The Ontario Land Tribunal has ordered Aurora to allow the redevelopment of the former Canadian Tire site on Yonge Street, clearing the way for up to 900 units of housing.
Phase one of the redevelopment would see 480 housing units built across several apartment buildings and townhouses. Phase two, where the former Winners was located, would see 420-units built.
When the development was brought to Aurora council in February 2023, councillors voted 5-2 to send the proposal to another public planning meeting, citing residents’ concerns about parking and density.
More than a year later, residents like those on Mosaics Avenue, a townhouse neighbourhood that lies immediately behind the former Canadian Tire, voiced similar concerns.
“This is a fairly secluded area, even though they’re small houses, it’s a good little community here,” said Alan Dean, 85. “That’s going to be destroyed.”
Dean, who moved into the neighbourhood when it was first built in 1999, worried about the impact more cars would have, noting children often play on the quiet streets within the Mosaic neighbourhood.
“I came to Aurora 60 years ago, so I remember when there was 7,000 people,” he added. “I know what it was like then and I know what it’s like now.”
Not all the neighbourhood’s residents are against it. Anastasia Krasnikova, who moved into the neighbourhood three years ago, is in favour of the development, saying she found the area too quiet and prefers neighbourhoods with more houses around.
Land tribunal approves plans
The applicant, SmartCentres, brought its proposal for several multi-storey residential and commercial buildings to a town public planning meeting in February 2023, seeking rezoning approval of the properties at 14700 and 14720-14760 Yonge St.
Aurora council voted 5-2 to send the proposal to another public planning meeting.
Smart Centres appealed that decision to the OLT, with the tribunal approving the zoning bylaw amendment for the lands, as well as approving the site plan for phase one, according to a statement from the town’s planning director, Marco Ramunno.
“The tribunal found that the application represented good planning in an appropriate location. Comprehensive conditions of approval have also been included with the decision to ensure the orderly development of the lands moving forward,” according to Ramunno.
In his decision, Euken Lui, acting registrar with the tribunal, said the proposal represented good planning "that is in the public interest (and) has appropriate regard for matters of provincial interest." Lui also pointed to the town's official plan, which identifies lands as being within the Aurora Promenade Secondary Plan area, which has been earmarked for denser development.
Two-phase development
The re-development is set to be done in two phases.
The first phase would take place at 14700 Yonge St., the site of the former Canadian Tire, with several apartment buildings. The plan called for two seven-storey apartment buildings along Yonge Street, totalling 264 units, one six-storey 200-unit apartment building, and two eight-unit rows of townhouses, totalling 16 units, along the westerly lot line, for a grand total of 480 units.
The plans also included more than 600 square metres of retail space.
The Canadian Tire closed in 2016 after the company moved to its current location on Bayview Avenue.
The site plan for phase one was approved by the OLT, but a site plan for phase two has not yet been submitted, according to Ramunno.
The second phase will see the formers Winners site being redeveloped, which closed in November 2022.
The plans include one seven-storey apartment along Yonge, containing 242 units, one six-storey apartment containing 170 units, and a row of eight townhouse units along the westerly lot line, for a total of 420 housing units.
There were also plans for about 1,800 square metres of retail space.
If both phases go ahead, the whole development would total 900 residential units.
SmartCentres did not respond to a request for comment.
