Dear Growth Planning…

Dear Growth Planning Secretariat:

The McGill Granby Village Residents’ Association strongly opposes the proposed changes to the Provincial Policy Statement, 2022 (PPS) and the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (Growth Plan).

The Planning Act requires that planning decisions shall be consistent with policy statements such as the PPS and shall conform with provincial plans like A Place to Grow. Any changes to these documents must ensure that the overall policy framework is housing-supportive.

As a member of the Federation of South Toronto Residents’ Associations, we have had the opportunity to review the submission from our neighbours to the north. FoNTRA's submission includes a detailed analysis and review of the proposed changes, and has determined that changes will not provide a policy framework that is housing-supportive.

We share FoNTRA's concerns that our statutory planning framework would be rendered unstable and the changes will support heavy-handed political interference by the Province.

The proposed PPS:

- privileges housing supply at the expense of many other valid planning concerns.
- discards the essential elements of the current Growth Plan.
- uses background studies lacking essential information on specific housing needs.
- is based on dubious statistics and without a mandate on affordability.
- ignores the substantial housing supply inventory and lacks policies on community and social housing.

We urge you to retain the division between the Provincial Planning Statement and the Growth Plan policies, and to complete a detailed and rigorous analysis to address the eight points that are identified above.

Sincerely,
Board of Directors
McGill Granby Village Residents’ Association