Toronto Council directs staff to oppose development proposal for Heward Avenue site in advance of Ontario Land Tribunal hearing
By MATTHEW STEPHENS
Toronto councillors have directed the city solicitor and staff to oppose an Official Plan Amendment Application at 65-87 Heward Ave., a proposal that will soon be headed to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) for consideration.
During Toronto’s Planning and Housing Committee meeting on May 7, councillors moved an item to oppose the application at the OLT and “continue discussions with the applicant in an attempt to resolve outstanding issues.”
The item also authorizes the city solicitor and staff to “take any necessary steps to implement City Council’s decision,” including requests for conditions to the application that are “in the city’s interest,” should the OLT approve it.
The property, which currently houses Six5 Studios, was listed on the City’s Heritage Register on March 26, 2025, for its operation as the Canadian Ammonia Company in 1913.
A separate item was also forwarded to the upcoming May 20 Toronto Council meeting, calling for the province to designate the property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, which could impact how the OLT considers the applicant’s current proposal.
In October 2025, the city received an application to redesignate the city-approved heritage site from a Core Employment to a Mixed-Use Area, allowing for the development of residential properties.
Despite not proposing any buildings or building additions in their initial application, a revised proposal was later submitted calling for four new mixed-use towers, including a nine-storey building fronting Eastern Avenue, two towers of 18 and 28 stories connected by a four-storey podium in the centre of the site, and another 12-storey building located at its south end. The proposed development would ensure the preservation of the two factory/warehouse type buildings on the property.
In February 2026, the applicant appealed the Official Plan Amendment application to the OLT due to council’s failure to make a decision within the timeframe outlined in the Planning Act.
Toronto Council must decide during its May 20, 21, 22 meeting, to provide enough time for the city clerk to issue a notice of intention to designate the property before May 31.
