The TCBN is a community…

The TCBN is a community-labour coalition with over 100 member organizations and groups from community, labour and social enterprise. The network has centred itself at the forefront of the economic justice movement in Canada by negotiating Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) into public infrastructure and urban development projects. In so doing, TCBN is addressing the challenges of access to good jobs, local economic development and neighbourhood revitalization particularly as they impact on historically disadvantaged communities and equity seeking groups in Toronto.

A core value of the network is transparency. We need access to comprehensive information so that we can provide informed feedback on the proposed changes in Bill 108. Without the release of draft regulations, we can’t truly assess the bill’s impact on communities we support.

The Woodbine Casino expansion CBA, led by residents of RexdaleRising and negotiated between the City and One Toronto Gaming, highlights the real impact and value that we can have when municipalities are given the necessary tools to fund core municipal services and require developers to provide community benefits, community facilities and public infrastructure – supporting sustainable communities.

The City of Toronto was flexible in leveraging different planning tools to secure a legally binding CBA which includes local and social hiring, targets to support local businesses, new roads to ease traffic, a new child care centre and public park. This example highlights the importance for local governments to be flexible in responding to the priorities of Toronto's neighbourhoods, especially in areas like Rexdale.

Our experience working on four large-scale community benefits projects (approx. $14 Billion in value) has shown that when the government requires developers to “invest” rather than “spend” we create a positive return on investment by supporting the local neighbourhood in which development occurs.

The TCBN defines community benefits as a wide spectrum of benefits to the local community in which the development takes place. Community benefits can range from affordable housing to local workforce development initiatives to environmental improvements to a child care facility. These benefits are vital in supporting healthy and sustainable communities. The definition of “community benefits” as it is used in this legislation is ambiguous and could create confusion in relation to the global and growing practice of neighbourhoods leveraging infrastructure development to support the priorities and needs of the local community.

At a time when communities are calling for more opportunity to be engaged and provide meaningful input to inform neighbourhood planning, we see these changes as going backwards by decreasing municipalities time to assess development applications and consult with key stakeholders and residents. We see development as a process that includes governments, community organizations/neighbourhood groups, developers and labour all at the same table. This type of inclusive policy-making recognizes the role of communities in working with the key stakeholders to create better outcomes for residents.

We welcome the initiative by the government to find a solution for more affordable housing However, Toronto is booming and years of more supply hasn’t resulted in any increase to affordability. Limiting inclusionary zoning to areas around protected major transit stations or areas with a development permit system in place restricts the municipalities’ ability to leverage new development to provide much needed affordable housing.

In closing, we recommend that any changes proposed in Bill 108 does not impact municipalities’ ability to provide necessary core municipal services, community facilities and public infrastructure to serve growing communities. The TCBN awaits draft regulations so that we can provide informed feedback on the proposed changes. This will also allow our network assess the bill’s impact on communities we support and provide a detailed response on the proposed legislation.

On behalf of the TCBN
Executive Director,
Rosemarie Powell