Planning Politics In Toronto

The Ontario Municipal Board is an independent provincial planning appeals body that has wielded major influence on Toronto’s urban development. In this book, Aaron A. Moore examines the effect that the OMB has had on the behavior and relationships of Toronto’s main political actors, including city planners, developers, neighbourhood associations, and local politicians. Moore’s findings draw on a quantitative analysis of all OMB decisions and settlements from 2000 through 2006, as well as eight in-depth case studies. The cases, which examine a variety of development proposals that resulted in OMB appeals, compare the decisions of Toronto’s political actors to those typified in American local political economy analyses. A much-needed contribution to the literature on the politics of urban development in Toronto since the 1970s, Planning Politics in Toronto challenges popular preconceptions of the OMB’s role in Toronto’s patterns of growth and change.

A much-needed contribution to the literature on the politics of urban development in Toronto since the 1970s, Planning Politics in Toronto challenges popular preconceptions of the OMB's role in Toronto's patterns of growth and change.

During the 1960s, city politics changed dramatically in Canada. The comfortable world of old-guard municipal politics was challenged by citizen groups and reform-minded candidates. In this book, John Sewell provides a frank, informal account of his involvement in the key issues in Toronto city politics during this period of change. The result is a valuable look at how city government really functions and how citizens and reform-minded politicians can have an impact on city hall. First published in 1972, Up Against City Hall is an inside look at a period of remarkable change in Canadian municipal politics penned by one of the nation's most effective reformers.

Planning and Politics unfolds an extremely detailed case study of a single major transportation review to provide the professional reader and student with a valuable alternative to the usual theoretical planning study.

Equal parts history, social science, and call to action, The New Urban Agenda focuses on fixing the major issues facing the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). Award-winning author Bill Freeman shows how cities have overcome them in the past, and gives level-headed advice for tackling Toronto's biggest challenges.

This collection of original essays serves both the historians and geographers who seek a deeper understanding of Canada's urban past, and the planners, politicians and citizens who seek to preserve or to change their cities today.