North York developer to replant 200 trees

Local councillor says city order is a ‘slap on the wrist’ and calls for harsher penalty

Two months after a developer clear-cut 40 old trees at 103 and 108 Bayview Ridge without the necessary permits, the City of Toronto has concluded the first phase of its investigation. The Format Group was ordered to cover the costs of remediation to the site and replant 200 trees. However, Format Group remains the subject of an ongoing investigation, with future penalties to be decided on by the Ontario court of justice. 

In late October, Matthew Cutler, manager, public relations and issues management with City of Toronto Parks, Forestry & Recreation, released a statement indicating that an order to comply was issued requiring planting of trees on the site at a 5:1 ratio. Format Group, has also since paid the city $155,064 to mitigate the impact of the clear-cutting. 

“We’ve settled the matter with the City’s Urban Forestry Department and have now started construction on the site,” said Babak Sarshar, president of Format Group.

Ward 25 councillor Jaye Robinson was disappointed by the present investigation’s outcome. “Given that this is one of the most significant violations of the tree bylaws to date, the results of the first phase of the investigation seem like a slap on the wrist and business as usual for these developers,” she said. 

“I want to see the courts impose the maximum fine: $100, 000 per tree.”

The payments made by Sarshar include a $116,000 planting deposit, which “will be refunded for any trees planted on site that satisfy the urban forestry tree planting specification and that are in satisfactory condition two years after planting,” according to the statement. 

Local resident Barbara Kreiger said she is disappointed the city has done nothing to encumber the construction process or impose penalties. 

According to the statement, the “offences” phase of the investigation could take up to 18 months to complete.

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