To: The Province of Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Hon. Rob Flack and the Attorney General of Ontario, Hon. Doug Downey

Subject: Request for a Moratorium on Development Applications Being Considered or Approved by the Provincial Ontario Land Tribunal Pending the Completion of the Glencairn–Marlee Area Study

We, the undersigned residents and members of the Marlee Ville Community, submit this petition in response to the unprecedented number of current and future residential developments being considered or approved by the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT).

If approved, these projects could result in the construction of 17 new residential towers and counting, comprising more than 5,000 new residential units that would bring in more than 10,000 new residents into a community already experiencing significant infrastructure deficiencies, such as:

Hard infrastructure:
Water, sewer, hydro, and road capacity

Community infrastructure:
Libraries, recreation centres, community centres, seniors’ support facilities, and local school capacity

Public safety infrastructure:
Police division station capacity
 

The City of Toronto is currently undertaking the Growing Marlee-Glencairn Study to assess existing infrastructure gaps and to develop a comprehensive, long-term, and sustainable plan for the area’s future growth.

This study is critical to ensuring that future development aligns with the needs and capacity of the community and addresses the existing deficiencies in the Marlee Ville area.

Given that the majority of development applications are ultimately appealed to and approved by the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) — often in spite of community and City of Toronto objections — we respectfully request the following:

That the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and the Office of the Attorney General of Ontario immediately pause the processing and consideration of all new development applications in the Marlee-Glencairn area by the Ontario Land Tribunal until:

• The City of Toronto’s Marlee-Glencairn Study is completed,
• Full and transparent community consultation has taken place, and
• A comprehensive, sustainable infrastructure plan is developed and implemented.
   

The community is already at the breaking point with the total lack of community and hard infrastructure, and these 17 new towers would be totally unsustainable.