Of course they balk, and it’s a shame. If there’s anywhere that should be intensified, it is car dealerships and parking lots dead centre in downtown Toronto. 1/ https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2021/04/12/councillors-balk-at-plans-for-five-highrise-towers-hidden-in-provinces-plan-for-ontario-line-transit-hub.html">https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/...
The implication here is that a 45-storey building is too tall? In the core of the fastest growing city in North America? In a housing crisis? 2/
The First Parliament site deserves commemoration, but if it’s going to be built on at all, this makes perfect sense. 3/
As for East Harbour: The city decided to plan a new office district with 50,000 jobs and zero housing. It was always a terrible recipe, and the province chose not to dispute it then. 4/
This was strongly criticized by @KGreenbergTO, who is nobody’s idea of a Ford apologist. https://renx.ca/liberating-torontos-employment-lands-for-affordable-housing-jobs/">https://renx.ca/liberatin... 5/
This government is going to have a lot to answer for. But on this file, intense mixed-use development near subways in downtown Toronto? Clearly a good idea. 6/