3180-3202 Yonge: May 2025 update

This application for a development at 3180-3202 Yonge had gone through mediation and was approved by City Council in 2022. It was recently re-submitted by the developer to the Committee of Adjustment (CoA) to increase its overall size by 1/3 of what had been agreed upon through the Mediation. The CoA did not approve the requested increases.
The developer appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT). The OLT hearing took place in March 2025. On May 13, 2025, the OLT released its decision:  the increase fits with the interests of the provincial government and met the four tests of a CoA minor variance. The following are excerpts from the OLT Decision:
  • The Tribunal finds that the variances requested are compatible with the character of the area without adverse impacts and represent good planning.
  • It is for the committee and, in the event of an appeal, the Board to determine the extent to which a By-law provision may be relaxed and a variance still classed as ‘minor’.
The “Decision” said that Mr. Goldberg’s testimony was uncontradicted, but at the hearing Legal counsel for the City presented objections to the increase, including:
  • the proposed building height of 55.3m is more than double the 27m width of Yonge Street
  • the proposed height would be subject to tall-building guidelines
  • it would be the tallest building in the Yonge-Lawrence area
  • it does not transition well to the residential area on Woburn Ave.
  • it would destroy the pedestrian scale achieved in the 2022 Settlement
  • City legal counsel concluded that the variances requested do not meet the 4 tests for a minor variance.

A copy of the OLT’s decision can be found here: OLT Decision re: 3180-3202 Yonge- May 2025

Councillor Mike Colle made the following comments in response to the decision:

“Disappointingly, but not surprisingly, the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) issued a decision yesterday to approve the additional height, adding four more storeys to the previously approved 11-storey building, resulting in a newly approved 15-storey building. It is incredibly frustrating and difficult to tolerate having the Province’s OLT continue to override the objections of the City’s Planning department and ignore the concerns of local residents when these decisions do not conform to the City’s plan and vision for the future.

At this point, there is no further action that can be taken to amend the order approved by the Provincial Ontario Land Tribunal.

The order included preconditions that must be addressed by the applicant before August 29, 2025 in order to proceed with obtaining the necessary permits to begin construction.

I encourage you to write your local MPP, Michelle Cooper, and the Hon. Rob Flack – Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and let them know that you are disappointed, not only at this decision made by the OLT, but also the egregious flaws in the process as a result of an avalanche of Provincial legislative changes over the last few years.”

For background on this development, go to 3180-3202 Yonge