Item - 2025.MM30.24

Councillor Shelley Carroll, seconded by Councillor Chris Moise, recommends that:

1. City Council direct the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, to establish and promote a “Red Tape Hotline” pilot program, for a period of four (4) months, to allow Toronto businesses and entrepreneurs to report unnecessary or burdensome municipal rules, regulations, and permitting requirements.

2. City Council request the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, to track and analyze the submissions received, identify common regulatory challenges, and consult with relevant divisions to identify potential opportunities for modernization or streamlining of City processes.

3. City Council grant the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, temporary additional delegated authority, for the duration of the pilot, to provide interim relief to complainants on a case-by-case basis, where such relief is within the City’s legal and financial frameworks and would not compromise public health, safety, or the environment.

4. City Council direct the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, to report back in advance of the 2026 Budget Process with:

a. a summary of issues reported through the Red Tape Hotline;

b. recommendations for administrative and by-law amendments to reduce burdens on businesses; and

c. an evaluation of the pilot’s effectiveness and options for continuation or expansion; and

An overview of how delegated authority was used to provide interim relief to complainants, including the number and nature of cases where relief was granted.

Toronto’s businesses and entrepreneurs are key drivers of our economy, job creation, and vibrant neighbourhoods. Yet too often, they encounter unnecessary regulatory hurdles and administrative red tape that hinder their success.

To strengthen our support for local business, this motion proposes the creation of a Red Tape Hotline pilot program, operated by the Economic Development and Culture division, that will allow business owners to directly report burdensome municipal processes, permitting delays, and duplicative or outdated by-laws.

The initiative supports the implementation of the Action Plan for Toronto’s Economy, adopted by City Council in late 2024, which identified regulatory modernization and service streamlining as essential steps in making Toronto a more business-friendly city.

The hotline will run as a nine-month pilot and collect data on the types of issues reported. This will surface potential policy, procedural, or by-law changes that could improve service delivery, modernize regulation, and support economic growth. Where appropriate and necessary, the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, will be delegated authority to provide interim relief to businesses on a case-by-case basis, where feasible within existing regulations.

A report will be brought to Economic and Community Development Committee in the first quarter of 2026 with an evaluation of the pilot, a summary of complaints received, and recommendations for by-law or administrative changes to reduce red tape for Toronto businesses.

Reason for Urgency: To ensure that the pilot can be launched in time to run during the peak of business activity in the summer and early fall months.