Latest news with #StephenHolyday
CTV News
25-06-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
‘We were never consulted:' TTC backs down on bus reroute in face of outcry from Etobicoke neighbourhood
Community concern over a TTC plan to reroute a busy bus line through a quiet Etobicoke neighbourhood has prompted the transit agency to change course. Loading the player instance is taking more time than usual Loading the player instance is taking more time than usual Community concern over a TTC plan to reroute a busy bus line through a quiet Etobicoke neighbourhood has prompted the transit agency to change course. Residents of Beaver Bend Crescent were surprised to discover orange hoarding installed along their street in late May – preparation, they later learned, for the construction of four new bus stops on a street that had never been a transit route. 'We were never consulted as a community,' said resident Erick Bauer. 'The only way that we knew about this, is some of our residents woke up in the morning and saw fencing around their property.' TTC 111 bus route The TTC was planning to permanently reroute the 111 bus route off The East Mall (right) and onto Beaver Bend Crescent. (Natalie Johnson/CTV News) Their councillor, Stephen Holyday, was later told that the southbound 111 East Mall bus route would be permanently detoured through Beaver Bend because three bus stops along the existing route no longer met accessibility standards. 'We're concerned about hazards to pedestrians, particularly children,' Alexander Sinenko, a local parent, told CTV Toronto. 'It will create complete chaos at pick-up and drop-off,' said Oksana Cherchik, whose three children go to the school at the foot of the street. 'The nuances of our neighbourhood really don't seem like they've been taken into consideration for such a major transit change,' echoed resident Connie Smith. Holyday questioned why the buses would be redirected through the residential street – which would require new bus pads – in lieu of bringing the existing East Mall stops up to code. 'I think that they've chosen the shortest path to their solution, and sometimes the shortest path isn't the best path,' he said. In a letter to his colleagues, Holyday called on City Council to direct the TTC to pause the plan – backed by a petition of more than 800 residents. 'This bus route has served the community for nearly 45 years with few complaints,' he wrote. 'Neither the local community or the school have been consulted or even received general communications from the TTC about the change.' The TTC told CTV Toronto Tuesday that it would pump the brakes on the plan – which had been approved by the board in 2024. 'Safe access to our service for everyone is a priority for the TTC,' a spokesperson said in a statement. 'As a result, we will be pausing this project pending further consultation and coordination with the City of Toronto and the community.' Many community members are now hopeful the city will bring the East Mall bus stops up to accessibility standards – and keep the buses running there. 'We want to make our local bus route more accessible and safer for everyone,' said resident Marcio Borges. 'We just want that to be done with a solution that solves the current issues that we have but doesn't add new issues.'
Toronto Sun
29-05-2025
- Health
- Toronto Sun
City councillor driven to find alternatives for highway-closing events
Stephen Holyday wants city to work with events like Bike for Brain Health to find less disruptive routes Cyclists ride on the Don Valley Parkway. Photo by Supplied / Bike for Brain Health Veteran Toronto Councillor Stephen Holyday believes the time has come for such events as Sunday's Bike for Brain Health — which shuts down both the Gardiner and Don Valley Parkway from 2 a.m. to 4 p.m. — to reconsider their routes. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The reason? The traffic woes they cause in a city already internationally known for its traffic nightmare. Recent viral videos have shown everyone from pop stars to hockey players forced to get out of their vehicles and walk to their Toronto concerts or games due to standstill, bumper-to-bumper traffic. 'I voted against the closure (for this event),' said Holyday, who has represented Etobicoke Centre since 2014. 'I voted against some of the other events in the last few years for this very reason. That congestion feels like it's at an all-time high. We also live in a big city that operates seven days a week so there is no good time to close down highways.' Holyday said although he wants 'to see these events be successful,' he'd also 'like to see if they can find other ways to run the events in other spaces that still keeps the traffic flowing' like using city streets. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. For example, Holyday said there's an event in Etobicoke for which they dedicate some lanes in some major streets on a Sunday morning. 'And I've received very few complaints over the years over that,' he said. 'And there's a big difference because there are choices when you close streets in the city vs. major arteries. He added: 'I'm sure it's a fun event because of the road closure but it comes at such a great expense to people personally and to businesses including those that operate on Sundays. Perhaps they strive to open (the highways) earlier (than 4 p.m.) but it is a significant number of hours.' However, Josh Cooper, president and CEO of Baycrest Foundation, says the Bike for Brain Health event has no plans to change its route, noting it takes place on just one Sunday out of the year and represents 'mild' pain for major gain — 10,000 bike riders are expected to raising $5 million for brain research. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Be it the Mattamy Homes Bike for Brain Health, be it the Sporting Life 10K run, be it whatever it is, we're fortunate enough that we live in a city where we have so many fantastic citizens who want to give up their Sundays to go out and raise money for all of these important causes,' Cooper told the Sun. 'So, instead of looking at the inconvenience of it, we should be looking at the net results of these events. And the reality is today you have over 650,000 Canadians impacted by dementia, a number which will climb by over a million by 2030. And so why not look for ways to help to find cures for these diseases.' But Holyday says it boils down to more than just drivers being inconvenienced and gridlocked. 'It's a traffic issue which leads to a quality of life issue for residents and it's also an economic issue for the city,' he said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'And if you want to even back up globally, how many people do you hear from that are so frustrated with Toronto traffic that they're turning away from going into downtown and patronizing the businesses? And part of that are events like this that stack up. 'Then you add bikes lanes and Cafe TO and construction that happens, people are turning away from the city of Toronto and spending their business elsewhere. We're becoming notorious as a city of congestion.' Holyday said he'd like to see city council work with the public event organizer to find other places. 'I think as a city we should help these charities thrive but find an answer that works for everybody,' he said. Cooper noted, however, that the location of the charity event plays a role in its success. 'A big part of the attraction of the event is that you get to ride a bike on the Gardiner and on the DVP,' he said, 'but another big attraction is we're building community for people who either are themselves or have a loved one suffering from dementia.' jstevenson@ Toronto & GTA Sunshine Girls Celebrity Ontario Tennis
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
City councillors could give themselves eye-popping 24% pay raise
Stephen Holyday doesn't mind if you think he doesn't deserve a raise. He's going to do whatever he can to make sure he doesn't get one. Toronto city council will consider a report this week that suggests hiking councillors' salaries by roughly 24%, to more than $170,500. Holyday, the councillor for Etobicoke Centre, says he'll vote against it. The optics are awful, he said, 'following two years of large tax increases' for Toronto's citizens, and with the city 'on the cusp of economic uncertainty.' 'I hope that council votes this down,' Holyday added, 'but even the debate is something that will erode confidence of many electors in the city that are watching.' 'UNDER MICROSCOPE:' Renaming group dismissive of Dundas, consulting public Mayor sends indigenous councillor idea into consultation purgatory Blue Jays fans face traffic woes as road closures continue near Rogers Centre The report was done by city hall's HR department with the help of a consulting firm. It says Toronto city council's $137,537 salaries don't stack up especially well against other large Canadian municipalities — particularly not neighbouring Peel and York regions, which pay councillors well over $150,000. Holyday doesn't buy that. 'Everybody understands what the salary is when they put their name onto the nomination paper, so I don't accept that argument,' he said. 'There's nothing wrong with the system that we have now, and it's been very fair to everybody at council — and it does allow for a modest increase to reflect inflation, which I think most workers can appreciate.' The report also says the last significant change to pay for councillors was in 2006, with only cost-of-living increases since. While true, salaries in 2006 were just over $87,000, and have risen with inflation in all but three years — two of them during the pandemic. Since the COVID freeze, councillor salaries have gone up by 2.85% in 2022, 6.51% in 2023 and 4.23% in 2024. The suggested 24% raise would come on top of a 2.81% inflation adjustment for this year, and be retroactive to Jan. 1. 'The duties of Toronto's city councillors encompass the oversight of Canada's largest municipal budget, which includes a substantial housing portfolio and the largest shelter system, the largest public transit system in Canada, the full suite of municipal services to Canada's largest city while also being responsible for serving large numbers of constituents per councillor,' the report says. The 24% hike would not apply to Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, who earns significantly more than a ward councillor. The mayor's salary last year was $225,304.04. Chow reportedly told a Tuesday press conference the proposed pay hike is too 'steep.' Holyday said the report focuses only on salary, ignoring councillors' 'excellent' benefits such as a pension and severance pay. 'There is no good time, especially now, to consider this report,' Holyday said, but an 'important consideration' missing in this process, he said, is MPP pay, which according to news reports could soon go up after a long salary freeze at Queen's Park. Holyday suggested that when the next campaign comes, councillors could be held 'accountable for how they vote on this.' Council requested the report in November. By coincidence, councillors' staff are also seeking more money, and want to unionize — but that effort has been stalled by city hall, which is arguing it is not truly the employer of those workers. The 24% hike for councillors works out to about $33,000 — 'more than what some council staff make in an entire year,' AMAPCEO president Dave Bulmer said in a statement. Council staffers have filed to be represented by AMAPCEO. The union says it will meet with city hall representatives on April 2. jholmes@
