> He’s also hinted at tech’s ability to overhaul zoning rules and control housing costs, a particular interest of Alphabet’s Page. Yeah, right. Toronto is one

> He’s also hinted at tech’s ability to overhaul zoning rules and control housing costs, a particular interest of Alphabet’s Page. Yeah, right. Toronto is one of the most retrograde cities on housing intensification (it still hasn't intensified around the Bloor-Danforth subway that was built a generation ago)[1]. In fact many neighbourhoods are losing population as the region grows due to extremely restrictive zoning rules.[2] A bit of Google money isn't going to change the electoral calculus of the local politicians that control that stuff. The most likely scenario is Google convinces the government to sell/give them land in Toronto's Port Lands at below market value, and they make a killing on developing it with some technological window-dressing like free ad-supported wi-fi which AFAIK is the only thing Sidewalk has launched to date. [1] http://brandondonnelly.com/post/152616141303/the-yellowbelt http://brandondonnelly.com/post/152616141303/the-yellowbelt [2] http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2017/02/2016-census-mapping-torontos-population-growth http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2017/02/2016-census-mapping-toro...