Item - 2023.EC7.1

The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that:

1. City Council request the General Managers, Economic Development and Culture and Parks, Forestry and Recreation, in consultation with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to form a Toronto Public Markets working group – with representatives from Toronto Public Health; Municipal Licensing and Standards; Corporate Real Estate Management; Transportation Services; Social Development, Finance and Administration; Solid Waste Management Services; and community partners – and develop a Public Markets Action Plan for City Council’s consideration by 2025.

2. City Council authorize the City Manager, or Division Heads designated by the City Manager, in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, to negotiate, approve, and execute agreements, including amendments, to receive funds from the Government of Canada or the Government of Ontario or other third parties, in support of Public Markets in Toronto, in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

3. City Council authorize the City Manager, or Division Heads designated by the City Manager, to negotiate, approve, and execute agreements, including amendments, for the provision of services or activities supporting Public Markets in Toronto, using funds from the approved City Budget or new funding received by the City from third parties per Recommendation 2, in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

Marina Queirolo, Urban Regional Planning, York University gave a presentation to the Economic and Community Development Committee on Strengthening Toronto's Public Markets and Mid-Size Food Retail Infrastructure.

From June 8-10, 2023, the City of Toronto hosted the 11th International Public Market (IPM) Conference. This event attracted 376 global leaders from 130 cities and 23 countries and showcased Toronto's potential as a "Market City" – a dynamic urban centre with strong networks for the distribution of healthy, regionally produced food and other goods. Toronto’s existing network of 105 public food markets support more than 3,000 urban and rural entrepreneurs (2019 data). This presentation by Marina Queirolo, BA, MES PI., Urban Regional Planning, York University, will highlight insights from the IPM Conference and identify opportunities to strengthen the City’s support for Public Markets and mid-size food retail infrastructure.