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City of Toronto says it's seriously considering a zoning change to allow small businesses in residential areas (www.toronto.ca)

submitted 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) by Davriellelouna@lemmy.world to c/canada@lemmy.ca

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[-] Showroom7561@lemmy.ca 20 points 2 days ago

If this helps to reduce dependency on large corporations like Walmart and Amazon, then it can't be done soon enough!

[-] brax@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Is there anything stopping a ~~bug~~ big [dyac] company from clandestinly creating smaller companies to take over? That's my only concern, I have no care or interest in running a businss so I have no idea how difficult that would be to pull off

[-] Lyrl@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Outside of major roads (the proposal sounds like it allows strip-mall-type businesses facing onto major roads), the limits are on square footage, traffic, hours, and compliance with residential noise and similar restrictions. Mcdonald's probably wants to be open at 1am and have two lanes of drive-thru, but if some franchisee thinks they can make a go of it with a day-hour-only, walk-up-only store, I say let them try.

[-] Pyr_Pressure@lemmy.ca 7 points 2 days ago

I don't see why there was ever a separation to begin with. It's amazing have coffee shops and sandwich shops / corner stores in residential areas.

I can see not wanting a McDonald's beside you, but a little local coffee shop would be great

[-] Canconda@lemmy.ca 65 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Homefront businesses are a huge economic boon. Zoning them out of existence was a direct attack on the working class.

[-] NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io 30 points 3 days ago

It's fucked up that this was ever a question.

[-] sbv@sh.itjust.works 31 points 3 days ago

Hell yeah! Gimme some of that sweet corner store action!

[-] jjjalljs@ttrpg.network 5 points 2 days ago

Sounds good. Having all the houses over there while everything else is over here was a stupid idea.

I'm sure there are people who like their rolling sea of samey houses with no commerce, but some people have poor taste and bad ideas.

[-] jade52@lemmy.ca 15 points 3 days ago

We need more bodegas in neighborhoods

[-] BurgerBaron@piefed.social 12 points 3 days ago

I think Winnipeg used to long ago? Certainly noticed all the boarded shops just randomly in the middle of older suburbs when I still went there to see grandparents.

[-] rImITywR@lemmy.world 19 points 3 days ago

Everywhere did until the early to mid 20th century. Exclusionary zoning was invented to keep the poor's in their place.

[+] Fiivemacs@lemmy.ca -28 points 3 days ago

rip residential roads

[-] Longpork3@lemmy.nz 6 points 2 days ago

Wouldn't having distribution happen from within residential areas improve road conditions? Instead of every resident needing to drive out of the area to get supplies, a much smaller number of supply vehicles come into the residential area, meaning that the residents need to do significantly less driving to obtain supplies.

Instead of everyone going up to the bar to fill a glass, you send one person to bring a jug back to the table.

[-] dermanus@lemmy.ca 16 points 2 days ago

These are corner stores in a dense city, not a Costco in the middle of a subdivision. No one is driving to these stores.

[-] kbal@fedia.io 21 points 3 days ago

You think so many things will be accessible for people without driving that the roads will fall into disuse? Unfortunately I don't think they're planning to go that far.

[-] howrar@lemmy.ca 11 points 3 days ago

If anything, eliminating cars would probably improve the roads since there will be much less wear and tear. People will still be walking there and want a good walking experience, so improvements will still happen.

[-] Lyrl@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 1 day ago

Loaded-up big trucks/semis and frost-thaw cycles are the source of almost all road wear. Less passenger cars/SUVs/unloaded pickups wouldn't really matter.

I think the person you were responding to was making a joke.

[-] Jason2357@lemmy.ca 0 points 2 days ago

You think a corner store in someone’s former garage is going to put Costco out of business? Why can’t something be not extreme. Small businesses serve a few nearby streets, and make living there slightly more convenient, with maybe a few extra cars taking street parking. Boring changes.

[-] Rentlar@lemmy.ca 9 points 3 days ago

I see garbage trucks on residential streets several times weekly. They should be able to handle delivery traffic for your neighbourhood corner store, cafe, arcade or restaurant. (And in Scarborough and Etobicoke the residential roads are full of potholes even without heavy truck traffic). Small stores probably won't be getting tractors with 50ft trailers either.