Over 1.3 billion litres of partially treated sewage was discharged into Toronto's waterways (and Drake's mansion) following a severe storm this week, and within 48 hours, the city's deputy mayor found it pertinent to suggest that select smelly streets be renamed to honour Taylor Swift.
Showing that Swift subservience isn't just for beleaguered federal leaders anymore, councillor and deputy mayor Jennifer McKelvie announced Thursday (July 18) how she had submitted a motion to rename a route between the city's Nathan Phillips Square and the Rogers Centre as "Taylor Swift Way" in November.
UPDATE (7/25): The motion to designate streets as Taylor Swift Way was carried by Toronto City Council by a vote of 21 to 1. Rogers has reportedly agreed to cover signage costs.
That month, Swift will play six dates at Toronto's Rogers Centre as part of her ongoing Eras tour, with support from Gracie Abrams. The Toronto Star reports that McKelvie's motion, which will go before city council next week, also calls for the stadium to be temporarily renamed "1 Taylor Swift Way," and the 'Toronto' sign out front of city hall to be lit red — like the album, get it? — on each of her performance dates.
A preamble from McKelvie ahead of the motion going before council praised the jet-setting pop sensation and featured myriad references to her song catalogue. "Swifties will 'shake it off' at six concerts this November and it is an opportunity for Toronto to show off our great 'reputation' and our 'place in this world,'" McKelvie wrote via X (formerly Twitter).
The silver lining in this bit of billionaire bootlicking is that the honorary signs would reportedly be donated to the city's Daily Bread food bank for auction. As far as where the funding would come from, McKelvie's office told the Star they are "hopeful" they can finance the signs through "a small reallocation or surplus within the existing economic development budget."
Given the overlapping social and financial crises Toronto was mired in even before the latest storm, city residents online didn't take kindly to the motion put forth by McKelvie — who also happens to chair Toronto's Infrastructure and Environment Committee — expressing that there are more pressing issues with the city that funds could work to improve.
Others wondered where such recognition has been for homegrown talent. Swift may be American, but make no mistake, rolling out the red carpet for such blandness is an act that is deeply Canadian.