By Dimitrije Martinovic

Dimitrije is a community journalist with FOCUS MEDIA ARTS CENTRE.

The Regent Park revitalization process is a complex and multi-faceted initiative. It aims to transform a historically disadvantaged neighbourhood into a mixed-income, mixed-use community.

There have been positive changes but issues and concerns have also been raised. Rezoning is a major issue. The goal is to create a more inclusive and thriving neighbourhood for all residents. But there are competing visions on how to blend economic development, social equity, and community engagement.

Rezoning has shaped the revitalization in several ways. It has allowed for increased density while providing funding to rebuild the social housing units that were demolished to make way for the revitalization. Yet, rezoning has altered the ratio of social housing units to market price units. Regent Park was meant to be a 50/50 mix community, now it is 30/70 (social housing/market price).

Another area of concern is “ownership and control”. The term refers to who has ultimate control over the implementation of the SDP. Residents have demanded more autonomy and decision-making power. Developers and TCHC have asserted their role as the key stakeholders responsible for funding and executing the revitalization project.

Transparency and information sharing have been areas of contention as well. Long held priorities from resident groups were sidestepped in the case of rezoning Phases 4 & 5, which passed at City council on July 20, 2023,

RPTV invited two community stakeholders to discuss these developments.

Stephanie Beattie is a past member of the Regent Park Neighbourhood Association. She revisits how rezoning shaped phase 1, 2, & 3, and reveals that social housing units in phases 1, 2, & 3, have “expiry date”. According to Beattie, TCH is not bound to keep these units more 25 years, at which point they can sell them.

Walied Khogali Ali is Co-Chair Community Building Working, Co-Chair Regent Park Stakeholder Table SDP, and Resident Co-Chair of Community Benefits Oversight Working Group. Khogali covers multiple perspectives regarding the rezoning as it relates to phase 3 & 5. He points out that residents groups have petitioned the Mayor recently to weigh in on the matter of protecting social housing units. Their hope is to extend the current 40 year limit, to one that would protect these units for 99 years, or in perpetuity.