Item - 2025.TE22.19

Tracking Status

TE22.19 - 2024 Distillery Winter Village: Post-Event Review

Decision Type:
ACTION
Status:
Adopted on Consent
Wards:
10 - Spadina - Fort York, 13 - Toronto Centre

City Council Decision

City Council on May 21 and 22, 2025, adopted the following:

 

1. City Council direct the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, in consultation with the General Manager, Transportation Services and Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, to develop a set of criteria for managing festivals and events on private property as part of their Festival Strategy reporting back in the fourth quarter of 2025 that includes:


a. appropriate durations of City-provided exemptions and permissions, based on size of event, hours of operation, alignment with holidays, locations and community impacts; and


b. requirements for community consultation, engagement and issue-solving.


2. City Council direct General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to consult with the Distillery District on a year-round activation strategy.

Background Information (Community Council)

(March 18, 2025) Report from the Director, Permits and Enforcement, Transportation Services and the Director, Traffic Management, Transportation Services on 2024 Distillery Winter Village: Post-Event Review
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/te/bgrd/backgroundfile-254380.pdf

Communications (Community Council)

(March 31, 2025) Letter from Dominic Sampogna (TE.Main)
(April 2, 2025) Letter from Rik Ocvirk on behalf of Mary Beach (TE.Main)
(April 2, 2025) Letter from Brooke Harrison, Senior Marketing, Communications and Donor Relations Manager, Anishnawbe Health Foundation (TE.Main)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/te/comm/communicationfile-189024.pdf
(April 3, 2025) Letter from Rohan Kulkarni (TE.Main)
(April 4, 2025) Letter from Rosemary Siblall (TE.Main)
(April 28, 2025) E-mail from Robyn Berman (TE.Supp)
(April 29, 2025) E-mail from Lidia Gentilucci (TE.Supp)
(April 30, 2025) Letter from Neil Betteridge, President, Gooderham and Worts Neighborhood Association (TE.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/te/comm/communicationfile-189713.pdf
(April 30, 2025) Letter from Rik Ocvirk, Director, The Distillery Historic District (TE.New)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/te/comm/communicationfile-189716.pdf
(May 1, 2025) Letter from Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik (TE.New)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/te/comm/communicationfile-189721.pdf

TE22.19 - 2024 Distillery Winter Village: Post-Event Review

Decision Type:
ACTION
Status:
Amended
Wards:
10 - Spadina - Fort York, 13 - Toronto Centre

Community Council Recommendations

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

 

1. City Council direct the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, in consultation with the General Manager, Transportation Services and Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, to develop a set of criteria for managing festivals and events on private property as part of their Festival Strategy reporting back in the fourth quarter of 2025 that includes:


a. appropriate durations of City-provided exemptions and permissions, based on size of event, hours of operation, alignment with holidays, locations and community impacts; and


b. requirements for community consultation, engagement and issue-solving.


2. City Council direct General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to consult with the Distillery District on a year-round activation strategy.

Origin

(March 18, 2025) Report from the Director, Permits and Enforcement, Transportation Services and the Director, Traffic Management, Transportation Services

Summary

City Council directed Transportation Services, in collaboration with Economic Development and Culture and Municipal Licensing and Standards divisions, to review the Distillery Winter Village immediately following the event and report back to Toronto and East York Community Council on a variety of issues including traffic and parking impacts, noise, and calls to 311. This report responds to this directive and provides a summary of the assessment undertaken by Transportation Services and partner Divisions.

Background Information

(March 18, 2025) Report from the Director, Permits and Enforcement, Transportation Services and the Director, Traffic Management, Transportation Services on 2024 Distillery Winter Village: Post-Event Review
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/te/bgrd/backgroundfile-254380.pdf

Communications

(March 31, 2025) Letter from Dominic Sampogna (TE.Main)
(April 2, 2025) Letter from Rik Ocvirk on behalf of Mary Beach (TE.Main)
(April 2, 2025) Letter from Brooke Harrison, Senior Marketing, Communications and Donor Relations Manager, Anishnawbe Health Foundation (TE.Main)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/te/comm/communicationfile-189024.pdf
(April 3, 2025) Letter from Rohan Kulkarni (TE.Main)
(April 4, 2025) Letter from Rosemary Siblall (TE.Main)
(April 28, 2025) E-mail from Robyn Berman (TE.Supp)
(April 29, 2025) E-mail from Lidia Gentilucci (TE.Supp)
(April 30, 2025) Letter from Neil Betteridge, President, Gooderham and Worts Neighborhood Association (TE.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/te/comm/communicationfile-189713.pdf
(April 30, 2025) Letter from Rik Ocvirk, Director, The Distillery Historic District (TE.New)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/te/comm/communicationfile-189716.pdf
(May 1, 2025) Letter from Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik (TE.New)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/te/comm/communicationfile-189721.pdf

Speakers

Rik Ocvirk, The Distillery Historic District
Neil Betteridge, President, Gooderham and Worts Neighbourhood Association

Motions

Motion to Amend Item moved by Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik (Carried)

That the Toronto and East York Community Council recommend that:

 

1. City Council direct the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, in consultation with the General Manager, Transportation Services and Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, to develop a set of criteria for managing festivals and events on private property as part of their Festival Strategy reporting back in the fourth quarter of 2025 that includes:


a. appropriate durations of City-provided exemptions and permissions, based on size of event, hours of operation, alignment with holidays, locations and community impacts; and


b. requirements for community consultation, engagement and issue-solving.


2. City Council direct General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to consult with the Distillery District on a year-round activation strategy.

19a - 2024 Distillery Winter Village: Post-Event Review - Supplementary Report

Origin
(April 30, 2025) Report from the Director Permits and Enforcement, Transportation Services and the Director Traffic Management, Transportation Services
Summary

At its meeting on April 3, 2025, Toronto and East York Community Council deferred consideration of Item TE21.31 "2024 Distillery Winter Village: Post-Event Review" until the May 1, 2025 meeting of Toronto and East York Community Council and requested Transportation Services to report back on the number of local reports/requests for parking enforcement in the area, and suggested recommendations for the duration of the event. This report presents the information received from Toronto Police Services - Parking Enforcement Unit regarding the number of local requests for parking enforcement and it provides comments from Economic Development and Culture Division related to the request for suggested recommendations for the duration of the event.

Background Information
(April 30, 2025) Supplementary report from the Director Permits and Enforcement, Transportation Services and the Director Traffic Management, Transportation Services on 2024 Distillery Winter Village: Post-Event Review
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/te/bgrd/backgroundfile-255065.pdf
Source: Toronto City Clerk at www.toronto.ca/council