Transit and city building were on the minds of Toronto mayoral candidates Wednesday, with a number of announcements about improving city services and helping the city grow.

Meanwhile one candidate spoke out after he couldn’t get through the door at a meeting he tried to attend, allegedly blocked by two city councillors.

Here’s what happened in the Toronto Mayoral race today.

PERRUZZA WANTS CITY CLEANED UP FASTER

Anthony Perruzza kicked things off Wednesday with a pledge to create “rapid work crews” to do a better job of maintaining city streets if elected.

“Torontonians encounter potholes, broken streets, oversize garbage items, or falling branches every day, but they don't have a way to fix these problems fast,” Perruzza said. “Rapid Work Crews will respond quickly to time-sensitive, community-driven complaints."

The crews would be assigned to various districts around the city and dispatched through the 311 app.

Perruzza said they would repair potholes and uneven asphalt, trim fallen tree branches, remove oversize garbage items, and cut tall grass on city property.

He estimated the program would cost $4 million per year.

At the same time, Ana Bailão attended a flag raising to mark Israel’s 75th Independence Day and later spoke with transit riders at St. Patrick Subway station. 

MATLOW WOULD REVERSE TTC SERVICE CUTS

Transit was also on Josh Matlow’s mind.

If elected, he said, he would spend $180 million a year to reverse TTC transit cuts that were recently implemented across 39 routes. He said the money would come from a parking lot levy, as well as from a property tax-funded “City Works Fund.”

Transit advocacy group TTCRiders took note, calling on all mayoral candidates to state their position on whether they too would reverse the cuts and whether they would implement a parking levy, a move the group has called for in the past.

Matlow said the city should be working to boost transit, rather than slash it as Toronto recovers from the pandemic.

HUNTER SAYS CAFETO FEES HAVE TO GO

Mitzie Hunter was also talking about recovering from the pandemic Wednesday, focusing on how she would help restaurants in the city.

Hunter said if she wins, she'll cancel fees and permits for outdoor patios and sidewalk cafés and provide a refund to anyone who has paid.

“A thriving Toronto is only possible with an exciting, lively restaurant scene,” Hunter said.“ Restaurants, bars and cafes were asked to sacrifice so much during the pandemic, and many have still not fully recovered. My plan will set them further on the path to recovery and renewed success.”

The city recently unveiled its revamped CafeTO program, introducing higher fees to pay for the program — which was previously subsidized in large part by the city — and to deter those who got permits to block off public space, but seldom made use of it.

Hunter estimated her plan would cost $3 million this year and $400,000 a year going forward.

She said some restaurants are still struggling because many people are continuing to work from home and added that now is not the right time to charge restaurants for the program.

UNUSED CITY SPACE A ‘PLAYGROUNDS FOR RATS AND RACCOONS’: BRADFORD

Meanwhile, Brad Bradford decried the state of unused city space as “playgrounds for rats and raccoons” and said the city needs to do more to get housing built faster.

He said “bureaucratic silos” result in “endless delays” for those looking to build or renovate homes.

Bradford said that if he wins the election, he will promote mid-rise buildings, “unlock government-owned lands,” streamline approvals, reduce “delays, over-consultation and drawn-out appeals,” simplify the rules and “hold staff accountable.”

Speaking of housing, mayoral candidate Rob Davis was left angry and frustrated after he was allegedly barred from attending a tenants meeting at a Toronto Seniors Housing Corporation building. He said councillors Paula Fletcher and Lily Cheng blocked him from attending, though Cheng said it was in fact a private meeting to deal with issues in the building.

Davis said he’s filed a complaint with the city’s integrity commissioner and the city clerk over the incident.