Request is for a…

Request is for a modification of Official Plan Amendment 644 to permit the conversion of the lands at 33 Green Belt Drive in Don Mills. In the event that the Minister is not prepared to make such a modification directly, we request that the matter of the conversion of this site be referred to the Ontario Land Tribunal for a hearing pursuant to section 17 (55) of the Planning Act.

The conversion would allow an extension of the existing long-term residential complete community. The proposal is to replicate the form of development that exists on the site abutting to the east, which was converted many years ago to facilitate a residential development.

The subject site is the former headquarters of Grand & Toy, a one-time leader in retailing of office supplies, which has since closed all its retail operations, and the headquarters that served them at this site. The building has no appeal to potential warehousing or manufacturing users - the users for which employment areas are intended to provide protection. This is in large part due to the location of the site, which is largely nestled into a residential portion of Canada's first planned complete community - Don Mills. This location is no longer suitable to the needs of such space-extensive manufacturing or warehousing users.

The conversion request is in conformity with the policy 2.2.5.9 test for a conversion in the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. The proposed development will respond to the Provincial Priority to increase the housing supply by delivering an estimated 500 new homes in an existing complete community, which is well served by community infrastructure and services. This will help to advance Ontario's efforts to improve the supply of housing in an ideal location.