City Hall Watcher

City Hall Watcher, curated by Matt Elliott, scrutinizes Toronto City Council proceedings, focusing on topics like financial plans, fundraising events, staffing turnovers, policy decisions, lobbying, elections, and municipal issues like housing and public health. It aims to dissect city governance through critical analysis, offering insights into political strategies and urban challenges.

City Governance Elections and Political Strategy Municipal Finance Urban Development Public Health City Council Analysis Campaign Finance Policy and Regulation

The hottest Substack posts of City Hall Watcher

And their main takeaways

City Hall revs up for annual budget deputation derby

216 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Budget Government Policy Legislation
  1. City Hall is engaged in a week of budget battles with tensions rising over federal funding for refugees in the shelter system.
  2. Over 100 budget deputations took place with concerns raised about staff salaries and potential cost savings.
  3. Community groups have expressed various concerns to the Budget Committee, including issues with policing and homelessness.

The hot fuzz on police budget lobbying

137 implied HN points • 05 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Lobbying
  1. City Hall Watcher discusses police budget lobbying by Toronto Police Association.
  2. Millions of dollars are at stake in the lobbying process.
  3. Lobbyist Aleem Kanji is active on behalf of the police union during the budget discussions.

What the dickens is going on with Toronto's transit construction costs?

176 implied HN points • 22 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics
  1. Transit construction costs in Toronto are significantly higher compared to other cities like Paris.
  2. The rising costs of transit projects in Toronto are a widespread issue affecting various transit authorities in Canada and other English-speaking countries.
  3. The increasing costs of transit projects pose challenges for politicians and the potential for limited advancements in infrastructure and services.
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The 2024 Budget Launch Spectacular

137 implied HN points • 15 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Budget
  1. Toronto's proposed 2024 budget is complex and confusing, but worth understanding.
  2. The budget breakdown includes property taxes, reserve draws, and road safety reductions.
  3. Readers can access the full post archives with a 7-day free trial at City Hall Watcher.

Next week: debating a $17 billion budget. This week: debating printing costs

78 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Budget Health Housing Infrastructure
  1. Toronto City Hall is facing a significant budget battle next week over a $17 billion budget.
  2. Council spent time debating printing costs, travel expenses, bus lanes, and shelters in their recent meetings.
  3. The Toronto Community Housing Board is tackling the issue of overhoused households, aiming to reallocate space for those on the waitlist.

2023: the year in LOBBYIST WATCH

117 implied HN points • 08 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Lobbying
  1. The post discusses the top 20 lobbyists at Toronto City Hall in 2023.
  2. There is mention of lobbying activities during December.
  3. Readers can access the full post archives with a 7-day free trial on City Hall Watcher.

Putting the fun back in fundraising

275 implied HN points • 23 Oct 23
💼 Business Finance Events Campaign Finance Fundraising Government
  1. City Hall Watcher celebrates its 250th issue with a focus on fundraising events in Toronto's mayoral by-election.
  2. Swanky cocktail parties played a significant role in funding candidates, with some raising millions through ticketed events.
  3. Analyzing campaign finance data shows the impact of fundraising strategies on the mayoral contenders and their success in the election.

Toronto Budget 2024 (Olivia's Version) drops next week

78 implied HN points • 26 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Policy Economy Infrastructure Housing
  1. Toronto City is seeing a trend where a few large corporations dominate the employment landscape, which could lead to political challenges.
  2. Toronto is working on improving housing development timelines and affordable housing projects to address the growing housing crisis.
  3. City Hall in Toronto is considering implementing new measures like a foreign buyer tax, revamping subsidy programs, and investing in dedicated bus lanes to improve transit infrastructure.

Council puts a cap on it

255 implied HN points • 16 Oct 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics City Council Regulations Taxes
  1. City Council meeting in October 2023 included decisions on Uber, vacant home tax, blue box, and more.
  2. 190 decisions were made, with 154 approved as is, 25 with tweaks, and some postponed and sent to committee for further discussion.
  3. City Council's work resulted in productive outcomes within a short span of time.

Landing the financial plan

294 implied HN points • 11 Sep 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government
  1. City Hall had 41 votes on the Long-Term Financial Plan, with 34 recorded votes
  2. The Council Scorecard special edition details 23 votes on Mayor Olivia Chow's plan
  3. The post offers a 7-day free trial to access the full archives of City Hall Watcher

The rush for the doors

255 implied HN points • 25 Sep 23
📰 News Local news
  1. The post discusses the high turnover of senior staff members at Toronto City Hall since 2020.
  2. There is a focus on retirement ceremonies for senior City staff.
  3. The author provides insights on departures from the top City Hall executive offices since 2000.

October's very own City Council meeting

196 implied HN points • 10 Oct 23
📰 News Local Politics
  1. City Council meeting in October 2023 covers a range of topics like empty homes, WiFi, and dog parks.
  2. There are 165 items on the agenda for the City Council meeting.
  3. Stay updated on the live coverage of motions, votes, arguments, and more through City Hall Watcher.

Toronto's toxic supply

137 implied HN points • 18 Sep 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Campaign Finance Public Health
  1. The number of fatal overdoses in Toronto remains high due to a toxic drug supply.
  2. During the pandemic, lack of access to injection sites and community-based programs contributed to rising overdoses.
  3. Pre-obtained drugs from the streets in Toronto have become more toxic, leading to a persisting crisis.

Here we go again

216 implied HN points • 03 Apr 23
🌍 World Politics Election City Council
  1. The 2023 mayoral election in Toronto has begun with 27 candidates registered, including notable names like Ana Bailão and Councillor Josh Matlow.
  2. The registration window for the by-election to replace John Tory on June 26 is now open.
  3. Councillor Stephen Holyday has not registered for the mayoral race as of now.

Municipal Moneyball

137 implied HN points • 20 Mar 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Campaign Finance
  1. The post discusses campaign spending and contributions in a past municipal election.
  2. Only about one-third of elected council candidates have filed their paperwork.
  3. The post hints at a multi-part series on this topic.

Let the sunshine in

117 implied HN points • 27 Mar 23
📰 News Local news City Council Public Services Political Analysis
  1. The Ontario Sunshine List data can provide interesting insights on city salaries and job title trends.
  2. Firefighters saw significant salary increases over the past four years, reflecting a notable trend within the data analyzed.
  3. During the Toronto Council meeting preview, it was highlighted that the city faces a major financial crisis and discussed various agenda items, including the upcoming mayoral election.

Vacant tax, crowded lobbying

117 implied HN points • 06 Feb 23
  1. The post discusses lobbying activity related to Toronto's vacant home tax and other topics like Uber and Wheel-Trans.
  2. The author provides a preview of the Council meeting agenda for the week.
  3. Readers can access the full post archives with a 7-day free trial.

Little boxes — and they all look just the same

98 implied HN points • 27 Feb 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Architecture City Planning Urban Design Development Aesthetics
  1. Toronto's architecture is becoming more monotonous due to recent provincial legislation affecting design approvals for buildings.
  2. City Hall is preparing for a by-election to replace Mayor John Tory, with the process set to begin after Pride weekend.
  3. The development pipeline in Toronto has seen a significant increase in proposed residential units, reaching a record high in 2021.

A good scorecard, not a long scorecard

98 implied HN points • 13 Mar 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics
  1. The importance of having a good scorecard over a long one
  2. City Hall Watcher's complete Council Scorecard for John Tory's third mayoral term
  3. Offer for a 7-day free trial to subscribe to City Hall Watcher