Maybe we’ve been thinking about this incorrectly, our approach gone about all wrong.
What if, instead of getting caught up in a race to modernize the city, to adapt to a changing environment, demographics, that whole, confusing and, frankly, somewhat suspect new urbanism business, Toronto pitch itself as a haven from the 21st-century? Why bother trying to keep pace with New York City? It’s a losing battle. Paris? Forget it. Too European. Even Los Angeles, the very model of a major metropolitan area (as sung by The Beach Boys), is valiantly attempting to reconfigure its transportation hierarchy.
There’s a niche opening up here for our city if we’re bold enough to seize the opportunity.
You Like Things Just The Way They Used To Be? Tired Of Having To Rethink Your Strongly Held Views? 
Do You Suspect That Prioritizing Public Transit And Other Forms Of Non-Car Commuting Is Probably Some Sort Of Special Interest Agenda? Don’t Mind Sitting In Traffic With The Tunes Blasting In Your Smooth, Smooth Ride? (Do You Know How Much This Honey Cost Me? Status, Baby. Status.)
Then Toronto just might be the place for you.
The bones of a dynamic, autocentric, 1950s throwback city are pretty much still in place. We’re spending hundreds of millions of dollars to maintain an elevated urban expressway. Who else is doing that? Our mayor and city council leave no stone unturned in finding money to repair our roads while remaining tight-lipped and fisted funding transit.
And development? As long as we can keep the towers going up downtown, replenishing the wider tax base, the “village feel” we all rabidly protect elsewhere will be maintained. 
Midrise? That’s not the kind of neighbourhood I want to raise my kids in. Think about the traffic! Oh, and the children.
Change is hard. Not changing is easy. With everybody else out there chasing change, Toronto can tap into the inevitable reactionary discontent.
Disgruntled? Fed Up With Being Told You Made A Terrible Lifestyle Choice? Ready To Put Down Roots Somewhere Your Self-Important Sense Of Entitlement Will Be Appreciated And Catered To?
Toronto is the place. Dig in here. Call it home.
— spitballingly submitted by Cityslikr
This will never change as the (mainly suburban) citizens of this city keep electing narcissistic and poorly-educated sociopaths. These councillors constantly thwart staff recommendations in the interest of their own petty re-election chances while using Section 37 money as a goody chest from which to distribute largesse.
There’s no hope for this city while our current system of government is in place.