Iain Campbell

Iain Campbell

@iainmc.ca

web person, photographer, urbanist https://iainmc.ca

158 followers241 following225 posts

Iain Campbell reposted

Ok, slightly conspiracy-ish but their whole bleating about AI's "existential risks" is a misdirect to get AI regulations to focus on idk ending humanity or whatever and not copyright and human responsibility for chatbots telling people to kill themselves etc.

Brian Merchant@bcmerchant.bsky.social

Anthropic is trying to write its own federal AI regulation law. The major AI firms have all issued feeble proposals for how their AI will serve the public, in anticipation of their pending IPOs. It's all a reminder that we cannot, any under circumstances, let AI firms govern the future.

Iain Campbell reposted

From Lula’s victory speech. Hard to argue. 🇧🇷 “We had to overcome foreign interference through digital platforms, which we will have to regulate. We cannot have monstrously large corporations earning millions and billions, paying no taxes to this country and trying to steer our election results.”

Ontario waiting for the provincial Liberals to show some sign of life…

Aaron Wherry@aaronwherry.bsky.social

Fifteen years ago, the Liberal party of Canada was dead. It's now coming up on 11 years in government and polling at 48%. And that, kids, is why you should avoid making predictions about politics.

Iain Campbell reposted

If you require a consensus from existing residents of a neighbourhood to build new housing for other people, you’re not going to build a lot of new housing for other people.

Matt Elliott@graphicmatt.com

Next Q: "How do you balance adding density with the concerns of residents who don't want a 30-storey tower butted up against their house?" Chow says it's important to work to get a "consensus" in the neighbourhood. She says she won't use strong mayor power to "override this local democracy."

Iain Campbell reposted

The Ford government knew there was a scam going on with OSAP at a handful of career colleges. Instead of stopping it, they cut funds to all students. Now they've frozen OSAP for private career colleges that had nothing to do with the fraud. The knew it. They chose not to act.

Iain Campbell reposted

Replying to @slucy.bsky.social

If a car is blocking the bike lane you can call and call and call and they will not send any police. If there are safety advocates blocking the bike lane with a protest, riot police will be there immediately.

Iain Campbell reposted

Last night people on bikes stood up against the destruction of safe infrastructure. Tonight, we will return to bear witness and protest decisions that put the public at risk. They will try to take out the last intact lane markings tonight 1/2

Iain Campbell reposted

Iain Campbell reposted

In Toronto, more people are killed and injured by vehicles than from violent crimes. Anyone who claims to be a champion of safety, but who isn't advocating for safer roads, is just fear mongering or dog whistling.

Iain Campbell reposted

Please donate to our Bike Lane Protest Fund: gofund.me/4b115029b 4 have been arrested & require criminal lawyers, daily protests need snacks & hot coffee etc. Be among the first 50 to donate & get a free hi vis vest (email info@thebikinglawyer.ca with proof of donation - no min amount) 1/2

Iain Campbell reposted

The hundreds of Toronto Police that have been deployed to ensure #bikelane removal goes ahead in the face of strong opposition provides a clear indication of who gets served and protected in this society.

Iain Campbell reposted

The people of Ontario gave you no such mandate. You got votes from 13% of the population, 300k total votes in Toronto What you're doing will make congestion worse. So, what exactly are you doing? Why do you need more of our money to do it if you're such a good businessman? #Bill212

Mark Shaw 🇨🇦✌️🇪🇺@markshawtoronto.bsky.social

😔 The transportation minister assures me I’m next though

Iain Campbell reposted

We can't get money for healthcare, but we can get a bottomless budget to remove accessible infra that people in this area voted for. When a privileged minority over-ride the needs of the majority and get police protection to do it - you have to question who the police are here to protect #Bill212

Iain Campbell reposted

I decided to write this summary of council's housing actions from this term in a long form. A lot of stuff happened! Did it amount to anything? Check back later. theunofficialplan.substack.com/p/looking-back

theunofficialplan.substack.comLooking BackToronto Housing Recap 2022-2026
Damien Moule@damienmoule.bsky.social

This week is the last (real) city council meeting of the term. Here is a🧵reflecting on the policy and program changes Toronto did (and didn't do) to get new housing built this term. 1/

Iain Campbell reposted

Aly Van Wyck-Smart: ‘Her meteoric rise to fame came quickly when she won a Silver medal at the 2019 Para World Swimming Championships in the S2-100m backstroke & a bronze 50m. With those results she quickly moved the target from Paris 2024 to Tokyo 2020.’ #BikelanesSaveLives youtu.be/8fKi6S8ogto?...

youtu.beAly Van Wyck-Smart | Para SwimmerYouTube video by CBC Sports
Ashley@ashleyquan.bsky.social

The Toronto Police arrested Aly Van Wyck-Smart, a Paralympian with cerebral palsy who was protecting part of the bike lane from removal. On the bright side, the construction workers put the bollards back and said we'd won for the day.

Iain Campbell reposted

Verdi Alliance and ATS Traffic are actively dismantling the Bloor Street West protected bike lanes in Etobicoke contrary to the will of Toronto City Council. Neither of these companies is based in Toronto. Tell them to keep their workers home: cycleto.ca/stay_home

Iain Campbell reposted

Crime is so bad in Toronto, dozens of cops are available to stand and watch construction.

Alex Bozikovic@alexbozikovic.bsky.social

Toronto bike lane removal. When your infrastructure project has huge police protection and the contractors hide the logos on their trucks and gear, you are in the wrong.

Iain Campbell reposted

Replying to @alexbozikovic.bsky.social

Toronto has 5500 linear km of roadways. Protected bike lanes now occupy about 1/4 of the space on 110 km of them. That is 0.5% of the city's road space. If cyclists are 0.5% of all traffic citywide, they're getting their fair share. In fact they are much more numerous.

Iain Campbell reposted

Replying to @kayehm.bsky.social

So we have here an unidentified gang of men doing this work, against the wishes of the local residents who voted for it, all under the protection of the police? This sounds eerily similar to some other pretty f'd up governments in other countries

Iain Campbell reposted

Hostile govt. If the chuckleheads who support this removal action ever faced this kind of hostility from govt while just trying to get around they’d loose their fucking minds.

Iain Campbell reposted

The MTO intends to violate their construction permit and begin work during the day to remove bike lanes. If you can, head down to the area but if not await urgent call outs for more info on when the removals are starting so we can have all out for that.

Iain Campbell reposted

The highest office in the land of Ontario & he’s still doing the same thing he did w his brother in 2012 on Jarvis. It’s an incredibly small & determined legacy.

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Iain Campbell reposted

"Ripping out these protected bike lanes against the will of Toronto city council is a colossal waste of $48 million. The province’s own experts know it will not ease traffic congestion, it will put people’s lives at risk, and there is no network of side streets that could replace these lanes."

cbc.caOntario will officially begin removing Toronto bike lanes on Tuesday | CBC NewsOntario will begin removing bike lanes from a stretch on Bloor Street W. in Etobicoke on Tuesday, the Ministry of Transportation says.

Iain Campbell reposted

540,000 people lost! It's strange to go to public consultations for housing in some of these places and hear people say that they're not anti-growth, just worried about infrastructure. By the numbers, these areas have been anti-growing for decades.

Alex Bozikovic@alexbozikovic.bsky.social

People are living longer, taking up more space, and having fewer children. Three-quarters of old Toronto declined in population 1971-2021; those areas lost *540,000* people.

Iain Campbell reposted

The Ford government had been warned for years that a few private career colleges were ripping off the system. Instead of cracking down, the Ford government used it as an opportunity to cry poor and cut OSAP for all students (Video: CTV) www.ctvnews.ca/windsor/arti... #onpoli

Iain Campbell reposted

It’s been two years since Ontario Place West Island was destroyed for a planned private spa. Hundreds of trees were cut down - here’s a snapshot of the many species who lost habitat. 🧵

Iain Campbell reposted

Replying to @mikeschreiner.bsky.social

Put another way, Ford wants to spend more on removing bike lanes in Toronto ($48M) than he's spent protecting all of Ontario's businesses from an international trade war. Ontario deserves serious leadership, that follows through on promises, and actually puts people before profits.

Iain Campbell reposted

Crews are currently replacing streetcar tracks on King West that have reached their end of life. During this work, we *should* be installing newer double-point switch designs and modern control systems.

Iain Campbell reposted

So much respect for this, and the framing. ABC, the right wing version of Progress Toronto, has used health care workers/hospitals as reason to rip them out. This puts a lie to that (and on University ambulances can bypass cars in the wide bikelanes if needed). So many lies.

The Biking Lawyer LLP@thebikinglawyer.bsky.social

"We get lots of patients who unfortunately have been struck by cars or had a crash because of unsafe road infrastructure, because of potholes, damage, or obstructed bike lanes" @edwardxie.bsky.social #DoctorsforSafeCycling www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Iain Campbell reposted

"What is certain, however, is that a vast sum of our money will be wasted, countless Torontonians will find themselves profoundly inconvenienced for extended periods, and, eventually, a cyclist will get struck by a car. But at least the congestion will be worse."

Spacing@spacing.bsky.social

EXCLUSIVE: Inside the contract to rip out Toronto’s bike lanes Spacing has obtained the RFP for the Ford government's bike lane removal, and it looks even worse than thought. spacing.ca/toronto/2026... #toronto #bikes #torontobike @cycletoronto.bsky.social

Iain Campbell reposted

They're tearing down four existing apartment buildings on my street, the largest of which is 12 storeys, because the OP puts growth here. But this couple downtown might not be able to live next to a bungalow in Canada's largest city forever. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

cbc.caToronto needs more homes. These neighbours say they're paying the price | CBC NewsAn elderly downtown couple says they’re shocked and upset that the city has approved a duplex next door to their three-story Victorian home that they say will tower metres above their chimney and rend...

Iain Campbell reposted

Only around 40% of rush hour traffic at Bloor and Shaw in Toronto is made up of cars. Before the bike lanes on Bloor, over 80% of traffic was cars. Now more commuters pass through the intersection, although raw number of cars has decreased. If you build it, they will come.

Iain Campbell reposted

wood fireplaces in the city should be banned. huge externality, brutal for air quality

John Michael McGrath@jm-mcgrath.bsky.social

Subhed: "Couple says city erred when it approved..." Okay they can say that but *did* the city err? Or is this just what novel city policy looks like in application? (Answer: the city did not err.) www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...