Item - 2025.PB38.1

The Toronto Preservation Board recommends that:

1. City Council approve:

a. the alterations to the designated heritage property at 409 Huron Street under Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act to allow for the construction of an 11-storey residential building, with such alterations to the designated heritage property being substantially in accordance with the plans and drawings prepared by MAR Architect Inc., dated July 17, 2025, and the Heritage Impact Assessment prepared by ERA Architects Inc., dated October 28, 2025, on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, all subject to and in accordance with an approved Conservation Plan and drawings satisfactory to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning and subject to conditions as set out below; and

b. the demolition of heritage attributes of the existing designated heritage property at 409 Huron Street accordance with Section 34(1) 1 of the Ontario Heritage Act to allow for the construction of an 11-storey residential building substantially in accordance with the plans and drawings prepared by MAR Architect Inc., dated July 17, 2025, and the Heritage Impact Assessment prepared by ERA Architects Inc., dated October 28, 2025, on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, all subject to and in accordance with an approved Conservation Plan and drawings satisfactory to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning and subject to conditions as set out below.

2. City Council direct that its consent to the application to alter the designated heritage property at 409 Huron Street, in accordance with Part IV, Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act, and its consent to the demolition of heritage attributes at 409 Huron Street, under Part IV, Section 34(1) 1 of the Ontario Heritage Act are also subject to the following conditions:

a. the owner shall provide a detailed Conservation Plan, prepared by a qualified heritage consultant that is consistent with the conservation strategy set out in the Heritage Impact Assessment for 409 Huron Street, prepared by ERA Architects Inc., dated October 28, 2025, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning; 

b. the owner shall enter into a Heritage Easement Agreement with the City for the property at 409 Huron Street  in accordance with the plans and drawings prepared by MAR Architect Inc., dated July 17, 2025 and the Heritage Impact Assessment prepared by ERA Architects Inc., dated October 28, 2025, and on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, subject to and in accordance with the Conservation Plan required in Recommendation 2.a above, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, including execution of such agreement to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor; 

c. that prior to the issuance of any permit for all or any part of the property at 409 Huron Street, including a heritage permit or a building permit, but excluding permits for repairs and maintenance and usual and minor works for the existing heritage buildings, as are acceptable to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, the owner shall:

1. have entered into a Heritage Easement Agreement with the City required in Recommendation 2.b above. for the property at 409 Huron Street including registration on title of such agreement, to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor;

2. have obtained final approval for the necessary Zoning By-law Amendment, and such Amendment has come into full force and effect;

3. provide building permit drawings, including notes and specifications for the conservation and protective measures keyed to the approved Conservation Plan required in Recommendation 2.a above. including a description of materials and finishes, to be prepared by the project architect and a qualified heritage consultant to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning;

4. provide a Heritage Lighting Plan that describes how the exterior of the heritage property will be sensitively illuminated to enhance their heritage character to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning and thereafter shall implement such Plan to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning;

5. provide an Interpretation Plan for the subject property, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning and thereafter shall implement such Plan to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning;

6. submit a Landscape Plan for the subject property, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning; and

7. provide a Letter of Credit, including provision for upwards indexing, in a form and amount and from a bank satisfactory to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning to secure all work included in the approved Conservation Plan and Interpretation Plan; 

d. that prior to the release of the Letter of Credit required in Recommendation 2.c.7 above the owner shall:

1. provide a letter of substantial completion prepared and signed by a qualified heritage consultant confirming that the required conservation work and the required interpretive work has been completed in accordance with the Conservation Plan and Interpretation Plan and that an appropriate standard of conservation has been maintained, all to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning; and

2. provide replacement Heritage Easement Agreement photographs to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning; and

e. that revised drawings are submitted that consider preserving more than 2.5 meters of the line-of-site of the north elevation of 409 Huron Street from the public right of way to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

3. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the necessary Bill in Council authorizing the entering into of a Heritage Easement Agreement for the heritage property at 409 Huron Street.

4. City Council authorize the City Solicitor and City staff to take all necessary actions to implement City Council's decision.

Ragini Dayal, Heritage Planner, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning, gave a presentation on 409 Huron Street - Alterations and Demolition of Heritage Attributes of a Designated Heritage Property under Section 33 and 34 of the Ontario Heritage Act and Authority to Enter into a Heritage Easement Agreement.

This report recommends that City Council approve an application under Section 33 and Section 34(1) 1 of the Ontario Heritage Act to alter and demolish heritage attributes of a designated heritage property at 409 Huron Street in connection with a Zoning By-law amendment and an Official Plan Amendment application on the subject property, and that Council grant authority to enter into a Heritage Easement Agreement.

Located on the east side of Huron Street, south of Bloor Street West, the property includes a Queen Anne Revival-style detached house that was constructed in 1903.The building was designed by Frederick Henry Herbert, an accomplished architect who practiced in Toronto in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The building forms part of a Victorian streetscape on Huron Street within the Huron-Sussex neighbourhood and it is designated under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

The City received a Zoning By-law amendment application on March 21, 2019 and received an Official Plan amendment application on March 24, 2023 related to the proposed development of the subject property to permit an 11-storey residential building. The proposed development includes the in-situ retention of the west, north and south elevations of the existing house, with new construction to the rear and north side of the property.

Through revisions to the application, Heritage Planning staff are satisfied that the proposal conserves the designated heritage property and is consistent with the policy framework. The heritage impacts of the development proposal are appropriately mitigated through the overall conservation strategy.