Toronto Star

Judging from the reaction, you'd have thought Premier Dalton McGuinty had just proposed burning babies at the stake. In fact, the poor man had announced that environmental assessments relating to transit projects would be limited to six months. To most observers, this seemed reasonable and long overdue. But for many residents, it was enough to provoke howls of anger. This was an outrage, a tragedy, undemocratic, a disaster ... Welcome to the new Toronto, a city where fear of change is the new reality. What are we scared of? Here, it seems, anything and everything. We have reached the point – and Toronto isn't alone – where the mere suggestion of change is enough to set off a collective panic attack. And when it comes to development, the fear grows even more intense. A relatively straightforward proposal to build a simple seven-storey condo in the north end of the city turns into a three-year marathon, complete with armies of lawyers arguing before the Ontario Municipal Board.