The Issue
The Former GM Site, located at 282-285 Ontario Street, has been in complete shambles for the better part of 15 years. Citizens want it cleaned up. The current owners have taken no action. Mayors and Councillors since 2010 have taken no meaningful action. The Vision
At the very least, the citizens in the neighbourhood and the city as a whole, deserve the partially demolished buildings to be removed and the property be brought to a graded level. An order to level the buildings will be issued and the owners must complete this work within one month. If the owners do not comply, I will work with members of council to support a motion to have the City carry out this work, and add the cost to the owner's property taxes.
What must be understood is that there is RISK. This is a difficult issue but turning away or kicking the can down the road is no longer acceptable. The risk is millions of dollars we would never recover to complete the surface clean-up, and perhaps become responsible for the total remediation of the site. But how much money is worth the citizens who live right next to the site? How much money is worth someone getting injured or even killed on the site?
If you lived next door to this site, wouldn't you want the City to assume the risks to keep you safe?
In conversations I've had with members of the community, there have been many offerings as to what can this land be used for. A film studio, and a state-of-the-art track and field facility are the two ideas that really excite me and fit the vision I have for this land.
Transforming this space into something that serves not only local institutions, but is attractive to regional, provincial, and national interests.
But nothing will happen without taking action, which is something the municipality has failed to do since the land was sold in 2010.
Transforming this space into something that serves not only local institutions, but is attractive to regional, provincial, and national interests.
But nothing will happen without taking action, which is something the municipality has failed to do since the land was sold in 2010.