Port Lands gas plant emissions too high for new housing development: report [Video]

The proposed height of some buildings that are part of a new residential development on Toronto’s east waterfront have been called into question after a newly released report found that a nearby gas plant is producing emissions seven times higher than the legal limit.

The report, an air quality assessment prepared in March for a proposed development at 309 Cherry St., found that emissions of nitrous oxides produced by the nearby Portlands Energy Centre (PEC) would need to be reduced by just over 50 grams a second to avoid exposing the towers upper-most floors to dangerous levels of pollution.

It found that if the plant does not reduce its output, all dwellings above 118 metres or about 35 storeys would need to be built without windows, balconies, or any sources of fresh air intake.

According to the redevelopment proposal submitted to the city, two of the four towers planned for the site are above the 118-metre mark. The …