Debating Sidewalk Labs’ plans for T.O.

Re No. We must give the process a chance, Feb. 26 Re Yes.

It’s a power grab cloaked in fear, Feb. 26 I just read the pro and anti pieces on the Sidewalk Labs-Quayside development. I wasn’t impressed by either Jan de Silva or Bianca Wylie. It was a very unsatisfying experience for one seeking greater clarity.

Both pieces were polemics and I, a concerned Torontonian, was left none the wiser. I know these are op-eds, but articles with more specific content and less rhetoric are more helpful. Peter Crosby, Toronto I appreciate the catalyst for discussion that the Star’s Big Debate opinion page presents.

I gained a clearer understanding of what’s at stake and whose agendas are being served by the Sidewalk Labs proposals for Toronto’s Port Lands. It also prompted me to reconsider our future and the deliberate steps we will take to get there. After some research and reflection, I believe that the mission of the Toronto Region Board Of Trade, while good for corporate bottom lines (and potential tax revenue), is not as consistent with the priorities of Torontonians as it is with those of businesses that set up shop here.

If we wish Toronto to remain a democratic city that we can call home, with residents in control of development via locally elected government, it is imperative that we heed Bianca Wylie’s message. E. Spanier, Etobicoke The Toronto Board of Trade is not a protector of Toronto’s interests.

It is a representative for business interests. It opposes a living wage and fights any citizen-led initiatives with only business interests in mind. It is not a public agent, it is a corporate one, and when it speaks, it’s only in self interest. Richard Kadziewicz, Scarborough