September 27th, 2021
To: The Mayor and Members of the Toronto City Council, for the 1 October 2021 City Council Meeting [email protected] RE: Committee/Staff Report PH25.10 – Multi-Tenant Housing Review by the Planning and Housing Committee, 28 June 2021 The Federation of South Toronto Residents’ Associations (FoSTRA) supports the initiative to expand Multi-Tenant Housing (MTH) in Toronto in order to provide affordable housing options. In a city that is so expensive to live in, it is important to ensure options are made available to those on lower incomes. If Council approves the recommendations of the Committee at this Council Meeting, it is vital that the City, in an urgent and substantive fashion, address the concerns raised by FoSTRA and others during the community consultation process, specifically:
Dear Mayor Tory,
Extended construction hours have been a source of stress for Torontonians since the provincial government enacted Ontario Regulation 130/20 under the City of Toronto Act, 2006 and Ontario Regulation 131/20 under the Municipal Act in April of 2020. July 8th, 2021
TO: Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Request for Federal Environmental Assessment: Proposed Don Valley Train Layover Facility (Metrolinx GO Expansion Program) The Request For the Federal Government which has the authority, the resources, and a mechanism – a Federal Impact Assessment Study – to do a proper environmental assessment of Metrolinx's proposed Don Valley Train Layover Facility.
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.” An Open Letter to Honourable Steve Clark,
Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Dear Minister Steve Clark, The Federation of South Toronto Residents’ Associations (FoSTRA) and the Federation of North Toronto Residents’ Associations (FoNTRA) encompass over 50 resident organizations and some 675,000 Torontonians within our boundaries. In April 2020, the City of Toronto’s bylaws limiting construction noise were suspended by Ontario provincial regulations 130/20 and 131/20 that permitted extended construction hours for a period of 18 months (till October 2021). June 27, 2021
The Planning and Housing Committee 10th Floor, West Tower, City Hall 100 Queens St West Toronto M5H 2N2 Attn: Nancy Martins email: [email protected] Dear Deputy Mayor Ana Bailao, Chair and Members of the Planning and Housing Committee: RE: PH25.15, Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods – Garden Suites – Proposals Report (All Wards) To date, the recently founded Federation of South Toronto Residents Associations (FoSTRA) represents 20 residents’ associations (RAs) in Wards 4, 9, 10 and 13, as well as Ward 11 south of Bloor Street. Our boundaries encompass a population of over 400,000 people, and our Federation continues to grow, with new RAs and individuals joining every month. Intensification is necessary in all areas of the City to accommodate the additional 700,000 people who will inhabit it in the next thirty years. Many downtown areas are already overdeveloped. FoSTRA fully supports exploring new and creative alternatives that will address the need for more housing throughout our rapidly growing city, however there are a number of valid issues that need clarification regarding laneway homes and garden suites. June 25, 2021
The Planning and Housing Committee 10th Floor, West Tower, City Hall 100 Queens St West Toronto M5H 2N2 Attn: Nancy Martins email: [email protected] RE: PH24.5 Mandatory Pre-Application Consultation: Proposed Amendments to the Official Plan and to the Municipal Code- Proposals Report Dear Chairperson Ana Bailao, and Members of the Planning and Housing Committee: The recently founded Federation of South Toronto Residents Associations (FoSTRA) already represents twenty residents’ associations (RAs) in Wards 4, 9, 10, 13 and Ward 11 south of Bloor Street. Our boundaries encompass a population of over 400,000 people, and our Federation continues to grow with new RAs and individuals joining every month. Dear Planning and Housing Committee members,
RE: Public Meeting of the Planning and Housing Committee on 28 June 2021, concerning the proposed zoning bylaw to permit multi-tenant houses (commonly known as rooming houses) throughout the City of Toronto. The Federation of South Toronto Residents Associations (FoSTRA) applauds the initiative to integrate all the amalgamated City of Toronto under one multi-tenant-housing bylaw. We also commend the effort to gain control of the proliferation of unregulated rooming houses. We believe that it is much better to license and regulate these ‘rooming houses,’ rather than allow them to secretly spread in all areas of the City. Generally, we approve of the plans and support the proposed human rights approach. FoSTRA does have reservations about the speed of this bylaw’s approval. After attending both consultations, FoSTRA’s Chair and Vice-chair feel that not enough time, effort and resources have been allocated to make for a successful implementation of the bylaw. First, these consultations seemed to be less about listening to community members and making changes to address the problems raised, than to complete steps in the consultation process. ONTARIO LINE WEST OPEN HOUSE
We would like to invite you to the Ontario Line West Segment Virtual Open House on June 10 at 6:30 p.m. to learn more and have your questions answered about the project for Exhibition, King-Bathurst and Queen-Spadina stations. Please share the information below with your community. Attached here is the meeting agenda, Zoom link plus FoSTRA’s mission, mandate and objectives. If you have any questions, please submit them in advance or ask them during the meeting.
As we are expecting a number of participants, the call will be opened 10 minutes earlier. We look forward to seeing you at our General Members Meeting! May 3rd, 2021 Check-in for the Meeting 6:50~P.M. 7.00 P.M - 8.00 P.M Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/91807229835?pwd=eHFoeitJMjFkYXlId0JZQTBJOHdJUT09 Meeting ID: 918 0722 9835 Passcode: 679188 Sincerely, Don Young FoSTRA Vice-chair |