Council addresses housing, food security, and local development concerns

At its December 11 meeting, Stouffville town council heard deputations on housing affordability, food security, and a controversial development proposal, resulting in key motions and ongoing discussions.

Michael Braithwaite, CEO of Blue Door, presented on behalf of the “Housing for All Land Trust,” outlining the severe housing crisis in Canada. He reported that there were 250,000 homeless people in Canada and that the numbers were increasing because of an affordability crisis. He explained that in the GTA, a person required an hourly wage of 73 dollars to make ends meet and that one in ten Canadians were going to food banks. He highlighted that there were hidden homeless people who worked full-time but could not afford a place to live.

In response to the housing crisis, Braithwaite pointed out that the aim of “Housing for All Land Trust” is to provide affordable housing for all by providing transitional and support housing, by acquiring vacant homes, and turning them over to the trust to build affordable housing. He asked town council and staff to work with Blue Door to build five hundred homes in five years. Mayor Iain Lovatt concurred that this was a much-needed vision for York Region. His motion was passed to continue discussions about how to cooperate with Blue Door.

Carey Yoeman, Partnership Manager for The Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture, addressed food insecurity. She advocated for urban farms, cooperating with local high schools to earn credits, food IQ workshops, teaching skills for food preparation, and the creation of spaces for relaxation and leisure for seniors and anyone experiencing isolation. Ward 1 Councillor Hugo Kroon said that he was aware of the challenges faced by local producers. Ward 6 Councillor Sue Sherban said that this was an opportunity to involve local producers and that she was looking forward to the details and operating costs. Lovatt recommended that the town staff report back with details and expressed hope for donors to cover operating costs.

The third deputation was made by residents Heather Anne Lind, Matthew Jones, Rodney Yu, Matthew Chan, Andy Hua, and Meg Shephard. They spoke to the proposed development at 6835 Main Street and 447 Loretta Crescent. They expressed concerns about the lack of consultation with Elite Developments and that the proposed building does not complement the neighbourhood or amount to “gentle density.” Jones said that the main concern was the height of the buildings, their transition to neighbouring homes and that bylaws had not been followed. Other issues include the cutting down of mature trees, loss of privacy, flooding groundwater, traffic congestion due to construction vehicles, limited space for parking, and noise pollution. The residents pointed out that Buildings B and C had been classified as three-storey buildings when they are clearly four-storey buildings.

Sherban thanked the residents for their deputation and acknowledged the precision and depth of their research. She said that provincial guidelines tied the hands of the town council, and that she would not support the development. She warned that if the plan was approved, it would set a precedent for future developments. Ward 5 Councillor Richard Bartley asked about restrictions on road access, and Kroon noted that images of the building had not been shown earlier and that the plans for a three-story building that was four were misleading. The motion by Ward 3 Councillor Keith Acton to limit the height of Elite Developments proposed building and increase the rear yard setbacks was approved.