Toronto star "Toronto need powers of a province' (houses, transfer)

[mcmastersteve]

TheStar.com | GTA | Toronto needs 'powers of a province'

"Specifically, city regions are the great engines of economic activity. The countries within which these regional powerhouses are located benefit enormously, but often have little grasp of the role they play. Although "senior" governments can help cities, more often they get in the way.
There's no better example than the region made up of the GTA and Hamilton. It generates about 20 per cent of Canada's GDP but is struggling to realize its potential".


As author Richard Florida points out, "To compete in this rapidly changing global economy, communities have to think/act regionally and increase their connectivity to their respective mega-region; it is crucial for long-term success. ... economic activity is concentrated in a select group of mega-regions. Worldwide there are just 40 significant mega-regions, which are home to one-fifth of the world's population, two-thirds of the global economic output and 85 per cent of all worldwide innovation. Successful economic development has always been a regional endeavour, but even more so today."

Greater Toronto Area 5,509,900
Newfoundland and Labrador 507,900
Prince Edward Island 139,800
Nova Scotia 938,300
New Brunswick 747,300
Quebec 7,750,500
Ontario 12,929,000
Manitoba 1,208,000
Saskatchewan 1,016,000
Alberta 3,585,100
British Columbia 4,381,600
Yukon 33,100
Northwest Territories 43,300
Nunavut 31,300

So is the GTA reaching a point where it should be granted provincial status?

I'm of the decentralization of government power is good, camp.
This isn't necessarily an example of that, but it has the ramification of reducing several layers of municipal and regional governments that can be a stumbling block on regional issues that range from the environment, land use, public transit integration, even garbage.

One could make a case that currently Ontario is three regions, Toronto, Southern Ontario, and Northern Ontario. If there is any truth to the idea that rural Ontario needs are ignored in place of urban concerns, perhaps this would offer an effective solution.

Possibly a con may be the whole have/have not argument. Yet equalization payments are one option in regards to poor vs rich provinces. I'm not convinced that rural Ontario would have such a hard time, at least anymore compared to a Toronto province. The majority of the recession is hitting the Toronto region by way of its manufacturing sector, and finance. This while rural Ontario has abundant resources which could fund it just as well as Saskatchewan.

It is an interesting idea, what do you think?

[west_end_don]

+1 on reducing red tape and overlapping bureaucracy! Let the city advocate for its own issues!
-1 on perception and public relations! More ammo for the Toronto haters (aka rest of Canada)!



Interesting, but it'll never fly. If Canada decentralizes, we're screwed.

[mikeyyc]

Oh please decentralize. Please oh please oh please.

Alberta can keep their money, Quebec can be whatever it wants with their hydro and the Republic of Toronto can freeze in the dark.

[west_end_don]

Originally Posted by mikeyyc

Oh please decentralize. Please oh please oh please.

Alberta can keep their money, Quebec can be whatever it wants with their hydro and the Republic of Toronto can freeze in the dark.

This is what I was taking about... Shouldn't you be drilling for oil or something?
BTW: Ontario's broke. Send money soon.

[mikeyyc]

Originally Posted by west_end_don

This is what I was taking about... Shouldn't you be drilling for oil or something?
BTW: Ontario's broke. Send money soon.

I would, but the price is too low.

That, and now I live in Houston. Anyone who ever complains that Albertans are just like Texans are only right about the business mindset. Everything else, not so much.

[west_end_don]

Originally Posted by mikeyyc

I would, but the price is too low.

That, and now I live in Houston. Anyone who ever complains that Albertans are just like Texans are only right about the business mindset. Everything else, not so much.

Let me guess - everythings bigger in Texas!

[mikeyyc]

Originally Posted by west_end_don

Let me guess - everythings bigger in Texas!

No comment.

[dpylyp]

Self Governance is a great issue But with Toronto driving its own program who are they serving?

The gain additional rights of taxation but they double the land Transfer Tax on home purchases and drive buyers to the 905

Recycling and Garbage problems that plague every city. Could be solved with insinerators but we have an NDP based ECO City Council.

Wind Turbines on the Lakefront IS it a workable idea?

Will Toronto self fund inner schools? All faith based schools?

Toronto recently imposed a shopping bag tax? 5 cents per bag

Transit needs attention and Toronto is always crying wolf.

Some issues need wiser sage consideration for the benefit of the entire population.

Sadly voter turnout for Municipal politics is around 10%

[Fred Derf]

The G.T.A. (Toronto, Halton, Peel, York, Durham) absolutely need to become their own province. Toronto alone has 2.5 million people (never mind the other regions) and the mayor+council arrangement is too mickey-mouse for a bureaucracy this large. We would be Canada's third or fourth largest province (depending on whether you include Halton Region or not). That many people should be taken seriously. Prince Edward Island has provincial status and they don't even have 140,000 people!

[Torano89]

If Toronto keeps all the money it earns the ROC will start bixching they have no money cuz oil has dried up. ROC might as well be a developing country.