Legislation

Proposed Provincial Planning Statement and Leaside Business Park

Leaside Business Park 2023

Leaside is a residential and industrial/business community in Toronto….Up to now the Business Park has been protected though Official Plan policies and zoning bylaws, and Ontario Municipal Board decisions that have respected the Employment Lands boundaries and policies therein. However the Provincial proposal to consolidate two major planning documents in Ontario A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (Growth Plan), 2020 and the Provincial Policy Statement, 2020 appears to endanger this.

Opposition to strong mayor legislation grows

Toronto City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square

Opposition to Ontario Bill 39, Better Municipal Governance Act, 2022, giving the Toronto’s John Tory “strong mayor” powers continues to grow. FoNTRA wrote a letter to Mayor John Tory on November 23, 2022 expressing strong objections to what is widely seen as an anti-democratic move by the provincial government. It was followed by another letter on November 28, urging the mayor to call an emergency session of council to discuss the matter; he refused, despite calls from many of his own councillors to do so.

On December 6, fifteen of the 25 city councillors, including Ward 15’s councillor, Jaye Robinson, sent a joint letter to Premier Doug Ford and Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark, urging a halt to the legislation.

Garden Suites – call to action

Garden-Suites

The City enacted a bylaw change in February to allow the construction of garden suites throughout Toronto as of right (i.e. no need for a variance):

  • A garden suite can occupy 20% of a lot and be two storeys plus basement. That’s approximately the size of an original Leaside home.
  • In the view of the LRA, this bylaw change was made without sufficient consultation and will allow for construction that is too large and intrusive for many lots.
  • You can read more about garden suites on the website of the new “Building Better Neighbourhoods” association – an alliance of residents’ associations from across Toronto.
  • This group has launched a letter-writing campaign supporting changes to the bylaw, including size limits and greater tree protection.
  • As a call to action, you can send a letter to the Mayor and Councillors expressing your views.

Leaside: Act Now on Bill 108

Dear Leasider, You must be hearing the increasing chorus of opposition to the Ford government cutbacks and changes on a variety of matters affecting Toronto. One change that especially concerns…

Survey: Stormwater Charge

stormwater retention areas

Stormwater is rain and melted snow. Generally, the more hard surfaces a property has the more stormwater will flow off it and into the sewer system. An increase in extreme…

Toronto Ward Boundaries

Letter to the Toronto Star, published September 30, 2016 To the Editor: While I sympathise with Mayor Tory’s desire to keep costs down, it is false economy to do so…

Toronto Tree Bylaw Presentation

Toronto Tree Bylaws: How to recognize and report contraventions of our street tree and private tree bylawsMonday, September 19, 2016 – 6:30p.m. – 8:30p.m.Metro Hall (55 John St) Room 308…

The Toronto Ward Boundary Review

The Toronto Ward Boundary Review (TWBR) Team is seeking input on additional information requested by the City of Toronto Executive Committee. There are two ways to provide comments: Complete a survey…

Photo credit: Ontario Legislature by abdallahh from Montréal, Canada / CC BY