Item - 2021.PH27.13

The Planning and Housing Committee: 

1. Directed the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning report on current planning and development aspects of the Transit Oriented Communities proposal for the East Harbour to the Planning and Housing Committee at its meeting on November 25, 2021.

2. Directed the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning give a status update on the amendments to PH25.16 to the Planning and Housing Committee at its meeting on November 25, 2021.

During the consideration of PH25.16 East Harbour Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) Proposal, significant amendments to the recommendations were made by both the Planning and Housing Committee and City Council. 

Infrastructure Ontario, a Provincial crown agency, is advancing this proposal on a very tight-time line. City staff are in ongoing discussions around this development through several main channels: the Transit Oriented Communities Working Groups; Toronto Transit Partnership Committee (TPC) and the Ontario-Toronto Executive Steering Committee (ESC).

It is hard to understand how City Planning is currently able to be involved in the development review process for this project.  The only public consultation underway is by the developer in conjunction with Infrastructure Ontario and there does not seem to be a formal city process planned. This would run counter to all of the City’s policies and practices for both development reviews and public consultation. 

Of course the site was subject to a deep and long public planning process to develop the existing zoning and Master Plan.

It would be helpful to better understand the current review process to ensure that development and growth in Toronto is properly managed through a thorough, open and transparent public consultation process.