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August 2017
Fair Housing Plan – Is it going to work?
The Ontario government introduced a “Fair Housing Plan” in April as a response to runaway housing prices and tenants facing massive rent increases they could ill afford. Toronto has already seen the market start to cool thanks to the speculation tax and tightening mortgage rules, but will this have a lasting effect? Vancouver rebounded barely 9 months later. Renters should see some short term relief but the fear will be that, like rent control in the 90s, this discourages new…
Find out more »October 2017
Rising Waters – Are we ready to cope?
Ontario and Quebec saw a lot of water this year. Flooding in the first half of summer kept the Toronto Islands closed for much of the season. Watching the devastation wrought by what seems like an endless line of Hurricanes down south is really forcing us to think about our own infrastructure resiliency. Once in 500 year storms are happening with increasing frequency. Flooding is becoming common place in Toronto. What are we doing to make sure our critical infrastructure…
Find out more »January 2018
NAFTA – what should Canada expect?
President Trump thinks Canadians are being difficult. Canada’s Ambassador described the talks as "heated" but productive, and predicted "drama" ahead. To add further post Brexit dysfunction to the array, the UK wants in on NAFTA as though the name wasn’t a hint. For all the doom and gloom about NAFTA in the 80s, there aren’t a lot of voices in Canada calling for its demise. What’s the future of Canadian corporations if NAFTA talks die and President Trump gets to…
Find out more »March 2018
Smart Cities – Will we leave people behind?
As Cities around the world get smarter, will cities start leaving people behind?
Find out more »September 2018
Reducing Toronto’s City Council
What impact will reducing Toronto's council size have on the residents of Toronto?
Find out more »October 2018
Uploading Toronto’s Subway – Is it a good idea?
Is uploading the Subway to the province a good idea? Is it a backdoor to the eventual privatization of the TTC or could regional management make the entire system more efficient? The Premier’s details are scant but such a move could be either disastrous or beneficial to the system. A special advisor has been appointed to develop the best approach to upload the asset. Premier Ford wants this to be the keystone of a regional transportation system while critics see…
Find out more »April 2019
Canadian Mining – Needs, Rights, and Responsibilities
Did you know that 75% of the world’s mining companies are headquartered in Canada? With this much pull on the world stage, you would think that Canada could impose its health and humans rights values around the world. However, what are the values that we hold dear? In our own backyards, aboriginal rights are ignored in the name of pipelines. What other atrocities are committed in Canada’s name further afield? Sakura Saunders, mining justice organizer, and , Kerrie Blaise, Environmental…
Find out more »June 2019
Tax it? Trade it? Is Curbing Carbon enough?
Ontario and Quebec just had another historic 100 year flood… two years after the last record-breaking 100 year flood. Last summer Ontario, BC, and California all experienced unprecedented wildfires. From Mozambique to Puerto Rico to the Gulf Coast tens of thousands have been displaced by more frequent and powerful hurricanes. Indonesia is about to move its capital from Jakarta partly because of flood risks to its sinking metropolis, while the residents of the Solomon Islands are relocating entire towns in anticipation…
Find out more »July 2019
Housing Affordability – Policy Solutions vs Feel Good Policies
John Lorinc and Annabel Vaughan discuss housing affordability and discuss the differences between real solutions and feel good policies.
Find out more »August 2019
Food Waste: Reducing the Climate Change impact
Food Waste is a big contributor to climate change. How can we tackle this problem?
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