Toronto School Boards' Appeal Threatens Our Communities
Toronto school boards have filed an appeal to redesignate school lands for mid-rise development.
If the appeal succeeds, hundreds of active school properties located on major streets — including their buildings, playgrounds, and parking lots — will be redesignated to enable 6-14 storey buildings. This includes schools in your neighbourhood. Redesignation does not mean the lands will be rezoned immediately, but it removes an important barrier towards future development. It's a critical first step.
Redesignation will increase the value of school lands and incentivize development. It could create pressure to dispose of school lands if enrolment is low, since schools only have to forecast 10 years ahead. Schools properties could also be carved up by selling their green spaces and playgrounds in order to raise funds.
Given that Toronto school boards are now under the direct control of the Province, instead of locally-elected school trustees, the local community's interests are no longer represented. Short-sighted forecasts will result in school closures, only to have the demographics shift again and no schools for kids to go to.
This also impacts surrounding residents who use school grounds for green space, places to gather, and places to play - especially needed in dense, urban areas. We need our communities to thrive 20, 50 years from now, and good planning means schools must remain at their centre. Once those lands are sold, it's almost impossible to get them back.
Public schools are valuable community assets. Say no to privatization of public lands.