Toronto The Well | 174.03m | 46s | RioCan | Hariri Pontarini

Aug 14, 2022

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Nick1981 said:
Want to know what astonishes me, is that people think it is ok to make a private business give any money for affordable housing. If the government wants affordable housing, they should buy the land and build it.
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You say that like it where a bad thing...

...but yeah, government should be doing their part in this too. Won't argue with that.

Back on topic: Nice shots again, Mr. Mars! <3
 
Nick1981 said:
Want to know what astonishes me, is that people think it is ok to make a private business give any money for affordable housing. If the government wants affordable housing, they should buy the land and build it.
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The reason that developers 'give' $$ to public housing, streetscapes etc is through Section 37 of the Planning Act. This money is to compensate the City (or citizens) for giving permission for something not allowed under the exiting zoning etc - height, density. It is not a 'fine' but is to allow Cities to get $$$ to implement things in their Official Plans but which they cannot afford due to low taxes. If $$ does not come that way, it will come from higher taxes and developments will comply with the Zoning - whether that is sensible or not! Of course, affordable housing also needs to be paid from taxes, and it is.
 
NickFCRREI said:
Want to know what astonishes me, is that people think it is ok to make a private business give any money for affordable housing. If the government wants affordable housing, they should buy the land and build it.
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Generally, we do NOT disagree with you --- but nobody at any of our 3-levels of Government in Canada actually wants to spend the many tens of BILLIONS required to do what you propose above --- so, we are stuck with the system that we have now.

Rio-Can obtained a very valuable up-lift in the zoned-value of their site for "The Well" in 2016 from the City - "The applicant has submitted Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment applications to permit a mixed-use development with residential, retail and office uses in seven buildings. The proposed buildings range in height from 36-storeys and 168 metres to 13-storeys and 55.3 metres. The proposed buildings substantially exceed the permitted building heights on the site which range from 61 metres to 23 metres. In addition, the proposed development does not comply with other performance standards that are in effect on the lands."

The City leverages Section-37 and other programs to reclaim some of that value for civic purposes. The problem in 2016, and on many sites in 2022 - is that far too much of that civic-value gets assigned to things that the City believes are a higher-priority... like Daycare, Public Art and donation to the local YMCA down the street... and Affordable Housing is often an after-thought for Planners and Councillors.

PDF - https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/te/bgrd/backgroundfile-98210.pdf
 
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