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I am quite proud of Montreal however spending a billion dollars on an irrelevant 375 anniversary party sounds like the mayor is out of touch with reality when the cities infrastructure is falling apart schools and hospitals are expected to function with ever more budgetary cuts and the hapless Montreal tax payer is paying some of the highest taxes in North America.
Its not like Montreal doesnt have any festivals=montreal.com - festivals
Could you provide actual citations on how much the city is currently spending on infrastructure upgrades (road repairs, road upgrades, road repavement, etc.) on the current fiscal year vs. previous fiscal years? That way we have actual data to compare if that's actually a valid argument to claim that there are "budgetary cuts to infrastructure" as you have claimed.
If Montreal's infrastructure spending has indeed fallen compared to previous years, then I certainly agree with you that the 375 festivities funding could've been curtailed and better spent. However, if infrastructure spending has actually gone up by significant amounts and
As for healthcare and hospitals, that is fully funded by the provincial government and the federal government via transfer and equalization payments and direct federal healthcare budgets, and has absolutely nothing to do with the City of Montreal or the mayor.
Could you provide actual citations on how much the city is currently spending on infrastructure upgrades (road repairs, road upgrades, road repavement, etc.) on the current fiscal year vs. previous fiscal years? That way we have actual data to compare if that's actually a valid argument to claim that there are "budgetary cuts to infrastructure" as you have claimed.
If Montreal's infrastructure spending has indeed fallen compared to previous years, then I certainly agree with you that the 375 festivities funding could've been curtailed and better spent. However, if infrastructure spending has actually gone up by significant amounts and
As for healthcare and hospitals, that is fully funded by the provincial government and the federal government via transfer and equalization payments and direct federal healthcare budgets, and has absolutely nothing to do with the City of Montreal or the mayor.
The 1 billion dollar figure he is quoting is likely from the buzz over a Radio-Canada report that said that the 375th would cost about a billion dollars. But this included road and sewer repairs, and various other infrastructure projects.
Something like 93% or 97% of that billion is infrastructure-related, and so will "leave" stuff as a legacy to the city.
So the party itself is quite a bit under 10% of the 1 billion dollar amount that made headlines.
Now, whether a 50-75 million dollar party was justified is another question. But it's not a billion dollar bash that's for sure.
Could you provide actual citations on how much the city is currently spending on infrastructure upgrades (road repairs, road upgrades, road repavement, etc.) on the current fiscal year vs. previous fiscal years? That way we have actual data to compare if that's actually a valid argument to claim that there are "budgetary cuts to infrastructure" as you have claimed.
If Montreal's infrastructure spending has indeed fallen compared to previous years, then I certainly agree with you that the 375 festivities funding could've been curtailed and better spent. However, if infrastructure spending has actually gone up by significant amounts and
As for healthcare and hospitals, that is fully funded by the provincial government and the federal government via transfer and equalization payments and direct federal healthcare budgets, and has absolutely nothing to do with the City of Montreal or the mayor.
Good points boston but still the money spent on this 375th could be much better spent than on lighting up a bridge and putting granite stumps around the city.
Like an earlier poster said, it's that feeling of being PROUD of one's city and doing everything we can to make it shine in public.
I agree with everything you said because Toronto does have a large creative workforce, lots of innovative companies and a thriving tech startup scene, not to mention the ultra hip areas like Queen West, King East, Spadina, Kensington, Spadina, Bloor West, etc. etc.
Every time I walk by the above areas, I think to myself: how awesome would it be if more of city (especially our city councillors, politicians, and media) could be openly proud of these gems that we have, and how awesome would it be if city council makes a concerted effort to revamp, rejuvenate, and loudly publicize how unique those places can be. Sometimes, it almost feels like we have these great streets and neighborhoods but we are incredibly timid and afraid to show them off and let them shine.
And don't even get me started on the suburban brain-damaged councillors who have been actively sabotaging every effort to make our city a more attractive urban center. Did you know how long it took to get the Bloor West cycling lanes approved in City Council? And how some councillors are currently trying to sabotage a similar pilot project to make King Street a street-car/pedestrian only street? How John Tory our mayor decided against all expert advice to spend nearly $4 billion on a one-stop subway to appease suburban politicians, even when most Scarborough residents are against this project because $4 billion dollars could build 3 lines of fully integrated LRT network?
I've no idea how the City of Montreal made the decision to convert at least 5 streets to pedestrian only public spaces, and are planning to add even more later this year, because you can be sure that any remotely similar initiative here in Toronto that even smells of taking 2 parking spots away would elicit the wrath of the suburban politicians along with the right wing media friends in the Sun and the Post, and then in less than a year we'd have Doug Ford throwing full blown publicity stunts to "defend the little guy" against the "downtown elite." This cycle of one step forward three steps back is getting tiresome.
Well i'm still Proud of the city but can't fault you for your feelings here either. I do think our City Council has far too many self serving members. Another thing is Toronto has 1 million more people in just its city proper than Montreal so you are naturally going to get more suburban demand that will counter the desires of those who are closer to the real heart of the city which is Old Toronto. If Montreal was 2.8 million and had more suburbs pitching their concerns you might get a similar picture. Not going to defend Tory all that much either, he hasn't been a very inspirational or visionary leader but I do think Toronto doesn't have enough tools at its disposal to raise money for itself. The Province seems to want to control too much of its destiny. Sometimes that is good if you have a crappy Mayor and visionary Premier, but other times not so good if you have a Premier that doesn't care about it. I for one would rather Toronto have as many tools as possible to control its own destiny.
All said - I like your passion and thinking. I hope more young people growing up in the city will have an equal passion to make it better because you are right, it has a lot of things to be proud of but just enjoy it and its transition and growth and continue caring about it and by all means run for City Council - i'd vote for you!
Of course it isn't and it isn't easy to convey 'vibe' either - such a qualitative thing that is very much something individual. What I posted wasn't just about funding either but sure, when you post information it will have data, numeric and quantitative stuff. You specifically brought up the one part of just one of my articles about municipal funding - the one area the city lags in cultural funding is the one you quoted - hmmmmm lol. That said, funding for cultural programs is important otherwise cultural programs/centres/institutions etc would have a more difficult time thriving.. Money does talk when it comes to funding the arts and fortunately for Toronto, enough levels of government in this country and private citizens and corporations feel the same.
Anyway, i'm happy for Montreal and its new landmark and party - even if it was expensive sometimes it is worth it. I actually like to see other cities in the country doing well for themselves
Of course it isn't and it isn't easy to convey 'vibe' either - such a qualitative thing that is very much something individual. What I posted wasn't just about funding either but sure, when you post information it will have data, numeric and quantitative stuff. You specifically brought up the one part of just one of my articles about municipal funding - the one area the city lags in cultural funding is the one you quoted - hmmmmm lol. That said, funding for cultural programs is important otherwise cultural programs/centres/institutions etc would have a more difficult time thriving.. Money does talk when it comes to funding the arts and fortunately for Toronto, enough levels of government in this country and private citizens and corporations feel the same.
Anyway, i'm happy for Montreal and its new landmark and party - even if it was expensive sometimes it is worth it. I actually like to see other cities in the country doing well for themselves
More expensive than the $4 billion one-stop subway to Scarborough aka Tory's "legacy" (vanity) project?
More expensive than the $4 billion one-stop subway to Scarborough aka Tory's "legacy" (vanity) project?
But I digress. Shall not open that can of worms
There's a lot of good happening with transit development in Toronto as you have pointed out many times but the Scarborough ext is baffling and I have said that many times as well. There is already existing infrastructure in place so why are we spending 4 billion dollars to build something completely new that already exists. It can't cost 4 billion dollars to modernize the Scarborough LRT. Crosstown costs 5.3 billion and we are getting FAR bigger bang for our buck with that line than a measly 1 stop subway ext. This is beyond baffling to me and is why I hope Tory is a 1 term Mayor. Problem is who is going to run against him - Doug Ford my god heaven help us with that but yeah, I guess this isn't the venue for such a discussion lol..
There's a lot of good happening with transit development in Toronto as you have pointed out many times but the Scarborough ext is baffling and I have said that many times as well. There is already existing infrastructure in place so why are we spending 4 billion dollars to build something completely new that already exists. It can't cost 4 billion dollars to modernize the Scarborough LRT. Crosstown costs 5.3 billion and we are getting FAR bigger bang for our buck with that line than a measly 1 stop subway ext. This is beyond baffling to me and is why I hope Tory is a 1 term Mayor. Problem is who is going to run against him - Doug Ford my god heaven help us with that but yeah, I guess this isn't the venue for such a discussion lol..
The root of the Scarborough subway fiasco is that places like Scarborough and Etobicoke should never have been merged with Toronto in the first place. It was basically a pure politics move rammed through by Harris's conservative government back in the 1990s so he could stack more conservative suburban councillors in the predominantly urban and liberal Toronto city council.
Now we have people like Doug Ford and Tory as by-products of that, and we have paid very dearly for its consequences (e.g. Scarborough subway, cancellation of the former Eglinton Subway, cancellation of Transit City, defunding of TTC, list goes on and on).
I am quite proud of Montreal however spending a billion dollars on an irrelevant 375 anniversary party sounds like the mayor is out of touch with reality when the cities infrastructure is falling apart schools and hospitals are expected to function with ever more budgetary cuts and the hapless Montreal tax payer is paying some of the highest taxes in North America.
Its not like Montreal doesnt have any festivals=montreal.com - festivals
The point of the festivities was to invest in the city, we get new festivals/events and all that, a new promenade, infrastructure spending etc.. and we get more tourists and business investments = more $$
The point of the festivities was to invest in the city, we get new festivals/events and all that, a new promenade, infrastructure spending etc.. and we get more tourists and business investments = more $$
Im not seeing what benefits i'm deriving from this billion dollar spending spree,i'm still paying very high taxes,not interested in lighted bridges or granite stumps or the traffic jams increased tourism brings.
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