Item - 2022.EP23.10

The Board of Governors of Exhibition Place:

1.  Subject to City Council approval, approved a five-year (5) licence agreement with the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair for the 2023-2027 Royal Fair on the terms and conditions of the standard licence agreement for the Enercare Centre and specific terms outlined in Appendix A to the report (March 22, 2022) from the Chief Executive Officer, Exhibition Place and such other terms and conditions as satisfactory to the Chief Executive Officer, Exhibition Place and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

2.  Recommends that:

a.  City Council approve a five-year (5) licence agreement with the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair for the 2023-2027 Royal Fair on the terms and conditions of the standard licence agreement for the Enercare Centre and specific terms outlined in Appendix A to the report (March 22, 2022) from the Chief Executive Officer, Exhibition Place and such other terms and conditions as satisfactory to the Chief Executive Officer and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor. 

b.  City Council direct that the City's support for the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, currently $969,110 be paid to Exhibition Place, starting in 2023 and for future years, for specific application as a subsidy to the Board of Governors of Exhibition Place towards the market rental costs for the licenced space used for the annual Fair.

The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair ("RAWF") is a 100-year old cultural event in Toronto and the objective of the multi-year agreement for the event at Exhibition Place is to provide the RAWF with a known and sustainable occupancy cost for the next 5 years from 2023 to 2027, based on the RAWF's operating results, while maintaining the existing level of subsidization now provided by Exhibition Place and the City through a grant from Toronto Economic Development and Culture Division. This negotiated agreement achieves both these directions.

This report recommends subject to obtaining the necessary City of Toronto authorization, that the Board approve a five-year (5) rental licence agreement with RAWF for the 2023-2027 Royal Fair.

The substantial terms and conditions of the Licence Agreement are set out in Appendix A to this report.

Exhibition Place, City Economic Development and Culture Division and RAWF staff met in early 2022 to discuss the negotiated terms and the parties agreed to a five (5) year agreement on substantially the same terms and conditions of the existing agreement as amended per Appendix A.