Item - 2025.TE27.13

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council approve the application to alter the designated heritage property at 170 Merton Street, with conditions, under Part IV, Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act to allow for the construction of a mixed use development with such alterations substantially in accordance with the plans and drawings dated October 7, 2025 prepared by Turner Fleischer and on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning and the Heritage Impact Assessment prepared by ERA Architects Inc., dated March 7, 2025, revised September 5, 2025, and on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, all subject to and in accordance with the Conservation Plan satisfactory to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, and subject to the conditions as set out below:

a. the related site-specific Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment bringing about the proposed alterations have been enacted by City Council and have come into full force and effect in a form and with content acceptable to City Council, as determined by the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning;

b. the owner shall:

1. enter into a Heritage Easement Agreement with the City for the property at 170 Merton Street, substantially in accordance with the plans and drawings dated October 7, 2025, prepared by Turner Fleischer and on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning and the Heritage Impact Assessment prepared by ERA Architects Inc., dated March 7, 2025, revised September 5, 2025, all on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, subject to and in accordance with the Conservation Plan required in Recommendation 1.b.2. below, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, including execution and registration of such agreement to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor; and

2. provide a detailed Conservation Plan, prepared by a qualified heritage consultant that is substantially in accordance with the conservation strategy set out in the Heritage Impact Assessment for the property at 170 Merton Street to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning;

c. prior to the issuance of any permit for all or any part of the property at 170 Merton 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 building 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 1.b.1. above for the property at 170 Merton Street, including registration on title of such agreement, to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor;

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

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

4. 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;

5. provide a detailed Landscape Plan for the subject property, satisfactory to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning;

6. provide building permit drawings, including notes and specifications for the conservation and protective measures keyed to the approved Conservation Plan required in Recommendation 1.b.2. 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; 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; and

d. prior to the release of the Letter of Credit required in Recommendation 1.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 and Interpretation Plans 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.

2. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the necessary Bill in City Council authorizing the entering into of a Heritage Easement Agreement for the property at 170 Merton Street.

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

This report recommends that City Council approve alterations to the property at 170 Merton Street under Part IV, Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act, in connection with the proposed redevelopment of the site and grant authority to enter into a Heritage Easement Agreement.

The property at 170 Merton Street contains the former Visiting Homemakers Association (VHA) building, constructed in 1969. It is a representative example of a distinctive Late Modern style office building designed as the headquarters for the VHA featuring octagonal towers and bays, ribbon windows, concrete brick with distinctive interlocking corners and an integrated exterior space with landscaping. The property is the first purpose-built headquarters for the VHA, an important social-welfare agency founded in Toronto in 1925.

In conjunction with an Official Plan and Zoning Amendment application (25 129087 STE 12 OZ), the redevelopment proposes a 45-storey mixed-use residential building, which includes the retention of a portion of the VHA Building. The terrace of the heritage building is proposed to be used for outdoor amenity space. A full conservation scope is proposed for the retained portion of the heritage building. The new construction has been designed to be compatible with and subordinate to the heritage building. The proposal conserves the heritage property and is consistent with the policy framework. The heritage impacts of the development proposal are appropriately mitigated through the overall conservation strategy.

At its meeting on November 18, 2025 the Toronto Preservation Board considered Item PB37.5 and made recommendations to City Council.

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

 
This report recommends that City Council approve alterations to the property at 170 Merton Street under Part IV, Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act, in connection with the proposed redevelopment of the site and grant authority to enter into a Heritage Easement Agreement.

The property at 170 Merton Street contains the former Visiting Homemakers Association (VHA) building, constructed in 1969. It is a representative example of a distinctive Late Modern style office building designed as the headquarters for the VHA featuring octagonal towers and bays, ribbon windows, concrete brick with distinctive interlocking corners and an integrated exterior space with landscaping. The property is the first purpose-built headquarters for the VHA, an important social-welfare agency founded in Toronto in 1925.

In conjunction with an Official Plan and Zoning Amendment application (25 129087 STE 12 OZ), the redevelopment proposes a 45-storey mixed-use residential building, which includes the retention of a portion of the VHA Building. The terrace of the heritage building is proposed to be used for outdoor amenity space. A full conservation scope is proposed for the retained portion of the heritage building. The new construction has been designed to be compatible with and subordinate to the heritage building. The proposal conserves the heritage property and is consistent with the policy framework. The heritage impacts of the development proposal are appropriately mitigated through the overall conservation strategy.