One Great City

There is already an excellent framework for developing the Port Lands over the next few decades. It is troubling that we are revisiting this framework and risking, apparently, cheapening the outcome, particularly what was supposed to be a spectacular new park at the Don mouth. This is a once-in-a-generation chance to build new, high-quality urban neighbourhoods and a public asset on the scale of High Park.

If we need to take the development slowly to get the Port Lands right, there is no doubt in my mind that we should take it slowly. If the problem is that governments cannot stomach the necessary up-front investments, Waterfront Toronto should have the power to borrow money so that future Torontonians—who will benefit from our investments today—can help shoulder the burden.

Let’s not mess this up.