Paving over parking: Toronto City Hall green-lights Green P redevelopment
Toronto City Council has paved the way to converting surface parking lots into housing sites, in a bid to unlock more municipal land for affordable homes.
In a vote of 21-1 Thursday, councillors rubber-stamped a review of more than a hundred Green P lots identified by staff as suitable sites for residential and mixed-use projects.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
“The people of Toronto need us to leave no stone unturned when it comes to building desperately-needed affordable housing,” Mayor Olivia Chow said during the debate.
City staff had previously determined that of the 130 parking lots that could be transformed, 74 are located within a 10-minute walk from higher-order transit. They have not publicly identified the locations of those sites.
“The shift away from parking accommodation to housing and community service accommodation at these parking lots could provide a significant pipeline of City-owned lands to meet the City's housing and other goals,” wrote the deputy city manager for corporate services, David Jollimore, in a report.
“I would suggest that, you know, a surface parking lot is not always the highest and best land use,” Coun. Brad Bradford, vice-chair of the city’s planning and housing committee, said after the vote Thursday.
“We're facing a housing crisis, and one of the best things that the City of Toronto can do, in addition to expediting our approval process and reforming our zoning, is take a look at City assets and under-performing city assets.”
However, Coun. Parthi Kandavel, who represents Scarborough Southwest, warned of the impact to suburban commuters if lots near transit hubs are removed.
“In my neighborhood, it's a 20-minute walk to a bus stop, a 10-minute wait for the bus, another 20 minutes to get to Victoria Park and Warden Stations,” he said. “To add 50 minutes by removing a parking space, or parking lot, is ridiculous when you talk about livability.”
“We’re essentially saying we don’t want to do parking any more at these spots,” said Etobicoke Centre Coun. Stephen Holyday, who was the lone vote against the plan. “I see this is as another sign of the war on the car.”
“It irritates me to no end that we're talking about, you know, it's ‘cars versus housing, or people,’” Coun. Chris Moise said. “That's not the case.”
“We are in a housing crisis. We need to look outside the box to make sure that we house people.”
City staff will now undertake a review of all the off-street, municipally-owned parking facilities that could serve as future housing sites and identify priorities and timelines by the end of the year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Robert Pickton stabbed with toothbrush and broken broom handle: victim's family
The family of one of Robert Pickton's victims says the convicted serial killer suffered an incredibly violent death at the hands of another inmate.
Father who killed one-year-old son with axe may be allowed to travel in southwestern Ontario
A Mennonite father who killed his one-year-old son with an axe may be allowed to travel to parts of southern Ontario in the coming months
'It feels like freedom': Why some Albertans like going nude in nature
Few people can say they accidentally purchased a nude beach — but Shelley can. When she saw a piece of land she could fondly remember camping on was up for sale, she inquired about it and ended up purchasing it. She soon found that there were already inhabitants on it.
Panama prepares to evacuate first island in face of rising sea level
On a tiny island off Panama's Caribbean coast, about 300 families are packing their belongings in preparation for a dramatic change. Generations of Gunas who have grown up on Gardi Sugdub in a life dedicated to the sea and tourism will trade that next week for the mainland’s solid ground.
'Check your tickets as soon as possible': Ottawa resident $70 million richer than they think
Attention Ottawa residents, a $70 million Lotto Max winning ticket was sold somewhere in the nation's capital.
Live Nation reveals data breach at its Ticketmaster subsidiary
Live Nation is investigating a data breach at its Ticketmaster subsidiary, which dominates ticketing for live events in the United States.
Jennifer Lopez cancels summer tour: 'I am completely heartsick and devastated'
Jennifer Lopez has cancelled her 2024 North American tour, representatives for Live Nation confirmed to The Associated Press.
Daughter of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt files court petition to remove father's last name
A daughter of actors Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt filed paperwork to legally remove "Pitt" from her name on the day she turned 18.
Republicans join Trump's attacks on justice system and campaign of vengeance after guilty verdict
Embracing Donald Trump's strategy of blaming the U.S. justice system after his historic guilty verdict, Republicans in Congress are fervently enlisting themselves in his campaign of vengeance and political retribution in the GOP bid to reclaim the White House.