Major hurdles have sprung up for an affordable housing proposal on Yonge Street, but both developer and the municipality say they are being worked through.
The non-profit Trinity Coptic Orthodox Church first announced a large affordable housing complex in summer 2022 at 17151 Yonge St. across from the York Region headquarters. The church said work has been ongoing since then, but a formal application has not yet been completed.
Project manager Nabil Ghobrial Gouda said the project has had some issues, which he did not want to specify, that could impact the viability and size of the project, but the town has remained supportive.
“The mayor has been very supportive of the project, and the mayor is working with the planning staff to come up with a resolution,” he said, “without impacting the project progress and the project viability.”
The vision for the proposal is a 12-storey structure to provide more affordable housing, organized by the Markham-based parish. Although a final application package has not been finalized, Gouda said the goal is for 30 to 50 per cent of the units to be affordable, with the remainder being market-rate to make the finances work. The facility is slated to have more than 200 units and underground parking.
“The foundation has a vision, they would like to offer the community, and those who cannot afford the current housing prices, to live with dignity and respect,” he said.
Town development and infrastructure services commissioner Peter Noehammer said they continue to have regular meetings with Trinity Coptic “and support their effort to provide affordable housing to those most in need.”
“Once we are in a position to deem something complete, it will move forward through the planning process, including a public meeting and notice to the surrounding neighbours fairly quickly in accordance with the new planning legislation,” Noehammer said.
That could be as soon as this fall if the application is finished this summer, he added.
More details of the project are to be confirmed, but Gouda said they hope to have a medical facility on the bottom floor of the building that could have a variety of medical specialists.
“It’s just to serve the community,” Gouda said.
