The Infrastructure and Corporate Services Committee of the city recently voted to approve a waiver of over $3 million in development charges for a proposed 24-storey building in London’s Old East Village. This tower is expected to offer numerous affordable housing units to the community.
During a meeting held on Monday, the committee unanimously agreed to grant the developer a complete exemption from development charges for all 213 units in the project. Initially, the staff suggested that only the 75 units designated for below-market value should be exempt from these charges according to provincial regulations.
According to a staff report, provincial guidelines state that housing units are only exempt from development charges if they are offered below market value and if the organization leading the project focuses primarily on housing initiatives. The Cross Cultural Learners Centre (CCLC), a non-profit organization supporting the development, contested this interpretation, asserting that housing is fundamental to both their operations and the project called Doorways to Dreams.
Represented by lawyer Laura McFalls from the law firm Siskinds, the CCLC argued before the committee during a special session on Monday. McFalls emphasized that housing plays a crucial role in the organization’s services, particularly in providing settlement support to newcomers, including refugees.
Coun. Susan Stevenson proposed a motion to waive the development charges, which was unanimously approved by the committee. Mayor Josh Morgan expressed support for the CCLC’s argument, stating that the entire project deserved the exemptions due to its focus on housing.
The project, situated on Dundas Street East between Rectory and Hewitt streets, is scheduled to commence construction this year, with the 24-storey tower expected to welcome tenants by 2028. Supporters of the project highlighted concerns that having to pay development charges could potentially delay or jeopardize the multi-million-dollar initiative that has been in progress for almost six years.
