Item - 2025.EX25.2

The Executive Committee:

1. Received the report (July 2, 2025) from the Executive Director, Development Review for information.

In 2024, the City of Toronto established the Development Review Division to lead a transformational shift in how the City delivers development review services. As part of the Development and Growth Service Area, the Division consolidates over 400 staff from multiple divisions into a single, multidisciplinary team. This integrated model reflects a bold commitment to building a more modern, efficient, and people-centred system that supports good city-building outcomes more effectively.

This foundational shift has already delivered tangible results: enhanced customer service, streamlined review processes, and stronger organizational capacity. The Division is now positioned to better respond to the demands of a growing city and to accelerate the delivery of housing and infrastructure that supports vibrant, complete communities.

In July 2024, City Council adopted Item EX16.20 and directed staff to report back to Executive Committee in July 2025 on implementation, performance, and emerging challenges. This report responds to that request and introduces the Division’s first Strategic Plan (2025–2028) - a values-driven roadmap rooted in continuous improvement, people-centred urban growth, and strengthened partnerships.

The need for this transformation is urgent. In 2024 alone, Toronto welcomed over 140,000 new residents, and approved more than 46,000 residential units. Each year, the City receives over 450 new development applications and 1,200 resubmissions—more than any other Canadian municipality. Growth is accelerating, and so must the systems that shape it.

To meet this demand, the Division has taken bold action: improving internal structures, aligning processes, and enhancing interdivisional coordination. This has helped reduce delays and ensure that as development increases in scale and complexity, it is matched by timely delivery of infrastructure and services that reflect complete communities principles.

Since its launch, the Division has improved statutory review timelines for complex applications (including combined Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment, Zoning By-law Amendment and Site Plan Control) by over 80% compared to the previous five-year average. These timelines reflect the part of the process the City is directly accountable for and serve as a key metric of transparency and performance. Feedback from applicants confirms these improvements are being felt on the ground, through faster, more coordinated and predictable service.

To further advance city-building objectives, the Division recently expanded its Priority Development Review Stream (PDRS). The expanded stream now includes a “concierge-style” service to accelerate projects ready to begin construction within 12 to 24 months. This includes student housing, long-term care homes, and manufacturing facilities, in addition to affordable and supportive housing, which remains a key priority.

The Division has also invested in a suite of new and enhanced digital tools to improve workflows, transparency, and the applicant experience. These include:

- Updates to the Application Submission Tool, enabling applicants to submit development applications online through a more intuitive interface; and

- A new File Circulation Tool, allowing staff across teams to track and manage comments as they review applications in a centralized and streamlined system.

These innovations are enabling faster, clearer, and more coordinated review processes and are laying the foundation for a modern approach to development review.

Another key achievement in this first year is the development of the Division’s first Strategic Plan (the "Plan"), included as Attachment 1. The Plan was shaped by strong organizational priorities and informed by robust engagement, including consultation with industry partners and input from almost 300 staff across the Division. The Plan defines a shared vision, mission, and values, and sets the direction for implementation through 2028.

The Plan is anchored by four strategic priorities:

- Investing in people and partnerships - Focused on fostering a strong, values-based culture; enhancing internal staff capacity and collaboration; and strengthening relationships with applicants and the broader development industry, communities, including Indigenous and equity-deserving communities, elected officials and other orders of government.

- Streamlining processes - Simplifying and aligning review processes to improve consistency, efficiency, and create a more transparent and predictable experience for applicants.

- Modernizing tools and technology - Leveraging new digital tools and platforms to support more efficient workflows, enhance collaboration, and increase transparency for applicants and the public.

- Strengthening transparency and accountability - Enhancing performance measurement, public reporting, and client feedback mechanisms to track progress, strengthen public trust, and support continuous improvement.

Together, these priorities will enable the Division to fulfill its mission:

“We advance world-class city-building by delivering a development review service that is innovative, collaborative, customer-focused, transparent and efficient.”

And they are driven by a bold, forward-looking vision:

“Shaping the future of Toronto - today. We shape development in Toronto so that current and future generations can thrive.”

As Toronto continues to face complex and interconnected challenges - ranging from housing affordability to climate resilience - the need for a modern, accountable, and people-centred development review system has never been greater. This Plan is a direct response to that urgency. It positions the Development Review Division, and City of Toronto as a whole, to lead with purpose, deliver with integrity, and build a more equitable, inclusive and thriving city for all.