Item - 2025.PH26.14

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council include the property at 39 Wynford Drive on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register in accordance with the Listing Statement (Reasons for Inclusion) attached as Attachment 1 to the report (December 1, 2025) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

2. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to report to the Planning and Housing Committee on the intention to designate the property at 39 Wynford Drive under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with a Statement of Significance for 39 Wynford Drive (Entrance Address 41 Wynford Drive) following the completion of the Don Mills Regeneration Area Study and no later than July 16, 2026.

3. City Council request the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, to continue to consult with the owner of 39 Wynford Drive regarding the proposed designation of that property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act through the Don Mills Regeneration Area Study process.

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the property at 39 Wynford Drive 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 property at 39 Wynford Drive is located on the southeast corner of Wynford Drive and Gervais Drive one block northeast of Eglinton Avenue East and Don Mills Road in the Flemingdon Park neighbourhood.  It contains a 4-storey commercial office building. A location map and current photograph of the heritage property is found in Attachment 2.

The property at 39 Wynford Drive was constructed in in 1962 for the A.C. Nielson Company of Canada Limited. Designed in the International Style by Peter Dickson Associates in 1961, it was one of the earliest properties built in the Flemingdon Park Industrial Area. Following Peter Dickinson's death in 1961, it was completed by his former associates, Webb, Zerafa, Menkes Architects (WZMH Architects). In 1967, Webb, Zerafa, Menkes Architects designed a complementary 2-storey addition on top of the structure to accommodate additional office space. With its Modernist design and prominent location at the broad curve in Wynford Drive in the Flemingdon Park Industrial Area, the property contributes to the Modernist design context of the area.

Staff have determined that the property at 39 Wynford Drive 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 identified as a potential heritage resource in the 2019 Don Mills Crossing Cultural Heritage Resource Assessment as part of the Don Mills Crossing Secondary Plan.

On September 9, 2025, Demolition Permit Application # 25 222936 DEM 00 DM was submitted for the property at 39 Wynford Drive. The application is currently under review by Toronto Building.

When a notice of intention to designate a property as a property of cultural heritage value or interest is given under Section 29, any permit that allowed for the alteration or demolition of the property and that was issued by the municipality under any Act, including a building permit, before the day the notice was served on the owner of the property and on the Trust and published in a newspaper is void as of the day the notice of intention is given in accordance with subsection 29 (3).  2005, c. 6, s. 18.

At its meeting on November 18, 2025 the Toronto Preservation Board considered Item PB37.3 and made recommendations to City Council.

Summary from the report (October 28, 2025) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning:

 
This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the property at 39 Wynford Drive 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 property at 39 Wynford Drive is located on the southeast corner of Wynford Drive and Gervais Drive one block northeast of Eglinton Avenue East and Don Mills Road in the Flemingdon Park neighbourhood. It contains a 4-storey commercial office building. A location map and current photograph of the heritage property is found in Attachment 2.

The property at 39 Wynford Drive was constructed in in 1962 for the A.C. Nielson Company of Canada Limited. Designed in the International Style by Peter Dickson Associates in 1961, it was one of the earliest properties built in the Flemingdon Park Industrial Area. Following Peter Dickinson's death in 1961, it was completed by his former associates, Webb, Zerafa, Menkes Architects (WZMH Architects). In 1967, Webb, Zerafa, Menkes Architects designed a complementary 2-storey addition on top of the structure to accommodate additional office space. With its Modernist design and prominent location at the broad curve in Wynford Drive in the Flemingdon Park Industrial Area, the property contributes to the Modernist design context of the area.

Staff have determined that the property at 39 Wynford Drive 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 identified as a potential heritage resource in the 2019 Don Mills Crossing Cultural Heritage Resource Assessment as part of the Don Mills Crossing Secondary Plan.

On September 9, 2025, Demolition Permit Application Number 25 222936 DEM 00 DM was submitted for the property at 39 Wynford Drive. The application is currently under review by Toronto Building.

When a notice of intention to designate a property as a property of cultural heritage value or interest is given under Section 29, any permit that allowed for the alteration or demolition of the property and that was issued by the municipality under any Act, including a building permit, before the day the notice was served on the owner of the property and on the Trust and published in a newspaper is void as of the day the notice of intention is given in accordance with subsection 29 (3). 2005, chapter 6, section 18.

The purpose of this Supplementary Report is to update the Planning and Housing Committee regarding the owner of 39 Wynford Drive's voluntary revocation of a demolition permit for 39 Wynford Drive, dated October 31, 2025, and to provide alternative recommendations to City Council.

In consideration of the revocation, which has been confirmed by Toronto Building, heritage staff recommend deferral of Council's consideration of the designation of the property until such time as the results of the City's Don Mills Regeneration Study are reported in 2026.

This supplementary report also recommends that City Council include 39 Wynford Drive on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register for its cultural heritage value and interest according to the Listing Statement (Reasons for Inclusion) found in Attachment 1. The property was previously recommended for listing in 2019 by the Toronto Preservation Board, but the item was deferred by North York Community Council to allow for further dialogue between the property owner and heritage staff.

Listing the property at this time would allow staff to monitor the property until a designation notice is issued by Council and would ensure that a Heritage Impact Assessment be submitted as part of a complete development application. Staff recommend that the Part IV designation be brought back to Council, through the Planning and Housing Committee, no later than the July 2026 meeting of City Council.

Properties can only be placed on the Heritage Register for a period of two years.