RE: ERO 091 - 2811 Our Board…

RE: ERO 091 - 2811

Our Board of Directors, on behalf of our owners and residents, strongly objects to the provisions of the legislation ERO #019 – 2811, Planning Act R.S.O. 1990 which allow the Provincial Government under Ministerial Zoning Orders to over-ride the Municipal site planning processes and existing environmental protections.

The site planning process is essential to the ability of our communities to participate in and enhance the development of much needed affordable housing within our neighbourhood. Our owners and residents have been deeply involved in the site planning processes for all the buildings in our area which have been built since we moved here since 1999.

There has been an implication that objections to the recent application of Ministerial Zoning Orders and expropriations of Historical Buildings and Sites are based in a bias against the development of affordable housing or transit. This could not be further from the truth. We strongly support the development of affordable housing in every neighbourhood, we are fierce advocates for better public transit and we also believe strongly in the protection of our built heritage and of our environment. To strip the site planning process and environmental protections from the local level is to destroy the fabric of our carefully built neighbourhoods. Traffic planning, the design of the streetscape, garbage provisions, sun and wind studies are more nuanced than a blanket provincial order can manage.

Our building was developed as a co-operative, and intended to be housing for artists, front-line workers and employees of not-for-profit organisations who could not, at the time and still today, get a foot-hold in the housing market. We are deeply committed to ensuring that housing not be restricted to the commercial housing which has been developed and continues to be built in our neighbourhood. We are also committed to the protection of our built heritage which brings economic gain, cultural depth and life to our neighbourhood.

The changes to the legislation regarding Ministerial Zoning Orders in our Province does nothing to accelerate the building of affordable housing, nor does it honour our historical and environmental heritages. Municipal site planning processes do both and should be protected on our behalf. We do not believe that the Province can or should subvert the protections we have mandated our City to manage on our behalf.

Respectfully submitted