Toronto's growth has continued steadily since the 1970s, though the past several years have been a tumultuous time for the city. The merger of its separate municipalities, rapid population growth, and provincial-government budget-slashing have all had a serious impact on the life of the city. Toronto has few friends in the provincial government (perhaps because its citizens vote against it whenever given the opportunity). In addition to forcing the megacity merger through, the Conservative provincial government (or "Tories") cut social spending. The most frequent complaint heard in Toronto is that the city's municipal taxes aren't reinvested in its infrastructure, but end up being funneled to less populated parts of the province. Sadly, the city's homeless problem only seems to be growing rather than improving. Ontario elected a new Liberal government in 2003, but they don't seem to be doing any more for the city than the Tories did.
But it has also been a boom time for Toronto, with the opening of new attractions such as the Distillery historic district; the renovation and expansion of institutions such as the Royal Ontario Museum and the Art Gallery of Ontario; the opening of a long-awaited opera house (the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts); the introduction of a third subway line; and a burgeoning dining and entertainment scene. The downtown core is thriving, and the energy is driving its development west into previously neglected areas. Toronto is still the Canadian city of choice for arriving immigrants; 300,000 Hong Kong émigrés have joined Toronto's Chinese community, and there have been influxes from Somalia, Eastern Europe, India, Pakistan, and Central America. Neighborhoods around town preserve these cultures. While their influence is strong in many areas, it is perhaps most visible to a short-term visitor in the city's diverse dining options and in Toronto's many cultural festivals.
In 2001, Toronto made a Herculean effort to convince the International Olympic Committee that it would make the perfect host city for the 2008 Games, but lost out to Beijing. Local wags claimed that Toronto was being "strongly encouraged" to go after the 2012 Games. However, the fact that Vancouver won the 2010 Winter Games has likely quashed that dream for now. Fortunately, the local government is considering the implementation of some of the terrific plans that were drawn up to win over the IOC. Watch for further development along the waterfront. Undoubtedly, Toronto's energy will be channeled in new and interesting directions.
