FoNTRA requests that City Planning engage in local consultation for the Expanding Housing Options Study

July 4, 2022

10th floor, West Tower, City Hall
100 Queen Street West
Toronto, ON M5H 2N2


Attention: Nancy Martins

PH32: Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods: Major Streets – Interim Report

Dear Deputy Mayor Ana Bailão, Chair, and Members, Planning and Housing Committee

FoNTRA represents over 30 residents’ associations in the area generally bounded by Sheppard Avenue, the Don Valley Parkway, Bloor Street and Bathurst Street. These associations have a wide range of types of neighbourhoods and roads designated “Major Streets” in the Official Plan.

We support the report’s recommendation:

  • “That Planning and Housing Committee endorse the contents of this report as the basis for ongoing consultation”,

Public consultation should include local meetings – not just city-wide or district-level meetings.

Criteria need to be developed that can be applied to different types of neighbourhoods and major streets. Given the variety of neighbourhoods, there cannot be a “one size fits all” solution.

We need better cartography. The present maps of what are Major Streets, and where they are located need to be clarified. The four district maps attached to the report employ weak colouring, making it extremely difficult to distinguish “Major Streets”.

We also need far more detailed specific area maps of each district – not just single maps for each district. Also, Avenues should be included, to clarify the difference from Major Streets.

In addition, other questions arise regarding the use of current Official Plan Major Streets map. For example, has the map been updated to be consistent with the Toronto Classification System maps, as approved by City Council on April 24, 2018? Further, there should be a review of which streets are included.

We recommend:

  • that the location of designated Major Streets, and their depiction on mapping be reviewed, in order to clarify the rationale for designation, and a clearer understanding of Major Streets. That will help public consultation.

Yours truly,

Geoff Kettel
Co-Chair, FoNTRA

Cathie Macdonald
Co-Chair, FoNTRA