Matt Elliott https://graphicmatt.com/ An archive of writing about Toronto City Hall en-CA Robotaxi and data centre lobbying set the stage for Council’s next term https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/robotaxi-and-data-centre-lobbying https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/robotaxi-and-data-centre-lobbying Mon, 02 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT City Hall Watcher Drubbing? Comeback? Call Olivia Chow’s victory whatever you like. These numbers show it's unprecedented https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/drubbing-comeback-call-olivia-chow-s-victory-whatever-you-like-these-numbers-show-it-s-unprecedented/article_0fa1880d-d201-4966-ae80-9819d530ee71.html https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/drubbing-comeback-call-olivia-chow-s-victory-whatever-you-like-these-numbers-show-it-s-unprecedented/article_0fa1880d-d201-4966-ae80-9819d530ee71.html Wed, 28 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Toronto Star Another election, in charts https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/another-election-in-charts https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/another-election-in-charts Tue, 27 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT City Hall Watcher Olivia Chow wins — but with serious warning signs for Toronto's progressive movement https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/olivia-chow-wins-but-with-serious-warning-signs-for-toronto-s-progressive-movement/article_09a73350-8b14-4b73-b9e4-a8c3c23e368e.html https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/olivia-chow-wins-but-with-serious-warning-signs-for-toronto-s-progressive-movement/article_09a73350-8b14-4b73-b9e4-a8c3c23e368e.html Tue, 27 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Toronto Star Hey hey, it’s Election Day: City Hall Watcher’s municipal election guide https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/hey-hey-its-election-day-city-hall https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/hey-hey-its-election-day-city-hall Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT City Hall Watcher Your vote today will affect Toronto streets, parks — and yes, even washrooms. So don't let it go down the drain https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/your-vote-today-will-affect-toronto-streets-parks-and-yes-even-washrooms-so-don-t-let-it-go-down-the-drain/article_9d9939ec-07f7-44d5-99ce-113f4606631c.html https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/your-vote-today-will-affect-toronto-streets-parks-and-yes-even-washrooms-so-don-t-let-it-go-down-the-drain/article_9d9939ec-07f7-44d5-99ce-113f4606631c.html Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Toronto Star Three little words explain Olivia Chow’s lack of grand vision — and one big idea could change it all https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/three-little-words-explain-olivia-chow-s-lack-of-grand-vision-and-one-big-idea-could-change-it-all/article_b5db96bb-25b9-4546-b607-417bd310ce87.html https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/three-little-words-explain-olivia-chow-s-lack-of-grand-vision-and-one-big-idea-could-change-it-all/article_b5db96bb-25b9-4546-b607-417bd310ce87.html Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Toronto Star The most disagreeable decisions of Toronto City Council https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/the-most-disagreeable-decisions-of https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/the-most-disagreeable-decisions-of Mon, 19 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT City Hall Watcher Campaign cash rules everything around me https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/campaign-cash-rules-everything-around https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/campaign-cash-rules-everything-around Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT City Hall Watcher Olivia Chow has a strong pro-police record — why isn’t she running on it? https://www.thestar.com/opinion/olivia-chow-has-a-strong-pro-police-record-why-isn-t-she-running-on-it/article_e379a6bf-e9b4-47f6-a8e7-427656dab777.html https://www.thestar.com/opinion/olivia-chow-has-a-strong-pro-police-record-why-isn-t-she-running-on-it/article_e379a6bf-e9b4-47f6-a8e7-427656dab777.html Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Toronto Star Olivia Chow's campaign is playing it safe. Why now is the time to be bold https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/olivia-chow-s-campaign-is-playing-it-safe-why-now-is-the-time-to-be-bold/article_1ab97da7-ce54-4e06-82c8-30005a50cafd.html https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/olivia-chow-s-campaign-is-playing-it-safe-why-now-is-the-time-to-be-bold/article_1ab97da7-ce54-4e06-82c8-30005a50cafd.html Tue, 06 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Toronto Star Where Toronto’s mayoral race stands today — and how it might change https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/where-torontos-mayoral-race-stands https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/where-torontos-mayoral-race-stands Mon, 05 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT City Hall Watcher There’s no mystery behind Mayor Olivia Chow’s budget record — there’s just math https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/there-s-no-mystery-behind-mayor-olivia-chow-s-budget-record-there-s-just-math/article_31433727-cd5c-4510-9356-fc384b9e11d5.html https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/there-s-no-mystery-behind-mayor-olivia-chow-s-budget-record-there-s-just-math/article_31433727-cd5c-4510-9356-fc384b9e11d5.html Tue, 29 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT Toronto Star All the wrong ways to talk about Toronto’s budget https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/all-the-wrong-ways-to-talk-about https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/all-the-wrong-ways-to-talk-about Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT City Hall Watcher Doug Ford can keep his endorsement. Toronto’s mayoral hopefuls really only need one thing from him https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/doug-ford-can-keep-his-endorsement-toronto-s-mayoral-hopefuls-really-only-need-one-thing-from-him/article_1a0addba-5c2f-4600-8fe8-6c9c952350b5.html https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/doug-ford-can-keep-his-endorsement-toronto-s-mayoral-hopefuls-really-only-need-one-thing-from-him/article_1a0addba-5c2f-4600-8fe8-6c9c952350b5.html Tue, 22 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT Toronto Star Quantifying Council’s chatterboxes — and quietest members https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/quantifying-councils-chatterboxes https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/quantifying-councils-chatterboxes Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT City Hall Watcher Who came out swinging? Our columnists score Chow, Bradford and Alexander in Toronto's first full mayoral debate https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/our-four-columnists-watched-monday-s-mayoral-debate-here-s-how-they-scored-chow-bradford-and-alexander/article_c6ef0858-dbf7-4b29-b286-534d205cc6a1.html https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/our-four-columnists-watched-monday-s-mayoral-debate-here-s-how-they-scored-chow-bradford-and-alexander/article_c6ef0858-dbf7-4b29-b286-534d205cc6a1.html Tue, 15 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT Toronto Star Why are Olivia Chow and Brad Bradford ignoring what Toronto TTC riders actually want? https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/why-are-olivia-chow-and-brad-bradford-ignoring-what-toronto-ttc-riders-actually-want/article_97748b8a-5e8f-418d-866c-0790fcadfb08.html https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/why-are-olivia-chow-and-brad-bradford-ignoring-what-toronto-ttc-riders-actually-want/article_97748b8a-5e8f-418d-866c-0790fcadfb08.html Tue, 15 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT Toronto Star Issuing lobbying report cards at the end of the term https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/issuing-lobbying-report-cards-ahead https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/issuing-lobbying-report-cards-ahead Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT City Hall Watcher Celebrate 400 issues with a game of SimCouncillor https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/celebrate-400-issues-with-a-game https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/celebrate-400-issues-with-a-game Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT City Hall Watcher Toronto’s street litter bins are total garbage. That makes them an ideal election issue https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/torontos-street-litter-bins-are-total-garbage-that-makes-them-an-ideal-election-issue/article_bfd93bc6-9437-40ce-b7fb-191fae9c6912.html https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/torontos-street-litter-bins-are-total-garbage-that-makes-them-an-ideal-election-issue/article_bfd93bc6-9437-40ce-b7fb-191fae9c6912.html Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT Toronto Star Following the money from the mayor’s property tax increases https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/following-the-money-from-the-mayors https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/following-the-money-from-the-mayors Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT City Hall Watcher Why Olivia Chow is building a council team for her second term — and why Brad Bradford is rolling solo https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/why-olivia-chow-is-building-a-council-team-for-her-second-term--and-why-brad-bradford-is-rolling-solo/article_0c6136ea-6f1b-4192-86b4-5709804435c6.html https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/why-olivia-chow-is-building-a-council-team-for-her-second-term--and-why-brad-bradford-is-rolling-solo/article_0c6136ea-6f1b-4192-86b4-5709804435c6.html Tue, 25 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Toronto Star Introducing City Hall Watcher’s Election Projection Section https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/introducing-city-hall-watchers-election https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/introducing-city-hall-watchers-election Mon, 24 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT City Hall Watcher Doug Ford used to rage against government waste. Now he’s behind Ontario’s biggest spending scandal https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/doug-ford-used-to-rage-against-government-waste-now-hes-behind-ontarios-biggest-spending-scandal/article_870c31d8-7210-4fc3-b80e-944404ad0a08.html https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/doug-ford-used-to-rage-against-government-waste-now-hes-behind-ontarios-biggest-spending-scandal/article_870c31d8-7210-4fc3-b80e-944404ad0a08.html Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Toronto Star The 2026 Council Power Rankings https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/the-2026-council-power-rankings https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/the-2026-council-power-rankings Mon, 17 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT City Hall Watcher Pedestrians outnumber cars 2 to 1 at Yonge and Eglinton. This is the perfect solution — but why are we still waiting for it? https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/pedestrians-outnumber-cars-2-to-1-at-yonge-and-eglinton-this-is-the-perfect-solution--but-why-are-we-still-waiting-for-it/article_ee523c69-c63b-458f-a2a8-ef6531f60dbf.html https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/pedestrians-outnumber-cars-2-to-1-at-yonge-and-eglinton-this-is-the-perfect-solution--but-why-are-we-still-waiting-for-it/article_ee523c69-c63b-458f-a2a8-ef6531f60dbf.html Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Toronto Star Now loading: Data centre lobbying at Toronto City Hall https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/now-loading-data-centre-lobbying https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/now-loading-data-centre-lobbying Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT City Hall Watcher Council closes term with debates on island airport, surveillance pricing and data centres https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/council-closes-term-with-debates https://toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/council-closes-term-with-debates Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT City Hall Watcher Gord Perks left Toronto council with a bang. Why won’t his long-serving colleagues ever leave? https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/gord-perks-left-toronto-council-with-a-bang-why-wont-his-long-serving-colleagues-ever-leave/article_096d9550-7799-450a-a432-5c311cc28d32.html https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/gord-perks-left-toronto-council-with-a-bang-why-wont-his-long-serving-colleagues-ever-leave/article_096d9550-7799-450a-a432-5c311cc28d32.html Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Toronto Star