We, the undersigned, are calling on the Town of Grimsby to ensure that any development proposed for John Street — including the upcoming CooperHaus proposal — follows established planning policies and respects the character of our community.

Grimsby is growing, and many residents support thoughtful, well-planned intensification. But growth must be guided by clear rules — not by changing those rules to fit a proposal.

• Recent information about the CooperHaus site raises important questions.

A CBRE marketing brochure for the property — used to promote the site to investors — describes a “mid-rise” concept of approximately 288 units in a 10-storey building.  The same document also notes that “the consensus of this meeting was to increase the density in the downtown core,” without identifying who was involved in that discussion or what formal process it reflects.

More recent presentation materials now show a significantly larger proposal — approximately 16 storeys, 313 units, and a 6-storey podium along John Street. 

• This is not a minor change. It represents a substantial increase in height and density.

At the same time, the developer has asked the Town to make changes to the Draft Official Plan that would support greater intensification in this area — including redefining the role of lands like John Street to permit larger-scale development.

• This raises a fundamental concern:
  Is planning policy guiding development — or being adjusted to accommodate it?

Under the Town’s planning framework, John Street is identified as part of a transition area, where development is expected to respect existing neighbourhood scale, provide appropriate transitions in height and massing, and remain compatible with surrounding residential uses.

A proposal of this scale — particularly when paired with requests to change policy — has implications not just for one site, but for how future development is evaluated across downtown Grimsby.

Residents have not yet been provided with a formal application, detailed studies, or clear demonstrations of how this level of intensification would meet existing policy requirements.

❗ WHAT WE ARE ASKING
We are asking the Town of Grimsby to:

1. Ensure that any development proposal is evaluated against the current Official Plan and Draft Official Plan policies
2. Require a clear demonstration of compatibility, transition, and built form requirements
3.Reject requests to change planning policy that are driven by a single proposal
4.Provide transparency to residents, including access to studies and planning rationale before decisions are made

📍 WHY THIS MATTERS
This is about more than one building.

It is about maintaining a planning process that is:

*Transparent
*Consistent
*Grounded in policy

Decisions made now will shape not only John Street, but the future of downtown Grimsby as a whole.

Sign this petition to support responsible, policy-aligned growth in Grimsby — where the rules guide development, not the other way around.