A proposed development of three high-rise apartment towers drew strong opposition from residents at Monday’s council meeting.
The plan, submitted by Mattamy Homes, includes 520 apartment units, 78 townhomes and retail spaces. Residents raised concerns about traffic congestion, parking, safety and strain on local infrastructure.
Tim Schnarr, representing Mattamy, outlined the proposed development at Louis St. Laurent Avenue and Ferguson Drive, which features two 10-storey buildings and one 8-storey building — all within the Boyne Secondary Plan’s maximum height limit of 15 stories. The proposal includes one parking space per residential unit and shared visitor and retail parking.
He cited a transportation study indicating no significant traffic impact from the development, but this was disputed by residents who questioned whether it adequately captured the reality of the congestion in the area.
Anne Guldner, a local resident, described daily traffic backs-up that can stretch nearly a kilometre in the morning, warning that adding hundreds of vehicles from the new development would only make it worse.
The Town’s commissioner of development services, Jill Hogan, told council that staff would review the submitted traffic study and request further data if needed.
“We’re on top of that,” said Hogan.
The parking plan also drew criticism.
Resident Mandy Orphanos argued that allocating just one space per unit fails to account for the multi-car households typical in the area, which could lead to parking overflow on streets and school lots.
Orphanos also raised the issue of the impact on local schools and roads, pointing out that five schools are within a 500-metre radius of the site.
“Building a condo in an already overcrowded school zone presents significant risks, particularly regarding pedestrian safety,” she said. “The increased traffic poses a heightened danger to pedestrians, especially young children, who may not be fully aware of these risks.”
Bill King, a resident of Ward 3, voiced concerns about traffic spilling onto quiet residential streets like Stewart Crescent.
“The level of chaos and unsafe conditions in this area is absurd, frustrating and maddening,” King said.
While acknowledging the need for development, residents urged council to prioritize community safety and infrastructure capacity. They called for a scaled-back project with fewer units and better integration into the existing neighbourhood.
Coun. Adil Khalqi reminded attendees that no decision would be made at the meeting and that a follow-up report would return to council next year.
“I’d like to see staff work with the developer, which I'm sure they will, to come up with a way to incorporate the feedback that we've received here today,” Khalqi said.