I just heard back from Mike Tanner at the Music Office of the City of Toronto.  He confirmed that the Economic Development and Culture division does not have the budget to support this purchase, even though it will make them $2.8M in revenue over the next few years.

Please share the petition and write an email to mike.tanner@toronto.ca and request that the EDC make room in the budget to purchase 160 Islington and lease it to Music Mansion so that we can save another 60 rehearsal rooms from disappearing.  Mike wrote a Report For Action about this crisis, yet when push comes to shove he's doing nothing about it.  Some pressure from the people and the press might put him in a position to negotiate a little harder for us.

Also, if you know any bloggers or anybody in the media - please share the petition with them as well.  Media attention is the kind of noise that makes things happen.