In our article “What the heck is land-use planning?”, we mentioned we would explore how the original 600 unit proposed development on Arundel ran afoul of the Zoning By-law and contravened the Official Plan.
Before we get into that, it’s important to recognize that City residents can and do make a difference in city decision making. Our pushback and questioning of the City’s decisions and actions contributed to the City issuing a revised 400 unit conceptual proposal. Still a massive development. Still the largest in the City’s history. Still not suitable for the Shuniah neighbourhood.
Yes, there is a need for more housing in Thunder Bay, ALL types of housing. However, that doesn’t mean the City and developers can circumvent the Zoning By-law and the Official Plan. Anytime we build in our cities, we need to ensure everyone follows the rules. It’s also a great opportunity to apply best practices in urban planning.
Background
In 2025, The City wanted to take advantage of the Federal Housing Accelerator Fund and spur development. To do this, they created a new process called “Opportunity Sites and the call for Proposals”. This new process offered up a number of sites, including parkland, for residential development in areas the City called “core urban areas and emerging neighbourhoods”. Although the Shuniah neighbourhood is neither a “core urban area” or by any stretch of the imagination an “emerging neighbourhood”, our neighbourhood greenspace was included as an “Opportunity Site”.
Every parcel identified under this new process included its current zoning designation. For parcels where rezoning would be required or where it was encouraged by the City, every parcel, EXCEPT Arundel, recommended rezoning to Urban Mid-rise (UM). Whether deliberate or an oversight, the recommended zoning was not included for Arundel. Interestingly, and perhaps telling, Arundel was the only parcel with a Community zoning designation, which doesn’t allow ANY residential building use. Was there a reason why the City did not specify the zoning they would allow for this parcel?
The original proposed development accepted by the City for Arundel was for 600 units. Under the Zoning By-law, 600 units would require an Urban High-rise (UH) zoning designation. Was the City seriously proposing a UH development next to an Urban Low-rise (UL) neighbourhood full of single family homes? This was inconceivable. Not only did it contravene the Official Plan, it was incredibly bad urban planning.
At the November 5, 2025 Current River Ward meeting, Deanna Walker, Manager Realty Services, stated that the zoning would be UM. When she was corrected by a member of our Editorial Team, that 600 units was actually UH, Ms. Walker appeared confused or perhaps, caught out.
Why it matters
The zoning designation for the proposed development is important. Under the Official Plan, “compatibility with existing built form, and with the existing and planned character of an area, will be considered in the review of any proposal for intensification…” The Official Plan further states: “intensification projects should be sensitive to the height, scale, massing, and architectural character of buildings in the surrounding neighbourhood” (emphasis added).
In our opinion, little consideration was given to the Official Plan by the City or the developer. Had there been, both parties would have realized a 600 unit UH development is neither compatible with the existing built form and existing character of an area, nor sensitive to the height, scale, massing, and architectural character of the surrounding neighbourhood.
Why the City was Wrong
Not only did 600 units conflict with the requirements of the Official Plan, it clearly contravened the UM zoning designation the City alleged they wanted for this parcel. Needless to say, the City never should have accepted the proposal from the developer, nevermind presented it to Thunder Bay residents.
Push Back, Changes, & Playing by the Rules
As to be expected, there was significant public pushback, including deputations by adjacent property owners, and other community residents. As a result, City Administration presented a revised proposed development at the January 13, 2026 Council meeting. The new proposal calls for 400 units, reduces the buildings from three to two, and includes several other adjustments in an attempt to make it more palatable to the community. At that meeting, City Administration admitted the zoning designation is to be UM.
What we found galling, however, was City Administration’s comment that a reduction from 600 to 400 units was a concession by the developer. Even Councillor Foulds called that out and commented that it’s not a concession if the developer wasn’t playing by the rules in the first place. In our opinion, City Administration wasn’t playing by the rules either.