Eviction notices have been sent to the residents of 1783-1785 Bayview, the northernmost of ten quadruplexes on Bayview between Eglinton and Parkhurst (“Talbot Quads“). Metrolinx owns this property.
The LRA is concerned for several reasons:
- Forced dislocation of tenants in a pandemic, though we understand that moving and housing assistance will be provided, with a June departure date (i.e. not in the winter);
- The property to the south (1779-1781 Bayview) is owned by a developer (Condor), and we understand that Metrolinx is selling the building to it;
- The property to the north – Leaside Station – is built to enable future development above it, namely “additional structural supports … and a layout that allows the entrance to remain operational during any potential high-rise construction“.
- Municipally, the property is zoned for 4 storeys. However, the province is frequently using Minister’s Zoning Orders (MZOs), which circumvent local planning decisions (as with The Foundry).
We are urgently seeking to clarify intentions for this site, specifically the possible use of an MZO to build a high-rise. Please stay tuned: we may need to appeal to YOU for support in the very near future.
The LRA opposes the construction of high-rises on Bayview and instead supports appropriate development on Leaside’s arterials and the preservation of heritage-designated buidings such as the Talbot Quads.
More generally, the LRA supports reforming and optimizing local planning processes and opposes MZOs in all but extraordinary circumstances, such as those with province-wide implications.
Read about this issue and others in our latest newsletter (February 2021).
