Item - 2023.PH7.5

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that: 

1. City Council amend the Official Plan, for the lands at 1337 and 1345 Queen Street West, substantially in accordance with the recommended Official Plan Amendment attached as Attachment 4 to the report (October 10, 2023) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

2. City Council amend Zoning By-law 569-2013, for the lands at 1303, 1313, 1325, 1337, 1345 Queen Street West and 212, 220, 224 Cowan Avenue ("Parkdale Hub") substantially in accordance with the recommended Zoning By-law Amendment attached as Attachment 5 to the report (October 10, 2023) from  the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

3. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the recommended Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments as may be required.  

4. City Council request the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, in consultation with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the City Solicitor, to engage City Divisions, Agencies, and Corporations and the development partner(s) to advance the detailed design of development requirements identified in Attachment 6 to the report (October 10, 2023) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the City Solicitor, and to secure the delivery of development requirements on terms, including details and timing, in a Lease Agreement with the non-profit development partner(s). 

5. City Council endorse the Parkdale Hub Design Brief (August 31, 2023) and direct that future planning applications for the Parkdale Hub, including applications for Site Plan Control, be prepared, and reviewed in the context of the Parkdale Hub Design Brief, provided as Attachment 7 to the report (October 10, 2023) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning. 

6. City Council approve the Rental Housing Demolition Application File No. 23 107855 STE 04 RH in accordance with Chapter 667 of the Toronto Municipal Code and pursuant to Section 111 of the City of Toronto Act, 2006 which allows for the demolition of 9 existing rental dwelling units located at 1313 Queen Street West, subject to the developer partner entering into a Lease with the City of Toronto that requires the following:

a. The development partner shall provide and maintain at least nine replacement rental dwelling units on the subject site, in the West Block for a period of at least 20 years beginning from the date that each replacement rental dwelling unit is first occupied and, during which time, no application may be submitted to the City for condominium registration, or for any other conversion to a non-rental housing purpose or for demolition without providing for replacement. The replacement rental dwelling units shall collectively have a total gross floor area of at least 682 square metres and be comprised of at least five one-bedroom units and four two-bedroom units as generally illustrated on the plans submitted to the City Planning Division dated July 7, 2023. Any revisions to these plans shall be to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning;

b. The development partner shall, as part of the nine replacement rental dwelling units required in Recommendation 6 a. above, provide at least five one-bedroom units and four two-bedroom units at affordable rents, as currently defined in the City's Official Plan, for a period of at least 10 years beginning from the date of first occupancy of each unit; 

c. The development partner shall provide tenants of all nine replacement rental dwelling units with access to, and use of, all indoor and outdoor amenities in the new mixed-use building on the West Block at no extra charge. Access to, and use of, these amenities shall be on the same terms and conditions as any other resident of the building without the need to pre-book or pay a fee, unless specifically required as a customary practice for private bookings; 

d. The development partner shall provide ensuite laundry in each replacement rental dwelling unit within the proposed mixed-use building on the West Block at no additional cost to tenants;

e. The development partner shall provide central air conditioning in each replacement rental dwelling unit at no additional cost to tenants; 

f. The development partner shall provide tenants of the nine replacement rental dwelling units with access to all bicycle and visitor parking on the same terms and conditions as any other resident of the proposed residential building; 

g. The development partner shall provide nine storage locker to tenants of the replacement rental dwelling units; and

h. The nine replacement rental units shall be made ready and available for occupancy no later than the date by which seventy percent (70 percent) of the new dwelling units in the proposed building on the West Block, exclusive of the replacement rental units, are made available and ready for occupancy, subject to any revisions to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning. 

7. City Council direct the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, in consultation with, and to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to provide an acceptable Tenant Relocation and Assistance Plan for all Eligible Tenants of the nine existing rental dwelling units proposed to be demolished at 1313 Queen Street West, addressing the right to return to occupy one of the replacement rental dwelling units at similar rents and other assistance to mitigate hardship.

8. City Council authorize the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to issue Preliminary Approval of the Rental Housing Demolition Permit under Chapter 667 of the Toronto Municipal Code for the demolition of nine existing rental dwelling units located at 1313 Queen Street West after:

a. All conditions in Recommendations 6 and 7 above have been fully satisfied or secured; 

b. The nine replacement rental units on the West Block are ready and available for occupancy; and

c. The owner has confirmed, in writing, that all existing rental dwelling units proposed to be demolished are vacant.

9. City Council authorize the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building to issue a Rental Housing Demolition Permit under Chapter 667 of the Toronto Municipal Code after the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning has given Preliminary Approval referred to in Recommendation 8 above.

10. City Council authorize the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building to issue a Residential Demolition Permit under Section 33 of the Planning Act and Chapter 363 of the Toronto Municipal Code for 1313 Queen Street West after the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning has given Preliminary Approval referred to in Recommendation 8 above, which may be included in the Rental Housing Demolition Permit under Chapter 667 pursuant to Section 6.2 of Chapter 363 on condition that the existing rental units have been replaced in the West Block.

11. City Council authorize the appropriate City Officials to take such actions as necessary to implement City Council's decision, included execution of an agreement to secure rental replacement matters and other related agreements. 

12. City Council direct the General Manager, Parks Forestry and Recreation, and Director Branch Operation and Customer Experience, Toronto Public Library to undertake community consultation and engagement with community-agencies currently located within the affected properties to develop an integrated approach to service delivery and programming for the Parkdale Hub.

13. City Council approve an amendment to Schedule B of the City of Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 925, Permit Parking, to exclude the development located at 1303,1325, 1337 and 1345 Queen Street West from Permit Parking Area 2.

14. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, in consultation with the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, to permit, where applicable, entering into licenses or other arrangements at nominal value in respect of new or existing parkland, or to waive in full the following fees, for the site located at 1303, 1313, 1325, 1337 and 1345 Queen Street West and 212, 220 and 224 Cowan Avenue ("Parkdale Hub"): 

a. all fees related to tieback encumbrances and construction staging which impact new or existing parkland; and 

b. crane swing agreements over any new or existing parkland. 

15. City Council waive in full all application and permit fees required under City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 743, Streets and Sidewalks, Use of, and City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 441, Fees, and Charges, for Street Work Permits and Temporary Street Occupation Permits for 1303, 1313, 1325, 1337 and 1345 Queen Street West and 212, 220 and 224 Cowan Avenue ("Parkdale Hub").

16. City Council request the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO, in consultation with the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management to engage the City Divisions, Agencies and Corporations involved with the construction and operation of the Parkdale Hub to develop a governance structure to support the delivery, planning, management and operation of the facility based on the Council direction and vision for the Parkdale Hub as set out in item number 2021.RA27.6 “Parkdale Hub Project – Completion of Phase 2 Feasibility Study, Advancing to Phase 3".

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

The Parkdale Hub is the improvement and expansion of important City-owned facilities and community agency space located at the intersection of Queen Street West and Cowan Avenue. The Parkdale Hub was considered by City Council in 2017 as an opportunity to integrate and improve service provision and unlock City-owned lands for new affordable rental housing. In May of 2023, City Council approved the site to be included as part of the Housing Now Initiative to advance the affordable rental housing component of the project. This report recommends approval of the City-initiated Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments, and the Rental Housing Demolition application to permit the proposed development concept.

The recommended Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments relate to three blocks: the West Block as a 16-storey mixed-use building, the Centre Block as the location of the renovated and expanded Masaryk-Cowan Community Recreation Centre integrated with the relocated Toronto Public Library Parkdale branch, and the East Block as a six-storey mixed-use building. The mixed-use buildings are proposed to provide a minimum of 231 rental housing units, with a minimum of one-third of all units secured as affordable rental housing operated by a non-profit housing partner(s). Community agencies will be relocated within the blocks of the Parkdale Hub, as a core component of the overall redevelopment of the City properties.

Nine existing rental dwelling units located in 1313 Queen Street West are proposed for demolition and would be replaced in the West Block. The proposal also includes a Tenant Relocation and Assistance Plan that addresses the right for existing tenants to return to a replacement rental dwelling unit at a similar rent as well as financial compensation to lessen hardship. 

The proposed development concept is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement (2020) and conforms with A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2020).