TORONTO – Not to put too fine a point on it, the exodus from City Councils in the GTA is surprising. In this last week alone, the mayors of Brampton and Hamilton have called it quits. Neither Patrick Brown nor Fred Eisenberger will seek re-election.  

They join Vaughan’s Maurizio Bevilacqua, who announced his intention to retire on June 1. Oddly, he had shut down the city for the almost last two and a half years, ostensibly to keep City Hall staff safe from Covid.

In Toronto, no less than five Councillors, including two perceived pretenders to the top job, called it quits. There could be more. Councillor Ford left to take the challenge of establishing a “never-been -done-before” Conservative constituency in an NDP fortress: York South Weston, which had been represented in the past by federal NDP Leader David Lewis and the only Provincial NDP Premier, Bob Rae.

Another councillor, Wong Tam, chose a more opportunistic venue in Toronto Centre where the NDP nearly squandered its healthy lead by dropping more than 9,000 and still squeezing out a victory. One could say that the winner was rewarded for the electorate’s indifference and historically low turn-out.

To date, Mayor Tory (in the pic above, from his Twitter profile) is content with the outcome of his leadership in Toronto. We do not want to be too critical but, if you have been a long-time resident of the City from even before the Amalgamation of the boroughs turned cities (Etobicoke, East York, North York, Scarborough, York) with Toronto, you have to wonder what the standards of municipal services have become under his mayoralty.

And it cannot be explained away by Covid.

For example, is there a main thoroughfare unencumbered and made unnavigable by construction material – nearly always absent any labourers? Heaven forbid anyone tries to go downtown by car. Half the lanes have been designated “bike lanes”; parking is virtually impossible. Do not try to get on any of the on/off ramps providing highway access to quicker road systems.

The TTC is no longer a reliable alternative either as a subway or street level (bus or streetcar) means of circulation.

The “streets are no longer safe”. The only time you will see the police is when they operate a speed trap. The two to three shootings per day are becoming commonplace. More and more, “shooters” seem to be younger and younger.

If you are a homeowner, pray that it does not rain or snow. Basement floodings are becoming more frequent and more serious. Has anyone recovered from the three weeks it took to clear the streets of last winter’s snowfall?

Sorry, I forgot we were in Covid. Or that it is 40 degrees with the humidity. Apparently, there is a shortage of staff so parks and recreation services will not be able to operate at full capacity.

The Federal government has been pouring so much money into cities directly and through the provincial government that it has become “an embarrassment of riches”. And still, Tory’s Terrible Toronto cannot repair sidewalks, sewers and roads; its murder rate is approaching American levels and the list goes on.

What is your plan, Mayor Tory?