City Sends A Clear Message To Business

The message is; "We are a bunch of petty politicians, led by a left wing mayor, and we don't want new business so we will make it as difficult as possible for you to do business in the city." Btw, Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood Association should be renamed Waterfront Condo Owners For Comrade Miller.

Port Authority hails idling cabs

By JENNY YUEN

The Toronto Port Authority and Porter Airlines want the city to give them the finger.

The TPA and Porter are once again taking the city to court, this time to remove curbstones blocking taxis from queuing up in what's called the finger lot, a parking area west of the foot of Bathurst.

The Port Authority is also trying to get the courts to overturn a bylaw passed in June that prohibits stopping on Eireann Quay (formerly Bathurst south of Queens Quay). The bylaw is meant to keep the road to the ferry terminal clear for firefighters in case of an evacuation emergency at the Island Airport.

But the TPA says the bylaw prevents cabs from picking up passengers from the ferry terminal. The removal of the curbstones would make space for 15 vehicles. Says TPA president and CEO Lisa Raitt , "We have a legal obligation to keep the Toronto City Centre Airport viable."

City council is fighting the court order, and voted in May to build a sidewalk on the west side of Eireann Quay.

"We recognized the interest of having a safer pedestrian environment on Bathurst Quay," says Councillor Janet Davis , chair of Toronto-East York Community Council.

The Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood Association , meanwhile, worries about idling taxi cabs adding to the pollution already emitted by airplane traffic.

"On a cold or hot day, these guys aren't about to shut off their engines just because we've got concerns about air quality, " says spokesperson Ian Goodwin .