Item - 2023.PH3.23

The Planning and Housing Committee:

1. Requested the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to report to the June 1, 2023 meeting of Planning and Housing Committee with details on the percentage of affordable housing currently proposed at each Transit Oriented Community, and the number of affordable units that would be created if each proposal had 20 percent affordable units or the Housing Now standard of 30 percent affordable units.

Transit Oriented Communities (TOCs) are being mandated by the province and their private partners at a number of stations on the new transit lines. As well and as part of the Growth Plan conformity exercise required by the province the city has identified Major Transit Station Areas (MTSAs) around existing transit stops. 

Because TOCs are located at high level transit stops (subways) higher density is being considered resulting in development applications being submitted for a lot of extra density. An example, is the Infrastructure Ontario/Choice Properties request for 30 and 40 story buildings at the Gerrard and Carlaw TOC on the Ontario Line. Sadly, there is no affordable housing being proposed at this site despite the significant density bonus being requested.

Similarly, at the transit rich East Harbour site only an insignificant 5% of units are being proposed to be affordable despite a Provincial MZO awarded to Cadillac Fairview who have proposed a total of 4300 units of residential.

It would be helpful for the Planning and Housing Committee to be informed of how many affordable units are being proposed in the development applications which have been submitted in all TOC and MTSA areas.