Item - 2026.TE33.16

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council approve:

a. the application to alter the designated heritage property at 40 Wabash Avenue, with conditions, under Part IV, Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act to allow for the construction of a Community Recreation Centre with such alterations substantially in accordance with the plans and drawings dated March 20, 2026, prepared by Diamond Schmitt Architects and on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning and the Heritage Impact Assessment prepared by Steven Burgess Architects ltd., dated December, 2024, and on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, all subject to and in accordance with the Conservation Plan satisfactory to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning; and

b. the application to demolish the specified heritage attributes of the designated heritage property at 40 Wabash Avenue, with conditions, under Part IV, Section 34(1)1 of the Ontario Heritage Act to allow for the construction of a Community Recreation Centre with the removal of the specified heritage attributes on the designated heritage property being substantially in accordance with the plans and drawings dated March 20, 2026, prepared by Diamond Schmitt Architects and on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning and the Heritage Impact Assessment prepared by Steven Burgess Architects ltd., dated December, 2024, and on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, all subject to and in accordance with the Conservation Plan satisfactory to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning.

2. City Council direct that its consent to the application to alter the designated heritage property at 40 Wabash Avenue in accordance with Part IV, Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act, and its consent to the demolition of heritage attributes at 40 Wabash Avenue, under Part IV, Section 34(1)1 of the Ontario Heritage Act, are also subject to the following conditions:

a. prior to the issuance of any permit for all or any part of the properties at 40 Wabash Avenue, including a heritage permit or a building permit, but excluding permits for repairs and maintenance and usual and minor works for the existing heritage building as are acceptable to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, the leaseholder of the City-owned property shall:

1. provide a detailed Conservation Plan, prepared by a qualified heritage consultant, that is consistent with the conservation strategy set out in the Heritage Impact Assessment prepared by Steven Burgess Architects ltd., dated December, 2024, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning;

2. provide an Interpretation Plan for the subject property, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning and thereafter shall implement such plan to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning;

3. provide a Heritage Lighting Plan that describes how the exterior of the heritage property will be sensitively illuminated to enhance its heritage character to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning and thereafter shall implement such a plan to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager Heritage Planning;

4. provide a detailed Landscape Plan for the subject property, satisfactory to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning;

5. provide building permit drawings, including notes and specifications for the conservation and protective measures keyed to the approved Conservation Plans required in Recommendation 2.a.1. above, including a description of materials and finishes, to be prepared by the project architect and a qualified heritage consultant to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning; and

6. provide a Letter of Credit, including provision for upwards indexing, in a form and amount and from a bank satisfactory to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, to secure all work included in the approved Conservation Plan and Interpretation Plan; and

b. prior to the release of the Letter of Credit required in Recommendation 2.a.6. above, the owner shall:

1. provide a letter of substantial completion prepared and signed by a qualified heritage consultant confirming that the required conservation work and the required interpretive work has been completed in accordance with the Conservation and Interpretation Plans and that an appropriate standard of conservation has been maintained, all to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning.

3. City Council authorize the City Solicitor and City staff to take all necessary actions to implement City Council's decision.

This report recommends that City Council approve the proposed alterations and demolitions under Sections 33 and 34(1) of the Ontario Heritage Act for the property at 40 Wabash Avenue.

40 Wabash Avenue, a City owned property is located on the north side of Wabash Avenue between Sorauren Avenue to the west and MacDonell Avenue to the east, and west of the CNR/CPR railway lines, in the Roncesvalles neighbourhood. The property contains a former linseed oil mill factory comprised of several buildings varying from one to three storeys in height constructed in phases from 1910 into the 1940s and featuring a prominent chimney stack that is visible from Dundas Street West and the adjacent rail corridor.

The factory was purpose built for the Canada Linseed Oil Mills Ltd., a Montreal-based company in operation from 1901 until circa 1970, and portions of it were designed by the architectural firm Langley & Howland. The property is closely associated with the industrial activity of the Wabash-Sorauren area, the development history and character of which was influenced by the location of the railways to the east.

The existing building has been vacant since 1969 and was acquired by the City in 2000. It is adjacent to the Sorauren Avenue Park and the Sorauren Fieldhouse, the former office building of the Canada Linseed Oil Mills factory. In 2016, City Council approved a budget for the redevelopment of the remaining lands at 40 Wabash Avenue, including the adaptive re-use of the former industrial buildings as a community centre. In March 2026, City Council stated its intention to designate the existing building at 40 Wabash Avenue under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. A city-initiated Site Plan application was submitted in July 2024 that proposed a Community Recreation Centre to be integrated within the existing heritage building at 40 Wabash Avenue.

This application proposes alterations under Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act for the construction of a new community centre and to facilitate the adaptive reuse of the industrial factory complex. This application also proposes demolition of existing heritage attributes under Section 34(1) for the removal and reconstruction of the corbelled parapets and the one-storey Boiler House, and the removal of the existing steel grain hopper and steel canopy due to their poor condition and to accommodate accessibility needs, respectively.

At its meeting on May 13, 2026 the Toronto Preservation Board considered Item PB44.9 and made recommendations to City Council.

Summary from the report (April 27, 2026) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning:

 
This report recommends that City Council approve the proposed alterations and demolitions under Sections 33 and 34(1) of the Ontario Heritage Act for the property at 40 Wabash Avenue.

40 Wabash Avenue, a City owned property is located on the north side of Wabash Avenue between Sorauren Avenue to the west and MacDonell Avenue to the east, and west of the CNR/CPR railway lines, in the Roncesvalles neighbourhood . The property contains a former linseed oil mill factory comprised of several buildings varying from one to three storeys in height constructed in phases from 1910 into the 1940s and featuring a prominent chimney stack that is visible from Dundas Street West and the adjacent rail corridor.

The factory was purpose built for the Canada Linseed Oil Mills Ltd., a Montreal-based company in operation from 1901 until circa 1970, and portions of it were designed by the architectural firm Langley & Howland. The property is closely associated with the industrial activity of the Wabash-Sorauren area, the development history and character of which was influenced by the location of the railways to the east.

The existing building has been vacant since 1969 and was acquired by the City in 2000. It is adjacent to the Sorauren Avenue Park and the Sorauren Fieldhouse, the former office building of the Canada Linseed Oil Mills factory. In 2016, City Council approved a budget for the redevelopment of the remaining lands at 40 Wabash Avenue, including the adaptive re-use of the former industrial buildings as a community centre. In March 2026, City Council stated its intention to designate the existing building at 40 Wabash Avenue under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. A city-initiated Site Plan application was submitted in July 2024 that proposed a Community Recreation Centre to be integrated within the existing heritage building at 40 Wabash Avenue.

This application proposes alterations under Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act for the construction of a new community centre and to facilitate the adaptive reuse of the industrial factory complex. This application also proposes demolition of existing heritage attributes under Section 34(1) for the removal and reconstruction of the corbelled parapets and the one-storey Boiler House, and the removal of the existing steel grain hopper and steel canopy due to their poor condition and to accommodate accessibility needs, respectively.