Item - 2022.EC31.14

The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that:

1. City Council authorize the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to establish a new Transit Expansion Construction Mitigation Grant Program for Business Improvement Areas and Business Associations in accordance with the Program Guidelines included in Attachment 1 to the report (June 21, 2022) from the Interim General Manager, Economic Development and Culture.

2. City Council authorize the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to periodically review and, when necessary, revise the Transit Expansion Construction Mitigation Grant Program Guidelines to ensure alignment with the City of Toronto's Community Grants Policy and any other applicable City policy, as may be amended from time to time, or reflect changing industry needs and best practices.

3. City Council authorize the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to receive funds in the amount of $1.38 million from Metrolinx and allocate the funds to eleven Business Improvement Areas  through the following Economic Development and Culture business support programs: (i) the proposed Transit Expansion Construction Mitigation Grant Program for Business Improvement Areas and business associations (ii) the existing Business Improvement Area Capital Cost-Share Program and (iii) the existing Business Improvement Area Streetscape Master Plan Program, in accordance with the applicable program guidelines.

4. City Council direct the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, to include the $1.38 million funding received from Metrolinx in the 2023 Economic Development and Culture operating and capital budgets and report back as part of the 2023 budget process on any additional dedicated funding required or secured for the Transit Expansion Construction Mitigation Grant Program, Business Improvement Areas Capital Cost-Share Program and Business Improvement Area Streetscape Master Plan Program as described in this report.

5. City Council authorize the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, to apply for, accept and allocate any additional funding from the federal and provincial governments and their agencies to support the Transit Expansion Construction Mitigation Grant Program.

6. City Council authorize the City Manager, in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, to receive funds and negotiate and execute any agreements, including any amendments thereto, with the Government of Canada, Government of Ontario and/or federal and provincial agencies related to the Transit Expansion Construction Mitigation Grant Program, in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

This report seeks authority to establish a Transit Expansion Construction Mitigation Grant Program for Business Improvement Areas and business associations to support commercial areas impacted by major transit expansion projects across Toronto. The proposed program is based on the success of the Eglinton Crosstown Support Grant, which was developed to assist businesses impacted by the Eglinton Crosstown Light Rapid Transit construction. The report also requests authority to apply for funding for and enter into agreements with the Federal and Provincial government related to the proposed Transit Expansion Construction Mitigation Grant Program.

Finally, authority is requested to receive and allocate funding from Metrolinx to support eleven Business Improvement Areas in the Eglinton Corridor through three programs administered by the Business Improvement Area Office in the Economic Development and Culture (EDC) division – two existing ones, the Business Improvement Area Capital Cost-Share Program and the Business Improvement Area Streetscape Master Plan Program, and the proposed new program.