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.

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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!

Take the City's recent rollout of the Vacant Home Tax. Homeowners were required to declare their property status online, but the portal was poorly designed, confusing, and error-prone. Of the 167k properties that received a bill, about 108k charges had to be reversed, due to a poor rollout.

Toronto's digital services are stuck in the past – a patchwork of portals, paper forms, and outdated processes.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

But between Bloor and St. Clair, Avenue Road's bike lane doesn't need to be extended. Alternative north-south routes exist just to the west of it.

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.

Automation and platform screen doors could make Toronto commutes 30% faster. Computer control allows trains to run closer together, while sealed platforms eliminate accidents and standardize station stops. Riders would see shorter, more reliable trips, and the TTC would save on operating costs.

Toronto’s subways are still run like it’s the 1970s – manually driven trains, open platforms, and outdated signals.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.

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.

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.