Item - 2020.PB16.5

The Toronto Preservation Board recommends to the Toronto and East York Community Council that:

1. City Council include the property at 100 College Street on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register.

2. City Council state its intention to designate the property at 100 College Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, in accordance with the Statement of Significance: 100 College Street (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 3 to the report (August 7, 2020) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

3. If there are no objections to the designation in accordance with the Ontario Heritage Act, City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the necessary bill in Council.

4. If there are objections in accordance with the Ontario Heritage Act, City Council direct the City Clerk to refer the proposed designation to the Conservation Review Board.

5. If the designation is referred to the Conservation Review Board, City Council authorize the City Solicitor and appropriate staff to attend any hearing held by the Conservation Review Board in support of Council's decision to designate the property.

Marybeth McTeague, Heritage Planner, Heritage Preservation, Urban Design, City Planning gave a presentation on - Inclusion on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register and Intention to Designate under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act - 100 College Street.

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the property at 100 College Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act and include the property on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register.

The Banting Institute at 100 College Street, is located on the north side of College Street in Toronto's Discovery District, on the southern edge of the Queen's Park/University of Toronto precinct, opposite the MaRS complex and the former Toronto General Hospital.  Following the Nobel-Prize winning discovery of insulin as a life-saving treatment for diabetes in 1921-1922, the Banting Institute was commissioned by the University of Toronto to accommodate the provincially-funded Banting and Best Chair of Medical Research.  Named for Major Sir Charles Banting, the five-and-a-half storey, Georgian Revival style building was constructed according to the designs of the renowned architectural firm of Darling of Pearson in 1928-1930.  The importance of the historic discovery was recently reiterated in UNESCO's 2013 inscription of the discovery of insulin on its 'Memory of the World Register' as "one of the most significant medical discoveries of the twentieth century and of incalculable value to the world community.

Following research and evaluation, it has been determined that the property meets Ontario Regulation 9/06, which sets out the criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, for its design/physical, historical/associative and contextual value. 

The Province and the City's policies seek the conservation of cultural heritage resources. Designation supports conservation as it enables City Council to review alterations to the site, enforce heritage property standards and maintenance, and refuse demolition.