Item - 2024.PH12.5

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council authorize the City Manager or their designate to execute a Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) Program resource agreement between the City and Infrastructure Ontario to have Infrastructure Ontario fund temporary staff positions in support of the Transit Oriented Communities Program for the period from September 20, 2023 to March 31, 2026 and renewable in subsequent years through agreements with Infrastructure Ontario, subject to the terms outlined in Attachment 1 to the report (April 24, 2024) from the Interim Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

2. Subject to the execution of the terms of the resourcing agreement with Infrastructure Ontario, City Council approve 12 new temporary operating positions be added to the 2024 Operating Budgets of commenting divisions as follows:

- 4 to City Planning,

- 2 to Engineering and Construction Services,

- 2 to Parks, Forestry and Recreation,

- 2 to Transportation Services, and

- 2 to Toronto Water.

3. Subject to the execution of the terms of the resourcing agreement with Infrastructure Ontario, City Council approve a total increase of $2.895 million gross and zero net, fully funded by Infrastructure Ontario, to the 2024 Operating Budget for new temporary operating positions of the commenting divisions as follows:

- $0.770 million gross and $0 net to City Planning;

- $0.545 million gross and $0 net to Engineering and Construction Services;

- $0.465 million gross and $0 net to Parks, Forestry and Recreation;

- $0.570 million gross and $0 net to Transportation Services; and

- $0.545 million gross and $0 net to Toronto Water,

all wholly funded by Infrastructure Ontario at a net-zero cost to the City.

4. City Council authorize the City Manager or their designate to conclude negotiations and enter a Memorandum of Understanding with the Province at Gerrard Carlaw North subject to terms as outlined in Confidential Attachment 2 to the report (April 24, 2024) from the Interim Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

5. In the event the Minister issues an MZO (Minister’s Zoning Order), City Council authorize the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning or their designate to enter into Development Agreements pursuant to Section 47 of the Planning Act, in lieu of Site Plan Agreements as contemplated under Section 41 of the Act and Section 114 of the City of Toronto Act, 2006, to give effect to conditions of site plan approval for Transit Oriented Communities.

The Planning and Housing Committee:

1. Requested the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to report directly to City Council on additional financial analysis, resources and staffing required to advance City objectives related to the delivery of affordable housing on Transit-Oriented Communities sites.

This report provides an update on matters related to the Provincial Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) program and proposals that have progressed over the past year.

Firstly, it provides a status update on the TOC program and process including the Provincial Value Allocation Framework that covers community benefits for individual TOC proposals.  The report also seeks Council approval to enter into an agreement with Infrastructure Ontario (IO) to cover costs of City staff time required to process TOC submissions within the provincially expected timelines. The terms of the proposed agreement generally mirror cost recovery agreements signed with Metrolinx related to the work of City staff on Provincial transit projects.

Secondly, the report provides an update on all TOCs to date on two of the four provincial priority transit projects: the Ontario Line and Scarborough Subway Extension. This section includes updates on site-specific Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) for TOC sites currently in market, final comments on the Gerrard Carlaw North TOC, and a summary of planning comments, outstanding issues, opportunities to secure City priorities and updates on community engagement on a second round of TOCs submitted to the City for review in late 2023. The report concludes with next steps on the process to resolve the concerns identified by City staff and the community.