Item - 2025.EX23.18

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1. City Council request the City Solicitor to:

a. designate additional legal resources to expedite the execution of agreements required to advance projects that meet the City priority of delivering affordable housing and other City-involved development projects;

b. establish target timelines for implementing instructions from client divisions regarding legal agreements on priority housing items, subject to receiving complete information and timely responses from project proponents; and

c. report through the 2026 Budget Process on resourcing required to meet targeted timelines.

The City of Toronto has recently made great strides in speeding up the development approval process. Approvals for applications submitted after July 2023 are now over 80 percent faster than the previous five-year average. Approvals are even faster for projects that meet key City priorities including affordable housing.

Meanwhile, the City is at work advancing dozens of priority projects that advance affordable housing on City land, or through the support of City incentives such as development charge waivers and property tax reductions.

The City’s Legal Services division is a critical partner in the delivery of this work. Through development approvals, funding agreements, and real estate agreements, Legal Services delivers essential pieces for advancing housing projects.

In line with the City’s overall efforts to streamline and accelerate the delivery of housing, I would like to request that the Legal Services division work to designate additional resources specifically to triage and advance priority affordable housing and City-involved development projects so we can get more housing built faster.