City Council: A Very Short Meeting, Big Issues

This week’s City Council meeting was unusually short — we wrapped up before sunset!

That happened for two reasons: No member motions were allowed, and with the new year and the budget process underway, not all committees have met yet, resulting in a lighter agenda.

Even so, there were two key issues I want to highlight for you.

1.  A Future with Very Little Visitor Parking

Recent provincial legislation has removed the City’s ability to require visitor or accessible parking in developments near higher-order transit areas (known as MTSAs and PMTSAs).

What does that mean in practice? We’re now seeing proposals for buildings with 500+ units and as few as 7 visitor parking spaces.

Most people don’t think about visitor parking when buying or renting a home — until they need it. My concern is that once these buildings are occupied, pressure will grow to allow on-street permit parking in neighbourhoods where it doesn’t currently exist — changing how residents experience their streets. To me, visitor parking is a basic need, like kitchens or bathrooms.

I strongly feel the pendulum has swung too far, and I will continue to speak up.

I brought forward the following motions, all of which received unanimous support:

• Requesting the Province establish guidelines for adequate visitor and accessible parking in MTSAs and PMTSAs, especially where higher-order transit isn’t yet built

• Continuing City studies on visitor parking in neighbourhoods without permit parking, as part of the Strategic Parking Framework

• Examining whether city-owned parking lots can be expanded to support areas experiencing new density

2. A Growing Threat to Employment Lands

Last year, I was deeply concerned to learn that parts of North York’s employment lands near York Mills and Leslie were being sacrificed to secure broader protections through an Official Plan Amendment (OPA 804).

That agreement was negotiated in good faith. However, after a change in the Minister of Housing, OPA 804 has not been approved. Without a clear policy in place, we are vulnerable on up to 40 applications seeking to change land use, which could drive up land values and trigger a ripple effect across neighbouring properties.

Why does this matter?

Employment lands may take up less than 12% of Toronto’s land, but they support:

• 25% of all jobs

• 30% of businesses

• 92% of manufacturing jobs

They are also critical economic drivers, with over $63 million in industrial building permits issued annually between 2021 and 2024.

Currently, four applications are seeking zoning changes — two of which could put the Ontario Food Terminal and surrounding food distribution businesses at risk. Once housing is introduced, restrictions on hours of operation and noise could threaten their viability. City Council is united in urging the Province to ratify OPA 804. The deal was struck. It should be honoured. Protecting employment lands is essential to preserving jobs, food security, and long-term economic stability.