Ward 22 candidate plans to open site Sept 1
Office located in land owned by developer with proposal before council
Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier Aug. 20)
Chris Sellors getting ready to open his campaign office at 1973 Yonge St on site that's part of a current redevelopment application. Photo by Kris Scheuer/Town Crier.
Ward 22 council candidate Chris Sellors plans to open a campaign office Sept. 1 in space owned by a developer with an application currently making the rounds at city hall.
The office is located in an empty storefront at 1973 Yonge Street and is owned by Kilbarry Holdings Ltd, which has applied to build an eight-storey condo tower at Yonge Street and Belsize Drive.
The application’s in the final stages and could be approved at the last council meeting before Oct. 25 election. Should council fail to make a decision on the redevelopment next week, it would be up to the next elected council to rule on it.
Initially, Sellors told the Town Crier he wouldn’t move into the space unless the redevelopment was approved at the Aug. 25-26 council meeting. But two days later he had changed his mind citing lack of major residential opposition to the project.
“The other day I said definitely I’m not going to have this here if it (development) doesn’t get passed at council,” he said in an Aug. 20 interview. “I realized that’s a little too harsh. If it requires a vote in the new term, I will recuse myself from any votes. That’s a more balanced position.”
Sellors did work on the development in question as an assistant to outgoing Ward 22 councillor Michael Walker. But Sellors says he hasn’t spoken to his former boss about leasing space in the site nor has he been involved with the file in the last six months.
Kilbarry Holding’s application has already been approved by Toronto-East York Community Council and is being recommended by city staff for approval by city council.
Kris Scheuer 