smably
Senior Member
It's a really good question. I think there are a lot of factors at play here. Older people are more likely to be retired and have enough time on their hands to attend planning meetings. The demographics of homeownership skew largely older and whiter in Toronto in general, and property owners are the ones concerned about property values, "neighbourhood character", and maintaining homogeneity of culture and built form. Younger and racialized neighbours tend to have bigger fish to fry thanks to structural inequities. Precarious employment, long commutes, and childcare responsibilities are all going to reduce participation in planning meetings, and they disproportionately affect the people who are underrepresented in the process. There's also a vicious cycle where certain voices tend to dominate these meetings with anger and vitriol, making them unpleasant for anyone who is there to learn and participate with an open mind and ensuring that the only people who are willing to engage are the angry hordes. These spaces just don't feel welcoming or safe for people who don't fit the NIMBY demographic.Just curious, why aren't these other demographic groups showing up to these meetings to weigh in as well, instead of just allowing the most privileged crowd to have an exclusive monopoly on local interests?