Item - 2024.EX15.4

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council direct the Sankofa Square Board of Management to develop a multi-year strategic and business plan, in consultation with the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture and the City Manager, that includes:

a. strategies to enhance the activation of Sankofa Square for economic development, tourism and community and commercial programming;

b. enhanced revenue streams to deliver on the mandate and programming of Sankofa Square and the community;

c. a review of permitting, production support policies, and fee structures, including considerations for increasing accessibility by community and not-for-profit organizations;

d. considerations for setting up a foundation to fund the resourcing of the Square's revitalization and enhance access for community and not-for-profit organizations;

e. strategies to enhance the safety and perception of safety of Sankofa Square;

f. rebranding of Yonge-Dundas Square to Sankofa Square;

g. outcomes of community engagement on the revitalization of Sankofa Square;

h. opportunities for partnerships on programming with key stakeholders;

i. a business case and detailed financial implications of implementation of the multi-year strategic plan and business plan; and

j. performance metrics to measure progress on the plans.

2.  City Council direct the Sankofa Square Board of Management to report back to City Council through the Executive Committee by the third quarter of 2025 on the results and implementation status of the Board’s multi-year strategic plan and business plan adopted by the Board as set out in Recommendation 1 above, and an update on the partnership/sponsorship opportunities undertaken by the Board.

3. City Council advise the Sankofa Square Board of Management that the City Manager’s governance review requested in Item 2023.MM7.5 is concluded and that it is authorized to pursue appropriate partnership and sponsorship opportunities, subject to the Board-approved partnership policy, multi-year strategic plan and business plan, and consistent with the City’s partnership policies.

4. City Council amend Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 636, Public Squares, to:

a. replace all references to Yonge-Dundas Square with Sankofa Square;

b. replace all references to Yonge-Dundas Square Board of Management with the Sankofa Square Board of Management; and

c. replace all references to Ryerson University with Toronto Metropolitan University.

5.  City Council authorize the City Solicitor to submit Bills directly to City Council for enactment to amend any City of Toronto by-law or Municipal Code Chapter to replace all references to Yonge-Dundas Square with Sankofa Square and to replace all references to the Yonge-Dundas Square Board of Management with the Sankofa Square Board of Management.

6.  City Council authorize the City Manager, in consultation with the City Solicitor, to amend the City’s Relationship Framework with the Yonge-Dundas Square Board of Management and any other substantive or technical changes as may be required to give effect to City Council's decision to reflect the change of the name of Yonge-Dundas Square and the Yonge-Dundas Square Board of Management as set out in Recommendation 4 above, and as may be required by any other City Council decisions in the report (June 4, 2024) from the City Manager and as amended as follows:

a. amend section 1.1, Background, to reflect City Council’s decisions on the renaming of Yonge Dundas Square to Sankofa Square, including the objectives and process that led to the decision;

b. amend section 2.1, Mandate of the Yonge-Dundas Square Board, by deleting paragraph c) “to develop a sponsorship program” and substituting “to develop a 5-year strategic plan”;

c. amend Item 3.1, Matters Requiring Council Approval, by adding “any naming, renaming, or corporate naming” of the Square;

d. amend Article 3.2 – Matters Delegated to the Board as set out below:

i. delete paragraph b) and replace it with “developing a long-term needs assessment with regard to capital maintenance and repairs of the Square”;

ii. amend paragraph d) to add the words “giving consideration to matters of community access, inclusion and affordability” after the words “fees and charges”;

iii. amend paragraph e) to add the words “and developing a strategic plan and updating that plan every 5 years” after the words “every year”; and

iv. add the following new paragraph:

h. establishing performance objectives and conducting an annual performance evaluation of the General Manager.

e. amend Article 5, City Board, to reflect the current composition and membership of the Board and the City’s public appointments policy; and

f. amend Article 8.1.4 to add the words “and provides training to the Board on City of Toronto priorities and policies as required by the City or requested by the Board” after the words “including the Board”.

7.  City Council authorize the Sankofa Square Board of Management to amend their rules of procedure to reflect the change of the name to Sankofa Square and Sankofa Square Board of Management as set out in Recommendation 4 above.

8.  City Council authorize the City Manager and the Sankofa Square Board of Management or their delegates to take any necessary action to give effect to Recommendations 1 to 7 above.

This report responds to City Council's request to conduct a governance and operational review of Sankofa Square[1], including but not limited to considerations such as publicly operating Sankofa Square in the same manner as Nathan Phillips Square (NPS).

The review included a jurisdictional scan and engagement with Board members. Key findings of the review include:

-Sankofa Square has a broader mandate than the City's civic squares which includes economic development and community and commercial objectives.

-Sankofa Square's governance and operations model is similar to other North American squares that have broad mandates.

-Sankofa Square is mandated to be financially self-sufficient while the civic squares are not and therefore Sankofa Square can generate revenues from advertisements, sponsorships and commercial events.

Based on the key findings of the review, it is recommended that Sankofa Square continue its current board of management governance structure. Departing from this structure and operating Sankofa Square in the same manner as NPS could constrain programming, limit its ability to conduct fundraising, generate revenues, and potentially increase the City of Toronto’s net expenditures.

A multi-year strategic plan and business plan is recommended to refresh the Square's objectives. This strategic planning process will help to align the Square's objectives with the post pandemic events market and evolving neighbourhood context and to address the opportunities and challenges identified in this report.

This report also transmits, as directed by City Council, the Sankofa Square Board of Management (Board) report on Yonge-Dundas Square's adoption of the new name of Sankofa Square, as previously adopted by City Council, and includes the Board's implementation and transition plan for the new name (Attachment 1).

City Council on May 22 and 23, 2024, referred Administrative Inquiry IA18.1 from Councillor Stephen Holyday, Ward 2, Etobicoke Centre, regarding Yonge-Dundas Square Renaming Initiative and Answer IA18.1a from the City Manager to the Executive Committee for consideration.