Agenda

This meeting of the Planning and Housing Committee will be conducted with members participating in person and remotely.

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Declarations of Interest under the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act

Confirmation of Minutes - April 27, 2023

Speakers/Presentations: The speakers list will be posted online at 8:30 a.m. on June 1, 2023

Communications/Reports

The Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building (Acting), recommends that:

1. City Council approve the application to amend Chapter 694, Signs, General as outlined in Appendix 1 to this report, including: adding new regulations for the Woodbine Special Sign District, allowing for, and regulating first party electronic signs and first party signs displaying static copy or readograph copy signs, as well as third party electronic signs and third party signs displaying static copy to Schedule C, Special Sign District Regulations, to Chapter 694, as sections 7 and 8 of Schedule C,; amending the limits of the area-specific restrictions concerning Highway 427 and Highway 27 as contained in subsection 694-24(A) of Chapter 694 to exclude the premises municipally known as 555 Rexdale Boulevard; and, altering the sign district designation applicable to 555 Rexdale Boulevard from Employment (“E”) Sign District to Woodbine (“WB-SSD”) Special Sign District by amending Schedule A, Maps, to Chapter 694 by replacing the current Sign District Map Ward 2: Etobicoke North, with a map substantially similar to the map in Attachment 2 of this report.

City of Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 694, Signs, General, the "Sign By-law" is a harmonized, City-wide set of regulations governing signs which was adopted in 2010. The Sign By-law contains a process for any member of the public to apply to City Council to amend the Sign By-law to implement significant changes to the sign regulations for a specific property or area. Under the provisions of the Sign By-law, applications may be made requesting amendments to the Sign By-law to change the sign district designation for a specific premises or area.

In addition to the nine Sign Districts across the city, the Sign By-law currently contains seven “Special Sign Districts” which are areas of the city where the style, number, and/or type of signs are contributing factors to the character of that area. All premises in the city are designated as belonging to one of these sixteen sign districts or special sign district designations. Upon initially being adopted in 2010, the Sign By-law contained six Special Sign Districts. In response to new development and redevelopment in specific areas of the city, Council has since amended the Sign By-law to add the Entertainment District Special Sign District, amend the provisions of the Gardiner Gateway Special Sign District, as well as update the regulations to three of the other Special Sign Districts to reflect changes in the Sign By-law.

This report makes recommendations to City Council based on the review and analysis of an application from Kramer Designs Associates (the "Applicant") which requests the creation of a new Special Sign District. This request would change the sign designation for the premises municipally known as 555 Rexdale Boulevard as indicated in Schedule A of the Sign By-law from an Employment (“E”) Sign District to a new Woodbine  Special Sign District (“WB-SSD”).

555 Rexdale Boulevard currently contains the Woodbine Racetrack and Casino. The Applicant seeks to have City Council amend the Sign By-law as follows:

·  Create a Woodbine Special Sign District, which would contain unique regulations to allow for, and regulate, first party and third party signs displaying static and electronic sign copy;

·  Alter the sign district designation applicable to 555 Rexdale Boulevard from an Employment (“E”) Sign District to the Woodbine (“WB-SSD”) Special Sign District; and,

·   Modify the area-specific restrictions listed in 694-24A of the Sign By-law which prohibit third party signs from being displayed within 400 metres of Highway 427 and Highway 27.

This application qualifies for consideration by City Council as an amendment to the Sign By-law as it would alter the sign district designation of a premises, specifically 555 Rexdale Boulevard, as well as to amend Section 694-19 of Article III to add the Woodbine Special Sign District.

Toronto Building, in consultation with City Planning and Transportation Services, conducted a thorough review of the application and has concluded that based on the planned redevelopment at 555 Rexdale Boulevard, the creation of a Woodbine Special Sign District is the most efficient and effective way to meet the signage needs for the premises. For the reasons set out in this report, the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building (Acting) ("CBO") supports the proposal to amend the Sign By-law, which will create and implement the Woodbine (“WB-SSD”) Special Sign District; and to change the sign district applicable to 555 Rexdale Boulevard.

There are no current or known future year financial impacts arising from the recommendations contained in this report.

The Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning recommends that:

1.  City Council state its intention to designate the property at 1117 Queen Street West under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance; 1117 Queen Street West (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 3, to the report, May 12, 2023, from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

2.  If there are no objections to the designation, City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the Bill in Council designating the property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the property at 1117 Queen Street West under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

Council previously stated its intention to designate the property at 1117 Queen Street West under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act on August 15, 2022. However, the designation by-law was not passed within the prescribed time frame of 120 days, as originally extended by the owner to April 18, 2023, and the Notice of the Intention to Designate the property was deemed to have been withdrawn in accordance with subsection 29(9) of the Ontario Heritage Act.

As there is no other restriction that applies to this property at this time, subsection 29(10) of the Ontario Heritage Act permits council to give a new notice of intention to designate the property in accordance with Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

The property is located on the south side of Queen Street West between Lisgar Street and Abell Street in the West Queen West neighbourhood, and contains Postal Station 'C', a two-storey building completed in 1903. The Beaux-Arts building was designed by the architecture branch of the federal Department of Public Works, with S.G. Curry acting as the local associate architect.

The property was listed on the City of Toronto's Inventory of Heritage Properties (now the Heritage Register) on June 20, 1973 and is a landmark property within the proposed West Queen West Heritage Conservation District.

The property functioned as a post office for more than a century until Canada Post ceased operations at the site in 2020. The property was listed for sale on the private market and sold in late 2021.

The sale of the federally-owned building prompted many local community members to voice their concern for its survival. In July 2021, City Council adopted a member motion to request a halt to the proposed sale, and directed the City Manager to request that Canada Post work with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, the Director and Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Arts Council, and members of the local community to examine and take measures to retain the building in public ownership for the purpose of establishing a cultural and arts hub for the neighbouring community and the City at large.

Staff have completed the Research and Evaluation Report for the property at 1117 Queen Street West and determined that the property meets Ontario Regulation 9/06, the criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act under design and physical, historical and associative, and contextual values. As such, the property is a significant built heritage resource.

In June 2019, the More Homes, More Choice Act, 2019 (Bill 108) received Royal Assent. Schedule 11 of this Act included amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act. The Bill 108 Amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act came into force on July 1, 2021, which included a shift in Part IV designations related to Planning Act applications that would trigger a Prescribed Event. Section 29(1.2) of the Ontario Heritage Act now restricts City Council's ability to give notice of its intention to designate a property under the Act to within 90 days after the City Clerk gives notice of a complete application.

The designation of this property is not subject to Section 29(1.2), as there are no open planning applications for the site, however, the Part IV designation must be in compliance with the province's amended O. Reg. 9/06 under the Ontario Heritage Act, which came into effect as of January 1, 2023. The revised regulation establishes nine provincial criteria for determining whether a property is of cultural heritage value or interest. A property may be designated under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, if it meets two or more of the nine criteria. The property meets seven criteria relating to design/physical, historical/associative, and contextual values.

A Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) is required for all development applications that affect listed and designated properties and will be considered when determining how a heritage property is to be conserved. Designation also enables City Council to review proposed alterations or demolitions to the property and enforce heritage property standards and maintenance.

There are no financial implications resulting from the adoption of this report.

The Toronto Preservation Board recommends to the Planning and Housing Committee that:

1. City Council state its intention to designate the property at 1117 Queen Street West under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance; 1117 Queen Street West (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 3, to the report (May 10, 2023) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

2. If there are no objections to the designation, City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the Bill in Council designating the property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

At its meeting on May 23, 2023, the Toronto Preservation Board considered Item PB6.2 and made recommendations to City Council.

Summary from the report (May 10, 2023) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning:

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the property at 1117 Queen Street West under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

Council previously stated its intention to designate the property at 1117 Queen Street West under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act on August 15, 2022. However, the designation by-law was not passed within the prescribed time frame of 120 days, as originally extended by the owner to April 18, 2023, and the Notice of the Intention to Designate the property was deemed to have been withdrawn in accordance with subsection 29(9) of the Ontario Heritage Act.

As there is no other restriction that applies to this property at this time, subsection 29(10) of the Ontario Heritage Act permits council to give a new notice of intention to designate the property in accordance with Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

The property is located on the south side of Queen Street West between Lisgar Street and Abell Street in the West Queen West neighbourhood, and contains Postal Station 'C', a two-storey building completed in 1903. The Beaux-Arts building was designed by the architecture branch of the federal Department of Public Works, with S.G. Curry acting as the local associate architect.

The property was listed on the City of Toronto's Inventory of Heritage Properties (now the Heritage Register) on June 20, 1973 and is a landmark property within the proposed West Queen West Heritage Conservation District.

The property functioned as a post office for more than a century until Canada Post ceased operations at the site in 2020. The property was listed for sale on the private market and sold in late 2021.

The sale of the federally-owned building prompted many local community members to voice their concern for its survival. In July 2021, City Council adopted a member motion to request a halt to the proposed sale, and directed the City Manager to request that Canada Post work with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, the Director and Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Arts Council, and members of the local community to examine and take measures to retain the building in public ownership for the purpose of establishing a cultural and arts hub for the neighbouring community and the City at large.

Staff have completed the Research and Evaluation Report for the property at 1117 Queen Street West and determined that the property meets Ontario Regulation 9/06, the criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act under design and physical, historical and associative, and contextual values. As such, the property is a significant built heritage resource.

In June 2019, the More Homes, More Choice Act, 2019 (Bill 108) received Royal Assent. Schedule 11 of this Act included amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act. The Bill 108 Amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act came into force on July 1, 2021, which included a shift in Part IV designations related to Planning Act applications that would trigger a Prescribed Event. Section 29(1.2) of the Ontario Heritage Act now restricts City Council's ability to give notice of its intention to designate a property under the Act to within 90 days after the City Clerk gives notice of a complete application.

The designation of this property is not subject to Section 29(1.2), as there are no open planning applications for the site, however, the Part IV designation must be in compliance with the province's amended O. Reg. 9/06 under the Ontario Heritage Act, which came into effect as of January 1, 2023. The revised regulation establishes nine provincial criteria for determining whether a property is of cultural heritage value or interest. A property may be designated under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, if it meets two or more of the nine criteria. The property meets seven criteria relating to design/physical, historical/associative, and contextual values.

A Heritage Impact Assessment is required for all development applications that affect listed and designated properties and will be considered when determining how a heritage property is to be conserved. Designation also enables City Council to review proposed alterations or demolitions to the property and enforce heritage property standards and maintenance.

The Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning recommends that:

1.  City Council state its intention to designate the property at 1123 Leslie Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance; 1123 Leslie Street (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 3, to the report, May 12, 2023, from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

2.  If there are no objections to the designation, City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the Bill in Council designating the property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the property at 1123 Leslie Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value.

The property at 1123 Leslie Street, originally known as the Canadian headquarters of the William Wrigley Jr. Company, is located on the east side of Leslie Street opposite Wilket Creek Park between Eglinton Avenue East and Overland Drive. Constructed for the William Wrigley Jr. Company in 1962, the building housed their offices and manufacturing plant until the factory closed in March 2016.

The property is associated with the William Wrigley Jr. gum company, established in Chicago in 1891. Wrigley would become the largest gum manufacturer in the world and opened its first Canadian branch in Toronto on Carlaw Avenue in 1911. In 1963, requiring more room to expand and modernize its operations, the company moved from Carlaw Avenue to their new office and plant at 1123 Leslie Street.[1]  

The property contains a two-storey office building and adjoining rear single-storey industrial factory, set back to the east along Leslie Street. The building complex was designed by Gordon S. Adamson and Associates. It is an example of the characteristic Don Mills clean industrial facility designed in a Late Modern style and located in a landscaped setting, accessed by a curvilinear street, which represents the principles set out by the lead planner, Macklin Hancock. The property is a notable example of Post-War suburban planning based on Garden City principles. Subsequent additions were constructed between 2002 and 2007.

Staff have determined that the property meets two or more of the nine criteria under Ontario Regulation 9/06, the criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act relating to design and physical, historical and associative, and contextual values.

A Site Plan Control application for the subject property at 1123 Leslie Street was submitted on September 21, 2021. The application proposes the redevelopment of the property for an athletic club. The office structure is proposed to be retained in situ and most of the original factory structure is proposed to be demolished and replaced with a series of one- to six-storey building volumes and an at-grade outdoor amenity courtyard. The Site Plan Control Application is still under review.

A Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) is required for all development applications that affect listed and designated properties and is considered when determining the conservation of a heritage property. An HIA completed by ERA and dated September 20, 2021, was submitted to support the application. A revised HIA (prepared by ERA), dated November 11, 2022, was also submitted.

Designation enables City Council to review proposed alterations or demolitions to the property and enforce heritage property standards and maintenance.

[1] Carlaw Avenue: The Wrigley Building – Leslieville Historical Society (leslievillehistory.com)

There are no financial implications resulting from the adoption of this report.

The Toronto Preservation Board recommends to the Planning and Housing Committee that:

1. City Council state its intention to designate the property at 1123 Leslie Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance; 1123 Leslie Street (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 3 to the report (May 4, 2023), from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning:

2. If there are no objections to the designation, City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the Bill in Council designating the property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

At its meeting on May 23, 2023, the Toronto Preservation Board considered Item PB6.3 and made recommendations to City Council.

Summary from the report (May 5, 2023) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning:

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the property at 1123 Leslie Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value.

The property at 1123 Leslie Street, originally known as the Canadian headquarters of the William Wrigley Jr. Company, is located on the east side of Leslie Street opposite Wilket Creek Park between Eglinton Avenue East and Overland Drive. Constructed for the William Wrigley Jr. Company in 1962, the building housed their offices and manufacturing plant until the factory closed in March 2016.

The property is associated with the William Wrigley Jr. gum company, established in Chicago in 1891. Wrigley would become the largest gum manufacturer in the world and opened its first Canadian branch in Toronto on Carlaw Avenue in 1911. In 1963, requiring more room to expand and modernize its operations, the company moved from Carlaw Avenue to their new office and plant at 1123 Leslie Street.[1]  

The property contains a two-storey office building and adjoining rear single-storey industrial factory, set back to the east along Leslie Street. The building complex was designed by Gordon S. Adamson and Associates. It is an example of the characteristic Don Mills clean industrial facility designed in a Late Modern style and located in a landscaped setting, accessed by a curvilinear street, which represents the principles set out by the lead planner, Macklin Hancock. The property is a notable example of Post-War suburban planning based on Garden City principles. Subsequent additions were constructed between 2002 and 2007.

Staff have determined that the property meets two or more of the nine criteria under Ontario Regulation 9/06, the criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act relating to design and physical, historical and associative, and contextual values.

A Site Plan Control application for the subject property at 1123 Leslie Street was submitted on September 21, 2021. The application proposes the redevelopment of the property for an athletic club. The office structure is proposed to be retained in situ and most of the original factory structure is proposed to be demolished and replaced with a series of one- to six-storey building volumes and an at-grade outdoor amenity courtyard.

A Heritage Impact Assessment is required for all development applications that affect listed and designated properties and is considered when determining the conservation of a heritage property. An Heritage Impact Assessment completed by ERA and dated September 20, 2021, was submitted to support the application. A revised Heritage Impact Assessment (prepared by ERA), dated November 11, 2022, was also submitted.

Designation enables City Council to review proposed alterations or demolitions to the property and enforce heritage property standards and maintenance.

The Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning recommends that:

1.  City Council state its intention to designate the property at 1871 Weston Road under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance: 1871 Weston Road (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 3 to the report (May 12, 2023) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

2.  City Council state its intention to designate the property at 1879-1885 Weston Road under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance: 1879-1885 Weston Road (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 4 to the report (May 12, 2023) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

3.  If there are no objections to the designation, City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the Bill in Council designating the property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the two properties at 1871 and 1879-1885 Weston Road under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for their design, associative and contextual cultural heritage values.

Located at the southeast corner of Weston Road and Lawrence Avenue West, 1871 Weston Road contains a 1947 solid masonry church structure in the Modern Gothic style fronting onto Weston Road and designed by the notable Toronto architect, Francis Bruce Brown for the Weston Park Baptist Church congregation. The Weston Park Baptist Church have been worshipping and serving the Weston community at this location for over 115 years.

1879-1885 Weston Road contains a modernist style one-storey banking building constructed in 1962 to the designs of the multiple award-winning architectural firm of Page & Steele. The former Bank of Nova Scotia Weston Branch operated at this location from 1910 to 2016.

On November 4, 2021, the City received a Zoning By-law Amendment application to permit construction of two mixed-use residential towers above a shared 3-storey base. The base would contain commercial, place of worship, and community uses. A revised submission, including a new Site Plan application received on December 22, 2022, proposes two mixed-use buildings, 28 and 38 storeys in height (approximately 105 metres and 135 metres in height including the mechanical penthouses) with a total of 538 residential units, four levels of below grade parking connected by a shared three-storey base. The existing former bank building located at 1879-1885 Weston Road would be retained and integrated in the base and the existing church building at 1871 Weston Road is proposed to be relocated to the southeast corner of the site. The church's later additions would be replaced with new two-storey additions and repurposed to contain retail uses. The Zoning By-law Amendment application and the Site Plan application are still under review.

A Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) is required for all development applications that affect listed and designated properties. An HIA completed by ERA Architects Inc. dated December 21, 2022, was submitted to support the application and is currently under review. A Cultural Heritage Evaluation Report (CHER) for each of the two properties was also submitted and dated October 27, 2021.

In June 2019, the More Homes, More Choice Act, 2019 (Bill 108) received Royal Assent. Schedule 11 of this Act included amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act. The Bill 108 Amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act came into force on July 1, 2021, which included a shift in Part IV designations related to Planning Act applications that would trigger a Prescribed Event. Section 29(1.2) of the Ontario Heritage Act now restricts City Council's ability to give notice of its intention to designate a property under the Act to within 90 days after the City Clerk gives notice of a complete application. 

On December 9, 2021, the property owners submitted a waiver in conjunction with their development application opting to waive the 90-day timeline established under Bill 108.

On November 28, 2022, the More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 (Bill 23) received Royal Assent. Schedule 6 of the More Homes Built Faster Act amended Bill 108 prescribed event requirements under Section 29(1.2) of the Ontario Heritage Act to create additional municipal requirements. Bill 23 came into effect on January 1, 2023.

The application currently under review was deemed complete prior to Bill 23 changes to the Ontario Heritage Act coming into force, however, the Part IV designation must be in compliance with the province's amended O. Reg. 9/06. The revised regulation establishes nine provincial criteria for determining whether a property is of cultural heritage value or interest and a property may be designated under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act if it meets two or more of the nine criteria.

The properties at 1871 and 1885 Weston Road each meet four criteria relating to design/physical, historical/associative, and contextual values.

Designation enables City Council to review proposed alterations or demolitions to the property and enforce heritage property standards and maintenance.

There are no financial implications resulting from the adoption of this report.

The Toronto Preservation Board recommends to the Planning and Housing Committee that:

1. City Council state its intention to designate the property at 1871 Weston Road under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance: 1871 Weston Road (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 3 to the report (May 4, 2023) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

2. City Council state its intention to designate the property at 1879-1885 Weston Road under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance: 1879-1885 Weston Road (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 4 to the report (May 4, 2023) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

3. If there are no objections to the designation, City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the Bill in Council designating the property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

At its meeting on May 23, 2023 the Toronto Preservation Board considered Item PB6.1 and made recommendations to City Council.

Summary from the report (May 4, 2023) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning:

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the two properties at 1871 and 1879-1885 Weston Road under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for their design, associative and contextual cultural heritage values.

Located at the southeast corner of Weston Road and Lawrence Avenue West, 1871 Weston Road contains a 1947 solid masonry church structure in the Modern Gothic style fronting onto Weston Road and designed by the notable Toronto architect, Francis Bruce Brown for the Weston Park Baptist Church congregation. The Weston Park Baptist Church have been worshipping and serving the Weston community at this location for over 115 years.

1879-1885 Weston Road contains a modernist style one-storey banking building constructed in 1962 to the designs of the multiple award-winning architectural firm of Page & Steele. The former Bank of Nova Scotia Weston Branch operated at this location from 1910 to 2016.

On November 4, 2021, the City received a Zoning By-law Amendment application to permit construction of two mixed-use residential towers above a shared 3-storey base. The base would contain commercial, place of worship, and community uses. A revised submission, including a new Site Plan application received on December 22, 2022, proposes two mixed-use buildings, 28 and 38 storeys in height (approximately 105 metres and 135 metres in height including the mechanical penthouses) with a total of 538 residential units, four levels of below grade parking connected by a shared three-storey base. The existing former bank building located at 1879-1885 Weston Road would be retained and integrated in the base and the existing church building at 1871 Weston Road is proposed to be relocated to the southeast corner of the site. The church's later additions would be replaced with new two-storey additions and repurposed to contain retail uses.

A Heritage Impact Assessment is required for all development applications that affect listed and designated properties. An HIA completed by ERA Architects Inc. dated December 21, 2022, was submitted to support the application and is currently under review. A Cultural Heritage Evaluation Report for each of the two properties was also submitted and dated October 27, 2021.

In June 2019, the More Homes, More Choice Act, 2019 (Bill 108) received Royal Assent. Schedule 11 of this Act included amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act. The Bill 108 Amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act came into force on July 1, 2021, which included a shift in Part IV designations related to Planning Act applications that would trigger a Prescribed Event. Section 29(1.2) of the Ontario Heritage Act now restricts City Council's ability to give notice of its intention to designate a property under the Act to within 90 days after the City Clerk gives notice of a complete application. 

On December 9, 2021, the property owners submitted a waiver in conjunction with their development application opting to waive the 90-day timeline established under Bill 108.

On November 28, 2022, the More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 (Bill 23) received Royal Assent. Schedule 6 of the More Homes Built Faster Act amended Bill 108 prescribed event requirements under Section 29(1.2) of the Ontario Heritage Act to create additional municipal requirements. Bill 23 came into effect on January 1, 2023.

The application currently under review was deemed complete prior to Bill 23 changes to the Ontario Heritage Act coming into force, however, the Part IV designation must be in compliance with the province's amended O. Reg. 9/06. The revised regulation establishes nine provincial criteria for determining whether a property is of cultural heritage value or interest and a property may be designated under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act if it meets two or more of the nine criteria.

The properties at 1871 and 1885 Weston Road each meet four criteria relating to design/physical, historical/associative, and contextual values.

Designation enables City Council to review proposed alterations or demolitions to the property and enforce heritage property standards and maintenance.

The Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning recommends that:

1. City Council adopt Official Plan Amendment 644 substantially in accordance with Attachment 1 to this report.

2. City Council authorize the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to seek approval of the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing of Official Plan Amendment 644 under Section 26 of the Planning Act.

3. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the recommended Official Plan Amendment 644 as may be required.

4. City Council declare by resolution to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing that Official Plan Amendment 644 conforms with Provincial Plans or does not conflict with them; has regard to the matters of Provincial Interest in Section 2 of the Planning Act; and is consistent with policy statements issued under subsection 3(1) of the Planning Act.

5. City Council request that the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing review OPA 644 under the current Provincial Policy Statement 2020 and Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe 2020.

In 2022, Toronto’s Employment Areas are home to over 21,600 establishments employing over 390,000 people (27% of all jobs in the city). Businesses within our Employment Areas create about 27% of the City’s estimated 2021 GDP of $195.7 billion and contribute about 12% of all property taxes paid in the City (municipal and education taxes). This report also highlights the social and economic role that Employment Areas play in the health and growth of the city, given the role that they play in supporting Toronto’s diverse economic base and providing jobs with living wages for Toronto’s diverse labour pool.

This report provides a fulsome overview of the planning context for Employment Area policies, recent decisions impacting Employment Areas and provides the second in a series of Final Reports on 45 conversion requests. A third Final Report is targeted for the July 2023 Planning and Housing and Council meetings. All reports fall under the City’s Municipal Comprehensive Review (MCR) and recommend Official Plan amendments under Section 26 of the Planning Act, where the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing is the approval authority. The Minister’s decisions are not subject to appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal unless the Minister refers all or part of the amendments to the Tribunal.

Council authorized the commencement of the MCR and Growth Plan Conformity Exercise known as "Our Plan Toronto", on August 4, 2020. As part of the MCR, the City Planning received approximately 150 requests to convert lands designated Core Employment Areas or General Employment Areas in the Official Plan for non-employment uses, including some of which were City-initiated. 

The Minister has been reviewing OPA 591 since August 9, 2022. The Minister suspended the 120-day time period to make a decision on the Council-adopted 30+ conversion requests. To date, the City has not received a decision on OPA 591.

This Final Report recommends Council retain most of the lands subject to these 45 conversion requests listed in Attachment 2 of this report as either Core Employment Areas or General Employment Areas. Staff recommended Employment Area conversions in this report are captured through draft Official Plan Amendment 644 listed as Attachment 1 to this report.

This report is to be considered at a Special Public Meeting under Section 26 of the Planning Act regarding the City's phased Official Plan and Municipal Comprehensive Reviews.

There are no financial implications resulting from the recommendations included in the report in the current budget year or in future years.

The Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer has reviewed this report and agrees with the information as presented in the Financial Impact Section.

This report responds to a request for information on how affordable housing is being secured at Transit Oriented Communities.  A number of these projects have been proposed at several Ontario Line stations.  To date zoning has been authorized through Minister’s Zoning Orders (MZOs) at nine TOC locations.  Staff continue to negotiate how the City’s interests will be secured from future TOC development partners, notably including the provision of affordable housing.

Options under review by the Province include leveraging Inclusionary Zoning, purchasing units through a funding contribution from the Province’s TOC proceeds, the potential participation of the City through its Open Door program, and a future buy-back option.  In addition, each TOC location is being assessed to determine the cost of affordable units and how many units could be secured under ownership and rental scenarios, and under different terms of affordability.  Consolidation of affordable units at certain TOC locations is also under consideration.

The Housing Secretariat has been consulted in the preparation of this report.

There are no financial impacts associated with this report,

The Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning recommends that:

1. The Planning and Housing Committee direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to undertake public and stakeholder engagement on the Draft Performance Standards in the third and fourth quarter of 2023 and report back with final recommendations by November 21, 2023.

At its meeting of December 14 – 15, 2022, Council directed the City Manager to develop a "2023 Housing Action Plan”, inclusive of a direction to "…review the City's urban design guidelines, heritage standards and urban forestry policies to ensure they align with the priority of optimizing the delivery [of] housing opportunities for a range of housing forms". Direction for work in response to these recommendations also emphasized furthering "Toronto’s climate goals and good planning, including enhancing the public realm…".

In response to this and the other items outlined in the Housing Action Plan recommendations, City Planning has initiated a review of the Mid-Rise Building Performance Standards, focussing on the existing Performance Standards for Rear Transitions (5A through 5D). This focussed review of these four Performance Standards identified that providing flexibility in the rear transition of these building types to adjoining areas creates additional opportunities to further facilitate development of mid-rise buildings. Further facilitating development in a mid-rise building form will support increased housing supply in walkable, complete communities, while providing a wider range of housing options to address current housing challenges without compromising the needs of future generations.

The draft updates to Performance Standards for rear transition, recommended to be used as the basis for consultation, provide alternative approaches to rear transition for a variety of adjacent conditions. The draft updates continue to provide transition in built form as directed by the Built Form policies and other development criteria set out in the Official Plan, but with alternative approaches that would reduce or eliminate the continuous step-backs that have often been the result of applying the rear angular plane in the existing Performance Standards. These changes will allow for more regular floorplates, improve constructability, and allow for development in a mid-rise form on some shallow sites that under the existing Performance Standards, would not have accommodated a mid-rise scale of development. The draft updates encourage a mid-rise form that supports generous sunlight on adjacent sidewalks and the public realm, while also balancing transition to various rear conditions and supporting intensification through flexibility in built form massing.

The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the work to-date on the review of the Performance Standards for Rear Transitions, present draft updates to these Performance Standards, and outline next steps for further engagement and coordination with other work programs.

There are no financial implications resulting from the recommendations included in the report in the current budget year or in future years.

The Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning recommends that:

1. City Council express its concern to the Minister of Municipal Affairs on the general direction taken in the proposed Provincial Planning Statement as it represents fundamental changes in how growth planning is carried out in the province and by the City of Toronto.

2. City Council support in principle the provisions in the proposed Provincial Planning Statement that encourage the supply of housing, notwithstanding, that references to "Affordable Housing" and "Housing that is affordable to low- and moderate-income households" have not been carried over.

3. City Council request the Province through ERO 019-6813 and outlined in Attachment 1 to this report, to:

a. maintain all policy references to “residential intensification” and “redevelopment” in the current Provincial Policy Statement to provide clarity that where sufficient land and servicing exists to accommodate forecast population through infill, the need for greenfield development is diminished.

b. require that large and fast-growing municipalities accommodate a minimum of 50% of all residential development within their existing settlement area and that new settlement areas or settlement area expansion lands are planned for a minimum density target of 50 residents and jobs per gross hectare.

c. maintain the density targets of Urban Growth Centres (Growth Plan 2.2.3.2) and policies that directed how Urban Growth Centres will be planned (Growth Plan 2.2.3.1).

d. provide flexibility for municipalities to identify additional higher order transit corridors that deviate from the definition of "higher order transit" in the proposed Provincial Planning Statement.

e. maintain the Growth Plan policies (2.2.4.8 – 2.2.4.10) that support the development of complete communities with a compact built form and affordable housing within MTSAs, on lands adjacent to MTSAs, and along transit corridors.

f. include reference to affordable housing in Provincial Planning Statement Policy 2.4.2.6 given provincial direction to include affordable housing in Protected Major Transit Station Areas through inclusionary zoning.

g. maintain that municipalities may identify a settlement area or allow the expansion of a settlement area boundary only at the time of a 5-year official plan update and only where it has been demonstrated that certain conditions have been met (Provincial Policy Statement 1.1.3.8).

h. lead a provincial-municipal process with large and fast-growing municipalities for the periodic preparation of regional population and employment forecasts. Enable municipalities to continue to be able to adopt higher forecasts.

i. direct municipalities in the Greater Golden Horseshoe to continue using population and employment forecasts of Schedule 3 of the Growth Plan for managing growth to 2051 and ensuring “at least 25 year” supply of land.

j. maintain the current definitions of “affordable” housing and 'low and moderate-income households" OR provide explicit direction for municipalities to set their own definition.

k. maintain the requirement for municipalities to establish targets for housing affordable to low- and moderate-income households (Provincial Policy Statement 1.4.3(a)) and for affordable ownership and affordable rental housing (Growth Plan 2.2.6.1(a)(ii))

l. maintain Growth Plan policy 2.2.6.3 that provides direction to municipalities to use available tools to require that multi-unit residential developments incorporate a mix of unit types to accommodate a diverse range of households sizes and incomes.

m. revise the definition of “housing options” to include consideration for affordable housing, tenure, and unit types to accommodate a range of household sizes.

n. amend proposed policy 2.2.1.b.2, related to the conversion of existing commercial and institutional buildings for residential uses, to include a requirement to maintain or replace employment space within the redevelopment or within an off-site location.

o. enact a Regulation to permit the use of zoning with conditions, pursuant to Section 113 of the City of Toronto Act 2006, that would enable a municipality to secure replacement employment space as part of redevelopments proposing to convert existing commercial and institutional space.

p. enact a Regulation to permit the use of conditional zoning, pursuant to Section 113 of the City of Toronto Act 2006, that would enable the City to require and secure employment space to be provided prior to, or concurrent with any non-employment uses, including residential.

q. revise the Employment Area definition to explicitly include film production, cluster of office uses, stand-alone convenience retail and services to serve businesses and workers within Employment Areas, and enable municipalities to define components of Employment Areas to serve local economies.

r. maintain the current timeframe for when a conversion of employment lands can be considered: only when municipalities are undertaking their 5-year Official Plan review, absent the Municipal Comprehensive Review concept.

s. strengthen land use policy protections for all Employment Areas across the Province to ensure that these lands support the economy and are viable over the long-term.

t. require that municipalities determine that sensitive land uses proposed near manufacturing, warehousing and other major facilities are compatible or can be made compatible prior to permitting a sensitive land use.

u. retain the existing Growth Plan policy (2.2.5.8) which requires that the development of sensitive land uses, major retail and major office will avoid, or where avoidance is not possible, minimize and mitigate adverse impacts on industrial, manufacturing or other major facilities.

v. maintain the current Provincial Policy Statement and Growth Plan policies that explicitly support energy efficiency, increased vegetation, and improved air quality.

w. maintain and expand the geographic scope of the current Provincial Policy Statement and Growth Plan policies related to natural heritage protection, climate action, intensification, and greenhouse-gas reduction.

x. expand the geographic scope of the Growth Plan's protections for natural heritage systems (4.2.2), water resource systems and watershed planning (4.2.1), and stormwater management (3.2.7) to the entire Province.

y. maintain the Growth Plan's provincially identified Agricultural System.

z. Maintain Growth Plan policy 4.2.8.1 requiring municipalities to develop and implement official plan policies and other strategies related to conserving mineral aggregate resources.

aa. change the definition of "waste management system" to consider the waste hierarchy and is inclusive of and prioritizes resource recovery and environmental outcomes consistent with the Province’s circular economy ambitions.

bb. align the Waste Management policies with the language of the Waste Free Ontario Act and Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act (RRCEA) and provide guidance on how municipalities are to interpret the Waste Management policies in the Provincial Planning Statement alongside the RRCEA.

cc. include policy direction that requires municipalities to coordinate and plan for appropriate and adequate shared waste management infrastructure.

dd. include policy direction that ensures the provision of lands for integrated waste management, including recycling and processing facilities, and residual disposal/management.

ee. maintain and expand the geographic scope of Growth Plan policy 4.2.1.4 that requires a sub-watershed plan for large-scale development in greenfield areas.

ff. maintain policy references to "key hydrologic features, key hydrologic areas and their functions", from the current Provincial Policy Statement (2.2.1(e)) and expand the geographic scope of Growth Plan policy 4.2.1.2.

gg. include direction in the proposed Provincial Planning Statement that planning authorities shall protect, improve, or restore the quality and quantity of water.

hh. recognize and promote green infrastructure's role in water and stormwater systems.

ii. maintain all transportation related policies in the current Provincial Policy Statement and Growth Plan that support reducing vehicle trips.

jj. include language regarding planning for a transportation system in way that accounts for factors such as equity, cost, air quality, winter maintenance and resiliency.

kk. modify policies concerning the protection of heritage properties to say, “protected heritage property shall be conserved”, recognizing that the definition of “protected heritage property” includes more than lands with built heritage resources or cultural heritage landscapes.

ll. maintain the existing Land Needs Assessment methodology as Provincial guidance to the large and fast-growing municipalities for assessing land needs as a complement to the Provincial Projections Methodology Guideline available to other municipalities.

mm. include as part of the transition regulation that all planning matters (Official Plan Amendments or Zoning By-law Amendments) that predate the in-effect date of the new Provincial Planning Statement be transitioned under the existing planning framework. These include planning matters that are: (1) deemed complete and in process/under review; (2) city-initiated process underway or nearing completion, or (3) Council-adopted but is under appeal or appeal period nearing.

nn. continue to transition Official Plan Amendment 231 as a matter in process that was approved under the Growth Plan, 2006.

oo. acknowledge the importance of and requirement for undertaking integrated planning across the Province.

pp. provide guidance on expectations with respect to municipal engagement with Indigenous communities on land use planning matters that identify best practices.

qq. clarify the scope of a municipality's obligation to identify potential impacts of decisions on the exercise of Aboriginal or treaty rights and how the Province's role in addressing asserted Aboriginal or treaty rights will be integrated in the municipal decision-making process.

rr. add a new policy that enables municipalities to put in place local policies that address the changing nature of office space and needs to reflect the local context.

4. City Council confirm that film production will continue to be considered a form of manufacturing for the purposes of land use planning and interpretation of official plan policies and zoning standards.

5. City Council forward Attachment 2 to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade from the Film Commissioner and Director, Entertainment Industries related to the impacts the proposed Provincial Planning Statement has on the City’s film production Industry.

6. City Council forward a copy of this report to the Premier of Ontario, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, the Leader of the Official Opposition, all Ontario MPPs, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, and all Ontario municipalities for their information and consideration.

The policy led planning system under which municipalities within the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) Area have operated since 2006 has experienced numerous changes over the last 5 years requiring the City to continuously review, examine and adapt our planning policies and practices. On April 6, 2023 as part of Bill 97, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing introduced a draft Provincial Planning Statement that is intended to replace the current Provincial Policy Statement and the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. Some policies of the Growth Plan are intended to be incorporated into the new Provincial Planning Statement and the Growth Plan is proposed to be repealed.

The proposed repeal of the Growth Plan now treats the region generally the same as any other part of the Province despite it being home to 70% of Ontarians. While some Growth Plan policies are found in the proposed Provincial Planning Statement, virtually all the foundational ones have been eliminated and the overall policy intent of establishing a regional plan to lay out and coordinate planning, resource and infrastructure management efforts has been abandoned. Absent a comprehensive and coordinated regional growth management framework, potential unintended consequences may include, loss of agricultural land and associated worsening food insecurity, degradation of the natural heritage system and it's ability to mitigate the impacts of climate change, impacts on water quality, uncoordinated infrastructure planning that increases costs for local and regional governments, uncoordinated and unsustainable development patterns that encourage car dependency, and the loss and removal of employment lands needed to support a diverse economic base.

The direction for regional planning implied in the draft Provincial Planning Statement represents a seminal change in the land use planning system in the GGH that together with recent and potential future governance changes pose risks to the widely recognized benefits of coordinated and integrated land use, resource and infrastructure planning and calls into question progress toward widely understood and desirable outcomes around climate adaptation, inclusion, economic and financial stability over the next decades. Growing imperatives around housing supply and paying for infrastructure should spark an evolution in regional planning through a focussed collaborative process around making the Growth Plan work better, without jettisoning its fundamental goals around limiting sprawl and long-term land use predictability.

The Province has provided stakeholders 60 days to review the proposed document and comments are due no later than June 5, 2023. Staff will submit the recommendations from Planning and Housing Committee to the provincial ERO posting and will submit additional comments received at City Council's meeting on June 14-16, 2023 as supplementary information to the recommendations contained in this report.

This report outlines staff comments on the proposed Provincial Planning Statement as itemized in Attachment 1. The recommendations contained in this report address concerns raised by City staff intended to inform the Ministry of the City's comments and suggested revisions to the proposed Provincial Planning Statement. Staff from City Planning, Engineering & Construction Services, Economic Development & Culture, the Housing Secretariat, Toronto Water, Parks, Forestry & Recreation, Corporate Finance and Legal Services reviewed and provided comments organized in the following six themes:

1. Regional Planning;

2. Housing;

3. Employment Lands Planning;

4. Environment;

5. Infrastructure; and

6. Implementation

There are no financial impacts arising from adoption of the recommendations in this report.

Financial impacts, if any, arising from the implementation of the policies in the proposed Provincial Planning Statement, if identified will be subject to future reporting process, as required.

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

Councillor Chris Moise recommends that:

1.  The Planning and Housing Committee request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to consider for future Rental Housing Demolition applications an approach to update the City’s standard Tenant Relocation and Assistance Plan by indexing average market rent for vacant units used to calculate rent gap assistance based on changes to market rents in the City of Toronto, and, if feasible, securing such indexing in future Section 111 agreements.

As a City, we have done a great deal of work to do everything we can to protect tenants and our affordable rental housing stock through our rental demolition and replacement policies. Last year, City Council adopted new policies to ensure the compensation secured is fair, equitable, and standardized across all applications.

However, as the new policies are being implemented, tenants have provided us with feedback that with the volatile rental market, the average market rent figures published once annually by the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) could be outdated by the time tenants receive their notice to vacate and that the CMHC figures should be indexed for the rent-gap compensation that the City secures.

We have and should continue to strive for the best possible outcomes for our tenants who are temporarily but inconveniently displaced from their affordable homes and communities for redevelopment. This motion, which I worked with City staff on, seeks to request the Chief Planner to update the City’s standard Tenant Relocation and Assistance Plan in order to meet the challenges of today’s rental housing market.