blogTO
Toronto residents are pushing back against plans that could potentially open public school lands to mid-rise housing development. Two of the city's largest school boards, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB), are appealing a City decision that protects school properties from redevelopment. In short, they want to allow taller buildings on these sites. In late 2025, the City approved a pilot project allowing developers to build up to 14 storeys along major streets in Ward 9 (Davenport) and Ward 11 (University-Rosedale) without requiring any special permission. School properties were initially exempted after community pushback, but that exemption is now at risk. Both the TDSB and the TCDSB have quietly filed an appeal with the Ontario Land Tribunal to redesignate these lands for mid-rise development. While redesignation doesn't automatically change the zoning, it does, however, remove an important barrier that could make future construction much easier. Some residents are characterizing this move as paving the way for condos on school sites. However, the choice to specifically name condos could have been a political one, as the policy itself doesn't specify what type of housing would be built, and given the current market in Toronto, developers would most likely pursue rental housing for any projects in the near future. Two schools located near Ossington Ave., Dewson Street Public School and Ossington/Old Orchard Jr. Public School, are among those affected by the appeal. Toronto resident Virginia Johnson, who has children who have attended both schools, launched a petition opposing the appeal, which has already garnered over 2,200 signatures as of publication. "I feel very strongly that the community voice is no longer represented, and everything's happening behind closed doors," Johnson tells blogTO, referring to earlier this year when the Ford government placed TDSB and other school boards under provincial supervision . She warns that the boards' trying to open up school lands for redevelopment could send the wrong message. "It really crosses the line to now put school lands in the pot, open for business. It signals to developers that the land is fair game. And that sets a very dangerous precedent," she tells blogTO. Comments on the petition show many residents are worried about losing school playgrounds and green spaces, which are vital in already dense pockets of Toronto. "There's a record [number] of empty units in the city, we don't need more empty condos being built," reads a comment on the petition. "There is no point in selling and building houses if there is nowhere for kids to go to school," reads another. However, there are examples where redevelopment partnerships involving school lands have led to reinvestment in public infrastructure. North Toronto Collegiate Institute, for instance, was reconstructed in conjunction with a residential development. Still, despite the growing list of signatures on her petition, Johnson considers it "a travesty" that not enough people are aware of this looming appeal, so raising awareness is top priority. "This isn't just me. There's a group of us working together really, really hard to try and spread the word," she says. "I think that public awareness and public pressure are key." blogTO reached out to both TDSB and TCDSB to ask if there are concrete plans for any school sites to be sold. "The TDSB is not currently considering the sale of any school properties affected by this appeal," a spokesperson says. "The matter under appeal involves a small number of TDSB properties affected by a recent motion involving City of Toronto policies to facilitate the provision of housing. TDSB is seeking to ensure that these sites are included in the City of Toronto's policy as originally contemplated to protect our ability to accommodate future students living in these communities.” A representative for TCDSB did not comment directly on potential sales. "The [Catholic District School] Board is involved to ensure the City's Avenues policy is applied consistently, predictably, and fairly across all of its school sites where it applies, and to ensure it is well-positioned to support these communities with respect to long-term planning," the statement reads. Johnson says the community plans to challenge the school boards' appeal at the Ontario Land Tribunal on April 8.
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