Farmland conversion and landfill sites

[bravado]

It's Doug Ford's signature move: have absolute dictatorial power over municipalities via legislation, act powerless and bumbling whenever anything goes wrong at the city-level

[ludo643]

It's Doug Ford's signature move: have absolute dictatorial power over municipalities via legislation, act powerless and bumbling whenever anything goes wrong at the city-level

You can also make this move anywhere, at any level, just need to make the public feel sorry for you and believe the crap that exists their mouths

[KevinL]

Wilmot land assembly meant for future Toyota site

Last March, farmers and property owners received offers from the region. Some said they were threatened with expropriation if they refused to sell. To date, the region has spent $18 million to buy one farm that covers 161 acres, and three residential properties, totalling about 20 per cent of the lands it wants to assemble. The region says it remains committed to negotiating fair deals with the land owners.

The region has previously told property owners the land is being readied to attract a major employer to the area. Both the region and province say no end user has been lined up for the site.

In an email to The Narwhal and The Record, Philippe Crowe, a Toyota spokesperson, said, “We are not involved in any land assembly projects in Ontario.”

Several sources connected to the public and private sectors have told The Narwhal and The Record the land assembly was started so Toyota could build a third plant in this part of the province, adding to those in nearby Cambridge and Woodstock. The Narwhal and The Record have granted these sources confidentiality because none are authorized to speak publicly. They say nothing has been signed and discussions are ongoing but none have said Toyota has a role in the assembly process.

One source said, “The site is ready for Toyota whenever it’s ready for it.”

[ac3r]

Oh boy. So do we go with: No, ban cars, they're evil? Or: Yes, job and economic growth for all? Hard choice!

[dtkmelissa]

Oh boy. So do we go with: No, ban cars, they're evil? Or: Yes, job and economic growth for all? Hard choice!

It would be nice if things were as black and white as you present them here, but I think we can all recognize that there is more nuance to this discussion than that.

[bravado]

If only there was some middle ground between "require cars for literally every function in modern life" and "ban them all".

Maybe we could call it "less cars" and "more options".

[Acitta]

If only there was some middle ground between "require cars for literally every function in modern life" and "ban them all".

Maybe we could call it "less cars" and "more options".

E-bikes are a viable option for doing much of what people use cars for. Here is a good article I read recently: An E-Bike Transformed My Family’s Life.

[danbrotherston]

If only there was some middle ground between "require cars for literally every function in modern life" and "ban them all".

Maybe we could call it "less cars" and "more options".

E-bikes are a viable option for doing much of what people use cars for. Here is a good article I read recently: An E-Bike Transformed My Family’s Life.

Yes, but the fundamental problem is that most of the province is built to be car dependent. It is dangerous and difficult to get around by bike or transit instead of cars. And unfortunately, we're making negative progress. DoFo is in the process of ripping out bike lanes in Toronto....

Some folks like to pretend that there is a "war on cars"...but that isn't true...however there *IS* a war on bikes right now.

[Acitta]

E-bikes are a viable option for doing much of what people use cars for. Here is a good article I read recently: An E-Bike Transformed My Family’s Life.

Yes, but the fundamental problem is that most of the province is built to be car dependent. It is dangerous and difficult to get around by bike or transit instead of cars. And unfortunately, we're making negative progress. DoFo is in the process of ripping out bike lanes in Toronto....

Some folks like to pretend that there is a "war on cars"...but that isn't true...however there *IS* a war on bikes right now.

Well, I have never owned a car and have managed to get around by bike and public transit for over 50 years. Admittedly, there are many places I have never visited because intercity transit is either poor or non-existent, but I have regularly cycled in the country around Waterloo Region.

[danbrotherston]

Yes, but the fundamental problem is that most of the province is built to be car dependent. It is dangerous and difficult to get around by bike or transit instead of cars. And unfortunately, we're making negative progress. DoFo is in the process of ripping out bike lanes in Toronto....

Some folks like to pretend that there is a "war on cars"...but that isn't true...however there *IS* a war on bikes right now.

Well, I have never owned a car and have managed to get around by bike and public transit for over 50 years. Admittedly, there are many places I have never visited because intercity transit is either poor or non-existent, but I have regularly cycled in the country around Waterloo Region.

I'm not sure what you're saying here? I also lived in WR without a car for several years. But are you suggesting that the region is not largely car dependent? I'm not sure what you're suggesting.

[Acitta]

Well, I have never owned a car and have managed to get around by bike and public transit for over 50 years. Admittedly, there are many places I have never visited because intercity transit is either poor or non-existent, but I have regularly cycled in the country around Waterloo Region.

I'm not sure what you're saying here? I also lived in WR without a car for several years. But are you suggesting that the region is not largely car dependent? I'm not sure what you're suggesting.

I was riding a bike in city traffic long before the development of dedicated cycling infrastructure in Montreal, Toronto, York Region and Waterloo Region. People simply have to decide to live a better way of life.

[danbrotherston]

I'm not sure what you're saying here? I also lived in WR without a car for several years. But are you suggesting that the region is not largely car dependent? I'm not sure what you're suggesting.

I was riding a bike in city traffic long before the development of dedicated cycling infrastructure in Montreal, Toronto, York Region and Waterloo Region. People simply have to decide to live a better way of life.

People simply won't. It doesn't matter what you think they should do, you cannot just magically make people do something. So either we can choose to make it easier for them to make different choices, or we can continue to have car dependency.

[Kodra24]

I was riding a bike in city traffic long before the development of dedicated cycling infrastructure in Montreal, Toronto, York Region and Waterloo Region. People simply have to decide to live a better way of life.

People simply won't. It doesn't matter what you think they should do, you cannot just magically make people do something. So either we can choose to make it easier for them to make different choices, or we can continue to have car dependency.

It's kind of like working out - you either won't because you're lazy and a procrastinator or whatever reason you can come up with or you will

[plam]

People simply won't. It doesn't matter what you think they should do, you cannot just magically make people do something. So either we can choose to make it easier for them to make different choices, or we can continue to have car dependency.

It's kind of like working out - you either won't because you're lazy and a procrastinator or whatever reason you can come up with or you will

That totally does not respond to danbrotherson's point. If something is easy, then more people will. Nudges are well proven to work in changing behaviours.

[ijmorlan]

It’s not even necessarily a matter of people “coming up” with a reason not to bicycle. If the infrastructure isn’t good they might not even think of it as a possibility. Even once infrastructure improves, part of what is needed is getting people to know that it has improved and that they should consider using it for some trips.