Tonight nearly 200 residents attended the #OntarioLine Corktown station meeting. Residents are critical of the Province's development plans. They want more parkland and community facilities, less density, respect for heritage, true consultation & livability. #RespectLocalPlanning 
The First Parliament site was strategically assembled by City Council in recognition of the national importance these lands had in the formation of modern Canada. A heritage interpretation strategy was adopted in 2018 and the master plan completed this summer.
The First Parliament master plan is a vision document informed by local community, City Planning, Parks, Heritage, TO Library and others. The intention was to invest and build community facilities to support the area while recognizing the important heritage value of the site.
The master plan included space for a district library, civic square, interpretation centre, affordable housing, significant open space & parkland. The location is an important terminus, adjacent to the original 10 blocks of Town of York and it was to honour Indigenous heritage.
The Corktown station is going to be placed at the north end, also known as the Staples site.
The south end, where the First Parliament site is not going to actually have any transit directly built onto it. The Province expropriated the lands from the City for their temporary construction staging area. We offered them access to build the station but they wanted ownership.
Province is selling the First Parliament site to a private developer after the construction. It's unlikely the master plan will ever be fully realized.
Public ownership & control of the lands will be gone forever, even if the Ontario Line never gets built. That's a possibility.
Public ownership & control of the lands will be gone forever, even if the Ontario Line never gets built. That's a possibility.
The City & community never said no to development here. It was always respect the master plan, TOcore and King Parliament Secondary Plan.
St Lawrence Neighbourhood Assn, West Don Land Committee and others have championed responsible development, heritage & high quality parks.
St Lawrence Neighbourhood Assn, West Don Land Committee and others have championed responsible development, heritage & high quality parks.
The Ford government is redrawing the City’s Official Plan through development-oriented transit.
They aren't promising to address the housing crisis by building affordable housing. They haven't committed to their portion of HousingTO funding. $6.9 billion is still outstanding.
They aren't promising to address the housing crisis by building affordable housing. They haven't committed to their portion of HousingTO funding. $6.9 billion is still outstanding.
Ford government dropped an MZO on the Foundry lands and then went about destroying heritage buildings, until the community & City legally forced them to do better and add affordable housing.
The next few months will be revealing. Revised plans are expected in soon. Stay tuned.
The next few months will be revealing. Revised plans are expected in soon. Stay tuned.
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