Agenda

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Declarations of Interest under the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act

Speakers/Presentations: The speakers list will be posted online at 8:30 a.m. on April 26, 2023

Communications/Reports

Confirmation of Minutes - March 20, 2023 

The General Manager, Toronto Water, recommends that:

1. City Council receive the correspondence dated February 17, 2023, set out in Attachment A to this report, from the Credit Valley -Toronto and Region - Central Lake Ontario ("CTC") Source Protection Region Program Manager to the City Clerk of the City of Toronto, regarding Notification of Consultation pursuant to Sections 34 of the Clean Water Act, 2006 and Ontario Regulation 287/07, and the request for written comments by Friday, April 14, 2023 and the Municipal Council resolution by Monday, May 21, 2023.

2. City Council endorse the proposed amendments to the Credit Valley - Toronto and Region - Central Lake Ontario ("CTC") Source Protection Plan and the Toronto and Region Source Protection Area ("TRSPA") Assessment Report set out in Attachment A, to this report, and authorize the release of these proposed amendments for public consultation to the Credit Valley -Toronto and Region - Central Lake Ontario ("CTC").

3. City Council direct the City Clerk to deliver a certified copy of City Council's resolution in this matter, by no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 19, 2023, to the Toronto and Region Source Protection Authority in care of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, and to the Program Manager of the Credit Valley -Toronto and Region - Central Lake Ontario ("CTC") Source Protection Region.

The purpose of this report is to seek City Council's endorsement of proposed amendments to the Credit Valley - Toronto and Region - Central Lake Ontario ("CTC") Source Protection Plan ("CTC Source Protection Plan") and the Toronto and Region Source Protection Area ("TRSPA") Assessment Report ("Assessment Report") in response to a Notification of Consultation pursuant to section 34 of the Clean Water Act, 2006 (Ontario) (the "Act") and Ontario Regulation 287/07 (the "Consultation Notice") delivered to the City Clerk by the Credit Valley - Toronto and Region - Central Lake Ontario ("CTC") Program Manager.

The Amendments are necessitated by technical work in connection with two City infrastructure projects, the Island Water Treatment Plant fourth intake (the "Fourth Intake") undertaken by Enwave Energy Corporation ("Enwave") as part of the Council authorized expansion of the Deep Lake Water Cooling system and the Ashbridges Bay Treatment Plant outfall (the "ABTP Outfall") undertaken by Toronto Water.

This report further seeks City Council's authorization to release the proposed amendments for public consultation, and requests that City Council direct the City Clerk to send to the Credit Valley - Toronto and Region - Central Lake Ontario ("CTC") Program Manager, no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 19, 2023, a certified copy of City Council's resolution in this matter.

There is no financial impact associated with the adoption of the recommendations in this report.

The Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer has reviewed this report and agrees with the financial impact information.

The General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation recommends that:

1. City Council authorize the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to negotiate and sign on behalf of the City a nominal fee licence agreement with Jumblies Theatre, a registered charity, and Elder Dr. Duke Redbird to facilitate Indigenous cultural activities at Toronto Island Park, for a term from June 1, 2023 to October 9, 2023, renewable for an additional two similar seasons at the sole discretion of, and on terms and conditions acceptable to, the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor, and subject to the licence referenced in Recommendation 2 below.

2. City Council authorize the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to provide consent to Toronto Island Marina, to provide a licence for the use of the Blockhouse Bay docking wall by Jumblies Theatre, a registered charity, and Elder Dr. Duke Redbird for a term from June 1, 2023 to October 9, 2023; and for an additional two similar seasons, if the licence at Toronto Island Park is renewed at the sole discretion of the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation.

The report seeks authority to enter into a nominal fee licence agreement with Jumblies Theatre, a registered charity, and Elder Dr. Duke Redbird to facilitate Indigenous cultural programming on a section of parkland on Toronto Island Park.

Jumblies Theatre and Elder Dr. Duke Redbird will pay nominal licence fees for the use of the parkland from June 1 to October 9, 2023. During this period, there are no additional costs to Parks, Forestry and Recreation from the execution of this license agreement.

The Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer has reviewed this report and agrees with the financial implications as identified in the Financial Impact section.

The Executive Director, Environment & Climate recommends that:  

1. City Council adopt the Corporate Policy on Submissions and Filings as contained in Attachment 4 to this report.

The year 2022 can be viewed as an important foundational year for the Transform TO Net Zero Strategy's ('the Strategy') new net zero goal, building on the climate change mitigation work implemented to date by the City and its partners.  Where 2021 set the stage for what should and must happen in reaching net zero through energy and emissions modelling, 2022 ground tested the realities, provided opportunities for cross-corporate partnerships and started work on priority actions with the intention to support their scaling. Toronto continues to be a leader in global climate action through initiatives such as building one of the world's largest waste energy transfer projects, enabling sustainable building practices through accelerated implementation of the Toronto Green Standard, being the first major North American city to introduce a carbon budget, and by having many actively engaged residents taking action.

This report provides an update on progress made in 2022 towards laying the groundwork for achieving the Strategy's greenhouse gas reduction targets and how Toronto's progress steers advancement on the five critical steps that underpin the Strategy's success. This report also provides information on the work underway with the TransformTO Short-Term Implementation Plan 2022-2025, the status of related Council directives, as well as progress made towards the 2030 sector goals. Finally, this report responds to a Council direction to provide a policy for how Divisions should refer to TransformTO Net Zero Strategy goals and targets in comments for public consultation processes and legal filings.

Toronto continues to be a leader in global climate action through initiatives such as building one of the world's largest waste energy transfer projects, enabling sustainable building practices through accelerated implementation of the Toronto Green Standard, being the first major North American city to introduce a carbon budget, and by having many actively engaged residents taking action.

Overall, 100 per cent of the 30 Short-term Implementation Plan actions and 97 per cent of the 40 Council directions adopted as part of the Strategy are either in progress or complete. Many of these actions establish the tools and programs that allow net zero decisions and investments to be made now and going forward. Staff continue to develop programs and policies to support this transformational direction.

Moreover, accountability systems that clarify the roles where implementation support is critical have been put in place. In 2022, this included establishing an Accountability and Management Framework (2022.IE29.10) to guide the City's inclusive implementation of the Strategy. A Net Zero Climate Leadership Table (NZCLT) and an external Climate Advisory Group (CAG) are now in place to guide decisions and provide accountability for implementation.

To support and inform the above-mentioned accountability structure, Council will also be considering a framework to establish a carbon budget which will link climate actions with the annual financial budget process and provide more information on the expected impact of the City’s actions to reduce GHG emissions and to better inform fiscal decision making.

The full financial impacts for the required investments to achieve the Council adopted 2025 and 2030 GHG reduction targets and ultimately getting to net zero by 2040 are still to be determined. Technical modelling estimates suggest that over the next thirty years, the total investment required by the entire community, that is, the City corporation, the business community, other levels of government, and individual residents, is $145 billion. Annual investments between $4-9 billion per year will be needed over the next 17 years, with most investments needed in the near term. This number includes the financial investments made by homeowners towards retrofitting an estimated 450,000 homes and buildings, or about 27,000 home retrofits each year until 2040, as well as individual purchases of 333,000 electric vehicles before 2030.  These investments will need to be complemented by provincial government actions to support and maintain a clean and carbon-free provincial electricity grid. 

Toronto's 2020 community-wide greenhouse gas inventory shows progress toward our targets.  In 2020, Toronto's community-wide emissions were 14 megatonnes (MT) of carbon dioxide equivalents, or greenhouse gas emissions.  This is 43 percent lower than in 1990, meaning that Toronto has exceeded its target of 30 per cent reductions community-wide by 2020.  However, these reductions can largely be attributed to decreased transportation emissions in 2020 related to COVID-19 travel restrictions. As COVID-19 economic recovery efforts gain momentum, GHG emissions are expected to approach pre-pandemic levels. The latest data shows that Toronto’s community-wide emissions must be nearly cut in half in the next seven years to meet the 2030 target.

Continued ambitious climate actions and programs will be critical to reaching the City’s 2025 target of 45 per cent GHG emissions reduction from 1990 levels. Further, these efforts must be scaled up to reach Toronto’s community-wide future targets of a 65 per cent reduction by 2030 and net zero by 2040.

The required scale and pace of change to achieve our shared climate targets is a shared responsibility with the community, financial institutions, businesses and other orders of government and will require new partnerships, funding models and financial mechanisms to make the needed investments.

This report has no financial impacts.

The Executive Director, Environment & Climate recommends that:  

1. The City Council adopt the proposed wording set out in Attachment A, for the bill that Council has authorized to be brought forward and enacted as part of Chapter 669 (Climate Change Goals and Governance) to the Toronto Municipal Code.

2. City Council adopt the Offset Credits Policy, set out in Attachment B, as a net zero-aligned approach to offset credits applicable to all City of Toronto Divisions, Agencies and Corporations.

Toronto set an ambitious target of net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2040 and developed the TransformTO Net Zero Strategy to help lead the way. 

The next step is defining an accountability and governance system that can institutionalize progress in reducing GHG emissions and establish the City of Toronto as a climate governance leader through enhanced transparency and accountability.

The Carbon Accountability system proposed in this report would support actions across the City government to reduce GHG emissions in the community and from the City's own operations ("Corporate" emissions). This will increase value for money and facilitate deeper engagement by Council, residents and stakeholders' on the City's implementation of the Net Zero Strategy. It will also support the City's commitment to lead by example by reducing emissions from Corporate operations even further and faster than community emissions.

Increasingly, Council and stakeholders are asking whether sufficient financial investment is being allocated and/or spent to achieve annual progress towards Toronto's ambitious targets. Council's desire to understand the link between financial decisions about current and future policy, programs and projects and their impact on GHG reductions is the basis for establishing a "Carbon Budget". The Carbon Budget process, which is part of the Carbon Accountability system sets both a standard and a process for managing to meet that standard - analogous to a household or organizational budget but instead of limited dollars being managed according to institutionalized processes, limited units of GHGs must be managed.

The process of establishing a Carbon Accountability system that relies on a Carbon Budget, both of which are outlined in this report, raises the bar on accountability for the City with respect to its actions to reduce greenhouse emissions.  The proposed process goes beyond monitoring and reporting activities and their associated emissions to adding proactive elements that identify and support plans to align GHG emissions with absolute "emissions budgets" that are consistent with Council-adopted GHG targets and global science-based pathways to achieve the Paris Agreement 1.5 °C goal, as determined by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an United Nations body charged with advancing scientific knowledge about human sources of climate change.

Moreover, the Carbon Budget contributes a critical piece to a more holistic and broader accountability framework by linking governance and budget planning to the ideas, priorities, and realities of City leaders via the Net Zero Climate Leadership Table (NZCLT) as well as the broader community, through consultation with the Community Advisory Group (CAG).

The three elements in this report that support a Carbon Accountability system and Carbon Budget process include:

1. A new Climate Change Goals and Governance chapter for Toronto's Municipal Code. This codifies the foundation of the Carbon Accountability system and provides 'process certainty' for City Divisions, Agencies and Committees around GHG management prioritization and public reporting aligned with key target years and integrated with the financial budget process;

2.  A new corporate Offset Credits Policy. This clarifies the "net" of net zero by defining whether and how the Corporation will purchase and/or sell carbon offsets in a science-based, fiscally responsible way as we work toward the net zero goal;

3.  A description of the tools and resources for implementing the Carbon Accountability system. These will assist with quantifying estimates of GHG impact in the annual Carbon Budget process and the generation of a Carbon Budget Report, also annually. They will also provide for more accessible public engagement through a dashboard of key metrics.

Using a Carbon Budget process will deepen the consideration of climate action within the annual financial budget process and provide more information on the expected impact of the City’s actions to reduce GHG emissions. Key metrics will be presented publicly on a dashboard to enhance transparency.

Additionally, every Carbon Budget Report that immediately follows a municipal election will be an "enhanced" report for the new Council, including information on the status of progress towards climate goals, actions and investments needed to address any gaps in progress, and requests for confirmation of continued or enhanced support for achieving Council adopted goals.

Staff from the Environment & Climate Division ("E&C") have been working together with Financial Planning Division to prepare for initial implementation of the first annual Carbon Budget process and Carbon Budget Report in 2024. There will be some initial limitations including around lack of data to support estimates of GHG reductions from City-led actions and integrating new tools and resources into the financial budget process. Lessons from the 2024 budget cycle will be applied to future budget cycles as the process is expected to evolve and grow more robust over time. In fact, a key lesson from other jurisdictions with advanced accountability and governance approaches is that it is better to start from where you stand and improve over time than to delay implementation until data, tools and processes are perfected.[1]

Staff in E&C have consulted on the Carbon Accountability system externally with the Climate Advisory Group and internally with the Net Zero Climate Leadership Table, other net zero related working groups and relevant Divisions, Agencies and Corporations. Feedback from these consultations has been integrated.

Pending Council’s decision, the Carbon Accountability system and Carbon Budget process will make Toronto one of the leading cities for demonstrating credible and systemic climate governance as part of our drive to net zero emissions. Taking the steps to be accountable for net zero climate action - year in and year out until 2040 - will further institutionalize climate action into the cultural DNA of the City of Toronto.

[1] Arup and C40 Cities, "Climate Budgeting: Transforming governance to mainstream climate action" (October 2022).

There is no financial impact to the approved 2023 Operating and Capital budgets for the Environment & Climate Division. Any additional financial impacts for future years will be included in future year Budget submissions for Council's consideration.

The General Manager, Fleet Services recommends that:

1. City Council adopt The Sustainable City of Toronto Fleets Plan in Attachment 1, which supersedes all previous Plans, as the framework to achieve the following goal and objectives:

a. transition city Fleets to sustainable, resilient, net zero operations by 2040, including 45 percent emissions reduction by 2025, and 65 percent by 2030;

b. transition 20 percent of City-owned fleet to zero-emission vehicles by 2025, and 50 percent by 2030;

c. achieve resilient fleet assets and operations by 2040; and

d. achieve net zero procurement by 2040.

2. City Council direct the General Manager, Fleet Services to:

a. coordinate the implementation of The Sustainable City of Toronto Fleets Plan, in consultation with Management staff of other City of Toronto fleets, including Toronto Transit Commission, Toronto Police Services, Toronto Fire Services, Toronto Paramedic Services, Toronto Community Housing, Exhibition Place, Toronto Zoo, Toronto Parking Authority, and Toronto Public Library;

b. track the progress made in achieving the established goal and objectives and report regularly as part of TransformTO City-wide progress reports and updates; and

c. continue to provide a comprehensive report on The Plan's progress and a Plan update every four years, with the next one to be delivered in the first quarter of 2027.

3. City Council delegate to the General Manager, Fleet Services, authority to negotiate, execute and to amend as and when necessary, any agreements necessary to give effect to the implementation of The Sustainable City of Toronto Fleets Plan, on terms and conditions satisfactory to the General Manager, Fleet Services, and the City Solicitor.

4. City Council request the Toronto Transit Commission Board, the Toronto Police Services Board, the Toronto Community Housing Board of Directors, the Exhibition Place Board of Governors, the Toronto Zoo Board of Management, the Toronto Parking Authority Board of Directors, and the Toronto Public Library Board to adopt and implement The Sustainable City of Toronto Fleets Plan.

This document provides an update to the Sustainable City of Toronto Fleets Plan (henceforth referred to as the "Plan") goal and objectives in addressing climate mitigation and adaptation with strategies for transitioning City Fleets to sustainable, climate resilient, net-zero operations. It also provides a progress report on City Fleets' prior and current strategies and initiatives, changes in environmental circumstances, and external drivers and barriers.

The scope of the Plan includes more than 10,000 vehicles and equipment managed and operated by Fleet Services Division, Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), Toronto Police Service, Toronto Fire Services, Toronto Paramedic Services, Toronto Community Housing(1), Exhibition Place, Toronto Zoo, Toronto Parking Authority, and Toronto Public Library(1).
(1)Managed by Fleet Services Division

The Plan is a critical component of the TransformTO -Critical Steps for Net Zero by 2040 targets and actions, and it continues to build on strong engagement and collaboration, and shared expertise and experience of City Fleets and its key partners and stakeholders.

There are no financial impacts resulting from the adoption of the recommendations in this report. Funding required to implement this plan are either included in the current approved budgets or will be included in future budget submissions of participating divisions.

The following outlines current estimates for the capital funding required to implement this Plan for its key stakeholders, as identified in respective Agency/Corporation/Division 2023 Budget Notes and supporting plans.

Fleet Services Division
The estimated 10-year capital funding required to implement this Plan for Fleet Services is $213.2 million as outlined in the Fleet Services 2023 Budget Notes, Appendix 6 and 9, and in Table 1 below. This is over and above the current 10-year Fleet Replacement Program budget of $1.088 billion.

Table 1 -Annual Capital Cash Flow Requirements by Initiative (2023 -2032) (in $ millions)

$9.5 million of the total 10-year capital requirements is funded (accounts CFL067, CFL068, and CFL069), while $203.8 million is unfunded. This includes $66.5 million for zero emission vehicle (ZEV) premiums and $135.5 million for ZEV charging infrastructure that will support all City-owned ZEV other than TTC revenue vehicles. Vehicle premiums are to cover additional cost of zero emission vehicles over and above the current 10-year budget of $1.088 billion under the vehicle replacement program.

Toronto Transit Commission (TTC)
The TTC’s Green Bus Program includes the procurement of only eBuses starting in 2024, one year ahead of the 2025 target. The current program schedule will ensure full-fleet conversion to zero-emissions by 2037, which is three years ahead of the City of Toronto’s TransformTO Net Zero Strategy target of 2040.

The 10-year Capital Budget and Plan includes $688.6 million in approved funding, for the procurement of approximately (based on vehicle pricing estimates at the time) 600 new buses, including 300 hybrid-electric buses and 300 eBuses for delivery between the years 2023 and 2025. With the recent contract awards for 336 hybrid-electric buses, where vehicle pricing is finalized, the remaining available funds allow us to procure approx. 240 eBuses.

The 10-year Capital Budget and Plan also includes $8.4 million for electric Wheel-Trans Bus purchases.

Following are identified programs with unmet needs over the 10-year planning horizon:

• Purchase of Electric Buses: $1.9 billion

• eBus Charging systems -$575 million

Toronto Fire Services
Toronto Fire Services (TFS) continues to develop multi-year contracts for TFS heavy fleet procurement, to streamline purchasing through various vendors and to ensure delivery of vehicles in as timely a manner as possible, based on manufacturers' capabilities.

The current 10-year estimated capital cost of transitioning TFS fleet to zero emission vehicles is $75.1 million. This is based on the planned electric pumper truck pilot proving successful and viable application for TFS emergency response requirements and will be included in future budget submissions for Toronto Fire Services for consideration.

Toronto Police Service
Toronto Police is continuing with conversion to hybrid vehicles while testing operational viability of fully electric vehicle models. Toronto Police's approved 10-year capital budget and plan includes additional $9.1 million for vehicle conversion to hybrid models as outlined in the Toronto Police 2023 Budget Notes.

Toronto Paramedic Services
The current 10-year estimated capital cost of transitioning Toronto Paramedic fleet to zero emission vehicles is $24.9 million. This is based on the planned ambulance pilot proving successful and viable application for Paramedic emergency response requirements and will be included in future budget submissions for Toronto Paramedic Services for consideration.

Toronto Parking Authority
Toronto Parking Authority's approved 10-year capital budget and plan includes $1.193 million for the transition to zero emission vehicles, as outlined in the Toronto Parking Authority 2023 Budget Notes.

The Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer has reviewed this report and agrees with the financial impact information.

The Executive Director, Environment and Climate recommends that:

1. City Council receive this report for information.

This report provides additional information in response to City Council direction to report back on options, if any, for permitting private installation of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure on public streets.

In Toronto, five (5) per cent of residents rely on residential on-street parking permits for parking their vehicles.  This percentage of residents who don't have dedicated access to parking will also not have dedicated access to charging should they wish to acquire an electric vehicle.  Commonly known in the electric vehicle (EV) industry as "garage orphans", these residents experience a challenge on one of the necessary pre-requisites to electric vehicle (EV) purchase and may be hesitant to embrace electric vehicle (EV) technology without private access to charging.

To date, the City's approach to meeting the needs of garage orphans has been to provide shared public charging access, via City-owned and operated public charging stations, on-street in some residential neighbourhoods, on-street in paid parking locations as well as in parking lots owned and managed by the Toronto Parking Authority (TPA). This is in addition to public charging available through other third parties, such as workplace charging.

This report considers two privately funded options that may meet the needs of garage orphans in the city but would result in some additional costs to the City due to the administration and oversight of the programs:

• Allowing the private purchase and permanent installation of privately owned charging stations located on-street in front of, or close to a resident's home

• Allowing "as needed" electric vehicle (EV) charging by running an electrical cord, covered with an accessible ramp, over the sidewalk to an on-street parking spot in front of a resident's home

Although on the surface, these two options seem to meet residents' immediate needs for charging, both options:

• create potential public safety risks, including potential physical accessibility issues on the sidewalk, requiring management by the City

• would incur costs which may be prohibitive to both the City and the resident

• would constrain the City's ability to effectively manage the right-of-way in the public interest

• would be inequitable by privileging only individuals who can afford to pay for the infrastructure a dedicated parking spot

It is therefore recommended that the two options discussed in this report not be considered by the City.

Understanding how to meet the urgent need for electric vehicle (EV) charging for garage orphans is key to achieving TransformTO's Net Zero Strategy goal of increasing the current share of all registered vehicles to 30% by the year 2030.  Currently underway is the development of a long-term Public electric vehicle (EV) Charging Plan which will clearly define the role for the City, the private sector and other interested parties in supporting the required uptake of electric vehicles (EV).

It is expected that many more opportunities to meet the needs of garage orphans will be identified through the development of the Public electric vehicle (EV) Charing Plan including the use of existing parking assets that can be found in school parking lots, community centres and public library parking lots.

There are no financial impacts associated with the recommendation in this report.

The Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer has reviewed this report and agrees with the financial implications as identified in the Financial Impact section.

The General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, and the General Manager, Transportation Services recommend that:

1. City Council approve the preferred strategy for travel network improvements in High Park as described in this report.

2. City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to advance detailed design, costing estimates and consider funding strategies for the preferred strategy and advance implementation as part of the 2024 and future year budget processes.

3. City Council request the Toronto Transit Commission Board to investigate the feasibility of improving routing and/or service frequency of transit service within and around High Park as part of the Toronto Transit Commission’s annual service planning process.

4. City Council authorize the traffic and parking regulations for the City Council approved High Park Movement Strategy, as generally described in Attachment 9 to this report.

5. City Council authorize the amendments to City of Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 950 (Traffic and Parking), and By-law accuracy for the City Council approved High Park Movement Strategy, as generally described in Attachment 10 to High Park Movement Strategy Final Report April 26, 2023.

6. City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to develop and undertake a pilot program to support recreational cycling opportunities in High Park in 2023, informed by the parameters and principles outlined in this report, and in consultation with cycling groups and other park user groups in High Park.

7. City Council authorize the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to extend the existing license agreement with the current High Park Trackless Train operator (Carla Construction & Maintenance Ltd.), through the end of the 2023 operating season, and to be further extended as required on one-year extensions for a further two seasons, to maintain service while the Request For Proposals for a new shuttle service solution aligned with the High Park Movement Strategy is completed.

8. City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to consult with the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and Director, Corporate Security, and other City divisions on appropriate long-term staffing arrangements to manage and enforce authorized vehicle access during road closures and other closures.

9. City Council request the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to, consult with the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services, and President, Toronto Parking Authority, on potential alterations to the areas made available for parking of motor vehicles by park users on lands currently assigned for which Parks, Forestry and Recreation has been provided operational jurisdiction for operating parkland and recreation operations; and, to report back jointly with the City Manager to Infrastructure and Environment Committee on alternative arrangements concerning the use and nature of these lands, including but not limited to arrangements concerning the management thereof, or transfer of operational jurisdiction for these lands to the Toronto Parking Authority to be operated as parking facilities.

10. City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to undertake ongoing monitoring of the preferred strategy and report back to Infrastructure and Environment Committee upon full implementation and no later than 2027 to provide direction on further travel network changes and improvements, including the potential for full road closures at all times in High Park.

11. City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to continue consultation with the ward Councillor and park user groups as part of the detailed design and implementation process.

12. City Council authorize and direct the appropriate City Officials to take the necessary action to give effect to City Council's decision, including the introduction in Council of any and all Bills that may be required.

This report describes the preferred strategy for travel network improvements in High Park, which have been developed as part of the High Park Movement Strategy (HPMS). Since March 2020, roads in High Park have been closed to visitor vehicles on weekends and holidays. The HPMS is a staff-initiated study that was launched in summer 2021 to evaluate the weekend road closures and address other mobility matters in High Park, focusing on existing paved areas. The goal of the High Park Movement Strategy (HPMS) is to better serve park users and the surrounding community, while prioritizing improvements to safety, accessibility and the park's natural environment.

The High Park Movement Strategy (HPMS) is a multi-phased planning study co-led by the Parks, Forestry and Recreation and Transportation Services divisions. The outcome of the study is a comprehensive strategy to manage the mobility needs of park users. Early and ongoing engagement, research and analysis, and Council-approved plans and policies informed the development of the preferred strategy.

The preferred strategy would take bold, immediate-term actions to improve the travel network in High Park. The proposed changes acknowledge High Park's designation as a legacy park through the City's Parkland Strategy, serving as both a local amenity and regional outdoor destination and respond to the mobility needs presented by the many different activities and park user groups it supports.

The changes proposed in the immediate term are guided by area-based and time-based road closures. West Road and portions of Colborne Lodge Drive would be permanently closed to visitor vehicles at all times and dedicated to non-motorized travel. Full road closures within the park would continue year round on Sundays. Road closures would be supported by traffic calming measures and improvements to pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, transit and shuttle service, changes to parking, public realm and re-naturalization opportunities and a recreational cycling pilot.

Staff are not recommending that full road closures at all times be implemented as part of this phase of work. However, the preferred strategy recognizes the potential benefits of full road closures in High Park and upholds this approach as a desirable future goal for the City to pursue once key conditions are met. These conditions are described in this report and include improved transit and shuttle service within the park to provide affordable, accessible service to interior park destinations, and an automated gating solution to ensure safe and effective traffic operations at key entry and exit points.

This report recommends that staff report back following the full implementation of the preferred strategy to provide direction on further travel network changes in High Park, including consideration of further road closures.

The current travel network in High Park presents challenges for park users and City operations alike. The preferred strategy addresses this urgent need for comprehensive changes with a clear path to full implementation. A phased implementation approach would start with immediate changes that would be made in 2023 using existing resources with Parks, Forestry and Recreation and Transportation Services divisions. The remaining improvements require new physical infrastructure and new operating agreements, which must be supported by further work, including detailed design, costing and funding approvals. Subsequent improvements and longer-term opportunities identified in this report as part of the preferred strategy are currently unfunded and the development of a funding strategy is necessary for these unfunded priority capital projects to fully improve the travel network in High Park.

This report presents a rough order of magnitude costing estimate for the preferred strategy based on industry standard cost per metre calculations and other inputs. Following Council decision, detailed design and costing estimates will be developed as part of the next stage of work on implementation and will inform future budget submissions.

The implementation of the preferred strategy outlined in this report proposes a series of immediate changes that would be made starting in 2023 using current resources within existing divisional budgets. Details of 2023 work improvements have been identified and are discussed under Section 6 of this report.

The resources required to advance further due diligence, planning, programming and support the immediate proposed changes in 2023 (including the recreational cycling pilot) are included in the 2023 Council-approved Operating Budgets for Parks, Forestry and Recreation and Transportation Services. These current resources within the existing divisional budgets will be available in 2024 and future years until completion for these work improvements advanced in 2023.

The existing trackless train service provided by a private operator as well as seasonal TTC bus service in High Park will continue in 2023. Funding for these services is included in the 2023 Council Approved Operating Budgets for Parks, Forestry and Recreation, and the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), respectively. Should service improvements be necessary to the seasonal TTC bus service, any additional costs would be identified by the TTC and submitted through future budget submissions.

There are future financial impacts for the full implementation of the preferred strategy. A rough order of magnitude cost estimate has been developed based on standard cost per metre estimates for comparable transportation projects and other public realm precedents. The preliminary cost estimate for full implementation is within the range of $10 to $15 million in capital investment, which is expected to be phased over approximately four years. This initial estimate assumes full road reconstruction to support new infrastructure. The full implementation requires new physical infrastructure and new operating agreements, which must be supported by further work, including detailed design, costing, and funding budget approvals through annual budget processes. The next phase of due diligence will include continuous development of full cost estimates, cash flow funding requirements, and associated future operating impacts. There are no incremental and direct operating impacts in terms of costs (or savings) identified upon completion of the preferred strategy at this moment.

Prior to budget submissions, any unfunded projects need to be further scoped and assessed in terms of their financial impacts, strategic capital planning and coordination among City divisions, and more importantly, funding strategy subject to City priorities, affordability, and alternative funding sources within the context of growth-related funding tools as part of the longer term reviews.

The City's ability to continue to deliver parkland improvements is at risk due to the significant financial implications arising from the recently enacted More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 (Bill 23). Bill 23 will challenge the City's ability to collect development charges and Section 42 parkland levies. Without the committed reimbursement from the Province, PFR's capital program will face a funding gap to support anticipated growth and fund necessary infrastructure over the long term.

The Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer has been advised of the preliminary infrastructure requirements and the full implementation associated with the preferred strategy to be considered along with other City priorities in future budget processes.

The General Manager, Transportation Services recommends that:  

1. City Council authorize the installation of Road Safety Improvements Project on Scarborough Golf Club Road and amend City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 886, Footpaths, Pedestrian Ways, Bicycle Paths, Bicycle Lanes and Cycle Tracks, as generally described in Attachment 2 - Road Safety Improvements Project on Scarborough Golf Club Road By-Laws.

2. City Council authorize the installation of a traffic control signal at the intersection of The Meadoway trail and Scarborough Golf Club Road.

3. City Council authorize the installation of a traffic control signal at the intersection of Densgrove Road / Mossbank Drive and Scarborough Golf Club Road.

4. City Council authorize the installation of Millwood Road Safety Improvements Project and amend City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapters 886, Footpaths, Pedestrian Ways, Bicycle Paths, Bicycle Lanes and Cycle Tracks, and 950, Traffic and Parking, as generally described in Attachment 3 - Millwood Road Safety Improvements Projects By-Laws.

5. City Council authorize the installation of a traffic control signal at the intersection of The Meadoway Trail and Midland Avenue.

6. City Council authorize the installation of a traffic control signal at the intersection of The Meadoway Trail and Bermondsey Road.

7. City Council amend City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 903 (Parking for Persons with Disabilities), and 950 (Traffic and Parking), as generally described in Attachment 4 - Technical Amendments, for Palmerston Cycling Connections and College Street Upgrades projects for by-law accuracy.

8. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services to continue with the planned delivery of sidewalks on:

a. Aneta Circle (east side from Newton Dr (end of park) to Aneta Circle (end of park);

b. Austin Terrace (south side from 7 Austin Terrace [E] to 7 Austin Terrace [W]);

c. Avon Avenue (south side from Avon Crescent to [50m W] Avon Crescent);

d. Bales Avenue (east and west side from Avondale Avenue to Glendora Avenue);

e. Bartonville Avenue West (from [End] Bartonville Avenue W to Jane Street);

f. Burbank Drive (west side from [50m South] of Elmira Court to Blithfield Avenue);

g. Clonmore Drive (east side from Blantyre Avenue to Fallingbrook Road);

h. Dunera Avenue (north side from Payzac Avenue to Galloway Road);

i. Dunlop Park (south side from 9 Dunlop Avenue to Dunlop Park Trail);

j. Falaise Road (east side from Kingston Road to Warnsworth Street);

k. Flint Road (west side from Finch Corridor Trail to [200m N] Supertest Road);

l. Honiton Street (west side from Kennard Avenue to Cavotti Crescent);

m. Marine Parade Drive (south side from Marine Parade Drive to Waterfront Drive);

n. Muircrest Drive (south side from Broadlands Boulevard to Broadlands Park Trail);

o. Panmure Crescent (north side from Bonnechere Crescent to Bonnechere Crescent);

p. Penetang Crescent (south/east side from Haileybury Drive to Bonnechere Crescent);

q. Shaftesbury Street (east side from Overbrook Place to [40 m N] Kennard Avenue);

r. Toynbee Trail (north side from Livingston Road to [200m E] Livingston Road); 

s. Westgate Boulevard (east side from Delhi Avenue to Armour Boulevard).

9. City Council amend City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 886, Footpaths, Pedestrian Ways, Bicycle Paths, Bicycle Lanes and Cycle Tracks, by inserting a new section 886-14.1 generally as follows:

"886-14.1 Bicycle operation at designated on-street loading zone for persons with a disability

Where a person in charge of a bicycle or a large cargo power-assisted bicycle on a cycle track approaches a vehicle which is stationary for the purpose of taking on or discharging passengers in a designated on-street loading zone for persons with a disability as listed in Schedule III, Designated On-Street Loading Zones for Permit Holders, of City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 903, Parking for Persons with Disabilities, the person on a bicycle or a large cargo power-assisted bicycle shall not pass the vehicle until the passengers have crossed the cycle track."

10. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make application to the Province of Ontario, Ministry of the Attorney General, and/or Regional Senior Justice to establish any new set fines under the Provincial Offences Act, as necessary, as may be identified by the City Solicitor or the General Manager, Transportation Services, in order to give effect to Recommendation 9 above, and that the City Solicitor, in consultation with the appropriate City staff, determine the amount of the set fine to be requested.

11. 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 or General Manager, Transportation Services, in order to give effect to the Recommendations above.

Cycling Network Plan Projects

The Cycling Network Plan and the associated Near Term Implementation Plan, adopted by City Council in December 2021 seeks to build on the existing network of cycling routes to Connect gaps in the current network, Grow the network into new parts of the city, and Renew existing parts of the network to improve safety. This report recommends a number of bikeway projects that are proposed to be installed in the near term (2022-2024) for which design and consultation have been completed.

This report seeks Council authority to install 4.0 centreline kilometres (km) of new bikeways on Scarborough Golf Club from Ellesmere Road to Kingston Road (cycle tracks, Ward 24), including the installation of two new traffic control signals at the intersections of Scarborough Golf Club Road and The Meadoway trail, and Scarborough Golf Club Road and Densgrove Road / Mossbank Drive.

This report also seeks Council authority to make by-law amendments associated with improvements to 0.70 centreline km of existing cycling infrastructure, and to install 0.50 centreline km of new cycling infrastructure on the following streets:

• Millwood Road: Overlea Boulevard to Pape Avenue and Donlands Avenue (existing bicycle lanes to cycle tracks, Ward 14 and 15);
• Pape Avenue: Hopedale Avenue to Millwood Road (existing bicycle lanes to cycle tracks, Ward 14);
• Donlands Avenue: Chilton Road to Millwood Road (cycle tracks, Ward 14); and
• Overlea Boulevard: Thorncliffe Park Drive West to Millwood Road (cycle tracks, Ward 14) being delivered by Metrolinx as part of the Ontario Line construction.

This report also recommends two new traffic signals as part The Meadoway trail project at Midland Avenue (Ward 21) and Bermondsey Road (Ward 16) to facilitate safe and direct trail crossings.

A minor change to the Palmerston Cycling Connections project is included in this report to better accommodate loading for an accessible bus on Tecumseth Street 67 metres south of King Street West. A minor change to the College Street Upgrades Project is also included in this report to adjust the limits of a no stopping area near Bellevue Avenue.

The changes proposed as part of the projects identified above would improve safety and mobility options by providing improved cycling connections to transit, parks, local schools, businesses, and residences. Pedestrian improvements have also been included in the projects, wherever feasible, including curb extensions and new sidewalk installations, and motor vehicle lane adjustments.

Missing Links Sidewalk Projects

The Missing Sidewalk Installation Program seeks to provide safe, comfortable and accessible sidewalks on all public streets. Transportation Services reviews opportunities to install sidewalks on all roadway classifications through bundling with other state-of-good-repair roadway or utility work, as well as stand-alone delivery, as a fundamental objective of the Vision Zero 2.0 Road Safety Plan.

In July 2019, Council requested that sidewalk proposals not otherwise delegated to the

General Manager, Transportation Services, or those requested by a Member of Council, be reported on an annual basis to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee for recommendation to City Council. This report recommends the installation of sidewalks on the following local roads:

• Aneta Circle from Newton Dr (end of park) to Aneta Circle (end of park) (east side, Ward 18);
• Austin Terrace from 7 Austin Terrace [E] to 7 Austin Terrace [W] (south side, Ward 12);
• Avon Avenue from Avon Crescent to [50m W] Avon Crescent (south side, Ward 5);
• Bales Avenue from Avondale Avenue to Glendora Avenue (east and west side, Ward 18);
• Bartonville Avenue West from [End] Bartonville Avenue W to Jane Street (Ward 5);
• Burbank Drive from [50m South] of Elmira Court to Blithfield Avenue (west side, Ward 17);
• Clonmore Drive from Blantyre Avenue to Fallingbrook Road (east side, Ward 20);
• Dunera Avenue from Payzac Avenue to Galloway Road (north side, Ward 24);
• Dunlop Park from 9 Dunlop Avenue to Dunlop Park Trail (south side, Ward 20);
• Falaise Road from Kingston Road to Warnsworth Street (east side, Ward 24);
• Flint Road from Finch Corridor Trail to [200m N] Supertest Road (west side, Ward 6);
• Honiton Street from Kennard Avenue to Cavotti Crescent (west side, Ward 6);
• Marine Parade Drive from Marine Parade Drive to Waterfront Drive (south side, Ward 3);
• Muircrest Drive from Broadlands Boulevard to Broadlands Park Trail (south side, Ward 16);
• Panmure Crescent from Bonnechere Crescent to Bonnechere Crescent (north side, Ward 21);
• Penetang Crescent from Haileybury Drive to Bonnechere Crescent (south/east side, Ward 21);
• Shaftesbury Street from Overbrook Place to [40 m N] Kennard Avenue (east side, Ward 6);
• Toynbee Trail from Livingston Road to [200m E] Livingston Road (north side, Ward 24); and
• Westgate Boulevard from Delhi Avenue to Armour Boulevard (east side, Ward 6).

A map of the bikeway and missing sidewalk projects proposed in this report is included as Attachment 1. 

By-law Amendments to Support Accessible Loading Areas adjacent to Cycle Tracks   

In addition, Transportation Services, in consultation with the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee and TTC's Advisory Committee on Accessible Transit, recommends the addition of a new offence provision for accessible loading areas adjacent to cycle tracks. The new offence provision would make clear that people cycling in a cycle track must yield to people actively utilizing accessible loading areas.

This new offence provision would be similar to that found in Section 886-14 Bicycle operation at transit stops which prohibits people cycling in a cycle track from, among other things, passing a TTC bus which is stationary for the purpose of taking on or discharging a passenger.

This report seeks approval to implement a number of bikeway projects that were identified in the Council-adopted 2021 Cycling Network Plan Update that are proposed to be installed in the near term (2022-2024), as well as the installation of sidewalks on the following local roads, as a fundamental objective of the Council-adopted Vision Zero 2.0 Road Safety Plan.

The estimated cost to implement the bikeways recommended in this report is $5.5 million. Funding is available for these capital projects categorized as a service improvement and enhancement in the approved 2023-2032 Capital Budget and Plan for Transportation Services.

The annual funding required to maintain the new cycling infrastructure once constructed is expected to be approximately $50,000 for sweeping and $100,000 for winter maintenance. Funding for this maintenance can be accommodated within the approved 2023 Operating Budget for Transportation Services. Funding required for ongoing maintenance costs would be considered as part of future operating budget submissions for Transportation Services.

The estimated cost to construct the sidewalks recommended in this report is $2.9 million. Funding is available for these capital projects categorized as health and safety within the approved 2023-2032 Capital Budget and Plan for Transportation Services in account CTP419-01 RSP Missing Link Sidewalks.

The funding required to maintain the new sidewalks for the remainder of 2023 can be accommodated on a one-time basis within the approved 2023 Operating Budget for Transportation Services. Funding required for ongoing maintenance costs will be considered as part of future operating budget submissions for Transportation Services.

The Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer has reviewed this report and agrees with the financial implications as contained in the Financial Impact Section.

Councillor Dianne Saxe recommends that City Council:

1. Request the General Manager, Fleet Services, in consultation with applicable City divisions, to:

a. identify all City-owned on-road and off-road vehicles and equipment with a pre-2008 diesel engine;

b. minimize the use of any such vehicles and equipment until they are decommissioned;

c. decommission any such vehicles and equipment when they are suitable for decommissioning; and

d. replace the remaining pre-2008 diesel engine vehicles and equipment with a zero or low emission model, where available and operationally feasible.

2. Request the General Manager, Fleet Services, to forward this Item to Division Heads and Chief Executive Officers of City agencies and corporations with fleet management operations and request them to review and consider implementing the recommendation relevant to their respective operations.

Pre-2008 diesel engines were manufactured before the adoption of modern pollution control standards. They emit disproportionately high levels of pollutants that are harmful to human health, including toxic contaminants and particulate matter, as well as high levels of climate pollution.

The City still owns and operates more than 150 vehicles and equipment that contain pre-2008 diesel engines.

Councillor Mike Colle recommends that:

1. The General Manager of Parks, Forestry and Recreation secure the necessary permits for the baseball diamond at Christie Pits Park on August 16, 2023 to facilitate this event; and

2. The General Manager of Parks, Forestry and Recreation to work with the community members to facilitate the planning and execution of the event.

The Christie Pits Riot on August 16th, 1933 remains one of the worst outbreaks of ethnic violence in Canadian history with over 10,000 participants and spectators. The riot was sparked by Nazi-inspired youth flying a swastika flag at a public baseball game to antagonize and provoke Jewish Canadians.

The event occurred after a game involving the Jewish Harbord Playground baseball team. As the game ended, members of a local anti-Semitic group flew a homemade swastika banner to cries of “Heil Hitler.” Violence broke out as the Jewish players and fans battled members of the Swastika Club and it soon spilled out beyond the park as thousands of other combatants arrived. This included hundreds of similarly, long-persecuted Catholic Italian-Canadians who fought along-side the Jews.

As Toronto marks the 90th anniversary of this seminal event that played a major role in Toronto becoming the inclusive and diverse city that it is today, members of the community are planning an event to mark this occasion where leaders of the Jewish and Italian-Canadian communities will come together to play a game of softball to commemorate the occasion and ensure its historic legacy.