The DPRG has over the last couple of years advocated for animating all the vacant storefronts in the area as we wait for the developers to, well, develop, but as we saw with our pickleball courts, the path to animated high streets is not a smooth one. As soon as a vacant site is activated with any kind of temporary/interim activity, the province’s Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) will reclassify the property from vacant to commercial triggering a much higher tax rate.
The issue is not unique to our neighbourhood. Councillor Matlow recently commented that these vacant sites are ‘hurting the vibrancy and safety of our main streets and the businesses around them.’
Toronto City Council has now approved Matlow’s motion directing staff to examine policy options to support interim uses, however the power to create new property tax categories lies with the Province. As such, Matlow has written to the Provincial Finance Minister calling on it to create “a targeted subclass for vacant development sites hosting community-oriented interim uses.”