Medical Facilities at Yonge and Balmoral Must be a Part of Any New Development

An application to develop a 41 storey mixed-use development has been put forward to the City. The site is currently occupied by a medical office building standing at 4 storeys, the commercial building is part of a Parisian-style mid-rises. The Medical Arts facility currently houses 62 doctors' offices, a urine and blood clinic, an x-ray and ultrasound facility, and a pharmacy. This proposal has been raised as a significant issue by the community. Residents have expressed concerns about the displacement of the existing medical offices on the site. Future replacement does not address the interim loss during construction and Planning policies do not address this issue. The redevelopment of this building isn’t unique, they’re part of a much larger pattern of the loss of essential services throughout the City, especially healthcare facilities.
 
Planning staff have encouraged the applicant to increase the amount of non-residential floor area in the building, however there is no in force policy that would require the replacement of the existing medical office uses.

For your reassurance, the Mayoral election has no bearing on the outcome of the proposed application, given that the real threat is from Provincial legislation. In an effort to support the array of medical offices through this transition, I have been working closely with the doctors and other medical professionals to find empty commercial space in the Yonge and St. Clair area to ensure that you will have uninterrupted access to healthcare providers. I will continue to do everything I can to ensure that when the new building goes up it will include the medical services I know you rely on.