Follow Our Progress

In October 2007, Peoples Ministries Inc. (PMI) announced that the Peoples Christian Academy (PCA) operating division would no longer operate at the current location or function under the ownership and direction of PMI at the end of the 2007–2008 academic year.

After meeting with the PCA parents, students and teachers, the Board of Directors of Peoples Ministries Inc. (PMI) agreed to extend this deadline to the end of the 2008–2009 academic year.

On July 15, 2008 a newly incorporated Peoples Christian Academy Inc. (PCA Inc.)  elected its first Board of Directors.

The new PCA Board had to deal with HS faculty issues and relocation as the move-out date was set to August 2009.

The new PCA Board met approximately 4 times per week during the summer of 2008 to deal with HS issues.  God performed many miracles and the HS issues were resolved within one and a half months with a successful start of new 2008–2009 academic year.

The PCA Board established a Site Search Committee.

PCA was supposed to move out for about 10 years but it was difficult to find one location that could host both schools, especially with limited financing.

The Site Search Committee was established on September 18, 2008.  Four potential sites were identified and announcements were made on November 21, 2008 within approximately 2 months of starting the site search.

The 2008–2009 academic year was half done and re-registration was starting for the 2009–2010 academic year.  However, a new location had not been finalized.

The PCA Board continued to work with the PMI Board to ensure that PCA would have enough time to relocate.  On February 13, 2009, PMI and PCA jointly announced the extension for PCA to stay at 374 Sheppard until June 2009.

On Saturday, February 28, 2009, the 245 Renfrew site was brought to the Site Search Committee.  It was originally deemed to be ‘outside’ the search area due to the location being north of Highway 7.

After a quick drive by and with many factors being met, the site was reconsidered and included into a short list.

The Renfrew property belongs to a Property Investment Company (Emery) whose plan was to lease the property but not to sell it.

The Christian Real Estate agent was able to negotiate with the Investment Company (Emery) to provide PCA with the option to purchase the 245 Renfrew site.

Would the Renfrew site really be the one PCA needed?  On March 10, 2009, a site visit to Renfrew by the majority of the Board of Directors was done.

This property has more than 5 acres of land (similar to the existing 374 Sheppard location), and a 60,000 sq. ft. industrial building (bigger than our existing 374 Sheppard location, which only has 48,000 sq. ft. including the portables), with a large grass field (our current has only a hard surface play area).

Could Renfrew be able to be used for a private school?  On March 12, 2009, some of the PCA Board members met with the Investment Company owner re the use of 245 Renfrew for private school use.

Within 2 days of the site visit of Renfrew, the landlord, Emery Investments, had agreed to turn the industrial building into a school even before we exercised the option to buy the property.

Would the Town of Markham support the private school use of this site?  On March 18, 2009, a meeting was held in the Town of Markham with the Town’s Planning Manager, the investment company, and some PCA Board members to discuss the potential private school use.  A conceptual sketch was completed and presented to the Markham Planning department for review.  We were seeking the Town’s support.

During the planning meeting, we had confirmed that the Markham Official Plan did allow a private school in a narrow strip of land that included 245 Renfrew Drive.

On March 26, 2009, we received support from the Town of Markham senior planners for private school use of 245 Renfrew Drive.

There were still uncertainties about the future location of PCA.  Would 245 Renfrew Drive be the proper home for PCA?

On April 22, 2009, within 3 weeks of obtaining verbal support from Markham Planning Department, PCA signed an agreement to lease for 245 Renfrew.

The lease has a 10 year purchase option and two 5 year extension options.

The Southern neighbour at 185 Renfrew refused to let PCA perform noise study at their location, which caused us at least 2 to 3 weeks of delay in our zoning by-law amendment process.

Miracles waiting?

There were still uncertainties of when the zoning would be completed.

With great efforts from the architects and planners, all the necessary drawings and documents were submitted with the Zoning By-law Amendment and Site Plan Amendment applications on July 10, 2009.

While working through the due diligent process, Environmental conditions were brought up.

PCA brought in an environmental company to perform a Phase I environmental study and had identified some questions.

Emery completed and paid for the Phase II environmental study and Designated Substance Survey to clear up the questions.  Emery had also filed a Record of Site Conditions to speed up the Site Plan approval process for construction.  Normally, all these costs would have been borne by PCA.

Would the zoning by-law amendment be supported by the public?  On November 17, 2009, the 245 Renfrew zoning by-law amendment was scheduled for a public meeting.

There were more than 150 PCA families, teachers and even students attended the Public meeting.  At the public meeting, the Mayor and the councillors of the Town of Markham openly welcomed PCA even before voting on our zoning application.

The Town even invited PCA to join the Markham Olympic Torch People’s Parade.

The Town agreed to allow PCA’s zoning by-law amendment approval to go before the Town Council in the next Town meeting on December 15, 2009, which would normally take another month in January 2010.

Are there any neighbour issues with the zoning by-law amendment for private school use?

Since the Nov 17 public meeting, PCA has done everything we could to help resolve any outstanding issues relating to our zoning amendment application.

On December 14, 2009, one day before the Markham Council meeting, the Southern neighbour Pinedale filed an objection to the 245 Renfrew zoning by-law amendment allowing private school use.

Although the Southern neighbour, Pinedale, filed an objection the day before the Council meeting, we were able to prepare a response letter 10 minutes before the Council meeting and the Council approved our application despite the objection.

With the objection from our Southern neighbour, would the zoning by-law amendment be passed by the Town of Markham Council?

On December 15, 2009, the zoning by-law amendment was approved for 245 Renfrew to be used for a private school and daycare.

Knowing that Pinedale might appeal after the Council’s approval, Emery worked through the Christmas holiday to arrange for a meeting with Pinedale right after the New Year.  Emery’s owner indicated to Pinedale that he was (and is still) determined to defend the zoning by-law amendment to the end since it was being supported by the Town of Markham.

On January 12, 2010, the last of the appeal period, Pinedale filed an appeal.

Although the agreement to lease stated that PCA would obtain the zoning at our own cost, Emery, at our request, had agreed to hire a lawyer and a planner to defend our case within 3 days from receiving the appeal.  Furthermore, Emery hired a lawyer from the best possible law firm, Aird and Berlis, the number one law firm ranked among the top ten law firms in planning and development in Toronto.  Both Emery’s planner and their lawyer believe that the probability of winning this case is high.

There are still uncertainties of the success of stopping the appeal.

PCA has contacted another lawyer from the law firm which ranked third on the top ten list, and he indicated to us that with the lawyer and planner hired by Emery, we should not have a problem defending our case.

There are still uncertainties as to whether or not the Southern neighbour would like to resolve their issues with PCA.

Emery and PCA have been actively asking for a meeting to resolve the issues surrounding the appeal, but Pinedale was hesitant to meet until they had all the necessary documents from the Town of Markham.

On January 25, 2010, Pinedale finally agreed to meet on January 28, 2010, for a discussion on issues surrounding the appeal.

There are still uncertainties whether or not the Southern neighbour could drag on the appeal, causing PCA’s relocation to Markham to be delayed before September 2010.

If all appeal issues are resolved, Pinedale will withdraw the appeal.  If Pinedale is not satisfied, the appeal will go to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) for hearing.  This might take 2 to 5 months, depending on the urgency of the case.  In our case, we have a target academic year start day of September 2010.  With a 4 to 5 month construction, we have asked for the earliest hearing day.

Emery’s lawyer has also asked OMB for the dismissal of the appeal.

There are still uncertainties whether or not the design and construction will stop and hence be unable to make the September 2010 timeline.

We have asked our architect to target for the end of January to finish all the drawings in order to get ready for building.  At this time, there is no real delay to our construction and renovation target.

There are still uncertainties about whether or not PCA will have anywhere to go if the appeal drags on, since PCA has promised to leave the existing location by July 2010.

PCA has informed PMI re the zoning by-law amendment appeal and is working with PMI for a possible extension of our stay at 374 Sheppard till the end of 2010 or the summer of 2011.

There are still uncertainties of financing a construction budget of $6 million plus additional costs totalling approximately $7 million.

The budget of $7 million has been dropped significantly due to our architects and construction management working toward cost savings.  As the result, the construction budget has come down to approximately $4.25 million and hence the total cost is approximately $5.5 million.

With God’s blessings, the Christian construction company is willing to provide financing to our construction project.

We need all of PCA’s parents to help us support this relocation effort so we can all glorify God with our Christian ministry.