Month: October 2021

Inclusionary Zoning OP Amendment

This is to express the strong support of the Federation of North Toronto Residents Associations (FoNTRA) for the proposed Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) policy.

The proposed policy lays the foundation for IZ in Toronto. It supports individuals and families in our city who earn too much to be eligible for social housing, but not enough to afford market rents and prices.  City Planning claims that the proposed framework balances the need to create more inclusive and equitable communities, provides certainty about expectations for affordable housing, and ensures the City continues to support overall housing supply. City Planning commits to monitor implementation of the new policy, and review and report back within three years.

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Improving Winter Access to Toronto’s Parks for 2021-22

This is to express the strong support of the Federation of North Toronto Residents Associations (FoNTRA) for the staff report and its recommendations, which we note will have financial implications for the 2022 Budget.

The proposal would have more facilities maintained during the winter, including more snow clearing on multi-use paths, and explore different snow clearing methods in environmentally sensitive areas, such as ravines, which cannot be salted due to the environmental impacts.

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Creating the East Toronto Railpath

This is to express the strong support of the Federation of North Toronto Residents Assns (FoNTRA) for Councillor Mike Layton’s recommendations intended to advance the acquisition and re-construction of the former Canadian Pacific Railway line, including the “Half Mile Bridge”, as the “East Toronto Railpath” with links to Toronto’s existing trail system components, including the Martin Goodman Trail, and the West Toronto Railpath, and the potential for future links to the East Don Trail and the Meadoway.

As Councillor Layton says, ”At the core of this connection is an abandoned railway bridge that has the potential to link the Don Valley’s public spaces, while providing relief to the existing crowded trails and provide new connections to adjoining neighbourhoods.”

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Iceberg Homes

Iceberg houses are single-family houses with multi-storey underground basements below, and that may extend well beyond, the above-ground footprint of the structure. We have seen various examples recently, including the particularly notable instance in Hoggs Hollow.

In November 2020, the Committee of Adjustment approved an Iceberg home in Hoggs Hollow – a City designated Natural Heritage System located in a flood plain. Hoggs Hollow is also subject to a 1 hour evacuation in the event of a dam release on the Don River.  Despite numerous objections from Urban Forestry, a healthy 250 year old sugar maple was removed.

As a federation of resident associations we are concerned about the adverse impact of these structures, and the apparent lack of regulatory oversight.  It appears that the “iceberg aspects” are not subject to rigorous zoning and building code requirements.  These concerns include:

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