Item - 2018.EX30.7

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to submit outstanding short term Capital repair and mitigation projects and longer term capital projects, arising from high lake levels, for priority consideration in the 2019 Capital Budget process.

2.  City Council authorize the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to provide an abatement of up to 100 percent of the 2017 base licence fee or rent for tenants or licensees of the City of Toronto, as the case may be, affected by the closure of Toronto Island Park and other waterfront parklands due to high lake levels, to the extent that the General Manager is satisfied that such losses are not covered by insurance and for the portion in excess of any insurance recoveries related to high water levels and closure of the Toronto Island Park and other waterfront parklands, and subject to tenants and licensees having an account with the City of Toronto in good standing.

3.  City Council request the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to report to the Budget Committee on any changes arising from the expansion of the abatement program.

This report responds to direction from City Council at its meeting of July 4, 5, 6, and 7, 2017 for the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to report back to the November 29, 2017 meeting of the Executive Committee with a comprehensive inventory of all operating costs, projected to year-end, associated with the Spring flooding of 2017, as well as recommendations on any proposed rent or licence fee forgiveness for tenants and licensees affected by the rising lake levels.

The net Operating Budget impact associated with the closure of Toronto Island Park is projected to reach a maximum cost of $8.45 million, depending on the total rent and licence fee abatements for tenants and licensees.

Repair and shoreline remediation work is expected to cost $7.38 million, of which $2.0 million can be considered within the 2018 Preliminary Parks, Forestry and Recreation Capital Budget. With lake levels still 20 cm above the long term average, staff expect further damage may be seen, particularly at Toronto Island Park, through the winter freeze-thaw cycle.

Staff will provide updated repair estimates for the 2019 Capital Budget process and will report in the third quarter of 2018 on the cost of long-term repair and resilience measures. Preliminary estimates anticipate these long-term measures will cost at least $25 million over 10 years.