Item - 2021.PH23.14

The Planning and Housing Committee:

1.  Directed the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to consult with the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, Business Improvement Areas and business operators and to review the Greater Downtown Plan of the City of Calgary and to report back by the fourth quarter of 2021 to the Planning and Housing Committee on the requirements and feasibility of creating a similar plan for downtown Toronto.

The attached bulletin summarizes the results of the 2020 Toronto Employment Survey. The bulletin highlights the Survey's key findings and counts of employment and business establishments in the City of Toronto for 2020. The bulletin also reports on the type and longevity of establishments and employment activity in Downtown, the Centres, Secondary Plan areas, Provincially Significant Employment Zones, and designated Employment Areas.

In 2020, the Toronto Employment Survey recorded 1,449,910 jobs citywide, a decrease of 119,890 jobs or -7.6% from 2019, making it the largest single-year decline since the survey was initiated in 1983. All six employment categories experienced net losses in 2020. Community and Entertainment as well as Service employment declined by the highest rate, at -35.3% and -23.4% respectively. The Survey counted 73,080 business establishments in 2020, a net decrease of 3,480 establishments (-4.5%) from 2019. In 2020, 800 establishments were new to the City.