Item - 2025.TE23.23

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council grant permission to the City Cultural Events Production City of Toronto, Global Arts, Cultural and Heritage Foundation, Breakthrough T1D, Canada Running Series Inc., Ajiwo International, Hockey Hall of Fame, Toronto Spring Festival, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Foundation, Canadian Olympic Committee, The Ontario Snow Resorts Association and Celebrate Toronto, to operate a beer and wine Vintners Quality Alliance garden and to serve alcohol contingent upon the following conditions:

a. approval of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario;

b. approval of the Medical Officer of Health;

c. compliance with the City of Toronto’s Municipal Alcohol Policy; and 

d. receipt of all the necessary permits associated with the production of the event i.e., building permits, noise By-law extension permit.

2. City Council grant permission to the City Cultural Events Production City of Toronto, Breakthrough T1D, Canada Running Series Inc., Ajiwo International, Hockey Hall of Fame, Toronto Spring Festival, Canadian Olympic Committee, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Foundation, The Ontario Snow Resorts Association, Muslim Association of Canada, Vietnamese Association Toronto and Ontario Sikhs and Gurdwara Council to solicit donations in support of their organization.

3. City Council grant permission to City Cultural Events Production City of Toronto, Breakthrough T1D, Canadian Olympic Committee, Canada Running Series Inc., Ajiwo International, Hockey Hall of Fame, Toronto Spring Festival, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Foundation, The Ontario Snow Resorts Association, Muslim Association of Canada, Celebrate Toronto and Ontario Sikhs and Gurdwara Council to engage in sports demonstrations. 

4. City Council grant permission to allow for sound amplification by the organizations and at the times listed below, which extend beyond the accepted Nathan Phillips Square's amplification schedule policy hours, such policy only allowing for amplification of sound from Monday to Friday between 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m., and between 4:30 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.:

City Produced Events:

a. Strategic Protocol and External Relations, City of Toronto in March 2026, to present land acknowledgment and African Ancestral Acknowledgment, remarks by the Mayor as part of the National Day of Observance for COVID-19;

b. Environment and Climate Division, City of Toronto in April 2026, to present land acknowledgment and African Ancestral Acknowledgment, remarks by the Mayor as part of the Clean Toronto Together event;

Third-Party Community Produced Events:

c. Breakthrough T1D on October 15 and 16, 2025, to present warm-up messages to the participants in the sport, health and safety announcements, music, and speeches, as part of the Ride to Defeat Diabetes event;

d. Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Foundation in January/February 2026 to present warm-up messages to the participants in the sport, health and safety announcements, music, and speeches, as part of the Leaf’s Open Practice;

e. The Ontario Snow Resorts Association in January/February 2026 to make health and safety announcements and live streaming music, as part of the Go Skiing Go Snowboarding event; and

f. Muslim Association of Canada in March 2026, to present, early morning and afternoon prayers, as part of the Eid Prayer and Festival.

All permissions would be contingent upon each applicant securing a Noise Bylaw Exemption permit through the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division and adhering to the Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 591, Noise, along with mandatory sound monitoring throughout the event to ensure compliance with schedules.

5. City Council grant permission to City Cultural Events Production City of Toronto, Global Arts, Cultural and Heritage Foundation, BreakthroughT1D, Canada Running Series Inc., Ajiwo International, Hockey Hall of Fame, Strategic Protocol and External Relations City of Toronto, Toronto Spring Festival, Canadian Olympic Committee, The Ontario Snow Resorts Association, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Foundation, Muslim Association of Canada, and Celebrate Toronto, to use open flame as part of their event production; all permissions would be contingent upon each applicant securing an Open Air Burning permit under Ontario Fire Code 2.4.4.4 from Toronto Fire Services.

6. City Council grant permission to the City Cultural Events Production City of Toronto, Global Arts, Cultural and Heritage Foundation, Canada Running Series Inc., Toronto Spring Festival, Canadian Olympic Committee, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Foundation and The Ontario Snow Resorts Association, to place objects in the reflecting pool.

7. City Council grant permission to the City Cultural Events Production City of Toronto, Global Arts, Cultural and Heritage Foundation, Toronto Spring Festival, and Celebrate Toronto to use special effects pyrotechnics as part of their event production; all permissions would be contingent upon each applicant securing a permit from Toronto Fire Services to discharge fireworks under Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 466, Fireworks.

8. City Council grant permission to Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre to use open flame as part of their sacred fire ceremonies in the Spirit Garden; all permissions would be contingent upon Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre securing an Open Air Burning Permit under Ontario Fire Code 2.4.4.4 from Toronto Fire Services.

9. City Council require that the various events compensate the City of Toronto, through the Corporate Real Estate Management Division, for all the City of Toronto costs associated with an event above the standard staffing complement.

The City of Toronto provides opportunities to access Nathan Phillips Square for eligible events through a permitting process administered by the Economic Development and Culture Division.

The purpose of this report is to request exemptions from Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 636, "Public Squares", and former City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 237, “Nathan Phillips Square”, for events that are proposed to be held on Nathan Phillips Square from October 1, 2025 - April 30, 2026.