Item - 2026.EC28.3

 The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that:

1. City Council designate the area outlined in Attachment 1, to the report (April 21, 2026) from the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, as the expanded boundaries of The Riverside District Business Improvement Area, under the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19, Business Improvement Areas.

2. City Council direct the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to conduct additional consultation with City Divisions, including but not limited to Transportation Services and City Planning, regarding any further proposed expansion to the Riverside Business Improvement Area, and to review the Business Improvements Area's boundary expansion process to ensure that it is transparent and balances the interests of local businesses, Business Improvement Areas and the City of Toronto and report back to City Council as a part of the 2027 Annual Update on the Implementation of Sidewalks to Skylines,

3. City Council direct the City Solicitor to submit a By-law to designate the area outlined in Attachment 1 to the report (April 21, 2026) from the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, as the expanded boundaries of The Riverside District Business Improvement Area.

4. City Council amend Schedule A of the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19, Business Improvement Areas, as necessary, to reflect the expanded boundaries of The Riverside District Business Improvement Area.

The purpose of this report is to recommend the expansion of The Riverside District Business Improvement Area (BIA) boundary outlined in Attachment 1. In accordance with Chapter 19 of the City of Toronto Municipal Code, the City Clerk conducted a poll to determine if there is sufficient support to expand The Riverside District BIA boundary outlined in Attachment 1. The City Clerk received a majority of accepted ballots that were in favour of expanding the BIA.

While polling results were favourable, the BIA boundary expansion process did not include adequate consultation with key City Divisions to ensure coherence with key City policies and goals in such a way that the City's interests would be fully considered. As a result, when the poll was circulated the initial proposed boundary expansion failed to reflect certain key City policy needs such as traffic management.   The recommended expansion boundary has been revised to address the need for divisional consultation with a partial expansion now proposed versus the original expansion. Staff will also be reviewing the broader process for any BIA boundary expansion to ensure stronger organizational alignment allowing for a 'whole‑of-City' approach.