Transit riders faced yet another rollercoaster ride in the last few weeks with the birth and death of the OneCity Transit Expansion plan.
The OneCity Plan (released June 27) provided a 30 year vision for a comprehensive public transit network. It also presented a new way to raise property taxes to pay for one-third of this network.
City Councillors ultimately said no to the OneCity Plan, but said yes to two of its principles: consult with Torontonians on what public transit expansion should look like, and work with the Province (and its transit agency, Metrolinx) on how to fund it. Staff will be reporting back to Councillors in September on what this consultation process will look like.
TEA will advocate that Torontonians from across the city are involved in developing a transit vision. We will work to ensure new revenue tools are fair, and are used to build public transit that is accountable and affordable to the public.
Green Energy for a Hot City
At Council this week, a range of green energy issues were on the agenda. We're glad to see Councillors talking about developing more energy
efficiency and renewable power initiatives, as we suggested in our Council Report Card released in May.
Key initiatives discussed at City Council include:
- A Canadian Energy Strategy to coordinate with NGOs and governments across the country (item referred to Executive)
- Using Local Improvement Charges to promote residential energy and water efficiency
- A grant of $500,000 from Ontario Power Authority to make high rise buildings more energy efficient
- A pilot program for electric vehicle charging stations
The next step is to ensure discussions at City Council turn into actual plans and programs to reduce pollution and greenhouse gases.
Swimming in the City
Take a swim close to home this summer - 8 of Toronto's 11 beaches are Blue Flag beaches (safe for swimming 80% of the time)!
The Blue Flag Program is an international eco-label for swimming beaches, monitoring water quality, environmental management and safety.
Check the City website for daily beaches water quality reports on all beaches.
Local Food Season
Enjoy local food this summer!See the Greenbelt Fresh website for a list of local farms and markets, and this LiveGreen Guide to growing your own food.