Amalgamation

[westwardloo]

This is disappointing news in my opinion. This is the one thing I thought Ford would be good for. The region needs to combine into one city. not because i think there will be cost savings, but because we will have stronger presence provincially, federally, and internationally as 1 city of 600k versus 3 cities of roughly 200k. I also would like to see amalgamation so that the region has 1 planning department, 1 library system, 1 arts and culture, and 1 fire department.

All the changes in your last sentence can happen without amalgamation. I actually agree that the fire department and library should be considered for moving to the Region.

And the Region already does stuff to promote the Region as a whole. If there is anything it isn’t doing, it can do it. There is no need to wait for the constituent cities and townships to go away.

I’m moderately shocked. Usually this provincial government stomps all over everything (see Toronto city council, where a proposal that had been developed over time with ample consultation was thrown out in favour of whatever Ford thought was good that day, right in the middle of the municipal election).

In my opinion the region has done a good job promote itself. but then we have 3 different cities going out and promoting them selves as well. The whole process is convoluted. I think the region could attract new business in an less complicated fashion if each city wasn't looking out for its own interests.

In regards to the planning departments. We have all three cities plus the region determining where development should occur, where bike lanes should be placed, where parks should be built. We are a region that is seriously lacking in certain amenities that a city of similar sizes have (Olympic size pool, sports stadium, art gallery/event space, convention centre, hospitals that weren't built in 1950's).

I just don't see the reason why we as a region wouldn't want to amalgamate. Endless amounts of city departments would finally have a coordinated effort in terms of providing services to the residents. on that note, personally I would like to see the region kept and the three main cities amalgamate. I would sever off a bit of the townships into the new city, mainly breslau and bloomingdale. The townships would continue to be run as rural areas, but the urban centres would be one cohesive city.
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