Plan for future hospital on developer's land in King Township beside Newmarket dead after site returned to Greenbelt

Southlake Regional Health Centre will continue search for site

Yorkregion.com
Oct. 2, 2023
Lisa Queen

Following the province’s abrupt reversal on Greenbelt lands amid mounting controversy, a proposal to build the future Southlake Regional Health Centre in King Township on Newmarket’s doorstep is dead, according to a government official.

“The government intends to proceed with strengthening and expanding the Greenbelt by enshrining its boundaries in legislation and returning all 15 properties back into the Greenbelt,” Alexandru Cioban, spokesperson for Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Paul Calandra, said in an email.

“As the proposed site would be returned to the Greenbelt upon legislative changes coming into effect and given the fact that the land remains outside of the settlement area, a development of a health care facility on this property would not align with Greenbelt Plan policies.”

Last year, developer, the Rice Group, offered a portion of its land at 18010 Bathurst St. at Miller’s Sideroad for a future hospital for a nominal fee.

On Nov. 7, King council asked the province to fast-track approval.

Premier Doug Ford had promised voters in 2018 he would protect the Greenbelt after a video had earlier emerged of him telling developers he planned to open the environmentally sensitive lands to development.

However. he reneged on the promise shortly after he won a second majority government in June 2022.

The Rice Group purchased the King land just a few weeks after the election for $80 million.

In September, the province announced it was removing 15 parcels of land on 7,400 acres from the Greenbelt, including the King site, as part of its plan to build 1.5 million homes by 2031 to address Ontario’s housing crisis.

A large residential development would come to the King site.

The government said developers were not given advanced notice of the government’s decision to open the Greenbelt to development.

Public outrage to the Greenbelt being opened to development began the grow.

Then came scathing reports from the provincial auditor general and integrity commissioner that found the Greenbelt process was flawed and favoured certain developers, who stood to see profits on their lands skyrocket by more than $8.3 billion.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said they were investigating.

As the scandal unfolded, Ryan Amato, chief of staff to then-Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark, then Clark himself and later Kaleed

Rasheed, minister of public and business service delivery, resigned.

On Sept. 21, Ford said the 15 parcels of land will go back into the Greenbelt and won’t be developed.

He later said developers won’t be compensated for the government’s flip-flop.

So, where does that leave Southlake as it searches for a site for its future hospital?

“We have been working since April, 2022 to identify and secure land to transform Southlake into a leading two-site hospital system,” hospital communications specialist, Danae Theakston, said in an email.

“While we have evaluated more than 25 properties against criteria such as size, proximity to the communities we serve, and transit accessibility, we have not yet secured a site and are continuing our efforts to find land to build a new Southlake to support the growing health care needs of northern York Region and southern Simcoe County.”

The current Southlake will continue to operate as an ambulatory health care centre offering cancer care, same-day surgeries, mental health day programs, diagnostic imaging and colonoscopies after the new hospital opens.

The Rice Group did not respond to an email seeking comment.