TCHC Announcement to Unilaterally Develop A Community Benefits Working Group Terms of Reference Meets with Opposition From SDP Planning Committee Members

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The next agenda item on the November 25, 2021, SDP Planning Committee was the Community Benefits Working Group Terms of Reference. Tridel Builders, the development partner with TCHC, has pledged 36.8 million in community benefits for phase 4& 5 of the Regent Park Redevelopment. TCHC has been working with RPNA Community Benefits Coalition to co-develop terms of reference for a community benefits working group that would oversee how the 26.8 million would be spent.

According to Ismail Afrah, last week TCHC senior manager, Peter Zimmerman, met with RPNA co-chairs Marlene DeGenova and Ismail Afrah, to inform them that going forward TCHC will no longer continue discussions about the terms of reference for the Community Benefits Working Group and that TCHC would unilaterally deciding the terms of reference.

At the planning committee meeting, Ismail stated that he informed Peter that according to the signed community benefits agreement that the development of a terms of reference working group was under the governance of the SDP and if there was an impasse with RPNA, that TCHC should work with the SDP Planning Committee to develop an alternative process.

Ismail open the meeting to TCHC to respond. William Mendes, a mangement representative of TCHC, indicated that TCHC has a one-year legal agreement with Tridel to identify community benefits. William indicated that their priority is to ensure that TCHC residents are the most important beneficiaries of community benefits and that TCHC will be forming a working group made up of a majority of TCHC residents with representatives from RPNA and members of SDP. William indicated that TCHC is planning to bring the terms of reference that they developed to the SDP Stakeholders Table as a information piece and there will not be an opportunity to amend the terms by the SDP Stakeholders Table.

Peter Zimmerman, also present at the meeting, added that TCHC has been working with RPNA Community Benefits Coalition for the past six months and that they have reviewed 14 drafts sent to them by the coalition. In each of these drafts, TCHC has made it clear to the RPNA Community Benefits Coalition that there are parts inserted in these drafts that are under the authority of the TCHC board and the City of Toronto and are not subject to negotiation. In addition, there are parts of the draft proposals that are inconsistent with TCHC agreement with Tridel. Peter indicated that RPNA Community Benefits Coalition unwillingness to budge on these issues has resulted in delays to carrying out the work. Peter highlighted that one of the biggest points of contention was the notion of a tri-party agreement for decision making which is unaccepted to TCHC.

Michael Rosenberg argued that in the last draft there was a willingness to leave the tri-party decision making out for future debate. Walied Khogali and Ismail both argued that TCHC is not working in good faith and that their decision to unilaterally develop the terms of reference is a violation of the Community Benefits Agreement that was signed by TCHC and RPNA. Waleed indicated that if this goes to the SDP table that he will speak out against it.

Miguel Avila-Velarde argued that the membership that TCHC is proposing is an attempt to divide TCHC and Market residents against each other as RPNA represents both TCHC and Market residents.

When Ismail said that RPNA Community Benefits Coalition was willing to forgo the tri-lateral decision making, Peter argued that this is the first time that he heard that the coalition was willing to forgo a tri-lateral agreement.

Joel Klassen, the last person to speak on this issue, before the meeting drew to a close, indicated that he felt that there was a path for TCHC and RPNA Community Benefits Coalition to continue working together, and urged them to go back to the table.

Ismail ended the meeting without resolution to this issue. Not long after this meeting was held TCHC and RPNA agreed to enter into mediation.



Written by
Adonis Huggins

Journalist
FOCUS Media Arts Centre



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