Agenda

Meetings of Toronto City Council are being conducted by electronic means and the proceedings of City Council will be conducted publicly. 

These measures are necessary to comply with physical distancing requirements and a Provincial Order that limits public gatherings.

Notice to people writing to Council: The City of Toronto Act, 2006 and the City of Toronto Municipal Code authorize the City of Toronto to collect any personal information in your communication or presentation to City Council or its committees. The City collects this information to enable it to make informed decisions on the relevant issue(s). If you are submitting letters, faxes, e-mails, presentations or other communications to the City, you should be aware that your name and the fact that you communicated with the City will become part of the public record and will appear on the City’s website. The City will also make your communication and any personal information in it – such as your postal address, telephone number or e-mail address – available to the public, unless you expressly request the City to remove it.

Closed Meeting Requirements: If Council wants to meet in closed session (privately), a Member of Council must place a motion to do so and give the reason why Council has to meet privately (City of Toronto Act, 2006).

January 28, 2021.

toronto.ca/council

This agenda and any supplementary materials submitted to the City Clerk can be found online at www.toronto.ca/council. Visit the website for access to all agendas, reports, decisions and minutes of City Council and its committees.

- O Canada

- Moment of Silence

City Council will confirm the Minutes from the regular meeting held on December 16, 17 and 18, 2020.

Deferred Items:

Toronto and East York Community Council Item TE21.9

Report of the Executive Committee from Meeting 20 on January 27, 2021

Submitted by Mayor John Tory, Chair

Report of the Board of Health from Meeting 25 on January 18, 2021

Submitted by Councillor Joe Cressy

Report of the Civic Appointments Committee from Meeting 17 on January 18, 2021 

Submitted by Deputy Mayor Denzil Minnan-Wong, Chair

Report of the Economic and Community Development Committee from Meeting 19 on January 5, 2021

Submitted by Councillor Michael Thompson, Chair

Report of the General Government and Licensing Committee from Meeting 20 on January 4, 2021

Submitted by Councillor Paul Ainslie, Chair

Report of the Infrastructure and Environment Committee from Meeting 19 on January 11, 2021

Submitted by Councillor Jennifer McKelvie, Chair

Report of the Planning and Housing Committee from Meeting 20 on January 19.2021

Submitted by Councillor Ana Bailão, Chair

Report of the Etobicoke York Community Council from Meeting 21 on January 8, 2021

Submitted by Councillor Mark Grimes, Chair

Report of the North York Community Council from Meeting 21 on January 13, 2021

Submitted by Councillor James Pasternak, Chair

Report of the Scarborough Community Council from Meeting 21 on January 6, 2021

Submitted by Councillor Jennifer McKelvie, Chair

Report of the Toronto and East York Community Council from Meeting 22 on January 12, 2021

Submitted by Councillor Gord Perks, Chair

New Business and Business Previously Request submitted by City Officials 

Members of Council will declare interests under the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act.

Members of Council may file petitions.

Various presentations and announcements will be made at the City Council meeting.

City Council will review the Order Paper.

The Toronto and East York Community Council submits the item to City Council without recommendation.

The Toronto and East York Community Council held a statutory public meeting on December 2, 2020 and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This application proposes to amend the Zoning By-law to permit a 44-storey institutional building (Ryerson University). The development would include 36,784 square metres of institutional space (predominantly classrooms and ancillary laboratories), a student residence including 589 units (dorms), 181 square metres of retail space and a public square in the form of a privately owned public accessible space  (POPS) with a total gross floor area of 57,525 square metres at 202 Jarvis and 160-166 Dundas Street East.  The proposed building would have a height of 173.7 metres including the mechanical penthouse.  The proposal includes one below grade level for loading, bicycle parking and mechanical rooms. 

The Official Plan Amendment (OPA) proposes to amend provisions in Official Plan Amendment 82 (OPA 82) to permit the proposed public square to be located on the south-west portion of the site (instead of the south-east).  Additionally, the OPA would permit the proposed massing and setbacks whereas OPA 82 defines towers and has provisions related to the massing and setbacks for towers and podiums.

The proposed development is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement (2020) and conforms with the A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2020) and conforms to the City's Official Plan.

This report reviews and recommends approval of the application to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law. The proposed development is in keeping with the intent of the Toronto Official Plan, particularly as it relates to the provision of a mixed use Institutional development including classroom space, a student residence as well as a

POPS and retail space. Staff worked with the applicant and the community to address and resolve massing issues as well as an appropriate size and location for the proposed POPS.

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1. City Council endorse the 2022 implementation of four community crisis support service pilots as outlined in Attachment 1, Framework to Pilot the Community Crisis Support Service and Attachment 2,  Map of the Proposed Community Crisis Support Service, to the report (January 13, 2021) from the City Manager.  

2. City Council direct that a guiding principle of the Community Crisis Support Service is that the Service will be the primary first responder to mental health crisis calls received during the pilot program and subsequent to full implementation.

3. City Council direct the City Manager to conduct public consultations to refine the proposed community crisis support service pilot for implementation, engaging residents, community organizations, and Indigenous, Black and equity-deserving communities. 

4. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration to enter into and administer agreement(s) to provide pilot funds to successful anchor community partners of the Request for Proposals process, other service providers or individuals, subject to the approval of funding through the 2021 Budget process, on the terms and conditions satisfactory to the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration and in a form acceptable to the City Solicitor.

5. City Council request the Toronto Police Services Board to direct the Chief of Police, to consult with the City, to:

a. support the implementation of four community crisis support service pilots;

b. amend any necessary policies, practices, procedures and other governance to integrate referral to a community crisis support service to the 911 call centre as a dispatch option;

c. train 911 call-taker staff about the pilot and its objectives; and

d. analyze and share on the City's Open Data Portal and report out on: call diversion data, separated into calls diverted to Mobile Crisis Intervention Teams, and the community crisis support service, and available outcomes and geographic distribution of the calls.

6. City Council request the City Manager to engage in consultations with the Province of Ontario on regulations under the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019, guided by City Council's decisions including related to police reform, the potential impact on the City, and objectives to:

a. enhance public trust and confidence in police services;

b. strengthen the alignment of municipal and policing strategic and operational objectives; and

c. promote alternatives to the use of police officers where appropriate.

7. City Council request the City Manager to report back to City Council on the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019, and regulations under the Act, once the regulations are developed and publicly available.

The Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration gave a presentation on Policing Reform: Community Crisis Support Service.

This report responds to the direction from City Council at its meeting of June 29 and 30, 2020 (CC22.2) for the City Manager to develop a non-police led, alternative community safety response model for calls involving Torontonians in crisis.

Over the past five years, the Toronto Police Service has seen a 32.4 percent increase in "person in crisis" calls. These types of calls are defined by a person experiencing a temporary breakdown of coping skills. Underinvestment in mental health treatment over several decades has meant that more people with mental illness are not receiving the supports they need and are falling into distress, resulting in increased interactions with police, who have essentially become default first responders of the mental healthcare system for those experiencing crisis.

However, using law enforcement to address health issues creates service barriers and risks for many Torontonians, particularly Indigenous, Black, and equity-deserving communities. Systemic discrimination in Toronto has negatively impacted how these communities experience community safety. Evidence of disproportionate use of force including deadly force, invasive searches, and greater surveillance on Indigenous, Black, and equity-deserving communities has impacted community trust and confidence in a police-led response for those experiencing a health crisis. Residents, communities and organizations have called on the City of Toronto to reimagine a new model of response that is client-centred, trauma-informed, and reduces harm.

From October to December 2020, staff from Social Development, Finance and Administration Division supported 33 community roundtables in partnership with 17 community partners, conducted 29 interviews with subject matter experts, completed two public surveys and an opinion research poll of a representative sample of Torontonians, and reviewed promising practices of 53 crisis response models found in jurisdictions across Canada and internationally. The Toronto Police Service has been engaged throughout the process to strive for alignment across institutions.

This report proposes piloting a new community crisis support service in Toronto for some non-emergency calls for service. Mobile crisis support teams comprising of a multidisciplinary team of crisis workers with crisis intervention and de-escalation training will be dispatched to respond to non-emergency crisis calls involving person in crisis, wellness checks and other calls to be determined. Community health service partners will become anchor partners to ensure that adaptive and service-user centred care continues after the initial crisis intervention.

From 2022-2025, the community crisis support service will be piloted in the City's Northwest, Northeast and Downtown East. In consultation with Indigenous-led organizations and leaders, an Indigenous-led pilot that reflects the rights of Indigenous communities to self-determination and self-governance will also be developed.  Community partnerships, public education, pilot governance, monitoring and evaluation will support the City and our partners to build and implement an effective service, with a view to full scale implementation in 2026.

Pilot development costs of $1.7 million have been included in the Recommended 2021 Operating Budget for Social Development, Finance and Administration. In 2021, City staff will refine the pilot model, build the governance and evaluation framework, select anchor partners, and launch public education to prepare residents to use the new service. The City Manager will provide an update to City Council on the selected anchor partners, the status of pilot, and next steps in the fourth quarter 2021.

To realize the full potential of the proposed community crisis support service, intergovernmental investment into mental health, substance use services and other supportive services are required.  An effective, responsive and robust mental health support system needs to exist within the city and the broader region to provide individuals the necessary wrap around services beyond the initial crisis intervention.

This report:

- Summarizes the consultation and expert feedback and best practices that have informed the proposed community crisis support service.

- Provides details on development and implementation of the proposed community crisis support service.
- Provides an update on additional City Council directions related to item CC22.2 including the status of legislative changes that City Council requested to the Province of Ontario.
- Provides recommendations for City staff to engage in the development of regulations under the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019.

The Executive Committee recommends that:  

1.  City Council approve the terms set out in the Term Sheet attached as Attachment 1 to the report (January 13, 2021) from the Deputy City Manager, Infrastructure and Development Services (the "Term Sheet") and City Council authorize the City Manager and any other relevant City Officials, in consultation with the City Solicitor, to negotiate, enter into and execute amendments to the Ontario-Toronto Agreement in Principle with the Province of Ontario necessary for the implementation of the SmartTrack Stations Program (the "AIP Amendment") in accordance with the Term Sheet and on such other terms and conditions satisfactory to the City Manager and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

 
2.  Subject to entering into the AIP Amendment in accordance with Recommendation 1 above, City Council endorse the re-allocation of $585 million in federal funding under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program – Public Transit Stream for the SmartTrack Stations Program to the revised SmartTrack Stations Program as described in the Term Sheet (the "Federal Funding"), and direct the City Manager to advise the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario accordingly.

 
3.  Subject to entering into the AIP Amendment in accordance with Recommendation 1 above and receiving confirmation of the Federal Funding in accordance with the terms of the AIP Amendment, City Council approve a contribution of up to $1.463 billion to the Province for the SmartTrack Stations Program, inclusive of both $1.195 billion for Base Station Infrastructure and $268 million for City-Initiated Station Requirements.

 
4.  Subject to entering into the AIP Amendment in accordance with Recommendation 1 above, City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute any agreements necessary with the Province and/or any other relevant provincial agency including a Master Agreement for the implementation of the SmartTrack Stations Program, based on the terms set out in the Term Sheet and on such other terms and conditions satisfactory to the City Manager and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

 
5.  City Council direct the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer to report back on required amendments, if any, to the capital funding and financing strategy for the SmartTrack Stations Program as part of the 2022 Budget process.

 
6.  City Council, with respect to the SmartTrack Stations Program:

a.  authorize the Deputy City Manager, Infrastructure and Development Services or designate to identify and approve the inclusion of enhancements to City infrastructure in or near work being done for the Program, as well as any investigative, planning and design studies considered necessary for City infrastructure and services in the vicinity of the Program ("Additional Infrastructure") which Metrolinx's contractor will be asked to construct as part of SmartTrack Stations Program procurements, subject to the following conditions:

1.  the Deputy City Manager, Infrastructure and Development Services or designate, in consultation with the applicable Division Head, is of the view that the price provided by Metrolinx, as may be reviewed by an independent reviewer, for the Additional Infrastructure is fair and reasonable; and

 
2.  the funding for the cost of the Additional Infrastructure is or will be available in the year required, within an approved capital budget;

 
b.  authorize the Deputy City Manager, Infrastructure and Development Services or designate, in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, to obtain and pay for pre-estimates and estimates for Additional Infrastructure from Metrolinx; and

 
c.  authorize the Deputy City Manager, Infrastructure and Development Services or designate, in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, to negotiate, enter into and execute Municipal Infrastructure Agreements with Metrolinx for Additional Infrastructure, including any amendments.

 
7.  City Council delegate authority to the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services or designate, to negotiate and execute a real estate protocol with Metrolinx to implement the real estate principles set out in the Term Sheet, including:

a.  the disposal to Metrolinx of certain City property for nominal consideration in accordance with the Term Sheet that is determined by the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services to be required for the implementation of the SmartTrack Stations Program (the "SmartTrack Transit Lands"), provided that:

1.  the lands are not required for any current or future City purpose;

 
2.  the lands will be used solely for the implementation and operation of the SmartTrack Stations Program; and

 
3.  the lands will be subject to the reservation of easements or such other interests, as required for City purposes; and

 
b.  such other terms and provisions deemed appropriate as may, in the opinion of the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services or the City Solicitor, be desirable to give effect the real estate principles set out in the Term Sheet.
 

8.  City Council authorize the implementation of the real estate principles identified in the Term Sheet in respect of the SmartTrack Transit Lands as follows:

a.  authorize the permanent closure of any SmartTrack Transit Lands that are public highways and exempt these lands from the requirements of City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 162, Public Notice;

 
b.  direct the appropriate City staff to advise the public of the proposed closures of any SmartTrack Transit Lands that are public highways, prior to implementation, in accordance with the requirements of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment for Schedule A+ activities, by posting notice of the proposed closures on the notices page of the City's website;

 
c.  authorize the granting of easements for services and utilities in the SmartTrack Transit Lands for nominal consideration in accordance with the Term Sheet on terms satisfactory to the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services, and in a form acceptable to the City Solicitor; and

 
d.  exempt the disposition of the SmartTrack Transit Lands from policies generally applicable to the disposal of City land and authorize the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services to approve and execute such additional or other agreements or documents and to do all things deemed appropriate as may, in the opinion of the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services or the City Solicitor, be desirable to give effect.

9.  City Council direct the Deputy City Manager, Infrastructure and Development Services to report back to the Executive Committee prior to the issuance of any Request for Proposals related to the Bloor-Lansdowne Station, on what steps the City will take to ensure that Metrolinx continues to deliver on its commitments made to the local community during the consultation period for their transit expansion project, and to ensure that the following connections are funded by Metrolinx:

a.  the connection from the Bloor-Lansdowne station to the north part of the public realm of the Davenport Diamond;

b. the connection from the Bloor-Lansdowne station to the Junction area through Dora Avenue and Sterling Road;

c.  the connection from the Bloor-Lansdowne station to the West Toronto Rail Path; and

d.  the connection to the public realm by bridge over the Davenport Diamond to Earlscourt Park.

 
10.  City Council authorize the public release of Confidential Attachment 1 to the report (January 13, 2021) from the Deputy City Manager, Infrastructure and Development Services following the completion of the construction of the SmartTrack Stations Program.

The SmartTrack Stations Program (the "Program") represents a significant investment to improve transportation choices within Toronto and to leverage existing transit infrastructure to serve more people. Combined with Metrolinx's GO Expansion Program, SmartTrack will transform heavy rail infrastructure in Toronto from a regional commuter service into an urban rapid transit network. This report recommends terms negotiated with the Province that will allow the SmartTrack Stations Program to proceed to construction.

Effective November 30, 2016, the Province and the City entered into an Agreement in Principle ("AIP") that established principles with respect to cost-sharing on the Program and other transit expansion initiatives. The Program progressed in April 2018 when City Council approved a contribution of up to $1.463 billion towards the Program and requested Metrolinx to proceed with procurement, subject to the terms and conditions approved by City Council as described in item 2018.EX33.1. In May 2018, the Mayor and then-Premier signed a non-binding Ontario-Toronto Memorandum of Understanding to formally indicate the intention of the City and the Province to amend the AIP to reflect the 2018.EX33.1 terms and conditions. The Province subsequently halted the stations' procurement in December 2018 with the intention of having them delivered through a market-driven transit-oriented development delivery strategy.

More recently, the Province's and the City's roles and responsibilities related to transit expansion have changed per the terms of the Ontario-Toronto Transit Partnership that was authorized by City Council in October 2019 through the adoption of item 2019.EX9.1 and the subsequent Ontario-Toronto Transit Partnership Preliminary Agreement ("Preliminary Agreement") signed by the parties in February 2020. The Preliminary Agreement establishes the principles and responsibilities of the Province and the City in implementing major transit initiatives in Toronto, and outlines that the Province now has responsibility for funding and delivering the construction of the Subway Program (i.e., Ontario Line, Scarborough Subway Extension, Eglinton Crosstown West Extension and Yonge North Subway Extension). In turn, the City agreed it would redirect the capital contributions that the City would otherwise be expected to dedicate to the Subway Program to instead support state-of-good-repair improvements to the existing transit system and/or towards other City priority transit expansion projects. The City and the Province reiterated through the Preliminary Agreement their commitment to advancing and delivering the SmartTrack Stations Program, and, to that end, have negotiated amendments to the Program terms.

Staff recommend that City Council adopt the terms in Attachment 1 to this report in order to advance the SmartTrack Stations Program. These terms provide that the Program, which will be delivered by the Province and/or its agencies (such as Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario), will consist of five stations: Finch-Kennedy, East Harbour, King-Liberty, St. Clair-Old Weston and Bloor-Lansdowne. Two previously contemplated SmartTrack stations, Lawrence-Kennedy and Gerrard-Carlaw, have been removed from the Program because they have been replaced by two new stations being funded and delivered by the Province as part of the Subway Program, namely Lawrence Station on the Scarborough Subway Extension and Gerrard Station on the Ontario Line, respectively. Altogether, the SmartTrack Stations Program, GO Expansion, the Subway Program and the LRT Program (i.e., Eglinton Crosstown and Finch West) comprise a multi-billion dollar investment from all orders of government that will substantially increase the amount of transit infrastructure in Toronto.

The recommended City capital contribution to the Program has not changed, and remains $1.463 billion, inclusive of both $1.195 billion for Base Station Infrastructure and $268 million for City-Initiated Station Requirements. The Province will not fund any portion of the Program Budget but will be accountable for its expenditure in consultation with the City. The Province will monitor and manage the Program scope, Budget and schedule through coordination with the City of Toronto and as outlined in the Ontario-Toronto Transit Coordination governance framework. The Province will also pursue transit-oriented development/transit-oriented communities ("TOD/TOC") opportunities in a manner consistent with the Ontario-Toronto MOU on TOD (see 2020.EX12.3). All benefits from TOD/TOC will be transferred to the City. The City will be responsible for reviewing station designs and assisting the Province in evaluating bids, and will continue to engage and collaborate with the Province throughout the design, procurement, construction, delivery and operation of the Program. If approved, the Program will be procured beginning in the second quarter of this year and is anticipated to be constructed in its entirety by 2026.

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1. With respect to rental, institutional and non-profit housing developments that are subject to the new mandatory instalment payments over five and 20 years pursuant to section 26.1 of the Development Charges Act, 1997, City Council:

 
a. amend the Interest Policy previously adopted by City Council pursuant to section 26.1 (7) of the Development Charges Act, 1997, to provide that:

 
i. interest will be applied at the Canadian Bank Prime rate plus three percent; and

 
ii. the Policy will be effective on February 8, 2021, and applies to building permits issued on or after that date;

 
b. authorize the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, in consultation with the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building and the City Solicitor, to enter into agreements, in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor, to provide for interest charges at the City's cost of capital plus half a percent where financial security is provided based on the general terms and conditions in Attachment 1 to the report (January 13, 2021) from the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, and including any amendments to previously executed agreements, as necessary, relating to the payment of development charges;

 
c. authorize the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, in consultation with the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building and the City Solicitor, to enter agreements, in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor, to allow the option for the early payment of development charges at the time of building permit issuance based on the general terms and conditions in Attachment 2 to the report (January 13, 2021) from the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, and including any amendments to previously executed agreements, as necessary, relating to the payment of development charges; and

d. authorize the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, in consultation with the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building and the City Solicitor, to enter into agreements, in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor, to further defer the payment of development charges for non-profit long-term care homes for as long as they remain a non-profit long-term care use and based on the general terms and conditions in Attachment 3 to the report (January 13, 2021) from the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, including any amendments to previously executed agreements, as necessary, relating to the payment of development charges provided that amendments to any agreements do not result in financial impacts to the non-profit long-term care home, and City Council direct that, where financial impacts do exist, the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer be required to bring the matter before City Council for approval.

 
2. City Council authorize the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, in consultation with the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building and the City Solicitor, to make such administrative amendments to the general terms and conditions in Attachments 1, 2 and 3 to the report (January 13, 2021) from the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, as necessary, to give effect to Recommendations in 1.b., c. and d. above.

 
3. City Council extend the Interest Policy previously adopted by City Council pursuant to Section 26.2 (3) of the Development Charges Act, 1997 pertaining to the "frozen" development charges such that the policy applies to any Site Plan and Rezoning Applications received, and any building permits issued, after November 1, 2020 and City Council direct the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer to review the Interest Policy as part of the City's comprehensive Development Charges By-law update.

4.  City Council authorize an amendment to the development charges deferral agreement for the Imam's clergy residence, Site Plan Application 12 113963 ESC 44 SA, on the lands currently known as 4640 Kingston Road, Scarborough, Ontario, to remove the requirement for financial security.

The Executive Committee:

1.  Directed the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer to report directly to the February 2 and 3, 2021 meeting of City Council on a scan of other municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area and region with respect to what methods these municipalities are utilizing to obtain security as part of the development charges process.

The City currently imposes development charges based upon a bylaw that was approved by Council on April 18, 2018.  Subsequently, in December 2019, the Province introduced changes to the legislation that altered how development charges are calculated and collected. The changes, effective January 1, 2020, require development charges to be determined earlier, at planning application, and in the case of rental, institutional and non-profit housing, for the charges to be collected later, in annual instalments over five or 20 years beginning at occupancy. 

To mitigate the financial impact of these changes on the City, in December 2019 and January 2020, Council adopted interest charges to apply to the development charges "frozen" at planning application and to the new instalment payments, as permitted by Provincial legislation. 

This report recommends timeline updates and modifications to Council's interim development charges policy. These changes are intended to bridge City policies until there is an opportunity to undertake a comprehensive review of the bylaw, which is expected to be completed in spring 2022. 

In particular, Council's interest policies applicable to the mandatory instalments payments are proposed to be updated to prime plus three percent where no financial security is provided and the City's cost of capital plus half a percent where financial security is provided.  Delegated authority is sought that would allow staff to collect development charges earlier, at building permit, instead of in instalments, and where a developer wished to pay at that time.  The development charges applicable to non-profit long-term care development is proposed to be deferred until there is a change of use such that it no longer is a non-profit long-term care home.  Finally, Council's interest policy for the development charges "frozen" based on the date of planning application would be extended.  This is needed because the policy currently only applies to development applications received before November 1, 2020 and permits issued before November 1, 2021.

Staff will continue to monitor the effects of the changes to legislation and bring forward recommended adjustments to policies for Council consideration, as may be deemed necessary.

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council adopt the following property tax capping polices, for the 2021 taxation year:

a.  limit tax increases for the commercial, industrial and multi-residential property classes by capping taxes at 10 percent of the preceding year’s annualized taxes, by opting to have subsection 292(1), paragraph 1, of the City of Toronto Act, 2006, apply for the 2021 taxation year;

b.  continue to provide that the 10 percent cap on tax increases apply to any property within the commercial, industrial and multi-residential classes, regardless of whether the property had reached full Current Value Assessment taxation levels in a prior year, subject to the threshold adopted in Part 1.c. below; and

c.  for the purposes of subsection 292(1), paragraphs 3 and 4 of the City of Toronto Act, 2006, adopt a threshold limit of $500 to determine the taxes for municipal and school purposes, such that properties that are within $500 (plus or minus) of their full Current Value Assessment level of taxation in the current year are taxed at full Current Value Assessment taxation levels for the year, and are therefore excluded from capping/claw-back provisions for that year.

2.  City Council direct the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer to review and report back to the Executive Committee and City Council during 2021 on additional tax policy options, including the potential to define a small business tax class to provide a lower tax rate for qualifying properties, and other potential measures to address impacts on properties that may be subject to large increases in assessed value based on speculative or hypothetical uses, rather than the current use of the property, all for consideration for 2022 and future years.

The Executive Committee:

1.  Directed the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer to report directly to the February 2 and 3, 2021 meeting of City Council, detailing the necessary considerations required in order to implement a small business property tax subclass, including the possibility for implementation in 2021.

This report provides recommendations for property tax policies for the 2021 taxation year.  The recommendations are consistent with and further Council's longstanding objectives for tax policy, designed to ensure the continued competitiveness of Toronto's business tax classes, while affording a level of protection to property owners affected by assessment-related property tax increases.

Specifically, this report recommends continuing the policy of limiting (capping) allowable tax increases in 2021 to a maximum of 10% of a property's prior year's taxes, for any property in the commercial, industrial and multi-residential tax classes that would otherwise experience a property tax increase of greater than 10% and where the tax increase is greater than $500.  The costs of capping protection will be funded by withholding (clawing-back) a portion of the tax decreases that would otherwise be experienced by other properties within each class, as has been the City's practice since 1998.  These measures will ensure that no taxpayers within those tax classes will face an assessment-related tax increase that is greater than 10% of last year's property tax liability, provided the tax increase is greater than $500.

In order to ensure that progress continues to be made in moving properties to their full Current Value Assessment (CVA) level of taxation, it is also recommended that Council adopt a policy that properties that are within $500 (plus or minus) of their full CVA level of taxation in the current year be taxed at full CVA taxation levels for the year, and therefore excluded from capping/claw-back provisions for that year.

This report also responds to previous Council requests to evaluate the feasibility and financial implications of additional tax policy approaches, including adopting a small business tax class, adopting measures to address assessment volatility, re-evaluating targeted tax ratio reductions within the commercial, industrial and multi-residential classes, and revisiting the current strategies and CVA thresholds for graduated tax rates within the commercial residual tax class. Given that key provincial regulations that would allow for the adoption of a small business tax subclass and/or approaches that deal with assessment volatility have not yet been enacted, making it impossible to determine financial impacts, it is recommended that these measures be considered for implementation in the 2022 taxation year.

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1. City Council authorize the General Manager, Transportation Services, in consultation with the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, to establish a program to allow for the review, approval and installation of sidewalk cafés, curb lane/parklet cafés or public parklets without applicants having to comply with certain requirements of Municipal Code Chapter 742, Sidewalk Cafés, Parklets and Marketing Displays, during the following terms:

a. a café installed on a sidewalk (being a curbside café or frontage café) from no earlier than April 15, 2021 to no later than April 14, 2022, inclusive; and/or

b. a curb lane/parklet café or public parklet from no earlier than May 8, 2021 to no later than November 10, 2021, inclusive.

2. In establishing a program under Recommendation 1 above, City Council direct that the General Manager, Transportation Services shall consider:

a. which requirements from Municipal Code Chapter 742, Sidewalk Cafés, Parklets and Marketing Displays should apply to the sidewalk cafés, curb lane/parklet cafés or public parklets under the program;

b. appropriate guidelines for the General Manager, Transportation Services to review and approve the sidewalk cafés, curb lane/parklet cafés or public parklets under the program;

c. appropriate indemnification and insurance requirements to protect the City provided that any insurance requirement for the program requires at least $1,000,000 in general liability coverage;

d. advice from the Medical Officer of Health to ensure the health and safety of all persons using the sidewalk cafés, curb lane/parklet cafés or public parklets under the program; and

e. requirements for the location, materials, usage, maintenance and removal of the sidewalk cafés, curb lane/parklet cafés or public parklets under the program to ensure the health and safety of all users of City highways, including:

i. that a café or parklet on a local road be closed and cleared of customers by 11:00 p.m. unless hours of operation have been imposed previously by a Community Council for an existing café or parklet area, in which case both the existing and the extended café or parklet area be operated in accordance with the Community Council-imposed hours;

ii. where conditions other than hours of operation have been imposed previously by Community Council for an existing café or parklet area, that both the existing and the extended café or parklet area must be operated in accordance with the Community Council-imposed conditions; and

iii. where conditions have been imposed by Community Council on sidewalk cafés, curb lane/parklet cafés or public parklets in similar circumstances, that those Community Council-imposed conditions should apply.

3. City Council authorize the General Manager, Transportation Services to approve applications to install and maintain sidewalk cafés, curb lane/parklet cafés or public parklets where the application complies with the program adopted by the General Manager, Transportation Services, under Recommendation 1 above, and where the approval conflicts with Municipal Code Chapter 742, Sidewalk Cafés, Parklets and Marketing Displays, the approval of the General Manager, Transportation Services shall prevail to the extent of the conflict.

4. City Council waive fees required under Municipal Code Chapter 742, Sidewalk Cafés, Parklets and Marketing Displays, Municipal Code Chapter 743, Streets and Sidewalks, Use of, and Municipal Code Chapter 441, Fees and Charges, for any sidewalk, curb lane/parklet café or public parklet approved by the General Manager, Transportation Services, under the program described in Recommendation 1 above.

5. City Council amend Municipal Code Chapter 937, Temporary Closing of Highways, to delegate to the General Manager, Transportation Services, until November 10, 2021 the authority to temporarily close to vehicular traffic the curb lanes or any portion thereof on any highway (with the exception of those highways listed in section 937-4) for a period up to and including 187 consecutive days from May 8, 2021 to November 10, 2021, inclusive, for the purpose of permitting a curb lane/parklet café or public parklet approved by the General Manager, Transportation Services, under the program described in Recommendation 1 above, and to exempt the General Manager, Transportation Services in carrying out this delegation from Section 937-5 of Chapter 937.

6. City Council authorize the General Manager, Transportation Services, when approving a sidewalk café, curb lane/parklet café or public parklet under the CaféTO program, to confirm that the City of Toronto does not object to the temporary physical extension of liquor sales under section 97 of regulation 719 under the Liquor Licence Act for that approved area and to withdraw this confirmation if the operator of a sidewalk café, curb lane/parklet café or public parklet, in the opinion of the General Manager, Transportation Services, subsequently fails to comply with the CaféTO program, applicable City By-laws or policies, or municipal or provincial orders.

7. City Council authorize the General Manager, Transportation Services to review and approve variations to the CaféTO program and guidelines, in consultation with the local Councillor, and in consideration of past complaints reported at the address and conditions imposed by Community Council in similar local circumstances.

8. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services, the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards and the Acting General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to report back to the Executive Committee by the fourth quarter of 2021 on the feasibility of continuing the CaféTO program in 2022 and beyond, including budget, staffing requirements, a proposed financial model, the results of a traffic and economic impact analysis and any necessary modifications to Chapter 742, Sidewalk Cafés, Parklets and Marketing Displays.

9. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to report to the Planning and Housing Committee by no later than April 22, 2021 on whether to extend the expiration of City-wide Temporary Use Zoning By-laws that ease restrictions on outdoor patios on private property.

10. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the necessary Bills to give effect to City Council's decision and City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make any necessary clarifications, refinements, minor modifications, technical amendments, or By-law amendments as may be identified by the City Solicitor to give effect to the reasonable operation of the sidewalk cafés, curb lane/parklet cafés or public parklets under the program as described in the report (January 13, 2021) from the General Manager, Transportation Services.

11. City Council authorize the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, in consultation with the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, to extend the CafeTO program (including the authority with respect to liquor sales, and the waiving of any applicable fees under Municipal Code Chapter 608, Parks) to allow for the review, approval, installation and maintenance of food and beverage patios operated by established restaurants and cafés immediately adjacent to, or located in, park spaces with hard surfacing from April 15, 2021 to April 14, 2022, inclusive, where the application complies with the program adopted by the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, and where the approval conflicts with any provision of Municipal Code Chapter 608, Parks, the approval of the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation shall prevail to the extent of the conflict.

12.  City Council confirm that it does not object to the temporary physical extension of liquor sales under section 97 of regulation 719 under the Liquor Licence Act for an outdoor patio located on private property that is permitted under applicable Zoning By-law(s) in the City of Toronto, including any Temporary Use Zoning By-law adopted by City Council.

13.  City Council authorize the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards to withdraw the non-objection under Recommendation 12 above, if the operator of an outdoor patio, in the opinion of the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, subsequently fails to comply with applicable Zoning By-law(s), including any Temporary Use Zoning By-law adopted by City Council, applicable City By-laws or policies, or municipal or provincial orders.

14.  City Council amend sections 742-14.3D, 742-14.5A and 742-14.5B of Municipal Code Chapter 742, Sidewalk Cafés, Parklets and Marketing Displays, so that the word "person" is also used wherever the phrase "permit holder" is used, and replace the phrase "in a permit area" with "on a street" in section 742.14.5A.

15. City Council request the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to work with partner divisions and external partners, as an enhancement to the CafeTO initiative, to explore supporting innovations to enhance safe outdoor dining and other entertainment activities to extend the operation of such businesses into colder months over fall/winter 2021, with any approaches considered to be in full accordance with relevant public health regulations and in compliance with municipal regulations governing such activity, while also addressing accessibility needs. 

16.  City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services, in consultation with the General Manager, Municipal Licensing and Standards, and accessibility stakeholders, to develop accessibility guidelines and workshops, on the CurbTO and CaféTO programs, and report back on these initiatives to the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee by the end of the second quarter of 2021 or prior to implementation, such guidelines to include:

a. uniform standards on the use of asphalt ramps;

b. inspection and enforcement schedule; and

c. standards of design of curb lane patios.

17. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services, the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards and the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to prepare a "who does what" guide and contact document for the purposes of dealing with the City of Toronto in connection with the CafeTO and CurbTO programs in as efficient and user friendly a manner as possible.

18. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services, the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards and the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to explore a modest acceleration to the timetable for CafeTO installations such that as many such installations who complete the application process in a timely manner can have their installations available for use over the full 2021 Victoria Day Weekend. 

19. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services, the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, and the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to work with City Councillors from Scarborough to develop a component of CafeTO and CurbTO which will ensure a more expansive participation in the area for both programs.

CurbTO and CaféTO are two significant pandemic response programs initiated in Spring 2020 to support local Toronto businesses by accommodating rapid access to the public right-of-way for expanded outdoor dining, customer line-ups and quick parking opportunities throughout the city.

The CurbTO program provided additional space in the right-of-way to local businesses and community agencies to assist with new physical distancing and capacity requirements. The CaféTO program provided a streamlined process and financial assistance to Toronto restaurant and bar operators wishing to install cafés on City sidewalks and streets, which was particularly critical for establishments facing capacity restrictions and without previous access to outdoor dining space.

The CaféTO program had a distinct impact on the economic vitality of participating businesses and their retail main street neighbours as well as a clear effect on the vibrancy of our streets. CaféTO created safe spaces for families and friends to see one another while simultaneously providing an opportunity to support the local economy and animate Toronto's retail main streets.

This report provides details on the CurbTO and CaféTO program activities in 2020, and proposes reprising the CaféTO program with additional enhancements, including registration and implementation efficiencies, additional permissions for decks, platforms and fencing, ongoing financial support through targeted grants and waiving participation fees as well as continuing to deploy equipment and closing curb lanes on behalf of café operators.

Jodi Callan, Project Manager, Policy and Innovation Unit, Transportation Services will give a presentation on CaféTO and CurbTO.  The presentation will focus on the development and implementation of these programs as a rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including information on accessibility considerations.

The Executive Committee recommends that:  

1.  City Council direct the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, in collaboration with the General Manager, Toronto Employment and Social Services, the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture and the Chief Purchasing Officer, to report to the Economic and Community Development Committee in the third quarter of 2022 with a Progress Update on the design and pilot testing of the Community Benefits Framework implementation models, as well as a proposed approach to prioritize community benefits projects and initiatives to be supported and implemented by the Community Benefits Framework.

2.  City Council direct the Chief Procurement Officer, in collaboration with the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, the Manager, Confronting Anti-Black Racism Office and the Manager, Indigenous Affairs Office, to aspire to an annual 10 percent increase starting in 2021, in the number of vendors on the City's diverse supplier list, with a focus on increasing representation of Black-owned and Indigenous-owned businesses, to be in alignment with the Confronting goal to achieve 7.5 percent Black business enrollments in the City's diverse supplier list, by identifying or creating business development opportunities, conducting targeted outreach with business and community stakeholder groups, and reviewing and addressing potential barriers to participation including supplier council certification.

3.  City Council direct the Chief Procurement Officer, in collaboration with the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, to conduct a five-year review (2017-2021) of the Social Procurement Policy to identify successes and improvements needed in the Social Procurement Policy, and to report back to the Executive Committee in the third quarter of 2022.

4.  City Council request the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration to consult with the Toronto District School Board leadership of Step to Construction regarding their vision, program and recommendations to have students placed on job sites on Toronto's publicly funded construction projects; and explore and consider a minimum hard target for equity seeking groups for hiring in construction across all large scale infrastructure projects. 

When the Community Benefits Framework was adopted in 2019, it signaled the City of Toronto's commitment to maximizing the use of City levers to create social and economic impact through community benefits initiatives. A number of key factors have led to high demand and expectations for community benefits in Toronto today. Major public infrastructure investments across Canadian provinces and municipalities, the looming shortage of skilled trade workers in construction, and the establishment of high- profile precedent-setting community benefits agreements, including those that directly involve the City such as Rexdale - Casino Woodbine, and those led by external partners such as Metrolinx's Eglinton Crosstown, are all contributing factors.

Additionally, the disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 and the emphasized need for a recovery and rebuild strategy that prioritizes Indigenous, Black and equity-seeking communities, have highlighted the importance for community benefits initiatives to maximize municipal levers to create inclusive economic opportunities.

The City of Toronto currently has four established and active community benefits initiatives: Social Procurement Policy and Program, Housing Now Initiative, Rexdale - Casino Woodbine Community Benefits Agreement, and Imagination, Manufacturing, Innovation and Technology Program. In addition to these four initiatives, there are at least ten new community benefits initiatives that are currently being reviewed across City divisions and corporations. Six of the new initiatives are directed by City Council to include community benefits.

This report responds to direction from Toronto City Council in 2019 to report back with recommendations and an indication of required resources to move the Community Benefits Framework forward.

Implementing community benefits is complex and resource intensive. Given the high demand and significant potential of community benefits initiatives, it is now necessary to dedicate greater staff resources in order to address the challenges and maximize the opportunity. The report outlines the key areas of work that will be prioritized, specifically the development of:

• Coordinated systems approaches to local and social hiring pathways that connect employers, job seekers, employment agencies, training programs, unions, and community partners[1];
• Monitoring and evaluation framework that guides disaggregated data collection and analysis on common outcomes, outputs and socio-economic impacts to be tracked across all community benefits initiatives; and
• Community benefits implementation “How To” protocols and processes to guide the City of Toronto and its stakeholders. 

Additionally, the report highlights the broader systems and policy issues that will be addressed in the next phase of work, including: better defining equity-seeking populations, establishing processes to set hard targets, developing mechanisms to expand the pool of diverse and local suppliers, and strengthening engagement with employers and industry leaders to forecast opportunities.

While there is tremendous enthusiasm for the pursuit of ambitious community benefits at the City of Toronto, the work of achieving and reporting on those community benefits has only just begun. Investment of time and resources are required to enable the City to maximize the potential of community benefits as part of inclusive economic recovery and growth.

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1. City Council direct the Chief Technology Officer, supported by the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, the General Manager, Transportation Services, the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, as well as request support from the Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Transit Commission, the Chief Librarian, Toronto Public Library, and the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO, to develop a strategic framework, workplan and implement Phase 1 of ConnectTO, including, where applicable, to negotiate, enter into and execute any agreements with other public entities that may be necessary to implement Phase 1 of ConnectTO upon which terms and conditions satisfactory to the Chief Technology Officer, and in a form acceptable to the City Solicitor, to leverage municipal broadband to bring access to affordable high-speed internet for all Toronto residents and businesses, especially those who are vulnerable and underserved by digital infrastructure.

2. City Council direct the Chief Technology Officer, the Chief People Officer and the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration to develop a digital equity policy as part of the Digital Infrastructure Plan, building on the Data for Equity Strategy, in consultation with residents and stakeholders, that outlines a vision for an equitable and resilient Toronto through inclusive access to technology and internet.

3. City Council direct the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services, the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, and the City Solicitor to review the desirability, feasibility and sustainability of business models of municipal broadband delivery, including but not limited to joint ventures and public-private partnerships, and issue any solicitations as desired.

4. City Council request the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services, working with appropriate staff, including Toronto Community Housing Corporation, to examine ways to integrate affordable high-speed internet into all new affordable housing development projects and all large-scale revitalization projects, such as affordable housing, affordable rental housing, social housing and rent geared to household income units.

5. City Council request the Chief Technology Officer and the Chief Procurement Officer to engage with the City's tech community in an information gathering session, to leverage community expertise, prior to the tender documents being finalized for ConnectTO.

6. City Council request the Chief Technology Officer to report back to the Executive Committee by end of 2021 to provide an update on digital equity, digital access and municipal broadband.

In the recent years, it has become apparent that access to high-speed internet is necessary for residents to equitably participate in day to day life. Geographically, almost all of Toronto can connect to home internet, but not everyone has sufficient service. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted gaps, vulnerabilities and the need for adequate internet services to be more accessible and affordable for everyone.

Some Torontonians are being left behind in the digital divide because there are gaps to high-speed internet, leaving some areas underserved. Even in areas where there is high-speed connectivity, high prices effectively result in vulnerable Torontonians being left without adequate access. The City needs to advance socio-economic opportunities for vulnerable populations, which is essential to ensuring greater prosperity for all.

Digital equity and bridging the digital divide is a key principle of the City's Poverty Reduction Strategy. Access to affordable high-speed internet will address barriers faced by residents participating in the labour force by improving access to economic opportunities. Lower internet prices will decrease barriers, aid financial stability, and improve access to City services for equity-seeking groups. A digitally connected Toronto means people can prosper and enjoy a better quality of life.

Increasing the penetration of affordable high-speed internet services will help address these equity issues, and empower the City to bridge the digital divide. In addition, it will nurture innovation, drive job creation, encourage economic growth, and realize long term benefits to the COVID-19 recovery plan. The City is uniquely positioned to leverage public assets for the public good – locating a fibre optic network (commonly referred to as fibre) where it is needed most and enabling high-speed internet service at more affordable prices.

Technology Services is seeking City Council's support to lead "ConnectTO", a collaborative program that aims to centralize stewardship of municipal resources and assets to deliver the City's goals on equity and connectivity, including creation of a City of Toronto broadband network. Broadband refers to internet service that is always on and available at higher speeds than traditional dial-up Internet services.

This City of Toronto fibre-enabled broadband network is envisioned to:

- Leverage and connect City assets (i.e. fibre, buildings, Right of Way, etc) as the City's contribution to the program to unlock public asset value.
- Create collaboration between the City, or a City entity, and the private sector to connect underserved areas with fibre to create a City-wide high-speed broadband network, where the private sector partner will deliver the internet to homes and businesses.
- Offer open access to this network to any qualified companies, at a fair price, to generate revenue.
- Ensure revenue is re-invested in our communities, such as enabling internet costs for vulnerable Torontonians at a lower rate.
 

The proposed program is not positioning the City as an Internet Service Provider competitor. ConnectTO is meant to complement, not compete with the current landscape, by filling gaps in fibre connectivity to underserved areas.

The goal of the program is to provide the City with a direct voice where broadband internet is delivered and reduce internet costs for vulnerable residents. The program also aims to streamline and update existing City processes to ensure internet connectivity (public Wi-Fi, laying fibre conduits in existing construction work, etc) is embedded in planning and execution of various City activities. Staff are proposing a phased approach to program delivery to ensure lessons are learned at each step to build the proper foundation for the City-wide deployment.

City staff have been engaging in discussions with staff at the Provincial and Federal levels to seek alignment and understanding of priorities on broadband. In addition, staff have engaged in similar conversations with other municipalities and regions in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. These dialogues are intended to develop a regional approach to digital infrastructure over the long-term.

Aligned with the Council approved Digital Infrastructure Plan principles, and with recommendations from the Toronto Office of Recovery and Rebuild, the proposed pillars of this program are:

- Increase digital equity and bridge the digital divide in Toronto by bringing access and affordable high-speed internet to underserved Toronto residents.
- Stimulate Toronto's economic recovery and growth by enabling the digital economy and connecting businesses and workers with high-speed internet.
- Support the City of Toronto's long-term fiscal health by creating and leveraging City assets to unlock value.
- Solidify Toronto's position as an innovation and technology leader, by enabling future and emerging technologies in the tech ecosystem.
 

Social Development, Finance and Administration, People and Equity, Economic Development and Culture, City Planning, Transportation Services, Corporate Real Estate Management, Legal Services, and the City Manager's Office were consulted in the preparation of this report. In addition, Toronto Transit Commission, Toronto Public Library, and CreateTO were consulted on this report.

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1. City Council approve the Terms of Reference for the City of Toronto's Seniors Housing Corporation Board in Attachment 1 to the report (January 13, 2021) from the Deputy City Manager, Community and Social Services, as amended by Part 2 below.

2. City Council amend the Terms of Reference for the Seniors Housing Corporation Board:

a. by replacing the Appointment Process with the following to ensure that it's consistent with the selection process for the tenant directors to the Toronto Community Housing Corporation:

The appointment of public members to the Seniors Housing Corporation will follow the provisions of the City's Public Appointments Policy.

For the five (5) public members at large, the Corporations Nominating Panel will review applications, conduct interviews, and recommend nominees to City Council for appointment to the Board.

For the two (2) public members that are current tenants of seniors housing corporation buildings, City staff, with input from seniors housing corporation tenants will conduct outreach, review applications, conduct interviews, and recommend nominees to the Corporation Nominating Panel. The Corporation Nominating Panel will recommend nominees to City Council for appointment to the Board; and

b. by amending the composition to require that the majority of the Board members be senior citizens, including but not limited to those seniors living in Toronto Community Housing. 

3. City Council direct that, for the first two years following incorporation, the composition of the City of Toronto's Seniors Housing Corporation Board shall include the City Manager or designate sitting in an ex-officio non-voting capacity. 

4. City Council direct the City Clerk to immediately initiate the recruitment process for the City of Toronto's Seniors Housing Corporation Board in accordance with the Public Appointments Policy, the Business Corporations Act (Ontario), the Striking Committee Process and the Board Terms of Reference in Attachment 1 to the report (January 13, 2021) from the Deputy City Manager, Community and Social Services, as amended by Part 2 above.

The City of Toronto's new seniors housing corporation will operate affordable rental and social housing for approximately 14,000 low and moderate-income senior households in 83 senior-designated buildings. These housing units are currently operated by the Seniors Housing Unit of Toronto Community Housing Corporation.

While Council has approved in principle the creation of the seniors housing corporation, it has yet to be legally incorporated due to the impact of COVID-19 on City resources. Staff will be reporting back on timing for incorporation in spring 2021.

Despite the delay, two key decisions necessary to establish the corporation are recommended at this time. In anticipation of legal incorporation of the seniors housing corporation, this report recommends the Terms of Reference for the Board of Directors for the seniors housing corporation, and directs the City Clerk to initiate recruitment of the Board. Starting the Board appointments process at this time will accelerate the process to establish the seniors housing corporation, and position the Board to guide the initial development of the organization.

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1. City Council receive the Item for information.

At its virtual meeting held on December 15, 2020, the Toronto Police Services Board (Board) was in receipt of reports dated November 17, 2020, from Ryan Teschner, Executive Director and Chief of Staff, regarding 2 (two) City of Toronto Council Decisions.

The Board approved the foregoing reports and the following recommendations:

A. City of Toronto Council Decision – MM24.38 Drive-by Shootings
 

1. Request that the Chief of Police take Council’s motion into consideration in the further development, refinement and implementation of the Service’s approach to gun and gang violence.
 

2. Forward a copy of this report to City Council via the Executive Committee.

B.  City of Toronto Council Decision – MM24.31 Lawrence Heights Emergency Safety and Security Response
 

1. Request that the Chief of Police take Council’s motion into consideration in the further development, refinement and implementation of the Service’s approach to gun and gang violence, and provide an overview to the Board by the Board’s February 2021 meeting of the specific actions and initiatives – both proactive and enforcement-driven – the Service has undertaken to address gun and gang violence in the City of Toronto, and in particular, in Lawrence Heights.
 

2. Forward a copy of this report to City Council via the Executive Committee.

A copy of Board Minute P215/2020 regarding the two City of Toronto Council Decisions is attached.

The Board of Health recommends that:

1.  City Council request the Federal Government to provide funding to the City of Toronto to support the City of Toronto's COVID-19 Immunization Task Force's plan for a broad-based community engagement, education, and mobilization campaign to raise awareness and build support for the COVID-19 vaccine.

2.  City Council urge the Government of Ontario to take immediate action to address the rising rate of new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and patients in intensive care units, including the following:

a.  provide additional supports to essential frontline workers, including paid sick leave, targeted support for temporary workers, and enhanced proactive workplace inspections;

b.  continue efforts to expand test, trace, and isolate systems;

c.  provide additional financial relief to ensure that affected businesses and workers are fully supported through the lockdown period;

d.  continue to carefully monitor the Provincial circumstances and other evidence in order to adjust public health measures accordingly; and

e.  proactively plan to reopen schools and other sectors safely.

3.  City Council request the Government of Ontario to:

a.  require employers in Ontario to provide no less than five paid sick days annually to workers, after three months of employment, through amendments to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 or through a different mechanism;

b.  provide necessary funding, fiscal relief, and/or supports to employers so that all workers in Ontario have access to no less than 10 paid sick days annually in the event of a declared infectious disease emergency such as the COVID-19 pandemic; and

c.  ensure all workers in Ontario have access to protected and paid emergency leave so that care can be provided to children, parents, or other family members who may become ill.

4.  City Council request the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development to provide resources and funding to support workplaces that hire temporary workers to appropriately train staff in the use of Personal Protective Equipment and infection prevention and control measures.

The Board of Health:

1.  Requested the Federal Government to provide funding to the City of Toronto to support the City of Toronto's COVID-19 Immunization Task Force's plan for a broad-based community engagement, education, and mobilization campaign to raise awareness and build support for the COVID-19 vaccine.

2.  Urged the Government of Ontario to take immediate action to address the rising rate of new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and patients in intensive care units, including the following:

a.  provide additional supports to essential frontline workers, including paid sick leave, targeted support for temporary workers, and enhanced proactive workplace inspections;

b.  continue efforts to expand test, trace, and isolate systems;

c.  provide additional financial relief to ensure that affected businesses and workers are fully supported through the lockdown period;

d.  continue to carefully monitor the Provincial circumstances and other evidence in order to adjust public health measures accordingly; and

e.  proactively plan to reopen schools and other sectors safely.

3.  Requested the Government of Ontario to collect and share disaggregated data based on race, income, occupation, neighbourhood, and housing status as part of the Provincial COVID-19 immunization data system.

4.  Requested the Government of Ontario to:

a.  require employers in Ontario to provide no less than five paid sick days annually to workers, after three months of employment, through amendments to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 or through a different mechanism;

b.  provide necessary funding, fiscal relief, and/or supports to employers so that all workers in Ontario have access to no less than 10 paid sick days annually in the event of a declared infectious disease emergency such as the COVID-19 pandemic; and

c.  ensure all workers in Ontario have access to protected and paid emergency leave so that care can be provided to children, parents, or other family members who may become ill.

5.  Called on the Government of Ontario to recognize supportive housing as a public health measure to protect vulnerable and marginalized residents who are experiencing homelessness and provide $48 million in annual ongoing operating funding to create and maintain 2,000 new permanent supportive housing opportunities by mid-2022, with $12.24 million per year required immediately (and ongoing annually) to operationalize 510 supportive housing units and an additional $14.11 million per year starting in September 2021 (and ongoing annually) to operationalize an additional 588 supportive housing units in Toronto in 2021, as requested by Toronto City Council in December 2020 (Item 2020.PH19.11, Emergency Housing Action).

6.  Requested the Ontario Ministry of Health to publicly provide a detailed breakdown of the proposed phased vaccine prioritization framework, including a specific breakdown of the individuals and groups who will be prioritized in Phase 2 of the Ontario COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Implementation Plan.

7.  Requested the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development to require employers to ensure that existing and future sick leave provisions, including protections against repercussions by employers when workers access sick leave and follow public health guidelines, are clearly communicated to workers and management in multiple languages.

8.  Requested the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development to provide resources and funding to support workplaces that hire temporary workers to appropriately train staff in the use of Personal Protective Equipment and infection prevention and control measures.

9.  Requested the Medical Officer of Health, in consultation with the Fire Chief and General Manager, Emergency Management, and Toronto's COVID-19 Incident Commander, and the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, to report to the March 22, 2021 meeting of the Board of Health with detailed breakdowns of immunization plans for all priority populations and vulnerable groups, such as people experiencing homelessness, people living in congregate settings, and essential frontline workers, by the Government of Ontario, the City of Toronto, and Toronto Public Health, including overcoming vaccine hesitancy.

10.  Requested the Medical Officer of Health to report in 2021 on the status and trends in workplace COVID-19 outbreak data and any new Provincial safety measures for essential workplaces and essential workers.

11.  Requested the Medical Officer of Health to publicly post, on a weekly basis, the names of workplaces with COVID-19 outbreaks, as closely aligned with other summary reports as possible, in a manner that maintains and protects individual privacy and that is based on the Provincial outbreak definition of two or more cases over a 14-day period.

12.  Requested the Medical Officer of Health to engage Toronto's COVID-19 Community Cluster tables and other relevant stakeholders on the development of Toronto Public Health's equity indicators and include these indicators in the Toronto Public Health COVID-19 Monitoring Dashboard in February 2021.

13.  Requested the Medical Officer of Health to explore any opportunity to directly collect disaggregated data as part of Toronto Public Health's COVID-19 immunization campaign.

14.  Requested the Medical Officer of Health to consider and implement any additional measures or restrictions necessary to halt the spread of COVID-19, in partnership with Ontario's Public Health Units and the Government of Ontario or under their own powers under the Health Protection and Promotion Act.

15.  Directed that the report (January 5, 2021) from the Medical Officer of Health be forwarded for information to the Federal Government, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, with a request that they review and consider Part 4 above.

The Medical Officer of Health, the Fire Chief and General Manager, Emergency Management, and Toronto's COVID-19 Incident Commander, and the Director, Community Resources, Social Development, Finance and Administration, gave a presentation on Response to COVID-19: Update Presentation to the Board of Health.

This report provides an update on the COVID-19 pandemic locally and the City of Toronto's COVID-19 Immunization Task Force's (ITF) planning. It also outlines Toronto Public Health's (TPH) response to COVID-19 outbreaks in workplaces, provides an update on the launch of TPH equity indicators on the TPH COVID-19 Monitoring Dashboard, outlines supports intended to facilitate self-isolation for families due to COVID-19 infection in a household, and provides information on the importance of paid sick leave provisions, particularly for essential workers, in mitigating the spread of COVID-19.

On December 21, 2020, the Provincial Government announced that Ontario would be moving into the "Grey - Lockdown" level of the Province's Keeping Ontario Safe and Open Framework as of December 26, 2020. Toronto has been in the "Grey - Lockdown" level since November 24, 2020 and will remain at this level until at least January 23, 2021. These restrictions remain in place in response to the continuing significant rate of COVID-19 spread in Toronto.

The COVID-19 ITF continues to plan for the roll-out of the vaccine to all Toronto residents in order to protect everyone against COVID-19 infection and end the pandemic. As of the end of 2020, over 50,000 doses have been received in Toronto and these are being administered to residents, essential care providers and staff of long-term care homes and retirement homes. In early 2021, it is expected that another 50,000 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines will be available for administration in Toronto.

On September 21, 2020, the Board of Health (BOH) requested TPH to publicly share details of workplace outbreaks while respecting privacy requirements. TPH has developed a process to share anonymized outbreak information related to community and workplace settings on its website. These details are expected to become publicly available early in 2021.

On October 19, 2020, the BOH requested TPH to expand the TPH COVID-19 Monitoring Dashboard to include equity indicators. In consultation with key equity-seeking stakeholders, TPH will be expanding the TPH COVID-19 Monitoring Dashboard in February 2021 to include three equity indicators on income, ethno-racial group and neighbourhoods. These indicators will provide insight into how well the response to the pandemic is contributing to a reduction in COVID-19 related socio-demographic inequities and will support TPH decision-making.

During the pandemic, it has become increasingly evident that paid sick leave provisions are essential to protect the health of individual workers, their workplaces, and the broader community. This report recommends that the Government of Ontario require employers in the province to provide no less than five paid sick days annually and provide necessary funding, fiscal relief and/or supports to employers so that all workers in Ontario have access to no less than 10 paid sick days annually during a declared infectious disease emergency such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Board of Health recommends that:

1.  City Council request the Government of Ontario to provide adequate funding to the Angel Foundation for Learning and the Toronto Foundation for Student Success to fully stabilize student nutrition program support for remote learners for the school period of January to June 2021.

 
2.  City Council direct that the report (January 5, 2021) from the Medical Officer of Health be forwarded to the Toronto District School Board, the Toronto Catholic District School Board, the Angel Foundation for Learning, the Toronto Foundation for Student Success, the Ontario Ministry of Education, the Ontario Ministry of Health, and the Federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development.

The Board of Health:

1.  Requested the Government of Ontario to provide adequate funding to the Angel Foundation for Learning and the Toronto Foundation for Student Success to fully stabilize student nutrition program support for remote learners for the school period of January to June 2021.

 
2.  Requested the Medical Officer of Health to report in March 2021 on the status of additional emergency pandemic funding for student nutrition programs from the Government of Ontario.

When the 2020 Operating Budget was approved in February 2020, it was not foreseeable how COVID-19 would impact the ability of student nutrition programs to provide nutrition support to Toronto's vulnerable children and youth. The 2020 budget has been fully allocated to student nutrition programs, yet these programs are facing increased operational challenges as they deal with higher food costs, fewer volunteers, and appeals to support both in-school and remote learners who otherwise would have accessed a student nutrition program.

This report responds to a motion from the December 14, 2020 Board of Health meeting requesting the Medical Officer of Health to report at its January 18, 2021 meeting with an update on additional resource needs and any other challenges facing municipally-supported student nutrition programs in Toronto. Two scenarios were examined to provide an estimation of additional resources. Also, anticipating that COVID-19 may necessitate that a remote learning model continues for the 2021/22 school year, estimates capture the balance of the 2020/21 school year and the first part of the 2021/22 school year.

Student nutrition programs contribute to the health and wellbeing of students through nutritious food choices and have been demonstrated to improve learning outcomes among children. Toronto Public Health continues to monitor the evolving COVID-19 situation with schools and works with student nutrition programs, school boards, and their foundations to ensure the safe operation of student nutrition programs.

The Board of Health recommends that:

1.  City Council authorize the Medical Officer of Health to award, execute, and amend, on an ongoing basis, a purchase of service contract for the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program with Rexdale Community Health Centre and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, in a form approved by the City Solicitor.

On November 20, 2019, the Government of Ontario launched the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program, a 100 percent Ministry of Health funded program for low-income seniors in Ontario. Through this program, Toronto Public Health provides dental treatment to eligible seniors at clinics located in Toronto Public Health sites, Community Health Centres (CHC) and Aboriginal Health Access Centres (AHAC).

The purpose of this report is to request approval for the Medical Officer of Health to award, execute and amend, on an ongoing basis, a purchase of service contract with Rexdale CHC and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) to further support the service delivery and access to care for the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program.

The Civic Appointments Committee recommends that:  

1. City Council appoint the following candidates to the Toronto Transit Commission:

a.  Fenton Jagdeo, at pleasure of Council, for a term of office ending March 27, 2023, continuing to serve until a successor is appointed; and

b. Joanne De Laurentiis, at pleasure of Council, for a term of office ending February 4, 2025, continuing to serve until a successor is appointed.

2. City Council direct that Confidential Attachments 1 to 5 to the report (January 12, 2021) from the Interim City Clerk remain confidential in their entirety as they relate to personal matters about identifiable individuals being considered for appointment to the Toronto Transit Commission.

Candidates' biographies:

Joanne De Laurentiis

Joanne De Laurentiis is an experienced senior executive and board member with expertise in building, implementing and managing multi-stakeholder board and organizational structures. Her executive roles include President of the Investment Funds Institute of Canada, President of Credit Union Central of Canada and President of Interac.  She holds an MA in political science from Western University.

Fenton Jagdeo

Fenton Jagdeo is a seasoned management consultant, community advocate, and advisor to governments and private institutions across the globe.

Fenton spent most of his career at a global management consultancy focusing on business strategy and innovation, with a particular interest in mobility and the future of people movement. Before consulting, he managed strategy for a large Canadian restaurant chain, working closely with the Founder & CEO on industry defying initiatives. Fenton sits on the board of the Toronto Public Library, where he chaired the Strategic Planning Committee, helping to guide the five-year strategy.

The Civic Appointments Committee will conduct interviews and recommend two public members to City Council for appointment to the Toronto Transit Commission.

The Civic Appointments Committee recommends that:  

1. City Council appoint the following candidates to the Toronto Music Advisory Committee, at pleasure of Council, for a term of office ending on November 14, 2022:

Randell Adjei

Phoenix Pagliacci

Candidates' biographies:

Randell Adjei

Randell Adjei is an entrepreneur, speaker and spoken word practitioner who uses his gifts through Edutainment. He is the founder of one of Toronto's largest youth led initiatives; Reaching Intelligent Souls Everywhere (R.I.S.E Edutainment). In 2018, R.I.S.E received the Toronto Arts Foundation’s, Mayor’s Youth Arts Award. Randell is the author of “I am Not my struggles," a powerful Anthology released in 2018. He is a cohort 2 Studio Y MaRS DD Fellow and 1 of 4 coaches for TPL's Poetry program.

Phoenix Pagliacci

In 2017, Phoenix founded Pagliacci Studios, an initiative for enlightening and entertaining youth through music and outreach. In addition, Phoenix also founded the not-for-profit Blissues, a cyclical outreach initiative dedicated to finding the silver line between bliss and issues.

The purpose of this report is to have City Council appoint two members of the public to the Toronto Music Advisory Committee to fill current vacancies due to recent resignations.

The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council adopt and certify the 2021 recommended Operating Budgets and Levy requirements of the following Business Improvement Areas:

This report brings forward Business Improvement Area (BIA) annual Operating Budgets for approval by City Council as required by the City of Toronto Act, 2006. City Council approval is required to permit the City to collect funds through a special tax levy on the commercial and industrial properties within the respective BIA boundaries.

There are currently 84 established BIAs in the City of Toronto. The approval by City Council of the 2021 Operating Budgets for 84 BIAs takes multiple phases. City Council previously approved the 2021 Operating Budgets for 23 BIAs through Report 1 (Item 2020.EC18.11) at its meeting on December 16, 17, and 18, 2020. Included in this Report 2 are the 2021 Operating Budgets for 21 BIAs for City Council approval.

The recommendation in this report reflects the Board-adopted 2021 Operating Budgets by the respective BIAs' Boards of Management and General Membership. Complete budgets and supporting documentation have been reviewed by City staff to ensure that the 2021 Operating Budgets for BIAs reflect Council's approved policies and practices.

Two COVID-19 related themes emerge in these budget submissions: a number of BIAs are specifically attempting to reduce financial demands on their memberships and a number of BIAs are exercising caution by postponing festivals and events.

The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council remove the following director from the Business Improvement Area Board of Management set out below:

            DuKe Heights:

            Paolo Abate

The purpose of this report is to remove a director from the DuKe Heights BIA Board of Management.

The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council direct the Boundary Expansion Subcommittee for the expansion of the Toronto Entertainment District Business Improvement Area and the City of Toronto's Business Improvement Area Office staff to bypass the requirement that the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, conduct a formal public consultation meeting as required under Subsection 19-2.2A(3)(e) and the requirements under Subsection 19-2.2 C to H of City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19, Business Improvement Areas, and to proceed to notice and polling under Section 19-2.4 of City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19, Business Improvement Areas.

2.  City Council state its intention to designate the area outlined in Attachment 1 to the letter (January 4, 2021) from Councillor Joe Cressy as the expanded Toronto Entertainment District Business Improvement Area under City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19, Business Improvement Areas.

3.  City Council direct the City Clerk to send out a notice of City Council's intention to pass a By-law designating the area outlined in Attachment 1 to the letter (January 4, 2021) from Councillor Joe Cressy as the expanded Toronto Entertainment District Business Improvement Area, in accordance with City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19, Business Improvement Areas.

4.  City Council direct the Chief Technology Officer to prepare designation By-law maps of the area outlined in Attachment 1 to the letter (January 4, 2021) from Councillor Joe Cressy and submit them to the City Solicitor.

This motion asks City Council to proceed directly to polling on the proposed expansion of the Toronto Entertainment District Business Improvement Area (BIA), waiving the requirement to hold a formal public meeting in light of the current pandemic-related lockdown. These exceptions have been prepared in consultation with the Toronto Entertainment District BIA Boundary Expansion Subcommittee and working with staff in the Business Improvement Area Office.

The Board of Management of the Toronto Entertainment District BIA passed a motion to explore expanding its western boundary from Spadina Avenue to Bathurst Street in June 2018. Since that time, the BIA, through its Boundary Expansion Subcommittee, has been actively consulting and communicating with businesses, property owners, and major stakeholders in the proposed expansion area to gauge their interest in joining the BIA.

The BIA hosted an informal boundary expansion meeting on January 30, 2019. The meeting was well attended and feedback was positive. A formal public meeting was held on July 30, 2019 to seek authority to proceed to a poll. Unfortunately, the meeting was attended by only five potential BIA members from the expansion area. A vote was held to determine whether to proceed to an expansion poll. Two voted in favour, three were opposed.

On December 17, 2019, City Council approved Notice of Motion MM13.7 directing the General Manager of Economic Development and Culture to hold a new public meeting to consider the expansion of the BIA. Pandemic-related restrictions have hindered the ability of the BIA Boundary Expansion Subcommittee and BIA Office staff to effectively organize a second formal public meeting. This motion will allow tenants and property owners in the west precinct of King-Spadina to vote on the potential expansion of the Toronto Entertainment District BIA.

The General Government and Licensing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council adopt the Ombudsman Toronto Report (November 12, 2020) and in so doing, accept the Ombudsman's findings and direct the City administration to implement all of the recommendations.

2. City Council direct the General Manager, Toronto Water, in consultation with the Director of Insurance and Risk Management, Finance and Treasury Services, and the City Solicitor to report to the General Government and Licensing Committee in the second quarter of 2021 on recommended eligibility criteria and financial implications of providing a one-time no-fault grant for residential property owners and/or tenants in the Rockcliffe neighbourhood of Ward 5, York South-Weston, and other similarly impacted areas, who did not have basement flooding insurance coverage and reported one or more sewer back-up/basement flooding incidents to the City of Toronto as of a result of storm events during the time period January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2020 inclusive.

Pursuant to section 170(2) of the City of Toronto Act, 2006 (COTA), Ombudsman Toronto has

concluded an Enquiry to review how the City of Toronto handles homeowners' third-party

liability claims for basement flooding and sewer backups.

We hereby table with City Council for its November 25 and 26, 2020 session the Enquiry

Report, dated November 12, 2020.

The General Government and Licensing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council authorize the initiation of the expropriation process for the City to acquire part of the property at 5795 Yonge Street, depicted in Appendix A to the report (December 14, 2020) from the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, (the "Lands"), to complete the construction, maintenance and future repairs of a public street.

2. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, or their designate, to serve and publish as required notices of Application for Approval to Expropriate Land, to forward to the Chief Inquiry Officer any requests for hearing that are received, to attend the hearing to present the City's position, and to report the Inquiry Officer's recommendations to City Council for its consideration.

The purpose of this report is to seek reauthorization from City Council to recommence proceedings for the expropriation of the fee simple interest and all other title, right and interest in certain lands forming part of the condominium property known municipally as 5795 Yonge Street. Reauthorization is required as the timelines for the final registration of the expropriation plan shown in (Appendix B) were not met and City Staff are required to recommence the proceedings for the expropriation of the required interests. The land to be expropriated is a small irregular piece of property required for the construction, maintenance and future repairs of a public street (the "Project").

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that:

1. City Council authorize the General Manager, Transportation Services to negotiate and execute a non-competitive bridge contract with Parsons Incorporated for the provision of RESCU Transportation Operations Centre operations services in the amount of $834,430.48 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($849,116.46 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries), for the period March 1, 2021 to September 30, 2021, on terms and conditions satisfactory to the General Manager, Transportation Services, and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

The purpose of this report is to request authority to award a non-competitive bridge contract to Parsons Inc. for the provision of RESCU Transportation Operations Centre Operations services in the amount of $834,430.48 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($849,116.46 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries), for the period March 1, 2021 to September 30, 2021 under the same contract terms and conditions set out in Request for Proposal Number 9117-16-7060.

The current contract under Request for Proposal Number 9117-16-7060 will be ending on February 28, 2021. This contract provides 24/7 operations for dispatching emergency transportation maintenance calls (i.e. electronic traffic control devices, traffic signs, right-of-way issues), providing traffic incident management on the City's roadways and traveller information to the public.

This non-competitive bridge contract will provide the essential traffic management services until a new competitive contract can tendered and awarded. Further, this extension will provide enough time for the new contractor to hire, train and transition themselves to take over the operation of the RESCU Transportation Operations Centre on October 1, 2021.

City Council approval is required in accordance with Municipal Code Chapter 195, Purchasing, where the current request exceeds the Chief Purchasing Officer's authority of the cumulative five year commitment limit for each vendor under Article 7, Section 195-7.3(D) of the Purchasing By-law or exceeds the threshold of $500,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax allowed under staff authority as per the Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 71, Financial Control, Section 71-11a.

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that:  

1. City Council direct that Confidential Attachment 1 to the report (December 18, 2020) from the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services remain confidential in its entirety as it relates to commercial or financial information that belongs to the City and has potential monetary value, and it involves a position, plan, procedure, criteria or instruction to be applied to any negotiation carried on or to be carried on by or on behalf of the City.

The purpose of this report is to provide City Council with information related to the District 1 and District 2 curbside collection contracts in anticipation of the transition to Extended Producer Responsibility.

The Infrastructure and Environment  Committee recommends that:  

1. City Council authorize the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to execute an amending and renewal agreement with Toronto Botanical Garden to extend the original 20-year term of the 2004 Management Agreement for another twenty years, to November 30, 2044, with an option to renew, at the General Manager's sole discretion after consultation with the Toronto Botanical Garden for an additional ten years after that, to November 30, 2054, all on terms and conditions satisfactory to the General Manager, and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

The purpose of this report is to seek authority from City Council to amend the 2004 Management Agreement with Toronto Botanical Garden, a registered charity, by extending its term for a second twenty year period, from December 1, 2024 to November 30, 2044, with an option to renew for an additional ten years after that, to November 30, 2054.

Under the Management Agreement with the City of Toronto, Toronto Botanical Garden manages 1.6 hectares of space, including indoor facilities and gardens collectively called the Toronto Botanical Garden, on behalf of the City at the approximately 14 hectare site of Edwards Gardens.

At its April 24, 25, 26, and 27, 2018, meeting, City Council passed PE26.2, Growing the Gardens, to facilitate the implementation of the Edwards Gardens and Toronto Botanical Garden Master Plan and Management Plan. Those plans outline long-term improvements for Edwards Gardens - Toronto Botanical Garden to create a world-class horticultural facility and cultural attraction in an ecologically and fiscally sustainable way. The Master Plan and Management Plan calls for Toronto Botanical Garden to raise approximately $50 million in private and public funds for capital improvements to Edwards Gardens - Toronto Botanical Garden over multiple years.

To secure donor confidence in its fundraising plan to facilitate significant gifts, Toronto Botanical Garden has requested that the current Management Agreement be extended for an additional twenty years starting in 2024, with an option to renew for an additional ten years after that. Section 3 of the 2004 Management Agreement requires City Council approval in order to extend the term.

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that:

1. City Council authorize the installation of traffic control signals at the intersection of Bloor Street West and Dundas Street West.

2. City Council authorize the installation of traffic control signals at the intersection of Dundas Street West and Kipling Avenue.

3. City Council authorize the installation of traffic control signals at the intersection of Dundas Street West and Dundas Street West.

4. City Council authorize the installation of traffic control signals at the intersection of Dundas Street West and Bindagen Trail.

5. City Council designate the two most easterly southbound lanes on Kipling Avenue, between Bloor Street West and a point 30.5 metres north, for southbound left-turns only.

6. City Council designate the two most northerly eastbound lanes on Bloor Street West, between Dundas Street West and a point 30.5 metres west, for eastbound left-turns only.

7. City Council designate the two most southerly westbound lanes on Bloor Street West, between Dundas Street West and a point 30.5 metres east, for westbound left-turns only.

8. City Council designate the two most easterly northbound lanes on Dundas Street West, between Dundas Street West and a point 30.5 metres south, for northbound right-turns only.

9. City Council designate the most southerly westbound lane on Dundas Street West, between Dundas Street West and a point 30.5 metres east, for westbound left-turns only.

10. City Council designate the most northerly westbound lane on Dundas Street West, between Dundas Street West and a point 30.5 metres east, for westbound left-turn, straight through and right-turn movements.

11. City Council designate the most northerly westbound lane on Bloor Street West, between Resurrection Road and Prennan Avenue, as a cycle track.

12. City Council designate the most southerly eastbound lane on Bloor Street West, between Beamish Drive and Resurrection Road, as a cycle track.

13. City Council designate the most northerly westbound and most southerly eastbound lanes on Dundas Street West, between Aukland Road and Dundas Street West, as cycle tracks.

14. City Council designate the most westerly southbound and the most easterly northbound lanes on Kipling Avenue, between Bloor Street West and Dundas Street West, as cycle tracks.

15. City Council designate the most westerly southbound lane on Kipling Avenue, between Dundas Street West and a point 58 metres south of Viking Lane, as a bicycle lane.

16. City Council designate the most easterly northbound lane on Kipling Avenue, between a point 33 metres south of the access road from northbound Kipling Avenue to St, Albans Road and Dundas Street West, as a bicycle lane.

17. City Council prohibit northbound, southbound, eastbound and westbound right-turn-on-red signal movements at the intersection of Bloor Street West and Kipling Avenue.

18. City Council prohibit northbound, southbound, eastbound and westbound right-turn-on-red signal movements at the intersection of Bloor Street West and Dundas Street West.

19. City Council prohibit northbound, southbound, eastbound and westbound right-turn-on-red signal movements at the intersection of Dundas Street West and Kipling Avenue.

20. City Council prohibit northbound right-turn-on-red movements on Dundas Street West at Dundas Street West.

21. City Council rescind the existing northbound left-turn prohibition on Beamish Drive at Bloor Street West.

22. City Council adopt regulatory parking amendments listed in Attachments 6 and 7 attached to the report (December 18, 2020) from the General Manager, Transportation Services, with Attachment 7 amended by replacing the reference to "Highway 27" with "Highway 427".

Following more than ten years of planning, consultation, engineering design, and construction, the Six Points Interchange Reconfiguration Project in the Bloor Street West, Dundas Street West and Kipling Avenue area of Etobicoke is nearing completion.

The reconfiguration supports the development of Etobicoke Centre as a vibrant mixed-use transit-oriented community and the design features including:

- a new road network and at-grade intersection at Dundas Street, Bloor Street and Kipling Avenue;
- Complete Streets, with improved pedestrian facilities, wide boulevards, trees, street furniture, improved access to Kipling Subway Station, cycling infrastructure installed on all major streets;
- new land available for potential uses such as parkettes, public art installations, development and other amenities; and
- a district energy plan.
 

Reconstruction of the Six Points Interchange follows an Environmental Assessment completed in 2008, and detailed technical design study completed in 2016. The reconstruction removes existing bridges constructed in 1961, and creates regular intersections between Kipling Avenue, Bloor Street West and Dundas Street West.

This report seeks Council authorization of the traffic regulation amendments required to reflect current field conditions, including the authorization of traffic control signals, turn lane, bicycle lane and cycle track designations, and right-turn-on-red prohibitions. The proposed traffic regulation amendments were part of the approved design for the Six Points Interchange Reconfiguration Project.

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that:  

1. City Council amend City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 937, Temporary Closing of Highways, to delegate to the General Manager, Transportation Services, until December 31, 2030, inclusive, the authority to temporarily close to pedestrian and vehicular traffic highways or portions of highways for a period up to and including 365 consecutive days but ending no later than December 31, 2030, inclusive, with the exception of those highways listed in Section 937-4 of Chapter 937, as required for the purpose of the construction of Ontario Line and City Council exempt the General Manager, Transportation Services, in carrying out this delegated authority from Section 937-5 of Chapter 937, that being the requirement to notify the local Ward Councillor of the pending closure and the requirement to report on the proposed closure if so requested by the local Ward Councillor.

2. City Council amend City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 937, Temporary Closing of Highways, to delegate to the General Manager, Transportation Services, until December 31, 2030, inclusive, the authority to temporarily close to pedestrian and vehicular traffic highways or portions of highways for a period up to and including 365 consecutive days but ending no later than December 31, 2030, inclusive, with the exception of those highways listed in Section 937-4 of Chapter 937, as required for the purpose of the construction of Eglinton Crosstown West Extension and City Council exempt the General Manager, Transportation Services, in carrying out this delegated authority from Section 937-5 of Chapter 937, that being the requirement to notify the local Ward Councillor of the pending closure and the requirement to report on the proposed closure if so requested by the local Ward Councillor.

3. City Council amend City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 27, Council Procedures, to provide that the current delegation to Community Council to temporarily close local roads, collector roads, and minor arterial roads does not include closures delegated to the General Manager, Transportation Services, in carrying out the authority in Parts 1 and 2 above.

4. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services, to request Metrolinx to expand its use of a 24 hour, 7 days a week hotline to accept and track complaints and reports of issues associated with the Ontario Line and Eglinton Crosstown West Extension projects.

5. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services, to work with Metrolinx to provide details of long-term road occupancy permits to the public on project websites, consistent with current practices deployed on the Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit, Finch West Light Rail Transit and GO Expansion projects.

6. City Council direct that the traffic lanes and sidewalks be reopened when the projects are complete.

7. City Council direct the Executive Director, Transit Expansion Office to work with Metrolinx to conduct consultations, prior to finalizing any agreements with Metrolinx, with the directly affected community, Business Improvement Areas and the local City Councillor. 

8. City Council direct the Executive Director, Transit Expansion Office to work with Metrolinx to include a provision to request a construction management plan for construction equipment clean-up of the sites and along the stretch of the Business Improvement Areas, such that that small businesses will not have their storefronts blocked and obstructed.

9. City Council direct the Executive Director, Transit Expansion Office to work with Metrolinx to include a small business recovery compensation plan for businesses directly affected in their agreements, so that the small businesses can keep their doors open through ten years of construction.

10. City Council direct the Executive Director, Transit Expansion Office  to work with Metrolinx to put a clause in the tendering documents for the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, Yonge North Subway Extension and Ontario Line that sets out clear expectations for operational requirements in any City Right-of-Way to keep the area clean and tidy and respectful of business and residents; that requires the contractor to file a plan to meet these requirements; and that requires the contractor to have a single point of contact from management position for business and residents. 

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee:

1. Requested the Deputy City Manager, Infrastructure and Development Services to report directly to the February 2 and 3, 2021 City Council meeting on the results of the study on the assessment of the impact on road works and bridge work to transit and traffic operations between Gerrard Avenue and Eastern Avenue.

The purpose of this report is to seek approval to authorize the General Manager, Transportation Services until December 31, 2030 to temporarily close to pedestrian and vehicular traffic highways or portion of highways for a period up to and including 365 consecutive days, but ending no later than December 31, 2030, inclusive, as required for the purpose of construction of the Metrolinx Transit Expansion projects Ontario Line, Eglinton Crosstown West Extension and Yonge North Subway Extension.

This recommended delegation is similar to the authority previously granted to the General Manager, Transportation Services in relation to the Line 2 Scarborough Subway Extension, Line 5 Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit, Line 6 Finch West Light Rail Transit and GO Expansion projects. This authority is necessary as the scope of the new Transit Expansion projects requires numerous concurrent and consecutive lane closures that will extend beyond thirty days during a multi-year construction period.

Delegation minimizes the chance of project delay and significantly reduces the administrative burden on City of Toronto staff, enabling them to focus on working with Metrolinx, contractors, local ward councillors, and the community to maximize the effectiveness of traffic management and construction scheduling.

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that:

1. City Council endorse the Recommended Design Concept of the yongeTOmorrow Municipal Class Environmental Assessment outlined in Attachment 8 to the report (December 18, 2020) from the General Manager, Transportation Services.

2. City Council authorize the General Manager, Transportation Services to publish a Notice of Completion and file the Environmental Study Report for the yongeTOmorrow Schedule "C" Municipal Class Environmental Assessment on the public record for a minimum 30 days in accordance with the requirements of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Act.

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee:

1. Requested the General Manager, Transportation Services to provide a supplementary report to the February 2 and 3, 2021 City Council meeting that:

a. clarifies the timelines, requirements and recommendations of the Environmental Assessment; 

b. summarizes next steps for detailed design, operations planning and construction; and

c. summarizes next steps for consultation and engagement with main street businesses and other stakeholders. 
 

2. Requested the General Manager, Transportation Services to brief stakeholders, including the Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area, about the Environmental Assessment, before the City Council meeting on February 2 and 3, 2021.

Yonge Street is Toronto's most iconic street and it plays a symbolic role in the cultural identity of Toronto. The section between Queen Street and Carlton / College Street has a distinct character within the broader downtown context – it has a high concentration of pedestrians, street-related retail, and entertainment uses. This area attracts a large number of events, visitors, and tourists.

While the number of pedestrians on Yonge Street has somewhat lessened during the COVID-19 pandemic, in the last several years, Yonge Street has been struggling to serve the growing pedestrian demand which has resulted from more people living and working downtown. There is overcrowding and insufficient clearway on some sections of sidewalk. The number of pedestrians on the street is expected to continue to grow due to a projected doubling in population and employment in the surrounding area by 2041 along with a continued mode shift towards walking. Without improvement, the sidewalks will become critically deficient, risk pedestrian safety, and deter significant economic and cultural investment.

Yonge Street also lacks space for seating, sidewalk cafes, and plantings which support enjoyment of the street as a destination. With a limited right-of-way of 20 metres there are many demands being placed on the street by people walking, cycling, and driving. Prioritization and management of the interactions between all modes is critical. Consideration must also be given to the operation of surface transit, as well as curbside activities like deliveries and ride hailing which support the local economy.

The Downtown Plan (TOcore) adopted by City Council in May 2018 identified Yonge Street as one of Toronto’s Great Streets, a Cultural Corridor, and a Priority Retail Street. The goals set for Yonge Street in TOcore, along with consultation feedback, have guided the evaluation of alternatives for yongeTOmorrow and the prioritization of space within a physically limited public right-of-way.

yongeTOmorrow is a Municipal Class 'C' Environmental Assessment focused on the development and evaluation of design alternatives for Yonge Street from Queen Street to College / Carlton Street. A number of opportunities have been considered to increase pedestrian space and improve the way people move through and experience downtown Yonge Street.

This report summarizes the yongeTOmorrow Environmental Assessment process and the resulting Recommended Design Concept which proposes shifting the existing curb alignment to increase sidewalk widths by removing two driving lanes on Yonge Street from College / Carlton Street to Queen Street.

While the design of the street recommended through the yongeTOmorrow Environmental Assessment process would be consistent for the entire stretch, the study also evaluated various traffic operational strategies and proposes a flexible approach that would change the way the street functions from day to night. During the day, the one kilometre long stretch of Yonge Street between College / Carlton Street and Queen Street would be prioritized for people walking, cycling, and experiencing the street, while still providing for access and delivery routing needs through pedestrian priority zones, one-way and two-way driving access combined strategically to reduce traffic volumes. Overnight all blocks would have two-way driving access to support Toronto Transit Commission night bus service, deliveries, and general traffic.

A cast iron watermain constructed in 1889 exists beneath Yonge Street from Queen Street to College / Carlton Street. This watermain is due for replacement and Yonge Street will need to be reconstructed to facilitate replacement of the watermain. There is an urgency to arrive at a long term design solution for Yonge Street so that road works can be bundled with the watermain replacement.

At its meeting on December 1, 2020, the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee received a presentation from the Senior Project Manager, Major Projects, Transportation Services on the yongeTOmorrow Initiative and Accessibility.

The Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee submits its recommendation on the yongeTOmorrow Initiative and Accessibility to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee.

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that:

1. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services, in consultation with accessibility stakeholders, to develop accessibility guidelines, workshops, and harmonized standards in the delivery of an expanded cycling network and report back to the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee by the end of the third quarter of 2021.

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee:

1. Directed that following the presentation to the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee, the item be transmitted to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee.

At its meeting on December 1, 2020, the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee received a presentation from the Manager, Cycling and Pedestrian Project on ActiveTO and Accessibility.

The Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee submits its recommendation on ActiveTO and Accessibility to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee.

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to report back to the Planning and Housing Committee meeting in the second quarter of 2021 on potential improvements to virtual hearings at the Committee of Adjustment with regards to:

a. advice on the feasibility of sending notices to all residential mail-boxes within the 60 metre radius from the subject property;

b. including a clearly stated deadline for comment submission on posted notices;

c. reviewing the feasibility of moving the deadline for public submissions closer to the meeting date, from 5 business days to 3 business days prior to the meeting; and

d. reviewing the feasibility of extending the deadline for elected officials, providing a period of 1 business day after the notice deadline to review comments received from community members.

I believe that tenant participation is critical for good City planning and public process. This motion aims to build on MM27.27 and PH16.4, both dealing with the Committee of Adjustment, by addressing barriers to tenant participation. If a resident lives in an apartment building that is the subject of an application to the Committee of Adjustment, they will not receive direct notice of the hearing from the City, whereas property owners up to 60m from the site receive this type of notice; regardless whether they live in the community or not. Applicants are required to post signage in a conspicuous location, however the absence of a clearly stated deadline for public comment submission makes these signs less effective participation resources than they could be. For these reasons, I am asking for Planning and Housing Committee’s support to look at these Committee of Adjustment changes to improve tenant participation.

The Planning and Housing Committee submits the item to City Council without recommendations.

The Planning and Housing Committee:

1. Requested the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards to report directly to the February 2, 2021 meeting of City Council with an interim update on the implementation of the City's Short Term Rental regulations and registrations process and include in that answers to the following questions:

a.  Will Short Term Rental Companies de-list all those properties that have no valid, city-issued permit number attached? 
 

b.  Will Short Term Rental Companies ensure that only valid city registration numbers are used?
 

c.  How will Short Term Rental Companies distinguish between a valid and a made up registration number?
 

d.  Will Short Term Rental Companies de-list all properties that currently say “exempt” in their registration field?

In December 2017, and January 2018, City Council approved regulations for short-term rentals in Toronto. However, the City’s zoning bylaw amendments to permit short-term rentals as a use were appealed to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) and so implementation of the regulations was delayed.  In January 2019, City Council voted to request Airbnb and other short-term rental platforms to voluntarily abide by rules approved by City Council in 2017 permitting short-term rentals, while they are currently under appeal at the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal. Alas, Council's request went largely unheeded. In November, 2019 the LPAT issued a ruling that dismissed the appeals and upheld City Council's adopted zoning bylaw for short-term rentals and since then City staff have been working to implement the regulations adopted by Council.

In February 2019, Council considered a City commissioned report on Toronto's housing market that warned:

In the absence of government intervention and action across the housing continuum, Toronto’s low- and moderate income households will face a grim housing situation.

Unremedied, the housing situation in Toronto will produce consequential challenges for equity, cohesion, and economic prosperity in the city.  The report projects worsening conditions among those already severely burdened households, including low-income households; seniors with multiple health conditions and fixed incomes; lone parent families, households receiving social assistance, and immigrants.

With concerns about mass residential evictions resulting from the economic crisis caused by the pandemic and changes to provincial regulations, it would be helpful at this time to get an interim update on the short term rental regulations and registration implementation process and for that to address the questions that arise out of concerns in implementing short term rental regulations in other jurisdictions.

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council request the Premier of Ontario, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries and the Minister of Infrastructure to immediately halt any demolition or construction work at 153-185 Eastern Avenue for a minimum of 30 days and to provide the following for the City to comment on and review:

a.  Cultural Heritage Evaluation;
b.  Archaeological Assessment;
c.  Heritage Impact Assessment;
d.  Strategic Conservation Plan;
e.  Environmental Site Assessment; and
f.  Any other studies done with relation to 153-185 Eastern Avenue.

 
2. City Council request the Premier of Ontario, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries and the Minister of Infrastructure to immediately engage and consult with residents about the future of 153-185 Eastern Avenue.

3. In the event that the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning is unable to report on the studies referred to in the letter of January 19, 2021 to the Chief Planner from the Assistant Deputy Minister, Housing Division, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and confirm that the Province will cease demolition until reviews of such studies have been completed, City Council direct the City Solicitor and appropriate City Staff to seek an immediate injunction on any work to demolish the buildings located at 153-185 Eastern Avenue until such time that a Strategic Conservation Plan and required public engagement can be undertaken, and until any other obligations that the Province may be required to fulfill by law or contract have been fulfilled.

4.  City Council immediately send a copy of this item to the Premier of Ontario, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries and the Minister of Infrastructure.

The Planning and Housing Committee:

1.  Requested the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, the Senior Manager, Heritage Preservation Services, the General Manager, Transportation Services and the City Solicitor to report to the February 2, 2021 meeting of City Council with the information and recommendations on: 

a. a review by City staff and third party review as may be necessary, of the studies referred to in the letter of January 19, 2021 to the Chief Planner from the Assistant Deputy Minister, Housing Division, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and confirmation from the Province that demolition will cease until such reviews have been completed;

b. who the identified development proponent is for 153-185 Eastern Ave; the number of affordable and market housing units being proposed; and any draft concept/development plans that were used to help prepare the Minister's Zoning Order (O. Reg 595/20) that was issued on October 22, 2020, and whether pre-consultation meetings between the development proponent and the City may commence immediately, and if necessary, additional meetings be held with the local Councillor and/or the local community;

c. Historic agreements and restrictive covenants between the Province, City, Toronto Region Conservation Authority and any others on properties at 153-185 Eastern Avenue;

d. Requirements under the Standards and Guidelines for Conservation of Provincial Heritage Properties (2010) or other relevant municipal, provincial or federal policies that would discourage or prevent the demolition of the listed heritage properties at 153-185 Eastern Avenue;

e. Revoking the right of way permit that was issued by Transportation Services to facilitate any future demolition on the site;

f. Site conditions, including potential asbestos and soil contamination, species-at-risk and trees on-site; and

g. Any actions the City could take to halt or delay the demolition of the buildings at 153-185 Eastern Avenue.

Yesterday, the Province of Ontario deployed a demolition crew to begin razing the four heritage buildings at the provincially owned Dominion Foundry Complex at 153 to 185 Eastern Avenue, also known as Blocks 17 and 26. This site contains the largest concentration of heritage buildings to be preserved within the 80 acre West Don Lands precinct. At the time of writing, there have been no development plans nor community consultation about the future of the Foundry site.

The Foundry site was subject to one of three Minister’s Zoning Orders (MZOs) last year. The MZO issued on Blocks 17 and 26 permits up to three tall buildings, with no specified unit count. The MZO is entirely silent on matters of heritage and affordable housing, as such there is no evidence from the Government of Ontario that they are committed to these matters.

The four buildings on the Foundry site were constructed between 1917 and 1929, and were owned by the Canadian Northern Railway (later, the Canadian National Railways). They were used by the Dominion Wheel and Foundries Company to produce railway equipment. As noted when the properties were added to the City’s heritage register in 2004, the four buildings were deemed “historically and architecturally significant as a good example of an industrial enclave in the area adjoining the lower Don River.”

The province has provided no justification as to why these buildings are required to be demolished to accommodate the development parameters in its MZO. Since before the MZO was issued, there has been no consultation with the community about the future of the Foundry site.

As the site is provincially owned, the advice from City staff is that the province is not required to obtain a building permit from the City to proceed with demolition. At the request of the Province, Transportation Services issued a staging permit that would allow the demolition of the four buildings without consulting other divisions and my office first. I have requested to the Manager, Transportation Services, that the staging permit be revoked.

By its own heritage policies outlined in Standards and Guidelines for Conservation of Provincial Heritage Properties (2010), the Province of Ontario is required to “consider removal or demolition as a last resort, subject to heritage impact assessment and public engagement. Use best efforts to mitigate loss of cultural heritage value.”

Per this document, the Government of Ontario must carry out a Strategic Conservation Plan and Heritage Impact Assessment with public engagement before undertaking any removal or demolition of the provincial heritage buildings. The Chief Planner and Executive Director has submitted a letter to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and the Ministry of Infrastructure requesting confirmation to this effect.

There are many other issues that require more information as well, including the potential presence of an endangered bat species that the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks noted in a permit they issued to Infrastructure Ontario on December 30, 2020 that was discovered by a local resident. Residents have also raised concern about potential contaminants on site, as well as trees that may be lost without any apparent accounting or replacement plan by the Province.

The action the Province is taking is more than just the potential loss of four buildings in the West Don Lands. The MZOs that were sprung on the City last year--part of more than an unprecedented three dozen MZOs that were issued by the province in 2020--are part of a pattern. That pattern shows a disinterest by the Province in engaging with local planning, local decision-makers, and critically, local residents. The MZOs are not just threatening heritage buildings, they are also threatening the provincially significant wetlands in the GTA, in many cases without any consultation with local residents and stakeholders.

It is prudent for the Government of Ontario to carefully consider their response to Toronto’s Chief Planner. At minimum, any plans to demolish the Foundry Buildings must be stopped. Any further disregard of their own heritage policies represent an irreversible mistake and a willful attack on the heritage and cultural identity of our province and city. It is also prudent that the Province be transparent about what its future plans are for the site, including how it came to the numbers contained in the MZO for Blocks 17 and 26. There are too many unanswered questions, and a full accounting is necessary to ensure that the Province is working in good faith with the City and the West Don Lands and Corktown community.

The Etobicoke York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council amend the former City of Etobicoke Zoning Code for the lands at 5507 and 5509 Dundas Street West substantially in accordance with the Draft Zoning By-law Amendment attached as Attachment 6 to the report (December 14, 2020) from the Director, Community Planning, Etobicoke York District.

2. City Council amend City-wide Zoning By-law 569-2013 for the lands at 5507 and 5509 Dundas Street West substantially in accordance with the Draft Zoning By-law Amendment attached as Attachment 7 to the report (December 14, 2020) from the Director, Community Planning, Etobicoke York District.

3. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the Draft Zoning By-laws as may be required.

4. Before introducing the necessary Bills to City Council for enactment, City Council require the owner to enter into an Agreement pursuant to Section 37 of the Planning Act, including provisions for indemnity, insurance, financial security, maintenance, HST and indexing, as applicable, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the City Solicitor, as follows:

a. The community benefits recommended to be secured in the Section 37 Agreement are as follows:

i.  Prior to the issuance of the first above-grade building permit, the owner shall make a financial contribution to the City in the amount of one million dollars ($1,000,000) by certified cheque payable to the Treasurer, City of Toronto, to be allocated at the discretion of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with the Ward Councillor, toward capital improvements for one or more of the following capital improvements within the Ward:

A.  Islington BIA;

B.  Etobicoke Centre Six Points Park;

C.  Etobicoke Civic Centre Library and Community Centre;

D.  Local non-profit child care facilities;

E.  Wedgewood Pool; and

F.  Local park and streetscape improvements.          

ii.   The financial contribution pursuant to Recommendation 4.a.i. above shall be indexed upwardly in accordance with the Statistics Canada Non-Residential Building Construction Price Index for Toronto, calculated from the date of execution of the Section 37 Agreement to the date of payment;

iii. In the event the financial contribution in Recommendation 4.a.i. above has not been used for the intended purposes within three (3) years of the by-law coming into full force and effect, the contribution may be redirected for another purpose(s), at the discretion of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with the Ward Councillor, provided that the purpose(s) is identified in the Official Plan and will benefit the community in the vicinity of the lands;

iv. The owner shall make a Public Art contribution in the amount of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) on public art program terms set out in the Section 37 Agreement and to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, which amount shall be indexed upwardly in accordance with the Statistics Canada Non-Residential Building Construction Price Index for Toronto, calculated from the date of execution of the Section 37 Agreement to the date of issuance of the first above-grade building permit;

v. The owner shall provide and maintain at least six (6) affordable rental dwelling units within the proposed mixed-use building on the lot to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning;

vi. The owner shall provide and maintain the six (6) affordable rental dwelling units as rental dwelling units for at least twenty (20) years, beginning from the date that each such unit is first occupied on terms set out in the Section 37 Agreement. No affordable rental dwelling unit shall be registered as a condominium or any other form of ownership such as life lease or co-ownership which provides a right to exclusive possession of a dwelling unit, and no application for conversion for non-rental housing purposes or to demolish any affordable rental dwelling unit shall be made for at least twenty (20) years from the date of first occupancy. Upon the expiration of the twenty (20) year period, the owner shall continue to provide and maintain the affordable rental dwelling units as rental dwelling units, unless and until such time as the owner has applied for and obtained all approvals necessary to do otherwise; 

vii. The owner shall provide and maintain the six (6) affordable rental dwelling units in accordance with the following:  a) one (1) of the affordable rental dwelling units shall be three-bedroom or larger and shall have a minimum floor area of 111.7 m2; b)  two (2) of the affordable rental dwelling units shall be two-bedroom units or larger and shall each have a minimum floor area of at least 87 m2; and c) three (3) of the affordable rental dwelling units shall be one-bedroom units or larger and shall each have a minimum floor area of at least 62.7 m2;

viii. The owner shall provide and maintain the six (6) affordable rental dwelling units at affordable rents for at least fifteen (15) years, beginning with the date that each such unit is first occupied, in accordance with the terms set out in the Section 37 Agreement, including:

A. The initial rent (inclusive of utilities) charged to tenants upon first occupancy of a new affordable rental dwelling unit shall not exceed the average rent for the same unit type for the City of Toronto, as reported by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation in its most recent annual Rental Market Report;

B. After the first year of occupancy of a new affordable rental unit, the rent (inclusive of utilities) charged to tenants occupying the new affordable rental unit may be escalated annually by not more than the annual provincial rent guideline, until the tenancy ends;

C. Notwithstanding the annual rent increases permitted in subsection viii (a) above, the rent (inclusive of utilities) charged to any tenants occupying an affordable rental dwelling unit shall not be increased to an amount that exceeds the average rent for the same unit type for the City of Toronto, as reported by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation in its most recent annual Rental Market Report; and

D. If an affordable rental dwelling unit becomes vacant and is re-rented during the 15-year affordability period, the initial rent (inclusive of utilities) charged to new tenants shall be no higher than the average rent for the same unit type for the City of Toronto, as reported by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation in its most recent annual Rental Market Report, until the tenancy ends.

ix. Tenants of the new affordable rental units shall have access to all indoor and outdoor amenity spaces associated with the mixed-use building on the same basis as other units within the development with no separate or additional charges;

x. The location and layouts of the new affordable rental units within the new mixed-use building shall be to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning;

xi.  At least six months in advance of any new affordable rental units within the development being made available for rent to the general public, the owner shall develop and implement a Co-ordinated Access Plan in consultation with, and to the satisfaction, of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning; and

xii. The Co-ordinated Access Plan will provide that:

A. Any affordable rental units are provided only to tenant households that have demonstrated, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, they are in financial need of affordable rental accommodation, as the case may be;

B. The owner shall consult with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and offer any affordable rental units to tenant households who have demonstrated need as in A. above and who are on such waiting lists as may be specified, prior to making any affordable rental units available for rent to the general public; and

C. The owner shall make reasonable efforts, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to ensure, that any accessible rental units are made available for rent to tenant households having one or more household members with special needs, including physical and/or mental limitation; and

D. When entering into a tenancy agreement for a new affordable rental unit, the tenant's household income shall not exceed four (4) times the annual equivalent of the rent (inclusive of utilities) for the rental unit; and

xiii. The new affordable rental units shall be made ready and available for occupancy no later than the date by which seventy percent (70%) of the new dwelling units erected on the Lands are available and ready for occupancy.

b.  The following matters are also recommended to be secured in the Section 37 Agreement in support of the development:

i. The owner shall construct and maintain, at its own expense, an area of not less than 177 m2 in a plaza on the south and west corner of Dundas Street Wet and Shorncliffe Road, for use by the general public as privately–owned publicly accessible open space (POPS) with the specific location, configuration and design to be determined and secured in the context of site plan approval to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

ii. Prior to the issuance of the first above-grade building permit, building permit, the owner shall prepare all documents and convey, on terms set out in the Section 37 Agreement, an access easement in favour of the City in perpetuity, including support rights as applicable, for public use of the POPS, all to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the City Solicitor.

iii. Prior to issuance of the first above-grade building permit, the owner shall prepare all documents and convey, on terms set out in the Section 37 Agreement, an easement in favour of the City in perpetuity, including support rights as applicable, for public pedestrian and vehicular use of the rear access having a width of not less than 7.5 metres measured from the south property boundary the full width of the site, all to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, the General Manager, Transportation Services and the City Solicitor.  Such access easement shall include use associated with properties adjacent to a westerly extension of the rear access to a new proposed public street and fronting onto Dundas Street as well as properties south of such westerly extension, as applicable.

iv. The owner shall, at its own expense, construct and maintain the rear access lands, referred to in Recommendation 4.b.iii. above, to the standard required of a public lane to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Transportation Services, with the design, details and configuration to be determined and secured in the context of site plan approval.

v. The owner shall provide the City with a right, upon delivery of written notice in the future, to require the fee simple conveyance of the rear access lands referred to in Recommendation 4.b.i.i.i above to the City, all to the satisfaction of  the General Manager Transportation Services and the City Solicitor on terms set out in the Section 37 Agreement.    The right shall be exercisable at the discretion of the General Manager, Transportation Services, to facilitate a public lane at the rear of properties fronting onto Dundas Street West and extending westerly between Shorncliffe Road and a new proposed street to the west.  Upon receipt of such notice, the then owner of the of property shall prepare all documents and convey the rear access lands to the City on a date that is 120 days following the delivery of notice, or a date otherwise determined appropriate by the General Manager, Transportation Services, to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor.  Prior to conveyance, and as may be required, the then owner shall assess and remediate the lands being conveyed, in accordance with the most current environmental policies of City Council and reconstruct the rear access as a public lane.

vi. Prior to issuance of the first above-grade building permit, the owner shall prepare all documents and convey, on terms set out in the Section 37 Agreement, a pedestrian clearway easement in favour of the City in perpetuity,  including support rights as applicable, to achieve a minimum of 2.1 metre public sidewalk for use by the public along the frontages of Dundas Street West and Shorncliffe Road, all to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Transportation Services and the City Solicitor.  The details, location and configuration of the pedestrian clearway will be determined and secured in the context of site plan approval and the owner shall construct and maintain the pedestrian clearway easement lands at its own cost and expense.

vii. The owner shall construct and maintain the development in accordance with Tier 1 performance measures of the Toronto Green Standard, as adopted by Toronto City Council from time to time, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

viii. The owner shall satisfy applicable signage requirements of the Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Catholic District School Board and shall insert warning clauses in purchase and sale/tenancy agreements as required in connection with student accommodation.

ix. The owner shall, at its own expense, address the following matters in any application for site plan approval for the development, which shall be determined and secured in a site plan agreement with the City, as applicable, all to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning:

A. In the event that car-share spaces, as defined in the Zoning By-law Amendment, are to be provided, a car-share provider shall be secured to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Transportation Services;

B. Implementation of any required air quality and odour mitigation or other recommendations, as detailed in the Air Quality and Odour Assessment (revised January 2020), prepared by RWDI, as may be amended through a peer review process undertaken at the expense of the owner, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning;

C. Implementation of any required noise and vibration abatement measures or other recommendations, as detailed in the Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment (revised April 2020), prepared by RWDI, as may be amended through a peer review process undertaken at the expense of the owner to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning;

D. Construction of a bus platform, stop and shelter on the Shorncliffe Road frontage to the satisfaction of the Toronto Transit Commission;

E. Implementation of noise attenuation for the units in proximity to the proposed bus stop as may be recommended by the Toronto Transit Commission, including warning clauses in the associated purchase and sale/tenancy agreements;

F. Reconstruction of the City sidewalks to City standards along the frontages of Dundas Street West and Shorncliffe Road, to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Transportation Services;

G. Provision of on-site dog-relief facilities, with the location, nature and size of the facilities to be determined through the site plan approval process to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning; and

H. Incorporation of signage to identify the proposed privately-owned publicly accessible open space (POP) to be located in a plaza on the south and west corner of Dundas Street West and Shorncliffe Road.

x. The conveyance of any easement or fee simple interest of lands to the City as contemplated in this Recommendation 4, shall be at no cost to the City,  for nominal consideration and free and clear of encumbrances to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning as well as the General Manager, Transportation Services, as the case may be, and the cost of preparation and deposit of accepted reference plans shall also be at the owner's expense.

The Etobicoke York Community Council held a statutory public meeting on January 8, 2021, and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This application proposes to amend the former City of Etobicoke Zoning Code and City-wide Zoning By-law 569-2013 to permit a 22 storey (21 storey plus mezzanine)  71.3 m in height excluding mechanical penthouse (73.3 m in height including mechanical penthouse) mixed-use building at 5507 and 5509 Dundas Street West.  The building would contain 259 residential units and 1,209 m2 of commercial at-grade floor area.  The building would have a gross floor area of 21,935 m2, yielding a Floor Space Index of approximately 6.56 times the area of the lot.  A total of 183 parking spaces would be provided in three levels of parking.  Vehicular access to the below grade parking would be provided via a rear lane which would be subject to a public easement and potential conveyance to the City in the future.  The proposal also includes a POPS space at the front of the building with a public art installation and six affordable rental apartment units.

The proposed development has regard for matters of Provincial Interest, is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement (2020) and conforms with A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2020).  The proposed development represents appropriate intensification along Dundas Street West and is consistent with the City Official Plan and Guidelines. 

This report reviews and recommends approval of the application to amend the Zoning By-laws subject to the owner entering into a Section 37 Agreement and the conditions listed in a Holding Provision.  Provided the matters subject to the Holding Provision are addressed, staff are of the opinion the proposed development is appropriate in this location.

The Etobicoke York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council direct the City Solicitor, together with appropriate City staff, and/or retain external consultants, as may be appropriate, to attend the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) hearing to oppose the applicant's appeal of the Zoning By-law Amendment application for 933-935 The Queensway.

2.  City Council authorize the City Solicitor and appropriate staff to continue to seek revisions to the proposal and to continue discussions with the applicant in an attempt to resolve the issues outlined in this report satisfactory to the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and to report back to City Council on the outcome of discussions, if necessary.

 
3.  In the event the LPAT allows the appeal in whole or in part, City Council direct the City Solicitor to request the LPAT to withhold the issuance of any Order(s) on the appeal for the subject lands until:

a.  The proposed Zoning By-law Amendments are in a final form satisfactory to the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the City Solicitor. 

 
b.  A Section 37 Agreement satisfactory to the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the City Solicitor, has been executed and registered on title to the subject lands to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor, securing community benefits to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning in consultation with the Ward Councillor, and securing the matters required to support the development outlined in Recommendation 4 below.

 
c.  The owner has submitted a revised Functional Servicing Report to determine the stormwater runoff, sanitary flow and water supply demand resulting from this development and whether there is adequate capacity in the existing municipal infrastructure to accommodate the proposed development and if upgrades/improvements to the existing municipal infrastructure are required to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director of Engineering and Construction Services.

 
d.  The owner has made satisfactory arrangements with the City and entered into the appropriate financially secured Development Agreement with the City for the design and construction of any improvements to the municipal infrastructure, should it be determined that upgrades are required to the infrastructure to accommodate this development, according to the Functional Servicing Report accepted by the Chief Engineer and Executive Director of Engineering and Construction Services and the Urban Transportation Considerations Report accepted by the General Manager of Transportation Services.

 
e.  The owner has provided space within the development for installation of maintenance access holes and sampling ports on the private side, as close to the property line as possible, for both the storm and sanitary service connections, in accordance with the Sewers By-law Chapter 681.

f.  The owner has secured any required noise mitigation measures identified in the submitted Noise and Vibration Impact Study, peer reviewed at the owner’s expense, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning. The owner shall construct and maintain any required noise mitigation measures, with such design to be secured through the site plan application review process, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

 
g.  The owner has secured any required mitigation measures identified in the submitted Compatibility/Mitigation Report, peer reviewed at the owner’s expense, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning. The owner shall construct and maintain any required mitigation measures, with such design to be secured through the site plan application review process, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

 
h.  The owner shall submit a detailed wind tunnel test complete with a statistical wind analysis to determine the impacts and efficacy of the recommended wind mitigation measures, evaluated to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning. The owner shall construct and maintain any required mitigation measures, to be secured through the site plan application review process, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning. 

4.  In the event the LPAT allows the appeal in whole or in part, City Council authorize the City Solicitor to enter into an agreement pursuant to Section 37 of the Planning Act securing the following as matters required to support the development:  

a.  The owner shall enter into a financially secured Development Agreement for the construction of any improvements to the existing municipal infrastructure, should it be determined that upgrades are required to the infrastructure to support this development.

 
b.  The owner shall construct and maintain the development in accordance with Tier 1 performance measures of the Toronto Green Standard, as adopted by Toronto City Council at its meeting held on October 26 and 27, 2009 through the adoption of Item PG32.3 of the Planning and Growth Management Committee, and as updated by Toronto City Council at its meeting held on December 5, 6 and 7, 2017 through the adoption of Item PG23.9 of the Planning and Growth Management Committee, and as may be further amended by City Council from time to time.
 

c.  The owner shall satisfy the requirements of the Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Catholic District School Board regarding warning clauses and signage with respect to school accommodation issues.

 
d.  A minimum of 10% of the dwelling units on the lands must be three-bedroom units and a minimum of 20% of the dwelling units on the lands must be two-bedrooms units.

5.  City Council authorize the City Solicitor and appropriate City staff to take such necessary steps, as required, to implement City Council's decision.

The owner of the site at 933-935 The Queensway has appealed the Zoning By-law Amendment application for these lands to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) citing City Council's failure to make a decision on the application within the time period prescribed under the Planning Act. A second LPAT Case Management Conference is scheduled for March 8, 2021.

This application proposes to amend the former City of Etobicoke Zoning Code (Site Specific Zoning By-law No. 514-2003) and City-wide Zoning By-law No. 569-2013 to permit a stepped 16-storey (53.43 m in height, excluding the mechanical penthouse) mixed-use building at 933-935 The Queensway. The proposed building would contain 227 dwelling units, a residential Gross Floor Area of 18,118 m² and a commercial Gross Floor Area of 492 m² at grade for a total density of 6.93 times the area of the lot. The development would include 238 parking spaces in a 4-storey underground parking garage.

The purpose of this report is to seek City Council's direction for the City Solicitor and other appropriate City staff to attend the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal hearing to oppose the application, as currently proposed. The proposed development is not consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement (2020) and does not conform with the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2020). This report reviews and recommends refusal of the application in its current form with respect to the proposed building typology, building height, massing and density. The proposed building height and density are not in keeping with the existing or planned context for the Avenues area along The Queensway as identified in Official Plan policies, The Queensway Avenue Study, the implementing Zoning By-law nor the Queensway Design Guidelines and Streetscape Improvements.

The Etobicoke York Community Council recommends that:  

1. City Council designate the westerly southbound lane on Mill Road, between Markland Drive and a point 30.5 metres north, for southbound right-turns only.

As the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) operates bus service on Mill Road, City Council approval of this report is required.

The purpose of this report is to designate the westerly southbound lane on Mill Road, between Markland Drive and a point 30.5 metres north, for southbound right-turns only.

The Etobicoke York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council authorize the permanent closure of the portions of the public highway lands abutting Dundas Street West and Kipling Avenue, shown as Part 11 and 12 of the R-Plan 66R-30391 (the "Highway"), Attachment 2 to the report (December 14, 2020) from the Director, Transportation Planning and Capital Program, Transportation Services.

2. City Council enact a by-law substantially in the form of the draft by-law attached as Appendix "A", to Attachment 1 to the report (December 14, 2020) from the Director, Transportation Planning and Capital Program, Transportation Services.

Transportation Services recommends that the portions of highway lands abutting Dundas Street West and Kipling Avenue be permanently closed and operational management of the lands to be transferred to Corporate Real Estate Management in order to complete the City-initiated Six Points Redevelopment Project.

The Etobicoke York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council exempt the applicant at 703 The Queensway from the provision of an additional 6 parking spaces on-site in order to satisfy the requirements of Site Specific Zoning By-law 514-2003, subject to a $30,000 payment-in-lieu of parking, provided the applicant signs a Payment-In-Lieu of Parking Agreement with the City, to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor.

This report seeks City Council's approval to exempt the owner of 703 The Queensway from the parking requirements specified in Site Specific Zoning By-law 514-2003.

The site was the subject of Committee of Adjustment Minor Variance Application A0303/20EYK.  Under this application, the owner of the property requested approval to permit a parking deficiency for a dental office and two residential dwelling units.  In accordance with the October 6, 2020 decision for the above-noted file, the Committee approved the Minor Variance Application on condition that the owner successfully lease off-site parking,  provide the City with payment-in-lieu of parking, or a combination of both, to the satisfaction Development Planning and Review, Transportation Services. The owner has chosen not to pursue the option of leasing off-site parking spaces and will proceed only with a payment-in-lieu of parking application.

As noted in the above-referenced Committee of Adjustment decision, a minimum of 9 parking spaces are required for the proposed dental office use and 2 parking spaces are required for the proposed dwelling units under Site Specific Zoning By-law 514-2003. However, based on information provided by the owner, the dental office use will perform a very specialized function.  Taking into account potential staff expansion, the use will contain a pediatric dentist, a periodontist, an endodontist and an oral surgeon, plus a maximum of 4 support staff and a maximum of 2 patients at any time.  The owner further advised that at no point will there be an overlap in specialized dentists at the dental office.  On this basis, it would be reasonable to conclude that the dental office use will generate a parking demand of approximately 7 spaces at any point in time.

A total of 3 parking spaces will be provided on-site, of which 2 spaces will be exclusively designated for the residential units and 1 space will be designated for the dental office use.

Given the demand information provided, the owner submitted a request for Payment-In-Lieu of Parking to the City, which amounts to $30,000, for a parking deficiency of 6 spaces.

The parking exemption is considered appropriate since the 6 parking space shortfall will not have a significant impact on parking conditions in the area.

Section 40 of the Planning Act grants City Council the authority to approve payment-in-lieu of parking.  This application has been made pursuant to the City's Payment-In-Lieu of Parking Policy, as adopted in July 2004. City Council approval is required as this matter has not been delegated.

The Etobicoke York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council authorize the City Solicitor and appropriate City Staff to attend at the Toronto Local Appeal Body hearing to oppose the Minor Variance application requested in Application No. A0132/20EYK, respecting 18 Herne Hill.

2. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to negotiate a resolution of the appeal of the decision in Application No. A0132/20EYK respecting 18 Herne Hill and authorize the City Solicitor to settle the matter on behalf of the City at her discretion after consultation with the Ward Councillor, with the Director of Community Planning, Etobicoke York District, and with the Supervisor, Tree Protection and Plan Review, Etobicoke York District.

On August 27, 2020, the Committee of Adjustment (the "Committee") approved a Minor Variance application brought by the owners of 18 Herne Hill for the following variances: gross floor area, front yard setback, side yard setback, maximum height for a flat roof dwelling, and front yard stairs (the "Application"). The Application proposed to construct a new detached dwelling with an attached garage. A copy of the Committee's decision is attached.

In a report from the Supervisor, Tree Protection and Plan Review, dated August 13, 2020, Urban Forestry Staff opposed the following variance: gross floor area. A copy of the Urban Forestry report is attached. Urban Forestry Staff opined that the approval of the gross floor area variance will result in the injury of one privately owned healthy by-law protected Heritage Tree. Urban Forestry staff also stated that the Official Plan contains policies specifically intended to ensure the protection, preservation and enhancement of trees.

On September 15, 2020, a resident appealed the Committee's decision to approve the Application to the Toronto Local Appeal Body (the "TLAB"). The TLAB has issued a notice of hearing for this file and the deadline for the City to elect to be a party in this matter is February 3, 2021.

North York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council direct the City Solicitor and appropriate City Staff to attend the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) to oppose the Zoning By-law Amendment application for 717, 719, 723 and 733 Mount Pleasant Road in its current form for reasons set out in the report (December 14, 2020), from the Acting Director, Community Planning, North York District.

2. City Council authorize the City Solicitor and appropriate staff to continue discussions with the applicant in an attempt to resolve issues outlined in the report (December 14, 2020) and within the context of the ongoing Midtown Zoning Review, consistent with Official Plan Amendment No. 405, from the Acting Director, Community Planning, North York District, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

3. In the event that the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal allows the appeals in whole or in part, City Council direct the City Solicitor to request that the Tribunal withhold its Order until such time as the Tribunal has been advised by the City Solicitor that:

a. the proposed form and content of the Zoning By-law Amendments are satisfactory to the Acting Director, Community Planning, North York District and City Solicitor;

b. the owner has entered into and registered a Section 37 Agreement with the City incorporating language securing the above all to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director City Planning, and the City Solicitor; and

c. the owner has addressed the comments in the Engineering and Construction Services memo dated February 24, 2020, as applicable, to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services; and any additional comments arising from the technical review of the November 6, 2020 resubmission to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with appropriate City Staff.

4. City Council authorize the City Solicitor and necessary City staff to take such necessary steps, as required, to implement the foregoing. 

On December 20, 2019, an application to amend the Zoning By-law was submitted for 717, 719, 723 and 733 Mount Pleasant Road which proposes to amend City of Toronto Zoning By-law Nos. 438-86 and 569-2013 to permit a 27-storey (86 metre) high residential building with retail at grade with a 5-storey base building measuring 18 metres in height.  The proposed density (floor space index) of the building is 6.68 times the area of the lot. 

On July 30, 2020, the applicant (Rockport MPE Inc.) appealed the Zoning By-law Amendment application to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT).  The appeal was made without revisions to the original proposal and citing Council's failure to make a decision on the application within the timeframe prescribed by the Planning Act.  A Case Management Conference (CMC) was held on November 5, 2020.  A further CMC is scheduled for March 3, 2021.  

As part of the approval of Midtown in Focus and the Yonge-Eglinton Secondary Plan (the "Secondary Plan") in July 2018, City Planning was directed by Council to initiate a zoning review for Midtown's 22 Character Areas to implement the directions of the Secondary Plan (the "Midtown Zoning Review").  The intent of the zoning review is to establish specific heights in the Zoning By-law as set out in Policy 5.4.3 of the Secondary Plan.  It will also provide clarity on the location, scale and form of appropriate development within each Character Area and implement other policy directions within the approved Secondary Plan.  The outcome of the Midtown Zoning Review would guide the review of this application and future redevelopment of other sites within the block.  Phase 1 of the Zoning Review is underway and it is anticipated that there will be a community consultation meeting held in early 2021.

As part of City Council's adoption of the Preliminary Report for this application, City Planning Staff were directed to evaluate this application as part of the Council-directed Midtown Zoning Review.  While the proposed building is within the height range of 20 to 35 storeys as identified by Policy 5.4.3(p) of the Secondary Plan, it has not yet been determined how the height range will be applied through the City-initiated Zoning By-law Amendment. 

This report reviews and recommends that the City Solicitor together with City Planning staff and other appropriate staff be directed to oppose the Zoning By-law Amendment application, in its current form, at the LPAT.  The proposed development is not providing appropriate transition to the Neighbourhoods to the east, the lower-scale Mount Pleasant South Character Area to the south and does not respect the existing area context.  Amongst other matters, the proposed tower does not minimize shadowing on the Neighbourhoods designated lands to the east of the site; lacks sufficient non-residential gross floor area; is not meeting the intent of the City's Tall Building Design Guidelines; is not providing an adequate amount of large units per the Growing Up guidelines; is not providing an adequate amount of vehicular parking; and is not providing a public laneway at the rear of the site.  In addition, the application does not have a satisfactory Functional Servicing Report to address servicing issues.

This report also recommends that despite the applicant's appeal of the Zoning By-law Amendment application to the LPAT, City Planning staff continue to work with the applicant's team on revisions to the application to bring forward a proposal, within the context of the ongoing Midtown Zoning Review that represents a supportable development of the site.

In its current form, the proposed development is not consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement (2020) and does not conform with A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2020).  Additionally, it does not conform to the Yonge-Eglinton Secondary Plan. 

North York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council direct the City Solicitor, together with appropriate City staff, to attend the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal hearing to oppose the Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendment applications for 40, 42, 44, 46 and 48 Hendon Avenue in its current form for reasons set out in the report (December 14, 2020) from the Acting Director, Community Planning, North York District, as amended.

2. Should the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal approve the Official Plan and/or Zoning By-law amendment applications, City Council authorize the City Solicitor to request that the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal withhold its Order(s) approving the application(s) until such time as:

a. the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal has been advised by the City Solicitor that the form and content of the proposed Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments are satisfactory to the City;

b. the City Solicitor confirms the satisfactory execution and registration of a Section 37 Agreement satisfactory to the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to secure the Section 37 matters;

c. the City Solicitor confirms that the owner has provided a Functional Servicing and Stormwater Management Report and a Hydrogeological Report, acceptable to the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services; and

d. the City Solicitor confirms that the owner has designed and provided financial securities for any upgrades or required improvements to the existing municipal infrastructure identified in the accepted Functional Servicing and Stormwater Management Report, and Hydrogeological Report to support the development, all to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services, should it be determined that improvements or upgrades are required to support the development, according to the Functional Servicing and Stormwater Management Report, and Hydrogeological Report, accepted by the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services.

3. Should the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal approve the application, City Council direct the City Solicitor to advise the Tribunal that the Zoning By-laws should not be approved without the provision of such services, facilities or matters pursuant to Section 37 of the Planning Act, as may be considered appropriate by the Chief Planner in consultation with the applicant and the Ward Councillor.

4. Should the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal approve the application, City Council approve a development charge credit against the Parks and Recreation component of the Development Charges for the design and construction by the owner of the Above Base Park Improvements to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation (PF&R). The development charge credit shall be in an amount that is the lesser of the cost to the owner of designing and constructing the Above Base Park Improvements, as approved by the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation (PF&R), and the Parks and Recreation component of development charges payable for the development in accordance with the City's Development Charges By-law, as may be amended from time to time.

5. City Council authorize the City Solicitor and appropriate City staff to continue discussions with the applicant, in consultation with the Ward Councillor, to address the issues outlined in the report from the Acting Director, Community Planning, North York District, and to report back to City Council on the outcome, including proposed Section 37 contributions relating to any revised proposal, as appropriate.

These revised applications propose to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law (the

"applications") to permit a six-storey residential apartment building at 40, 42, 44, 46, and 48 Hendon Avenue. The applicant has appealed both applications to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (the "LPAT") due to Council's failure to make a decision on the applications within the time prescribed by the Planning Act. A case management conference was held by the LPAT on November 2, 2020 in which parties to the appeal were identified and the history of the applications were provided. A second case management conference is scheduled to commence on March 2, 2021. On September 18, 2020, the applicant submitted a revised proposal which is the subject of this report.

The revised six-storey building would have a height of 19.65 metres (plus 1.35 metres for the mechanical penthouse) and a gross floor area of 5,931 square metres, as calculated under the North York Centre Secondary Plan's definition of gross floor area ("GFA"). The proposed GFA would result in a floor space index (a "FSI") of 2.56 times the area of the lot. A total of 71 residential units are proposed, consisting of four two-storey townhouse units and 67 apartment units. A total of 44 parking spaces are proposed within an underground parking garage. The revisions made by the applicant are discussed in this report, however, the revisions have resulted in a taller and denser building than previously submitted that is not supportable for the reasons outlined in this report.

This report recommends that the City Solicitor, together with City Planning staff and other appropriate City staff, attend the LPAT hearing in opposition of the applications. In the opinion of Planning staff, the proposal does not conform to the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2020), is not consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement (2020), and does not conform to the Official Plan or the North York Centre Secondary Plan. Staff are recommending that discussions continue with the applicant to resolve the issues identified in this report.

North York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council exempt the applicant at 2586 Yonge Street from the City of Toronto Zoning By-law No. 569-2013 parking requirement of two spaces for the proposed veterinary hospital use on the site, subject to a $10,000 payment-in-lieu of parking, provided the applicant signs a Payment-In-Lieu of Parking Agreement with the City, to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor.

This report seeks City Council's approval to exempt the owner of 2586 Yonge Street from the non-residential parking space requirement specified in City of Toronto Zoning By-law No. 569-2013. The site was the subject of Minor Variance Application No. A0342/20NY, which proposed the conversion of the below grade and ground floor areas of the existing building from a retail use to a veterinary hospital use. In accordance with the above-noted By-law, a minimum of 4 parking spaces would be required for the site given the proposed conversion. The applicant is unable to accommodate 2 of the 4 required parking spaces on-site and has requested a Payment-In-Lieu of Parking to the City, which amounts to $10,000.

The parking exemption associated with the Payment-In-Lieu of Parking application is considered appropriate given that the associated parking space shortfall will not have a significant impact on parking conditions in the immediate area.

Section 40 of the Planning Act grants City Council the authority to approve payment-in-lieu of parking. This application has been made pursuant to the City's Payment-In-Lieu of Parking Policy, as adopted in July, 2004. City Council approval is required as this matter has not been delegated.

North York Community Council recommends that:  

1. City Council exempt bicycles from the existing right-turn only lane designation on Avondale Avenue, between Yonge Street and a point 30.5 metres east.

2. City Council prohibit westbound through movements at all times from Avondale Avenue, east of Yonge Street, to Florence Avenue, west of Yonge Street, bicycles excepted.

3. City Council prohibit eastbound through movements at all times from Florence Avenue, west of Yonge Street, to Avondale Avenue, east of Yonge Street.

As the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) operates a transit service on Yonge Street, City Council approval of this report is required.

Transportation Services is requesting approval to allow bicycles to proceed during the times that the westbound through restriction is in place at the intersection of Yonge Street and Avondale Avenue/Florence Avenue.

The implementation of bicycles excepted at the existing westbound through restriction on Yonge Street and Avondale Avenue/Florence Avenue will permit westbound through movement for bicycles.

During the course of the investigation, it was noted that there is a discrepancy between posted signs and the existing by-law. Recommendation 3 will correct this inconsistency.

Scarborough Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council authorize the installation of traffic control signals at the intersection of Morningside Avenue approximately 250 metres north of Neilson Road at the primary entrance of 1730 Neilson Road, 2710 and 2750 Morningside Avenue.

As the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) operates bus service on Morningside Avenue, City Council approval of this report is required.

Transportation Services is requesting approval from City Council to install traffic control signals at the intersection of Morningside Avenue and the private driveway at 2750 Morningside Avenue, approximately 250 metres north of Neilson Road.  Traffic control signals are justified at this site based on the anticipated vehicle traffic entering and exiting the development via the site driveway.

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends: 

1. In accordance with the delegated approval under By-law 229-2000, as amended, City Council be advised that the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning intends to approve the Draft Plan of Subdivision as generally illustrated in Attachment 13 in the report (December 14, 2020) from the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District, subject to:

a. the conditions as generally listed in Attachment 12 to the report (December 14, 2020) from the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District which, except as otherwise noted, must be fulfilled prior to final approval and the release of the Plan of Subdivision for registration; and

b. any such revisions to the proposed subdivision plan or any such additional modified conditions as the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning may deem to be appropriate to address matters arising from the on-going technical review of this development.

2. City Council receive the supplementary report (January 8, 2021) from the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District, for information.

The Toronto and East York Community Council held a statutory public meeting on January 12, 2021 and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

The Plan of Subdivision proposes to create four blocks and two new public roads.

Block 1 (the south-east block),  Block 2 (the north-east block) and Block 4 (the north-west block) will be developed with five mixed-use buildings and one office/commercial building ranging in height from 25 storeys to 90 storeys.  A total gross floor area (GFA) of 424,705 square metres is permitted of which approximately 80% is residential and 20% is non-residential.  A child care and an elementary school are planned in the base of the building in Block 4.  Block 3 (the south-west block) is anticipated to be a new public park. 

Respecting streets, the extension of Harbour Street from Yonge Street to Freeland Street as part of the 1 to 7 Yonge Street development to the west of the subject site is continued through the centre of the lands.  There is also the creation of two blocks which represents half the width of a new north-south street between Queens Quay East and Lake Shore Boulevard East, at the eastern edge of the property ("New Street"). The remainder of this New Street will be created when the property to the east is redeveloped.

The proposed blocks, park, and new public streets are in keeping with the comprehensive planning advanced through the Lower Yonge Precinct Plan (LYPP).

The Draft Plan of Subdivision application includes appropriate land dedications to the City to support the new development.  New public streets are proposed, and an agreement between the City, the applicant and the adjacent landowner securing on-site parkland has been executed and registered on title. Affordable Rental Housing Units (10% of the total residential gross floor area) will be provided on site in accordance with the registered Section 37 agreement for this site. Heritage conservation matters are being reviewed in the context of the related Site Plan Control Application. Contributions to transportation infrastructure improvements identified as required to support development in the Lower Yonge Precinct Area were also secured in the Section 37 Agreement. The proposed Draft Plan of Subdivision is consistent with the Lower Yonge Precinct Plan, the site's site and area specific official plan policies, The Lower Yonge Precinct Environmental Assessment Study and zoning settlement was approved via settlement by the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) in September 2019.

The proposed development is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement (2020), in conformity with the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2020) and has regard for the criteria set out in Section 51(24) of the planning Act with regard to the subdivision of lands.  This report advises that the Chief Planner intends to approve the Draft Plan of Subdivision.

On January 12, 2021, Toronto and East York Community Council will consider a Final Report from the Director Community Planning, Toronto and East York District dated December 14th, 2020.  This report recommends that in accordance with the delegated approval under 229-2000, as amended, City Council be advised that the Chief Planner and Executive Director intends to approve the Draft Plan of Subdivision as generally illustrated in Attachment 13 of the report dated December 14th, 2020.

The applicant has requested City Staff consider a phased registration of the Draft Plan of Subdivision.  This supplementary report advises Council that City Staff will review the request to register the Draft Plan of Subdivision in phases once further information regarding the nature of the proposed phasing is received from the applicant.  If the necessary infrastructure is in place and public benefits can be appropriately secured and registration in phases is otherwise appropriate, the Chief Planner and Executive Director may register the Draft Plan of Subdivision in phases, in accordance with the delegated authority.

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1. In accordance with the delegated approval under By-law 229-2000, as amended, City Council be advised that the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning intends to approve the Draft Plan of Subdivision as generally illustrated on Attachment 12 to the report (December 14, 2020) from the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District, subject to:

a. The conditions, as generally listed in Attachment 11 to the report (December 14, 2020) from the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District which, except as otherwise noted, must be fulfilled prior to final approval and the release of the Plan of Subdivision for registration; and

 
b. Any such revisions to the proposed subdivision plan or any such additional or modified conditions as the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning may deem to be appropriate to address matters arising from the on-going technical review of this development.

The Toronto and East York Community Council held a statutory public meeting on January 12, 2020 and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This application for a Draft Plan of Subdivision proposes to create two development blocks and a new public street (referred to as the Harbour Street extension throughout this Report). The north block (Block 1) is 1.203 hectares and will be developed with three tall residential towers with commercial and community uses in the podium.  The south block (Block 2) is 1.084 hectares and is planned for commercial uses. The proposed new street would have a right of way width of 27 metres and will facilitate the reconfiguration and extension of Harbour Street as anticipated by the Lower Yonge Precinct Plan.

The Draft Plan of Subdivision application includes appropriate land dedications to the City to support the new development.  A new public road is proposed, and an agreement between the City, the applicant and the adjacent landowner securing parkland off-site within the Lower Yonge Precinct Plan has been executed and registered on title. Affordable Rental Housing Units (10% of the total residential gross floor area) will be provided on the north block in accordance with the registered Section 37 agreement for this site. Contributions to transportation infrastructure improvements identified as required to support development in the Lower Yonge Precinct Area were also secured in the Section 37 Agreement. The proposed Draft Plan of Subdivision is consistent with the Lower Yonge Precinct Plan, The Lower Yonge Precinct Environmental Assessment Study, the site's site and area specific official plan policies and the site-specific official plan and zoning settlement approved by the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) in March 2017.

The proposed development is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement (2020), in conformity with the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2020) and has regard for the criteria set out in Section 51(24) of the planning Act with regards to the subdivision of lands.  This report advises that the Chief Planner intends to approve the Draft Plan of Subdivision.

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council deny the request for a permit to remove one privately owned tree located at 84 Medland Crescent.

This report requests that City Council deny the request for a permit to remove one privately owned tree located at 84 Medland Crescent. The application indicates the reason for removal is due to the nuisance created from falling sap and damage to a neighbouring property caused by the tree's roots.

The subject tree is a Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens), measuring 53 cm in diameter. The Private Tree By-law does not support the removal of this tree as it is healthy and maintainable.

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1.  City Council give consideration to the demolition application for 3434 Dundas Street West and decide to approve the application to demolish the two storey non-residential building with the following conditions:

a. That construction fences be erected in accordance with the provisions of the Municipal Code, Chapter 363, Article 7, if deemed appropriate by the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building;

b. That all debris and rubble be removed immediately after demolition;

c. That sod be laid on the site and that the site be maintained free of garbage and weeds, in accordance with the Municipal Code Chapter 629-10, paragraph B and 629-11; and

d. That any holes on the property are backfilled with clean fill.

This staff report is about a matter which must be referred to City Council for consideration and decision.

This property is located in the former City of York and in accordance with By-law No 3102-95 of the former City of York, this demolition permit application is submitted to City Council for consideration and decision to grant or grant with conditions, approval of the demolition permit application, including the requirement for the owner to enter into a beautification agreement prior to the issuance of the demolition permit.

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1.  City Council approve the application to demolish the existing 1-storey place of worship for 439 Vaughan Road, subject to the with the following conditions:

a. That all debris and rubble be removed immediately after demolition; and

b. If a building permit is not obtained by February 2, 2022 the owner will be required to complete the following:

i. That any holes on the property are backfilled with clean fill; and

ii. That sod be laid on the site and that the site be maintained free of garbage and weeds, in accordance with the Municipal Code Chapter 629-10, paragraph B and 629-11.

This staff report is about a matter which must be referred to City Council for consideration and decision.

This property is located in the former City of York and in accordance with By-law No 3102-95 of the former City of York, this demolition permit application is submitted to City Council for consideration and decision to grant or grant with conditions, approval of the demolition permit application, including the requirement for the owner to enter into a beautification agreement prior to the issuance of the demolition permit.

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1.  City Council:

a. assume the services installed and formally assume within the Pan-An Village under the terms of the associated Subdivision Agreement:

- the new roads constructed within Blocks 21-25, 27, 30, and 31, within the Registered Plan of Subdivision No. 66M-2488;

- Cherry Street / Sumach Street, from King Street East to the north side of the Metrolinx underpass, as widened by Blocks 6, 18, 19, 28, and 29 within the Registered Plan of Subdivision No. 66M-2488, together with widenings described as PART 1 on Reference Plan No. 66R-24360, PART 1 on Reference Plan No. 66R-24361, and PART 1 on Reference Plan No. 66R-24546;

- Front Street East, from west of the intersection at Cherry Street and Front Street East to Bayview Avenue, as widened by Blocks 5, 7, 33, and 34 within the Registered Plan of Subdivision No. 66M-2488;

- Mill Street, from west of the intersection at Cherry Street and Mill Street to Bayview Avenue, as widened by Block 35, within the Registered Plan of Subdivision No. 66M-2488; and,

- Eastern Avenue, from Eastern Avenue to Lawren Harris Square.

b. authorize the Director, Engineering Review to release the performance guarantee held with respect to the Registered Plan of Subdivision No. 66M-2488;

c. direct that an assumption By-Law be prepared to assume the municipal roads/ public highways and the municipal services within the Registered Plan of Subdivision No. 66M-2488, as described above;

d. authorize and direct the City Solicitor to register the assumption By-Law in the Land Registry Office, at the expense of the Owner;

e. authorize the appropriate City Officials to take necessary action and to sign any release or other documentation necessary to give effect thereto; and,

f. authorize the appropriate City Officials to transfer ownership of the street lighting system constructed within the Registered Plan of Subdivision No. 66M-2488 to Toronto Hydro.

This report requests Council's authority for the City to provide assumption of the municipal roads and services installed under the terms of the Subdivision Agreement between Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Ontario, as represented by the Minister of Infrastructure and Lands Corporation and the City of Toronto, relating to registered Plan of Subdivision 66M-2488, together with widenings of Cherry Street described on Reference Plans 66R-24360, 66R-24361 and 66R-24546.

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:  

1. City Council approve the amendment to Schedule B of the City of Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 925, Permit Parking, to incorporate a revised map of permit parking area "8D", as shown in Attachment 1 of the report (November 16, 2020) from the Director, Permits and Enforcement, Transportation Services.

Transportation Services is requesting approval from City Council to prohibit the General Manager from accepting applications from residents of, visitors to, and tradespersons at the development properties municipally known as 1285 Queen Street East from residential on-street permit parking. 

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:  

1. City Council approve the amendment to Schedule B of the City of Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 925, Permit Parking, to incorporate a revised map of permit parking area "8D", as shown in Attachment 1of the report (December 7, 2020) from the Director, Permits and Enforcement, Transportation Services.

2. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to require as a condition of condominium approval that the owner provide an undertaking that upon occupancy all condominium owners will be notified that any Owner, future owner, tenant, or sublet tenant, or any other additional occupant or guest, that the building has been excluded from any on-street permit specified area, and notice of same will be included in the condominium declaration for the site.

Transportation Services is requesting approval from City Council to prohibit the General Manager from accepting applications from residents of, visitors to, and tradespersons at the development properties municipally known as 1327-1339 Queen Street East from residential on-street permit parking. 

The Ward councillor on behalf of the local residents requested Permit Parking Area 8D be realigned to exclude the development located at 1327-1339 Queen Street East as a means of ensuring that this new development does not negatively impact the permit parking supply to the existing neighbourhood.

The City Solicitor recommends that:

1.  City Council adopt the recommendations contained in the Confidential Attachment 1 to the report from the City Solicitor.

2.  City Council direct that all information contained in Confidential Attachment 1 including the Confidential Appendices to the report (January 22, 2021) from the City Solicitor is to remain confidential at the discretion of the City Solicitor, as it contains advice which is subject to solicitor-client privilege.

On December 22, 2016, the applicant submitted an Official Plan Amendment to amend the Toronto Official Plan to add a Site and Area Specific Policy ("SASP") for the lands municipally known as 1880-1890 Eglinton Avenue East and 1523-1545 Victoria Park Avenue (the "Subject Lands") to permit a mixed use development.  The Subject Lands are located within the Golden Mile Secondary Plan study area.

The proposed SASP included building heights ranging from one-storey to 39-storeys, 2,614 residential units (242,799 square metres of residential uses) and 30,629 square metres of non-residential uses, with a proposed gross Floor Space Index ("FSI") of 3.5 times the area of the site, for a total gross floor area of 273,428 square metres.  The proposed mixed-use development would include multiple tall buildings with a range of building heights and stacked townhouses with a total of 1,630 residential units and 26,004 square metres of new retail uses proposed to be developed in five (5) blocks.

On March 5, 2018, the applicant appealed their proposed SASP to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (the "LPAT") due to Council's failure to make a decision within the statutory timeframe.

On November 8, 2019, the City received a letter from the applicant's solicitor, being a "with prejudice" settlement offer and formal revision to the application ("Resubmission Letter").  The Resubmission Letter advised that the applicant has amended its application, including an increase in proposed density to 4.28 times the area of the lands, comprising of approximately 3,291 residential units (303,215 square metres of residential uses) and 31,173 square metres of non-residential uses, for a proposed total gross floor area of 334,928 square metres.  The Resubmission Letter also provided an updated OPA by-law, which provides for upwards of 340,000 square metres of gross floor area, which is a significant increase of approximately 61,500 to 66,572 square metres of gross floor area.  The Resubmission Letter was not accompanied by any supporting reports or update letters.  On September 22, 2020, the applicant filed updated materials and studies in support of its Resubmission Letter.

On January 8, 2020, Scarborough Community Council directed that the City Solicitor, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and appropriate City staff attend a meeting to discuss a possible resolution of the matter in advance of the January 29, 2020 City Council meeting.  The matter was deferred at January 29, 2020 City Council meeting and due to COVID-19 was on the agenda for the July 28 and 29, 2020 meeting of City Council. The matter was considered by Council in July.

On October, 2020, the applicant filed zoning by-law amendment and draft plan of subdivision applications for the Subject Lands.  A notice of incomplete application letter was issued in November.  After further required materials were received by the applicant, a notice of complete application was issued on December 14, 2020.

The purpose of this report is to request further instructions regarding a matter appealed to the LPAT.

The City Solicitor recommends that:

1.  City Council adopt the recommendations contained in the Confidential Attachment 1 to this report.

2.  If the confidential recommendations in Confidential Attachment 1 are adopted by City Council, City Council authorize the public release of:

a.  the confidential recommendations in Confidential Attachment 1, but that the remainder of Confidential Attachment 1 remain confidential as it contains advice which is subject to solicitor-client privilege.

On March 28, 2017, City Council adopted item CC27.2, directing the City Solicitor to attend the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal ("LPAT") in support of a joint settlement in principle of the Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendment applications for 31R Parliament Street, 370 Cherry Street and 370R Cherry Street ("31R Parliament Street") and the Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendment application at 60 Mill Street.

On July 6, 2017, the LPAT issued its decision approving the joint settlement but withheld its final Order until the satisfaction of a number of conditions (the "2017 Settlement").

Following the 2017 Settlement the lands at 60 Mill Street have gone through changes of ownership and are now owned by 2575867 Ontario Inc. On December 24, 2019, the current owner of 60 Mill Street submitted a new Zoning By-law Amendment application to build a 31-storey hotel building (the "60 Mill Street New Application").  At this time, the current owner of 60 Mill Street is pursuing the 60 Mill Street New Application and is not taking any steps to finalize the 2017 Settlement.

The owner of 31R Parliament Street submitted a letter to the City on January 20, 2021 requesting the City's consent to finalize the 2017 Settlement as it relates 31R Parliament Street, independent of finalizing the Official Plan and Zoning By-law appeals for 60 Mill Street, so they can proceed with the development as previously approved. The details of this request are attached to this report as Public Attachment 1.

The purpose of this report is to seek instructions from City Council regarding the request from the owner of 31R Parliament Street to finalize the LPAT final Order for 31R Parliament Street in advance and independent of the final Order for 60 Mill Street. City Planning staff have been involved in the preparation of this report.

The City Solicitor recommends that:

1.  City Council adopt the recommendations contained in Confidential Attachment 1 to this report.

2.  City Council authorize the public release of the confidential recommendations contained in the Confidential Attachment 1, and Confidential Attachment 2, to this report, if adopted by City Council.

3.  City Council direct that all other information contained in Confidential Attachment 1 is to remain confidential at the discretion of the City Solicitor, as it contains advice which is subject to solicitor-client privilege.

500 Dupont Street Holdings (the "Applicant") is the owner of lands municipally known as 500 Dupont Street on the north side of Dupont Street, west of Bathurst Avenue (the "Subject Site").  On September 22, 2015, the Applicant filed an application to amend the City of Toronto Official Plan (the "Official Plan Amendment Application") and Zoning By-law 438-86, as amended, (the "Zoning By-law Amendment Application"), to permit a mixed-use development on the 500 Dupont Lands.

On February 8, 2016, the Applicant filed an appeal with the Ontario Municipal Board ("OMB"), now known as the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal ("LPAT), as a result of City Council’s failure to make a decision on the Zoning By-law Amendment Application within the statutory timeframe.  On March 11, 2016, the Applicant filed an appeal with the OMB with respect to City Council’s decision to refuse the Applicant's Official Plan Amendment Application.

On March 31, 2016 and April 1, 2016, City Council adopted a recommendation from the City Solicitor to accept a settlement offer (the "Settlement Offer"), which was set out in letters dated February 29, 2016 and March 1, 2016, and further amended by a letter dated March 31, 2016.  City Council authorized the City Solicitor and appropriate City Staff to attend the OMB hearing in support of the revised proposal of a 9-storey mixed-use development containing 150 residential units, as detailed in the Settlement Offer.  City Council also authorized the entering into an agreement pursuant to Section 37 of the Planning Act.

On May 11, 2016, the City Solicitor and City Staff attended the settlement hearing before the OMB. On February 1, 2017, the OMB issued an Interim Order (the “Interim Order”) allowing the Applicant's appeal of the Zoning By-law Amendment Application, but withheld a final order pending notification from the City Solicitor that requisite conditions are satisfied.  The Official Plan Amendment Application appeal was withdrawn by letter dated May 12, 2016.

The purpose of this report is to request further instructions.

City Planning has been involved in the preparation of this report.

The City Solicitor recommends that:

1.  City Council adopt the recommendations contained in Confidential Attachment 1 to this report.

2.  City Council authorize the public release of the confidential recommendations contained in Confidential Attachment 1 and Confidential Attachment 2, if adopted by City Council.

3.  City Council direct that all other information contained in Confidential Attachment 1 is to remain confidential, as it contains advice which is subject to solicitor-client privilege and litigation privilege.

At its meeting of October 5, 6, and 7, 2016, City Council adopted the recommendations of the Final and Supplementary Reports on TOcore: Updating Tall Building Setbacks in the Downtown - City-Initiated Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment, as amended by Toronto and East York Community Council.  It enacted By-law 1105-2016 ("OPA 352") and By-laws 1106-2016 and 1107-2016 (the "Amending By-laws").  These instruments were the outcome of a six-month study providing policy and updating the setback requirements for tall buildings in the Downtown.

There were over two hundred appeals of Council's decision to adopt OPA 352 and to enact the Amending By-laws, made to the Ontario Municipal Board (the "OMB"), now continued as the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (the "LPAT"), by numerous landowners and stakeholders.

Since 2016, the LPAT has conducted six Pre-Hearing/Case Management Conferences ("CMC") with respect to OPA 352 and the Amending By-laws.  During these events, the LPAT identified and categorized appellants/parties, and issued procedural directions in order to ensure a cost-effective and efficient hearing.  At the most recent CMC, the LPAT scheduled a two-week hearing scheduled to begin on March 15, 2021.

The LPAT identified a category of appellants and parties with carriage of appeals filed on behalf of universities, hospitals and a school board ("Institutional Appellants" and "Institutional Appeals").  The Institutional Appellants identified concerns that Official Plan Amendment 352 ("OPA 352") and Zoning By-laws 1106-2016 and 1107-2016 ("Amending By-laws"), as adopted by City Council, did not adequately address their unique programmatic requirements.

Further, the Institutional Appellants' issues were not resolved through the proposed modifications to OPA 352 ("Modified OPA 352") and the Amending By-laws that were adopted in principle by City Council at its meeting on November 25 and 26, 2020.  When approved by the LPAT, the Modified OPA 352 would resolve all the general appeals of the instruments, in addition to many of the site-specific appeals.

The purpose of this report is to request further instructions with respect to OPA 352 and the Amending By-laws.

City Planning has been involved in the preparation of this report.

The City Solicitor recommends that:

1.  City Council adopt the confidential instructions to staff in Confidential Attachment 1.

2.  If the confidential instructions in Confidential Attachment 1 are adopted, City Council authorize the public release of:

a.  the recommendations contained in the Confidential Attachment 1, with the remainder of the Confidential Attachment to remain confidential, as it contains advice subject to solicitor-client privilege; and

b.  Confidential Attachment 2.

Berkley Carlyle (Junction) Inc. ("Carlyle") are appellants to Official Plan Amendment No. 231 ("OPA 231") at the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal ("LPAT") regarding the lands municipally known as 6 Lloyd Avenue (the "Lands") designated Employment Areas in the City's Official Plan. City Council adopted OPA 231 policies for the entire city following the Five-Year Official Plan and Municipal Comprehensive Reviews regarding employment lands. The City Solicitor requires directions for the OPA 231 LPAT hearing process.

The City Solicitor recommends that:

1.  City Council adopt the confidential recommendation in Confidential Attachment 1.

2.  If the City Solicitor's confidential recommendation is adopted by Council, then City Council authorize the public release of:

a.  the recommendation contained in Confidential Attachment 1 (with the remainder of Confidential Attachment 1 to remain confidential as it contains information that is subject to solicitor-client privilege), and

b.  Confidential Appendix 1.

At its meeting on November 7, 8 and 9, 2017, City Council adopted the recommendations in a Supplementary Report (November 7, 2017) from the Acting Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and enacted By-law 1272-2017, adopting Official Plan Amendment 362 (OPA 362), that included the deletion of the City initiated Site and Area Specific Official Plan amendment 388 (SASP 388) for the lands located adjacent to the intersection of Dufferin Street and Wilson Avenue and replacing it with a new SASP 388.  OPA 362 was appealed to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) by five parties, and the parties agreed to participate in LPAT led mediation, and a one-day mediation session was held at the LPAT on January 16, 2020.

The City Solicitor seeks direction on this matter no later than the completion of the City Council meeting on February 2 and 3, 2021.

The City Solicitor recommends that:

1.  City Council adopt the confidential recommendations in Confidential Attachment 1.

2.  If the City Solicitor's confidential recommendations are adopted by Council, then City Council authorize the public release of:

a.  the recommendations contained in Confidential Attachment 1 (with the remainder of Confidential Attachment 1 to remain confidential as it contains information that is subject to solicitor-client privilege), and

b.  Confidential Attachment 2 and Confidential Appendix 1

On August 11, 2017, an application for this site was submitted to the City to amend the Zoning By-law to permit a mixed-use development containing retail uses at grade and office uses above grade.  A six-storey building was proposed to front King Street West (at 582-590 King Street West), connected to a 12-storey building located at 471-473 Adelaide Street West and 115 Portland Street.  The applicant appealed City Council's failure to issue a decision on the Zoning By-law Amendment application to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) and a Request for Direction Report (May 18, 2018) from the Acting Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District, was considered by City Council at its meeting on June 26, 2018. The report recommended that City Council authorize City staff to oppose the application in its current form and continue discussions with the applicant. A 20-day hearing before the LPAT was scheduled to begin on May 5, 2020.  The hearing was subsequently adjourned and has not been rescheduled.

The parties agreed to LPAT led mediation, and following a mediation that took place in December, 2019 and January, 2020, the applicant revised their plans, and on May 20, 2020 submitted a with prejudice settlement offer to the City for a revised development proposal. On July 28, 2020, City Council adopted recommendations of the Request for Direction report (July 20, 2020) from the City Solicitor respecting the proposed settlement, including the recommendation that the City Solicitor along with appropriate City staff attend the LPAT in support of the revised proposal.

The City Solicitor seeks further direction on this matter no later than the completion of the City Council meeting on February 2 and 3, 2021.

The City Solicitor recommends that:

1.  City Council adopt the confidential recommendations in Confidential Attachment 1.

2.  If the City Solicitor's confidential recommendations are adopted by Council, then City Council authorize the public release of:

a.  The recommendations contained in Confidential Attachment 1 (with the remainder of Confidential Attachment 1 to remain confidential as it contains information that is subject to solicitor-client privilege); and

b.  All of Confidential Attachment 2.

On October 4, 2016, an application was submitted to amend the Zoning By-law for the lands at 2 Carlton Street to permit the construction of a 73-storey (251.6 metres, including mechanical penthouse) mixed-use building tower with a 6-storey base building that includes retail uses on the first and second floors, office uses on the third and fourth floors and residential units above.  A total of 1,046 residential units are proposed with a total gross floor area of 74,435.7 square metres.

The Zoning By-law amendment application was appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board (now the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT)) on March 23, 2018 for Council's failure to make a decision on the application within the prescribed timelines in the Planning Act. On January 4, 2021, the City received a without prejudice settlement offer, though the plans associated with the offer were provided on a with prejudice basis.  A case management conference/settlement hearing has been scheduled at the LPAT on March 18, 2021, and accordingly this matter is urgent.

The City Solicitor seeks direction on this matter no later than the completion of the City Council meeting which starts on February 2, 2021.

The City Solicitor recommends that:

1.  City Council adopt the recommendations contained in Confidential Attachment 1 to this report.

2.  City Council authorize the public release of the confidential recommendations contained in Confidential Attachment 1 to this report, if adopted by City Council.

3.  City Council authorize public release of Confidential Attachment 2 and Confidential Attachment 3 to this report, if the confidential recommendations contained in Confidential Attachment 1 are adopted by City Council.

4.  City Council direct that all other information contained in Confidential Attachment 1 to remain confidential at the discretion of the City Solicitor, as it contains advice subject to solicitor-client privilege.

1948630 Ontario Inc. (the "Applicant") is the owner of the property municipally known as 2908 Yonge Street (the "Subject Site"), located on the west side of Yonge Street, on the southwest corner of Yonge Street and Chatsworth Drive, in the Yonge-Lawrence area.  The Subject Site abuts Duplex Parkette to the south and west.  The Subject Site was formerly the location of a gas station and is currently vacant.

On December 19, 2017, the Applicant submitted a Zoning By-law Amendment application to the City proposing to amend the former City of Toronto Zoning By-law 438-86 and City of Toronto Zoning By-law 569-2013 to permit the development of a new 13-storey mixed-use building with an overall height of 47.8 metres (the "Application").  The residential entrance would front onto Yonge Street with garage access from Chatsworth Drive.  Parking would be provided in 4 levels of underground parking.  A total of 70 parking spaces were proposed.

On April 24, 2018, City Council considered and adopted the recommendations of a Refusal Report (Item NY29.7) from the Chief Planner and refused the rezoning Application.

Following City Council's refusal of the Application, the Applicant appealed the Application to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal ("LPAT").  The appeal is known as LPAT File No. PL180573.  To date, the LPAT has held three case management conferences on the following dates: October 16, 2018; January 16, 2020; and July 27, 2020.  In addition to the City and the Applicant, the Lytton Park Residents Organization ("LPRO") is also a party to the appeal.

On August 22, 2020, the Applicant submitted revised plans for the purpose of the LPAT hearing ("LPAT Proposal").  The LPAT Proposal maintained the 13-storey height, but included a proposed on-site parkland dedication of 110.3 square metres along the west side of the Subject Property, abutting Duplex Parkette.

The appeal is currently scheduled to be heard by the LPAT during a 9-day hearing on February 16 to 26, 2021.

The purpose of this report is to request instructions regarding the LPAT appeal and upcoming hearing.  The February 3 and 4, 2021 City Council meeting is the last opportunity for the City Solicitor to obtain instructions prior to the start of the LPAT hearing.

City Planning has been involved in the preparation of this report.

The City Solicitor recommends that:

1.  City Council adopt the confidential instructions to staff in Confidential Attachment 1.

2.  If the confidential instructions in Confidential Attachment 1 are adopted, City Council authorize the public release of:

a.  the recommendations contained in the Confidential Attachment 1, with the remainder of the Confidential Attachment to remain confidential, as it contains advice subject to solicitor-client privilege; and

b.  Confidential Attachment 2.

Parc Downsview Park and Canada Lands Company Ltd. (the "Appellants") filed an appeal to Official Plan Amendment 231 ("OPA 231") to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal ("LPAT") regarding the lands designated Employment Areas in the Downsview Area Secondary Plan area (the "Lands").  City Council adopted OPA 231 policies for the entire city following the Five-Year Official Plan and Municipal Comprehensive Reviews regarding employment lands.  At its meeting on June 29-30, 2020, City Council directed the City Solicitor and other staff to advance negotiations with the Appellants in an effort to resolve the appeal.  The City Solicitor has received a With Prejudice offer to settle from the Appellants and requires directions for the OPA 231 LPAT hearing process.

The City Solicitor recommends that:

1.  City Council adopt the confidential instructions to staff in Confidential Attachment 1 of the report (January 26, 2021) from the City Solicitor

2.  If the City Solicitor's confidential recommendations are adopted by Council, then City Council authorize the public release of:

a.  the recommendations contained in Confidential Attachment 1, and Appendix A, with the remainder of Confidential Attachment 1 to remain confidential as it contains information that is subject to solicitor-client privilege.

The City of Toronto passed the Central Waterfront Secondary Plan in April 2003 and subsequently enacted zoning by-laws for the East Bayfront (By-law No. 1049-2006) and Keating Channel West (By-law 1174-2010).  Within these two precincts, there were numerous appeals to the Central Waterfront Secondary Plan and the area specific Zoning By-laws.  After many years of discussions, pre-hearing conferences, mediation sessions and OMB hearings, most of the appeals in the Central Waterfront have been resolved.

This report requests further direction regarding the resolution of appeals relating to 351 and 369 Lake Shore Boulevard East to be dealt with by the LPAT.

The City Solicitor recommends that:

1.  City Council adopt the confidential recommendations in Confidential Attachment 1.

2.  If the confidential recommendations in Confidential Attachment 1 are adopted, City Council authorize the public release of:

a.  the recommendations contained in Confidential Attachment 1, with the remainder of Confidential Attachment 1 to remain confidential, as it contains advice subject to solicitor-client privilege; and

b.  Confidential Attachment 2, 3, and 4.

City Council adopted the Garden District Heritage Conservation District and Garden District Heritage Conservation District Plan (the "Garden District HCD") at its meeting of January 31, 2017.  The Garden District HCD was subsequently appealed to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (the "LPAT" or "Tribunal").

The LPAT scheduled a 15 day hearing on the merits of the Garden District HCD beginning August 17, 2020.  At the request of the parties the hearing was adjourned to allow further discussion of outstanding issues.  This report requests direction from City Council with respect to the results of that discussion and the continuing LPAT appeal process.

The City Solicitor recommends that:

1.  City Council adopt the confidential instructions to staff in Confidential Attachment 1.

2.  City Council authorize the public release of the confidential instructions to staff

in Confidential Attachment 1.

3.  City Council direct that the remaining confidential information contained in Confidential Attachment 1 remain confidential in its entirety, as it contains advice which is subject to solicitor-client privilege.

On November 29, 2019 the City Clerk's office received a Notice of Appeal to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (the "Tribunal") in respect of IMH 25 Fisherville Ltd.'s (the "Owner") application to amend City of Toronto Zoning By-law 569-2013, as amended and the former City of North York By-law 7625, as amended, for the lands municipally known as 25 Fisherville Road.

The grounds for the appeal are City Council's failure to make a decision on the application prior to the lapsing of the statutory time period under the Planning Act.

The Owner has filed a letter with the City Solicitor's Office, dated January 23, 2020 (received by email dated January 22, 2021 which suggests the date on the Owner's letter is a typographical error) confirming the Owner will support City Council's decision to approve the Owner's application to amend the applicable zoning by-law, including City Council's requirements to be satisfied prior to the proposed amendment to the zoning by-law coming into force and effect. A copy of the Owner's letter is attached as Public Appendix A.

Direction from City Council is required on this matter which has been appealed to the Tribunal.

The Chief People Officer and the Acting Chief, Toronto Paramedic Services recommend that:

1. City Council receive this report for information.

The purpose of this report is to respond to the November 25, 2020, City Council request that the Chief People Officer and the Acting Chief, Toronto Paramedic Services, in collaboration and consultation with Toronto Civic Employees' Union (TCEU), Local 416, address staff fatigue and mental health amongst frontline paramedics and report back on the progress to the February 2 and 3, 2021, meeting of City Council.

Workload can have a significant impact on an employee's mental health and wellness. While emergency call volume has decreased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Paramedics now require additional time and focus to perform proper infection prevention and control procedures before and after each emergency call (e.g., PPE donning and doffing, equipment and vehicle cleaning/disinfecting, etc.).

Continuing healthcare capacity challenges are also anticipated to result in significant ambulance offload delays in 2021, which will negatively impact ambulance availability in the community and response times to critically-ill patients. Maintaining ambulance availability will be dependent on securing additional staff to address these pressures

Ongoing Supports for Paramedic Health & Wellness

The City and Toronto Paramedic Services have continued to implement and maintain initiatives to support the wellness of all Toronto Paramedic Services staff, including:

- Dedicated in-house Staff Psychologist/Psychological Associate in place since 1986 who provides 24/7 confidential consultation, and a Peer Resource Team established in the late 1980s to provide confidential peer-to-peer support.

- Peer-led training (2016-2018) for all staff, encompassing Psychological First Aid, suicide prevention/intervention, and anti-stigma training.

- Part-time Paramedic classification introduced in 2014 to provide full-time staff with greater opportunities for time off and to reduce the need for full-time Paramedics to work additional hours.

- Psychological Health and Wellness Plan for all staff (launched in February 2017).

- Implementation of more compassionate administration of existing Collective Agreement provisions (February 2018), meant to increase support for Paramedics involved in difficult emergency calls.

- Introduction of increased psychological benefits entitlement in 2018 for Paramedics and their eligible family members.

- City-sponsored TCEU Local 416 representative assigned to assist Paramedics in a safe and early return to work from injuries and illnesses (assigned in January 2019).

-  City-approved provision of psychological services for part-time Paramedics through the City's benefits provider, Green Shield Canada.

- Launch of a Staff Support Centre in March 2020, at the outset of the pandemic, staffed by both management and union representatives, to respond to staff inquiries and provide centralized support and tracking for all COVID-19-related absences.

- Expansion of the Telehealth program since March 2020 to reduce the number of Paramedic responses to 9-1-1 calls.

Following consultation with both TCEU Local 416 (CUPE) and People and Equity, Toronto Paramedic Services will be undertaking various further measures to support the mental health and wellness of all Paramedics as outlined in this report.

The City Manager, the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services and the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer recommend that:

1. City Council receive this report for information.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a once in a generation event that has accelerated the need for a new customer service model for the City of Toronto, one that is digital, accessible, and secure. City staff, residents, and businesses have adapted and demonstrated tremendous resilience (for example, quickly enabling contactless services). And while 2021 shows potential to be the year of a return to ‘normality’, this does not mean returning to pre-pandemic ways. Governments must seize the opportunity to fast forward innovation, create greater resiliency to respond to future challenges, reinforce new behaviours, and leverage digital for better customer experience and operating efficiencies.

At the corporate-level, the City has developed a new strategic approach to offering services in an integrated, convenient, and increasingly personalized way, similar to the services they receive from their financial institutions and now their health care providers. It is about pivoting the organization to an ‘outside-in’ approach that improves customer experience, accessibility, and engagement, while implementing a more effective city-wide approach with standards on service design, business process engineering, enabling technology, privacy, and security.  

As an important step in the City's transition to offer more services digitally, the City of Toronto is seeking a relationship with a partner—with proven experience modernizing government services—to offer digital services and a payment platform. The City of Toronto will work with this partner to bring together digital services (commencing with revenue services) in an accelerated, but phased approach so that residents, businesses, and visitors can seamlessly interact with the City of Toronto and access services across any device or medium.

In July 2020, a Council report outlined the opportunity to seek a commercial relationship with PayIt LLC ("PayIt"), an organization that had submitted an unsolicited proposal to the City on a digital government platform to accelerate the customer service transformation. That report (EX15.5), Innovative Partnership for Digital Government Platform, was referred back to the City Manager for further consideration. 

In response, the Purchasing and Materials Management Division (PMMD) and the Office of Partnership recommended a Swiss Challenge procurement process—the appropriate approach to ensure a fair and transparent consideration of the unsolicited proposal from PayIt. A Swiss Challenge takes the unsolicited proposal and effectively puts it to market using a Request for Proposal procurement vehicle that invites other suppliers to submit a counter-proposal that may meet or exceed the original unsolicited proposal. If a supplier's counter-proposal is able to meet or exceed the original unsolicited proposal, the supplier of the original unsolicited proposal has an opportunity to meet the counter-proposal. 

The City Manager, Deputy City Manager of Corporate Services, and the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer agreed with this approach, and a Swiss Challenge Negotiated Request for Proposals (SC-nRFP) was issued to market in September 2020. To ensure that the process was conducted in a fair and transparent manner, a third party Fairness Monitor was retained and the City's Internal Audit Division was asked to oversee the process.

The purpose of this report is to provide an update on the SC-nRFP process and outline next steps. The competitive procurement process is ongoing, but the evaluation stages have been completed. Twenty-two suppliers confirmed their intent to participate in the SC-nRFP, with six suppliers attending an optional information and question meeting. At the time of deadline, the City received one counter-proposal to be evaluated against the PayIt proposal.

Both the PayIt proposal and the counter-proposal passed the mandatory requirements set out in Stage 1 and Stage 2A of the SC-cRFP requirements. But after evaluation of Stage 2B, only the PayIt proposal earned a score that met the evaluation threshold needed to advance to the next stages of the evaluation process, and ultimately quality for negotiation. Staff will now begin negotiations with the successful supplier, PayIt, over the course of February and March 2021. Based on the success of the negotiations, Staff will return to Council in April 2021 to seek approval to award the contract.

There is an opportunity for the City to enter into a cost-effective, high-impact commercial relationship that meets many desired objectives. The City is seeking opportunities for more innovative relationship models with all sectors given the current fiscal situation, as outlined in EX17.1, Towards Recovery and Building a Renewed Toronto. While the greatest benefit of this relationship will be a modern and integrated experience for residents and businesses, there must also be a viable financial return on investment (ROI) where potential savings can be reinvested in other City priorities.

The move to a unified digital experience will be undertaken in phases, beginning with the integration of property tax payments, utility bill payments, and revenue collection services across one digital payment platform. The platform will be scalable and the experience iterative, gradually integrating a range of residential City services, such as permits and licensing, program registrations, integration with 311, and more. The objective is to allow residents and businesses to transact, interact, and engage with the City of Toronto in the way they want and when they want, all in one place.

Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, seconded by Councillor Mike Layton, recommends that: 

1. City Council increase the Staff Recommended 2021 Operating Budget for Non-Program, subsequent to its approval, on a one-time basis by $1,200,000.00 gross, $0 net, fully funded by Section 37 (Planning Act Reserve Funds) community benefits from 55-61 Charles Street East (source account XR3026-3701046) for the development of the Dixon Hall Youth Centre located in Regent Park at 51 Wyatt Avenue (cost centre NP2161).

 
2. City Council direct that the $1,200,000.00 be forwarded to the Dixon Hall Youth Centre upon the signing of an Undertaking by the Dixon Hall Youth Centre to govern the use of the funds and the financial reporting requirements.

In July 2019, as part of the 230 Oak Street – Official Plan Amendment and Zoning Amendment Applications, City Council approved a cash contribution of $1,200,000.00 to be allocated towards the development of the Dixon Hall Youth Centre located in Regent Park at 51 Wyatt Avenue. To expedite the process of securing Section 37, City Council directed the City Solicitor to request the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal to withhold any final Order until this condition has been met.

To date, the final Order remains outstanding. The Dixon Hall Youth Centre is near completion. We are requesting to allocate the Section 37 funds from 55 Charles Street towards the Youth Centre with the intention of reallocating the $1,200,000.00 that was secured at 230 Oak Street elsewhere in Ward 13.

Funds have been secured through Section 37 benefits from the development at 55-61 Charles Street East that included $1,670,000.00 plus indexing and interest for the purpose funding community, cultural, or recreational facilities capital improvements within Ward 13.  City Planning staff advises that the proposed purposes of the funds as set out in the recommendations of this Motion and are in compliance with the respective Section 37 Agreements and are in accord with Council approved guidelines and protocols.

Councillor Jennifer McKelvie, seconded by Councillor Michael Thompson, recommends that: 

1. City Council authorize the City Clerk to enter into an agreement with the Urban Alliance on Race Relations to receive funding in 2021 for up to thirty Councillor Aide positions in Council Member offices.

2. City Council request the Executive Director, Social Development Finance and Administration, in consultation with the City Clerk, to report back before the end of the third quarter of 2021 on an enhanced workforce development model for the Youth Fellowship program for full implementation in 2022.

This Motion seeks City Council's authorization for the City Clerk to enter into an agreement with the Urban Alliance on Race Relations (UARR) in order to receive funding to support up to thirty part-time positions in Council Member Offices to support the Black Youth Fellowship, Tamil Youth Fellowship, Filipino Youth Fellowship and Muslim Youth Fellowship Programs in 2021. 

The Muslim Youth Fellowship started in 2017 and Fellows have been placed in Council Offices every year through 2020. The Fellowships are designed to increase participation in civic engagement and provide Fellows with the practical tools required to understand and navigate the political process.

At its meeting on July 16, 2019, City Council adopted MM9.42 "Authorization of an Agreement to continue funding the Muslim Youth Fellowship Internship Program in Council Member's Offices for 2020" directing staff to explore possibilities of expanding the program with the Urban Alliance on Race Relations to youth from other diverse, under-represented communities with the goal of expanding the program as a year-round initiative at City Hall starting Fall 2020 and to report back on progress before the fourth quarter of 2019.

http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2019.MM9.42

There is base budget funding of $17,330 in the Council General Budget for this Program.  The UARR will cover the remaining cost of the Program in 2021.

Social Development Finance and Administration will report back to Council before the end of Q3 with an enhanced program model and recommendations to ensure the program is sustained with workforce development components for implementation in 2022.

Councillor Ana Bailão, seconded by Councillor Paula Fletcher, recommends that:

1. City Council request Bike Share Toronto, the Toronto Parking Authority and direct the General Manager, Transportation Services to: 

a. with the approval of the local Councillor, investigate and coordinate the relocation of the Bike Share Station located at 128 Sheridan Avenue, including but not limited to the City property adjacent to the northern portion of the property, on an expedited basis to a location that will continue providing convenient service to the immediate community; and

b. report back to Toronto and East York Community Council for its meeting on April 21, 2021 with an update on this direction's progress should the relocation not be completed by that time.

Over one-hundred residents of 128 Sheridan Avenue have raised accessibility concerns regarding the July 2020 installation and expansion of the Bike Share station at 128 Sheridan Avenue. Given the high volume of seniors residing at this location, there are concerns that this station prevents safe access to their homes. This Motion intends to ensure Bike Share has the tools and resources required for a timely and appropriate relocation of this station while maintaining the important and convenient service it provides to the surrounding community.

Councillor Paula Fletcher, seconded by Councillor Gord Perks, recommends that: 

1. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, in consultation with the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, and the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, to amend the 2015 Licence Agreement and the 2020 Licence Agreement Extension with the non-profit theatre company Canadian Stage Corporation to facilitate the implementation of Canadian Stage's proposal for a revised program at the amphitheatre in High Park, including an extension of the season from May-September to April-October, including the ability to charge an admission fee for up to 50 percent of the seating capacity, and including any other changes deemed necessary and appropriate by the General Manager of Parks, Forestry and Recreation, all subject to the final approval of the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

Canadian Stage, a registered charity, has provided performances in the amphitheatre in High Park since 1983. Over the years, these programs have appeared under various names including the Dream in High Park and Shakespeare in High Park. These programs have been enjoyed by thousands of Torontonians and visitors.

Due to COVID-19 which had devastating effects on the cultural sector, and other trends in the performing arts, Canadian Stage has approached the City with a proposal for a revised High Park program, again titled The Dream in High Park. It would lengthen the season beyond the current performance period, introduce a wider range of artistic offerings including music, dance and original Canadian drama, and include more opportunities for community-based programming. Canadian Stage would partner with other non-profit professional arts organizations, community groups and cultural institutions to provide programming, which will increase access to the venue for a wider range of groups, and showcase a more diverse cultural experience.

The proposed new program would follow any provincial orders and public health guidelines related to COVID-19 in force at the time, and would work with City officials to ensure these guidelines are implemented. As a large outdoor venue, visitors can be safely physically distanced, and the site has controlled ingress and egress. Canadian Stage has also offered to use the stage and other methods such as increased signage to promote environmental protection for High Park's sensitive ecology.

To sustain the program financially and to provide employment for Toronto performance artists, Canadian Stage is proposing to institute online reserved ticket pricing for approximately 50 per cent of the seating capacity (capacity based on any public health guidelines at the time). The other 50 per cent would be available on a pay-what-you-can donation basis, as is the current practice. This strikes a balance between access and economic sustainability. Ticket prices would require the approval of the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation.

Other programs in High Park require some kind of access fee or entrance fee, including the City-run Colborne Lodge, non-profit operations such as the sports leagues, and commercial operations such as the trackless train. At the Guild Park and Gardens in Scarborough, the non-profit Guild Festival Theatre sells tickets for a portion of the seating capacity for performances at the outdoor stage in the park, to help sustain its operations.

The current licence agreement to use the space was executed in 2015. It was extended in 2020 for a further five-year period. An amendment to the agreement is required to implement this program.

This Motion is urgent in order for the amending agreement to be executed in time for Canadian Stage to make preparations for a 2021 season.

Councillor Gord Perks, seconded by Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, recommends that: 

1. City Council request the Government of Ontario to work with the Attorney General to suspend and immediately order a comprehensive moratorium on residential evictions and to stop the processing of applications, notices, hearings and enforcement of evictions to prevent further homelessness.

2.  City Council request the Government of Ontario to immediately establish a Province-wide residential emergency rent subsidy to prevent tenants from falling into homelessness.

3. City Council request the Government of Ontario take the following actions to mitigate the rising number of homeless persons in Toronto:

a. identify Provincially-owned space which could be made available for emergency homeless shelter this winter and, should City staff request these sites on a short-term basis, immediately provide them for this use;

b. require municipal governments receiving Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative funding to build new shelters that provide sufficient capacity to accommodate their local homeless populations;

c. immediately expand funding to create new supportive housing units in the City of Toronto to transition people experiencing homelessness from shelters to permanent housing;

d. create a specific funding stream for shelter services in Toronto that is responsive to sudden increases in demand for services, and in recognition that many people from underserved municipalities are accessing Toronto’s emergency shelter system; and

e. provide equal rent scales for Ontario Works/Ontario Disability Support Program recipients regardless of what type of housing they reside in.

In the midst of COVID-19 and an affordable housing crisis, keeping people adequately housed is critical not only to the City of Toronto’s post-pandemic recovery, but also to prevent further pressure on our shelter and respite system.

As municipalities do not have the legal authority to issue moratoriums on residential evictions, we once again must turn to the Province of Ontario as they are the only level of government with the jurisdiction to enact such legislation. They rightly did this during the first pandemic lockdown from March 17 to July 31, 2020, but the moratorium expired after the first state of emergency in Ontario was lifted.

Since the moratorium on residential evictions was lifted on August 1, 2020, thousands of tenants have been served notice for eviction mostly for non-payment of rent. As the COVID-19 lockdown shut down the economy, many of Ontario’s working families are struggling with precarious employment, significantly reduced hours and income or complete job loss.

At its September 30, 2020 meeting, City Council requested that the Province immediately reinstate the residential eviction moratorium for tenants. Subsequently we have repeated this request several times without any success. As Councillors, who have repeatedly advanced motions to City Council to have homelessness be declared an emergency since 2017, we watch with dismay as the housing and shelter crises deepens in the City and Province.

Despite growing homeless, multiplying encampments, months of community protests and political pressure from the Official Opposition, the Government of Ontario was unmoved by the growing humanitarian crisis in homelessness.

All the while, the Landlord and Tenant Tribunal continued to quicken its process of eviction applications through digital hearings, by telephone and teleconference, leaving many vulnerable tenants confused and others unable to respond if they did not have access to a telephone, high-speed internet or the technology that enables it.

Since the Landlord and Tenant Tribunal reopened in August, they have processed over 14,000 applications for evictions. The digital eviction hearings are focused on speed and the clearing of the backlog and not on the principle of ensuring access to justice. Resulting in evicted tenants living in immediate homelessness and other tenants simply leaving their homes when an informal notice of eviction is given.

On January 12, 2021 with the second wave of COVID-19 ripping through the Province, Premier Ford renewed the state of emergency stay-at-home order but did not reinstate the anticipated moratorium on residential evictions.

Two days later, in a press release the Province finally confirmed it issued a second moratorium on residential evictions, but the wording of the emergency order was so confusing with parts retracted that it left many tenants further vulnerable. The Province did specify that an expedited eviction order from a judge or Landlord and Tenant Tribunal would still be allowed in “urgent situations.”

This new moratorium on residential evictions does not halt the notices, applications, hearings or enforcement of evictions. The legal loopholes are dangerously enormous and must be closed immediately. Failing to do so will leave thousands upon thousands of tenants homeless all the while the Premier insists that they stay in the home which he legally took away.

Mayor John Tory, seconded by Deputy Mayor Denzil Minnan-Wong, recommends that: 

1. City Council appoint Councillor Nick Mantas to the following committee and board for a term of office ending on November 14, 2022 and until a successor is appointed:

a. General Government and Licensing Committee; and

b. the Greater Toronto Area Agricultural Action Committee (GTA AAC).

At its meeting on December 16, 17 and 18, 2020, City Council made its mid-term appointments of Members of Council to various committees and boards.

The General Government and Licensing Committee and Greater Toronto Area Agricultural Action Committee both have vacancies.

Councillor Nick Mantas was elected to the office of Councillor, Ward 22, Scarborough-Agincourt on January 15, 2021.  

The purpose of this Motion is to appoint the new Councillor to these vacant positions.

Councillor Michael Thompson, seconded by Councillor Joe Cressy, recommends that:

1. City Council urge the Federal and Provincial Governments to consider promoting and supporting improvements to indoor ventilation and HVAC systems to reduce the aerosol transmission of COVID-19 and possible future viruses by:

a. immediately implementing the recommendations made in an open letter from 363 Canadian experts sent to the Prime Minister, Premiers and Chief Medical Officers of the Federal, Provincial and Territorial governments on January 4, 2021, notably:

1. developing clear ventilation standards using existing evidence and best practices, particularly addressing multi-occupant public spaces and activities with a higher risk of aerosol transmission, and integrating those standards into safe reopening guidelines;

2. mandating and funding ventilation assessments and upgrades of public institutions; and

3. recommending portable equipment that has been confirmed for safety and effectiveness in reducing aerosols containing SARS-CoV-2 such as air filtration units in spaces where sufficient and effective ventilation is not possible otherwise;

b. amending applicable legislative and regulatory requirements, including the Ontario Building Code, to set government-approved standards and requirements for improved indoor ventilation in the alteration and construction of buildings;

c. mandating ventilation assessments of all publicly-accessible buildings;

d. mandating upgrades to existing HVAC systems to meet ventilation standards required to reduce the risk of aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2; and

e. providing interest-free loans or grants to owners and operators of businesses and institutions who enhance existing, or install improved indoor ventilation to meet government-approved standards.

There is convincing and growing evidence that the aerosol transmission of COVID-19 is commonplace and plays a significant role in the spread of the virus. Unfortunately, many buildings are poorly ventilated and require significant ventilation upgrades, including improved HVAC systems, to help contain the transmission of viruses.

Experts warn that while we may gain control over the spread of COVID-19, future pandemics are possible. Consequently, investing in improved ventilation now will not only help prevent the transmission of COVID-19, but have significant future health benefits.

Upgrading indoor air quality standards also comes with significant economic benefits. Safer indoor spaces could enable many business and cultural activities to remain open or to reopen, thus helping them to remain viable. Retrofitting and upgrading HVAC equipment could also create hundreds of high quality jobs in manufacturing and construction.

By incorporating both health and economic considerations, this Motion will help motivate Federal and Provincial governments to consider promoting and supporting the improvement of indoor ventilation, including the upgrade of HVAC systems, to prevent the aerosol transmission of COVID-19 and the possible future viruses that will follow.

Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, seconded by Councillor Mike Colle, recommends that: 

1. City Council direct the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer to implement a new small business property subclass for the 2021 tax year in order to support small businesses through the pandemic and to stimulate economic growth and job creation post-pandemic, once the Regulations are released.

2. City Council direct the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer to develop a small business property subclass definition that addresses the following issues:

a. Highest and Best Use Assessments - the small business property subclass definition should address the need to reduce property taxes for small businesses that have endured increases in property assessments beyond the average for the Commercial Tax Class;

b. Preserving and Rebuilding Toronto’s Main Streets - the small business property subclass definition should support small businesses located on Toronto’s main streets, helping them to survive through the pandemic, while also encouraging the rebuilding of main streets post-pandemic; and

c. Broad Tax Relief for Small Businesses - the small business property subclass definition should recognize that small businesses are located throughout the City and provide a process to provide broad tax relief to these businesses.

3. City Council direct the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer to set the small business subclass property tax rate to be 25 percent less than the Residual Commercial Band 1 and Residual Commercial Band 2 rate for 2021.

4. City Council direct the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, to review the implementation of the small business subclass in 2021 and undertake community consultation to identify additional criteria and enhancements for the subclass, and to report their recommendations by September 2021 for consideration as part of the 2022 budget.

Small businesses are the life-blood of communities. The current COVID-19 virus has in many cases irrecoverably harmed the post-pandemic recovery, with beloved local restaurants, bars, speciality shops and more closing for good. Even prior to the pandemic, many main street retail buildings have seen long standing challenges with high property taxes due to above average property assessment increases.

One of the key measures the City can take to assist the long-term health of these small businesses is to implement property tax relief both during and post-pandemic to ensure the rebuilding of main streets post-COVID. For more than two decades, commercial properties in areas identified for intensification and redevelopment across the City have seen tremendous jumps in property taxes due to the way the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation assesses commercial properties as “highest and best use.”

In 1998, the Province of Ontario adopted the Current Value Assessment model for determining the assessed value of properties. Administered today by Municipal Property Assessment Corporation, all properties in Ontario have been re-assessed every four years and municipal property taxes are levied against these updated values. The majority of small businesses are located in areas identified in Toronto’s Official Plan as the Downtown, Growth Centres and Avenues, where growth is directed to meet Provincial Policy and Official Plan objectives. Since Municipal Property Assessment Corporation tends to use comparable sales data for similar properties, development assemblies and land speculation in Toronto result in unprecedented property tax hikes that are a threat to many surrounding small businesses and the character of cherished neighbourhoods.

By weighing the sale of similar and neighbouring properties, Municipal Property Assessment Corporation’s calculations can result in enormous increases in property taxes on very modestly scaled main-street properties. As an example, on Yonge Street in 2017, the assessment growth on some properties resulted in owners of many historical two and three storey commercial properties seeing their taxes raise by 300 percent to 400 percent. City Council has recognized this issue and has attempted to support small businesses through a temporary 10 percent cap on commercial property tax increases, but a long-term sustainable solution is necessary.

The City has been working with Municipal Property Assessment Corporation, the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas, the Ontario Ministry of Finance, and other small businesses and stakeholders to identify potential assessment and tax policy solutions that could address this challenge and support main streets in Toronto.

The 2020 Budget, Ontario’s Action Plan: Protect, Support, Recover, introduced property tax and assessment initiatives to support business competitiveness as the Province recovers from the pandemic. This included providing municipalities the flexibility to target tax relief to small businesses by creating a new optional property subclass for small businesses in 2021 and subsequent tax years. The Province also committed to considering matching any municipal property reductions with a corresponding reduction in the Province’s Business Education Tax in order to further support small businesses.

The Province is currently finalizing the regulations for the small business subclass, but the definition for small businesses is left to each municipality and can utilize geographic, business or property features to determine that definition. Given that main street businesses across Toronto were struggling with unaffordable property taxes before COVID and are under even more financial stress due to the pandemic, the City must be ready to assist small businesses through this new definition.

It is critical the City implement a solution in 2021 to assist these small businesses through the pandemic, but also to ensure lively main streets with a diversity of small businesses in the City’s Downtown, Growth centres and Avenues post-COVID.

Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, seconded by Councillor Paul Ainslie, recommends that: 

1. City Council direct the City Manager to immediately cease all City of Toronto paid advertising in the Corriere Canadese following the reports of the printing and distribution of homophobic and transphobic articles about the Toronto Catholic District School Board, its Trustees and its LGBTQ2S+ students.

2. City Council direct the City Manager to inform the Corriere Canadese that it must sign and comply with the City of Toronto’s Human Rights and Anti-Harassment/Discrimination Policies if it is to become a vendor again in the future.

3. City Council direct the City Manager to consult with the City Solicitor and update the City's advertising and promotions policies by ensuring full alignment with the City’s Human Rights and Anti-Harassment/Discrimination Policies.

4. City Council direct the City Manager to report to the Executive Committee in the third quarter of 2021 on strategies to proactively ensure that all media selected for City advertising are in compliance with the City’s Human Rights and Anti-Harassment/Discrimination Policies, such report to include consultation with the City's Human Rights Office and LGBTQ2S+ Advisory Committee.

The City of Toronto’s Human Rights and Anti-Harassment/Discrimination Policy states that we “will not tolerate, ignore, or condone discrimination or harassment and is committed to promoting respectful conduct, tolerance and inclusion.”

The publisher of Corriere Canadese has been publishing articles targeting the Toronto District Catholic School Board, its Trustees for their support of LGBTQ2S+ students and their families. The articles are portrayed as factual news when they are opinion pieces that are discriminatory towards a charter protected minority group.

It is our opinion that Corriere Canadese has:

-      attacked Toronto District Catholic School Board Trustees De Domenico, Di Pasquale, Li Preti and Rizzo on numerous occasions, calling them “thugs”[1], a “rat pack”[2], and “gangsters”[3];

-      defamed YouthLine[4], a youth-led charity that affirms and supports LGBTQ2S+ youth that provides life-saving peer support and educational resources; and

-      dismissed our Human Rights Code:

“Traditional religious values” have, in their view, become unacceptable because the sexual practices espoused by Catholic values are deemed bigoted and homophobic. The new standard is their Human Rights Code, in my respectful opinion vastly inferior in breadth and depth to the Catholic “code” except that the HRC is enforced by the State police and whoever motivates it with complaints of alleged grievances.[5]

The City's advertising dollars should not be invested in a community newspaper that espouses discrimination and harassment against:

-      the LGBTQ2S+ community or any other charter protected minority group

-      elected officials

-      a public school board

Furthermore, on November 17, 2020, Pizza Nova, an award-winning Ontario-based company founded in Scarborough, announced that they were cancelling their advertisements from Corriere Canadese. They cite that as a “very inclusive company” the articles in the Corriere Canadese are “not in accordance” with their beliefs.

We ask that the City of Toronto advertise broadly in different Italian language media outlets that have signed and actively honour our Declaration of Compliance with Anti-Harassment/Discrimination Legislation and all other related City policies.

[1] https://www.corriere.ca/english-articles/time-to-put-sexualized-virtue-signalling-thugs-in-their-place/
[2] https://www.corriere.ca/english-articles/a-rat-pack-in-charge-of-our-catholic-schools/
[3] https://www.corriere.ca/english-articles/code-of-conduct-thuggery-gangsterism-and-persecution/
[4] https://www.corriere.ca/english-articles/tcdsb-website-hosts-pornographic-site-defended-by-trustees/
[5] https://www.corriere.ca/english-articles/code-of-conduct-thuggery-gangsterism-and-persecution/

Councillor Josh Matlow, seconded by Councillor Joe Cressey, reommends that: 

1. City Council request the General Manager, Municipal Licensing and Standards, in consultation with the Medical Officer of Health, to develop a strategy to ensure individuals adhere to mask-wearing policies in congregate settings in multi-residential buildings, potentially including new education and enforcement measures.

Congregate settings in multi-residential buildings have unfairly presented an unavoidable risk of COVID-19 transmission for many Torontonians. Apartment and condo residents do not have a choice as to whether they enter their building’s lobbies, elevators, and laundry rooms.

While the Mayor and Council enacted by-laws requiring Landlords and Condominium Boards to put signage in common areas stating that masks are mandatory, the message has unfortunately not been followed by far too many people. Over 2,000 complaints of neighbours not wearing masked have been filed through 311 to the City. That is in addition to the many complaints Councillors have received directly. More must be done to address this issue,

The Mayor has recognized the issue and sent by-law enforcement to the buildings with the most complaints. This action is a great first step, but more must be done to ensure that mask-wearing is strictly followed within multi-unit residential buildings, especially with the more transmissible UK variant of the Coronavirus having been found in Ontario.

While it is incumbent upon Landlords and Condominium Boards to follow the rules and post the signage provided by the City, it is not reasonable to expect them to be able to ensure that every resident wears a mask in common areas of their buildings. That’s why this Motion requests City Staff to develop a strategy to promote, and possibly enforce, individual responsibility for wearing a mask to protect their neighbours.

Councillor Gord Perks, seconded by Councillor Mike Layton, recommends that:

1. City Council authorize and direct the City Solicitor to seek party status in the appeal of the Committee of Adjustment's refusal of Application A0678/20TEY for 52 Wright Avenue, and to attend the Toronto Local Appeal Body hearing, with appropriate City staff, in opposition to the proposal.

2. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to retain outside consultants as necessary.

3. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to attempt to negotiate a resolution of the appeal and, if a resolution is reached, to settle the appeal at the City Solicitor's discretion, and in consultation with the Ward Councillor and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

The applicant applied to the Committee of Adjustment (Application A0678/20TEY) (the "Application") to alter the existing two-storey detached dwelling at 52 Wright Avenue by constructing a rear two storey addition and a rear shed. More specifically, the Application requests variances with respect to floor space index, building depth, front yard parking, minimum parking space size, front yard soft landscaping and pedestrian access. City Planning provided a report to the Committee of Adjustment dated December 3, 2020 recommending refusal of the Application (attached to this Motion) on the basis of the parking related variances. At its hearing on December 10, 2020, the Committee of Adjustment refused the Application (the "Decision"). The Notice of Decision is attached to this Motion. The applicant appealed the Decision on December 30, 2020.

This Motion will authorize the City Solicitor to seek party status in the appeal of the Decision and to attend the Toronto Local Appeal Body with appropriate City Staff or outside consultants, in order to oppose the minor variances requested in the Application. This Motion will also give the City Solicitor authority to negotiate a settlement of the appeal and retain outside consultants as necessary.

Councillor Brad Bradford, seconded by Councillor Paula Fletcher, recommends that: 

1. City Council confirm and authorize the City Solicitor's objection to the Cannabis Retail Store Authorization application by Tuggs Incorporated (Tuggs) for the premises at 1681 Lake Shore Boulevard East (the "Premises") submitted to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario on January 11, 2021, with the objection based on the ground that the use of the Premises as a cannabis retail store is not permitted in the lease/licence agreement dated June 2, 2010 entered into between the City and Tuggs.

2. City Council direct the City Clerk to advise the Registrar of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario that City Council objects to the application for the Cannabis Retail Store Authorization at the Premises and to forward this Resolution of Council to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.

Tuggs Incorporated (Tuggs) has submitted an application to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario for a Cannabis Retail Store Authorization at 1681 Lake Shore Boulevard East (the "Premises") in order to permit the sale of cannabis as part of the food service business that operates there. The Premises is owned by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and the City has leased/licenced the Premises to Tuggs under a lease/license agreement dated June 2, 2010 (the "Agreement"). Under the terms of the Agreement, it is the position of the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation that a cannabis retail store is not a permitted use of the Premises.

On December 29, 2020, the City was made aware by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario that Tuggs submitted an application for a Cannabis Retail Store Authorization. On January 7, 2021, Parks, Forestry and Recreation staff sent a letter to Tuggs advising them that the proposed use is not permitted as per the terms of the Agreement, and asking them to withdraw their application. On the direction of Parks, Forestry and Recreation staff, and in consultation with the local Councillor, the City Solicitor submitted an objection to the application to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario on January 11, 2021 on the ground that the use was not permitted in the Agreement. A response to the City's January 7^th letter was provided by Tuggs to the City on January 20^th and it is Tuggs' opinion that the use of the Premises as a Cannabis Retail Store is permitted under the terms of the Agreement and requests that the City re-consider its position.  City staff are in the process of reviewing Tuggs' most recent letter with the intention to respond. 

Under the current legislation, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario provides a 15-day notification period to receive public input on any Cannabis Retail Store Authorization application that can include an objection from an individual or a municipality. The objection deadline for this application was January 11, 2021, and because there was no City Council meeting held during the objection period staff were required to object to the application without the authority of City Council. Because there is no delegated authority from City Council to staff to object to this type of application, a Resolution from City Council is now required to confirm the City's objection that was sent to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario on January 11, 2021.

This matter is deemed urgent as the objection deadline was January 11, 2021.

Councillor Cynthia Lai, seconded by Councillor Michael Thompson, recommends that:

1. City Council direct the City Solicitor and any other appropriate City staff to attend the Toronto Local Appeal Body hearing in respect to 105 Pitfield Road, (Files B0023/20SC, A0140/20SC, A0141/20SC) to support the Committee of Adjustment's refusal of the applicant's proposed development and oppose the appeal.

2. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to retain outside consultants as necessary.

3. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to negotiate, if necessary, a resolution of the appeal and, if a resolution is reached, to settle the appeal at the City Solicitor's discretion, and in consultation with the Ward Councillor and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

On November 24, 2020 The Scarborough Committee of Adjustment did not approve a minor variance (File A0140/20SC Part A) and (A0141/20SC Part B) brought by the owners of 105 Pitfield Road to sever the lot.

In a report dated September 17, 2020 from the Director of Community Planning, Scarboorugh District Community Planning staff recommended the application be refused.

Councillor Josh Matlow, seconded by Councillor Mike Layton, recommends that: 

1. City Council request the Province of Ontario to:

a. accelerate distributing the full dosage of available vaccines around the clock to all residents, caregivers and workers in long term care homes and congregate care settings and address vaccine hesitancy amongst residents and workers;

b. address the dangerous staffing shortages through stabilizing the workforce by offering more full-time employment opportunities, greater pay, heightened benefits, increased paid sick days and extending the $3 temporary wage increase for workers in both long term care and institutional settings past the March 31st, 2021 expiration date;

c. develop and release clear, multilingual vaccination roll-out plans for older adults, and their caregivers, living at home and address vaccine hesitancy amongst older adults and caregivers;

d. reverse the exemption provided to long term care homes and congregate care settings from civil proceedings by amending the Supporting Ontario's Recovery Act, 2020;

e. reform the governance and accountability models of for-profit long term care homes so that profits can never come before care and safety; and

f. explore new, and expand current, at-home supports and care to allow for more older adults to age in place.

2. City Council request the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care to provide additional resources to long-term care homes and congregate care settings to collect data on non-COVID-19 deaths, and the impact COVID-19 has had on the functional and psycho-social status and care needs of all residents

This public health emergency has quickly turned into a humanitarian crisis with seniors in long term care accounting for nearly 70 percent of Ontario's COVID-19 deaths. To save lives and better support our long term care workers, residents, caregivers, older adults and those living with accessibility challenges, our provincial government must accept, and act on, expert advice immediately.

Like in the pandemic's first wave, far too many of Ontario's long term care homes continue to face dangerous staffing shortages. This is a serious and significant contributing factor to the increase in recorded COVID-19 outbreaks and deaths that are ravaging the very places that should be safe, healthy, and caring environments.

The majority of workers in both long term care homes and congregate care settings, such as retirement homes and group homes, are part-time, rather than full-time staff. The key difference between the two includes the number of paid sick days. A full-time unionized worker will receive 10-14 days of paid sick leave every year, while a part-time worker will only receive 1-3 days. This is why many workers have had to make the difficult choice of reporting to work with potential COVID-19 symptoms or staying home and missing a day without pay.

Our Province needs to invest in our workforce through offering more full-time employment opportunities, greater pay, heightened benefits and increased paid sick days. This would ultimately resolve the recruitment and retainment issues that have been present in the sector, even prior to the pandemic. In addition, our province must extend the $3 temporary wage increase for workers in both long term care and congregate care settings past the March 31, 2021 expiration date.

To stop and slow the spread of infection, Ontario must accelerate distributing the full dosage of available vaccines around the clock to all residents, caregivers and workers in long term care homes and congregate care settings.

Moreover, Ontario must effectively address vaccine hesitancy in workers in long term care homes and congregate care settings. Many racialized and Indigenous populations have historic mistrusts of vaccines and health programs. That is why Ontario must make every effort to work collaboratively with key partners that have built strong relationships with such communities. This will ensure that they are receiving clear information about the vaccine from a trusted source and are able to access it conveniently, such as within their workplace. For those workers that must visit vaccination clinics to receive the vaccine, the province should offer them paid time off and/or reimbursement for travel expenses.

As we continue to vaccinate all residents, staff, and caregivers in long term care and congregate care settings, Ontario must develop and release clear, multilingual vaccination roll-out plans for older adults, and caregivers, living at home and address vaccine hesitancy amongst older adults and caregivers using similar strategies aforementioned.

In an effort to ensure that families and loved ones seeking justice against negligent long term care and congregate care settings, Ontario should reverse the exemption provided to long term care homes and congregate care settings in the Supporting Ontario's Recovery Act, 2020, which states that any business, agency, non-profit or person that has made or makes an honest effort from March 17, 2020 to follow public health guidelines, would not be held liable for harms related to the exposure of COVID-19 in civil proceedings. The lack of accountability and responsibility outlined in this Bill demonstrates the apathy, instead of empathy our province has for the thousands of lives lost, especially in our long term care homes.

As noted by experts tracking Ontario's cases and death rates in long term care, for-profit homes have significantly worse COVID-19 outcomes when compared to municipal and non-profit facilities. The contributing factors that have resulted in for-profit homes doing far worse include, but not limited to, older design standards, lack of investment in the workforce and prioritization of shareholders over delivery of care. That is why, Ontario must reform the governance and accountability models of for-profit long term care homes so that profits can never come before care and safety.

While the systemic challenges present in Ontario's long term care system have been entrenched for decades, this pandemic has further discouraged many older adults from wanting to enter the system in the first place. According to a recent poll, over 90 percent of older adults plan to age in place. With seniors being the fastest growing age group in Ontario, our province needs to begin exploring new, and expanding current, at-home supports and care to allow for more older adults to age in place.

Lastly, as reported by experts, residents in long term care and congregate care settings have experienced severe and potentially irreversible physical, cognitive, psychological, and functional declines as a result of the health and safety measures imposed on homes. An increase in the prescription and administration of antipsychotic drugs to residents has also been reported. In order to better understand and assess the needs and challenges of residents, the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care must provide additional resources to long term care homes and congregate care settings to collect data on non-COVID-19 deaths, and the impact COVID-19 has had on the functional and psychosocial status of all residents. This data will not only inform the current and future standards of care, but may also encourage the province to implement emotion-centered approaches to care within homes, as this has proven to benefit residents through reductions in unintended weight loss, falls, negative responsive behaviors, the use of anti-psychotics and cost-savings to our healthcare system.

We owe it to our long term care homes staff and residents, along with their families and friends, to take the necessary steps to ensure that they’re provided the highest standards of safety and care. It is simply unacceptable for the provincial government to do anything less than to implement these recommendations immediately in order to save lives.

Councillor Mike Colle, seconded by Councillor Jennifer McKelvie, recommends that: 

1. City Council request the Federal Government to deploy the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps for immediate assistance in Long Term Care Homes, including distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, distribution of medical equipment, supplies and personal protective equipment and, care for the residents.  

2. City Council request the Federal and Provincial Governments to provide an additional enhanced funding increase to support Long-Term Care Homes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic, our frontline staff have been extremely overworked, as they go above and beyond to assist Long-Term Care Homes with their respective outbreaks.

Now, more than ever, one of our most vulnerable populations, including seniors and hardworking staff in our Long-Term Care Homes, need support as transmission infection rates continue to rise. There is added concern with the new variant that has been detected and has become rampant in some of our Long-Term Care Homes.

We must do everything possible to protect the health and safety of our seniors, and staff who care for them, as we cannot afford to lose any more lives. The rate of infection is higher in privately-funded Long-Term Care homes.

This Motion requests that the Federal and Provincial Governments provide enhanced funding resources to ensure proper assistance is provided to our seniors and frontline workers in Long-Term Care Homes by deploying the Canadian Armed Forces and Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps to the Long-Term Care Homes to assist with care and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, as well as provide medical equipment, supplies, and personal protective equipment as needed.

Councillor Joe Cressy, seconded by Councillor Mike Layton, recommends that: 

1. City Council increase the 2021 Staff Recommended Operating Budget for Economic Development and Culture, subsequent to its approval, on a one-time basis by $0.540 million gross, $0 net, fully funded by Section 37 (Planning Act Reserve Funds) community benefits from the development at 1030 King Street West (Source Account XR3026-3700493) and transfer to the Artscape Youngplace property located at 180 Shaw Street to secure 9,000 square feet of space for SKETCH (Cost Centre: AH0017, Functional Area Code 1560400000).

2. City Council delegate authority to City staff to implement Part 1 above, through the preparation of an Agreement identifying the terms and conditions of the capital contribution to SKETCH to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture.

This Motion is for the allocation of $0.540 M of Section 37 funds towards a capital project that will secure a permanent home for SKETCH Working Arts for Street Involved and Homeless Youth (SKETCH), a community arts organization serving street involved and homeless youth through arts programs.

SKETCH, is a registered charity. Since 1996, it has engaged marginalized young people in the transformative power of the arts, building their leadership and life skills. SKETCH also celebrates these young people as culture makers, perception changers, and collaborators in creative city and community building.

SKETCH was an original tenant within Artscape Youngplace at 180 Shaw Street SKETCH launched a campaign to purchase and secure their current space so that the organization can continue to afford their 9000 sq. ft. of space, build sustainability, and have youth continue to access the studio and services. Its location, close to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in the West Queen West neighbourhood allows for the delivery of programs which complement client needs.

SKETCH has raised $3.20 M through a combination of community bonds, private donors and a mortgage.  SKETCH requires an additional $0.540M to secure the space at 180 Shaw Street.

Section 37 funds have been both secured and received by the City from the development at 1030 King Street West for a variety of purposes including the restoration of the Shaw Street Centre. There currently remains sufficient funds for this motion that has not been spent or is committed.

It is recommended that the General Manager of Economic Development and Culture hold the $0.540 M Section 37 funding until the agreement between the City and SKETCH is executed to ensure the community benefit is preserved.

The matter is urgent in that SKETCH needs to be able to fulfil its financial obligations by March 31, 2021. 

Councillor Paula Fletcher, seconded by Councillor Joe Cressy, recommends that: 

1. City Council reiterate its support for a below ground subway in the segment of the former Relief Line from Pape to the Don Yards and that Metrolinx, the Ontario Provincial Government and the Federal Government be formally advised of City Council's decision.

At its meeting of October 29, 2019, City Council adopted a number of recommendations regarding safety concerns and community impacts of the Ontario Line.   Subsequently, at its January 29, 2020 meeting, Council took further steps to strengthen the Ontario Line's community consultation process including calling for a full, formal Transit Project Assessment Process (TPAP) and to include consideration of alternatives for the technology, station locations and alignment, including putting underground those sections proposed to be above ground in the Ontario Line Initial Business Case. 

The completed and fully approved Environmental Assessment for the TTC's Relief Line, done by the City of Toronto, the TTC and Metrolinx, deemed the appropriate rapid transit solution to be an underground line from Pape Station to Queen and Yonge.

In the takeover of the project by Metrolinx an abbreviated Environmental Assessment was undertaken without the full community process enabled by a full TPAP. It has been difficult to have a cohesive and public airing of the impacts.

However it is now clear it is impossible to add 3 new tracks (2 additional tracks for the Ontario Line and 1 additional track for GO expansion) to the existing 3 tracks in the corridor without a considerable negative impact on City assets - particularly the 7 local parks and the public realm. The required crash wall and noise mitigation wall has to be built straight up from the Metrolinx property line in the parks and possibly up against Jimmie Simpson Community Centre. As well, further City parks space will be required for the necessary berm at the foot of these walls.

There is only one full Environmental Assessment for this segment which City Council has fully endorsed and approved. Metrolinx needs to know that City Council's preference remains an underground segment for this segment of the (former) Relief Line and new Ontario Line.

Councillor James Pasternak, seconded by Councillor Mike Colle, recommends that:

1. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services, the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation and the General Manager, Toronto Water to provide a strategic plan for clearing and providing safety on the West Gate entrance of Earl Bales Park.

2. City Council request the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to provide a strategy in order to provide better access to our ravines. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has stressed the importance of being outdoors and getting physical activity while gym facilities are shut down. During this difficult time our parks have become a valuable resource to get sufficient physical activity. The West Gate entrance of Earl Bales Park is a commonly used path by the residents of the Armour Heights community in order to reach the Park. This Motion asks City Staff to provide a plan on clearing and maintaining the path in the winter months, allowing for residents to access the park safely.

Councillor Mike Colle, seconded by Councillor Jaye Robinson, recommends that City Council adopt the following recommendations in the report (January 22, 2021) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning: 

1. City Council amend its decision on item NY13.1 adopted on February 26, 2020 as follows:

a. Delete part 1 and replace it with the following:

City Council amend Zoning By-law 7625 for the lands at 2788 Bathurst Street and 515 Glencairn Avenue substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment attached as Attachment No.1.

b. Delete part 2 and replace with the following:

City Council amend Zoning By-law 569-2013 for the lands at 2788 Bathurst Street and 515 Glencairn Avenue substantially in accordance with the draft     Zoning By-law Amendment attached as Attachment No. 2.

c. Delete part 7 and replace with the following:

City Council approve the acceptance of on-site parkland dedication as previously authorized in City Council Decision NY13.1 adopted on February 26, 2020, subject to the Owner transferring the parkland to the City free and clear, above and below grade, of all easements, encumbrances, and encroachments, in an acceptable environmental condition; the owner may propose the exception of encumbrances of tiebacks and such other encumbrances, if any, where such encumbrances are deemed acceptable by the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, in consultation with the City Solicitor, and such encumbrances would be subject to the payment of compensation to the City, in an amount as determined by the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation and the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management.

2. City Council determine that the revisions reflected in the proposed Zoning By-law Amendments appended to this Report as Attachment Nos. 1 and 2 are minor in nature, and pursuant to Section 34 of the Planning Act, no further public notice is required in respect of the proposed Zoning By-law Amendments.

At its meeting held on February 26, 2020, City Council adopted North York Community Council Item NY 13.1, which recommended amendment to the former City of North York Zoning By-law 7625 and the City wide Zoning By-law 569-2013 (the "Zoning By-law Amendments") to permit the redevelopment of 2788 Bathurst Street and 515 Glencairn Avenue of a mixed-use mid-rise 9 storey building.

After City Council approved the application for the Zoning By-law Amendments on February 26, 2020, the applicant further revised their application to which City Planning has opined on in their Report, dated January 27, 2021. 

REQUIRES RE-OPENING:

Item 2020.NY13.1 (February 26, 2020) only as it pertains to Parts 1, 2 and 7 of City Council's decision.

Councillor Paula Fletcher, seconded by Councillor Mike Layton, recommends that:  

1. City Council request the Executive Director, Toronto Environment Office and the relevant Division Heads to support the next phase of Pocket Change in which SNAP will be involved to ensure that maximum environment contributions are achieved from each of the Divisions that will be part of the project; and City Council request staff to submit a status update on the Pocket Change plan at the September 14, 2021 meeting of the Infrastructure and Environment Committee.

2. City Council request the Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Transit Commission, the Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Community Housing Corporation and the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to become part of this larger Pocket project to determine opportunities for environmental transformation and to identify appropriate staff who would can be part of the development of a larger institutional environmental project.

3. City Council request the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services to invite the Toronto District School Board/Toronto Lands Corporation to be a part of this larger institutional project.

4. City Council request the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services, in consultation with the Executive Director, Toronto Environment Office, to engage a consultant in collaboration with the institutional partners and SNAP project leaders to determine scope and opportunities for environmental upgrades including identification of State of Good Repair for each of the project partners for the next 5 to 10 years.

5. City Council direct that, in collaboration with the local Councillor, a Working Table be constructed for the institutional aspect of the project and City Council request staff to submit a report on the scope and opportunities for the project to the September 14, 2021 meeting of Infrastructure and Environment Committee.

The Pocket is a community in Toronto's East End bounded by Jones Avenue, the rail Tracks, Greenwood Avenue and the Danforth.

Through the Pocket Community Association a neighbourhood project called "Pocket Change" was created some years ago to reduce its environmental footprint with the development of a neighborhood wide home retrofit project as well as other environmental interventions

The Pocket already hosts one of the City’s oldest community gardens and was a neighbourhood leader in providing car share spots long before it became popular. There is one zero net emissions home and another sustainable home. It is a good neighbourhood to have such a project. The community undertook a successful tree planting project for the ROWs and have successfully worked on Vision Zero initiatives.

Since inception they have been working closely with the City's Environment Office. Recently Pocket Change was selected by SNAP (Sustainable Neighbourhood Action Plan) as a project deserving of their assistance. SNAP already assists Black Creek and Weston neighbourhoods in the ongoing development and implementation of their neighbourhood environmental plan. In the development of these plans, support from City divisional experts is critical.

Outside of residential homes, the Pocket also hosts considerable City and public infrastructure – Greenwood TTC Subway yards, the Toronto Community Housing Phin Community and the City's Phin Park. As well, the Toronto District School Board's First Nations Junior and Senior School, formerly Eastern Commerce Collegiate Institute, is sited here.  Environmental sustainability and transformation of City related properties can complement the existing Pocket Change project.

Councillor Jennifer McKelvie, seconded by Councillor Mike Layton, recommends that: 

1. City Council request the Government of Ontario to develop and implement a plan to phase-out all gas-fired electricity generation as soon as possible to ensure that Toronto has a clear path to achieve our climate action goals.

2. City Council request the City Manager to forward this resolution to the Premier of Ontario, the Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines and the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.

In October 2019, City Council affirmed its commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050, or sooner, joining more than 800 municipal governments in 16 countries to declare a climate emergency.

This time, we must join 13 municipal governments across Ontario, to ask that the Provincial government develop and implement a plan to phase-out all gas-fired electricity generation as soon as possible, to help municipalities in Ontario meet their climate targets.

The Government of Ontario is planning to increase its reliance on gas-fired electricity to replace the output of the Pickering Nuclear Station (its operating licence expires on December 31, 2024) and to meet a rising demand for electricity. This plan will throw away more than a third of the greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions Ontario achieved by phasing-out its dirty coal-fired power plants.

The increase in GHG pollution associated with gas-fired electricity will reduce the effectiveness of the City’s climate adaptation and mitigation efforts. It will decrease the effectiveness of electrification programs including deep building retrofits and electric vehicle programs. Without GHG emission-free electrical generation, the City of Toronto cannot reach its climate goal of net zero.

While COVID-19 has impacted the City of Toronto and the greater Province in tragic ways, it has also demonstrated that a reduction in the burning of fossil fuels has led to an improvement in our air quality.

As we move towards restart and recovery from COVID-19, we need to do what we can now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in order to meet our net zero goals and build back better, greener and more resilient.

Councillor Mark Grimes, seconded by Councillor Gary Crawford, recommends that:

1. City Council increase the Staff Recommended 2021 Operating Budget for Non-Program, subsequent to its approval, by $12,000.00 gross, $0 net, fully funded by Section 37 funds obtained in the development at 2242-2246 Lake Shore Boulevard West (Source Account: XR3028-4500028) for the purpose of providing one time capital funding to Community Matters Toronto to complete eight murals on Bell Boxes in the New Toronto area of Ward 3 (Cost Centre: NP2161).

2. City Council direct that the funds be forwarded to Community Matters Toronto upon the signing of an Undertaking by Community Matters Toronto that governs the use of the funds and the financial reporting requirements.

The Bell Box Murals Project is a program of Community Matters Toronto. Since 2009, artists from the Bell Boxes Murals Project have painted murals on Bell Canada outdoor utility boxes throughout Toronto, Southern Ontario and Quebec.

The benefits of the Bell Boxes Murals Project include:

- Replaces graffiti and vandalism with original works of art.

- Makes the streets more inviting to residents and visitors.

- Enhances residents' sense of community.

- Art is accessible to all people, regardless of income, language or social stature.

- Creates a public art channel to reflect local culture and heritage.

- Provides income and opportunities for local artists.

Eight Bell utility boxes have been identified throughout the New Toronto area in Ward 3, by the New Toronto Ratepayers Association and Councillor Grimes and approved for mural installations by Bell Field Services. Section 37 funds have been secured and received from the development at 2242-2246 Lake Shore Boulevard for the purposes of public initiatives in the New Toronto area.

The theme for the murals will be determined in consultation with local residents and artists. Preference will be given to artists who live or work in Ward 3. The Bell Canada utility box mural project is to be completed in Spring/Summer 2021 by the Bell Box Murals Project, represented by Michael Cavanaugh of Community Matters Toronto.

The intent of this Motion is to transfer a total of $12,000 of Section 37 funds from the

development at 2242-2246 Lake Shore Boulevard to Community Matters Toronto to provide one-time capital funding for the purpose of painting murals on eight Bell utility boxes in the New Toronto area of Ward 3.

Councillor James Pasternak, seconded by Councillor Mike Colle, recommends that: 

1. City Council request the Chief People Officer and the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration to report to the March 30, 2021 meeting of the Executive Committee on a plan to include fighting anti-Semitism in all future work implemented as part of  the Toronto For All campaign.

Toronto For All is a City of Toronto “public education initiative to generate dialogue among Toronto residents in order to create a city that says “no” to all forms of discrimination and racism, including systemic racism.”  Fighting anti-Semitism is not currently listed as an objective of this program. 

According to the Toronto Police Service – Hate Crime Unit Annual Hate Crime Statistical Report in 2019, the Jewish community was the most frequently victimized group. The three most frequently reported criminal offences motivated by hate in 2019 were mischief to property, assault and utter threats. The Jewish community was the most frequently victimized group for mischief to property and utter threat occurrences. The LGBTQ community, followed by the Black community were the most frequently victimized group for assault occurrences.

Councillor Jaye Robinson, seconded by Councillor Mike Colle, recommends that: 

1. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to consider initiating the hiring process for a new Director, Community Planning, North York District, on a priority basis.

It has been more than a full year since the former Director of Community Planning for the North York District retired on January 17, 2020. Since then, a number of Community Planning Managers have taken up the post of Acting Director on a rotating basis.

Each month, North York Community Council continues to receive new development applications, each of which must be reviewed and reported on. North York District oversees some of the fastest-growing areas in the City of Toronto and Community Planning has processed a record number of new development proposals in recent years.

While the Acting Directors have done a commendable job covering for this vacancy, it would be advisable to permanently fill this vacancy as soon as possible.

Councillor Bailão, seconded by Councillor Joe Cressy, recommends that:

1.  City Council increase the Staff Recommended 2021 Operating Budget for Non-Program, subsequent to its approval, on a one-time basis by $ 68,555.45 gross, $0 net, fully funded by Section 37 (Planning Act Reserve Funds) community benefits from 150 Sudbury Street (Source Account: XR3026-3700458) for transfer to the Little Portugal On Dundas Business Improvement Area for the purpose of installing an Art Mural Project by VHILS on the west facing wall at 1628 Dundas Street West. (Cost Centre: NP2161).
 

2.  City Council direct that the $68,555.45 be forwarded to Little Portugal On Dundas Business Improvement Area, subject to the Little Portugal On Dundas Business Improvement Area signing an Undertaking governing the use of the funds and the financial reporting requirements.

This Motion recommends the release of Section 37 Planning Act funds to Little Portugal on Dundas Business Improvement Area for the purpose of installing an Art Mural Project by VHILS on the west facing wall at 1628 Dundas Street West.

The project will see the installation of this public art mural on a private wall by renowned artist Alexandre Farto aka VHILS.

Funds have been secured from the development at 150 Sudbury Street as community benefits through Section 37 of the Planning Act. The funds identified have been received by the City.

This Motion is urgent so the project can proceed in the coming weeks with the Business Improvement Area.

Councillor Jaye Robinson, seconded by Councillor Mike Colle, recommends that City Council adopt the following recommendation in the report (January 29, 2021) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning:

1.  City Council include the property at 324 Old Yonge Street on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register in accordance with the Listing Statement (Reasons for Inclusion), attached as Attachment 3 to the report (January 29, 2021) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

The subject property, located at 324 Old Yonge Street, is situated on the west side of Old Yonge Street, north of York Mills Road, east of Yonge Street, and south of the 401 contains a three-storey brick house and a detached two-storey brick garage that was constructed in circa 1930-37. The subject property is a surviving example of one of the seven original mansions built on the west side of Old Yonge Street in York Mills during the late-1920's and early-1930's as part of an exclusive enclave of mansions that sat opposite the former St Andrew's Estate and Golf Course (1927) and north of St John's Anglican Church (1843).  These elaborate mansions are defined by lots with large frontages and setbacks, circular driveways and expansive landscaped grounds.

The property at 324 Old Yonge Street is important in supporting the historic character of York Mills and is a representative example of a Georgian Revival style house and sits in a sequence of mansions of a similar grandeur, type, and architectural style, which are defined by lots with large frontages and setbacks, circular driveways and expansive landscaped grounds, including the adjacent listed property located at 384 Old Yonge Street, with which it shares a similar typology and Georgian Revival exterior. Three other surviving adjacent properties are listed or designated on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register.

Section 27 of the Ontario Heritage Act gives municipalities the authority to maintain and add to a publicly accessible heritage register. City Council must consult with its municipal heritage committee before a property that has not been designated under Part IV is added or removed from the municipal register. 

Following further research and evaluation, it has been determined that 324 Old Yonge Street meets Ontario Regulation 9/06, the criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, which the City of Toronto also applies when evaluating properties for its Heritage Register.

The Toronto Preservation Board considered this matter at its meeting on January 29, 2021 and adopted the recommendation for the property to be included on the City's Heritage Register.

Properties on the Heritage Register will be conserved and maintained in accordance with the Official Plan Heritage Policies.

A Committee of Adjustment Application for Consent was submitted on May 19, 2020 is currently under review.  The building is vacant.

Councillor Mike Colle, seconded by Councillor James Pasternak, recommends that:

1. City Council amend its decision on Item NY20.30 by deleting Part 1 and adopting instead the following:

“City Council authorize the City Solicitor and appropriate City Staff to attend at the Toronto Local Appeal Body hearing to oppose Application A0572/19NY respecting 113 Ridley Boulevard.”

The purpose of the proposed amendment is to clarify Council’s instructions to the City Solicitor with respect to Application A0572/19NY respecting 113 Ridley Boulevard. The City Solicitor's office has been consulted and have no objections to the following recommendations.

REQUIRES RE-OPENING:

Item 2020.NY20.30 (December 16, 17, and 18, 2020) only as it pertains to Part 1 of City Council's decision.

Councillor Mike Colle, seconded by Councillor Frances Nunziata, recommends that:

1.  City Council request the City Manager to report to the Executive Committee on any possible measures that might be taken by the City of Toronto or other levels of Government and various institutions like the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to stem the growing role that social media platforms and servers have in profiling violence, hatred and intimidation that affect at-risk and vulnerable communities.

The Lawrence Heights community continues to experience high rates of crime, and social media is one of the tools being used to perpetuate these acts of violence in the community. Governments should take a lead on helping to draw the line between prohibited and allowable content on social media platforms in an effort to make our communities safer.

The purpose of this Motion is to explore all means possible on how young people, especially in our vulnerable communities, can be better protected from the continual harassment, threats, and hate speech that is being perpetrated 24/7 on various social media platforms.

Secondly, this Motion will recommend certain legislative or regulatory steps that might be taken to make social media platforms and their corporate owners more accountable for what they allow on their platforms that may lead to acts of violence.

Councillor Anthony Perruzza, seconded by Councillor James Pasternak, recommends that:

1.  City Council direct the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer and the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards to report through the 2021 Budget Process on options to aid licensed businesses impacted due to COVID-19 closures, including, but not limited to the following:

a. reducing or eliminating 2021 renewal fees; and

b. extending the 90 day licence cancellation  period to 120, 150, 180, and 365 days.

Through the COVID-19 pandemic small businesses have closed due to Provincial orders and suffered great financial hardship.

Councillor Mike Layton, seconded by Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, recommends that:

1.  City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to write to the Province of Ontario, requesting:

a.  clarity of its plans in relation to the filing of the regulation required for implementation of Schedule 11 of the Ontario Heritage Act;

b.  public consultation regarding the proposed Regulation; and

c.  the revised Heritage Toolkit be made public before the Regulation is filed.

Bill 108 was given Royal Assent in June 2019 but Schedule 11 has not been proclaimed. Neither have the Regulations required by Bill 108 been issued. Proclamation of the Act and filing of the Regulations were expected on January 1 2021, however this did not happen, and there has been no explanation provided by the Government and no announcement as to any revised schedule.

The proposed legislation will have significant impacts to the City relating to heritage conservation (identification, notification, application processes, timelines and protection). Most importantly, it will remove Council’s final authority for Part IV designations.

Staff have reported to Toronto Preservation Board on the delay in the implementation of the Ontario Heritage Act legislation and also the failure to issue an update of the Heritage Toolkit, which was required to assist staff in dealing with the administration of the changes. During the Toronto Preservation Board discussion it was noted that the changes would have a serious impact on City Planning's Heritage Planning section.

It is important that City Council intervene as soon as possible and before Schedule 11 has been proclaimed to ensure City Planning have the tools available to them to continue to protect our heritage properties.

Councillor Mike Layton, seconded by Mayor John Tory, recommends that:

1. City Council consider the report (February 1, 2021) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

The property at 130 Bloor Street West includes an apartment on its 13th and 14th floors that is designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act and subject to a Heritage Easement Agreement. The purpose of the Heritage Easement Agreement is to conserve the "historical, architectural, contextual, aesthetic, scenic and cultural heritage characteristics and conditions" of the property in perpetuity.

The "Torno" apartment, named for its original owners, is one of very few residential properties in Toronto to include interior features as heritage attributes. The subject apartment was constructed in 1960 and is a rare example of Modern architecture associated with the internationally-recognized architect Philip Johnson and, as noted in the Heritage Impact Assessment by ERA Architects Inc., it is "a landmark of Toronto residential architecture." Philip Johnson is best known for his work within the periods of Modern and Post-modern architecture and the Torno apartment is a rare example of his design aesthetic in Canada. The apartment is also a unique example of residential design reflecting a Modern aesthetic as expressed through interior heritage attributes.

The applicant proposes to alter the subject apartment and remove a number of the interior attributes identified in the Heritage Easement Agreement. The Heritage Easement Agreement requires that the City make a decision in respect to the proposed changes within 90 days of receiving all the information. City Council authority is also required under s.33 of the Ontario Heritage Act and City staff do not have delegated authority to approve or deny these alterations under the Municipal Code Chapter 103 - Heritage.

The Toronto Preservation Board considered this matter at its meeting of January 29, 2021, and supported the staff recommendation that the City Council approval of the proposal be limited to certain works.

In order to ensure that the owner has received notice of the Council’s decision within the required 90 day period, it is necessary for a Council decision to be made at its meeting on February 2 and 3, 2021.

Councillor Joe Cressy, seconded by Councillor Mike Layton, recommends that:

1.  City Council amend the existing lane designation on the northerly curb lane on Queen Street West, from Ossington Avenue to a point 30.5 metres east, for westbound right turns only, to exclude buses.

2.  City Council amend the existing lane designation on the southerly curb lane on Queen Street West, from Shaw Street to a point 30.5 metres west, for eastbound right turns only, to exclude buses.

The westbound curb lane on Queens Street West, east of Ossington Avenue and the eastbound curb lane, west of Shaw Street currently operate as right-turn lanes. The Toronto Transit Commission has reported that they are running a bus replacement service on Queen Street West and the buses that serve the nearside stops have to go straight through these intersection, and requested that the lane designations be changed to exclude buses.

This Motion is urgent to immediately support existing Toronto Transit Commission operations on Queen Street West.

Councillor Joe Cressy, seconded by Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, recommends that:

1.  City Council authorize the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management to amend the ground lease agreement (the "Lease") between the City of Toronto and Woodsworth Housing Co-operative Incorporated (the "Tenant") by approving and executing a tripartite and lease amending agreement (the "Agreement") between the City, the Tenant and Peoples Trust Company for the property known as 133 Wilton Street, substantially on the terms and conditions outlined in Appendix A to this Motion, and including such other terms and conditions as may be acceptable to the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, in consultation with the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

 
2.  City Council authorize the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, or designate, to execute the Agreement, and any related documents on behalf of the City of Toronto, as required.

Woodsworth Housing Co-operative Incorporated (the "Tenant") is a non-profit housing provider that leases the City-owned land located at 133 Wilton Street (the "Property").  On November 24, 1977, the City and the Tenant entered into a 99-year ground lease, with a term commencing on December 8, 1977 and expiring on December 7, 2076 (the "Lease").  The Lease was authorized by Clause No. 71 of Executive Committee Report No. 29, as amended and adopted by former Toronto City Council at its meeting held on July 25 and 27, 1977, on the terms set out in Clause Nos. 70 and 71 of Executive Committee Report No. 29, Clause No. 60 of Executive Committee Report No. 30, as amended, Clause No. 58 of Executive Committee Report No. 30, as amended and Clause No. 115 of Executive Committee Report No. 30, as amended, all of which were adopted by former Toronto City Council at its meeting held on July 25 and 27, 1977.  The terms of the Lease were subsequently amended by Clause No. 6 of Committee on Neighbourhoods, Housing, Fire and Legislation Report No. 21 in Executive Committee Report No 48, as amended and adopted by former Toronto City Council at its meeting held on November 21, 1977. 

The Lease provides that the Tenant shall construct a building to be used for the purposes of non-profit housing. In order to construct the building, the Tenant received financing from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation ("CMHC").  The Tenant completed the construction of the building, which it owns separately from the City's land, and the building now requires capital investment to maintain and repair.  In order to complete the required capital work, the Tenant requires financing and is seeking a loan from Peoples Trust Company (the "Leasehold Mortgagee").

The Leasehold Mortgagee has advised that in order to grant the loan to the Tenant, it requires that the City and the Tenant enter into the Agreement with the Leasehold Mortgagee, which includes certain material amendments to the Lease.  Corporate Real Estate Management staff is currently finalizing the terms of the Agreement with the Tenant and the Leasehold Mortgagee and requires City Council's authority to approve and execute the Agreement substantially on the terms set out in Appendix A to the Motion. 

Corporate Real Estate Management staff and Housing Secretariat staff consider the terms and conditions of the Agreement to be fair and commercially reasonable.

This Motion is urgent in order to permit the required capital repairs to be undertaken without further delay.

Councillor Brad Bradford, seconded by Councillor Ana Bailão, recommends that:

1.  City Council confirm the City's support for a consent application at 2165 Gerrard Street East (B0035/20TEY), and support approval of the consent application at the Toronto Local Appeal Body subject to the City's standard conditions for a consent application and those conditions set out in any City staff communication to the Committee of Adjustment on the application.

This Motion requests City Council to confirm the City's support for a consent application at 2165 Gerrard Street East (application B0035/20TEY) which has been appealed to the Toronto Local Appeal Body. Community Planning staff have confirmed that the application is supportable and did not file a report to the Committee of Adjustment with respect to the consent application.

A consent application to sever the existing lot into two at 2165 Gerrard Street East was heard before the Committee of Adjustment on December 2, 2020. The Committee of Adjustment refused the application and the committee's decision has been appealed by the owner to the Toronto Local Appeal Body with a hearing date scheduled for June 8, 2021. The consent application was made in order to enable the existing single-family detached dwelling to be build, as-of-right, into a pair of semi-detached triplexes with a laneway suite at the back of each semi-detached dwelling, for a total of 8 new units.

The as-of-right development that would have been permitted if the consent was granted is a good example of missing middle housing and exemplifies the kind of gentle density and sensitive intensification that will be critical to meeting Toronto's current and future housing needs. City Planning staff had not raised concerns about the application to the Committee and confirming's the City's support through this Motion confirms the City's existing position.

With the City in the midst of a critical conversation about housing affordability, and embarking on important work to thoughtfully and sensitively modernize prohibitive zoning through the Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods study, it is important that we take a clear and consistent approach to applications that fulfill existing missing middle needs.

Going forward, as the City works to meet the diverse housing needs of all our residents, it is our duty to ensure we are breaking down the barriers to building new housing and support real-world examples of our policies being implemented.

This matter is deemed urgent because of the date of the Toronto Local Appeal Body hearing and the City's desire to indicate support for the consent application.

Councillor Mike Layton, seconded by Councillor Joe Cressy, recommends that:

1.  City Council direct the City Solicitor, including relevant staff, to attend the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal case management conference scheduled for March 3, 2021 and to formally request and engage in mediation with all parties in an effort to resolve the outstanding matters related to the rezoning application, and to report back to City Council on the outcome of the mediation and to seek direction for the hearing of the appeals.
 

2.  City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to immediately undertake a cultural heritage landscape study of the Queen's Park precinct.

There has been community and City-wide concern expressed over the potential impact of the 78-90 Queen’s Park application on the cultural heritage landscape of Queen’s Park.

At the advice of Toronto Preservation Board, Community Council was advised to refer the report until there was time to fully consider heritage impacts of the application.

At Toronto and East York Community Council, I moved to refer the final report for 78-90 Queen's Park Crescent back to Community Planning until a comprehensive study of the Queen's Park cultural heritage landscape could be completed.

Based on this Motion, Toronto and East York Community Council deferred consideration of the Final Report. The applicant then appealed the rezoning and site plan applications for non-decision.

The purpose of this Motion is to provide staff direction for the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal appeal and is urgent because the first hearing for this file is scheduled for March 3, 2021.

Background Information:

http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2020.TE19.2

Councillor James Pasternak, seconded by Councillor Mike Colle, recommends that:

1. Pursuant to Subsection 45(1.4) of the Planning Act, City Council permit an application for minor variances with respect to the property municipally known as 470-530 Wilson Avenue for relief from the requirements of Former City of North York Zoning By-law 7625, as amended by By-law 977-2020, to amend the associated development standards only as they relate to the setbacks and stepbacks for Building A.

470-530 Wilson Avenue is an approved 12 storey condominium building and 12 storey purpose built rental building comprised of 589 units, 110 of which are rental replacement units. A final order was issued on September 25, 2020, as the result of settlement between the City of Toronto and 500 Wilson Avenue LP (previously 2186836 Ontario Inc.). This redevelopment is one of a select number of projects enrolled as a Tier 2 project in Version 3 of the Toronto Green Standards. Thermal performance of the building envelope is a critical requirement in the Toronto Green Standards per GHG 1.2 Building Energy Performance. Detailed design has revealed that the applicant requires relief on the rear setbacks of the building on the ground and second floor by a range of 0.27 metres and 0.28 metres, and separation distances between the facades of the building by 0.20 metres to 0.30 metres to accommodate building materiality request by Urban Design and wall assemblies necessary to meeting the stringent requirements of Tier 2 in Version 3 of the Toronto Green Standards.

Extensive energy modelling has been done on this project where different mechanical systems along with cladding assemblies have been tested in order to meet Toronto Green Standards Tier 2. The requested relief on the setback and separation distances range from 0.20 metres to 0.30 metres. No additional gross floor area will be secured by accommodating these amended setbacks and stepbacks.

As the proposal would not result in increased development density or otherwise modify the remaining development standards established through the rezoning of this property, City Council's authorization for submission of a minor variance application at this time is warranted as the zoning by-law was issued last year and the 2 year Minor Variance Moratorium remains in place.

This is an urgent matter as excavation is underway and compliance with the site specific By-law is required to secure foundation permits in April 2021. A delay in the issuance of permits will delay the provision of the replacement rental units, the majority of which are designated as affordable housing.

Councillor Josh Matlow, seconded by Councillor Paul Ainslie, recommends that:

1  City Council request the City Manager to report to the June 1, 2021 meeting of Executive Committee on options for Scarborough transit that includes a:

a.  technical assessment of moving forward with the Scarborough Light Rail Transit, including length of construction time and new platform location at Kennedy Station;

b.  feasibility study and cost estimate of converting the elevated Scarborough Rapid Transit structure to an above-grade Bus Rapid Transit; and

c.  feasibility study and cost estimate of removing the elevated Scarborough Rapid Transit structure and operating a Bus Rapid Transit at-grade.

 
2.  City Council request the Toronto Transit Commission Board to release the “Integrity Assessment for Life Extension/Continued Operation” report by Bombardier, in partnership with WSP Canada Inc. and CH2MH, referenced in the Fleet Life Extension – Line 3 Scarborough report to the Toronto Transit Commission Board on May 8, 2018 to City of Toronto residents as a public attachment to the aforementioned item on the Toronto Transit Commission's website.

The Toronto Transit Commission has informed the residents of Toronto that the Scarborough Rapid Transit – Scarborough Line 3 – will no longer run past 2023. This is 3 years sooner than what City Council was previously told and would leave Scarborough residents on long bus rides for 7 years if the province builds the still unfunded Scarborough Subway on time.

The Toronto Transit Commission has estimated that the discontinuation of Scarborough Rapid Transit service will result in a loss of ridership due to an eighteen minute average increase in commute time. It is estimated that this inferior service will cost over $300 million in additional capital and operating costs. Further, the Toronto Transit Commission states that the increase in buses will cause traffic delays and impacts on local residential neighbourhoods.

Given the significant impact this discontinuation of service will have on Scarborough residents, and the City as a whole, it is incumbent upon City Council to explore every option to mitigate the impact of this service disruption. That’s why, given new information, this Motion requests the City Manager to provide a technical assessment of the Scarborough Light Rail Transit, and options to use the existing Scarborough Rapid Transit right-of-way to run a faster, more efficient bus service.

This Motion also requests the release of a Bombardier report from 2018 on the Scarborough Rapid Transit that is critical for City Council and the public to have access to given the Toronto Transit Commission’s announcement that Scarborough Rapid Transit service is being discontinued in 2 years.

This Motion is urgent given the significant impact to the City’s transit operations by the projected discontinuation of the Scarborough Rapid Transit as detailed in the Toronto Transit Commission report entitled "Scarborough Rapid Transit Life Extension Project Options Analysis" just released and, as a result, the considerable work required of Staff that this Motion proposes.

Councillor Anthony Perruzza, seconded by Councillor Mike Colle, recommends that:

1.  City Council request the Government of Canada to invoke their Compulsory Licensing law(s) that would allow “Ottawa to authorize generic copies of the COVID-19 vaccines” in an effort to increase national production.

2.  City Council request the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to contact local generic drug producers and encourage them to request the Government of Canada to increase national production of COVID-19 vaccines.

3.  City Council circulate this Motion to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

Yesterday Thomas Walkom, in the Toronto Star, describes how the Federal Government can use its powers to increase domestic production of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Recent announcements of delays in deliveries of vaccines to Canada from Pfizer and Moderna threaten the pandemic recovery and the health of all Canadians.  The Federal Government must take every action available so that Canadians can receive COVID-19 vaccines in the greatest possible numbers as quickly as possible.

However, the Federal Government has delayed in encouraging domestic manufacturing of the vaccine and has not imposed Compulsory Licencing, a law that would authorize cheaper generic copies of the COVID-19 vaccine to be manufactured without the need to negotiate with patent holders.

City Council will introduce and enact General Bills and Confirming Bills.

Consolidated Bills Index for February 2 and 3, 2021 City Council Meeting
http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewBillBylaw.do?meeting=2021.CC28