Item - 2026.MM42.34

Councillor Amber Morley, seconded by Councillor Alejandra Bravo, rececommends that:

1. City Council accept the Owner’s offer of an in-kind contribution (attached as Attachment 1 to this Member’s Motion) and allow the owner of 1243 Islington Avenue to design, construct, finish, provide, and maintain on the site twenty-one affordable rental housing units as part of the development, to the satisfaction of the Executive Director, Development Review and the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, as an in-kind contribution pursuant to subsection 37(6) of the Planning Act; all in accordance with the following terms (the "In-kind Contribution"):

a. the number of affordable rental housing units shall equal 3 percent of the total residential unit count for the project, which based upon the current project metrics equates to 21 affordable rental units;

b. the unit mix shall be proportional to the overall unit mix of the building;

c. the minimum unit size of the affordable rental housing units shall be no less than the minimum unit sizes of all market units, by unit type;

d. the affordable rental housing units shall be provided in contiguous groups of at least six (6) rental dwelling units if the remainder of the building is condominium in tenure;

e. the general configuration, location, and layout of the affordable rental housing units in the development shall be to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning;

f. tenants of the affordable rental housing units shall be provided with access to, and use of all indoor and outdoor amenities in the development at no extra charge; access to, and use of, these amenities shall be on the same terms and conditions as any other resident of the building without the need to pre-book or pay a fee, unless specifically required as a customary practice for private bookings;

g. all affordable rental housing units will be provided with ensuite laundry facilities and central air conditioning at no extra charge;

h. tenants of the affordable rental housing units will be provided with access to resident and visitor bicycle parking/bicycle lockers in accordance with the Zoning By-law and on the same basis as other units within the development;

i. the initial rent (inclusive of utilities) charged to the first tenants of and upon turnover of the affordable rental housing units shall not exceed Affordable Rent as defined in the Official Plan for a minimum of 25 years, beginning with the date each such unit is first occupied (the "Affordability Period"); during the Affordability Period, increases to initial rents charged to tenants occupying any of the affordable rental housing units shall be in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and shall not exceed the Provincial rent guideline, regardless of whether the Provincial rent guideline applies to the Affordable Rental Housing Units under the Residential Tenancies Act;

j. the owner shall provide and maintain the affordable rental housing units as rental dwelling units at the rents identified in (i) above for the duration of the Affordability Period; the affordable rental housing units shall not be registered as a condominium or any other form of ownership, such as life lease or co-ownership, which provide a right to exclusive possession of a dwelling unit, and no application for conversion for non-rental housing purposes, or application to demolish any affordable rental housing unit shall be made for the duration of the Affordability Period; upon the expiration of the Affordability Period, the owner shall continue to provide and maintain the affordable rental housing units as rental dwelling units, unless and until such time as the owner has applied for and obtained all approvals necessary to do otherwise;

k. the owner will use the City's Centralized Affordable Housing Access System to advertise and select tenants for the affordable rental housing units, provided it is in place, unless otherwise agreed to by the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat; and at least six (6) months in advance of any affordable rental housing unit being made available for rent, the owner shall develop and implement an Access Plan which will outline how the affordable rental housing units will be rented to eligible households in consultation with, and to the satisfaction of, the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat; and

l. the affordable rental housing units shall be made ready and available for occupancy no later than the date by which seventy percent (70 percent) of the new dwelling units erected on the site as are available and ready for occupancy.

2. City Council attribute a value to the In-kind Contribution, equal to 100 percent of 4 percent of the value of the land at 1243 Islington Avenue for the development permissions permitting a 61 storey mixed use building, with approximately 702 dwelling units and 90 square metres of non-residential gross floor area at grade, a 170 square metre Privately Owned Publicly-accessible Space, and a mid-block connection, as approved by Council in Item 2026.EY32.4 (net of any exclusions or exemptions authorized under the Community Benefits Charge By-law), as determined the day before the day the first building permit is issued in respect of the development.

3. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Development Review to enter into an agreement pursuant to subsection 37(7.1) of the Planning Act (the "In-Kind Contribution Agreement") to address the provision of the In-kind Contribution on terms satisfactory to the Executive Director, Development Review in consultation with the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

4. City Council determine that the execution and registration of the In-kind Contribution Agreement constitute satisfactory arrangements for the provision of the In-Kind Contribution for the purpose of Applicable Law as defined in the Building Code.

On May 26, 2026 Etobicoke York Community Council adopted Item 2026.EY32.4, approving staff recommendations to amend Zoning By-law 569-2013 for the lands at 1243 Islington Avenue to permit a 61 storey mixed use building, with approximately 702 dwelling units and 90 square metres of non-residential gross floor area at grade, a 170 square metre Privately Owned Publicly-accessible Space, and a mid-block connection.

The Owner of the site has offered, as set out in Attachment 1, to provide affordable housing as an in-kind Community Benefits Charge pursuant to section 37 of the Planning Act. The terms include a unit count equivalent to 3 percent of the total residential units, which currently equates to 21 units, a 25 year affordability period, a unit mix proportional to the overall unit mix of the building, full integration throughout the building, and rent in accordance with the City of Toronto Official Plan definition.

Strategic Initiatives, Policy and Analysis staff have reviewed the proposed affordable housing and support accepting the same as an in-kind contribution.