Item - 2021.EC19.6

The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council direct the Boundary Expansion Subcommittee for the expansion of the Toronto Entertainment District Business Improvement Area and the City of Toronto's Business Improvement Area Office staff to bypass the requirement that the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, conduct a formal public consultation meeting as required under Subsection 19-2.2A(3)(e) and the requirements under Subsection 19-2.2 C to H of City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19, Business Improvement Areas, and to proceed to notice and polling under Section 19-2.4 of City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19, Business Improvement Areas.

2.  City Council state its intention to designate the area outlined in Attachment 1 to the letter (January 4, 2021) from Councillor Joe Cressy as the expanded Toronto Entertainment District Business Improvement Area under City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19, Business Improvement Areas.

3.  City Council direct the City Clerk to send out a notice of City Council's intention to pass a By-law designating the area outlined in Attachment 1 to the letter (January 4, 2021) from Councillor Joe Cressy as the expanded Toronto Entertainment District Business Improvement Area, in accordance with City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19, Business Improvement Areas.

4.  City Council direct the Chief Technology Officer to prepare designation By-law maps of the area outlined in Attachment 1 to the letter (January 4, 2021) from Councillor Joe Cressy and submit them to the City Solicitor.

This motion asks City Council to proceed directly to polling on the proposed expansion of the Toronto Entertainment District Business Improvement Area (BIA), waiving the requirement to hold a formal public meeting in light of the current pandemic-related lockdown. These exceptions have been prepared in consultation with the Toronto Entertainment District BIA Boundary Expansion Subcommittee and working with staff in the Business Improvement Area Office.

The Board of Management of the Toronto Entertainment District BIA passed a motion to explore expanding its western boundary from Spadina Avenue to Bathurst Street in June 2018. Since that time, the BIA, through its Boundary Expansion Subcommittee, has been actively consulting and communicating with businesses, property owners, and major stakeholders in the proposed expansion area to gauge their interest in joining the BIA.

The BIA hosted an informal boundary expansion meeting on January 30, 2019. The meeting was well attended and feedback was positive. A formal public meeting was held on July 30, 2019 to seek authority to proceed to a poll. Unfortunately, the meeting was attended by only five potential BIA members from the expansion area. A vote was held to determine whether to proceed to an expansion poll. Two voted in favour, three were opposed.

On December 17, 2019, City Council approved Notice of Motion MM13.7 directing the General Manager of Economic Development and Culture to hold a new public meeting to consider the expansion of the BIA. Pandemic-related restrictions have hindered the ability of the BIA Boundary Expansion Subcommittee and BIA Office staff to effectively organize a second formal public meeting. This motion will allow tenants and property owners in the west precinct of King-Spadina to vote on the potential expansion of the Toronto Entertainment District BIA.