Lionel E. Lalonde Development Community Consultation

As part of the City of Greater Sudbury’s Land Banking Strategy, residents are invited to participate in ongoing community consultation about proposed housing development opportunities on the northerly part of the Lionel E. Lalonde property in Azilda. The proposed redesign of the site maintains recreation fields while providing space for a mix of affordable and market price housing.


Residents are invited to submit feedback on this development plan using the form below.


The Land Banking Strategy is an initiative designed to identify City-owned properties suitable for the development of housing. The strategy aligns with the City’s broader Housing Supply Strategy, which seeks to ensure all residents have access to housing options that meet their needs at all stages of life and that is affordable for all income levels.

For more information about the City’s Housing Supply Strategy visit greatersudbury.ca/housingstrategy


Frequently Asked Questions about the proposed housing development

The following FAQ section compiles questions submitted by residents both prior to and during the meeting, with duplicate questions summarized into one. It aims to provide residents with the information and resources relevant to the issue.

Q – What is Land Banking?

A – The City of Sudbury Affordable Housing Land Bank is an inventory of surplus municipally owned properties (and surplus school sites when appropriate), which have been evaluated and determined to be suitable sites for future development of affordable housing. These sites would then be held by the City for future affordable housing opportunities in conjunction with the City’s Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan. These sites may also be further prepared for future affordable housing development, as required, while in the land bank. This preparation may include initiating planning approvals, demolishing existing structures or other site remediation to make these sites ready for future development.

Land banking is one action the City is undertaking as part of the Housing Supply Strategy which aims to ensure that all current and future residents have access to the housing options that meet their needs at all stages of life, and that are attainable at all income levels. This proposed development would provide a community benefit by providing much needed purpose-built rental housing, while maintaining parkland on the site.

Q – What is affordable Housing? Who’s going to live there?

A – The proposed development would be a mix of both market and affordable housing units (approximately 75% market and 25% affordable). Affordable housing units would be rented at approximately 80% of the average market rent in Greater Sudbury. The current average market rent (as of October 2024) is $1,043 for a 1-bedroom apartment and $1,361 for a 2-bedroom apartment.

Affordable housing is different from social or community housing, which is operated by the City of Greater Sudbury as well as other non-profit and cooperative housing providers to serve some of the most vulnerable households. Affordable Housing services a wide variety of people, including young people entering the housing market, seniors wanting to downsize, and people with low or moderate incomes that do not qualify for social or community housing.

Offering of a full range and mix of housing options to meet the changing needs of the community is a fundamental component of Greater Sudbury’s healthy community approach to growth and development.

Q – Who is going to Develop it? Is the City going to build it?

A – The City will not be developing or building the project. The land banking strategy allows the City to prepare and hold the lands for future use with a third-party developer in conjunction with the City’s Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan. The lands would be subject to site plan control and an affordable housing agreement with the City.

The conceptual designs available for review on this site are conceptual only. The exact dimension, types buildings, number of dwelling units, etc have not yet been defined.

Q – When will this property be developed?

A – There are no specific timelines for development to occur on this site. The City is in the process of land banking the property for future residential use, but development may not occur for a number of years.

Q – Is the site suitable for development?

A – Yes. The site is appropriately designated as per the City’s Official Plan. The property has a split designation. The northerly portion of the property is designated Living Area 1, as is the southerly portion of the property. The central portion of the property is designated Institutional. Section 4.4 of the Official Plan provides a policy framework for the transition of small-scale institutions, such as schools and places of worship, to adaptively re-use these sites to meet community needs such as residential intensification, the provision of housing and maintenance of open space, without the need for an Official Plan amendment.

A Geotechnical analysis has been completed which demonstrates that the soil is suitable for development. A water and wastewater (sewer) analysis has been undertaken and determined that there is more than sufficient fire flow and sanitary sewer capacity to accommodate the proposed number of units shown in the concept plan.

Q – Will the soccer fields be removed?

A – The soccer fields are proposed to be moved but will remain on the City-owned portion of the LEL site.

The City's Parks, Open Space and Leisure Master Plan (2014) established a provision level target for maintained parkland of 4.0/ha for every 1000 residents. The 2014 Parks, Open Space and Leisure Master Plan noted that the area of Rayside-Balfour was serviced by 3.3/ha of maintained parkland per 1000 residents at the time.

When looking at the community of Azilda and accounting for additional parkland acquired more recently through subdivision development and identified through improved inventory measures, Azilda is currently supplied with 7.3/ha of maintained parkland per 1000 residents.

The 2014 also identified the need for additional soccer field development in the Rayside Balfour area which was achieved at the Lionel E. Lalonde Centre property. The conceptual plan presented ensures that the soccer fields are preserved to meet the needs of play field users.

Q – Have traffic, transit and active transportation been considered?

Yes. Traffic, transit and active transportation have all been considered and will be re-evaluated when there is a specific development proposal.

A signed bike route is proposed on Montee Principale through the Transportation Master Plan, this would include a 2-metre paved shoulder. The proposed development is within walking distance to an existing transit route. GOVA transit closely monitors ridership numbers, including tracking the number of passengers on each route and at different times of the day to determine the need for increased frequency or changes to bus routes.

As part of the City of Greater Sudbury’s Land Banking Strategy, residents are invited to participate in ongoing community consultation about proposed housing development opportunities on the northerly part of the Lionel E. Lalonde property in Azilda. The proposed redesign of the site maintains recreation fields while providing space for a mix of affordable and market price housing.


Residents are invited to submit feedback on this development plan using the form below.


The Land Banking Strategy is an initiative designed to identify City-owned properties suitable for the development of housing. The strategy aligns with the City’s broader Housing Supply Strategy, which seeks to ensure all residents have access to housing options that meet their needs at all stages of life and that is affordable for all income levels.

For more information about the City’s Housing Supply Strategy visit greatersudbury.ca/housingstrategy


Frequently Asked Questions about the proposed housing development

The following FAQ section compiles questions submitted by residents both prior to and during the meeting, with duplicate questions summarized into one. It aims to provide residents with the information and resources relevant to the issue.

Q – What is Land Banking?

A – The City of Sudbury Affordable Housing Land Bank is an inventory of surplus municipally owned properties (and surplus school sites when appropriate), which have been evaluated and determined to be suitable sites for future development of affordable housing. These sites would then be held by the City for future affordable housing opportunities in conjunction with the City’s Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan. These sites may also be further prepared for future affordable housing development, as required, while in the land bank. This preparation may include initiating planning approvals, demolishing existing structures or other site remediation to make these sites ready for future development.

Land banking is one action the City is undertaking as part of the Housing Supply Strategy which aims to ensure that all current and future residents have access to the housing options that meet their needs at all stages of life, and that are attainable at all income levels. This proposed development would provide a community benefit by providing much needed purpose-built rental housing, while maintaining parkland on the site.

Q – What is affordable Housing? Who’s going to live there?

A – The proposed development would be a mix of both market and affordable housing units (approximately 75% market and 25% affordable). Affordable housing units would be rented at approximately 80% of the average market rent in Greater Sudbury. The current average market rent (as of October 2024) is $1,043 for a 1-bedroom apartment and $1,361 for a 2-bedroom apartment.

Affordable housing is different from social or community housing, which is operated by the City of Greater Sudbury as well as other non-profit and cooperative housing providers to serve some of the most vulnerable households. Affordable Housing services a wide variety of people, including young people entering the housing market, seniors wanting to downsize, and people with low or moderate incomes that do not qualify for social or community housing.

Offering of a full range and mix of housing options to meet the changing needs of the community is a fundamental component of Greater Sudbury’s healthy community approach to growth and development.

Q – Who is going to Develop it? Is the City going to build it?

A – The City will not be developing or building the project. The land banking strategy allows the City to prepare and hold the lands for future use with a third-party developer in conjunction with the City’s Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan. The lands would be subject to site plan control and an affordable housing agreement with the City.

The conceptual designs available for review on this site are conceptual only. The exact dimension, types buildings, number of dwelling units, etc have not yet been defined.

Q – When will this property be developed?

A – There are no specific timelines for development to occur on this site. The City is in the process of land banking the property for future residential use, but development may not occur for a number of years.

Q – Is the site suitable for development?

A – Yes. The site is appropriately designated as per the City’s Official Plan. The property has a split designation. The northerly portion of the property is designated Living Area 1, as is the southerly portion of the property. The central portion of the property is designated Institutional. Section 4.4 of the Official Plan provides a policy framework for the transition of small-scale institutions, such as schools and places of worship, to adaptively re-use these sites to meet community needs such as residential intensification, the provision of housing and maintenance of open space, without the need for an Official Plan amendment.

A Geotechnical analysis has been completed which demonstrates that the soil is suitable for development. A water and wastewater (sewer) analysis has been undertaken and determined that there is more than sufficient fire flow and sanitary sewer capacity to accommodate the proposed number of units shown in the concept plan.

Q – Will the soccer fields be removed?

A – The soccer fields are proposed to be moved but will remain on the City-owned portion of the LEL site.

The City's Parks, Open Space and Leisure Master Plan (2014) established a provision level target for maintained parkland of 4.0/ha for every 1000 residents. The 2014 Parks, Open Space and Leisure Master Plan noted that the area of Rayside-Balfour was serviced by 3.3/ha of maintained parkland per 1000 residents at the time.

When looking at the community of Azilda and accounting for additional parkland acquired more recently through subdivision development and identified through improved inventory measures, Azilda is currently supplied with 7.3/ha of maintained parkland per 1000 residents.

The 2014 also identified the need for additional soccer field development in the Rayside Balfour area which was achieved at the Lionel E. Lalonde Centre property. The conceptual plan presented ensures that the soccer fields are preserved to meet the needs of play field users.

Q – Have traffic, transit and active transportation been considered?

Yes. Traffic, transit and active transportation have all been considered and will be re-evaluated when there is a specific development proposal.

A signed bike route is proposed on Montee Principale through the Transportation Master Plan, this would include a 2-metre paved shoulder. The proposed development is within walking distance to an existing transit route. GOVA transit closely monitors ridership numbers, including tracking the number of passengers on each route and at different times of the day to determine the need for increased frequency or changes to bus routes.

Page last updated: 13 May 2025, 11:35 AM