What happens when one city councillor gets Toronto council to vote in favour of “studying” garden suites on a single block, potentially undoing years of zoning reform? In this episode of The Missing Middle, Mike Moffatt and Meredith Martin dig into the Craven Road and Parkmount Avenue dispute to reveal how neighbourhood politics, NIMBYism, and endless “consultation” are slowing Toronto’s housing progress. From the satirical truth of McSweeney’s “Every NIMBY Speech at a Public Hearing” to the real frustrations of current and future home owners, Meredith and Mike explore why the city’s gentle density goals keep stalling, and how one councillor’s compromise could set a dangerous precedent for zoning across the city.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:47 The NIMBY phenomenon
03:32 Outlining the Craven and Parkmount garden suite dispute
05:45 Proposed compromises and their implications
07:30 Mike’s take on the compromise plan
09:29 Good zoning reforms make good neighbours
10:14 Future residents are excluded from the process
11:49 The Role of city councillors, residents and planners
14:15 Call to action

Research/links:
Every NIMBY’s Speech At a Public Hearing
https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/every-nimbys-speech-at-a-public-hearing

NIMBYs will Fight Even the Gentlest of Density
https://youtu.be/6WavljFV7fM?si=O3jyplV1JRwiIxtd

Paula Fletcher
https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/council/members-of-council/councillor-ward-14/

Notice of Public Meeting - City-Initiated Amendment to Zoning By-law 569-2013 for performance standards for garden suites on through lots (Parkmount Road / Craven Road) - 91-209 Parkmount Road (Odd Addresses Only) and 160 Mountjoy Avenue

https://secure.toronto.ca/nm/api/individual/notice/6660.do

How Cities Keep Screwing up Multiplex Housing
https://youtu.be/MeojzNbB6Io?si=fbZ8hl3b6vnN-DrL

Broken Zoning: Why We Can’t Fix the Housing Crisis Without a Map
https://youtu.be/yuAsjJsiuyQ?si=iWyBl1j_LfNJ4S3y

Simpson reference:
https://youtu.be/lOTyUfOHgas?si=mbIwSskm6Jdll8yU

Journal of a New COBRA Recruit
https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/journal-of-a-new-cobra-recruit

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux

Produced by Meredith Martin

This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.