Item - 2025.GG26.28

The General Government Committee recommends that:

1. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management to negotiate and execute a non-competitive contract with Tennessee Marble Company to procure marble supply to be used for the Great Hall flooring restoration project at Toronto Union Station, in the amount of $3,100,415 net of all applicable taxes and charges ($3,154,982 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries), on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

The purpose of this report is to request City Council authority to enter into a non-competitive contract with Tennessee Marble Company (TMC) to purchase the necessary marble for the Union Station Great Hall flooring restoration.

During the Union Station Revitalization Project (USRP), completed in 2021, only two-thirds of the Great Hall flooring was restored; the remaining one-third was descoped due to budget constraints at the time. This work is now being resumed to address worsening tripping hazards and other safety concerns caused by the unfinished floor, and to ensure its completion in time for Union Station’s 100th Year Anniversary Celebration in 2027. The east and west sections of the Great Hall floor were restored with marble from the Tennessee Marble Company quarry, with only the central portion remaining.

As a designated National Historic Site with a nationally significant impact on Canadian history, the restoration of Union Station must adhere to the requirements outlined in The Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada (the Guidelines). All work undertaken on the station must comply with the Guidelines and receive prior approval from Parks Canada, the federal authority responsible for administering the Guidelines. The project team has been working collaboratively with Parks Canada to ensure that all historical conservation requirements are met.

A key requirement of the Guidelines is that the type of marble used in the original construction of Union Station must be used when repairing or replacing any marble elements. The original rose marble used in the Great Hall flooring is currently available exclusively through Tennessee Marble Company, the same quarry that supplied the marble during the original construction of Union Station.

In addition to meeting requirements set out in the Guidelines, Tennessee Marble Company holds exclusive knowledge of the required stone’s composition and the specialized cutting techniques required to match the original flooring. This expertise is also essential for maintaining the building’s architectural authenticity.

This non-competitive contract will be proceeding under the exception related to compatibility, where Tennessee Marble Company and the City has determined in good faith that both the proposed procurement and the selected supplier, along with the terms and conditions of the contract are beneficial to the City (Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 195, Procurement, Section 7.1E).

City Council approval is required in accordance with Municipal Code Chapter 195 - Purchasing, where the current request exceeds the Chief Procurement Officer's authority of the cumulative five-year commitment limit for each supplier under Article 7, Section 195-7.3D of the Purchasing By-Law or exceeds the threshold of $500,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax allowed under staff authority as per the Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 71-Financial Control, Section 71-11A.