Item - 2026.IE30.10
Tracking Status
- City Council adopted this item on June 24 and 25, 2026 without amendments.
- This item was considered by Infrastructure and Environment Committee on June 10, 2026 and was adopted with amendments. It will be considered by City Council on June 24 and 25, 2026.
IE30.10 - Update on MM40.20 - Reinstating Paddle the Don for 2027
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Adopted
- Wards:
- 14 - Toronto - Danforth, 15 - Don Valley West
City Council Decision
City Council on June 24 and 25, 2026, adopted the following:
1. City Council request the Deputy City Manager, Infrastructure Services, to consult with Waterfront Revitalization Corporation (Waterfront Toronto) on joining with Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and the City of Toronto, to assist in the design and delivery of a 2027 reimagined Paddle the Don, that would end at the newly created Canoe Landing in the naturalized Don River.
2. City Council request the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority to provide the City of Toronto with the financials associated with the Paddle the Don events of previous years, as well as documentation related to organizing the Paddle the Don event.
3. City Council request the Director, Waterfront Secretariat, to report to the first meeting of the appropriate Standing Committee in the first quarter of 2027 with a status report on the work done for Paddle the Don.
Background Information (Committee)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2026/ie/bgrd/backgroundfile-287381.pdf
Communications (Committee)
Motions (City Council)
Vote (Adopt Item) Jun-25-2026 3:49 PM
| Result: Carried | Majority Required - IE30.10 - Adopt the item |
|---|---|
| Total members that voted Yes: 22 | Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie, Brad Bradford, Alejandra Bravo, Jon Burnside, Shelley Carroll, Olivia Chow, Vincent Crisanti, Paula Fletcher, Stephen Holyday, Parthi Kandavel, Ausma Malik, Nick Mantas, Josh Matlow, Chris Moise, Amber Morley, Jamaal Myers, Frances Nunziata (Chair), James Pasternak, Gord Perks, Dianne Saxe, Neethan Shan, Michael Thompson |
| Total members that voted No: 0 | Members that voted No are |
| Total members that were Absent: 4 | Members that were absent are Lily Cheng, Rachel Chernos Lin, Mike Colle, Anthony Perruzza |
IE30.10 - Update on MM40.20 - Reinstating Paddle the Don for 2027
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Amended
- Wards:
- 14 - Toronto - Danforth, 15 - Don Valley West
Committee Recommendations
The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that:
1. City Council request the Deputy City Manager, Infrastructure Services, to consult with Waterfront Revitalization Corporation (Waterfront Toronto) on joining with Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and the City of Toronto, to assist in the design and delivery of a 2027 reimagined Paddle the Don, that would end at the newly created Canoe Landing in the naturalized Don River.
2. City Council request the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority to provide the City of Toronto with the financials associated with the Paddle the Don events of previous years, as well as documentation related to organizing the Paddle the Don event.
3. City Council request the Director, Waterfront Secretariat, to report to the first meeting of the appropriate Standing Committee in the first quarter of 2027 with a status report on the work done for Paddle the Don.
Origin
Summary
Paddle the Don was a Toronto and Region Conservation Authority event that ran from 1993 to 2019. The event was framed around watershed awareness and environmental stewardship and included a guided canoe trip down the Don River, engaging roughly 500 participants annually. In 2020, the event was paused due to a combination of factors, including COVID-19, ongoing construction in the Lower Don, and broader operational, safety, and financial considerations associated with delivering the event.
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority have identified several considerations that must be addressed in order to reinstate Paddle the Don in 2027. These include coordinating event operations in consideration of ongoing construction activities in the lower Don, assessing staff time and resources required to deliver the event, and reviewing financial implications associated with event costs.
City staff will continue to work collaboratively across divisions and with Toronto and Region Conservation Authority to support a reinstatement of Paddle the Don, as appropriate, particularly through inter-divisional and inter-agency coordination.
Background Information
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2026/ie/bgrd/backgroundfile-287381.pdf
Communications
Motions
That the Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that:
1. City Council request the Deputy City Manager, Infrastructure Services, to consult with Waterfront Revitalization Corporation (Waterfront Toronto) on joining with Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and the City of Toronto, to assist in the design and delivery of a 2027 reimagined Paddle the Don, that would end at the newly created Canoe Landing in the naturalized Don River.
2. City Council request the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority to provide the City of Toronto with the financials associated with the Paddle the Don events of previous years, as well as documentation related to organizing the Paddle the Don event.
3. City Council request the Director, Waterfront Secretariat, to report to the first meeting of the appropriate Standing Committee in the first quarter of 2027 with a status report on the work done for Paddle the Don.