Brian Crombie Radio Hour - Epi 1672 - Is Toronto Losing Its Way? Safety, Affordability, and the Future of Canada’s Largest City

On The Brian Crombie Hour, Brian examines one of the biggest questions facing Canada’s largest city: is Toronto still the thriving, opportunity-driven metropolis it once was—or is it heading in the wrong direction?Brian is joined by Mary Throop, wealth management executive, civic policy advocate, and a vocal critic of Toronto’s current trajectory, for a candid conversation about safety, infrastructure, housing, governance, and the future of the city.In Part 1, Brian and Mary discuss growing concerns around quality of life in Toronto, including public safety, disorder, homelessness, open drug use, transit concerns, car theft, and whether city leadership is adequately focused on core services that residents rely on every day.The conversation then turns to transit, infrastructure, and civic frustration. Mary raises questions about TTC safety, declining ridership, infrastructure maintenance, bike lane planning, government spending priorities, and whether practical problem-solving has been replaced by symbolic politics.In the discussion on housing and economic competitiveness, Brian and Mary explore the challenges facing young professionals, families, businesses, and investors. They examine the impact of lengthy approval processes, zoning restrictions, taxes, regulatory barriers, affordability pressures, and Toronto’s ability to compete with other growing global cities.The conversation expands beyond Toronto to a larger question facing Canada: can our cities continue to be engines of opportunity, innovation, and prosperity, or are rising costs, slow decision-making, and declining confidence putting that future at risk?Mary argues that great cities rarely decline overnight—they decline gradually when leaders stop addressing difficult problems.The episode concludes with a reminder that the future of cities is shaped not only by elected officials, but by engaged citizens who stay informed, participate, and vote.A timely and provocative discussion about Toronto’s challenges, opportunities, and the choices that will shape its future.