Item - 2024.EX12.4

Tracking Status

  • City Council adopted this item on March 20, 2024 with amendments.
  • This item was considered by Executive Committee on February 29, 2024 and was adopted with amendments. It will be considered by City Council on March 20, 2024.

EX12.4 - Long-Term Financial Plan Update: Leveraging City-Wide Real Estate Opportunities for Affordable Housing, Complete Communities and Financial Sustainability

Decision Type:
ACTION
Status:
Amended
Wards:
All

City Council Decision

City Council on March 20 and 21, 2024, adopted the following:

 

1.  City Council direct the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services to work with the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services, the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO, the President, Toronto Parking Authority, the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and the Executive Director, of Transit Expansion Division, to undertake a review of all off-street, transit oriented, City-owned parking facilities that may support Council's housing, community or fiscal goals and better align municipal parking services to City and Provincial planning policies, and to report back to City Council by the fourth quarter of 2024 with a list of priority sites, timelines and resource requirements for due diligence to determine 'parking-to-homes' and/or community infrastructure opportunities; such report to also include an evaluation of the year-round utilization of those facilities and prioritize for consideration the facilities functioning at a net operating loss.

 

2.  City Council request the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services to work with the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services, the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO, the Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Transit Commission, the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to undertake a review of all existing and future Toronto Transit Commission stations for redevelopment opportunities that may support Council's housing, community, transit service or fiscal goals, and to report back to City Council by the fourth quarter of 2024 with a list of priority sites, timelines and resource requirements for due diligence to determine better use of transit sites.  

 

3.  City Council request the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services to work with the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services, the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO, the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, the Executive Director, Transit Expansion, and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to identify City-owned real estate assets suitable to be included in Transit Oriented Communities along current or future transit expansion projects, and to report back to City Council by fourth quarter of 2024 with a list of priority sites, timelines and resource requirements for due diligence to maximize housing and community goals.

 

4.  City Council direct the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services to work with the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services and the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO, to identify funding and resource requirements to undertake the due diligence activities for the review of City-owned Transit-Oriented Parking Lots, City Lands adjacent to Provincial Transit Sites and the Intensification of  Toronto Transit Commission stations, and submit the funding needs through the City's capital budget process. 

  

5. City Council direct the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services, in consultation with the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services, the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO, the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, to undertake a review of Parks, Forestry and Recreation’s facilities and relevant legislative, Official Plan and Municipal Code provisions to enable opportunities to co-locate housing, including rent-geared-to-income, affordable rental and rent-controlled market rental homes, and affordable commercial retail spaces, with community recreation facilities in support of City Council's housing goals, and to report back to City Council by the first quarter of 2025 with an outline of legislative and planning matters to be addressed, priority sites for potential housing opportunities and resource requirements for further due diligence.

 

6. City Council direct that the current and future list of any City-owned parking lots being considered for development include:

 

a. the annual revenues and losses associated with each parking lot;


b. any long term impact on City revenues; and

 

c. the cost to replace any parking in new developments.

 

7. City Council direct that any current development planning underway or contemplated on a Toronto Parking Authority lot be required to include affordable housing.

 

8. City Council direct that the Toronto Parking Authority property at 596-598 Gerrard East be included as a top priority for redevelopment for affordable housing by the City.

Background Information (Committee)

(February 14, 2024) Report and Appendix 1 from the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services on Long-Term Financial Plan Update: Leveraging City-Wide Real Estate Opportunities for Affordable Housing, Complete Communities and Financial Sustainability
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-243088.pdf

Motions (City Council)

1 - Motion to Amend Item moved by Councillor Brad Bradford (Carried)

That:

 

1.  City Council amend Executive Committee’s recommendation 1 by adding the words “such report to also include an evaluation of the year-round utilization of those facilities and prioritize for consideration the facilities functioning at a net operating loss” so that it reads:

 

1.  City Council direct the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services to work with the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services, the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO, the President, Toronto Parking Authority, the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and the Executive Director, of Transit Expansion Division, to undertake a review of all off-street, transit oriented, City-owned parking facilities that may support Council's housing, community or fiscal goals and better align municipal parking services to City and Provincial planning policies, and to report back to City Council by the fourth quarter of 2024 with a list of priority sites, timelines and resource requirements for due diligence to determine 'parking-to-homes' and/or community infrastructure opportunities; such report to also include an evaluation of the year-round utilization of those facilities and prioritize for consideration the facilities functioning at a net operating loss.


2 - Motion to Amend Item (Additional) moved by Councillor Paula Fletcher (Carried)

That:

 

1. City Council direct that the current and future list of any City-owned parking lots being considered for development include:

 

a. the annual revenues and losses associated with each parking lot;


b. any long term impact on City revenues; and

 

c. the cost to replace any parking in new developments.

 

2. City Council direct that the Toronto Parking Authority property at 596-598 Gerrard East be included as a top priority for redevelopment for affordable housing by the City.

 

3. City Council direct that any current development planning underway or contemplated on a Toronto Parking Authority lot be required to include affordable housing.

Vote (Amend Item (Additional)) Mar-21-2024 12:04 PM

Result: Carried Majority Required - EX12.4 - Fletcher - motion 2
Total members that voted Yes: 20 Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie, Alejandra Bravo, Jon Burnside, Shelley Carroll, Olivia Chow, Mike Colle, Vincent Crisanti, Parthi Kandavel, Ausma Malik, Nick Mantas, Josh Matlow, Jennifer McKelvie, Chris Moise, Amber Morley, Jamaal Myers, Frances Nunziata (Chair), Gord Perks, Anthony Perruzza, Dianne Saxe, Michael Thompson
Total members that voted No: 2 Members that voted No are Brad Bradford, Stephen Holyday
Total members that were Absent: 4 Members that were absent are Lily Cheng, Paula Fletcher, James Pasternak, Jaye Robinson

3 - Motion to Amend Item moved by Councillor Parthi Kandavel (Carried)

That City Council amend Executive Committee Recommendation 5 by adding the words "and affordable commercial retail spaces” so that it now reads as follows: 

 

5. City Council direct the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services, in consultation with the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services, the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO, the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, to undertake a review of Parks, Forestry and Recreation’s facilities and relevant legislative, Official Plan and Municipal Code provisions to enable opportunities to co-locate housing, including rent-geared-to-income, affordable rental, and rent-controlled market rental homes, and affordable commercial retail spaces, with community recreation facilities in support of City Council's housing goals, and to report back to City Council by the first quarter of 2025 with an outline of legislative and planning matters to be addressed, priority sites for potential housing opportunities and resource requirements for further due diligence.


Motion to Adopt Item as Amended (Carried)

Vote (Adopt Item as Amended) Mar-21-2024 12:05 PM

Result: Carried Majority Required - EX12.4 - Adopt the item as amended
Total members that voted Yes: 21 Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie, Brad Bradford, Alejandra Bravo, Jon Burnside, Shelley Carroll, Olivia Chow, Mike Colle, Vincent Crisanti, Parthi Kandavel, Ausma Malik, Nick Mantas, Josh Matlow, Jennifer McKelvie, Chris Moise, Amber Morley, Jamaal Myers, Frances Nunziata (Chair), Gord Perks, Anthony Perruzza, Dianne Saxe, Michael Thompson
Total members that voted No: 1 Members that voted No are Stephen Holyday
Total members that were Absent: 4 Members that were absent are Lily Cheng, Paula Fletcher, James Pasternak, Jaye Robinson

EX12.4 - Long-Term Financial Plan Update: Leveraging City-Wide Real Estate Opportunities for Affordable Housing, Complete Communities and Financial Sustainability

Decision Type:
ACTION
Status:
Amended
Wards:
All

Committee Recommendations

The Executive Committee recommends that:  

 

1.  City Council direct the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services to work with the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services, the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO, the President, Toronto Parking Authority, the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and the Executive Director, of Transit Expansion Division, to undertake a review of all off-street, transit oriented, City-owned parking facilities that may support Council's housing, community or fiscal goals and better align municipal parking services to City and Provincial planning policies, and to report back to City Council by the fourth quarter of 2024 with a list of priority sites, timelines and resource requirements for due diligence to determine 'parking-to-homes' and/or community infrastructure opportunities.  

 

2.  City Council request the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services to work with the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services, the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO, the Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Transit Commission, the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to undertake a review of all existing and future Toronto Transit Commission stations for redevelopment opportunities that may support Council's housing, community, transit service or fiscal goals, and to report back to City Council by  the fourth quarter of 2024 with a list of priority sites, timelines and resource requirements for due diligence to determine better use of transit sites.  

 

3.  City Council request the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services to work with the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services, the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO, the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, the Executive Director, Transit Expansion, and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to identify City-owned real estate assets suitable to be included in Transit Oriented Communities along current or future transit expansion projects, and to report back to City Council by fourth quarter of 2024 with a list of priority sites, timelines and resource requirements for due diligence to maximize housing and community goals.

 

4.  City Council direct the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services to work with the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services and the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO, to identify funding and resource requirements to undertake the due diligence activities for the review of City-owned Transit-Oriented Parking Lots, City Lands adjacent to Provincial Transit Sites and the Intensification of  Toronto Transit Commission stations, and submit the funding needs through the City's capital budget process. 

  

5.  City Council direct the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services, in consultation with the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services, the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO, the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, to undertake a review of Parks, Forestry and Recreation’s facilities and relevant legislative, Official Plan and Municipal Code provisions to enable opportunities to co-locate housing, including rent-geared-to-income, affordable rental and rent-controlled market rental homes, with community recreation facilities in support of City Council's housing goals, and to report back to City Council by the first quarter of 2025 with an outline of legislative and planning matters to be addressed, priority sites for potential housing opportunities and resource requirements for further due diligence. 

Origin

(February 14, 2024) Report from the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services

Summary

With the magnitude of the City’s unfunded capital program and the cost of generational programs such as the housing plan and climate action initiatives, the Long-Term Financial Plan identified the City’s real estate assets as a source for greater value potential. Specifically, evaluating underutilized real estate and deploying strategies to maximize the long-term value of assets for City benefits and fiscal sustainability. This includes fully leveraging the value from surplus lands no longer required for municipal services and from underutilized City properties with higher and better use and public benefit potential (i.e., for housing or mixed-uses). 

 

This report responds to recommendation 5.d. from item 2023.EX7.1 - Updated Long-Term Financial Plan that was adopted by City Council in September 2023:

 

"…to report back in advance of City Council’s consideration of the Mayor’s proposed 2024 budget on a review of all City-wide surplus and underutilized real estate assets with a recommended strategy for disposition or change in use as required, with priority consideration given to opportunities which may: 

 

- Be leveraged to support affordable housing initiatives;

 

- Enhance the City’s revenue generating potential and/or contribute to the City’s goals of long-term financial sustainability; or,

 

- Allow for joint ventures or partnerships which benefit the local community".

 

Through EX9.3 - Generational Transformation of Toronto's Housing System to Urgently Build More Affordable Homes, a list of 92 City-owned properties (both housing ready and with housing potential) were identified to support new affordable housing targets - which responds in part to this recommendation.

 

In terms of additional real estate portfolio opportunities, the vast majority of City-owned real estate is operationally required by City Divisions, Agencies and Corporations to deliver municipal services. The City does not have an abundance of properties deemed 'surplus' that are both no longer required for municipal service delivery and prime for significant real estate development. However, the City does have many opportunities within its broader real estate portfolio of underutilized properties that can be leveraged and/or redeveloped for higher and better uses, including new housing and mixed uses, co-locating municipal services and/or monetization opportunities.

 

Based on the City's real estate model, the mandates for CreateTO and the Corporate Real Estate Management (CREM) division include working together to continuously assess the City's mix of real estate assets (i.e., opportunities to buy, sell, lease, enter into partnerships, attract add-on investments, etc.) to enable the City's evolving service needs, drive 'City building opportunities' and be fiscally prudent.

 

Through initiatives such as the workplace modernization program (ModernTO), the City's housing plan and the plan for a new Etobicoke Civic Centre as a complete community, the City is already making better use of its real estate. These strategies opened opportunities for new affordable housing, complete communities, broad-based partnerships and long-term fiscal sustainability, and there continue to be opportunities to further this work.

   

This report identifies three broad real estate opportunities that could support city building, the City's housing plan and fiscal sustainability:

 

1. Transit-Oriented Parking Lots;

 

2. City-Owned Land Adjacent to Provincial Transit Sites; and

 

3. Intensification of Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) Stations.

 

If approved, the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services will collaboratively work with partners including the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services, Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO, Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Transit Commission, President, Toronto Parking Authority, Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, Executive Director, Transit Expansion Division and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to identify and consider real estate opportunities that could support Council's housing, community and/or fiscal sustainability goals. This incudes prioritization and a multi-year plan with funding and resource requirements.

 

Determining the best city building outcome for any City-owned property requires significant due diligence, planning analysis, financial analysis, stakeholder engagement and the development of appropriate business cases for a change in use before coming to Council for subsequent approvals. Further details regarding opportunities in the City-wide real estate portfolio are provided in this report.

Background Information

(February 14, 2024) Report and Appendix 1 from the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services on Long-Term Financial Plan Update: Leveraging City-Wide Real Estate Opportunities for Affordable Housing, Complete Communities and Financial Sustainability
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-243088.pdf

Motions

1 - Motion to Amend Item moved by Mayor Olivia Chow (Carried)

That Executive Committee amend Recommendation 4 by deleting "Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services" and replacing it with "Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services" so that it now reads:

 

4. City Council direct the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services to work with the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO, to identify funding and resource requirements to undertake the due diligence activities for the review of City-owned Transit-Oriented Parking Lots, City Lands adjacent to Provincial Transit Sites and the Intensification of Toronto Transit Commission stations, and submit the funding needs through the City's capital budget process.


Motion to Adopt Item as Amended moved by Mayor Olivia Chow (Carried)

Motion to Reconsider Item moved by Councillor Alejandra Bravo (Carried)

That in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 27, Council Procedures, the Executive Committee reconsider Item EX12.4.


2 - Motion to Amend Item moved by Mayor Olivia Chow (Carried)

That:

 

1.  The Executive Committee amend Recommendation 4 so that it now reads as follows:

 

4. City Council direct the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services to work with the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services and the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO, to identify funding and resource requirements to undertake the due diligence activities for the review of City-owned Transit-Oriented Parking Lots, City Lands adjacent to Provincial Transit Sites and the Intensification of Toronto Transit Commission stations, and submit the funding needs through the City's capital budget process.

  

2.  The Executive Committee adopt the following new Recommendation:

 

City Council direct the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services, in consultation with the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services, the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO, the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, to undertake a review of Parks, Forestry and Recreation’s facilities and relevant legislative, Official Plan and Municipal Code provisions to enable opportunities to co-locate housing, including rent-geared-to-income, affordable rental and rent-controlled market rental homes, with community recreation facilities in support of City Council's housing goals, and to report back to City Council by the first quarter of 2025 with an outline of legislative and planning matters to be addressed, priority sites for potential housing opportunities and resource requirements for further due diligence. 


Motion to Adopt Item as Amended moved by Mayor Olivia Chow (Carried)
Source: Toronto City Clerk at www.toronto.ca/council