Want even better parks and public spaces in Toronto? With better maintenance, programming, and events?

Toronto already has a great example of a public space managed by a non-profit - The Bentway!

Today’s memo is simple, how can we get more places like it?

Take a read!

The Bentway is a great public space. It transformed unused space beneath the Gardiner Expressway into a park, with art, recreation, and community recreation, that attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors ever year.

buildtoronto.com/memos/conser...

First impressions matter. The first 90 minutes in a city shape whether visitors see it as welcoming and pleasant.

Thanks again to everyone who made our launch event a success!

A big thank you to Andrew for leading the drinks, to Bahram Salik and Jasmine for their help throughout the night, to Luke Farag for the live socials, and Vincent for the photos.

See you at the next one!

Toronto's digital services are stuck in the past – a patchwork of portals, paper forms, and outdated processes.

From paying taxes to renewing permits, residents face a maze of separate logins, different formats, or long wait times.

Yes, bike lanes do need to be on certain roads. But no, bike lanes don't need to be everywhere.

For example, between High Park and Kingsway, Bloor is a required east-west cycling route. There are no nearby alternatives.

But..

Toronto's active transportation network is a patchwork. Bike lanes exist in some areas, but they often end abruptly or never connect to one another. This leaves riders stranded and fuels conflicts with drivers.

Toronto is stuck. Congestion is worse than almost anywhere else in North America. It costs us $45 billion every year in lost productivity, wasted fuel, delivery delays, and wasted time.

Toronto’s subways are still run like it’s the 1970s – manually driven trains, open platforms, and outdated signals. The result is longer trips, crowded platforms, frequent delays, and safety risks from track intrusions. Meanwhile, other world cities have modernized.

Housing has always been at the center of my civic work, through @MoreNeighbours and my writing.

So of course, my first memo for @build_toronto is housing related:

OLD TORONTO MUST GROW TO RELIEVE THE SUBURBS.

- - - 🌆 🏗️👇- - -

Toronto cannot keep relying on downtown towers and suburban sprawl while the old suburbs closest to the core remain frozen in time. These inner neighbourhoods – with the best transit, schools, and infrastructure – have actually lost population since 1970.

🌆🏗️ BIG NEWS🚀

I am thrilled to take on a new (volunteer) role as Chair of @build_toronto, the first municipal project of @build_canada

We’ll be working with civic & business leaders to push for ideas that improve governance, growth, prosperity, and opportunity in Toronto.

(Vid cut to 3M)

Toronto is a great city. It has its issues at the moment but these are not insurmountable. Many of us have a vision for the future and @ericlombardi.bsky.social has been critical in helping me and many others to get our ideas out through More Neighbours. I know that he'll do great work here as well.

🌆 Exciting news: today we launch Build Toronto, the first municipal project from Build Canada

Our first memo is on giving the mayor the mandate, team, and tools so that they can actually deliver results.

Toronto has the economy of a nation, but its mayor is denied the basic instruments of leadership.

🚀 Announcing Build Toronto

Toronto is Canada’s largest city, its economic engine, and its greatest opportunity. If Toronto thrives, Canada thrives. But we all know the city faces deep challenges: unaffordable housing, strained infrastructure, governance gridlock, and a lack of urgency.