Item - 2023.PH4.5

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council adopt Official Plan Amendment 644 substantially in accordance with Attachment 1 to the the report (May 17, 2023) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning report, with the following amendment:

a. remove Site and Area Specific Policy 838 for the lands municipally known in 2022 as 65 and 87 Heward Avenue in Section C) and Section D).

2. City Council authorize the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to seek approval of the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing of Official Plan Amendment 644 under Section 26 of the Planning Act, as amended by Recommendation 1 above.

3. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the recommended Official Plan Amendment 644 as may be required, as amended by Recommendation 1 above.

4. City Council declare by resolution to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing that Official Plan Amendment 644 conforms with Provincial Plans or does not conflict with them; has regard to the matters of Provincial Interest in Section 2 of the Planning Act; and is consistent with policy statements issued under subsection 3(1) of the Planning Act, as amended by Recommendation 1 above.

5. City Council request that the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing review OPA 644 under the current Provincial Policy Statement 2020 and Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe 2020, as amended by Recommendation 1 above.

6. City Council confirm the important role that areas of influence play in protecting the City’s finite Employment Areas, including the lands around the Ontario Food Terminal, which has a zone of influence within which there could be a potential for adverse effects (noise, odour, vibration, air quality, and others).

The Planning and Housing Committee:

1. Directed the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning  to report to the July 5, 2023 meeting of the Planning and Housing Committee on Conversion Request 127 in Attachment 2 to the report (May 17, 2023) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning respecting the lands known in 2022 as 65 and 87 Heward Avenue, and that no further notice of special public meeting is required.

The Planning and Housing Committee held a special statutory public meeting on June 1, 2023 and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

In 2022, Toronto’s Employment Areas are home to over 21,600 establishments employing over 390,000 people (27% of all jobs in the city). Businesses within our Employment Areas create about 27% of the City’s estimated 2021 GDP of $195.7 billion and contribute about 12% of all property taxes paid in the City (municipal and education taxes). This report also highlights the social and economic role that Employment Areas play in the health and growth of the city, given the role that they play in supporting Toronto’s diverse economic base and providing jobs with living wages for Toronto’s diverse labour pool.

This report provides a fulsome overview of the planning context for Employment Area policies, recent decisions impacting Employment Areas and provides the second in a series of Final Reports on 45 conversion requests. A third Final Report is targeted for the July 2023 Planning and Housing and Council meetings. All reports fall under the City’s Municipal Comprehensive Review (MCR) and recommend Official Plan amendments under Section 26 of the Planning Act, where the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing is the approval authority. The Minister’s decisions are not subject to appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal unless the Minister refers all or part of the amendments to the Tribunal.

Council authorized the commencement of the MCR and Growth Plan Conformity Exercise known as "Our Plan Toronto", on August 4, 2020. As part of the MCR, the City Planning received approximately 150 requests to convert lands designated Core Employment Areas or General Employment Areas in the Official Plan for non-employment uses, including some of which were City-initiated. 

The Minister has been reviewing OPA 591 since August 9, 2022. The Minister suspended the 120-day time period to make a decision on the Council-adopted 30+ conversion requests. To date, the City has not received a decision on OPA 591.

This Final Report recommends Council retain most of the lands subject to these 45 conversion requests listed in Attachment 2 of this report as either Core Employment Areas or General Employment Areas. Staff recommended Employment Area conversions in this report are captured through draft Official Plan Amendment 644 listed as Attachment 1 to this report.

This report is to be considered at a Special Public Meeting under Section 26 of the Planning Act regarding the City's phased Official Plan and Municipal Comprehensive Reviews.