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Staff say Metrolinx is in the middle of an RFP for Rail Safety & Operations System for the Yonge North subway extension. "They will not be able to provide any further schedule updates until that RFP is completed and then they have a schedule from the contractor."

With 26 items left on the agenda, Mayor Chow moves to extend the meeting tonight to finish. Nunziata insists on a recorded vote. "Everybody that votes yes, do NOT leave. If you leave, the penalty is you don't get paid." Motion to extend CARRIES 19-2.

On the Yonge North item, Councillor Lily Cheng moves for an updated traffic study on the impacts of construction.

Councillor Josh Matlow rises to rightly defend the reputation of the venerable Toronto Star. "The Star's reporting was 100% completely accurate, and it was based on a TTC report." Matlow notes "the TTC has a history of being far more transparent than Metrolinx."

Pasternak jumps in to defend the province's record. "At least transit is being built," he says. "Look, if anyone's renovated a kitchen or a bathroom in their house, tell me how many times it comes in on budget and on time. Multiply that out by a subway line and you can see what you're dealing with."

Cheng's motion for an updated traffic study looking at impacts from the Yonge North subway extension CARRIES via show of hands.

Up now: a proposal for an 11-storey project on Ellesmere Road in Councillor Neethan Shan's ward. Planners supported the project, but Shan successfully moved to refuse it at Scarborough Community Council. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...

Councillor Gord Perks, the Planning & Housing chair, moves to APPROVE the Ellesmere Road development as per the original planning staff recommendation. He says he hates this process, but says the provincial government has "stacked the deck" with their changes to planning law.

Councillor Neethan Shan says the community was clear in its opposition to this project. "This is just going to add a lot of strain in that particular area," noting it's a part of Scarborough with a big student population. (He says there's "no real need" for more student housing.)

After Councillor Holyday takes a quick shot at the avenues policy for enabling this kind of development proposal (he's not a fan!), Council breaks for 30 minutes to grab dinner. Back at 6:30 with 25 items left on the agenda. Say a little prayer for me.

Council has returned. Nunziata jokes that she'll be "submitting to human resources" the names of councillors who voted to extend the meeting but aren't in attendance. This is gonna get silly. The evening stream is here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_Cx...

Dealing with some quick items, Council votes 19-5 to APPROVE a development at 1233 Yonge Street in Councillor Dianne Saxe's ward. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...

Malik's motion about improving access to Toronto Island via ferry fare discounts is deferred to next month after a show of hands vote.

Up now: should the city ask the province for permission to put the island airport expansion on the ballot as a referendum question this fall? secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...

I kind of like the general idea of having a city referendum. It's been a while. Let us weigh in on something specific. It'll be fun.

The Clerk explains that typically, council must pass a bylaw before March 1 in an election year to get a referendum question on the ballot, so the city has missed the usual deadline for this kind of thing.

"This is our generation's Spadina Expressway in my view," says Councillor Dianne Saxe about the island airport expansion. "Doug Ford is taking away our rights. He's taking away our land. He's ignoring the decision of this council."

Councillor Fletcher says the question is bigger than jets or no jets, but rather about what kind of waterfront Toronto should have. "Councillors Matlow and Saxe, it would have been very wise to talk to us who are on the waterfront. Because last time I looked, you aren't a waterfront ward."

Councillor Holyday moves to add another ballot question: do you want Toronto to de-amalgamate? That prompts some cheers and jokes. "Do you want to be mayor of Etobicoke?" "Yes! Mayor Holyday! Mayor Holyday!"

Nunziata rules Holyday's de-amalgamation motion out of order. He challenges that ruling. The chair is UPHELD, 19-5. "Well, that's a shame," says Holyday. "Maybe I'll bring the motion back another time."

Councillor Brad Bradford supports the idea of a referendum on the island airport expansion. "Torontonians need to be at the table. And they deserve a public and transparent process on issues of this magnitude. If you're not at the table, then you're on the menu."

Bradford says Toronto needs "strong leadership fighting for the city." He says that kind of leadership has been lacking in recent years, suggesting Chow has been making "backroom deals." "The island airport debacle is the latest example of that." This is an interesting political pivot.

Councillor Carroll warns against referenda generally, citing examples from history of "big mistakes and horrible outcomes." "If I want to go all the way back — and I'm not trying to be sensationalistic — then in 1934, the German referendum..."