FRIDAY, JUNE 2, 2017 2 LIGHTS, CAMERA, 3 STRIP MALL ACTION REIMAGINING Vol. 21 Making room Hearing the No. 22 for film c o m m u n i t y MULTI-TENANT HOUSING PILOT PROJECT ROOMING IN THE ‘BURBS’ Dominik Matusik hile multi-tenant or point where they’re all illegal then the government will have licenses issued is appropriate to rooming houses exist all in the suburban areas... which the problem of ‘where do we local demand. W across the city and means they’re illegal around all put them now?’ So the [pilot City of Toronto policy are a crucial housing form for the suburban campuses. Saying project] is an attempt to shut and research manager Klaus certain demographics, they are ‘we’re going to drive you all out [down] just the bad actors and Lehmann told NRU that there not legally permitted in many of here and put you in specific regulate those who are willing is currently no single zoning areas. To change this, the city locations’ is not realistic in the to comply to the point that all designation for rooming has initiated a pilot project in short term.” the people who live around houses. However, they have five neighbourhoods, most near Carroll recognizes that them can be satisfied that historically been permitted post-secondary campuses, where multi-tenant housing is not things are safe, regulated and in some areas of the city, demand for this type of housing solely used by students. Often, licensed.” particularly the former City of has been identified. low-income individuals and There are issues that the Toronto and various parts of Ward 33 Don Valley East new immigrants look for this pilot study will have to address Etobicoke and York. Lehmann councillor Shelley Carroll, whose type of housing as a low-cost including the maximum says that the pilot project may Don Mills community is one of option. She says that simply allowable number of bedrooms lead to the legalization of multi- the targeted neighbourhoods, shutting down all problematic (currently seven), where tenant houses in more areas. says that rooming houses exist houses is not a solution. Rather, rooming houses are located Institute for New regardless of their legality, and she hopes that regulation will within neighbourhoods and Suburbanism executive licensing and regulating them is lead to greater safety for tenants ensuring that the number of CONTINUED PAGE 5 the only way to ensure they are and more accountability for safe places to live. landlords. “The issue is not so much as “There will be councillors in to whether to do this... the issue the council chamber who will Economics Matters is it’s happening anyway and just say ‘don’t do the pilot, stop without any legitimacy,” Carroll talking about this, shut them n demographics n real estate markets told NRU. all down and ride the owners n construction economics n expert testimony “So staff had to look at of these properties out of town n planning impacts n forecasting [whether] we want to drive them on a rail’. Then there will be out from where they are and thousands of people without 416-641-9500 1-877-953-9948 put them somewhere else and if homes the very next day. And [email protected] that’s even realistic. The bottom if a government action made altusgroup.com line here is we have reached the them all homeless one night HONING ITS FILM PRODUCTION EDGE UPCOMING JUNE 6 Parks & Environment Committee, 9:30 a.m., committee room 1 MAKING MOVIE MAGIC 7 Build Toronto, time and location TBC Community Development & Sarah Niedoba Recreation Committee, 9:30 a.m., committee room 1 8 Design Review Panel, time TBC, oronto’s film and television Danforth councillor and board “One of the biggest committee room 2 industry brought over co-chair Paula Fletcher told challenges is that we’re taking Public Works & Infrastructure T $20-billion of production NRU. “When it comes to studio property and we’re only Committee, 9:30 a.m., committee room 1 investment to the city in 2016. space, especially in a rapidly building one level up,” says However, a growing shortage of developing downtown such Ahee. “It’s hard for these 9 Budget Committee, 9:30 a.m., committee room 1 studio space could mean that as ours, that’s a pretty big deal property owners to secure 12 Board of Health, 9:30 a.m., the city may lose its competitive in ensuring we’re still film loans—so what can the committee room 1 edge over U.S. filming locations friendly.” city do to help them secure 13 Etobicoke York Community such as Chicago and Atlanta NABET 700-M UNIFOR investment, to help investors Council, 9:30 a.m., council chamber, Etobicoke Civic Centre where the municipalities are president and board co-chair realize the long-term gains that North York Community Council, investing in studio space. Jonathan Ahee, agrees, saying can come from that kind of 9:30 a.m., council chamber, To combat this challenge, that as one of the city’s anchor development?” North York Civic Centre this week the economic industries, it’s crucial that the While the Portlands Scarborough Community Council, 9:30 a.m., council chamber, development committee film industry receive support in is a priority area for the Scarborough Civic Centre recommended that council its search for studio space. development of new studio Toronto & East York Community approve the Toronto Film, “The common refrain is space, Ahee says it’s important Council, 9:30 a.m., committee room 1 Television and Digital Media that the city’s at capacity,” Ahee for the city to identify other Board’s new strategic action told NRU. “Looking for space hubs for the industry. 14 Toronto Public Art Commission, 5:30 p.m., committee room 3 plan, aimed at maintaining that is available and zoned for “Etobicoke and north Local Appeal Body, 9:00 a.m., the city’s role in the industry our industry, is getting harder Scarborough are both potential location TBC and bringing in even more and harder. What we … need locations, but everything has 19 Executive Committee, 9:30 a.m., production investment. in the film industry is parts to be carried out responsibly— committee room 1 The report recommends of the city that can be utilized and there are of course other 22 Toronto Preservation Board, 9:30 a.m., committee room 2 that the city facilitate the for the creation of a large scale industries looking to monetize development of new and studio space—that’s a nexus of those properties, so it’s 23 Toronto Port Lands Company Board, time and location TBC repurposed studio spaces by 10 acres that can be used for a important that the city direct JULY identifying appropriate sites, 24-hour business.” us to them when they become 5 Council, 9:30 a.m., council chamber and leveraging incentives, such Ahee says the city needs to available,” he says. 12 Toronto Public Art Commission, as tax increment equivalent consider what it can do to help The action plan will be 5:30 p.m., committee room 3 grants. the industry offset the capital considered by council at its July “I think people know what investment that an organization 5 meeting. an important industry this is would make when developing a for the city,” Ward 30 Toronto- new studio space. NRU PUBLISHING STAFF NRU PUBLISHING INC Ian A.R. Graham, Publisher Dominik Matusik Jeff Payette SALES/SUBSCRIPTIONS Novæ Res Urbis Toronto Editorial Office Billings Department [email protected] Planning Reporter Design/Layout [email protected] is published 50 times a 26 Soho Street, Suite 330 34B McMurrich Street [email protected] [email protected] year and is not to be Toronto, ON M5T 1Z7 Toronto, ON M5R 2A2 Lynn Morrow, Editor Annual subscription rate is redistributed without the Tel: 416.260.1304 Tel: 416.440.0073 [email protected] Peter Pantalone Irena Kohn $389 +HST (ON). written consent of the Fax: 416.979.2707 Fax: 416.440.0074 Planning Researcher Sales and Circulation Complimentary trial publisher. Sarah Niedoba [email protected] [email protected] ISSN 1918-7548 Municipal Affairs Reporter subscriptions are available. [email protected] Advertising rates available upon request. FRIDAY, JUNE 2, 2017 NOVÆ RES URBIS TORONTO 2 BLOOR & DUNDAS REDEVELOPMENT SEEKING INPUT Dominik Matusik hile the application has what would concern us, these variety of housing forms. dedicated park space and a not yet been submitted are the things we would like Toronto planning manager mix of uses as particularly W and details of the to see, these are the things we Lynda Macdonald says important. But she also wants proposed redevelopment are wouldn’t like to see’ right off the that the key to successful to see the site developed in an to be revealed at a community b at .” redevelopment of the site is environmentally sustainable consultation meeting in a When NRU asked what the listening to the community. manner. couple of weeks, city staff has a community would like to see “One of the things we’re “Certainly the direction good idea of what it envisions as part of the redevelopment, hoping at this pre-application the city is going in is we’re for the southeast corner of Perks said affordable housing, meeting on [June] 14th is to very interested in sustainable Bloor Street West and Dundas greenspace and a new school hear from the community development. So it will have to Street West. to replace Bishop Marrocco/ [about] what’s important to meet our green standards, that’s Owned by Choice REIT, Thomas Merton Catholic them,” Macdonald says.