Hi all,
We hope this note finds you and yours well.
The cost of living has ballooned over the past year and the topic of affordable housing has gotten much attention from all three levels of government. Anyone who has been looking to buy or rent a home/condo (or support adult children with this endeavor) knows just how serious this issue has become. Most of the articles point to a lack of supply as the main issue, and it appears our elected officials are focusing most of their policy changes on things that will speed up development. Over the past year we have seen a dizzying number of policy changes at the municipal and provincial levels. Why is the WCRA opening their update with this you may ask?... Because we know the topic of community development impacts our collective way of life. With the increase in population density comes an increased demand on the things we use on the daily basis; be that roads, schools, daycare centres and park space, to things like hydro, sewage and community safety resources. The WCRA recognizes that you care about these things but most lack the time to review all the things that are being introduced. Below is an attempt to provide the highest level of details about some very important topics that will fundamentally impact our community in the future.
Development Updates
Provincial Policy Changes: Housing Affordability Task Force Recommendations
The 50 plus recommendations put forward by the task force are nuanced, bold, clear and radical. The key idea: more housing within cities, as quickly as possible. If the Ford government follows even half the suggestions, the results will fundamentally reshape land-use planning in Ontario and dramatically alter the housing market and cities throughout the province. The report recommends doubling the number of homes Ontario builds, starting immediately. The main thrust of the recommendations is to make it easier to build housing in more places. There is simply too much to review in an email. More details will be shared over the coming months with resource links added to our website for those interested in more details. Also watch for the "Affordable Housing Speaking Series" with Provincial Member of Parliament, Stan Cho (coming late April).
Here are the main elements of the “The More Homes for Everyone” Act introduced on March 30th
Increasing the non-resident speculation tax rate to 20 per cent, expanding the tax beyond the Greater Golden Horseshoe to apply provincewide and closing loopholes to fight tax avoidance, effective March 30, 2022. The tax applies to homes purchased anywhere in Ontario by foreign nationals, foreign corporations or taxable trustees.
Working with municipalities to identify and enhance measures that will crack down on land speculation and protect home buyers. This is in response to feedback the province solicited from municipalities regarding projects that are approved by the municipality, but unbuilt by the developer.
Strengthening consumer protections for purchasers of new homes by doubling fines and extending building license suspensions to address unethical conduct by developers, while ensuring penalties for cancelled projects are aligned with the impact on homebuyers.
Supporting municipalities with resources, tools and standards to provide timely review and adjudication processes by both extending legislated timelines for decisions while focusing the decision-making process.
Creating a new tool specifically designed to accelerate planning processes for municipalities. The Community Infrastructure and Housing Accelerator would help municipalities expedite approvals for housing and community infrastructure, like hospitals and community centres, with clear requirements for both consultation and public notice.
Investing more than $19 million to help the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) and the Landlord and Tenant Board to reduce their backlogs.
Municipal Policy Changes
The City of Toronto is reviewing its Official Plan to develop a revised vision for city planning over the next 30 years, through to 2051. Our Plan Toronto presents an opportunity to address, through planning policy, a number of the growth-related challenges facing Toronto today and in the future. These challenges include housing affordability, climate change, mobility, public health and more that will help inform the City’s ongoing response to, and recovery from, the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over the next 30 years Toronto will continue to grow and change. It is expected that by 2051 another 700,000 people will move to the city and call Toronto home. Over that same time period, an additional 450,000 jobs will be created for people to work in Toronto. In total, by 2051 it is predicted that Toronto will grow to a population of 3.6 million and have a job market with more than two million jobs
Our Plan Toronto will identify how the city will direct and manage this growth in a healthy and sustainable way. Part of the review includes an intensification strategy intended to direct and prioritize growth where transit and other infrastructure currently exists or is planned, including in Major Transit Station Areas, Urban Growth Centres, and other Strategic Growth Areas. These areas will be informed by local area studies that are currently being undertaken or have recently been completed and adopted by City Council.
Similar to the Provincial policy changes, there is simply too much to review in an email. More details will be shared over the coming months, but here are two things which the WCRA will be monitoring closely.
Garden Suites and other intensification policies.
Growth Funding Tools and how Development Charges (DC) are allocated within the City of Toronto.
Road Reconstruction - Willowdale Ave and Sheppard Ave E
The City of Toronto is proposing cycling and road safety improvements for Sheppard Avenue East and Willowdale Avenue. The improvements are planned to be implemented as part of the scheduled road resurfacing and reconstruction work for Sheppard Avenue East programmed in 2022-2024.
The primary focus of road resurfacing and reconstruction is to repair or replace damaged sections of the road, curb, and sidewalk which have deteriorated over time. This project includes options to improve safety and operations at intersections, install new cycle tracks, widen sidewalks, and where possible include new trees and green infrastructure. The extension of the Willowdale Avenue cycle track will be combined with this work. The City is focused on improving the transportation experience for people walking, cycling, taking transit and driving, and meeting the City’s road safety and climate targets. More details are available here; Willowdale Construction Project link
Parks Update
1 - Willowdale Park
The councillor's office held a public consultation meeting in coordination with parks staff in 2021. The City has reviewed the public consultation feedback and survey results and have put together recommended drawings and plans. They have contracted a landscape architect and contractor for the project through the RFP procurement process. The expected timeline for construction to begin is summer 2022 with park improvements to be complete by Spring, 2023.
Project Description: Willowdale Park Playground Improvements
2 - Lee Lifeson Art Park
The city has negotiated the purchase of the last remaining house adjacent to this park. There is currently a commercial tenant on the main floor of this building and the lease ends June 30, 2022. City staff will start into design and consultation this summer. Current projections for park improvements are 2023.
3 - Parkview Neighbourhood Garden
The city has undertaken the expropriation of 37 Norton Ave (site of the rooming house fire). The Parks department has scheduled work for 2023 with community consultations sometime this year.
WCRA Board Meetings:
We are encouraged to see the networking and collaboration activity that has started to take hold within the Willowdale area. A number of neighbourhood associations and involved community members have been working on events and activities to enhance our shared experience. You can check-out the WCRA website and/or monitor your email for some upcoming events. Here's the link for easy reference; WCRA website
The WCRA Board of Directors will be hosting a community Bar-B-Q and membership drive on June 18th. We are excited to resume in-person events and continue to work through the details of this one. We will provide you with more information in the coming weeks.
As many of you know, the WCRA held its AGM on November 18, 2021. We decided on another virtual meeting due to the evolving Covid situation at that time. We kept the agenda light and invited staff from the councillors office to attend this event with the hopes for a more robust, in-person event this year.
You can expect more WCRA updates on these and other topics impacting our neighbourhood over the coming months.
Warm Regards,
Stephen, on behalf of the WCRA