This development would fall within the proposal for the future planning of Queen Street West between Bathurst and Roncy:


Toronto is on the verge of unveiling a sweeping proposal to restrict density on a long stretch of Queen Street West, the key downtown strip that for decades has showcased the city’s most eclectic art, music and fashion.

Queen has long been an urban magnet, its appeal surviving changes in consumer tastes and an increasingly gentrified city. But those same pressures – including the westward march of chain stores – have also changed the street. A new staff report focused on balancing preservation with change is expected within weeks, and at least one major developer is concerned that the proposed solution is too restrictive.

The plan will cover the part of Queen between Bathurst and Roncesvalles, a 3.5-kilometre strip that takes in West Queen West and the former Parkdale Village, establishing new zoning policies while also seeking to protect the area under heritage rules.

According to a draft city document, new and renovated buildings would be limited to six storeys, up to 20 metres in total, with the first three storeys allowed adjacent to the sidewalk and the remainder set back. But the proposals go further, including design guidelines and a slate of changes – around pedestrian mobility, road safety, parking requirements and landscaping – that get to the heart of neighbourhood livability.
 
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Right size and rental. This should not be controversial. I wonder what is the big first-floor area for? It kind of looks like an apple store or library mix, both kind of unlikely. A 24-hour supermarket maybe.
 
1521 Queen St West

An application has been submitted at this site for an 8-storey building containing 78 residential units and retail on the ground floor, with 0 vehicle parking spots, 3 car share spaces, and 84 bicycle parking spots. The City is aware of the history of evictions from 2015 on this site and will remain mindful of this as the planning process continues. Another community meeting will be held in the near future.

 


Justice for Queen's Hotel

A new 8-storey development is being proposed by BSäR (Queen) LP, a subsidiary of BSäR Group of Companies, at 1521 Queen Street West in Parkdale. The site is home to the former Queen’s Hotel, a Single Room Occupancy (SRO) hotel where BSäR unlawfully evicted 27 tenants in 2015. We are community members and former tenants who say NO to this development, unless the developers replace the 27 affordable dwelling rooms that BSäR violently and unlawfully de-tenanted. We demand that BSäR provide new affordable units to the impacted tenants, or tenants in similar need, at the same rental rate through a legally-binding Community Benefits Agreement. We won't let BSäR spin a false narrative about neighbourhood “improvement” that erases their cruel displacement of community members in Parkdale.

On September 9th, 2020, the City of Toronto is hosting a virtual community consultation from 6PM-7:30PM for the Planning Application for 1521 Queen St W. Please join us to demand justice for Queen’s Hotel and to voice your concerns about the development. See below for more details!
 
I feel bad for the people that lived here, but in legal reality, is it actually illegal to not renew someones stay at a hotel?? If this was a rental building I would understand but it is a hotel meant for temporary lodging.
 
... is it actually illegal to not renew someones stay at a hotel??

It can be. Ontario Law doesn't define a building type so much as a behaviour type.

If they are paying monthly, it is their primary residence, and they have been residents for a period of time (couple months? though I know it doesn't apply to seasonal workers/resorts) then they may have the same rights as any other long-term tenant.

There are shades of this too where a judge may find them to be a long-term tenant; for example they might pay weekly but not be provided sheets/towels, or use some of their own furniture. Basically, if the judge finds both the tenant and motel act as if they are long-term, then they have rights of a long-term tenant.
 
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From Gord Perks' website:


1521 Queen Street West at Toronto East York Community Council


On Wednesday, February 24, 2021, Toronto and East York Community Council (TEYCC) will be reviewing Staff Report: TE23.26 1521 Queen Street West- Zoning By-law Amendment Application – Request for Direction.

This application, originally submitted to the city in November 2019 was appealed to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) in November 2020. It proposes an 8-storey building with 78 new residential units, approximately 300 square metres of retail space on the ground floor, and 3 car-share spaces with no other vehicle parking.

The Report to TEYCC recommends that the City Solicitor, together with City Planning staff, and other appropriate City staff, attend the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) hearing in opposition to the proposed development. The report identifies significant concerns with the built form, massing and design of the proposal. Further, issues on rental housing replacement transportation and traffic impacts and the inclusion of amenity space for future residents need to be resolved.

The full report is available on-line at http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.TE23.26

I will be supporting the staff recommendation. I ask that you review the details of the report and share your questions and comments with my office: councillor_perks@toronto.ca , 416-392-7919.

Due to the pandemic, Civic buildings are closed to the public and meetings of the Toronto and East York Community Council are currently being conducted by electronic means. If you wish to register to speak to this item at Toronto and East York Community council, or submit written comment, please email teycc@toronto.ca. Registered speakers will be provided with instructions on connecting to the meeting.

TEYCC will also be streamed live online at www.youtube.com/TorontoCityCouncilLive
 
Any updates on this?
Nothing since the Community Consultation in September 2020. You can find files associated with that event amongst the Supporting Documentation here.

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CC41.11 - 1521 Queen Street West - Zoning Amendment - Request for Directions

The Original Proposal was deemed complete on December 6, 2019. The application was appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal (the "OLT") on November 2, 2020 due to the City's failure to make a decision within the prescribed time period set out in the Planning Act. The OLT conducted one Case Management Conference on June 8, 2021 and scheduled a 13-day hearing commencing on May 17, 2022. The applicant provided revised plans to the OLT on January 21, 2022, which addressed some of the City's issues with the Original Proposal.

The purpose of this report is to request further instructions for the OLT hearing that is scheduled to commence on May 17, 2022.

City Planning has been involved in the preparation of this report.


 
The Request for Direction Report mentioned above by @HousingNowTO is now public.

The report recommended support for a settlement offer.

That offer is linked here: https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2022/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-222461.pdf

The Plans are linked here: https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2022/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-222462.pdf

From the above:

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"The Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition Program (MURA) is a rental housing acquisition program with dedicated funding to help purchase and convert at-risk private market affordable housing to permanently affordable rental homes to be run by non-profit housing organizations, community land trusts, and Indigenous organizations, and it helps to improve the conditions of the affordable housing made permanent."

So, the SECTION-37 is 1-MILLION to the City's rooming-house purchase fund for Parkdale... and $200,000 in funds to be managed by the Parkdale Neighbourhood Land Trust (PNLT) for displaced residents...

 

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