Item - 2026.PH27.18

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council affirm its decision to state its intention to designate the property at 506 Jarvis Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act as set out in City Council Decision Item PH24.12 on October 8 and 9, 2025.

2. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the Bill in City Council designating the property at 506 Jarvis Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

This report recommends that City Council affirm its decision of October 8 and 9, 2025, (Item PH24.12) stating its intention to designate the property at 506 Jarvis Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act (OHA). The City has received an objection to the notice of intention to designate on behalf of the property owner within the statutory timeline.

The subject property at 506 Jarvis Street is located on the west side of Jarvis Street, in between Gloucester Street to the north and Cawthra Square to the south, in the Church-Wellesley neighbourhood. 506 Jarvis Street was constructed circa 1889, designed by the architectural partnership of Langley & Burke in the Annex architectural style. Langley & Burke was one of Toronto's most prolific and sought-after architectural practices for designing ecclesiastical, government, and private residential projects between 1883 and 1892. The Annex architectural style was popular in Toronto from the 1880s up to 1900 and combined design elements of the Romanesque and the Queen Anne styles.

The property at 506 Jarvis Street has a direct association with the United Church of Canada that used the property as a home for retired United Church missionaries. Together with the adjacent heritage properties on the block, 506 Jarvis Street contributes to maintaining and supporting the character of the Upper Jarvis neighbourhood and the Cawthra Square - Jarvis Street - Gloucester Street block frontage, which is comprised of a collection of 19th century house form buildings that reflect the evolution of Upper Jarvis from a subdivision of private homes located on a landscaped avenue to a high-density residential and institutional arterial corridor within downtown Toronto.

The property at 506 Jarvis Street was first recognized for its cultural heritage value when it was listed on the City's Heritage Register on June 20, 1973.

City Council has until February 8, 2026, 90 days from the date of the end of the objection period, to decide on this objection as per the timeline under the Act.

Staff have reviewed the objections raised on behalf of the owner and remain of the opinion that, despite these objections, the property at 506 Jarvis Street meets Ontario Regulation 9/06, the criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Act under 6 of 9 criteria for its design/physical, historical/associative, and contextual values.

As the property has cultural heritage value or interest and meets the prescribed criteria pursuant to Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, staff are of the opinion that the property should be designated. Designation enables City Council to review proposed alterations for the property, enforce heritage property standards and maintenance, and refuse demolition.