Item - 2020.SC12.10

Scarborough Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council request that the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, invite comment and undertake stakeholder consultations on the draft plan in Attachment 3 of the report dated December 20, 2019 from the Director, Community Planning, Scarborough District to inform the final version of the policies for the Secondary Plan for the Golden Mile study area.

2. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to bring forward the final Secondary Plan for the Golden Mile for a Statutory Public Meeting, generally in accordance with the draft plan outlined in Attachment 3 of the report dated December 20, 2019 from the Director, Community Planning, Scarborough District and informed by the consultations with internal divisions and external stakeholders.

3. City Council direct the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, in consultation with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division, to host a Business Forum with tenants, landowners, business owners and other key stakeholders within the Golden Mile area to consult on the opportunity to establish a business association for the Golden Mile area to advocate for business needs.

The Golden Mile Secondary Plan (“GMSP”) Study was initiated by City Planning staff in May 2016, and generally consisted of the lands located along Eglinton Avenue East, between Victoria Park Avenue and Birchmount Road.  In April 2019, City Council expanded the study area boundary from 97 to 113 hectares to include additional lands east of Victoria Park Avenue within Wards 20 and 21, as well as approximately 4.3 hectares of land on the west side of Victoria Park Avenue within Ward 16 (refer to Attachment 1: Golden Mile Secondary Plan Study Area Boundary). 

The Golden Mile has been influenced by agricultural, industrial and commercial eras of development.  The area became known as the "Golden Mile of Industry" during the post-World War II era with the construction of large-scale manufacturing buildings along Eglinton Avenue East, between Pharmacy Avenue and Birchmount Road.  Large-scale commercial construction generally occurred during the 1990's, replacing many of the former industrial buildings that fronted onto Eglinton Avenue East.

The draft Secondary Plan for the Golden Mile establishes a planning framework for future development in the Golden Mile area that sets out the long-term vision for a complete, liveable, connected, responsive, and prosperous mixed-use community.  Golden Mile is intended to maintain its role as an important economic driver within the east end of Toronto and is envisioned as both a destination and a place for residents, workers, and visitors to live, work, shop, and play.

The purpose of the report is to present the "GMSP Study: Final Consultant's Report", and provide a summary of the Phase Three findings of the Study (refer to Attachment 2: GMSP Study: Final Consultant's Report - Executive Summary). The preferred development alternative identified by the consultant has the potential to accommodate approximately 24,000 residential units, 43,000 residents and 19,000 jobs over the next 20+ years, in a mix of tall, mid and low-rise buildings ranging in height from 4 to 35 storeys.

The report also presents draft Secondary Plan policies for the Golden Mile study area and recommends that City Planning staff invite comment and undertake stakeholder consultations on these policy directions (refer to Attachment 3: Draft Secondary Plan Policies for Golden Mile).