Concerns about Clarington emergency access standards have prompted council to take a closer look at policies governing new developments, following resident objections tied to a proposed project on Stevens Road.
At a planning meeting on Jan. 19, residents of Monday Court raised alarms over emergency access to a planned development at the east end of Stevens Road, where more than 600 residential units are proposed.
Speaking on behalf of residents, Doug Allingham said the development’s single access route would be inadequate in the event of an emergency, particularly given the size and density of the project.
The development, located at 46 Stevens Rd., would include assisted-care facilities, a multi-unit residential building, and townhouse blocks on an 8.7-hectare site near the Bowmanville Creek valley. Originally proposed as a much smaller project, the plan expanded significantly following Ontario’s Bill 23, which encourages higher-density housing.
Allingham told councillors that the approved access does not align with standards outlined in the Ontario Fire Chief’s development guide or more recent fire department access requirements, which recommend multiple access routes for developments serving more than 1,000 residents.
He also referenced recent large-scale evacuations at long-term care facilities in Whitby and Toronto as examples of why additional access points are critical.
While municipal staff noted the development itself has already been approved through the Ontario Land Tribunal, Clarington Mayor Adrian Foster put forward a motion directing staff to review emergency access standards as a broader policy issue moving forward.
Councillors voted in favour of the motion, allowing staff to assess whether existing standards should be updated to better address safety concerns in future developments.
