Lori Santink expressed her disappointment but lack of surprise regarding the decision made by the city council to rezone two empty properties for new housing projects in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The properties at 791 Arundel St., among others, were sold by the city as surplus land to Terralux General Contractors and Development Limited due to the city facing a shortage of about 1,000 housing units.
The approved rezoning allows for the construction of over 900 new units in the city, including 360 units in two apartment buildings at 791 Arundel St. (reduced from an initial proposal of 400 units), 150 units in one apartment building at 144 Fanshaw St., and 400 units in two apartment buildings at 300 Tokio St.
While the proposals for Arundel and Fanshaw streets required rezoning, the Tokio Street property already had appropriate zoning. Santink criticized the decision, citing conflicts with the city’s Net-Zero Strategy and Climate Adaptation Strategy.
Santink, a member of the grassroots group TBay Greenspace Preservation, which had over 500 followers, led efforts against the development. The group gathered over 2,600 signatures in a petition and organized a rally outside city hall with more than 100 participants, highlighting concerns such as loss of green space, infrastructure issues, increased traffic, and threats to local species.
Under Ontario’s Bill 60 (Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025), residents can no longer appeal municipal council decisions through the Ontario Land Tribunal. Santink emphasized the need for legal expertise in environmental law and Planning Act matters to explore potential judicial reviews as the appeal process via the OLT is no longer an option.
Devon McCloskey, Thunder Bay’s manager of planning services, mentioned that the city is awaiting applications from the developer for site plan control and building permits before construction can commence. Applications for the Fanshaw and Tokio street properties are anticipated this year, with Arundel to follow.
