Item - 2024.PH14.2

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council adopt Official Plan Amendment 742 substantially in accordance with Attachment 1 to the report (June 24, 2024) from the Interim Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

2. City Council authorize the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to seek approval of the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing of Official Plan Amendment 742 under Section 26 of the Planning Act.

3. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the recommended Official Plan Amendment 742 as may be required.

4. City Council declare by resolution to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing that Official Plan Amendment 742 conforms with Provincial Plans or does not conflict with them; has regard to the matters of Provincial Interest in Section 2 of the Planning Act; and is consistent with policy statements issued under subsection 3(1) of the Planning Act.

5. City Council request that the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing review OPA 742 under the current in effect Provincial Policy Statement 2020 and Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe 2020.

6. City Council declare that the Municipal Comprehensive Review (MCR) is concluded except as it pertains to:

a. Conversion Request 041 for 21 Don Roadway, 30 Booth Avenue, and 375 and 385 Eastern Avenue (East Harbour lands);

b. Conversion Request 070 for 825 Don Mills Road; and

c. 360, 388, and 400 Carlaw Avenue and 10 Dickens Street.

The Planning and Housing Committee held a statutory special public meeting on July 11, 2024, and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This report is the sixth in a series of Final Reports that provide staff recommendations on Employment Area conversion requests as part of the Municipal Comprehensive Review (MCR) of the Official Plan.

In 2023, Toronto’s Employment Areas were home to over 21,900 establishments employing nearly 398,000 people (26% of all jobs in the city). Businesses within our Employment Areas create about 27% of the City’s estimated 2021 GDP of $195.7 billion and contribute about 12% of all property taxes paid in the City (municipal and education taxes). This report also highlights the social and economic role that Employment Areas play in the health and growth of the city supporting Toronto’s diverse economic base and providing jobs with living wages for the City’s diverse labour pool.

Council authorized the commencement of the Municipal Comprehensive Review (MCR) and Growth Plan Conformity Exercise known as "Our Plan Toronto", on August 4, 2020. As part of the MCR City Planning received approximately 150 requests to convert lands designated Core Employment Areas or General Employment Areas in the Official Plan to non-employment uses, including some of which were City-initiated. 

The MCR and recommended Official Plan amendments are considered under Section 26 of the Planning Act, where the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing is the approval authority. The Minister’s decisions are not subject to appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal unless the Minister refers all or part of the amendments to the Tribunal.

Through previous staff reports Council has considered final recommendations on almost all conversion requests submitted during the MCR, including 60+ requests that resulted in conversions of Employment Area lands. To implement the Council-adopted conversions, staff prepared and forwarded Official Plan Amendments (OPAs) 591, 644, 653 and 692 to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing for approval. On December 12, 2023, the Minister approved OPA 591 for 30+ Council adopted conversion requests. To date, the City has yet to receive a decision on OPAs 644, 653, and 692. OPA 683, which implements a conversion request for East Harbour, was deferred at the June 13, 2024 Planning and Housing Committee, until such time as the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning reports back on further discussions with Cadillac Fairview and the Province on additional proposed changes to land use permissions at East Harbour, and by no later than the December 5, 2024 meeting of the Planning and Housing Committee and that no further notice of a special public meeting be given.

This sixth report provides final recommendations on:

• one conversion request not yet considered by Committee or Council;
• two conversion requests previously converted as part of OPA 591;
• Council declaring the MCR as concluded, with the exception of three sites/areas.

This report is to be considered at a Special Public Meeting under Section 26 of the Planning Act regarding the City's phased Official Plan and Municipal Comprehensive Reviews.