In 2007, when Metrolinx’s geographic remit was just the GTA, its Board consisted of local elected officials. This changed in ~2009 to today’s ineffective bunch of Ministerial toadies. Here’s a snip from the 2007/8 Annual Report
(Posting this without catching up yet…)
Wow, thanks for sharing. Some big names in this. I wonder how it played out with such colourful characters… Why did they switch to just the Minister?
How would you envision that working if not as an agency of the Crown? Nobody wants a for-profit corporation. Some kind of separate not-for-profit corporation owned by the member municipalities? They would have to fund it and, in reality, would lead to a very large board given the size of the area and likely end up with a lot of squabbling. Who secures the debt? An organization like that would tie up a lot of capital.
Ah, I think I didn’t say that right. Basically return to as-above (a board, in any case) for a restructured Metrolinx. That much is needed regardless. And Mx already acts like a Corporation- I’d rather it didn’t.
My main idea was a partial breakup into 3 or 4 “Planning Districts:” Areas defined by a sufficiently distinct economic centre and/or travel patterns. Something like TO+905/ CMA, Ham-Niagara, KWCG. Likely Barrie, Ptbo. I’d prefer ‘joint jurisdiction’ for the in-betweens like Brantford or Burlington. A London PD would be perfect, but best not under Mx…
I expect Mx properly distributes funding (pop., growth, SOGR, etc). They also still execute the projects- PDs only help figure what those are. GO should remain directly under Mx, only now with major PD input.
Ideally the PDs hold accountability through boards. ~1-2 from each rep’s the PD at a Mx board, which also now has the Minister. GTA ought get +1.
Devolving lets a PD work with local munis better, and maybe even leverage/balance out their resources to deliver more. But, how integrated things can/should get is in the air. This is just how I see a more accurately-represented and planned GGH under a remade Metrolinx.