Lori Santink expressed disappointment but was not taken aback by the city council’s recent decision to rezone two empty lots for new residential projects in Thunder Bay, Ontario. One of the properties, located at 791 Arundel St., was among the surplus lands sold by the city to Terralux General Contractors and Development Limited earlier this year. Thunder Bay is facing a housing shortage of about 1,000 units to meet the current demand.
Pending approvals, the city could witness the construction of over 900 new housing units, including 360 units in two apartment buildings at 791 Arundel St. (reduced from an initial proposal of 400 units), 150 units in an apartment building at 144 Fanshaw St., and 400 units in two apartment buildings at 300 Tokio St. While the proposals for Arundel and Fanshaw streets necessitated rezoning, the Tokio Street property was already appropriately zoned.
Santink criticized the Arundel Street proposal, citing conflicts with the city’s Net-Zero Strategy and Climate Adaptation Strategy. She is a member of the TBay Greenspace Preservation group, which garnered over 2,600 signatures in a petition against the developments and organized a rally at city hall with over 100 attendees.
The group’s concerns revolve around the loss of green space, aging sewer infrastructure, increased traffic, lack of winter public transportation access, and potential risks to local species like the yellow-banded bumblebee, Canadian warbler, and grey fox. The enactment of Ontario’s Bill 60 limits residents from appealing municipal council decisions through the Ontario Land Tribunal, as explained by Santink.
Devon McCloskey, Thunder Bay’s manager of planning services, mentioned that the city is awaiting the developer’s applications for site plan control and building permits before commencing construction. The proposed developments have undergone numerous revisions to address public concerns, focusing on factors such as traffic, transportation infrastructure, and environmental considerations, with an expanded public consultation process.
Councillor Andrew Foulds opposed the rezoning of the property at 791 Arundel St., praising the unprecedented level of public engagement the issue has elicited. Leia Minaker, an associate professor at the University of Waterloo, highlighted the housing crisis in Canada and the challenges in reconciling diverse opinions on development projects.
Minaker emphasized common concerns such as traffic congestion, parking loss, privacy infringement, shadows from tall buildings, and alterations to neighborhood ambiance. In light of the projected population growth in northern Ontario, particularly in cities like Thunder Bay, she stressed the importance of strategic urban planning for sustainable growth.
Santink expressed her intent to vigilantly monitor the developments and called for enhanced communication from the city throughout the process to keep the public informed.