Few T.O. neighbourhoods show signs of gentrification,
Mayor hopes governments cash will prime the investment pump
Ottawa, the province and Toronto will spend more than $83 million on initial efforts to protect the Port Lands from flooding and get the ball rolling on a massive redevelopment, the Star has learned.
Federal Infrastructure Minister Amarjeet Sohi will join Bob Chiarelli, Ontario’s infrastructure minister, and Mayor John Tory to announce the funding Wednesday at the Keating Channel.
The federal government is kicking in $32.5 million, while the province and city are each providing $16.3 million to remake the area around the old Essroc quay, seen as a critical step to a longawaited “naturalization” of the mouth of the Don River. They’ll announce a total of $18 million for other flood-protection measures.
Officials concede it’s a drop in the bucket of the estimated $975-million cost of flood-proofing more than 280 hectares of southeastern downtown waterfront. There are plans to reroute the Don, clean polluted soil, create new parks and un- lock a swath of land, including the old Unilever plant site, for redevelopment, including a SmartTrack stop.
Tory hopes this is the start of the three governments making the long-gestating plan a funded reality.
“Since coming to office, the mayor has been focused on getting this project going,” Tory press secretary Amanda Galbraith said, adding that the city applied for the funding. “This means we will finally begin the flood protection work necessary for development of the Port Lands,” which will include affording housing, new jobs and neighbourhoods.
“This is very good news,” said Kate Monfette, a spokeswoman for Sohi in Ottawa.
“Water and waste water were one of the main issues we heard coming from local governments. There’s been a lack of investments in repairing and making sure the water systems were in a state of good repair.”
The money is part of an initial phase of infrastructure cash from the federal government earmarked for so-called shovelready projects that can be started quickly. Toronto’s waterfront could be eligible for more cash in the second phase of funding.
“It’s really up to local governments to prioritize and decide where they want to put their funds. It’s not up to us to say. We can’t commit to funding anything else in phase two at this moment,” Monfette said. Funding will be announced Wednesday for other projects, including retrofit work on ponds in Brampton to enhance water quality and control erosion; new water mains in Barrie; water pipe upgrades and a new storm water treatment plant in Sudbury; and upgrades to a waste water treatment plant in Waterloo.
The money is part of a pact between Ontario, Ottawa and municipalities across the province to spend a combined total $1.1 billion on water and waste water projects. Ottawa, which has earmarked $570 million for Ontario, will fund up to half the costs of eligible projects, with the province and municipalities paying the rest.
The federal Liberals came into office pledging to spend $120 billion on infrastructure over 10 years. Their March budget laid out a plan to invest $11.9 billion over five years on transit, water and waste-water projects and social infrastructure.
Last month, Ottawa and Queen’s Park reached agreement on the first phase of transit funding, a combined total of almost $3 billion for the province. Waterfront Toronto, funded by the three levels of government, is overseeing Port Lands flood protection. An update on the projected price tag and construction timeline is expected this fall.
“Flood-protecting the Port Lands is an innovation and economic growth project because it will unlock the value of the area and will drive new approaches in areas such as energy systems, building technologies and mobility solutions to create a more sustainable and inclusive community,” the agency’s chief executive, Will Fleissig, said in a statement Tuesday.
“It will also stand as a pilot project for how cities can grow while responding to the dual challenge of addressing global warming and creating enduring prosperity for all citizens.”