REQUESTS TO THE CITY
WHAT WE HAVE ASKED FOR FROM THE CITY
Question # 1: We requested a timeline for this process so that we fully understand where we’re at and what’s to come.
Answer: - We didn't receive a timeline, instead we received correspondence and notice that this is going to community council February 24, 2021 We didn't receive all documents in time to even review.
You can read our plea to community councillors, and you can also read our official opposition statement here.
Question #2: We asked for the preliminary report with regard to the site/application which was completed in 2018.
Answer- We did not receive this until Jan 28, 2021, it was delivered in 2018
We did not receive answers to our questions regard to the final report until 1 hour before our comments were due to community council.
Question #3: For months we requested a rationale from City Planning with regard to the application.
Answer - We received an overview of the history of this application, but we never received any reason/rationale from Planning as to why they are backing a proposal so far outside of their own standard and guidelines, and so in opposition to our existing neighbourhood. We have continually received no reply back from planning to our requests for more information. The report does not include a rationale but instead reads as a support document to the applicant's plans. We still have received no rationale for why a plan so far outside of the city's own standards was rushed through community council. Mr. Cressy told us repeatedly we'd lose all of the affordable housing if we tried to get a deferral. We didn't even ask for the application to be denied. Just deferred until the questions remaining could be answered and a plan could be done for the block.
Question #4 - We asked for a rationale explaining Mr. Cressy’s support for this project and how it fits into his vision for this ward and neighbourhood, addressing our issues with the failure of this project to comply with height regulations and to provide adequate affordable housing.
Answer - Mr. Cressy has not answered these questions regarding the application, nor has he communicated that he would advocate for us. However he has repeated over and over that he would find money for affordable housing. We weren't sure what he meant until we saw the report from planning. It provides an overview of an intended 6 million dollar investment by the City to the applicant to secure 31 affordable units. For months we waited for him to answer on whether he would support us in asking for a deferral of this application until it could be properly reviewed and until a proper study can be done not just for a part of this block but for all of it. He communicated February 17th in our call that he would not be advocating for us on a deferral and communicated that if we try to defer we could "lose the affordable units". Mr. Cressy's plan for our community seems clear.
Question #5 - We requested to receive. any other documents, studies, plans, etc., that will give us insight into what Mr. Cressy’s office and/or the city envisions for the future of our ward and neighbourhood.
Answer - Repeated questions about a precinct study, plan or future have gone unanswered. A precinct plan has been requested for our area for years, we have not been provided any insight into why this zoning decision is being pushed through without a study. We have determined based on the report that a study for our area was declined by planning in 2018. We want to understand why this was declined. Why don't we deserve a study for this important block? Local landowners joined us, and asked for the same. This was a done deal. Now we just want to know why?
Question 6 - We asked for reassurance that a full precinct plan for the neighbourhood is either underway or will be undertaken this year. It is long overdue.
Answer: To date we have received no reassurance on this. We have expressed to Mr. Cressy that it feels as if our neighbourhood is for sale. He has done nothing to communicate to us that this isn't true, nor has he answered this question when we asked him. We also know City planning has communicated to other land owners they can do whatever they want on this site. Again, Why? It's because our neighbourhood doesn't matter to the City.
They don't care if we leave and they don't care if people lose their access to what housing they had. That's what we've learned in this process. We started a few people who met at a community meeting, we are here now as allies and neighbours united by the collective disappointment in dealing with our Councillor . We still want more for the tenants of the Palace Arms (who are amongst our group). We want more for our little neighbourhood, and we want more from Mr. Cressy. Humanity would be a start. We stand in solidarity with ESN, Toronto Tiny Shelters, Justice for Queen's Hotel and every other community group fighting for justice in our Ward and beyond.