Big Ideas

Big Ideas live chat recap: How is our waterfront revitalization process coming along?

Our Big Ideas live chat on Tuesday, Sept. 23 featured Christopher Glaisek, vice president of planning and design for Waterfront Toronto. One decade into an expected three-decade process of revitalization, where does the city of Toronto stand? And what is going on with the Gardiner Expressway? Find out where all of the projects standcomments

Big Ideas live chat recap: Should the McLaughlin Planetarium in Toronto be saved or torn down?

Our Big Ideas live chat on Tuesday, Sept. 16 featured a debate about the McLaughlin Planetarium’s future. Should the domed planetarium be considered a heritage building and saved, or should the planned mega-cultural centre go ahead?

Big Ideas live chat recap: Does Toronto need a progressive park policy?

While Toronto has no shortage of beautiful parks, much of the city’s green space has become neglected. How can we nourish our parks? Our Big Ideas live chat on Tuesday, Sept. 9 discussed the concept of an innovative parks policy for the city, a Big Idea voted into our Top 20comments

Big Ideas live chat recap: Should Toronto explore new ways of generating revenue?

Should Toronto use the City of Toronto Act to its full potential and implement new ways of generating revenue? Our Big Ideas live chat on Tuesday, Aug. 26 focused on the concept of new revenue tools for the city, a Big Idea that was voted into our Top 20.comments

Big Ideas live chat recap: How can Toronto save its aging highrises?

Our next Big Ideas live chat on Tuesday, Aug. 5 at 1 p.m. is on tower renewal, a program taking root in Toronto proposing fixes to the city’s vintage highrise buildings. We will feature Graeme Stewart, an associate with ERA Architects and key initiator of the Tower Renewal Project

Big Ideas live chat recap: How can we improve access to affordable child care in Toronto?

Read how our Big Ideas live chat unfolded on Tuesday, July 29, with Martha Friendly, director of the Childcare Resource and Research Unit. Friendly answered readers’ questions about workplace child care, unlicensed daycares, a national child-care program and the obstacles standing in the way of affordable child care

Big Ideas live chat recap: Is Toronto doing enough to protect its heritage buildings?

As the city of Toronto continues to expand, are our heritage buildings at risk? What is the city doing to protect its architecture? We chatted with Richard Longley, president of the Architectural Conservancy Ontario, and development consultant Mark Guslits on Tuesday, July 22.

Big ideas live chat recap: Is there room for more pedestrian-only zones in Toronto?

Check out our Big Ideas live chat from Tuesday, June 17, on pedestrian-friendly zones. Should Toronto close off more areas to cars? We chatted with Shamez Amlani, the driving force behind Pedestrian Sundays in Kensington Marketcomments

Recap: Big Ideas live chat — Does Toronto’s bike strategy need a tune-up?

We held a live chat on Tuesday, June 3 with Jared Kolb, executive director of Cycle Toronto, who discussed the state of the city’s bike strategy

Live chat recap: Is the TTC still the better way?

New TTC chair Maria Augimeri, city councillor in Ward 9 York Centre, answered a flood of questions from readers about Toronto’s transit during our web chat on Tuesday, May 6.

Live chat recap: Your piece of the sky: Has the condo hurt or helped Toronto?

Toronto condo developers Howard Cohen and Steve Diamond joined urban affairs columnist Christopher Hume for a live chat on city development and its effects on residents on Tuesday, April 29

Live chat recap: Do Toronto parks meet the needs of the 21st-century city?

We held a Big Ideas live chat about Toronto’s parks and the demands of today’s park-goer, with Dave Harvey, founder and director of Toronto Park People

Live chat recap: Should Toronto become a living-wage employer?

Star urban affairs columnist Christopher Hume chatted with Big Ideas expert Trish Hennessy and Mike Moffatt, a professor at the Ivey Business School, Western University.

Live chat recap: Should Toronto Police disarm most officers?

Star reporter Laura Kane chatted March 11 with lawyer and professor Peter Rosenthal and former Toronto police officer Steve Summerville about Rosenthal’s Big Idea – that regular police officers should not carry gunscomments

Live chat recap: Should Toronto build affordable housing over public facilities?

On Tuesday, March 18 at 1 p.m. EST, Star urban affairs columnist Christopher Hume chatted with Big Ideas expert David Oleson and architect Alan Littlewood

Live chat recap: Does Toronto need a dedicated housing fund?

Toronto housing experts Michael Shapcott and Mark Guslits participated in a life chat on the city’s affordable housing situation on Tuesday, March 25.

Live chat recap: Should Toronto’s island airport expand to accommodate jets?

Our Big Ideas live chat Tuesday, April 1, brought about some impassioned debate with our expert panel on Porter Airlines’ proposal to extend the runway to allow for jetscomments

Should Toronto's police be disarmed?: A Big Ideas conversation

Lawyer Peter Rosenthal argues the public would be better served with several highly trained Emergency Task Force units employing guns and other police no firearms at all.comments

Live chat recap: Should Toronto bars and restaurants extend last call to 4 a.m.?

Star reporter Laura Kane chatted with Jeff Tchadjeu from Last Call TO and Brian Sharwood, voice of the Ossington neighbourhood, about the effect extending last call to 4 a.m. would have on Toronto

ICYMI People are talking about Denver transit

Star reporter Rachel Mendleson’s report on Denver transit and the transformative power of #StarBigIdeas had people talking.comments

Reaction from social media: How about an affordable housing fund for Toronto?

Star Facebook readers weighed in on the Big Idea proposed by our expert, Michael Shapcott, director of Housing and Innovation at the Wellesley Institute.comments

Social media reaction: Should Toronto cops be gun-free?

Facebook readers got in on the discussion in advance of our live chat Tuesday at 1 p.m. EST with Peter Rosenthal, professor emeritus of mathematics and adjunct professor of law at the University of Toronto. Imagine if only specially trained police officers carried guns, he wrote.

Social media reaction: Should Toronto cops be disarmed?

Imagine if only specially trained police officers carried guns, writes our Big Ideas expert, Peter Rosenthal, professor emeritus of mathematics and adjunct professor of law at the University of Toronto. Rosenthal will lead a live chat Tuesday, March 11, at 1 p.m. EST.

#StarBigIdeas: Social media says yes to air rights for affordable housing

David Oleson, principal, Oleson Worland Architects, proposed a Big Idea about affordable housing. Readers responded positively to the idea.

Our Facebook readers have Big Ideas

Star readers on Facebook lend some of their thoughts to the Big Ideas project.

Privatizing the TTC: Social media buzz on this week’s Big Idea

Should Toronto privatize the TTC? Today's Big Ideas expert thinks so.comments

#StarBigIdeas: Social media reaction to privatizing the TTC

Our expert of the day, Patrick Luciano, put forth a pitch to privatize the TTC. This Big Idea ignited buzz on Facebook and Twitter, much of which panned the idea.

#StarBigIdeas: Social media reaction

We asked, you answered. Star readers, 2014 is the year of the big idea. So what's your Big Idea to improve Toronto? Here's a collection of online response.