Item - 2025.EX20.11

City Council considered the following Items together:

EX20.11 headed “ReNew Golden Mile Environmental Assessment: Final Report”; and

PH18.2 headed “City-Initiated Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments to Support the ReNew Golden Mile Municipal Class Environmental Assessment - Decision Report – Approval”.

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1. City Council endorse the Preferred Alignments and Designs for the five new and reconfigured streets as included in Attachment 1 to the report (January 14, 2025) from the General Manager, Transportation Services.

2. City Council authorize the General Manager, Transportation Services to prepare the Environmental Study Report for the ReNew Golden Mile Environment Assessment, issue the Notice of Completion and post the Environmental Study Report in the public record in accordance with the requirements of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment process for Schedule C projects. 

3. City Council approve the additional corridor improvements identified as part of the ReNew Golden Mile Environment Assessment for Jonesville Crescent and Ashtonbee Road, as shown in Attachment 2 to the report (January 14, 2025) from the General Manager, Transportation Services and City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services to program the design and implementation of the improvements as part of future capital planning processes when the streets require reconstruction.

4. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services, in consultation with the General Manager, Toronto Water and the Chief, Toronto Paramedic Services, as part of the detailed design of the reconfiguration of Craigton Drive to reduce impacts to the Toronto Water Eglinton Pumping Station at 885 Pharmacy Avenue and Ashtonbee Reservoir at 21 Ashtonbee Road to allow for the long-term operational and maintenance needs, future expansion needs, and to include safety measures in the street design to mitigate the potential for collisions.

The ReNew Golden Mile Environmental Assessment Study (EA Study) was initiated in 2022. The EA 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, are currently estimated to accommodate approximately 32,700 residential units, 57,500 residents and over 20,000 jobs (including replacement jobs).

The EA Study is completing phases 3 (Alternative Designs) and 4 (Environmental Study Report) of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA) process and establishes the preferred alignments and designs of new and reconfigured streets to support future development and growth. The EA process completed to date involved 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 potential realignment, widening and reconfiguration of Craigton Drive to directly connect to Ashtonbee Road; and

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

The Preferred Alignments and Designs resulting from the EA process for each of the corridors are provided in Attachment 1.

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

City Council considered an interim staff report on June 26, 2024, which provided an update on the EA Study. The report summarized the process of developing and evaluating alternatives for both alignments and street designs, consultation undertaken on the alternatives and feedback received, the evaluation of the alternatives and presented Preliminary Recommended Alignments and Designs. Council endorsed the Preliminary Recommended Alignments and Designs for the purposes of completing the mandatory public consultation required during phase 3 of the MCEA process. Council also directed City staff to further consult with three property owners in the area on the alignment of the O’Connor Drive Extension between Lebovic Avenue and Birchmount Road.

The purpose of this report is to summarize the consultation undertaken on the Preliminary Recommended Alignments and Designs, refinements made to Recommended Alignments and Designs to address feedback received, where appropriate, and present the final Preferred Alignments and Designs. The report seeks endorsement from Council on the final Preferred Alignments and Designs and authorization for City staff to proceed with preparing and filing the Environmental Study Report for the EA Study in accordance with the MCEA process for Schedule C projects, and requests direction to proceed with the recommended corridor improvements along Jonesville Crescent and Ashtonbee Road identified in the Study as part of future capital planning processes.

Additionally, in accordance with Council direction from Item - 2024.MM23.8, this report also provides a summary of the appropriateness and the process requirements of a four vehicular lane design for the O’Connor Drive Reconfiguration and Extension from the ReNew Golden Mile EA’s western limit to Birchmount Drive.

It is anticipated that the full delivery of all of the ReNew Golden Mile EA streets would be fully realized in a long-term horizon of over 20+ years.