Item - 2023.MM11.25

City Council on October 11 and 12, 2023, adopted the following:

1. City Council endorse the potential use of City-owned lands for large-scale battery storage, where appropriate, subject to due diligence and City Council approval where required, building on the general direction provided for in TransformTO – Critical Steps for Net Zero by 2040.
 

2. City Council direct the Executive Director, Environment and Climate and the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management to work with relevant divisions as appropriate to review potential benefits and issues with large scale battery storage in the City of Toronto, including environmental, safety (such as fire life safety), and relation to other adjacent land uses.
 

3. City Council endorse CreateTO/Toronto Port Lands Corporation exploring use of Toronto Port Lands Corporation-owned lands in the Port Lands for utility scale storage through the issuance of a request for proposal:
 

a. request CreateTO/Toronto Port Lands Corporation to report back in 2024 on results of the request for proposal and any negotiated term sheets should suitable proponents be identified, prior to entering into a long-term lease.

4. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Environment and Climate to provide preliminary municipal support for the project, pending the completion of due diligence, as it is required by the Independent Electricity System Operator’s request for proposal process for energy storage projects.
 

5. City Council direct the Executive Director, Environment and Climate to include in the report on renewable energy programs, expected in the fourth quarter of 2023, an update on activities underway at the City on large scale battery storage.