Item - 2025.GG25.15

The General Government Committee recommends that:  

1. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, to continue negotiations to acquire the property interests set out in Appendix A (the "Property Requirements") to the report (October 8, 2025) from the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and as illustrated in the sketches / draft reference plans set out in Appendices B, C, and D to the report (October 8, 2025) from the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and City Council authorize the initiation of expropriation proceedings for the Property Requirements, for the purpose of the construction, operation and maintenance of a multi-use trail and associated infrastructure, including an asphalt path, two pedestrian-cycle bridges and a boardwalk, that will close an important gap in the Humber River Trail, if the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, deems it necessary or appropriate to proceed in that manner.

2. City Council grant authority to serve and publish the Notices of Application for Approval to Expropriate Land for the Property Requirements, to forward to the Ontario Land Tribunal any requests for hearings that are received, to attend the hearing(s) to present the City's position, and to report the Ontario Land Tribunal's recommendations to City Council for its consideration.

This report seeks authority to initiate expropriation proceedings for a fee simple interest in portions of the property municipally known as 20 Humberview Crescent and fee simple interests and temporary easements over portions of the property municipally known as 50 St. Phillips Road, for the purpose of implementing the Council-approved Mid Humber Gap trail project, for which a Municipal Class Environmental Assessment has been completed.

This is Stage 1 of the expropriation process. Should City Council adopt the recommendations in this report, staff will serve and publish the Notice of Application for Approval to Expropriate Land on each registered owner. Owners, as defined in the Expropriations Act (the "Act"), will have 30 days to request a hearing into whether the City's proposed taking is fair, sound and reasonably necessary.  

Staff will report back to City Council with a Stage 2 report, providing details on property values and other costs, and if a hearing is requested, the report of the Ontario Land Tribunal. The proposed expropriation would only be effected after adoption by City Council, as approving authority, of the Stage 2 report, by registration of an expropriation plan(s), which would then be followed by the service of notices as required by the Act.

Before the City could take possession of the expropriated property, offers of compensation based on appraisal reports must be served on each registered owner.