Huge victory at the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) for Church-Wellesley Village & everyone who supports planning policies that maintain Church Street’s mid-rise character! The OLT have dismissed an appeal by developer Kingsett/2606545 Ontario Inc. who wanted to build a 28-storey highrise tower at 68 to 78A Wellesley Street East.
The OLT upheld local site- and area-specific Official Plan policies that recognize Church Street between Charles and Wood as a special character area. It also uphelded policies related to shadows on Barbara Hall Park, and the angular plan policy that reinforces the midrise character of this section of Church Street.
This won’t be the last fight we have at the OLT against developers who seek overly-aggressive redevelopment in the Village. In 2026, the OLT will decide on a proposed redevelopment for a 48-storey tower on the Crews and Tangos site at 506-516 Church Street.
As the OLT doesn’t use their own decisions as precedents when they consider future appeals, we must continue to push back against applications that seek to disrupt the character of the Village.
I want to thank City staff, including Jessica Braun, Rachel Godley, Joseph Luk, Kevin Friedrich and Jeremy Humphry. The Church Wellesley Neighbourhood Association supported the City’s refusal of this application, and I want to thank Ian Flett and Dr. Gary Davidson for their legal and professional assistance.
The FIFA World Cup 2026™ is only weeks away. My team has collected important information for you to know before the games begin here on June 11, including match times, FIFA Fan Festival™, and more. Visit my new Resource page to learn more!
This summer, we’re transforming a stretch of Church Street into a vibrant, car-free destination: a place to gather, celebrate, and show the world what the Village is made of.
Learn more at: www.experiencethevillage.ca
More than 130 residents participated in community safety meetings hosted by my office and Toronto Community Housing (TCHC) this spring in St. James Town and Moss Park. The meetings brought together residents, TCHC staff, Toronto Police Service, the City's Violence Intervention and Support Unit, Fred Victor, and Unison Health and Community Services to discuss local safety concerns and identify solutions.