Item - 2015.TE12.43

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1.  City Council request that City Planning staff develop a Secondary Plan for Downtown and report back to Toronto and East York Community Council with a proposals report by the fourth quarter of 2016.

2.  City Council request that City Planning staff begin stakeholder and public consultation on tower separation requirements for the Downtown based on the proposed criteria outlined in Attachment 2  to the report (October 23, 2015) from the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District and the Director, Strategic Initiatives, Policy and Analysis, City Planning Division, and bring forward a proposed Official Plan Amendment and/or Zoning By-law Amendment to Toronto and East York Community Council in 2016.

3.  City Council request that City Planning and Economic Development and Culture staff develop an office, institutional and creative industries strategy for Downtown and report back to Toronto and East York Community Council with a proposed strategy by the fourth quarter of 2016.

4.  City Council request that City Planning, Transportation Services, Parks, Forestry and Recreation and Economic Development and Culture staff, in consultation with the Toronto Transit Commission and the Toronto Parking Authority, develop a transportation strategy that supports the Parks and Public Realm Plan that prioritizes walking, cycling, surface transit and essential access and identifies networks and other improvements to address movement, connectivity and accessibility for the growing number of people living, working and visiting Downtown and report back to Toronto and East York Community Council with a proposed strategy by the first quarter of 2017.

5.  City Council request that City Planning, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, Transportation Services and Economic Development and Culture staff develop a Parks and Public Realm Plan for Downtown to improve the quality and connectivity of public spaces and identify parkland improvements and acquisition priorities within the intensifying core and report back to Toronto and East York Community Council with a proposed plan by the first quarter of 2017.

6.  City Council request that City Planning, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, Toronto Public Health, Shelter Support and Housing, Children's Services, Toronto Employment and Social Services, Social Development, Finance and Administration, Financial Planning and Real Estate Services staff, in consultation with the Toronto Public Library Board, the Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Catholic District School Board, develop a community services and facilities strategy for the Downtown that is responsive to the needs of a growing and diverse population for recreation, child care, libraries, schools, human services and public health and report back to Toronto and East York Community Council with a proposed strategy by the first quarter of 2017.

7.  City Council request that Environment and Energy and City Planning staff develop an energy strategy that addresses electricity demand, resilience to power outages, opportunities for local energy solutions and emergency response times and report back to Toronto and East York Community Council with a proposed strategy by the fourth quarter of 2016.

8.  City Council request that Toronto Water undertake a water infrastructure assessment and, through City Planning, report back to Toronto and East York Community Council with the results of the assessment by the fourth quarter of 2016.

9.  City Council request Real Estate Services to compile an inventory (using information made available to the City) of all city, provincial and federally owned properties in Downtown Toronto, including those owned by all Agencies, Boards and Commissions of the City, by the first quarter of 2016.

10.  City Council request that Financial Planning and Corporate Finance convene an inter-Divisional Financial Strategy Reference Group, consisting of representatives from all Divisions listed in the Implementation Matrix, attached as Attachment 1 to the report (October 23, 2015) from the Director of Community Planning, Toronto and East York District and the Director of Strategic Initiatives, Policy and Analysis, City Planning Division, to develop the financial strategies to support and implement each of the TOcore infrastructure strategies under development.

11.  City Council request that Parks, Forestry and Recreation and City Planning staff continue to prioritize parkland acquisition opportunities, and actively pursue securing parkland dedication on all appropriate sites through the development review process, within the Downtown.

12.  City Council request that the Divisions listed in the Phase 2 Implementation Matrix, attached as Attachment 1 to this report, implement and appropriately resource each of the Recommendations and Next Steps as described in the report (October 23, 2015) from the Director of Community Planning, Toronto and East York District and the Director of Strategic Initiatives, Policy and Analysis, City Planning Division.

13.  City Council request that Real Estate Services consult with the City Planning Division prior to the disposal of any properties within the TOcore Study boundaries, until the completion of the TOcore study, specifically to ensure that any disposals align with the emerging physical and social infrastructure strategies.

14.  City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, write to Toronto Hydro and request that they not sell the property located at 18 Portland Street until the completion of the TOcore Study.

The Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District, gave a presentation to the Toronto and East York Community Council on Phase 1 of TOcore: Planning Toronto's Downtown.

This report provides an update on the findings of Phase 1 of TOcore:  Planning Toronto’s Downtown and seeks City Council direction for Phase 2.

TOcore is a three-year, inter-divisional initiative, led by City Planning.  The purpose of the Study is to ensure growth positively contributes to Toronto’s Downtown as a great place to live, work, learn, play and invest by determining:  a) how and where future growth will be accommodated, shaped and managed and b) what physical and social infrastructure will be needed, where it should be located and how it will be secured.

The Study is a response to the rapid growth and intensification of Downtown that is placing pressure on finite hard and soft infrastructure assets.  TOcore will result in a Secondary Plan for the Downtown that will provide policy direction to shape future growth and link that growth to the provision of needed infrastructure investments to achieve the city-building vision and policies of Toronto’s Official Plan.  A series of infrastructure strategies for water, transportation, parks and public realm, community services and facilities and energy will be developed as part of this review.  Financing approaches will be included as part of each infrastructure strategy.  Emphasis is also being placed on keeping Downtown an inclusive place for vulnerable populations.

TOcore is aligned to Council's Strategic Plan and will contribute to the existing Long Term Fiscal Plan and its call for strategic investment in infrastructure to maintain city residents' high quality of life.

TOcore’s initial ‘taking stock’ phase is now complete.  A first round of public consultation enriched the project with input from diverse population and stakeholder groups.  Background analysis has largely been completed with emerging priorities identified. The Recommendations and Next Steps described in this report will form the scope of work for Phase 2 of TOcore.