Toronto Under Construction Podcast: Episode 82 – Urban Planning, Public Engagement & Housing Policy
In Episode 82 of the Toronto Under Construction podcast, host Ben Myers is joined by Igor Dragovic from Concert Properties and Blair Scorgie of Scorgie Planning. This episode dives into the complexities of urban planning, public engagement, housing research, and the latest policy shifts shaping the future of development in Toronto and beyond.
Balancing Urban Planning Priorities
Ben opens the discussion with a quote from Encyclopedia Britannica: “Contemporary planners seek to balance the conflicting demands of social equity, economic growth, environmental sensitivity, and aesthetic appeal.”
He asks Blair, “Thinking in the context of the last 10-15 years, how do you think the province and the City of Toronto has done balancing these competing priorities?”
Tune in at 7:04 for Blair’s response, where he says, “It always sort of feels like two steps forward, one step back. We’re getting there slowly, but there is no shortage of roadblocks in the way.” Blair discusses his disappointment in the numerous initiatives at the provincial level that have started but have gone nowhere in the past few years.
At 10:06, Igor chimes in, agreeing that “it’s a mixed bag. We’ve done some things really well, but there are things we are really dropping the ball on.”
The Role of Public Engagement in Land Use Planning
Ben references Ontario.ca, which states: “Planning is fundamentally a public process. It includes the input of developers, residents, Indigenous communities, and individuals to help municipalities achieve their goals and implement the provincial and municipal policy frameworks.”
He asks Igor, “You have an extremely unique perspective, as you’ve worked for the City of Toronto as a planner, but you’ve also worked for a couple of developers. Does public participation actually help ‘municipalities achieve their goals,’ or is the process bogged down by NIMBYs that only care about protecting their property values and avoiding change in their community at all costs?”
Tune in at 16:39 for Igor’s response, where he discusses the pros and cons of community engagement.
At 21:31, Blair shares his thoughts, echoing Igor’s sentiments and emphasizing the importance of clearly communicating both the benefits and trade-offs to the public. The group shares a laugh over Blair’s statement that “your success as a planner is when no one is happy but everyone can live with the results.”
Ben follows up, asking Blair, “During COVID, community consultations and public meetings went online. Has this improved the process? Are we moving away from a process over-influenced by angry retired geezers to one that better reflects the outlook of the entire community?”
Tune in at 27:07, where Blair explains that online meetings have allowed for a broader demographic to participate, ensuring that more voices are heard.
The Importance of Housing Research in Policy Decisions
Ben quotes a University of Manchester Humanities Blog: “As we approach the threshold of unprecedented urban growth, the need for evidence-based decision-making has never been more urgent. Research serves as the foundation upon which sustainable cities are built, helping to guide the way towards a more vibrant and inclusive urban future.”
He asks Blair, “I had my old boss Frank Clayton on the podcast recently, and his team at the Centre of Urban Research & Land Development puts out great reports on housing demand and supply, but his reports often get little media attention. Instead, we get the media focusing on NIMBYs complaining about high-rise towers being filled with investor-owned glass dog cages, mid-rise buildings destroying local retail, and the ‘missing middle’ being a gift to developers that eliminates much-needed single-family houses. As a planner and an educator, how do we improve the state of housing research, and how do we get the media to focus on expert opinions rather than contrarian pundits and deranged NIMBYs?”
Tune in at 35:01 for Blair’s response, where he says research needs to be simplified for the public. He emphasizes the importance of engaging with media proactively, leveraging social media, and using data and transparency to combat misinformation around housing.
Ontario’s New Provincial Planning Statement (PPS)
Ben references a CBC News article from October 2024: “Ontario cities worry the province changing how and when developers can apply to build outside the urban boundary will make long-term planning difficult and saddle them with more applications, more appeals, and heftier costs. Cities have become used to evaluating developer requests all at once during a once-per-decade comprehensive review. The new provincial planning statement (PPS), set to come into effect on Sunday, will force cities to create an ad hoc alternative.”
Ben asks Igor, “You’re an urban developer, so I’m not going to ask you about allowing one-off urban boundary applications, but I am curious about how you think suburban communities should grow? If we don’t allow cities to sprawl with the popular single-family housing types, it often results in that demand creating bedroom communities in smaller municipalities even farther away—think Tottenham, Schomberg, New Tecumseth, Midhurst.”
Tune in at 44:54 for Igor’s response, where he explains his opposition to sprawl and discusses how to densify GTA municipalities in a meaningful way.
Toronto’s Major Streets Policy & Mini Mid-Rises
Ben references Storeys.com from May 2024: “Gentle density was the name of the game this week. Toronto City Council voted to permit more townhouses and six-storey residential buildings on major streets in residential areas. The Major Streets plan was approved by the City and aims to change existing zoning bylaws to allow for this type of density creation. Prior to this change, townhomes and small residential buildings were only allowed in specific areas. The City voted 21-3 to support the creation of these structures on specific major Toronto roads—without requiring rezoning applications.”
Ben asks Blair, “What exactly is a major street? And what type of time savings will this have for the average developer looking at this type of built form?”
Tune in at 1:00:36 for Blair’s explanation of major streets versus avenues, their planning policies, and how this change impacts land use.
Ben follows up with Igor, referencing Smart Density’s Blog: “A mini mid-rise is a smaller-scale mid-rise building, typically six to ten storeys tall, designed for lots with narrow frontages. By eliminating the requirement for parking, mini mid-rises enable efficient, high-impact development on existing sites, making them ideal for Toronto’s mixed-use streets.”
Ben asks, “I find it hard to believe we’re going to get any 10-storey apartments on a single-family house lot. Am I wrong?”
Tune in at 1:10:25 for Igor’s thoughts, where he explains that the efficiency of these spaces will be tough, so he doesn’t expect to see a lot of them built.
Rapid Fire Questions:
As the episode winds down, Ben asks the guys some rapid fire questions like: If the next mayoral race was between only Brad Bradford and Josh Matlow, which one do you think would be better for the Toronto housing market? What’s worse, waiting 25 minutes for the bus to come, or only going two blocks in 25 minutes while driving? Should the municipal planning department prioritize applications from developers with proven track records of building housing? Has Toronto’s tax on vacant homes done anything to improve affordability or increase housing supply? And more!
Don’t miss Episode 82 of the Toronto Under Construction podcast, where Ben, Igor, and Blair dive deep into urban planning challenges, housing research, and the future of density in the GTA. Tune in now!