Canada’s largest biomanufacturing facility is objecting to a planned condo development at 1875 Steeles Ave. W. near its Toronto campus.
Sanofi Pasteur’s new $800 million vaccine manufacturing facility, spanning approximately 200,000 square feet, opened this past May at 1755 Steeles Ave W. The company produces pediatric and adult vaccines for whooping cough, diphtheria, and tetanus, and is also constructing a new end-to-end influenza vaccine manufacturing facility with pandemic readiness capabilities.
According to a letter submitted by the company to the City of Toronto in July, a nearby proposed development at 1875 Steeles Ave W could interfere with their operations; in fact, the company has been opposed to the development for the past few years.
As we originally reported in 2022, development company Tenblock first proposed 37- and 31-storey towers with a 12-storey podium at the nearby site on Steeles Ave W back in November 2021, which Sanofi objected to, citing, among other factors, “national security concerns”.
Tenblock recently submitted a zoning by-law amendment application to the city to permit redevelopment of the existing 4-storey, 120-unit rental apartment building at the site, with a new development containing a 14-storey base building along Steeles Ave W, with 39- and 33-storey towers internal to the site.
“The re-zoning application for 960 new residences in buildings up to 39 storeys located within 103 metres of Sanofi’s facility is incompatible with Sanofi’s vital operations, and has the potential to limit Sanofi’s ability to operate at full capacity, as well as limit its ability to expand its operations in the future,” the company stated in their letter, adding that—as an affiliate of a global multinational company—their property should be seen as having a competitive advantage to secure public health manufacturing mandates locally.
The company said that the proposed residences don’t meet provincial noise guidelines based on the noise from Sanofi’s operations.
“The proposed designation of the property as Class 4 underscores that high rise residences so close to noisy operations are incompatible and should not be approved,” the July 8 letter states.
Sanofi added that its expanded facilities are located immediately to the east and south of the proposed development sites, so there are concerns about the security of its sensitive operations.
“The location of hundreds of new residential units with a 24/7 overlook of its sensitive facilities undermines Sanofi’s ability to ensure its ongoing and expanding vaccine research and manufacturing facilities are secure, given the strategic importance of the Sanofi Property, nationally and globally, for
vaccine manufacturing and future pandemic readiness,” the company added, concluding that this side of Sanofi’s campus has considerable activity, including “year-round, 24 hours per day, large truck deliveries”, including on weekends.
“We write to express Sanofi’s objection to the staff recommendation to approve the Subject Application.”
Tenblock responded that their 1875 Steeles Ave. W. development is consistent with provincial and municipal land use compatibility policies and guidelines and that their goal is to provide “much needed housing” while ensuring that the proposed development can coexist with the existing Sanofi facility.
“The Sanofi manufacturing and research facility is located approximately 105 metres to the east of
the Site on the opposite side of the West Don River valley,” counsel for Teblock stated in a letter dated July 18. “The area surrounding the Sanofi complex already includes sensitive uses, such as the apartment buildings in the northeast quadrant of the intersection of Steeles Avenue and Dufferin Street, and low-rise residential neighbourhoods to the north and east of Sanofi.”
Council ended up rejecting the application for the development, “against the advice of planning staff”, according to city columnist Matt Elliott.
Council votes via show of hands and without debate to REJECT a development at 1875 Steeles West in Pasternak’s ward, against the advice of planning staff. Vaccine manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur and local community groups objected. https://t.co/FWfmbqpmvg
— Matt Elliott (@GraphicMatt) July 25, 2024
The adjacent property to the west of the site, 1881 Steeles Ave W, is currently occupied by the Dufferin Corners commercial plaza, which is proposed for high-rise residential use — time will tell if this development will be jeopardized.
