8 July 2021 To: The Mayor and Members of the Toronto City Council, for the 14 July 2021 City Council Meeting RE: Committee/Staff Report PH25.10, Multi-Tenant Housing Review by the Planning and Housing Committee, 28 June 2021 – Amendment concerning fraternity and sorority houses The Federation of South Toronto Residents Associations (FoSTRA) understood that the proposed new regulatory system would apply fully to fraternities and sororities when it submitted its 17 June 2021 letter to the Planning and Housing Committee (PHC) regarding Multi-Tenant Housing (MTH). When FoSTRA learned of the following amendment to the 28 June report to City Council by the Deputy Mayor and Chair of the PHC Ana Bailao, we were naturally concerned: “The Planning and Housing Committee request the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, consult further with the Sorority and Fraternity Association of Toronto to canvass their views and further review issues of concern with respect to the operation of their sororities and fraternities in the context of the new framework for multi-tenant housing prior to the City Council meeting of July 14 and July 15, 2021.” We understand – from an explanatory email subsequently sent by the Deputy Mayor – that removing the definition of fraternities and sororities as Multi-Tenant Housing from the regulatory framework was not her intent. Questions remain: What was the intent? And what will be the result?
FoSTRA supports the letter from the Annex Residents Association (ARA) to the PHC Chair, dated 2 July 2021. The ARA letter questions why the Sorority and Fraternity Association of Toronto has again been given been the opportunity to ask for an exemption to the rules and regulations that will apply to all other MTH operators. FoSTRA also supports the letter to the Mayor and City Council from The Grange Community Association (GCA), dated 6 July 2021. The GCA letter lauds the definition of fraternities and sororities as MTH under section 57-1.1 (3) and calls for the provision of adequate resources for inspection, monitoring and enforcement. The City has dealt with this issue previously: http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2017.EX26.45 http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2018.LS25.2 It was assumed then that frat and sorority houses would comply and be well regulated. This does not appear to be the case. FoSTRA is writing today to assure you that this issue concerns more than a small number of Annex residents. We respectfully ask that the proposed MTH Bylaw, its regulations and enforcement be applied equally to fraternity and sorority houses throughout the City of Toronto. Sincerely, Rick Green Don Young Acting Chair Acting Vice-chair cc. Michael Mizzi ([email protected]) Tracey Cook ([email protected]) Carleton Grant ([email protected]) Gregg Linten ([email protected]) Planning and Housing Committee ([email protected]) Comments are closed.
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