My thing with Transit City now is that if it had been built quickly (e.g. if Eglinton hadn't taken 14 years) our perception of the plan would be different today. Not saying it was the best plan, but hoo boy, it seems much worse now in retrospect because of the long timeline for construction.

And yet!

Yes, I've heard this too, e.g. the red light trap. But it seems so doable as a fix!

So you exclusively blame Traffic Systems Operations (TSO) in Transportation Services? Not saying you're wrong, but what's the smoking gun on that, a refusal to allow lagging left turn phases?

I've worked with many TTC people over the past 10+ years, many who really, really know their stuff (way more than I do, for sure). But then I can't understand: how do we end up here, with a new transit service that immediately seems (even just in its perception) out of date and overmatched?

Because of Metrolinx, it does feel like any and all major transit plans are sort of foisted on the TTC, e.g. Mx comes in and says we'll build this and then it's your problem. But once it's up and running, can the TTC do anything at all to improve service?

I just enjoy noting this commitment.

If I remember correctly, I believe the Province said they would help fund these design interventions, in lieu of speed cameras.

This is a good way to sum it up. What's interesting to me is the book had a similar effect on me. For most of it, I'm just reading it and thinking, hmm, OK, I get it, and then the final bit of it just emotionally walloped me.

Fair enough!

So then it stands to reason we need: (a) more public money and political will to deliver more public units and (b) we need to permit more market units and figure out ways to either make them cheaper to build or incentivize the types of units/forms we want for the future. (Plus rent control, etc.)

Sorry, my parenthetical makes no sense

How have we created deeply affordable rental units to this point in time? I can think of two ways (government intervention/agency, which makes up a small % of total units), and, most obviously, building way more units. Not trying to be confrontational, but is this an incorrect historical summary?

I took the day off, and yet!

Yeah, rental replacement is nice, and indeed better than nothing. But let's see how long it takes for this existing apartment to become a new apartment.

Yeah, very funny all around. He's very concerned about Toronto, but would never live here. Like, OK, have a nice life then, buddy!

Fascinating. Someone should call into his show and ask about this.