Item - 2012.CC20.1

City Council on March 21 and 22, 2012, adopted the following:

1.         City Council confirm that Light Rail Transit (LRT) is the preferred rapid transit mode for Sheppard Avenue East from Don Mills to Morningside, and confirm the Sheppard Avenue East LRT as a priority line within the approved Metrolinx "5 in 10" plan.

2.         City Council request the City Manager to develop a communications plan which outlines the significance of transit's role in city building, on Sheppard Avenue East and across the City.

3.         City Council request that in addition to the currently committed funding, the federal and provincial governments provide funding for the following projects:

a.         the extension of the SRT conversion from Sheppard Avenue East to Malvern Town Centre; and

b.         the extension of the Malvern LRT to University of Toronto Scarborough Campus.

4.         City Council direct the City Manager to report to the October 2, 2012 City Council meeting on:

a.         the results of the requests of the federal and provincial governments in Part 3 above; and

b.         the feasibility of establishing a Toronto Transit Infrastructure Reserve Fund.

5.         City Council request the Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Transit Commission, in consultation with the City Manager, to develop and conduct a broad public consultation process to discuss the City's transit needs over the next 50 years in order to reach a public consensus on long term transit improvements and associated funding, such consultation to include:

a.         a ranking of needed City-wide transit improvements;

b.         options that include, but are not limited to, subways, LRT's and bus ways; and

c.         capital and operating cost estimates for each alternative.

6.         City Council direct the City Manager to prepare a long term Rapid Transit Funding Strategy, for consideration by Executive Committee and City Council by the fall of 2012, that outlines a diverse array of public and private revenue tools that could be implemented in the City of Toronto to generate sustainable revenue dedicated to financing continuous rapid transit expansion, such strategy to take into consideration the results of the public consultation from Part 5 above.

7.         City Council direct the City Manager, in consultation with the Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Transit Commission, to advise City Council on the availability of subway environmental assessment studies for the North York Relief Line (Sheppard Subway West) which would run between Downsview Station and Yonge and Sheppard Station.

8.         City Council direct the City Manager to advise on whether subway construction can be commenced based on the study referred to in Part 7 above.

9.         City Council direct that if a new study for the North York Relief Line must be commenced, the City Manager, in consultation with the Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Transit Commission, report back to City Council on a proposal to move forward with an environmental assessment for a North York Relief Line (Sheppard Subway West).

10.       City Council request the Budget Committee to consider and advise City Council on the future funding of rapid transit projects.

11.       City Council request the Economic Development Committee to consider and advise City Council on the future economic benefits of rapid transit projects.

12.       City Council refer the following Recommendations 2 and 3 contained in the report (March 15, 2012) from the Expert Advisory Panel Regarding Transit on Sheppard Avenue East to the City Manager for a report back on a comprehensive transit plan as part of the Official Plan update:

             "2.       City Council:

a.      Request the province, through Metrolinx, to accelerate the preparation of the investment strategy for the "Big Move" transit expansion plan.

3.         City Council request the:

a.      City Manager to develop, for Council's consideration and approval, a comprehensive transit plan, that:

i.       is consistent with Metrolinx's Big Move;

ii.      integrates equitable economic development and other city-building strategies;

iii.      recognizes the context of the current 5 year Official Plan review; and

iv.      can ultimately be woven into the City's Official Plan.

b.      City Manager to develop a comprehensive public consultation process that provides residents and businesses an opportunity to participate and inform the development of a sustainable transit plan, including funding options, for the City of Toronto.

c.      City Manager to develop an intergovernmental strategy in support of a sustainable transit plan; working with the Federal and Provincial governments (including P3 project delivery), along with appropriate municipal associations (e.g. Federation of Canadian Municipalities), to seek a commitment to the type of long-term tri-partite funding commitment discussed in the report (March 15, 2012) from the Expert Advisory Panel Regarding Transit on Sheppard Avenue East.

13.       City Council refer the following motions to the City Manager for consideration in the development of his comprehensive transit plan and funding strategy:

a.         Parts 2a, 2b, 3b, 3c, 4 and 5 of the motion by Councillor Mike Del Grande:

"2.        City Council commit to a program of continuous and ongoing expansion of Toronto's rapid transit network using dedicated City revenue tools and partner funding, when the latter is available, as follows:

a.         the City will commit to perpetual funding for rapid transit expansion of up to $100 million annually from dedicated City revenue tools; and

b.         the City will solicit Provincial, Federal and private sector partners to leverage City funding to facilitate faster and more extensive expansion of the rapid transit network.

3.         City Council direct the City Manager to establish a Rapid Transit Planning Office with a mandate to assess Toronto's ongoing rapid transit needs, develop plans, lead and manage the ongoing expansion of rapid transit infrastructure in order to help reduce congestion and commuting times in Toronto; the Rapid Transit Planning Office to work co-operatively with City of Toronto's Finance, Planning and Transportation Divisions, the Toronto Transit Commission, Metrolinx, Infrastructure Ontario and Public Private Partnerships Canada as well as other potential partners to:

b.         assess and prioritize, on an ongoing basis, Toronto's existing and emerging rapid transit needs, including:

i.          a subway connection from the Yonge-Sheppard Station to the University-Spadina-York University line;

ii.          a Downtown Relief Line;

iii.         rapid transit service for the Waterfront and Portlands;

iv.         an eastward extension of the Sheppard Line to Malvern and the Toronto Zoo;

v.         a westward extension of the Bloor-Danforth Line to Sherway Gardens; and

vi.         additional North-South routes along major highway, rail or hydro rights of way; and

c.         develop and deliver future rapid transit expansion projects to address these priorities.

4.         City Council direct that the Rapid Transit Planning Office be funded initially with $10 million consisting of funds to be solicited from the Provincial and Federal governments and the City's contribution to be recovered from future parking levy revenues.

5.         City Council direct the City Manager to prepare, as part of the 2013 Operating Budget, a new revenue tool in the form of a non-residential parking levy that would generate up to $100 million per year on an ongoing basis and that all revenues from this levy be used to create a Rapid Transit Legacy Fund dedicated to building rapid transit infrastructure."

b.         by Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti:

                         "That City Council request the Federal Government to start negotiations immediately with the City of Toronto on the potential funding from the Public Private Partnership Fund for subways in the City of Toronto."

14.       City Council authorize the City Manager, in consultation with the Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Transit Commission, to enter into a Master Agreement on behalf of the City with Metrolinx and the Toronto Transit Commission, to implement City Council's decisions in regard to transit expansion, including without limitation, all City Council decisions regarding transit expansion on Sheppard Avenue, Eglinton Avenue, Finch Avenue and the Scarborough RT; and City Council authorize the City Manager to enter into any agreements or documents between the City, Metrolinx and any other parties as may be required, desirable or necessary, in relation to the implementation of such City Council decisions, all on such terms and conditions as are approved by City Council at its February 8, 2012 and March 21 and 22, 2012 City Council meetings, and as are satisfactory to the City Manager, in consultation with the Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer and any other relevant official, and in a form acceptable to the City Solicitor.