My @torontostar column this week: With the city working at a feverish pace to fix infrastructure and spruce things up before Friday's kickoff, I'm asking: why does it take something like hosting the FIFA World Cup for Toronto to try to look its best?

https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/toronto-gets-28-million-visitors-a-year-we-shouldnt-need-the-fifa-world-cup-to-be-good-hosts/article_01ea0af4-e6ba-462a-a664-4452f9f42f6c.html

Check your inbox: It's City Hall Watcher #387!

The COUNCIL SCORECARD returns with a big update, and a new COUNCIL COMPARE feature that lets you put councillors head to head.

Plus: island airport impacts, road safety without speed cameras, and more.

https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/council-scorecard-scores-ahead-of

My @torontostar column: in the early days of Toronto’s mayoral election, the two leading contenders have spent a lot of time… mostly agreeing with each other.

So far, both Chow and Bradford are making plays for moderate votes. I’d like to see some more radical ideas https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/olivia-chow-and-brad-bradford-are-supposed-to-be-election-rivals-why-are-they-agreeing-so-much/article_4b8f00b4-5a0e-4819-abef-7d3f55e9a8f0.html

Check your inbox: it’s City Hall Watcher #386!

LOBBYIST WATCH returns! A look at an attempt to elevate Toronto’s waterfront transit plan, Weston’s park problem, FIFA prep, and more.

Plus: the TTC Board talks fences, AI and drones with new security push

https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/lobbyist-watch-looks-at-moving-up

My @torontostar column: City Hall has a “squeaky wheel” problem, where a small number of haters and complainers get outsized influence over city decisions. This summer, they’re likely to come for the Church Street pedestrianization project.

Let’s not let them win.

https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/toronto-has-a-problem-with-squeaky-wheels-we-shouldnt-let-it-drive-the-church-street-conversation/article_2f6f0214-7df0-4a2d-a702-ad89b54c3aef.html

Check your inbox: it’s City Hall Watcher #385!

Olivia makes it official! The mayor is running for mayor, again.

Plus: your complete recap of the May Council meeting, with notes on a car-free Church Street, the island airport, e-bike wrangling, and more https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/after-marathon-may-council-meeting

Council’s meeting was so inexplicably, bafflingly long that my app at live.cityhallwatcher.com called it quits and failed to capture the last couple of hours of coverage. I’ve fixed the issue. (I think!)

You can now view the complete compiled thread here: https://live.cityhallwatcher.com/may-20-2026-2