Item - 2025.PH24.11

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council state its intention to designate the property at 336 Jarvis Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance for 336 Jarvis Street (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 1 to the report (August 22, 2025) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

2. City Council state its intention to designate the property at 340 Jarvis Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance for 340 Jarvis Street (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 2 to the report (August 22, 2025) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

3. City Council state its intention to designate the properties at 342-344 Jarvis Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance for 342-344 Jarvis Street (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 3 to the report (August 22, 2025) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

4. If there are no objections to the designations, City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the Bills in Council designating each of the properties under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the properties at 336, 340, and 342-344 Jarvis Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for their cultural heritage value according to the Statements of Significance, which include a description of heritage attributes for each property, found in Attachments 1, 2, and 3 to this report.

The subject properties at 336, 340, and 342-344 Jarvis Street are located on the west side of Jarvis Street, mid-block between Carlton Street to the south and Sirman Lane to the north, in the Church-Wellesley neighbourhood. Location maps and current photographs of the heritage properties are found in Attachment 4.

The properties are part of a collection of five abutting Victorian era house-form buildings, from 336 Jarvis Street to the south to 344 Jarvis Street to the north. The property at 336 Jarvis Street was constructed in 1863 in the Georgian architectural style with later Second Empire alterations. From 1890 to 1923, it was home to the artist and educator Frederic Bell-Smith. Beyond his well-regarded artistic output, Bell-Smith was also known for co-founding the Arts and Letters Club of Toronto (1908) and serving as president of the Ontario Society of Artists from 1905 to 1908.

The property at 340 Jarvis Street was constructed c.1863 and forms one half of a present-day semi-detached house-form with 338 Jarvis Street (designated Part IV in 2007), both designed in the Georgian style with subsequent Second Empire alterations. 340 Jarvis Street housed the John Howard Society from 1956 to the early 1960s. The property at 342-344 Jarvis Street was constructed between 1873 to 1875 in the Italianate style. The property at 342 Jarvis Street is associated with the Lesbian Organization of Toronto (LOOT) and Clementyne's; the time that these two organizations operated out of the subject property yields information that informs an understanding of Toronto's growing queer, feminist, and lesbian communities in the second half of the 20th century and into present day.

Collectively, the subject properties form a historic streetscape of 19th century house form buildings on the west side of Jarvis Street, north of Carlton Street, that reflect the character of the Upper Jarvis neighbourhood, which evolved from a subdivision of private homes on a landscaped avenue to a high density residential and arterial corridor within downtown Toronto.

All four subject properties were listed on the City's Heritage Register on June 20, 1973.

336, 340, and 342-344 Jarvis Street have been identified as candidates for designation through the City's implementation of Bill 23 amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act and the strategy for Listed Properties that must be either designated or removed from the Register by January 1, 2027.

Part of the strategy for the review of the Listed Properties on the Heritage Register includes the procurement of qualified heritage consultants to research, evaluate, and prepare heritage evaluation reports for a subset of Listed Properties prioritized for designation. For the purpose of this report, the City Planning Division retained Alex Corey Heritage Consulting (the Consultant) to research and evaluate a collection of 15 Listed house-form buildings fronting onto Jarvis Street (see 'Jarvis Street Heritage Evaluations' map in Attachment 4) and if one or more properties met the provincial criteria for individual designation under Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, to then prepare heritage evaluation reports and recommendations for such properties as appropriate. The Consultant evaluated the properties subject of this report and determined that they meet or exceed the provincial criteria.

The Consultant's research of the subject properties is contained in Attachment 5 of this report. The research, analysis, and evaluations within Attachment 5 reflect the Consultant's professional expertise and opinions. Staff have reviewed the Consultant's research and heritage evaluations and concur with the Consultant's determination that the properties at 336, 340, and 342-344 Jarvis Street have cultural heritage value and each meet two or more 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.

Designation enables City Council to review proposed alterations or demolitions to the property and enforce heritage property standards and maintenance.

At its meeting on July 18, 2025 the Toronto Preservation Board considered Item PB34.2 and made recommendations to City Council.

Summary from the report (July 3, 2025) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning:

 
This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the properties at 336, 340, and 342-344 Jarvis Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for their cultural heritage value according to the Statements of Significance, which include a description of heritage attributes for each property, found in Attachments 1, 2, and 3 to this report.

The subject properties at 336, 340, and 342-344 Jarvis Street are located on the west side of Jarvis Street, mid-block between Carlton Street to the south and Sirman Lane to the north, in the Church-Wellesley neighbourhood. Location maps and current photographs of the heritage properties are found in Attachment 4.

The properties are part of a collection of five abutting Victorian era house-form buildings, from 336 Jarvis Street to the south to 344 Jarvis Street to the north. The property at 336 Jarvis Street was constructed in 1863 in the Georgian Revival architectural style with later Second Empire Revival alterations. From 1890 to 1923, it was home to the artist and educator Frederic Bell-Smith. Beyond his well-regarded artistic output, Bell-Smith was also known for co-founding the Arts and Letters Club of Toronto (1908) and serving as president of the Ontario Society of Artists from 1905 to 1908. The property at 340 Jarvis Street was constructed c.1863 and forms one half of a present-day semi-detached house-form with 338 Jarvis Street (designated Part IV in 2007), both designed in the Georgian Revival style with subsequent Second Empire Revival alterations. 340 Jarvis Street housed the John Howard Society from 1956 to the early 1960s. The property at 342-344 Jarvis Street was constructed between 1873 to 1875 in the Italianate Revival style. The property at 342 Jarvis Street is associated with the Lesbian Organization of Toronto (LOOT) and Clementyne's; the time that these two organizations operated out of the subject property yields information that informs an understanding of Toronto's growing queer, feminist, and lesbian communities in the second half of the 20th century and into present day.

Collectively, the subject properties form a historic streetscape of 19th century house form buildings on the west side of Jarvis Street, north of Carlton Street, that reflect the character of the Upper Jarvis neighbourhood, which evolved from a subdivision of private homes on a landscaped avenue to a high density residential and arterial corridor within downtown Toronto.

All four subject properties were listed on the City's Heritage Register on June 20, 1973.

336, 340, and 342-344 Jarvis Street have been identified as candidates for designation through the City's implementation of Bill 23 amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act and the strategy for Listed Properties that must be either designated or removed from the Register by January 1, 2027.

Part of the strategy for the review of the Listed Properties on the Heritage Register includes the procurement of qualified heritage consultants to research, evaluate, and prepare heritage evaluation reports for a subset of Listed Properties prioritized for designation. For the purpose of this report, the City Planning Division retained Alex Corey Heritage Consulting (the Consultant) to research and evaluate a collection of 15 Listed house-form buildings fronting onto Jarvis Street (see 'Jarvis Street Heritage Evaluations' map in Attachment 4) and if one or more properties met the provincial criteria for individual designation under Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, to then prepare heritage evaluation reports and recommendations for such properties as appropriate. The Consultant evaluated the properties subject of this report and determined that they meet or exceed the provincial criteria.

The Consultant's research of the subject properties is contained in Attachment 5 of this report. The research, analysis, and evaluations within Attachment 5 reflect the Consultant's professional expertise and opinions. Staff have reviewed the Consultant's research and heritage evaluations and concur with the Consultant's determination that the properties at 336, 340, and 342-344 Jarvis Street have cultural heritage value and each meet two or more 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.

Designation enables City Council to review proposed alterations or demolitions to the property and enforce heritage property standards and maintenance.