely independently of the other. While the issues are region-wide when one considers the environmental issues around this kind of development, the politics behind it continue to be very municipally focused.
Finally, while it is yet to be seen how much power the Greater Toronto Transit Authority will wield and how it will function, this is probably the closest we'll get to regional planning in the near future. But even then, development needs to be denser within the 905 regions before region-wide public transit becomes truly a viable alternative. Ain't that a kicker?
Andre Maingscott July 3, 2007 at 4:05 p.m.
What does that say about the political climate today in the Golden Horseshoe? Southern Ontario is quickly amalgamating into a 'megacity' (in the academic, non-mel lastman meaning of the word) and it is time to move beyond the borders of municipalities, which in many ways have been rendered obsolete. I am OBVIOUSLY not advocating for the dissolution of municipal governments. I personally thought that the creation of the lastman-era 'megacity' was a mistake. Instead governments need to foster collaboration and innovation in tackling problems that move well beyond the 427, or Steeles, or The Bluffs.
Matheo Herrmaing July 3, 2007 at 4:19 p.m.
Andre,
There is no doubt a problem regarding the congestion/pollution being caused by commuters. What exactly would you propose to actually attack the problem? Ignore the political ramifications of the problem, (Laura I agree with you, but just for arguments sake)and give me some sort of transit system real or fictional that would actually get people from the 905 into Toronto.
And your point concerning the growth of Mississauga is bizarre. Its the 6th largest city in Canada...doesn't that give it enough political clout to take an aggressive stance towards Toronto, in essence, aggressively pursuing a environmentally conscientious alternative to the tens of thousands of cars on the highways each day.
Adrian Floyds July 3, 2007 at 4:30 p.m.
Hello All!
The solution to the problem is simple. Toronto needs to stop giving jobs to these damn commuters. 905ers aren't wanted in our city anyways so why should we give them jobs. Its bad enough what they have done to our downtown club district, blaring their loud music and causing violence.
Why should the rich city of Toronto have to waste its taxpayers money helping 905ers getting into our city. Andre, you probably have a 905er Girlfriend that you met in a club somewhere that is seriously influencing your opinion on the matter.
Laura is right, politics are providing a barrier...thank god!
Andre Maingscott July 3, 2007 at 4:53 p.m.
There always has to be one. Your acrimonious suggestion of barring 905ers from Toronto is in jest, I presume. Otherwise, I would recommend you seek professional help. 905ers, as I am sure you are aware, drive more fuel efficient cars (Honda Civics, hello) and even with a body kit, neon lights, fuzzy dice and Canadian Tire brand spinners, they still contribute less to the problem then your Range Rover, which I am only assuming you drive, you upper class Torontonian elitist! Now tell me what you really think.
Laura July 3, 2007 at 5:09 p.m.
As much as I love hearing that I'm right...I didn't mean to make politics out as a "good" barrier, although it's not always a bad one.
I'm glad you called Adrian out Andre, but I disagree with you on the more fuel-efficient cars argument. There have been studies showing that as commutes get longer, cars get bigger. The reasoning behind this, among others, is that if you're going to be somewhere for a long time, you better be comfortable. Not that studies are the be all and end all of arguments, but sufficed to say, I don't think that on a regular day on the 401, 400, the Gardiner or the Don that you'll see mostly small, fuel-efficient and hybrid cars during rush hour. Minivans and humongous SUVs still hold their market share in rush-hour.
However, if you meant that comment in jest, my apologies ;)
Philip Preville July 3, 2007 at 9:41 p.m.
Thanks for the wake up call Doris! Andre and Matheo: is there a brotherhood of people with the syllable "maing" in their surnames? Anyway, good to hear from you all. Four cents:
- the 416 and 905 are not autonomous entities. They are utterly polyglot. The 416 includes the traditional suburbs, which, though they are high-density compared to 905, still have suburban issues at heart. (The issue of banning leaf-blowers pits old-Torontonians against Etobicokeans and Scarberians, for instance.)
- regional thinking is the way of the future. So says Clark and every other urban issues guru. I have blogged frequently about the competition between Toronto and its ring cities for jobs. Clark's message is that Mississauga and Toronto must stop competing and start cooperating in the hunt for bigger game: the Mississauga-Toronto city-region is actually competing with the likes of greater Detroit and Chicago (not to mention behemoths like New York or up-and-comers like Calgary) for a greater share of continental dominance in financial services and other key industries.
- Related point: I fear that many old-Toronto residents support congestion pricing for the wrong reasons. They say it's for environmental reasons, but I think they yearn for a sort of Fortress Toronto, and that would be the city centre's downfall. They are not the ones who are usually driving the downtown grid, so what does the congestion matter to them? Toronto needs to be accessible to its suburbs and vice versa. With every passing day, the GTTA looks more and more like the linchpin of future prosperity.
- Clark also went out of his way to insist that, even with the new focus on regional thinking, Central Business Districts matter a great deal. So I suppose that means everybody's right!
Planning and Growth Management Committee Chair Brian Ashton, when he thanked Clark for his comments, said that he hoped Clark would pay a visit to Queen's Park, because it's impossible to get the province to think regionally. Only Queen's Park can put in place the carrots and the sticks that will encourage city halls to cooperate. Doubt that'll make for much of an election issue this fall, though.