Item - 2025.EX26.11

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1. City Council authorize Waterfront Toronto's undertaking of a competitive process to select a development partner for the delivery of housing and supporting mixed use development for the first Ookwemin Minising development opportunity and City Council direct the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services, in consultation with the Executive Director, Housing Development Office, the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO (on behalf of Toronto Port Lands Company as landowner), and other relevant City Division and Agency officials, to work with Waterfront Toronto officials on the developer proposal call.

2. City Council direct the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services and the Deputy City Manager, Community and Emergency Services to work with Waterfront Toronto officials on their program of tri-government-funded Early Activation on Ookwemin Minising Phase 1 lands, in collaboration with relevant officials from City Divisions, CreateTO (through Toronto Port Lands Company as landowner), and other landowners.

3. City Council direct the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services to work with the Chief Executive Officer, Waterfront Toronto, the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO and relevant City officials including the Executive Director, Housing Development Office and the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and report back to the Executive Committee by the end of the second quarter of 2026 with recommendations addressing:

a. Waterfront Toronto-led business and implementation plans for Ookwemin Minising Phase 1, including government financing and funding options and incentives, delivery models to advance the City’s island-wide 30 percent affordable rental housing target and alignment with the Toronto Builds Policy framework;

b. required City Council direction and/or other authorities to support the transfer of the Phase 1 Lands from Toronto Port Lands Company to the City of Toronto at the appropriate time; and

c. the funding resources that will be required to support the proposed real estate transactions.

4. City Council authorize the inclusion of City lands in Ookwemin Minising Phase 1, and City Council as shareholder, direct the Toronto Port Lands Company Board of Directors to authorize the inclusion of Toronto Port Lands Company lands in Ookwemin Minising Phase 1, subject to further direction from City Council regarding the specific terms for transactions, which will be defined in Ookwemin Minising Phase 1 business and implementation plans.

5. City Council authorize the Director, Real Estate Services to negotiate and execute on behalf of the City any leases, licenses or other interim agreements, including agreements with Waterfront Toronto and other parties approved by Waterfront Toronto for nominal consideration, to provide access to City-owned lands for site investigations, site preparation (including the construction of enabling infrastructure), environmental remediation, interim activation and any other early works related to the Ookwemin Minising Phase 1, on such terms and conditions as the Director, Real Estate Services deems appropriate and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

6. City Council as shareholder direct the Toronto Port Lands Company Board of Directors to direct the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO and the Executive Vice President, Port Lands Management, CreateTO to negotiate and execute on behalf of Toronto Port Lands Company any leases, licenses or other interim agreements including agreements with Waterfront Toronto and other parties approved by Waterfront Toronto for nominal consideration, to provide access to Toronto Port Lands Company-owned lands for site investigations, site preparation (including the construction of enabling infrastructure), environmental remediation, interim activation and any other early works related to the Ookwemin Minising Phase 1, on such terms and conditions as the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO deems appropriate and in a form satisfactory to the Chief Legal Counsel, CreateTO.

7. City Council authorize the Director, Real Estate Services to execute and deliver on behalf of the City, in consultation with the Executive Director, Housing Development Office and the Director, Waterfront Secretariat, City Planning, documentation granting the City's consent to Waterfront Toronto to act as the City's agent (in the City's capacity as owner of the City-owned lands in Ookwemin Minising Phase 1) in connection with any planning and development, infrastructure, servicing or other applications or agreements required for the development applications and interim activation of the Ookwemin Minising Phase 1 lands, including agreements with Toronto Hydro, Enbridge Gas or any third party utility provider, provided that Waterfront Toronto has agreed to assume all costs and liabilities under such applications and agreements or alternatively, that the City itself execute such documentation solely in its capacity as landowner and upon such other terms and conditions as the Director, Real Estate Services deems appropriate, in consultation with the Executive Director, Housing Development Office and the Director, Waterfront Secretariat, City Planning, and in form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

8. City Council as shareholder direct the Toronto Port Lands Company Board of Directors to direct the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO and the Executive Vice President, Port Lands Management, CreateTO to execute, in consultation with the Executive Director, Housing Development Office and the Director, Waterfront Secretariat, City Planning, documentation granting Toronto Port Lands Company 's consent to Waterfront Toronto to act as Toronto Port Lands Company 's agent (in Toronto Port Lands Company 's capacity as owner of the Toronto Port Lands Company -owned lands in Ookwemin Minising Phase 1) in connection with any planning and development, infrastructure, servicing or other applications or agreements required for the development applications and interim activation of the Ookwemin Minising Phase 1 lands, including agreements with Toronto Hydro, Enbridge Gas or any third party utility provider, provided that Waterfront Toronto has agreed to assume all costs and liabilities under such applications and agreements or alternatively, that Toronto Port Lands Company itself execute such documentation solely in its capacity as landowner and upon such other terms and conditions as the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO deems appropriate, in consultation with the Executive Director, Housing Development Office and the Director, Waterfront Secretariat, City Planning, and in form satisfactory to the Chief Legal Counsel, CreateTO.

9. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the Executive Director, Development Review to work with the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO and the Chief Executive Officer, Waterfront Toronto to establish an Ookwemin Minising Implementation Table with the Member of Council for Ward 14 - Toronto Danforth and the Mayor's Office.

10. City Council direct the City Manager to work with Waterfront Toronto officials and to continue to pursue discussions with their Provincial and Federal counterparts on further funding for waterfront revitalization, including Waterfront East transit and further phases of Ookwemin Minising.

This report sets out a road map for the first phase of mixed-use development on Ookwemin Minising, Toronto's new island in the Port Lands. In January 2025, the City of Toronto, the Government of Canada, and the Province of Ontario announced $975 million for Waterfront Toronto to advance the delivery of the revitalization plan on Ookwemin Minising. This tri-government investment includes foundational works to unlock new housing, public space, and supporting infrastructure.

Revitalizing Ookwemin Minising will be a complex, long-term undertaking. Over time, City Council will be required to approve matters related to affordable housing, major infrastructure, real estate transactions and land use planning.

City Council approvals are required at this time to advance Phase 1 of the island's development (the tri-government funded project), specifically for the City to:

- Authorize Waterfront Toronto, as revitalization lead, to initiate a developer proposal call process for a partner for the first development blocks on Ookwemin Minising (this report); and,

- Authorize Waterfront Toronto to act as an agent, for the purpose of planning applications, development approvals, and infrastructure design approvals, for the City and the City of Toronto Economic Development Corporation (operating as the Toronto Port Lands Company, TPLC), a City-owned corporation managed by CreateTO, for the purposes of advancing the development of Phase 1.

Current work includes an integrated planning and public realm study and business and implementation planning. A reporting roadmap is provided in Attachment 1. Key upcoming milestones include:

- Waterfront Toronto's launch of a developer proposal call for a development partner on Phase 1 lands;

- A staff report on the outcomes of the integrated planning and public realm study for the island; and

- A staff report on business and implementation planning matters, which will outline the public policy outcomes to be sought from the first development blocks to move forward in Phase 1 and on the transfer of Phase 1 lands to the City of Toronto from TPLC.

In May 2025, City Council adopted the Toronto Builds Policy Framework which outlines the City's priorities in developing its own land, including a strong focus on the retention of public land and creation of a range of new rental homes while contributing to complete communities. Council's adoption of this framework also provides for flexibility in recognition of challenging market conditions, the wide range of size and types of developments that may proceed on City land in the future, and the need for alignment with intergovernmental agreements and shared objectives.

City staff will report back as soon as possible, before the end of the second quarter of 2026, on the status of the market offering and to provide further details on business and implementation planning matters, including financing options and delivery models to pursue the City’s affordable housing targets for Phase 1, and the contribution of this toward achieving Council's ambitious affordable housing goals for the island. This work is occurring in the context of significant market challenges, where the financial viability of residential developments is at all time high risk given increasing construction costs, coupled with foreign trade risks and US- initiated tariff disputes.

In addition to the market offering, work is ongoing related to early activation. The Early Activation Program for Ookwemin Minising will introduce “meanwhile uses” to support the emerging community, activate public spaces, enhance the visitor experience within the new Don River parkland system, and showcase the island’s potential to future investors. These initiatives will help set the stage for phased development while testing new approaches to programming and placemaking. Waterfront Toronto is working closely with CreateTO (as manager of Toronto Port Lands Company lands), City divisions, and other landowners to plan and (in the City's capacity as owner of the City-owned lands in Ookwemin Minising Phase 1) coordinate early activation efforts, ensuring alignment with broader interim-use strategies across the Port Lands. Approval is recommended to authorize required agreements with Waterfront Toronto and TPLC for Ookwemin Minising.

Indigenous community engagement, relationship-building and reconciliation action are central to the implementation of Ookwemin Minising. Building on the City’s Reconciliation Action Plan and the renewed waterfront vision adopted in 2022, the City, Waterfront Toronto, and partners are working with First Nations rightsholders and other  First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and urban Indigenous communities to integrate their priorities into planning, design, and placekeeping. This commitment is reflected in the naming of the island and ongoing collaboration with Indigenous partners, architects, designers and consultants, including Trophic Design, an Indigenous-owned firm contributing knowledge and perspective to public realm and infrastructure design. These efforts build on Waterfront Toronto’s Memorandum of Understanding with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and their contributions to the Port Lands Flood Protection Project, where Indigenous leadership has helped ensure respect for the histories of this area and shape the design of future neighbourhoods.

As waterfront revitalization progresses, the City and its partners remain committed to strengthening relationships, supporting Indigenous cultural revitalization, and ensuring the waterfront reflects Indigenous histories, rights, and enduring connections to land and water.

Concurrently, staff will continue discussions with their Provincial and Federal counterparts on further funding for waterfront revitalization, including Waterfront East transit and further phases of Ookwemin Minising, which are contingent on future approvals.

This next stage of work on the creation of a new mixed-income, mixed-use complete community on Ookwemin Minising marks a significant milestone for the Port Lands. The combined tri-government investment, the creation of Toronto’s newest island, and the early delivery of housing and public spaces offer an opportunity to advance revitalization in the Port Lands.