'Housing is desperately needed in this city': Concerns about Sudbury retirement home trumped by housing crunch

The concerns of a Greater Sudbury neighbourhood about a proposed six-storey retirement home ran smack into the housing crisis facing the city on Monday afternoon.

City council's planning committee was considering a 150-unit building for the corner of Algonquin Road and Rockwood Drive that city planners suggested should be kept to four storeys, cutting about 60 apartments.

Area resident Kerri-Lynne Smania told councillors that she surveyed her neighbourhood, and while "some" would accept a two-storey building on the wooded corner lot, others were against "any build."

"Many commented that this retirement home would be very nice to have in Sudbury, but this is not the right location," she said.

"We're not opposed to development. We want to see the right development," said Mark Peplinskie, worried about increased traffic in the neighbourhood. 

"The infrastructure in this particular area doesn't handle what's there now."

Several citizens who stepped up to the microphone addressed the need for more housing in Greater Sudbury, and across northern Ontario and the entire country, but questioned whether a "luxury" retirement home like this was needed.

"We know it's necessary to have housing in Canada, but it has to be affordable," said Nicole Sage, who was also one of many to be concerned that some of this development will be in a designated flood plain.

Sudbury city Coun. Bill Leduc led the charge on the committee to go against the recommendations of city staff and approve the retirement home at six storeys.  

"A retirement home is housing. And housing is desperately needed in this city. Whether it's affordable housing or any type of housing. We need housing," he said.

"That's also allowing us to free up 150 homes in our city to expand our housing market."

Deb McIntosh, the city councillor for the area, spoke against that idea, saying the official plan is clear about the restrictions on this "suburban" neighbourhood and the developer would have been aware of that. 

"It is smack dab in the middle of a residential neighbourhood and the transition from single family homes to a six-storey building is far too harsh," she told the committee.

In the end, councillors approved the retirement home at six storeys, but only after chair Fern Cormier cleared the council chambers in the face of heckling from citizens.

The decision won't be final until it passes a vote at a full Sudbury city council meeting.

Sudburians can also appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal, as they have for a 179-unit complex city council previously approved for an old school on Estelle Street the Moonlight Beach area.