Deamalgamation for Toronto and Hamilton?

[adma]

We're talking about "whiteness" more in the Christian Lander sense. It's a cultural thing.

 

[js97]

As tempting as de-amalgamation might seem at the moment, I really can't support it and I think it's a bit on the hypocritical side for those of us who extol leftist virtues to angrily abandon some of the most vulnerable Torontonians.

It's essentially political white flight. If there was ever a real opportunity to point a finger at Toronto's "elites," there it is.

hey, we actually agree on something!!!

It's selfish and it's divisive.

There are so many arguments against de-amalamating. Whether Amalgamation was rigth or wrong, you have points on both sides.

But the reality is that the burbs are very much connected to the City, even 905'ers to some extent. Traffic, economic opportunities, business and environmental sustainabilities, these issues don't end north of OConnor, and west of Highpark.

All this talk of inclusion from the hardline left, there is nothing inclusive about it at all. It's the most selfish thing a city can do.


At the end of the day, you won't have as successfull events like Nuit Blanche, Caribana, Gay Parade, why? because every 'city' will have their own, you won't get the critical mass that sustains many of the great celebrations that happen in Toronto.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

At the end of the day, you won't have as successfull events like Nuit Blanche, Caribana, Gay Parade, why? because every 'city' will have their own, you won't get the critical mass that sustains many of the great celebrations that happen in Toronto.

Actually, Caribana and Gay Pride both existed in the pre-amalgamation era. Political boundaries have little to do with it.

AoD

 

[scarberiankhatru]

Assuming the deamalgamation sentiment is post-Fordist (and it's been mentioned as such in other threads, if not explicitly in this one), the thing is that in a deamalgamated Toronto the mayor of downtown becomes, well, kind of irrelevant in some ways. Not so much to downtown, but to the GTA. Rob Ford could be mayor of Etobicoke and the largest presence/personality on the municipal scene, especially depending on what kind of New Metro scheme is set up. Amalgamation means that for every Rob Ford elected as mayor of downtown, you can get a David Miller elected as mayor of Etobicoke. It's going to swing back and forth.

 

[ItsTehBean]

Has anyone have any idea how amalgamation is viewed in US, Europe or elsewhere? In Asia (particularly Japan where smaller villages and towns are constantly absorbed into neighbouring cities) the governments actively push for city mergers, making the situations even uglier...

That said, I can't say anything much for Toronto (although it could adopt more NYC-style administration, the borough systems), but Hamilton definitely needs to deamalgamate into smaller segments. It could retain Dundas, Ancaster and Stony Creek but cede the rest of the "City" as they have nothing in common with the city proper...

 

[vicente]

Amalgamating a whole county/region with rural areas was a bad idea. How are rural areas in Ottawa and Hamilton getting a voice in local politics? They don't have the demographic muscle to affect anything anymore. If possible, these areas should be politically reseparated from the city, as well as any towns that aren't contiguous with the city, e.g. Waterdown in Hamilton and Orleans and Kanata in Ottawa.

 

[Rowe]

I think it would be hard for the suburbs to 'leave' Toronto. They are suburban.. but Toronto has other suburbs that they will have to compete with. Toronto and the GTA need a Regional Government in my opinion. I know most people do want another level of government.. but I think due to the size and the future of the GTA they will need some form of overall guidance.

The question is.. would Toronto represent North York, Scarborough, etc? Like Cambridge in Waterloo Region. Or will it be divided up.

 

[Dan416]

I probably said it before, but I'll say it again. I think we should be looking at the opposite of this thread: we should finish the job that was started and amalgamate Toronto with its suburbs (Peel, York, Durham).

 

[nfitz]

I think we should be looking at the opposite of this thread: we should finish the job that was started and amalgamate Toronto with its suburbs (Peel, York, Durham).

Perhaps introducing a regional level government to deal with regional issues - such as transportation - might be worth considering. But I don't think there's any economies of scale to be found by running libraries, garbage collection, and snow clearing over any larger an area.

 

[GraphicMatt]

The additional problem with creating a larger GTA-wide government is it kind of makes the existing provincial government redundant.

 

[adma]

I probably said it before, but I'll say it again. I think we should be looking at the opposite of this thread: we should finish the job that was started and amalgamate Toronto with its suburbs (Peel, York, Durham).

Okay, then, let's have London merge with Essex, Kent, Surrey, Herts, etc...

 

[nfitz]

Okay, then, let's have London merge with Essex, Kent, Surrey, Herts, etc...

Surely this is more akin to the City of London merging with Westminster, Camden, Kensington and Chelsea, Hackney, Hounslow and the other26 boroughs that make up Greater London - which is a second-tier government.

 

[BobBob]

Those boroughs are not suburban. Adma's analogy is more apt - those counties are London's equivalent of the 905.

 

[ttk77]

I think a borough system makes sense for Toronto. Amalgamate the entire GTA and create one regional council for the area, given control over transit, roads, utilities and any other infrastructure spanning the region. Elected community councils would be given control over more local issues. I think it would encourage more local involvement, and give people the feeling that they have more control over how their tax money is spent. It would also go a long way to solving the perceived inequality between the downtown area and the suburbs. Us elitist latte-sipping 'lefty pinko kooks' could have our communities the way we want them without offending those happy living their gas guzzling, particle board palace lifestyles.

 

[Earlscourt_Lad]

The additional problem with creating a larger GTA-wide government is it kind of makes the existing provincial government redundant.

Which brings one to the argument for Toronto to be a province. Quite frankly, if PEI, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, can be provinces, why can't an expanded Toronto?