Item - 2025.EX26.8

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, the General Manager, Parks and Recreation, and the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management to work with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority to develop recommendations related to a repair/rehabilitation program for the high-risk Western Beaches breakwater locations, including funding requirements; and a state of good repair management program for the Western Beaches breakwaters and report back in second quarter of 2026.

2.  City Council request the Director, Waterfront Secretariat, in consultation with the Mayor and local councillors, to form a working group with Western Beaches stakeholders and community members interested in breakwater repair and rehabilitation, to inform breakwater priorities and advocacy for intergovernmental funding partnerships to support this work.

This report provides a status update on the Western Beaches Breakwaters Action Plan, including identification of immediate repair needs and funding requirements as requested by City Council in June 2025. Since then, staff have advanced Council directions on identifying repair needs and consulting with other levels of government on ownership, rehabilitation funding and coordinated investment.

This report is specific to the Western Beaches breakwaters, stretching from the Humber River to Ontario Place. Staff will bring forward a separate report in 2026 on the broader dock walls work required across the Toronto waterfront.

In summary, based on a visual condition assessment completed in July and August by Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) and its consultants, there are no locations where imminent failure risk is extreme and immediate stabilization is required. These structures were very well built in the 1920s and continue to serve many of the required shoreline protection functions. However, there are five locations, mostly across from Sunnyside Beach and the Boulevard Club, totalling approximately 580 linear metres, where conditions are serious with a high risk of failure within an estimated 3 to 5 years. These locations require plans for repair or rehabilitation within five years. Given the time it takes to design, permit and construct in-water infrastructure projects, efforts need to commence in 2026 on repair plans for these high-risk locations. Most of these five locations are within the length of breakwaters that City staff have identified as likely under Federal ownership. 32 linear metres of breakwater that is owned by the City is in high-risk condition (closer to Ontario Place); however, it may be feasible to remove this small segment (rather than repair or rehabilitate it) as it is a stand-alone remnant structure that currently has minimal functional value. Further investigation is required before a recommendation for this City-owned segment can be made.

City staff have initiated conversations with Federal and Provincial officials and will now share the findings of the condition assessment. The structures sit within Provincial water lots, which will complicate matters of ownership and responsibility and will require additional intergovernmental discussions.

City staff, in consultation with TRCA, will report to Executive Committee in Q2 2026 on the status of intergovernmental discussions and with recommendations for the repair or rehabilitation of the breakwaters with a high risk of failure, including associated costs and a funding strategy.

The remainder of the breakwater structures are in poor or fair condition, with a few locations in relatively good condition as a result of repairs or reconstruction completed within the last 20 years. Locations in poor condition require monitoring and management plans to inform a state of good repair program. The Q2 2026 breakwaters report will include recommendations for ongoing monitoring and management of the structures. Future reporting will be prepared in consultation with other government partners to inform a shared understanding of the management needs for these assets.