Brian Crombie Radio Hour - Epi 1688 - Beyond Good Enough: Rethinking Toronto’s Future and the Pursuit of Excellence

Title:Beyond Good Enough: Rethinking Toronto’s Future and the Pursuit of ExcellenceDescription:On The Brian Crombie Hour, Brian Crombie explores a question that extends far beyond Toronto: Have we become too comfortable accepting mediocrity?Brian is joined by Karen Stintz, former Toronto City Councillor, former Chair of the TTC, and author of Beyond Good Enough: Toronto and the Crisis of Urban Complacency, for a thoughtful conversation about housing, transit, governance, and why Canada's largest city needs to think bigger.🏙️ Part 1 — Beyond Good Enough Karen argues that Toronto's challenges didn't appear overnight—they developed gradually through years of complacency and incremental decline.Together, Brian and Karen discuss:Why housing has become increasingly unaffordable.How homes shifted from places to live into investment assets.Why transit projects have become slower, more expensive, and more politicized.Whether Toronto's current system of municipal government is equipped to solve city-wide challenges.How as-of-right zoning, improved transit delivery, and governance reform could help build a more affordable, competitive, and livable city.While focused on Toronto, the discussion raises broader questions facing cities across Canada.🎙️ Closing Commentary — When Did "Good Enough" Become Good Enough?Inspired by Karen's book title, Brian reflects on how complacency can quietly shape institutions, communities, and even our personal lives.He explores why excellence isn't about perfection, but about maintaining high standards, embracing continuous improvement, and refusing to accept avoidable decline.Whether rebuilding a city, strengthening public institutions, or pursuing personal growth, Brian argues that meaningful progress begins when we decide that "good enough" is no longer enough.🎙️ The Brian Crombie Hour features thoughtful conversations on leadership, public policy, urban planning, and the ideas shaping Canada's future.