The following five questions were posed:
1) Almost all Toronto ridings/wards have “Major Transit Station Areas” (MTSAs) yet they differ greatly. Old Mill and Royal York are obviously not the same as Islington and Kipling. Will constituents and community organizations be kept informed regarding Provincial plans and how closely/cooperatively will the Province be working with the City to determine the strategy for the various transit hubs, potential zoning changes and development initiatives?
Both provincial and city policies are reviewed with each application received by the city. The province has to complete the Growth plan for the Greater Golder Horseshoe amendment process before we can comment on how the changes will effect City Planning. We expect a Staff Report to City Council later this year.
2) What is Toronto Council doing to both inform area residents and also to seek their input with respect to issues in the Provincial Growth Plan?
The Province did outreach on the Growth Plan and it was covered extensively in the media earlier this year. https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/013-4504 The city has been seeking input on the Official Plan.
3) What will be the role of LPAT and its relation to the City as well as to input from community groups going forward?
LPAT is the new Provincial Appeal Body. The role is the same as the OMB, it is the Provincial Appeal body and not a city of Toronto agency.
4) Most specifically, will community groups and LPAT participants be made aware of any changes by the developer of 3005 Bloor Street West as well as any negotiations that may transpire between the City and the developer?
LPAT has a protocol in place for appeals. An extra community meeting took place last Fall/September, at the local church. Neither the Councillor of his office are part of any ongoing discussions between the Planning Department, city legal and the applicant. To that end any meeting would not be organised by the Councillor or his office rather it would fall under the LPAT process for mediation between parties.
Please note that there is no obligation on the applicant to include the community groups and participants in settlement discussions, and the City could not force them to.
If the City receives "without prejudice" plans in the context of settlement discussions, then they need to be treated confidentially, and we are not at liberty to circulate them. If a formal "with prejudice" resubmission is filed, then it would be posted on the City's website in the normal course.
5) Could a public meeting take place in light of any changes to the 3005 Bloor Street site plan, with a secondary item being impacts on The Kingsway / Etobicoke Lakeshore with respect to the Provincial development/transit policy intentions?
The community and public meetings for 3005 Bloor West have been completed. As this is now under appeal no further meetings are required. Should LPAT direct a meeting this would not be undertaken by the Councillor's office.
Mediation between the Parties would fall under the direction of the LPAT Chair.