Item - 2023.PH7.1

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council amend City of Toronto Zoning By-law 569-2013 for the lands at 140 Merton Street substantially in accordance with the recommended Zoning By-law Amendment attached as Attachment 5 to the report (October 6, 2023) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

2. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the recommended Zoning By-law Amendment as may be required.

The Planning and Housing Committee held a statutory public meeting on October 26, 2023, and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This report recommends approval of the City-initiated Zoning By-law Amendment to Zoning By-law 569-2013, as amended by By-law 1779-2019, to permit a 29-storey, 294 unit development, with community agency space, new pedestrian connections and publicly accessible open space and heritage conservation, at 140 Merton Street. The site is a City-owned property that is part of the Housing Now Initiative.

Following Council's direction to develop a Housing Action Plan for the 2022-2026 term of Council, staff have advanced this City-initiated proposal to permit an increase in the zoning permissions of 5,487 square metres, resulting in an additional 11 storeys, and 114 units than what was presented to Council in 2019. The addition of these units will support the project's delivery of 94-142 new affordable rental units, secured for a 99-year term of affordability through the Housing Now Initiative.

The recommended Zoning By-law Amendment is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement (2020), conforms with the Growth Plan (2020), and represents an appropriate form and scale of development.