Item - 2022.EX34.6

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1. City Council adopt the City of Toronto Commemorative Framework, consisting of:

a. the Guiding Principles for Commemoration in Attachment 1 to the report (June 27, 2022) from the City Manager, as amended by Recommendation 2 below:

b. the revised City of Toronto Street Naming Policy in Attachment 2 to the report (June 27, 2022) from the City Manager;

c. the revised City of Toronto Property Naming Policy in Attachment 3 to the report (June 27, 2022) from the City Manager; and

d. the revised City of Toronto Public Art and Monument Donations Policy in Attachment 4 to the report (June 27, 2022) from the City Manager.

2. City Council amend the Guiding Principles for Commemoration in Attachment 1 to the report by adding "members of the Asian and South Asian community" to the list of equity-deserving groups in section 4 headed "Prioritize commemorations significant to Indigenous Peoples, Black communities, and equity-deserving groups".

3. City Council add "members of the Asian and South Asian community" to any definition of an equity-deserving group in the Commemorative Framework Policies.

4. City Council request City Agencies and Corporations to adopt and follow the Guiding Principles for Commemoration, included as Attachment 1 to the report (June 27, 2022) from the City Manager, when assigning commemorative names to properties, as amended by Recommendation 2 above. 

5. City Council authorize staff to resume processing applications to name or rename streets or City properties received since October 1, 2020, using the criteria in the City of Toronto Commemorative Framework, effective as of City Council's decision on this item.

6. City Council authorize staff to process applications to name or rename streets or City properties received prior to October 1, 2020, using the criteria in the City of Toronto Street Naming Policy and the City of Toronto Property Naming Policy adopted by City Council in July 2015 in Item 2015.EX7.8.

7. City Council lift the moratorium on accepting applications as of November 1, 2022, and authorize staff to resume accepting new applications to name or rename streets or City properties.

8. City Council request the City Manager to report back to the Executive Committee with a status update on the City of Toronto Commemorative Framework one year after implementation.

This report responds to direction from City Council to develop a new framework to guide how the City commemorates public figures and events in monuments, street names, and property names. The development of this framework is a core component of the ongoing Recognition Review project, which was initiated following receipt of the Dundas Street renaming petition by City Council. The Recognition Review seeks to understand how street names, property names and monuments have shaped an understanding of public history, and develop strategies to better represent the city's history and diversity in the public realm.

The new Commemorative Framework recommended in this report is intended to provide additional guidance to support members of the public, Elected Officials, and City staff when naming and renaming streets and City properties in a commemorative manner, and when considering proposals to develop new and review existing commemorative monuments. The proposed framework is based on the City’s research on best practices from other cities around the world, and with input from close to 12,000 residents gathered through a virtual town hall and panel discussion, public surveys, and community dialogues with Indigenous rights holders, urban Indigenous community members, Black community members, and equity-deserving groups.

The Commemorative Framework includes:

- New Guiding Principles for Commemoration, outlining best practices and considerations for engaging communities in a meaningful way in commemoration; and for further diversifying the range of stories told through Toronto's monuments, street names, and property names. The principles include:

1. Be informed by historical research, traditional knowledge, and community insights;

2. Be supported by communities through meaningful engagement;

3. Honour Indigenous ways of knowing and being;

4. Prioritize commemorations significant to Indigenous Peoples, Black communities, and equity-deserving groups;

5. Connect to Toronto, Ontario or Canada's histories and cultures; and

6. Share knowledge and stories behind commemorations.

- Amendments to existing policies related to commemoration, including the Street and Property Naming Policies and the Public Art and Monument Donations Policy, to incorporate the guiding principles into assessment criteria for commemorative name and monument selection. The amendments also outline steps for implementation, including an expanded role for the Economic Development and Culture Division to assess proposals for new commemorations and review existing commemorations in partnership with communities and other relevant City Divisions.

- A recommended process for responding to requests from the public to review monuments, street names and property names based on their historical legacy, setting out clear criteria to assess a proposal and identifying potential responses for consideration that could include renaming, removing, or re-interpreting an asset, or concluding that no action is required.

Names and symbols in public spaces matter. They help to cultivate a sense of belonging, well-being, and connectedness for all, especially in support of Indigenous Peoples, Black communities, and equity-deserving groups. They also speak to what the City and community feel is important and worthy of celebration, documentation and commemoration. By developing and implementing a more intentional, community-centered approach to naming and commemoration, the City can help to build a more welcoming Toronto. The Recognition Review project is just one of the ways that the City is working to achieve this vision, alongside Council-approved strategies for system-wide change such as the City's Reconciliation Action Plan, the Toronto Action Plan to Confront Anti-Black Racism and the Toronto Newcomer Strategy, and significant investments in affordable housing and community safety.

If adopted by City Council, the new Commemorative Framework will be used to inform the selection of new names for Dundas Street and other properties named after Dundas. The City has convened a Community Advisory Committee made up of 20 Black and Indigenous community leaders and other diverse residents living and working along Dundas Street to develop a shortlist of new names. Recognizing the importance of having the new Framework in place to guide the Committee's deliberations, and the need for sufficient time for meaningful engagement and research into naming options, staff now propose to report to Council in early 2023 with recommendations for new names for Dundas Street and other civic properties named for Henry Dundas. This change in timing is supported by the Community Advisory Committee.