On February 5 Toronto City Council will vote on a new change to permit high rises on major roads deemed “avenues” across neighbourhoods without further approval from city officials or residents. No further planning studies will be required to assess the impact of these changes on infrastructure, traffic, or community character.
Guildwood Parkway and Morningside Avenue have both been designated as “Avenues”. These changes will drastically alter many residential neighbourhoods permanently, including Guildwood Village, without further consultation or the need for council approval.
What this means:
Mid-rise buildings (up to 14 storeys) will be permitted along new Avenues (i.e. Guildwood Parkway)
Tall buildings (40–60+ storeys) will be allowed within 800 meters of transit hubs (i.e. Guildwood Go Station).
The City has no plan or budget for upgrades for roads, transit, schools, parks, water, and other essential services to support this dramatic increase in density. As a one-lane throughway, traffic throughout Guildwood will increase significantly.
City planners would have the power to rezone nearby residential streets without additional approvals, allowing properties along Avenues to extend into adjacent lots—including backyards and side streets—to accommodate larger developments.
Planners will be able to rezone Avenues and nearby streets to Commercial Residential, allowing bars, nightclubs, fast-food outlets, and cannabis shops next to homes. Bars and patios could operate until 2 a.m., creating noise and safety concerns in formerly quiet residential streets.
This Avenues proposal is a drastic change being pushed through without residents’ knowledge or the ability for residents to push back in the future.
The GVCA does not believe in a “one-size-fits-all” approach for the entire city of Toronto. We are opposed to uniform planning and zoning approaches as these are not conducive to retaining the special character of the Guildwood community. A blanket imposition of regulations to all parts of the city, without taking the special characteristics and context of each community, is both destructive and undemocratic.
Guildwood has a rich history and is a neighbourhood full of unique charm and character which we want to preserve. In fact, City Council has already passed a motion regarding the Preservation of Architectural Character in Guildwood Community.
The GVCA does not oppose density. We welcomed the development of the major Chartwell facility in the community. This was an appropriate development in the appropriate place. That being said, the Chartwell development faced months of construction delays because the City's existing infrastructure couldn't support such a large-scale development. If bigger buildings are allowed to put more pressure on power, water and sanitary systems, this will be repeated once again all throughout Guildwood Village.
The GVCA has proposed several alternative ways to accommodate additional growth in the Guildwood area without encroaching on residents existing homes, including:
Redeveloping school sites which have been designated surplus. For example, Sir Robert Borden Technical Institute on Poplar Road, which closed in 2016, could be redeveloped for mixed use (medium-density residential, plus supporting commercial and institutional services).
Continuing to allow for higher-density projects along Kingston Road
Ensuring that appropriate development occurs at the former car dealership on the south side of Kingston Road next to the Guildwood GO Station.
Discussions with Metrolinx to allocate space at the Guildwood GO station for other uses such as daycare and a café.
City Council votes on the Avenues Policy Review on Wednesday, February 5th. Make sure your voice is heard before it’s too late. Share this with your neighbours and email your Councillor, the Mayor, and the Committee today to demand that this be REFERRED back to City Planning for further public consultation to consider exemptions. See our sample letter.
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