Item - 2019.ZB7.11

The Board of Management of the Toronto Zoo received the item for information.

In 2013 Toronto City Council requested the Toronto Zoo to complete a new licence agreement among the City, the Zoo and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (the Tripartite Agreement). A key part of the new agreement was to redefine of the boundaries of the Toronto Zoo to reflect two major changes. Namely, the addition of lands north of Old Finch Avenue for new breeding and browse facilities and the removal of river valley lands west and south of the Zoo to facilitate transfer of same to Parks Canada for incorporation into the Rouge National Urban Park (RNUP). The end result of the redefined boundaries is that the Toronto Zoo is geographically enveloped by RNUP. Since 2013, negotiations became more complex because of two matters: objection to use of the lands north of Old Finch Avenue for browse production and a desire by Parks Canada and local stakeholders to construct an RNUP Welcome Centre on Zoo Lands east of Meadowvale Road. This report discusses the current status of the Tripartite Agreement.