Toronto councillor received 11% of donations from donors tied to developer

Some residents in Toronto's Moss Park neighbourhood are raising questions about their city councillor's possible ties to a prominent real estate developer. 

A review of Coun. Chris Moise's financial disclosures from the 2022 municipal election reveals that at least $10,800 out of $91,695.25 campaign contributions came from the CEO of Fitzrovia Real Estate, one of the CEO's family members, and a small group of senior leaders at the company — none of whom lived in Moise's ward, Toronto Centre.  

Some residents believe the donations create a conflict of interest — or at least the appearance of it — after Moise recently supported a Fitzrovia project.

Coordinated donations from wealthy business executives is a common practice across the country, says Duff Conacher, co-founder of Democracy Watch. While such individual donations are perfectly legal, he says they're a troubling practice. 

Fitzrovia CEO Adrian Rocca said in an email that donations from employees "were made in a strictly personal capacity, using their personal funds." Chris Moise says his decisions and priorities as a city councillor have not been influenced by any donations he has received. 

The development in question is a plan for two new apartment towers at Sherbourne and Shuter streets. The 43-storey buildings will go up next to two existing apartment buildings at 191-201 Sherbourne St., towering 20 storeys above the existing buildings and neighbouring residential streets. 

In July, city council approved planning and zoning by-law amendments to make way for the project. 

When Serguei Zernov first learned about the proposal last year, he thought it was "outrageous," expecting it would have no chance of being approved without major changes. 

"This project from the architectural point of view is an abomination. It doesn't fit the environment," said Zernov, who lives with his partner in a Victorian house on neighbouring Seaton Street. 

Zernov has a number of concerns with the project, including shadows and impacts to wind and traffic. 

Others have raised concerns about how high-end rentals could contribute to increasing rents overall in the area, further displacing vulnerable people.

"I agree rental as opposed to all condos is a valuable thing, but it's one level of rental, it's higher income-level rental," said Pat Perkel, who has rented at 191 Shebourne St. for more than a decade. 

As part of its agreement with the city, Fitzrovia has committed to not applying for above-guideline rent increases that could have resulted from improvements it is making to the existing apartment buildings. 

Moise says the development will contribute to a mix of housing in a "challenging" area, and help meet housing needs for people working nearby at Toronto Metropolitan University and St. Michael's Hospital.