Matt Elliott
@graphicmatt.com
City columnist, contributing to the Toronto Star & writing the award-winning City Hall Watcher newsletter. A lot about Toronto Politics and then some nerd stuff. Humber College prof. (he/him)
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And 2025's busiest lobbyist award goes to...
City Hall Watcher #365: Lobbyist Watch for December 2025, with notes on Waymo, tow trucks, house-building robots, and 2025's most prolific City Hall lobbyist
toronto.cityhallwatcher.com
Check your inbox: it’s City Hall Watcher #365!
LOBBYIST WATCH wraps up 2025, with the crowning (?) of City Hall’s busiest lobbyist. Also: notes on Waymo, robot house builders, and a TTC budget that comes with some real risk for next year. toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/and-2025s-...
LOBBYIST WATCH wraps up 2025, with the crowning (?) of City Hall’s busiest lobbyist. Also: notes on Waymo, robot house builders, and a TTC budget that comes with some real risk for next year. toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/and-2025s-...
Toronto's budget committee is about to meet to hear about the draft 2026 budget. Most of the headlines — a 2.2% residential property tax increase, a fare freeze — are already written, but let's see if there are any other newsy tidbits.
Meeting will stream live here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7ar...
Meeting will stream live here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7ar...
Budget Committee - January 8, 2026
YouTube video by Toronto City Council
www.youtube.com
January 8, 2026 at 3:57 PM
Toronto's budget committee is about to meet to hear about the draft 2026 budget. Most of the headlines — a 2.2% residential property tax increase, a fare freeze — are already written, but let's see if there are any other newsy tidbits.
Meeting will stream live here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7ar...
Meeting will stream live here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7ar...
Geez, a 2.2% residential property tax hike — just 0.7% after you account for the City Building Fund —seems risky as hell. Sets up a hugely difficult post-election budget situation in 2027, unless there’s a new New Deal brewing. www.thestar.com/news/gta/tor...
Toronto property taxes are going up. Here’s how much
The city was facing an estimated $1 billion operating shortfall heading into 2026, as well as lower revenues.
www.thestar.com
January 7, 2026 at 10:00 PM
Geez, a 2.2% residential property tax hike — just 0.7% after you account for the City Building Fund —seems risky as hell. Sets up a hugely difficult post-election budget situation in 2027, unless there’s a new New Deal brewing. www.thestar.com/news/gta/tor...
An owner that denies problems. An operator that has no ability to fix problems. And a maintainer that just doesn’t respond to questions. Doesn’t seem like a great way to run a railroad. www.thestar.com/news/gta/why...
January 7, 2026 at 6:19 PM
An owner that denies problems. An operator that has no ability to fix problems. And a maintainer that just doesn’t respond to questions. Doesn’t seem like a great way to run a railroad. www.thestar.com/news/gta/why...
My @thestar.com column this week: The good news about Toronto’s new traffic czar? He helped push for the tough choices that led to the only Toronto traffic fix that ever worked.
Here’s what we should remember about the 2015 Pan Am Games transportation plan.
www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
Here’s what we should remember about the 2015 Pan Am Games transportation plan.
www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
Matt Elliott: Toronto’s new traffic ‘czar’ once unjammed this notoriously traffic-jammed city. Here’s how he did it
City hall may have hired the right guy for the right job, given Andrew Posluns’s track record.
www.thestar.com
January 6, 2026 at 4:10 PM
My @thestar.com column this week: The good news about Toronto’s new traffic czar? He helped push for the tough choices that led to the only Toronto traffic fix that ever worked.
Here’s what we should remember about the 2015 Pan Am Games transportation plan.
www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
Here’s what we should remember about the 2015 Pan Am Games transportation plan.
www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
Check your inbox: it’s City Hall Watcher #365!
LOBBYIST WATCH wraps up 2025, with the crowning (?) of City Hall’s busiest lobbyist. Also: notes on Waymo, robot house builders, and a TTC budget that comes with some real risk for next year. toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/and-2025s-...
LOBBYIST WATCH wraps up 2025, with the crowning (?) of City Hall’s busiest lobbyist. Also: notes on Waymo, robot house builders, and a TTC budget that comes with some real risk for next year. toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/and-2025s-...
And 2025's busiest lobbyist award goes to...
City Hall Watcher #365: Lobbyist Watch for December 2025, with notes on Waymo, tow trucks, house-building robots, and 2025's most prolific City Hall lobbyist
toronto.cityhallwatcher.com
January 5, 2026 at 9:01 PM
Check your inbox: it’s City Hall Watcher #365!
LOBBYIST WATCH wraps up 2025, with the crowning (?) of City Hall’s busiest lobbyist. Also: notes on Waymo, robot house builders, and a TTC budget that comes with some real risk for next year. toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/and-2025s-...
LOBBYIST WATCH wraps up 2025, with the crowning (?) of City Hall’s busiest lobbyist. Also: notes on Waymo, robot house builders, and a TTC budget that comes with some real risk for next year. toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/and-2025s-...
Check your inbox: it's City Hall Watcher #364!
The year in charts! A look at the legends and plots that told Toronto City Hall's story in 2025.
Plus: a new chart looking at Toronto Council's longest debates of 2025.
🔓No paywall. Happy holidays!
toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/2025-the-y...
The year in charts! A look at the legends and plots that told Toronto City Hall's story in 2025.
Plus: a new chart looking at Toronto Council's longest debates of 2025.
🔓No paywall. Happy holidays!
toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/2025-the-y...
2025: the year in charts
City Hall Watcher #364: A look back at the legends and plots that moved Toronto City Hall in 2025.
toronto.cityhallwatcher.com
December 29, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Check your inbox: it's City Hall Watcher #364!
The year in charts! A look at the legends and plots that told Toronto City Hall's story in 2025.
Plus: a new chart looking at Toronto Council's longest debates of 2025.
🔓No paywall. Happy holidays!
toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/2025-the-y...
The year in charts! A look at the legends and plots that told Toronto City Hall's story in 2025.
Plus: a new chart looking at Toronto Council's longest debates of 2025.
🔓No paywall. Happy holidays!
toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/2025-the-y...
Check your inbox: it’s City Hall Watcher #363!
Before you slam that laptop shut, enjoy a recap of Council’s 2025 swansong, with quotable quotes about the Finch LRT & intolerable cruelty. Plus: a look at income and councillor votes on the luxury tax hike. toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/council-de...
Before you slam that laptop shut, enjoy a recap of Council’s 2025 swansong, with quotable quotes about the Finch LRT & intolerable cruelty. Plus: a look at income and councillor votes on the luxury tax hike. toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/council-de...
Council decks the halls with votes on a faster Finch, a luxury land transfer tax and a TTC guarantee
City Hall Watcher #363: What Council did at their final meeting of 2025, featuring a look at ward incomes versus support for a luxury land transfer tax, the debate on LRT speed, and more.
toronto.cityhallwatcher.com
December 22, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Check your inbox: it’s City Hall Watcher #363!
Before you slam that laptop shut, enjoy a recap of Council’s 2025 swansong, with quotable quotes about the Finch LRT & intolerable cruelty. Plus: a look at income and councillor votes on the luxury tax hike. toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/council-de...
Before you slam that laptop shut, enjoy a recap of Council’s 2025 swansong, with quotable quotes about the Finch LRT & intolerable cruelty. Plus: a look at income and councillor votes on the luxury tax hike. toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/council-de...
Reposted by Matt Elliott
Council just voted to APPROVE an update on their rooming houses regulations without any debate at all.
Councillor Gord Perks, the planning & housing chair, was so excited about this that he did a little dance.
Councillor Gord Perks, the planning & housing chair, was so excited about this that he did a little dance.
December 17, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Council just voted to APPROVE an update on their rooming houses regulations without any debate at all.
Councillor Gord Perks, the planning & housing chair, was so excited about this that he did a little dance.
Councillor Gord Perks, the planning & housing chair, was so excited about this that he did a little dance.
City Council meets today! It's the last and final meeting of 2025. They'll go out with a bang (?) with debates on speeding up the Finch LRT, a luxury home tax hike, climate change, bike lanes and more.
It'll stream live here. I'll post the major happenings. www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOh5...
It'll stream live here. I'll post the major happenings. www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOh5...
City Council - December 16, 2025
YouTube video by Toronto City Council
www.youtube.com
December 16, 2025 at 2:26 PM
City Council meets today! It's the last and final meeting of 2025. They'll go out with a bang (?) with debates on speeding up the Finch LRT, a luxury home tax hike, climate change, bike lanes and more.
It'll stream live here. I'll post the major happenings. www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOh5...
It'll stream live here. I'll post the major happenings. www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOh5...
Reposted by Matt Elliott
Love Matt's new vote similarity display. And I think helps visualize something I've been thinking for a while. Both Chow and any potential successor needs to get to 13 reliable councillor votes to function. Chow's 13th is Michael Thompson for now. How's a right leaning mayor going to make this work?
December 9, 2025 at 1:11 AM
Love Matt's new vote similarity display. And I think helps visualize something I've been thinking for a while. Both Chow and any potential successor needs to get to 13 reliable councillor votes to function. Chow's 13th is Michael Thompson for now. How's a right leaning mayor going to make this work?
Having trouble parsing this one. Is Godzilla supposed to be a NIMBY or a YIMBY? (via www.torontotoday.ca/local/real-e...)
December 9, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Having trouble parsing this one. Is Godzilla supposed to be a NIMBY or a YIMBY? (via www.torontotoday.ca/local/real-e...)
One of the big barriers to effective transit signal priority in Toronto seems to be that the transportation department believes: a) that they’ve already basically implemented it in a lot of places; and b) that it’s not actually that effective. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
City, TTC taking steps to improve service speed of Finch West LRT, says Chow | CBC News
The newly opened Finch West LRT is moving at an expected pace despite complaints from riders, according to transit officials, but some experts say changes to traffic signals could help it move faster.
www.cbc.ca
December 9, 2025 at 6:32 PM
One of the big barriers to effective transit signal priority in Toronto seems to be that the transportation department believes: a) that they’ve already basically implemented it in a lot of places; and b) that it’s not actually that effective. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
My @thestar.com column this week: Bike Share Toronto is riding high but a new growth plan risks putting a proverbial stick in the spokes, with a big focus on extracting more revenue from users.
Let's not let enshittification ruin this ride.
www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
Let's not let enshittification ruin this ride.
www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
Matt Elliott: Why dark clouds loom over Bike Share Toronto, despite its undeniable success
Adding more e-bikes certainly sounds like an admirable goal, but it comes with a downside.
www.thestar.com
December 9, 2025 at 6:24 PM
My @thestar.com column this week: Bike Share Toronto is riding high but a new growth plan risks putting a proverbial stick in the spokes, with a big focus on extracting more revenue from users.
Let's not let enshittification ruin this ride.
www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
Let's not let enshittification ruin this ride.
www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
Check your inbox: it’s City Hall Watcher #361!
An update to the Council Scorecard brings a fun new feature comparing vote patterns. Everyone has a buddy and a nemesis, it turns out. Also: fare capping, land transfer tax hikes, parking concerns and more. toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/introducin...
An update to the Council Scorecard brings a fun new feature comparing vote patterns. Everyone has a buddy and a nemesis, it turns out. Also: fare capping, land transfer tax hikes, parking concerns and more. toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/introducin...
Introducing the City Council Buddy System
City Hall Watcher #361: The Council Scorecard gets updated with a look at the various factions at City Hall, plus fare capping, a luxury land transfer tax hike, free parking passes, and more!
toronto.cityhallwatcher.com
December 8, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Check your inbox: it’s City Hall Watcher #361!
An update to the Council Scorecard brings a fun new feature comparing vote patterns. Everyone has a buddy and a nemesis, it turns out. Also: fare capping, land transfer tax hikes, parking concerns and more. toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/introducin...
An update to the Council Scorecard brings a fun new feature comparing vote patterns. Everyone has a buddy and a nemesis, it turns out. Also: fare capping, land transfer tax hikes, parking concerns and more. toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/introducin...
Mayor Olivia Chow is introducing fare capping for TTC riders in her upcoming budget. Instead of having to decide whether it makes sense to buy a monthly pass in advance, rides will automatically be free after 47 trips starting next Sept.
December 8, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Mayor Olivia Chow is introducing fare capping for TTC riders in her upcoming budget. Instead of having to decide whether it makes sense to buy a monthly pass in advance, rides will automatically be free after 47 trips starting next Sept.
My @thestar.com column this week: All signs point to Mayor Olivia Chow unveiling an election-year budget in a few weeks. It may play well on the campaign trail, but it could also come with some downsides — and some risks. www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
Matt Elliott: What an Olivia Chow re-election bid might mean for TTC riders and public library users
For the final budget of her term, the mayor is focused on a lower property tax increase, which means her proposed budget
www.thestar.com
December 2, 2025 at 4:30 PM
My @thestar.com column this week: All signs point to Mayor Olivia Chow unveiling an election-year budget in a few weeks. It may play well on the campaign trail, but it could also come with some downsides — and some risks. www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
Mayor Olivia Chow is proposing a hike to the land transfer tax for super-high-priced homes, starting with houses sold for more than $3 million.
She says a similar hike in 2024 affected just 2% of homebuyers but generated $138 million in new revenue. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
She says a similar hike in 2024 affected just 2% of homebuyers but generated $138 million in new revenue. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
December 2, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Mayor Olivia Chow is proposing a hike to the land transfer tax for super-high-priced homes, starting with houses sold for more than $3 million.
She says a similar hike in 2024 affected just 2% of homebuyers but generated $138 million in new revenue. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
She says a similar hike in 2024 affected just 2% of homebuyers but generated $138 million in new revenue. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Check your inbox: it’s City Hall Watcher #360!
December is here, and so is LOBBYIST WATCH. This month’s edition features the lobbying debut of Waymo, plus notes on a banned construction company, falling glass, and next-gen litter bins.
toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/waymo-look...
December is here, and so is LOBBYIST WATCH. This month’s edition features the lobbying debut of Waymo, plus notes on a banned construction company, falling glass, and next-gen litter bins.
toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/waymo-look...
Waymo looks at TO, and more stories from a month of lobbying
City Hall Watcher #360: LOBBYIST WATCH for November 2025 featuring notes on self-driving taxis, wifi garbage bins, falling glass and a Capital offence.
toronto.cityhallwatcher.com
December 1, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Check your inbox: it’s City Hall Watcher #360!
December is here, and so is LOBBYIST WATCH. This month’s edition features the lobbying debut of Waymo, plus notes on a banned construction company, falling glass, and next-gen litter bins.
toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/waymo-look...
December is here, and so is LOBBYIST WATCH. This month’s edition features the lobbying debut of Waymo, plus notes on a banned construction company, falling glass, and next-gen litter bins.
toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/waymo-look...
Reposted by Matt Elliott
It’s an annual tradition over in @spacingradio.bsky.social: we’re talking transit! @graphicmatt.com and Tricia Wood join me to talk about the TTC, backlogs and logjams, the federal budget, and, of course, the Eglinton Crosstown. Check it out: spacing.ca/toronto/2025...
PODCAST: Episode 91, Talking Transit 2025 - Spacing Toronto
This year has been one of major change. But what doesn’t change here is talking about transit. It’s the return of Tricia Wood (York University urban geography professor and Spacing contributor) and Ma...
spacing.ca
December 1, 2025 at 2:06 PM
It’s an annual tradition over in @spacingradio.bsky.social: we’re talking transit! @graphicmatt.com and Tricia Wood join me to talk about the TTC, backlogs and logjams, the federal budget, and, of course, the Eglinton Crosstown. Check it out: spacing.ca/toronto/2025...
With a jam-packed calendar next week, I’ve got a special FREE edition of City Hall Watcher, looking at debates on density along avenues, parking signage, bike lanes, tourism, and whether we should be allowed to swear in parks.
Share it with your pals.
toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/supersized...
Share it with your pals.
toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/supersized...
Supersized speed signs, park profanity, and bringing on more bike lanes
The week at Toronto City Hall for December 1 to 5, featuring some evolving avenues, scaled-down environmental plans, and a new water shuttle.
toronto.cityhallwatcher.com
November 28, 2025 at 4:48 PM
With a jam-packed calendar next week, I’ve got a special FREE edition of City Hall Watcher, looking at debates on density along avenues, parking signage, bike lanes, tourism, and whether we should be allowed to swear in parks.
Share it with your pals.
toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/supersized...
Share it with your pals.
toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/supersized...
My @thestar.com column this week: Toronto’s city manager says city services are improving in a lot of areas, but the data says city hall is still struggling with one really important metric — the dead raccoon test. www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
Matt Elliott: What is the ‘dead raccoon test’? And is Toronto passing or failing it?
City hall can rightfully point to quite a few recent success stories, but this is not one of them.
www.thestar.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:50 PM
My @thestar.com column this week: Toronto’s city manager says city services are improving in a lot of areas, but the data says city hall is still struggling with one really important metric — the dead raccoon test. www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
Good news, balloonists. The City of Toronto is proposing an amendment to the parks bylaw that’ll remove specific restrictions on flying hot air balloons in parks. The city says the balloons are "outdated technology” but that sounds like a challenge to me. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
November 25, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Good news, balloonists. The City of Toronto is proposing an amendment to the parks bylaw that’ll remove specific restrictions on flying hot air balloons in parks. The city says the balloons are "outdated technology” but that sounds like a challenge to me. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Check your inbox: it's City Hall Watcher #359!
A look at how each ward is doing on housing starts — and whether councillors and MPPs in Toronto are on track to hit the provincial housing target by 2031. Also: a classic Ford fact-check.
toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/handing-ou...
A look at how each ward is doing on housing starts — and whether councillors and MPPs in Toronto are on track to hit the provincial housing target by 2031. Also: a classic Ford fact-check.
toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/handing-ou...
Handing out some housing report cards
City Hall Watcher #359: Some charts of which wards are contributed to Toronto's housing starts. Plus a provincial perspective and a Ford fact check
toronto.cityhallwatcher.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Check your inbox: it's City Hall Watcher #359!
A look at how each ward is doing on housing starts — and whether councillors and MPPs in Toronto are on track to hit the provincial housing target by 2031. Also: a classic Ford fact-check.
toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/handing-ou...
A look at how each ward is doing on housing starts — and whether councillors and MPPs in Toronto are on track to hit the provincial housing target by 2031. Also: a classic Ford fact-check.
toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/handing-ou...
My @thestar.com column this week: A third-party review says Toronto’s streetcars are among the slowest in the world. But they don’t have to be.
Maintenace improvements, operational changes and a little political will could really speed things up.
www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
Maintenace improvements, operational changes and a little political will could really speed things up.
www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
Matt Elliott: Toronto’s streetcars are some of the slowest in the world. Here’s how the city could speed them up
The TTC likes to blame the sluggish pace of streetcars on things beyond its control, but the data tells a different story.
www.thestar.com
November 18, 2025 at 7:23 PM
My @thestar.com column this week: A third-party review says Toronto’s streetcars are among the slowest in the world. But they don’t have to be.
Maintenace improvements, operational changes and a little political will could really speed things up.
www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
Maintenace improvements, operational changes and a little political will could really speed things up.
www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
Check your inbox: it’s City Hall Watcher #358!
Your complete recap of last week’s Council meeting! I list the compromises made on corner stores, and try to solve the mystery of why Chow dissolved the parking board. Plus: quotable quotes!
toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/council-co...
Your complete recap of last week’s Council meeting! I list the compromises made on corner stores, and try to solve the mystery of why Chow dissolved the parking board. Plus: quotable quotes!
toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/council-co...
Council comes to compromise on corner stores and — surprise! — disbands the TPA Board
City Hall Watcher #358: Your complete Toronto Council recap for November 2025, featuring votes on neighbourhood retail, the Toronto Parking Authority Board, snow, and more.
toronto.cityhallwatcher.com
November 18, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Check your inbox: it’s City Hall Watcher #358!
Your complete recap of last week’s Council meeting! I list the compromises made on corner stores, and try to solve the mystery of why Chow dissolved the parking board. Plus: quotable quotes!
toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/council-co...
Your complete recap of last week’s Council meeting! I list the compromises made on corner stores, and try to solve the mystery of why Chow dissolved the parking board. Plus: quotable quotes!
toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/council-co...