Item - 2025.PB37.2

The Toronto Preservation Board recommends that:

1. City Council state its intention to designate the property at 241 Yonge Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance for 241 Yonge Street (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 1 to the report (October 28, 2025) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

2. If there are no objections to the designation, City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the Bill in Council designating the property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the property at 241 Yonge Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value according to the Statement of Significance which includes a description of Heritage Attributes found in Attachment 1.

The subject property at 241 Yonge Street is located on the east side of Yonge Street mid-block between Shuter Street to the south and Sankofa Square to the north, in the Downtown Yonge East neighbourhood. A location map and current photograph of the heritage property are found in Attachment 2.

The property at 241 Yonge Street, formerly known as Art Metropole, contains a four-storey mixed-use commercial brick and stone building constructed in 1911 in the Edwardian Classicism style, following the designs of the architectural firm of Mitchell & White. It was purpose-built as the commercial property for the Art Metropole artist material supply company, first established in 1888 as one of the earliest companies of this type in Toronto. Art Metropole played a key supporting role in the artist community of early 20th century Toronto. Research into the products it supplied and who it supplied them to has contributed to a further understanding of that community. The first Art Metropole directly influenced the naming of the contemporary Art Metropole, the artist-run centre established in 1974 by the Canadian contemporary art group, General Idea, at 241 Yonge Street. Art Metropole was pivotal in the establishment of a national network of artist-run centres that connected the counterculture contemporary art movements of the 1970s and 80s. Today, the property continues to contribute to the historic commercial character of Yonge Street, south of Sankofa Square, where its style and typology reflect how the character of Yonge Street has been evolving for over a century.

Staff have determined that the property at 241 Yonge Street has cultural heritage value and meets 6 of the Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. A property may be designated under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, if it meets two or more of the nine criteria.

The property was listed on the City's Heritage Register on November 21, 1973.

Development applications for a combined Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendment and a Site Plan Approval application were made with the City for the subject property. The property is subject to a Prescribed Event, for which City Clerk's issued a complete application notice on February 10, 2025. The property owner provided a waiver of the Prescribed Event and has agreed upon the timing of this report.