Item - 2021.GL22.7

The General Government and Licensing Committee recommends that:  

1. City Council pass a By-law pursuant to Section 252 of the City of Toronto Act, 2006 providing authority to:

a. enter into a Municipal Capital Facility Agreement with Queen Kingston Holdings Incorporated, which leases the entire property, comprising of approximately 34,982 square feet at 1684 Queen Street East (the "Leased Premises") to the City of Toronto used for the provision of social and health services and ancillary parking; and

b. exempt the Leased Premises from taxation for municipal and school purposes, with the tax exemption being effective from the latest of:

1. the commencement date of the Lease;

2. the date the Municipal Capital Facility is entered into; and

3. the date the Tax Exemption By-law is enacted.

2. City Council direct the City Clerk to give written notice of the By-law to the Minister of Finance, the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation, the Toronto District School Board, the Toronto Catholic District School Board, le Conseil scolaire Viamonde, and le Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir.

This report seeks Council's authority for the adoption of the necessary by-law to designate the property owned by Queen Kingston Holdings Incorporated at 1684 Queen Street East and leased to the City of Toronto as a Municipal Capital Facility, and to provide an exemption for municipal property taxes and education taxes. The Municipal Capital Facility agreement authorized by the by-law will provide an exemption for the entire property, comprised of approximately 34,982 square feet being leased to Shelter, Support and Housing Administration.

The City of Toronto is experiencing an unprecedented demand for shelter and respite services for its residents due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the City's state of emergency. As part of the emergency response efforts, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration has approval to activate temporary hotel units to support physical distancing, isolation and recovery needs within the shelter system.  The Leased Premises at 1684 Queen Street East, formerly known as the Days Inn Hotel, consists of 50 units and will be used for the purposes of a temporary shelter.