Latest news with #Ward23
CBC
26-06-2025
- Business
- CBC
Council votes to allow sixplexes in 9 Toronto wards, leaving suburbs to opt in
Following a long debate Wednesday, Toronto councillors compromised on whether to allow sixplexes across the city, voting to allow the multi-unit housing in only nine wards and giving other wards the chance to opt-in. Coun. Gord Perks, who was pushing for a city-wide adoption, ultimately introduced a motion "very reluctantly" to allow sixplexes in eight Toronto-East York district wards and Ward 23 (Scarborough North), where a pilot is already in place, saying he wanted to increase housing density in some capacity rather than none. "I've spent a considerable amount of time and effort working with my colleagues on council, trying to find majority support for doing what this council already committed to in 2023, which is city wide sixplexes," he said after hours of debate. "But I've been unable to find that." Along with Ward 23, the following wards will now allow sixplexes: Ward 4, Parkdale-High Park. Ward 9, Davenport. Ward 10, Spadina-Fort York. Ward 11, University-Rosedale. Ward 12, Toronto-St. Paul's. Ward 13, Toronto Centre. Ward 14, Toronto-Danforth. Ward 19, Beaches-East York. The motion allows councillors of the remaining 16 wards to make a request to the city's chief planner to opt in if interested in allowing sixplexes. It also directed city staff to make sure necessary neighbourhood infrastructure is available to support added density where sixplexes are built, including street cleaning, public realm maintenance and improvements. The vote follows a city staff report that recommended allowing low-rise sixplexes across Toronto as-of-right, so they could be built without special permission. That followed a decision to allow fourplexes across the city in 2023. Lengthy debate leaves councillors divided City staff noted that allowing sixplexes would be a "significant milestone" in meeting Toronto's commitments under the federal Housing Accelerator Fund to allow more low-rise, multi-unit housing development through as-of-right zoning bylaws in its neighbourhoods. Coun. Perks warned councillors that the city could be denied funding if it voted against approving sixplexes. But the issue remained divisive at council, with Coun. Stephen Holyday pushing back. "That is the definition of selling out the residents for money," Holyday said. "Why don't we just ask the people what they want?" he said. "They're not satisfied with ramming through sixplexes in communities that were never designed to house them." Parthi Kandavel, councillor for Scarborough Southwest, told reporters that adding sixplexes to wards like his would put pressure on community infrastructure, parking and property costs. "If you give more units the permissions, land value increases," he said. "This will have a tremendous impact for working and middle class families on the path to home ownership in the suburbs … and that's a primary part of our concerns." In a statement following the vote, Mayor Olivia Chow said the city needs to do more to address the housing affordability crisis, and she hopes all wards will soon allow sixplexes. "I am confident that, as more people see the benefits of missing middle housing, where average rent is $830 cheaper than condos and 65% of units are family-sized, more councillors will also opt in," she said.
The Citizen
30-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
uMhlathuze leaders summoned to Empangeni public meeting over unresolved service delivery issues
Key leaders from the City of uMhlathuze have been summoned to the next Ward 23 public meeting in Empangeni. The upcoming meeting scheduled for Wednesday, 4 June at 6pm, to be held at the Empangeni SME One Stop Shop at 44 Turnbull Street, has been arranged by Cllr Andre de Lange following a heated meeting with over 80 fuming residents on 15 May. Many expressed outrage over long-standing, unresolved issues, calling for the mayor and city manager to answer. 'At every meeting, the same problems are discussed, the list gets longer and the problems aren't resolved. What are we paying rates for?' asked Renzo Perini, who has lived in the town since 1950. He said how Union Street has become a urinal and that he has to remove faeces from his place of work. 'We keep on paying, but there's no efficiency, no productivity. Now the management must be taken to task,' he said. 'We need all the responsible people who have the authority, to come and respond to us,' said Sboniso Xulu. 'We need a management plan,' urged Adri Mansvelder. Some of the complaints include: · Persistent electricity outages and water cuts, often patched up instead of long-term fixes · Municipal contractors need to be properly trained, particularly with water pipe fixes and electricity problems at main substations · Potholes and faded road markings · Lack of traffic officers to manage violations such as drivers racing down Paul Avenue · Vagrants digging in bins · Lack of service delivery: overgrown areas and uncut grass (with cutting collection routinely delayed), broken glass and litter in public areas · Old Empangeni graveyard needs to be fenced properly · Construction work lagging on Commercial Road outside Empangeni Library · Better service delivery in Richards Bay compared to Empangeni · Public drinking rampant and by-laws ignored, with a call for placing signage banning alcohol use in public areas · Natural heritage destroyed by residents cutting down old trees (some 100 years old) on pavements · Rampant crime · Lack of accountability: no follow-up from prior complaints Don't have the ZO app? Download it to your Android or Apple device here: HAVE YOUR SAY Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. For news straight to your phone invite us: WhatsApp – 060 784 2695 Instagram – zululand_observer At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
