Ontario Land Tribunal hearing on agreement for development at north end of Glen Stewart Ravine slated for Feb. 3
By MATTHEW STEPHENS
Local advocacy group Friends of Glen Stewart Ravine (FGSR) have issued a reminder to local residents that they are able to attend an upcoming settlement hearing for the residential development at 847-855 Kingston Rd. – just north of the Glen Stewart Ravine.
“We have received a letter from the OLT stating that it will now go to a settlement hearing on Feb. 3. The settlement hearing is open to the public,” said Cherie Daly, a local conservationist with FGSR.
The hearing is set for Tuesday, Feb. 3 at 10 a.m. To attend online, please follow the link at https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/687587165
Despite being concerned about the effectiveness of participant comments, Daly said she hopes that a larger portion of viewers could help sway the decision of the OLT at the hearing.
According to the letter sent to FGSR on Jan.6 by the OLT, developer Gabriele Homes Ltd. submitted a request to the OLT to cancel a merit hearing that had been scheduled for a later date of April 13, 2026, and schedule a settlement hearing for Feb. 3.
For Daly, this decision to schedule the settlement hearing at a much earlier date is another step in what she said is an attempt to silence the community, who have expressed their disapproval of the project due to concerns regarding building height, parking, and inadequate setbacks from the north slope of the Glen Stewart Ravine, which has been designated as an Environmentally Sensitive Area by the Toronto Region and Conservation Authority (TRCA).
“This process from the beginning has excluded community input, and even now, there is only an opportunity for approximately 60 people who registered as participants to make statements to the OLT,” said Daly.
Beach Metro Community News reached out to Gabriele Homes Ltd. representatives for comment on this story, but did not receive a response before our deadline.
During last year’s Toronto Council meetings held in December, Beaches-East York Councillor Brad Bradford directed city staff to “continue with consultations,” particularly with the local Indigenous community and Indigenous stakeholders, to ensure clear communication regarding the proposal and its impact on the Glen Stewart Ravine.
However, with the proposal now heading to the OLT for settlement and approval, Daly said that the Indigenous community, who had recently come forward to inform Toronto Council about their use of the ravine for ceremony, seem to have been “excluded” throughout the decision-making process.
“I believe the Indigenous representatives may be trying to take additional action, but I think it’s pretty much impossible now,” said Daly.
She now hopes that by spreading the word and encouraging members of the public to attend the Feb. 3 hearing, the OLT will step in and not approve the settlement agreement which was reached between the city, the developer and the TRCA.
“Even if we can’t make a case in court, we can make one in the media. That is the only hope we have in getting any kind of empathy or support from the OLT.” said Daly.
Following a “confidential” agreement approved by Toronto Council on Wednesday, Dec. 17, details of the new plans for the building were made available to the public. Council voted 17-6 in favour of the settlement agreement between the developer and city. Beaches-East Councillor Brad Bradford voted against accepting the settlement.
Key changes to the previous 11-storey development proposal include shrinking the building’s footprint to ensure a 10-metre setback, increasing the building’s height to 13-storeys, and an agreement which will see the landowner give approximately 25 per cent of the site’s land to the city.
For more information about the upcoming OLT hearing, head to https://jus-olt-prod.powerappsportals.com/en/e-status/details/?id=5a869ff0-6bab-ef11-8a69-0022483d1038
How Toronto Council voted on the settlement agreement for 847-855 Kingston Rd.
In favour (17): Scarborough-Guildwood Councillor Paul Ainslie; Davenport Councillor Alejandra Bravo; Don Valley East Councillor Jon Burnside; Willowdale Councillor Lily Cheng; Don Valley East Councillor Rachel Chernos Lin; Mayor Olivia Chow; Etobicoke North Councillor Vincent Crisanti; Scarborough Southwest Councillor Parthi Kandavel; Spadina-Fort York Councillor Ausma Malik; Scarborough-Agincourt Councillor Nick Mantas; Toronto Centre Councillor Chris Moise; Etobicoke-Lakeshore Councillor Amber Morley; Scarborough North Councillor Jamaal Myers; York-South Weston Councillor Frances Nunziata; York Centre Councillor James Pasternak; Parkdale-High Park Councillor Gord Perks; Scarborough Centre Councillor Michael Thompson.
Against (6): Beaches-East York Councillor Brad Bradford; Eglinton-Lawrence Councillor Mike Colle; Toronto-Danforth Councillor Paula Fletcher; Etobicoke Centre Councillor Stephen Holyday, Toronto-St. Paul’s Councillor Josh Matlow; Scarborough-Rouge Park Councillor Neethan Shan.
Absent (3): Don Valley North Councillor Shelley Carroll; Humber River-Black Creek Councillor Anthony Perruzza; University-Rosedale Councillor Dianne Saxe.
