Item - 2024.IE14.6

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that:

1. City Council endorse the Preliminary Recommended Alignments and Designs included in Attachment 1 for the purposes of completing the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment’s mandatory phase 3 public consultation and request the General Manager, Transportation Services to report back on the feedback received from the consultation and any resulting refinements made as part of finalizing Preferred Alignments and Designs, where appropriate.

2. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services to report back no later than the December 17, 2024 meeting of City Council, through Infrastructure and Environment Committee, to request Council endorsement of the Preferred Designs and authority to prepare the Environmental Study Report and issue a Notice of Completion of Phase 3 and 4 of the ReNew Golden Mile Environmental Assessment in accordance with the requirements of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Process.  

3. City Council direct the Interim Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to report back no later than the December 17, 2024 Meeting of City Council, through Planning and Housing Committee, on amendments to the Official Plan, and the Zoning By-law, where necessary or required to support and / or align with the ReNew Golden Mile Environmental Assessment.

4. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services and the Interim Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to coordinate to ensure the matters in Recommendation 2 and Recommendation 3 above are brought to the same meeting of Council for consideration.

5. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services to coordinate with the landowners of 1911 - 1921 Eglinton Avenue East, 800 Warden Avenue and 1941 Eglinton Avenue East and further study options for the O’Connor Drive Extension between Lebovic Avenue and Birchmount Road, to determine whether any adjustments are required, where appropriate, to respond to the matters raised by these landowners, before reporting back to Council on the finalized Preferred Alignments and Designs.

The ReNew Golden Mile Environmental Assessment Study was initiated in 2022. The Environmental Assessment Study builds on the Golden Mile Secondary Plan and Golden Mile Transportation Master Plan approved by City Council in October 2020.

The Golden Mile area, generally consisting of lands located along Eglinton Avenue East and Craigton Drive, between Victoria Park Avenue and Birchmount Road, has been influenced by agricultural, industrial, and commercial eras of development. The area became known as the "Golden Mile of Industry" during the post-World War II era with the construction of large-scale manufacturing buildings along Eglinton Avenue East, between Pharmacy Avenue and Birchmount Road. Large-scale commercial development generally occurred during the 1990's, replacing many of the former industrial buildings that fronted onto Eglinton Avenue East.

The Golden Mile Secondary Plan advanced a vision for a new mixed-use community  with a range of tall, mid-rise and some low-rise buildings to be constructed over the next 20+ years. There are 14 sites with active development applications within the Plan Area. City Council has approved or accepted settlement offers for 12 of the 14 sites. These approvals and accepted settlement offers, combined with the balance of development potential for other sites in the area is currently estimated to accommodate approximately 32,700 residential units, 54,000 to 56,000 residents and 19,000 jobs (including replacement jobs).

The Environmental Assessment Study is completing phases 3 and 4 of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment process and establishing the alignments and designs of five new and reconfigured streets to support future development and growth. The process involves developing and evaluating alternative street alignments and designs for the following transportation infrastructure:

- A potential reconfiguration of O’Connor Drive, along with an extension to Birchmount Road

- A new east-west public street north of Eglinton Avenue East from Victoria Park Avenue to Birchmount Road (“Golden Mile Boulevard”)

- A realignment, widening and reconfiguration of Craigton Drive to directly connect to Ashtonbee Road

- A potential reconfiguration of Thermos Road and Sinnott Road at the Eglinton Avenue East intersection.

Additionally, the Environmental Assessment Study is exploring other corridor improvements along Jonesville Crescent and Ashtonbee Road to Birchmount Road that do not require completion of phases 3 and 4 of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment. The corridor improvements will ensure these streets are complete streets to support existing and future residents and businesses.

This report provides an update on the status of the Environmental Assessment Study, key findings to date, including the preliminary evaluation, recommendations, and designs, and outlines next steps to finalize the Environmental Assessment Study.

This report recommends that City Council endorse the preliminary recommended alignments and designs for the purpose of consulting the public and completing the next stage of mandatory Municipal Class Environmental Assessment consultation requirements. This report also directs the Interim Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to bring forward a concurrent report on required Official Plan and / or Zoning By-law Amendments to support and / or align with the ReNew Golden Mile Environmental Assessment Final Report. This report was prepared in consultation with City Planning.