Item - 2025.EX20.12

Tracking Status

  • City Council adopted this item on February 5, 2025 with amendments.
  • This item was considered by Executive Committee on January 28, 2025 and was adopted with amendments. It will be considered by City Council on February 5, 2025.

EX20.12 - Reducing Stormwater Runoff and Mitigating Basement Flooding

Decision Type:
ACTION
Status:
Amended
Wards:
All

Caution: Motions are shown below. Any motions should not be considered final until the meeting is complete, and the decisions for this meeting have been confirmed.

Committee Recommendations

The Executive Committee recommends that:

 

1. City Council request the General Manager, Toronto Water to report back to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee, no later than third quarter of 2025, on a plan to implement three new and expanded subsidies under the City’s Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy Program, subject to City Council approval, for a home stormwater assessment subsidy, an increased backwater valve subsidy and an increased sump pump subsidy, addressing the following details:

 

a. subsidy amounts;

 

b. applicant eligibility and application requirements; and

 

c. refined cost and resource estimates.

 

2. City Council request the Executive Director, Environment, Climate and Forestry, in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, the General Manager, Toronto Water, the General Manager, Transportation Services and any other relevant divisions, to report back to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee, no later than the third quarter of 2025, on a plan to implement a green infrastructure incentive program for private property, subject to City Council approval, addressing the following program details:

 

a. program administration;

 

b. eligible green infrastructure features, to include subsidized rain barrels at a similar subsidy as existing programs such as sump pumps and backwater valves;

 

c. subsidy amounts;

 

d. applicant eligibility and application requirements;

 

e. refined cost and resource estimates; and

 

f. potential funding sources for the program, including options that would not cause any financial impact on residential water users.

 

3. City Council request the General Manager, Toronto Water, in consultation with the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services, to report to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee on an assessment of delivery and funding options to accelerate the construction of recommended local sewer infrastructure improvement projects from completed Basement Flooding Environmental Assessment (EA) studies under the City’s Basement Flooding Protection Program, taking into consideration the findings from Engineering and Construction Services’ recent review of capital delivery models for large complex municipal infrastructure programs and projects.

 

4. City Council direct the General Manager, Toronto Water and the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer to indefinitely suspend further consideration and/or engagement on a stormwater charge, based on the feedback from stakeholder engagement conducted as part of the consideration of a commercial parking levy, feedback received through previous City consultations on a potential stormwater charge, and in recognition of actions being undertaken to reduce stormwater runoff in Recommendation 2 above.

 

5. City Council direct the General Manager, Toronto Water to indefinitely suspend further consideration and/or engagement on a water service charge, based on the findings from the City’s public consultation on a water service charge that was paused in April 2024.

Background Information (Committee)

(January 14, 2025) Report from the General Manager, Toronto Water and the Executive Director, Environment, Climate and Forestry on Reducing Stormwater Runoff and Mitigating Basement Flooding
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-252172.pdf
Attachment 1 - Stormwater Management Incentives Public Consultation Report
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-252193.pdf

Communications (Committee)

(January 21, 2025) E-mail from Rick Galbraith (EX.Supp)
(January 22, 2025) E-mail from David Domet (EX.Supp)
(January 24, 2025) E-mail from Tom Cohen, Chair, Eglinton Park Residents’ Association (EX.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ex/comm/communicationfile-187201.pdf
(January 26, 2025) Letter from Tom Angellotti (EX.Supp)
(January 26, 2025) E-mail from Jaffar Husain (EX.Supp)
(January 27, 2025) Letter from Geoff Kettel and Cathie Macdonald, Co-Chairs, Federation of North Toronto Residents' Associations (EX.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ex/comm/communicationfile-187235.pdf
(January 24, 2025) Letter from Amy Harrell, Executive Director, The Toronto Financial District Business Improvement Area on behalf of BOMA Toronto, NAIOPA Greater Toronto Area, REALPAC, the Toronto Financial District Business Improvement Area (EX.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ex/comm/communicationfile-187282.pdf
(January 27, 2025) E-mail from Laura Lamarche and Shannon Rancourt (EX.Supp)
(January 27, 2025) Letter from Janet May, Director, Cliffcrest Scarborough Village SW Residents Association (EX.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ex/comm/communicationfile-187303.pdf
(January 27, 2025) Letter from Craig McLuckie, President, Toronto Industry Network (EX.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ex/comm/communicationfile-187295.pdf
(January 27, 2025) E-mail from Anne Keary (EX.New)
(January 28, 2025) Letter from Lyn Adamson, ClimateFast (EX.New)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ex/comm/communicationfile-187369.pdf

Communications (City Council)

(February 4, 2025) Letter from Craig McLuckie, President, Toronto Industry Network (CC.New)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/cc/comm/communicationfile-187514.pdf
(February 4, 2025) Letter from Fatima Correia, Manager Environmental Affairs, Atlantic Packaging (CC.New)

Motions (City Council)

1 - Motion to Amend Item (Additional) moved by Councillor Stephen Holyday (Carried)

That:

 

1. City Council request the General Manager, Toronto Water, in consultation with the General Manager, Transportation Services, to undertake an operational assessment of local infrastructure after significant storm events, taking into consideration the number of resident calls and complaints received by 311, assessing any existing sensor data received by Toronto Water and comparing all of the data with the coincident intensity of the storm event that transpired; City Council, upon completion of this assessment in Recommendation 1 above, authorize the General Manager, Toronto Water to take appropriate action to mitigate future operational issues by providing enhanced monitoring and maintenance for the streets or locations that historically have the most frequent and concentrated 311 reports of flooding and basement flooding events, by considering action, including but not limited to the following:

 

a. more frequent sewer inspections, flushing and maintenance;

 

b. enhanced monitoring of conditions and system performance, including sensors;

 

c. proactive response during major rain events;

 

d. more frequent catch basin, culvert and street cleaning; and

 

e. coordination with the Basement Flooding Protection Program.


2 - Motion to Amend Item (Additional) moved by Rachel Chernos Lin (Carried)

That:

 

1. City Council direct the General Manager, Toronto Water, in consultation with the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and the Executive Director, Development Review, to report back with a strategy to address stormwater management in the minor variance process, including an overview of existing policies, as part of the report back to City Council in the third quarter of 2025.


Motion to Adopt Item as Amended (Carried)

EX20.12 - Reducing Stormwater Runoff and Mitigating Basement Flooding

Decision Type:
ACTION
Status:
Amended
Wards:
All

Committee Recommendations

The Executive Committee recommends that:

 

1. City Council request the General Manager, Toronto Water to report back to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee, no later than third quarter of 2025, on a plan to implement three new and expanded subsidies under the City’s Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy Program, subject to City Council approval, for a home stormwater assessment subsidy, an increased backwater valve subsidy and an increased sump pump subsidy, addressing the following details:

 

a. subsidy amounts;

 

b. applicant eligibility and application requirements; and

 

c. refined cost and resource estimates.

 

2. City Council request the Executive Director, Environment, Climate and Forestry, in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, the General Manager, Toronto Water, the General Manager, Transportation Services and any other relevant divisions, to report back to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee, no later than the third quarter of 2025, on a plan to implement a green infrastructure incentive program for private property, subject to City Council approval, addressing the following program details:

 

a. program administration;

 

b. eligible green infrastructure features, to include subsidized rain barrels at a similar subsidy as existing programs such as sump pumps and backwater valves;

 

c. subsidy amounts;

 

d. applicant eligibility and application requirements;

 

e. refined cost and resource estimates; and

 

f. potential funding sources for the program, including options that would not cause any financial impact on residential water users.

 

3. City Council request the General Manager, Toronto Water, in consultation with the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services, to report to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee on an assessment of delivery and funding options to accelerate the construction of recommended local sewer infrastructure improvement projects from completed Basement Flooding Environmental Assessment (EA) studies under the City’s Basement Flooding Protection Program, taking into consideration the findings from Engineering and Construction Services’ recent review of capital delivery models for large complex municipal infrastructure programs and projects.

 

4. City Council direct the General Manager, Toronto Water and the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer to indefinitely suspend further consideration and/or engagement on a stormwater charge, based on the feedback from stakeholder engagement conducted as part of the consideration of a commercial parking levy, feedback received through previous City consultations on a potential stormwater charge, and in recognition of actions being undertaken to reduce stormwater runoff in Recommendation 2 above.

 

5. City Council direct the General Manager, Toronto Water to indefinitely suspend further consideration and/or engagement on a water service charge, based on the findings from the City’s public consultation on a water service charge that was paused in April 2024.

Origin

(January 14, 2025) Report from the General Manager, Toronto Water and the Executive Director, Environment, Climate and Forestry

Summary

Over the past several decades, Toronto has experienced severe storm events that have impacted public and private property and the environment. Most recently, heavy rainfall events in July and August 2024 caused basement and surface flooding, affecting over a thousand properties and City of Toronto (City) infrastructure. In response, City Council directed staff in July 2024 (2024.MM20.24) on a range of issues related to reducing stormwater runoff and mitigating basement flooding. This report provides a response to the following Council directives:

 

-Review of City stormwater mitigation and adaptation programs for private property (referred to as stormwater management incentive programs in this report), including existing, discontinued, and potential new incentives to reduce impermeable surfaces, stormwater runoff, and basement flooding risks on private property.

-New or discontinued stormwater management incentive programs that could be established in the short-term or require additional review and planning prior to implementation.

-Public input into what programs and incentives would provide the most benefit to residential property owners to decrease impermeable surfaces and mitigate runoff.

-Assessment and consultation on opportunities to reduce stormwater runoff from non-residential properties whose impermeable surfaces drive up flooding, stormwater costs, beach closures, and water pollution.

-Additional resources that would be required to meaningfully reduce basement flooding across Toronto and how those resources should be funded.

 

The review and public consultation concerning the stormwater management incentive programs for private property was completed in November 2024. The review concluded that the City, through its existing programs, offers a range of stormwater management incentives for private property, comparable to other jurisdictions in North America. However, the public consultation revealed interest in additional incentives, specifically in a new green infrastructure incentive program to help property owners reduce impermeable surfaces and install green infrastructure features at ground level.

 

Staff conclude there is merit to further consider the establishment of a new green infrastructure incentive program. Such a program would supplement existing City stormwater management incentive programs by providing new subsidies to property owners to install green infrastructure, reduce impermeable surfaces, thereby reducing stormwater runoff on private property. Additional review and planning are required to develop details for a new green infrastructure incentive program prior to seeking Council approval. This report recommends that the Environment, Climate and Forestry Division, in consultation with Toronto Water, Transportation Services and other relevant City divisions, report back to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee no later than Q3 2025 on a plan to implement such a program.

 

Staff also reviewed the City's existing Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy Program (BFPSP) and gathered input on three options for new and expanded subsidies that could potentially be offered by the BFPSP:

-A new subsidy for home stormwater assessments by a licenced professional.

-An increase in the existing backwater valve subsidy amount to subsidize the cost of two backwater valves.

-An increase in the existing sump pump subsidy amount to subsidize the cost of backup power.

 

The public consultation revealed interest in the above BFPSP subsidy options, which would help to further reduce basement flooding risks for eligible residential properties. Additional review and assessment of the options is required before seeking Council approval. Staff recommend a report back to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee no later than Q3 2025 that provides more details on the potential establishment of the new and expanded subsidy options under the BFPSP.

 

With respect to opportunities to reduce stormwater runoff on non-residential properties, this report refers to consultation undertaken by the Office of the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer in fall 2024 with commercial sector representatives and other interested parties in consideration of a potential commercial parking levy (CPL) which included discussions of a potential stormwater “surcharge” or “levy” that could be applied based on the impermeable surface area on commercial properties that would also be subject to the CPL.

 

Staff recommend indefinitely suspending further consideration and/or engagement on a stormwater charge based on the feedback received as part of the CPL consultation sessions, the feedback received through previous City consultations on a potential stormwater charge, and in recognition of the recommendation to report back to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee on a plan to implement a green infrastructure incentive program for private property to help reduce stormwater runoff.

 

Staff also recommend indefinitely suspending further consideration and/or engagement on a potential water service charge based on the feedback received through the City’s public consultation on a water service charge (and stormwater charge) in spring 2024, prior to the consultation being paused in April 2024 to consider alignment of a potential stormwater charge with the City’s broader climate resilience strategy, a potential CPL, and the City’s long-term financial plan.

 

Finally, this report presents an update on the implementation of the Basement Flooding Protection Program (BFPP) and a preliminary estimate of additional resources and funding required to meaningfully reduce basement flooding risks by accelerating the ongoing implementation of the BFPP, specifically, the construction of recommended local sewer program projects from completed Basement Flooding Environmental Assessment (EA) studies. This report recommends that, Toronto Water, in consultation with Engineering and Construction Services, undertake an assessment of options to accelerate the BFPP local sewer program projects. This assessment will consider recent work conducted by Engineering and Construction Services (ECS) to review Capital Delivery Models for large complex municipal infrastructure programs and projects, which is currently scheduled to appear on an Infrastructure and Environment Committee agenda in the first half of 2025.

Background Information

(January 14, 2025) Report from the General Manager, Toronto Water and the Executive Director, Environment, Climate and Forestry on Reducing Stormwater Runoff and Mitigating Basement Flooding
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-252172.pdf
Attachment 1 - Stormwater Management Incentives Public Consultation Report
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-252193.pdf

Communications

(January 21, 2025) E-mail from Rick Galbraith (EX.Supp)
(January 22, 2025) E-mail from David Domet (EX.Supp)
(January 24, 2025) E-mail from Tom Cohen, Chair, Eglinton Park Residents’ Association (EX.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ex/comm/communicationfile-187201.pdf
(January 26, 2025) Letter from Tom Angellotti (EX.Supp)
(January 26, 2025) E-mail from Jaffar Husain (EX.Supp)
(January 27, 2025) Letter from Geoff Kettel and Cathie Macdonald, Co-Chairs, Federation of North Toronto Residents' Associations (EX.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ex/comm/communicationfile-187235.pdf
(January 24, 2025) Letter from Amy Harrell, Executive Director, The Toronto Financial District Business Improvement Area on behalf of BOMA Toronto, NAIOPA Greater Toronto Area, REALPAC, the Toronto Financial District Business Improvement Area (EX.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ex/comm/communicationfile-187282.pdf
(January 27, 2025) E-mail from Laura Lamarche and Shannon Rancourt (EX.Supp)
(January 27, 2025) Letter from Janet May, Director, Cliffcrest Scarborough Village SW Residents Association (EX.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ex/comm/communicationfile-187303.pdf
(January 27, 2025) Letter from Craig McLuckie, President, Toronto Industry Network (EX.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ex/comm/communicationfile-187295.pdf
(January 27, 2025) E-mail from Anne Keary (EX.New)
(January 28, 2025) Letter from Lyn Adamson, ClimateFast (EX.New)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ex/comm/communicationfile-187369.pdf

Speakers

Tom Angellotti
Emmay Mah, Executive Director, Toronto Environmental Alliance
Chiara Padovani
Sarah McVie
Gail Fairley
John Thadickal
Paul Scrivener
Brian MacLean, Etobicoke Climate Action
Caroline Benyes
Geoff Kettel, Federation of North Toronto Residents Associations

Motions

1 - Motion to Amend Item moved by Councillor Gord Perks (Carried)

That:

 

1.  Executive Committee amend Recommendation 2 so that it now reads:

 

2. City Council request the Executive Director, Environment, Climate and Forestry, in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, the General Manager, Toronto Water, the General Manager, Transportation Services and any other relevant divisions, to report back to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee, no later than Q3 2025, on a plan to implement a green infrastructure incentive program for private property, subject to City Council approval, addressing the following program details:

 

a. program administration;

 

b. eligible green infrastructure features, to include subsidized rain barrels at a similar subsidy as existing programs such as sump pumps and backwater valves;

 

c. subsidy amounts;

 

d. applicant eligibility and application requirements;

 

e. refined cost and resource estimates; and

 

f. potential funding sources for the program, including options that would not cause any financial impact on residential water users.

 

2. Executive Committee amend Recommendation 3 so that it now reads:

 

3. City Council request the General Manager, Toronto Water, in consultation with the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services, to report to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee on an assessment of delivery and funding options to accelerate the construction of recommended local sewer infrastructure improvement projects from completed Basement Flooding Environmental Assessment (EA) studies under the City’s Basement Flooding Protection Program, taking into consideration the findings from Engineering and Construction Services’ recent review of capital delivery models for large complex municipal infrastructure programs and projects.


Motion to Adopt Item as Amended moved by Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik (Carried)
Source: Toronto City Clerk at www.toronto.ca/council