Item - 2026.GG27.14

The General Government Committee recommends that:

1. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, in consultation with the General Manager, Parks and Recreation, on behalf of the City, to enter into a lease or sublease agreement with each of the tenants listed in Appendix B to the report (February 23, 2026) from the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and the General Manager, Parks and Recreation, substantially on the terms and conditions set out in Appendix A to the report (February 23, 2026) from the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and the General Manager, Parks and Recreation, as amended below, and on such other or amended terms and conditions that are acceptable to the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, in consultation with the General Manager, Parks and Recreation, and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor:

a. Amend "Community Benefits / Access" row in Appendix A so it now reads as follows:

2. City Council authorize severally each of the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and the Director, Real Estate Services, Corporate Real Estate Management to execute the leases, the subleases, and any related documents on behalf of the City, as required. 

3. City Council direct the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management and the General Manager, Parks and Recreation to continue the temporary month-to-month overhold to allow Toronto Humber Yacht Club to operate for the 2026 season, and request the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and the General Manager, Parks and Recreation to report to the June 2, 2026 meeting of the General Government Committee on:

a. A detailed analysis and explanation of the concerns relating to river valley health, ecological management objectives and long term flood and erosion resilience;

b. Opportunities to correct river valley health, ecological management objectives, and long term flood and erosion issues;

c. Consideration of closing the river to all motorized boats;

d. Public and stakeholder consultation on closing the river to motorized boats, ecological management objectives, and long term flood and erosion resilience; and

e. Opportunities for the club to mitigate any outstanding issues.

The General Government Committee recommends that:

1. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, in consultation with the General Manager, Parks and Recreation, on behalf of the City, to enter into a lease or sublease agreement with each of the tenants listed in Appendix B to the report (February 23, 2026) from the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and the General Manager, Parks and Recreation, substantially on the terms and conditions set out in Appendix A to the report (February 23, 2026) from the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and the General Manager, Parks and Recreation, as amended below, and on such other or amended terms and conditions that are acceptable to the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, in consultation with the General Manager, Parks and Recreation, and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor:

a. Amend "Community Benefits / Access" row in Appendix A so it now reads as follows:

2. City Council authorize severally each of the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and the Director, Real Estate Services, Corporate Real Estate Management to execute the leases, the subleases, and any related documents on behalf of the City, as required. 

3. City Council direct the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management and the General Manager, Parks and Recreation to continue the temporary month-to-month overhold to allow Toronto Humber Yacht Club to operate for the 2026 season, and request the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and the General Manager, Parks and Recreation to report to the June 2, 2026 meeting of the General Government Committee on:

a. A detailed analysis and explanation of the concerns relating to river valley health, ecological management objectives and long term flood and erosion resilience;

b. Opportunities to correct river valley health, ecological management objectives, and long term flood and erosion issues;

c. Consideration of closing the river to all motorized boats;

d. Public and stakeholder consultation on closing the river to motorized boats, ecological management objectives, and long term flood and erosion resilience; and

e. Opportunities for the club to mitigate any outstanding issues.

The purpose of this report is to obtain Council authority to enter into renewals of existing lease and sublease agreements for up to 20-years between the City of Toronto (the “City”) and twenty-four individual boat clubs listed in Appendix B to the report (referred to collectively as the "Tenants"), in respect of certain properties located across Toronto’s waterfront, for the purpose of the Tenants’ continued operation of boat clubs.

The long-term boat club lease portfolio consisting of 28 non-profit, volunteer-run sailing, boating and rowing clubs, has supported a thriving sailing, boating and rowing community in the City’s waterfront and shoreline parklands. Boat clubs have contributed and invested in infrastructure that help facilitate programs and services for the community and waterfront and shoreline upkeep, and have contributed to the local economy through operating expenditures, employment, and tourism-related activity. The recommended renewals of the City’s boat club leases is a continuation of decades of the City’s support for affordable access to waterfront programming, community activation, environmental stewardship and associated economic investment. 

Of the total 28 boat clubs, four have not been included in this lease renewal report. Three of those four, those being National Yacht Club, Alexandra Yacht Club, and Boulevard Club, have lease terms that have not yet expired and will be reviewed and renewed in accordance with their existing leases. The fourth, the Toronto Humber Yacht Club, will not have its lease renewed and will not be operating in the coming 2026 boating season following an extensive evaluation by City staff, in consultation with Toronto Region Conservation Authority as land owner, determining that a less intensive land use would better support ecological management objectives, improving the river valley health and resilience to flooding and erosion.

Toronto Region Conservation Authority supports the City in leading a public planning and engagement process to identify potential future uses and restoration activities for the site.