Petition to uncap the chimneys and halt site alteration during breeding season at 2100 and 2106 Yonge Street.

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For nearly two months I have been contacting the City of Toronto and MECP about two adjacent buildings on Yonge Street between Eglinton and Davisville in Toronto that are about to be demolished. These buildings have two chimneys that are the locations of active chimney swift roosts. The City of Toronto planners said that the information wouldn’t influence their review of the demolition permit and that they wouldn’t notify the construction company, Rockport Yonge and Manor Inc.

MECP notified Rockport Yonge and Manor Inc. of the requirements but that hasn’t stopped the demolition. On June 8th, I went for a walk and saw that demolition has begun. The chimneys are still intact but a planner from Rockport Yonge and Manor Inc notified me yesterday (June 9th) that the Chimneys have been capped and replacement habitat was secured. The planner said that Rockport Yonge and Manor Inc hired an ecologist who determined that the chimneys were not suitable habitat. I know this to be false as I have videos, photographs and recorded counts of chimney swifts entering the chimneys this breeding season, as recent as June 1st.

This chimney capping and demolition work are in contravention of the Endangered Species Act and potentially additional laws and regulations. 

According to a bright orange street-facing sign, the existing building with documented cultural and natural heritage values will be replaced by condominiums starting at $1.8 Million. The sign also states that “a new neighbourhood landmark is under construction.” To my partner and I who count the swifts entering their roosts most evenings, the chimneys are landmarks, not a luxury condo building. I am confident that many other people who live in mid-town or the GTA would agree.