“I have to say I’m thrilled that Steve Diamond is the chair of Waterfront Toronto,” Doctoroff told BNN Bloomberg’s Amanda Lang at the Public Policy Forum’s Growth Summit on Thursday. Diamond, the new chair of Waterfront Toronto, told The Logic this week he was concerned about Sidewalk Labs disclosing elements of its plan to the media without first providing them to his agency. In response, Doctoroff said that was not Sidewalk Labs’ intent. Doctoroff also said that the company’s Master Innovation and Development Plan will come in the next “several weeks,” which lines up with Diamond’s comments that he didn’t expect the final plan until early June. Waterfront Toronto said in a release Thursday afternoon that it will make the plan public within a week of receiving it. Citizens group #BlockSidewalk called the move “a step in the right direction.” (The Logic)
Talking point: It is atypical for Sidewalk Labs, Waterfront Toronto and #BlockSidewalk to agree on something, even if it’s as relatively minor as the process and timing of the final plan’s release. Sidewalk Labs enjoyed a positive relationship with former Waterfront Toronto CEO Will Fleissig, who was present for the partnership’s inception. In the absence of a replacement—Waterfront Toronto has yet to hire a permanent CEO—Diamond is taking point on Waterfront Toronto’s side, and Doctoroff appears to be trying to maintain a good relationship.