Item - 2021.EP16.8

The Board of Governors of Exhibition Place recommends that:

1.  City Council direct the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management and the Manager, Fair Wage Office to investigate and report back to the appropriate standing committee in time for the June 8 and 9, 2021 City Council meeting on:

     a.  further measures that could be incorporated into City of Toronto Corporate Real Estate leases and the leases of City Agencies, Boards, and Corporations, to ensure lessees provide high-quality jobs, fair wages and full time hours and benefits where possible; and

     b.  reviewing expanding the job categories covered by the Fair Wage Policy to include traditionally lower-paid and less-secure work such as food and hospitality.

At its meeting of October 26, 2020 the Board of Governors received a power point presentation from Hotel X on its concept plan and future development of the Phase 2 Lands. At the same meeting, questions were raised by the Board regarding existing leaseholders and development at Exhibition Place, and how the City's policies and the Board of Governors can contribute to creating good quality work for Toronto residents. A motion was moved and adopted where the Board directed the Chief Executive Officer, Exhibition Place to review and report back on options for the Board to ensure that high-quality jobs with full-time hours, fair wages, and benefits, are being secured through future development of the land and other projects at Exhibition Place, including review of relevant City of Toronto policy such as the Fair Wage Policy.

Consultation with staff from the City of Toronto was held to review the Fair Wage Policy and Articles in the City of Toronto and Exhibition Place lease templates that support the Board's direction. The requirement that tenants comply with the City's Fair Wage Policy is standard language in the current template. Although classes of workers to whom the Fair Wage Policy applies is limited, the City's Fair Wage Office has advised that those classes are reviewed from time to time. 

Given the breadth, scope and complexity of the issue, coupled with the potential legal implications, Corporate Real Estate, the Fair Wage Office and Exhibition Place have agreed to continue to explore potential measures that could be implemented.