Heritage Home Demolished in Hoggs Hollow
Over the May long weekend, a listed heritage home in Hoggs Hollow was demolished without a permit. Since then, many neighbours from across Ward 15 and other areas of Toronto have contacted me to express their concern and outrage.
While the demolition was occurring, several of the neighbours immediately rushed out to the site. They informed the builder that the City had not issued a permit and that the property was listed on the Heritage Register, but their pleas were ignored and the demolition was substantially completed within an hour. By the time I was alerted and began driving to the property, the historic building that had been standing on the site for more than a century had already been reduced to a pile of rubble.
As soon as I learned that the demolition was taking place, I alerted senior City staff in various departments, including Heritage Planning, Toronto Building, and Urban Forestry, and a comprehensive, multidivisional investigation involving City Legal is now underway. While many details of the investigation are confidential at this stage, staff have advised that they are now taking witness statements.
At the June meeting of City Council, I successfully moved a motion initiating a review of the City's processes and procedures to strengthen protections for buildings with cultural heritage value. I'm pleased to advise that my motion was unanimously supported by Toronto City Council. This review will be undertaken alongside the implementation of changes to the Ontario Heritage Act made by the Province of Ontario through Bill 108, which will come into force on July 1. In the coming months, Heritage Planning staff will report back to Planning and Housing Committee with an update.
