A grand show of class bias
‘There is 100 times more humanity in this small city block than there was on display in the council chamber’
I was at the City of Charlottetown’s monthly meeting last Monday evening when council voted unanimously in favour of a zoning change to allow Holland College to demolish about 20 low-rental homes and two vibrant businesses operated by immigrants and refugees.
There was no debate and not an iota of concern shown for the city residents losing their homes and businesses.
No questions about council’s obligation under its own Official Plan to “enhance the range of housing available to residents who have special social, economic or physical needs” and to “work with our partners to address social housing needs, and to encourage its equitable distribution throughout the city.”
No questions about how the city planned to replace this lost low-rental housing stock. And not a hint or suggestion that the city could have steered a completely different course in this dreadful situation. A grand show of class bias.
Defending the decision, the chair of the Planning Board told the room filled with concerned residents, “We have a process to follow.”
Urban planning is more than just following a process. Urban planning involves vision, creativity and imagination. How a city plans tells us who it cares about, and whom it is building the city for.
I have known tenants in these properties over the years and have had the humbling experience over the last month of meeting many more, including the owners of “The Asian Market” and “Sadat’s” restaurant. I found an amazing community including many people living on low incomes, some with disabilities and some refugees from far-flung corners of the globe — all accepting one another’s challenges in non-judgemental and supportive ways.
As most tenants have lived in the buildings for many years, ties are strong. There is 100 times more humanity in this small city block than there was on display in the council chamber on Monday night.
That the apartments are in a sad state of disrepair is not the tenants’ fault. That responsibility lies with the landlord who ironically stands to make millions in this deal.
How did Holland College get away with a plan to tear apart this community?
There were options. Another property could have been purchased. The Cumberland Grafton block could have been redeveloped in an exciting way, incorporating the two businesses, residence sections for students and affordable apartments for the tenants who live there now.
The planning process itself is discriminatory, requiring that only property owners are served notice of bylaw changes and public meetings. If tenants had been informed of Holland College’s plans earlier they could have been involved at an earlier stage and, with the help of planners and architects, arrived at a plan acceptable to everyone.
The sad truth is that we have here an educational institution that considers the homes of 20 low-income households, the only Hallal restaurant in the Maritimes and a brand new Asian grocery store to be acceptable collateral damage in executing its plans for expansion.
And we have a council for whom tenants, apparently, don’t matter.
This cannot be allowed to happen again. It’s up to the city to indicate how it will make room for everyone and become the welcoming and inclusive city it seems to want to think it is.