Whitby Mayor urging resident feedback on 2,400-unit GO station development proposal
Whitby Mayor Elizabeth Roy is “strongly” encouraging residents to provide feedback on an Infrastructure Ontario development proposal at the Whitby GO station that will add six residential towers – the highest at 45 storeys – and nearly 2,400 housing units to the town’s southern skyline.
The Whitby GO Transit-Oriented Community project will deliver new housing, employment opportunities and publicly accessible areas to Whitby’s transit hub on the south side of Highway 401, with all units having direct access to the Lakeshore East Line.
“This proposal has generated significant interest in our community, and I share many of the concerns residents have raised about the potential impacts of a development of this scale,” Roy said, noting that the Infrastructure Ontario online survey closes Aug. 21.
John Taglieri, a Director with Infrastructure Ontario and Neil Loewen from Urban Planner Urban Strategies fielded questions from a well attended virtual open house late last month, with Whitby Roy among those participating.
Roy said she was happy to see so many residents involved in the process and acknowledged some of the concerns raised by residents, but emphasized the project is being brought forward by Infrastructure Ontario – not the Town of Whitby.
“Residents are voicing concerns about density, increased traffic, loss of commuter parking capacity, and how this project could impact the overall character of the area. I am continuing to advocate for this proposal to follow the standard Planning Act process, including a statutory public meeting and council approval,” she said.
The project is one of several being proposed in the Transit-Oriented Community program, which aims to build “vibrant, mixed-use communities that will bring more housing (including affordable housing options), jobs, retail, public amenities and entertainment within a short distance of transit stations.”
These communities will be located along the province’s four subway projects, GO Transit and Light Rail Transit sites.
Roy said she will be calling for healthcare services, schools, and other infrastructure needed to support a development of this scale. “That includes moving forward with the next steps needed to deliver the new hospital planned for Whitby.”
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“I support building more homes and creating more housing options in our community. But successful growth means building complete communities where people have access to the services and infrastructure they need to thrive.” The goal of the Transit -Oriented Communities program is to: Increase transit ridership and reduce traffic congestion Increase housing supply (including affordable housing) and jobs Stimulate the economy through major projects Bring retail and community amenities (for example, community centres) within a short distance of public transit stations Offset the cost of station construction which would save taxpayers’ money The proposal was first submitted to the town on June 29 followed by an open house a month later. An online survey https://www. infrastructureontario. ca/…/whitby-go…/)will be available until the end of next week and Infrastructure Ontario will resubmit the plan after public engagement process in December.
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