Request for a Minister’s Zoning Order for a long-term care facility in the City of Mississauga

A Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO), made pursuant to clause 47(1)(a) of the Planning Act, regulates the use of land and the erection, location and use of any building or structure on the land, and prevails over the existing municipal zoning by-law to the extent there is any conflict.

The Minister is considering requests from the Minister of Long-term Care and City of Mississauga to make an enhanced Minister’s Zoning Order for the lands at 1699 Dundas Street East in the City of Mississauga.  The site is approximately 1.64 hectares in size and is located on the north side of Dundas Street East. See link to location map below. 

The site is currently occupied by the St. Mina and St. Kyrillos Church and St. Mary’s Food Bank, with associated parking and some vacant land.  The existing buildings and uses are intended to remain on the subject lands.  The subject lands are currently designated in the City of Mississauga’s official plan as Mixed Use as part of the Dixie Employment Area Character Area and zoned C3 Commercial Zone (with an exception that allows additional Employment Uses) in the city’s zoning by-law 0225-2007.  

The requested Zoning Order seeks to permit a long-term care home with a capacity of 128 beds on the subject lands in addition to the range of commercial and employment uses already permitted on the site including retail, service, office, hospitality and entertainment/recreation uses.

Specifically, the requested Minister’s Zoning Order seeks the following exceptions to the requirements of by-law 0225-2007 that apply to subject lands:

• permit a long-term care home with a capacity of 128 beds, in addition to:
• Any lawfully existing uses, buildings or structures
• All retail, service, office, hospitality and entertainment/recreation uses permitted in the C3 Commercial Zone of By-law 0225-2007
• Accessory uses, buildings or structures that are related to and support the principle uses on the lands, and
• All residential uses, save the long-term care home, permitted in the RA2 Apartment Zone of Zoning By-law 0225-2007 shall only be permitted through a zoning by-law amendment pursuant to Section 34 of the Planning Act.

As well, the requested Minister’s Zoning Order asks for exceptions to the requirements of the City of Mississauga’s Zoning By-law 0225-2007 including maximum height (to permit 5 storeys) and interior yard setback of the Long-Term Care facility, the separation between buildings, minimum landscape area, and vehicular and bicycle parking spaces.

The City of Mississauga requested the Minister to use his enhanced authorities pursuant to clauses 47(4.3)(a) and (b) of the Planning Act to remove site plan approval and require the landowner enter into one or more agreements with the City of Mississauga dealing with matters listed in subsection 47(4.4) of the Act on the subject lands.

This zoning order was requested because the current designation does not permit the proposed long-term care home. While the adopted City of Mississauga Official Plan Amendment No. 141 proposed to remove the lands from the Dixie Employment Area Character Area and redesignate to allow for residential uses within the Applewood Neighbourhood Character Area, it is under appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal

To help ensure decisions are made in a transparent manner and support government priorities, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) is seeking feedback on whether this request should be considered and any additional information that may help inform a decision. In particular, any potential environmental risks, financial impacts on the municipality or implications for other approved developments and how these can be mitigated.