Request for a Minister’s Zoning Order for a senior’s care facility in the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing is consulting on a request for a Minister’s Zoning Order.  

An 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 a request from the Sheriff Corporation (Gottardo Group of Companies) to make an MZO for the lands at 188 Sandiford Drive in the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville. This request has support from the Mayor of the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville.  

The site is approximately 1.38 hectares in size and is situated on the northwest corner of Sandiford Drive and Hoover Park Drive. See link to location map below.   

The site is currently vacant. The subject lands are currently zoned “Employment Business Park – Exception Eighteen Zone (EBP(18))” in the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville Zoning By-law 2010-001-ZO, which currently permits a six-storey seniors’ care facility, with some restrictions.  

Specifically, the MZO is seeking to permit laundry and cooking facilities by removing the town's by-law restriction of 219 volts within individual units (i.e., laundry and full-sized ovens appliances are not permitted), and to permit dwelling units (i.e., units with full kitchen and bathroom facilities within individual units).  

If made, this MZO request would allow up to 212 units providing a range of care services to its residents either directly through its staff or indirectly through another provider within the already permitted six-storey senior’s care facility. This facility could include one or more common kitchen(s) and dining room(s), as well as laundry and cooking facilities in an individual dwelling unit. 

This request is being made to expedite approvals for this proposal that would provide additional options for seniors housing.   

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