Agenda

This meeting of City Council will be conducted with Members participating in person and remotely and the proceedings of City Council will be conducted publicly.

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

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

April 12, 2024

toronto.ca/council

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

- O Canada

- Moment of Silence

City Council will confirm the Minutes from the regular meeting held on March 20 and 21, 2024.

Report of the Executive Committee from Meeting 13 on April 9, 2024

Submitted by Mayor Olivia Chow

Report of the Economic and Community Development Committee from Meeting 11 on March 28, 2024

Submitted by Councillor Alejandra Bravo, Chair

Report of the General Government Committee from Meeting 11 on March 26, 2024

Submitted by Councillor Paul Ainslie, Chair

Report of the Infrastructure and Environment Committee from Meeting 12 on March 27, 2024

Submitted by Councillor Jennifer McKelvie, Chair

Report of the Planning and Housing Committee from Meeting 11 on April 5, 2024

Submitted by Councillor Gord Perks, Chair

Report of the Etobicoke York Community Council from Meeting 12 on April 8, 2024

Submitted by Councillor Stephen Holyday, Chair

Report of the North York Community Council from Meeting 12 on April 2, 2024 

Submitted by Councillor James Pasternak, Chair

Report of the Scarborough Community Council from Meeting 12 on April 4, 2024 

Submitted by Councillor Paul Ainslie, Chair  

Report of the Toronto and East York Community Council from Meeting 12 on April 3, 2024 

Submitted by Councillor Chris Moise, Chair

New Business submitted by the Mayor and City Officials.

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

Members of Council may file petitions.

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

City Council will review the Order Paper.

Councillor Brad Bradford, Ward 19, Beaches-East York, has submitted the following Administrative Inquiry:

I am submitting this administrative inquiry (under Municipal Code S27-7.11) to obtain information regarding the implementation of the Vacant Home Tax in 2024.

In the last week, I’ve heard from thousands of Torontonians who panicked when they opened a letter from the City of Toronto demanding thousands of additional dollars in taxes this year. The implementation of the Vacant Home Tax in 2024 has been a complete fiasco – despite this now being the second year of the City’s program.

Torontonians deserve better from their local government.

This administrative inquiry seeks to provide information directly to Council to help inform improvements to the program and ensure that better service is provided in the years ahead.

Questions for the City Manager:

1. How many phone calls and emails were received via 311 regarding administration of the vacant home tax in 2023 and 2024?
 

2. How many phone calls and emails were received via the Tax and Utility Line regarding administration of the vacant home tax in 2023 and 2024?
 

3. How many households submitted their declarations under the Vacant Home Tax prior to the filing deadline in 2023 and 2024?

4. How many Notices of Complaint under the Vacant Home Tax did the City of Toronto receive in 2023, and how many have been received thus far in 2024?
 

5. Prior to any reversals, how many households received notice that they would be subject to the Vacant Home Tax in 2023 and 2024?
 

6. How many meetings were held between City Staff and the Mayor’s Office to discuss plans and expectations for implementation of the Vacant Home Tax in 2024?

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that:

1. City Council amend City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 610, Penalties, Administration of, increasing the penalty amounts generally as outlined in Attachments 3 and 4 to the report (February 12, 2024) from the General Manager, Transportation Services with an implementation date of August 1, 2024.

2. City Council amend Section 950-101B of City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 950, Traffic and Parking, by:

a. deleting the phrase: "is equipped to receive a Level 2 SAE J1772 Conductive Charge Coupler (i.e., Level 2 charging capability)" such that the revised definition would read:

"ELECTRIC VEHICLE - A vehicle that has an electric motor that can be powered by drawing current from rechargeable storage batteries or other portable electrical energy storage devices, includes a plug-in hybrid vehicle, and for the purposes of recharging its batteries."; and,

b.  inserting in alphabetical order a new definition for ELECTRIC VEHICLE PARKING SPACE as follows:

"ELECTRIC VEHICLE PARKING SPACE - that portion of which is identified for parking use by an Electric Vehicle."

3.  City Council amend Section 950-601 of City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 950, Traffic and Parking, to include a new Subsection S as follows:

"S. Where authorized signs to that effect are displayed identifying an Electric Vehicle Parking Space, no person shall park a vehicle in an Electric Vehicle Parking Space in a car-park set out in Schedule XXXIV to § 950-1333 unless the vehicle is an Electric Vehicle and the Electric Vehicle is actively connected to the electric vehicle charging station."

4.  City Council amend Sections 950-1200B and 950-1201A by deleting the phrase "or 950-601P" and inserting the phrase ", 950-601P or 950-601S".

5. City Council amend Section 915-1 of City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 915, Parking on Private or Municipal Property, by inserting in alphabetical order a definition of ELECTRIC VEHICLE and a definition of ELECTRIC VEHICLE PARKING SPACE as follows:

"ELECTRIC VEHICLE - A vehicle that has an electric motor that can be powered by drawing current from rechargeable storage batteries or other portable electrical energy storage devices, includes a plug-in hybrid vehicle, and for the purposes of recharging its batteries.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE PARKING SPACE - that portion of which is identified for parking use by an Electric Vehicle."

6. City Council amend Section 915-2 of City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 915, Parking on Private or Municipal Property, to include a new Subsection D and E, as follows:

"D. Where the property owner or occupant has posted signs identifying an electric vehicle parking space, no person shall park or leave a motor vehicle in an electric vehicle parking space on municipal property unless the motor vehicle is an Electric Vehicle and the Electric Vehicle is actively connected to the electric vehicle charging station.    

E. Where the property owner or occupant has posted signs identifying an electric vehicle parking space, no person shall park or leave a motor vehicle in a parking space on private property unless the motor vehicle is an Electric Vehicle and the Electric Vehicle is actively connected to the electric vehicle charging station."      

7.   City Council amend Sections 915-10B and 915-10C by deleting the phrase "or § 915-2B" where it appears and inserting the phrase ", § 915-2B, § 915-2D or § 915-2E".

8.  City Council amend the definition of Electric Vehicle in Section 910-1A of City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 910, Parking Machines, Parking Meters and Mobile Only Zones, by deleting the phrase: "is equipped to receive a Level 2 SAE J1772 Conductive Charge Coupler (i.e., Level 2 charging capability)" such that the revised definition would read:

"ELECTRIC VEHICLE - A vehicle that has an electric motor that can be powered by drawing current from rechargeable storage batteries or other portable electrical energy storage devices, includes a plug-in hybrid vehicle, and for the purposes of recharging its batteries."

9. City Council amend City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 610, Penalties, Administration of, generally as set out in Attachment 5 to the report (February 12, 2024) from the General Manager, Transportation Services.

10. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the necessary bills to give effect to City Council's decision and City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make any necessary clarifications, refinements, minor modifications, technical amendments, or by-law amendments as may be identified by the City Solicitor or General Manager, Transportation Services, in order to give effect to Recommendations 1 to 9, inclusive.

This report responds to a request from the Infrastructure and Environment Committee to undertake a comprehensive review of the various on-street parking administrative penalty amounts and to report back on revised administrative penalty amounts.

Transportation Services has been working with a number of City agencies to review the Parking Violation Notices (PVN) issued by the City of Toronto and has conducted a jurisdictional scan of several Canadian municipalities to compare similar offences and their penalty amounts to those of the City of Toronto. As a result of this review, this report recommends Council approval to increase penalty amounts for 125 offences associated with 'parking', 'stopping' and 'standing'. The recommended increase in penalty amounts will ensure better alignment with penalty amounts in other jurisdictions, encourage compliance, ensure certain offences are set at levels commensurate with the seriousness of the offence, and ensure that offences within the same categories are set at the same penalty amount for consistency.

City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 610, Penalties, Administration of, will need to be amended to reflect the new penalty amounts.

This report also recommends establishing parking offences for electric vehicle charging parking stalls in off-street parking facilities as well as adding new or updating existing definition(s) related to Electric Vehicles ("EVs").

Currently, operators of off-street parking facilities, including the Toronto Parking Authority (TPA), have limited enforcement capabilities concerning EV parking due to a lack of offence provisions in the City of Toronto Municipal Code concerning parking in portions of parking facilities set aside for the charging of EVs. This absence of regulatory provisions restricts parking facility operators from ticketing non-EV’s parking in designated EV charging spaces, or ticketing EVs parked in designated EV charging spaces that are not actively charging.

The General Manager, Transportation Services, has consulted with the TPA as well as with operators and customers of off-street parking facilities which are regulated by Chapter 915.

As a result of the consultation by the General Manager, Transportation Services, and general observations concerning the needs relating to a positive customer experience for EV charging customers, this report is recommending amendments to the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 950, Traffic and Parking, and City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 915, Parking on Private or Municipal Property, to introduce new offence provisions related to electric vehicle charging parking. This would allow the enforcement of the usage of off-street EV charging spaces and promote compliance. City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 610, Penalties, Administration of, will also need to be amended to reflect the new offence provisions and associated penalty amounts for the offence provisions.

The Toronto and East York Community Council forwards the Item to City Council without recommendations.

The Toronto and East York Community Council held a statutory public meeting on November 15, 2023 and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This report reviews and recommends approval of the Zoning By-law Amendment application to permit a 23-storey mixed-use building at 98-100 Bond Street and 54-74 Dundas Street East. The building is proposed to contain 336 dwelling units and 240 square metres of retail space fronting Dundas Street East. As part of the development proposal 4 existing rental dwelling units will be demolished.

The Toronto and East York Community Council forwards the Item to City Council without recommendation.

The Toronto and East York Community Council requested the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District to further consult with the applicants and impacted community members, including but not limited to Build a Better Bloor-Dufferin and occupants of the future community hub and report directly to the March 20, 2024 meeting of City Council.

The Toronto and East York Community Council held a statutory public meeting on February 21, 2024 and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This application proposes to amend Site and Area Specific Policy 581 (SASP 581) associated with Official Plan Amendment 489 (OPA 489) to correctly identify the interior floor space of the two lower floors of the former Kent School building. This space will be conveyed to the City to provide a community hub, inclusive of a childcare facility, at 1141 Bloor Street West, 980 Dufferin Street, and 90 Croatia Street.

This report also seeks Council authority to amend the Section 37 provision to also correctly identify the floor area of the two lower floors of the former Kent School building, should the Committee of Adjustment approved the necessary variances to Site-specific Zoning By-law 700-2021 (OLT).

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

This report reviews and recommends approval of the application to amend the Official Plan. The interior floor area for conveyance identified in SASP 581, and the Section 37 provision reflected the best understanding of the area at the time. However, the final corrected numbers are slightly different. The community hub obligations continue to be fulfilled with this adjustment in interior floor area, and the intent for a community hub, inclusive of a childcare facility, remains unchanged.

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

1. City Council refuse the alterations to the designated heritage properties at 374, 376 and 378 Yonge Street (including entrance addresses at 374A and 376A Yonge Street) in accordance with Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act as found in the plans and drawings prepared by Dialog Architects dated October 26, 2023 and the Heritage Impact Assessment prepared by Philip Goldsmith Architect dated October 26, 2023.

2. In the event of an appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal, City Council authorize the City Solicitor and the necessary City staff to attend the Ontario Land Tribunal hearing in opposition to the appeal.

This report recommends that City Council refuse the application under Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act to construct a new structure on the designated heritage properties at 374 (374A) Yonge Street, 376 (376A) Yonge Street and 378 Yonge Steet, in connection with the development of the properties at 372-378 Yonge Street.

In July 2020, the City received an Official Plan and Rezoning application for a 74-storey mixed-use building followed in September 2021 by an application for Site Plan approval for the proposed development involving the subject properties.

On May 5, 2021 City Council directed the City Solicitor, together with City Planning staff and appropriate City staff to attend the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal hearing to oppose the Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment applications in their current form. The application for the Site Plan approval remains under review.

On March 29, 30 and 31, 2023, City Council adopted the staff report and stated its intention to designate the properties at 374, 374 A and 376 Yonge Street (including the entrance address at 376 A Yonge Street) under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. Both of these properties were designated for their design/physical and contextual value. 378 Yonge Street has been designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act since 1976.

On February 2, 2024 the owner submitted an application to alter the heritage property under Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act.  This report recommends this application be refused.

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council direct the City Manager to write to the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario to express the City of Toronto’s support for the $1 billion National School Food Program announced as part of the 2024-25 Federal Budget.

2.  City Council direct the City Manager to write to the Province of Ontario to:

a.  encourage the Province to reach an agreement to receive federal funding as soon as possible for the 2024-2025 school year;

b.  request the Province either through increased provincial funding of the Student Nutrition Program or through accessing funds from the National Program return to matching the City of Toronto’s annual financial support of the Student Nutrition Program;

c.  request the Province to increase its base funding to the Student Nutrition Program equal to the accumulated inflationary costs of food from 2016 to 2024 by 2025; and

d.  request the Province to immediately increase its financial commitment to the Student Nutrition Program in Toronto by providing an annual increase for the inflationary costs of food each year starting in 2025. 

3.  City Council request the Medical Officer of Health and the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to report to the Executive Committee on an action plan of leveraging increased funding through the National School Food Program to establish new nutrition programs or expand existing programs, including:

a.  increasing the number of student nutrition programs by providing operating funding to additional schools and funding essential equipment purchases where the lack of equipment is a barrier to starting a nutrition program;

b.  a pilot program to provide nutritious lunches to all students in select schools, with priority for including schools in Neighbourhood Improvement Areas and geographically diverse schools; and

c.  a pilot program to provide nutritious lunches to children attending select City of Toronto summer camps with priority for camps in Neighbourhood Improvement Areas and in geographically diverse locations. 

4.  City Council forward a copy of the Item to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the Minister of Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services.

The Medical Officer of Health and the Director, Finance and Administration, Community and Social Services, gave a presentation on An Overview of the Student Nutrition Program.

At its meeting on March 4, 2024, the City-School Boards Advisory Committee considered item TS1.5, and made recommendations to Council.

Summary from the City-School Boards Advisory Committee:

Althea Hutchinson, Director of Operations and Business Services, Toronto Public Health will give an overview of Student Nutrition Programs in the City of Toronto.

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council express its support to the Minister of Education of the Toronto District School Board request that an amendment be made to Ontario Regulation 374/23, Acquisition and Disposition of Real Property, to enable school boards to request a Ministerial exemption from the requirement to obtain fair market value for school board lands where a direct benefit is being secured that enhances the education and learning opportunities for students or advances a provincial priority (e.g., housing, long-term care, Truth and Reconciliation).

2.  City Council request the Toronto District School Board to work with the City of Toronto to identify sites suitable for the development of new affordable housing.

3.  City Council request the Province of Ontario to reform Ontario Regulation 374/23, Acquisition and Disposition of Real Property, specifically clause 5 (2), to reinstate municipalities (“the municipality in which the property is located”) among the list of bodies required to receive a proposal from school boards when selling, leasing or otherwise disposing school board property.

4.  City Council request the Province of Ontario to reform Ontario Regulation 374/23, Acquisition and Disposition of Real Property, as amended in Part 3 above, to extend the preliminary circulation period to 180 days, inclusive of 90 days for expressions of interest and 90 days for formal offers.

As stewards of over 5,000 acres of land throughout the city, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) has unique opportunities to advance city-building initiatives on its lands that are deemed surplus, which could bring significant benefits to students and local communities as the city grows.

A recent example is the Davisville Community and Aquatic Centre, a new City-led aquatic and multi-use community centre on the site of the Davisville Junior Public School and Spectrum Alternative School. There will be shared facilities so the school will have access to the swimming pools, and the City will have access to the school's gymnasium and underground parking outside of school hours to support City recreation programming.

To help facilitate future opportunities, TDSB has requested the Ministry of Education to amend provincial regulations to enable them leverage broader city-building benefits on its surplus lands.

Currently, under provincial rules, if a piece of property owned by the school board is deemed surplus, the school board is required to obtain fair market value for the public asset.

The TDSB has recommended that school boards be able to request an exemption from the Minister of Education on the requirement to obtain fair market value for the lands, where there are opportunities to enhance education and learning opportunities for students, or if the proposed use would advance a provincial priority, such as long-term care uses, strategic housing opportunities, or Truth, Justice and Reconciliation.

While fair market value would be sought in most circumstances, this proposed change would help achieve some of the City and Province's broader goals on publicly-owned lands. City Council, as part of 2022.CC2.1 "2023 Housing Action Plan”, has directed staff to engage with school boards to encourage the creation of housing on their lands.

Additionally, through 2022.MM45.6, in support of a 'For Indigenous, By Indigenous' affordable housing project, City Council requested the Province of Ontario and/or the Minister of Education and Training to exempt from the requirements of Ontario Regulation 444/98, Disposition of Surplus Property, TDSB-identified surplus sites that can be conveyed to Indigenous housing developers at lower than market or nominal cost for the purpose of building permanently affordable rental housing for Indigenous communities; and requested that the Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Land Corporation consider conveying a narrow strip of greenspace neighbouring the project to Gabriel Dumont Non-Profit Homes Inc. at lower than market value or nominal cost for the purpose of building more permanently affordable rental housing for Indigenous communities as part of the project.

This letter proposes to endorse the TDSB’s request, and to forward this endorsement to the provincial Minister of Education.

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1. City Council request both the Provincial and Federal Governments to provide financial support for this project in the form of capital funding.

2.  City Council direct Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, in consultation with the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO and other necessary staff as appropriate, to negotiate a contractual agreement with the Somali Centre for Culture and Recreation that satisfies Federal and Provincial funding requirements, subject to, the necessary due diligence including site identification and due diligence, funding strategy, development plan, operations plan, and any other milestones to be identified by the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management and to report back to City Council in June 2024 prior to entering into any lease agreement with an update on the status of the negotiations and the due diligence.

3. City Council request the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth to work with CreateTO and the Somali Centre, as part of their exploration of viable sites and funding sources for a community centre, identify potential sites, and development and funding partners, to develop affordable housing in the northwest corner of the City.

4. City Council authorize the public release of Confidential Attachment 1 to the report (February 2, 2024) from the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO following the closing of any transaction and at the discretion of the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO.

The Executive Committee directed the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, in consultation with the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO and other necessary staff as appropriate, to report to the April 17, 2024 meeting of City Council with an overview of the milestones required to be achieved in the negotiation of a contractual agreement that satisfies Federal and Provincial funding requirements in support of this project.

At its meeting on February 16, 2024, the Board of Directors of CreateTO considered Item RA9.6 and made recommendations to City Council.

Summary from the report (February 2, 2024) from the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO:

The Somali Centre for Culture and Recreation ("Somali Centre") is a registered non-profit organization led by a group of Somali Canadian young professionals from across Ontario aiming to create a dedicated cultural recreation and community space for the Somali population in Toronto. According to the organization, there has been a 40-year effort from the Somali community to develop a culture and recreation centre in Toronto to address the needs of this under-served community.

Beginning in the 1970s, the community began working with local leaders and politicians to advocate for this type of facility. The main goal of this centre is to create a "…central space for the Somali community to gather and receive culturally appropriate community services from non-profit service providers and agencies." After decades of advocacy, Toronto City Council adopted a motion in July 2022 to direct City of Toronto and CreateTO staff to work with the Somali Centre on a feasibility study to identify potential sites for this facility.

This report provides an outline of the collaborative process undertaken by CreateTO, the City of Toronto, and the Somali Centre and provides a staff review of their feasibility study. Next steps will include a continued effort to work together and to understand the operating model and long-term financial feasibility of the Somali Centre.

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1. City Council direct the Director, Waterfront Secretariat and the Director, Indigenous Affairs Office to further engage with First Nations, Inuit, Métis and urban Indigenous communities, and to report back to the October 1, 2024 meeting of the Executive Committee with a permanent name for Villiers Island, as well as a framework for reconciliation projects that support Indigenous cultural revitalization in Villiers Island and the Port Lands.

On March 29, 2023, MM5.3 – Place Names in the Port Lands was adopted by City Council. Since then, City staff have been working with an Indigenous engagement consultant and Elder to design the engagement related to this work. The process, which will include a place naming advisory circle, will result in a recommended Indigenous name for the Island and a list of proposed names for streets and parks, to be considered by City Council in the fall of 2024. A permanent name for the Island will be needed in the early fall as Waterfront Toronto is expected to complete their Port Lands Flood Protection project’s river excavation work. The park and street names will be required by the end of 2024.

In addition, this can provide future opportunities for the City to collaborate with Indigenous communities and use their leadership for a number of projects including affordable rental housing and economic development initiatives.

The neighbourhoods, parks and public realm that are taking shape in the Port Lands offer a unique moment to support Indigenous cultural revitalization and to integrate Indigenous knowledge systems, oral histories, protocols, and connections to the land into the waterfront revitalization process. This motion requests that staff report on a culturally informed framework that coordinates and communicates the many projects in line with the Reconciliation Action Plan in both the Island and the Port Lands.

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council direct that Confidential Attachments 1 and 2 to the report (January 23, 2024) from the President and Chief Executive Officer, TO Live remain confidential in their entirety as they contain financial information supplied in confidence to the Board of Directors of TO Live, which, if disclosed, could reasonably be expected to significantly prejudice the competitive position or significantly interfere with the contractual or other negotiations of a person, group of persons, or organization.

At its meeting on February 15, 2024, Board of Directors of TO Live considered item CT8.4 and made recommendations to City Council.

Summary from the report (January 23, 2024) from the President and Chief Executive Officer, TO Live:

The purpose of this report is to present the 2023 fourth quarter financial results to the Board.

The Executive Committee recommends that: 

1. City Council adopt the 2024 tax rates for school purposes, as shown in Column II, which will generate an education tax levy on rateable properties for 2024 in the total amount of $2,156,683,397 in accordance with Ontario Regulation 400/98 as amended, prescribing such rates for the City of Toronto, of which $4,165,050 (0.2 percent of the total education levy) is to be retained by the City pursuant to Ontario Regulation 121/07:

2. City Council adopt reductions in tax decreases for the 2024 taxation year on properties in the commercial, industrial and multi-residential property classes by the percentage of the tax decrease set out in Column II in order to recover the revenues foregone as a result of capping, and to allow the decrease percentages set out in Column III:

3. City Council authorize the introduction of the necessary Bills in Council to give effect to City Council's decision.

In accordance with various legislative requirements, City Council must annually adopt the following by-laws associated with property taxes:

- the municipal levy;

- the education levy; and

- the claw-back rate for properties in the commercial, industrial and multi-residential property classes.

These by-laws are required to enable the City to issue the final property tax bills for the year, for both municipal and school purposes. Following City Council's adoption of the 2024 municipal property tax rates at its meeting, this report now addresses the education levy and the claw-back rate.

This report recommends adoption of the 2024 education tax rates and education property tax levy for school purposes, as required by legislation. The City of Toronto levies and collects education taxes on behalf of the Province of Ontario, based on the education tax rates set out in Ontario Regulation 400/98, as amended. The education property tax rates prescribed by the Province for 2024 remain unchanged from the previous year for all classes. Accordingly, the average household will see no increase in their education tax this year.

In addition, this report addresses the requirements associated with the clawback rate for properties in the commercial, industrial and multi-residential property classes. In February 2024, City Council adopted the continued policy of limiting ('capping') allowable tax increases to a maximum of 10% of a property's prior year's annualized taxes for properties in those classes with a property tax bill increase greater than $500. This capping policy protects commercial, industrial and multi-residential properties from significant annual tax increases.

In order to capture the lost revenue from properties that are capped, the City annually calculates a clawback rate that effectively results in withholding part of a property’s decrease due to reassessment, as applicable. This report recommends the 'clawback percentage', which represents the amount the City will retain from any decreases in property tax bills, to offset the capping policy. This therefore  means that  the tax bill will reflect the  'allowable decrease' percentage applied for the year, which in fact is the portion of the decrease the property will be able to retain.

The Executive Committee recommends that: 

1. City Council direct that Confidential Attachment 1 to the supplementary report (March 19, 2024) from the City Solicitor remain confidential in its entirety, as it contains advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege.

This report responds to City Council’s request for options, methods and budget implications of a public information strategy that could be used to inform the public about recognizing and enshrining City of Toronto authorities within the Canadian Constitution and/or a public consultation strategy that would seek public input on where the City of Toronto should have more power or authorities.

A range of communications and public engagement options are presented in this report, from basic to moderate to best-practice in these areas.  If City Council has already made a policy decision or is seeking confirmation from the public about a policy position, then basic or moderate strategies might be chosen.  If City Council is seeking considerable input, advice and involvement of the public to inform a policy position, a more comprehensive set of tactics, time and resources would be required.

Considerations when developing a public information or consultation strategy for a complex, city-wide and whole-of-government public policy issue are outlined in this report and include:

- The size and diversity of Toronto's population.

- Applicable legislation, City policies, Council decisions, research or existing public input on the issue.

- The complexity of the issues being communicated and consulted on.

- Any sectors, communities, City divisions, agencies or partners who may be impacted by the issue or a decision by Council.

- The public’s interest and level of understanding of the City, the issue and its impact on them.

- How people receive information and want to be engaged.

- Barriers to public participation and supports participants require to participate.

- The City’s Reconciliation Action Plan, the Toronto Action Plan to Confront Anti-Black Racism, and other equity-related policies and plans.

- If there are any municipal, provincial or federal legislated processes, reporting requirements, critical steps or timelines that must be followed.

- The appropriate tactics and methods to meet stated objectives and where in the decision-making process the strategies would occur.

- City staff capacity, need for external consultants, available budget and timelines.

Information from past consultations and engagements for complex public policy issues served as the basis for identifying potential methods and resource requirements for a city-wide public information or consultation strategy at the scale and scope required for seeking constitutional changes or amendments to Toronto’s authorities.

This report responds to a request for the City Solicitor to outline the legal mechanisms for amending the Canadian Constitution to recognize and enshrine certain City of Toronto authorities to establish what is has been referred to as a "Charter City".  The potential use of various approaches to seek an amendment is discussed in detail in the Confidential Attachment 1.

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1. City Council authorize the City Clerk, or their designate, to accept the donation of $162,962.96 from Katherine Anne Hartley for Toronto Archives and to deposit the donation into Clerks Equipment Reserve (XQ1507).

2. City Council authorize the City Clerk, or their designate, to withdraw the donated amount from Clerks Equipment Reserve (XQ1507) to support programming in the Toronto Archives.

The purpose of this report is to request approval from City Council to accept a 2023 bequest donation of $162,962.96 from Katherine Anne Hartley to Toronto Archives.

The value of this donation exceeds the $50,000 threshold for donation acceptance under the Donations to the City of Toronto for Community Benefits Policy. City Council approval is required in accordance with Municipal Code Chapter 71 Financial Control, where the value of this bequest exceeds the $50,000 threshold for division heads to accept and spend donated funds under Article X, Section 71-19.

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1. City Council amend Municipal Code Chapter 3, Accountability Officers, to establish the Records Retention Schedule detailed in Attachment 1 to the report (March 21, 2024) from the Ombudsman.

The purpose of this report is to seek Council's approval of a retention schedule for accountability records of Ombudsman Toronto in accordance with section 3-7.6B of Municipal Code Chapter 3, Accountability Officers.

The City of Toronto Act, 2006 does not allow for the destruction of records of the City, including records of Ombudsman Toronto, unless they are destroyed in accordance with a retention schedule.

The Civic Appointments Committee recommends that:

1. City Council appoint Robert Penyk to the Greater Toronto Airports Authority Consultative Committee, at pleasure of Council, for a term of office ending April 19, 2028, and until a successor is appointed.

2. City Council direct that the balance of Confidential Attachment 1 and Confidential Attachment 2 to the report (March 21, 2024) from the City Clerk in its entirety remain confidential as they relate to personal information about identifiable individuals being considered for appointment to the Greater Toronto Airports Authority Consultative Committee.

Candidate biography

Robert Penyk

Robert Penyk has been a longtime resident of South Etobicoke since 1965. He cares greatly about the surrounding areas of the airport. Robert worked at the airport for 35 years as a ground worker, as well as a leader in employee health and safety. The airport and surrounding communities are going to continue to grow in the future and we need motivated people to help guide this process in the best manner possible. Robert welcomes the opportunity to work with the community and the Greater Toronto Airports Authority to achieve these goals.

This report recommends the appointment of a public member to the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) Consultative Committee.

The Civic Appointments Committee recommends that:

1. City Council appoint Liane Kim to the Toronto Transit Commission Board, at pleasure of Council, for a term of office ending on June 16, 2027, and until a successor is appointed.

2. City Council direct that Confidential Attachments 1 to 4 to the report (March 20, 2024) from the City Clerk remain confidential in their entirety as they relate to personal matters about identifiable individuals being considered for appointment to the Toronto Transit Commission Board.

Candidate biography

Liane Kim

Liane Kim is an Internal Audit and Enterprise Risk Management executive. She currently leads the Internal Audit function at Home Trust, a federally regulated financial institution. Previously, she was Chief Risk and Audit Executive at Ontario Power Generation, Vice President Enterprise Risk Management at D+H (now Finastra), and senior consultant at various global consultancies. Liane holds the CFA designation and is a graduate from the University of Alberta, holding a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Science degrees. Liane lives with her family in Toronto.

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

The Civic Appointments Committee recommends that:  

1. City Council appoint Sakariya Ahmed to the Toronto Public Library Board, at pleasure of Council, for a term of office ending on November 14, 2026, and until a successor is appointed.

2. City Council direct that Confidential Attachments 1 to 4 to the report (March 25, 2024) from the City Clerk remain confidential in their entirety as they relate to personal matters about identifiable individuals being considered for appointment to the Toronto Public Library Board.

Candidate biography

Sakariya Ahmed

Sakariya Ahmed is a lifelong Torontonian, a city builder, policy wonk, and a strong proponent of community. He spends his time thinking about education and equity in public policy and professionally helps ideate, create, and deliver products as a Product Manager. He sits on the board of his alma mater, the Ivey Business School, consulting on its various equity initiatives. He spent the previous year studying policy responses to the housing crisis as an Action Canada fellow and is now working on building a Black-led community centre to address the resourcing gaps. He brings strong expertise in technology, public education, and civic engagement.

The Civic Appointments Committee will conduct interviews and recommend one candidate to City Council for appointment to the Toronto Public Library Board.

The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that:

1. City Council request the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services to create a collaborative, cross-divisional working group, with an assigned lead, to be accountable for co-ordinating various City Divisions in delivering the Mount Dennis Community for All Action Plan.

2. City Council request the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services support the Learning Enrichment Foundation in co-hosting a one-day Mount Dennis for All Symposium ("Symposium") in 2024 focusing on anti-displacement strategies, which will include experts in implementing anti-displacement measures.

3. City Council authorize the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services to negotiate and enter into, on behalf of the City of Toronto, any funding agreements with the Learning Enrichment Foundation to provide one-time funding in the amount of up to $35,000 to support the planning and co-hosting of the Symposium and the production of a report on the Symposium results, on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services, in a form approved by the City Solicitor.

4. City Council request the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services to work with Divisional staff leads to provide an inventory of existing municipal services and assets in Mount Dennis, built upon the Picture Mount Dennis Community Services and Facilities Study, available at the time of the Symposium. 

5. City Council request the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services and Divisional staff leads to work with the local City Councillor, the Learning Enrichment Foundation, and the community of Mount Dennis to develop an “Equity Score Card” to measure the impact of new development in the community and to set goals and targets to support achieving positive equity outcomes, and provide an activity report to the Economic and Community Development Committee in the fourth quarter of 2024.

6. City Council request the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services and Divisional staff leads to work with the local community to prioritize and achieve positive investments needed from federal, provincial and municipal governments and report with an update to the Economic and Community Development Committee in the fourth quarter of 2024.

7. City Council request the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services to report in the fourth quarter of 2024 on progress made in implementing the Mount Dennis for All Action Plan and make any additional recommendations required for its effective implementation.

The purpose of this report is to outline the proposed development, activation, and reporting timeline for the Mount Dennis Community for All Action Plan.

The Mount Dennis area is a residential and mixed-use community in Toronto.  Mount Dennis is a welcoming community where long-time residents have welcomed new immigrants to Toronto, providing opportunity and affordable rental and ownership housing. 

At the same time Mount Dennis is set to become one of the most transit-connected neighbourhoods in Toronto. When the Eglinton Crosstown LRT is complete, Mount Dennis will be the western terminus station and a key interconnection point between the subway and commuter rail systems, providing access to the Kitchener GO Line and UP Express. Ultimately, the population of Mount Dennis is projected to more than double over the next 20 years.

Transit expansion in the area is also expected to result in an increased number of development projects which will increase much needed housing supply but which has also been causing concerns among local residents and organizations regarding the future of their community and the potential residential, commercial, and employment displacement.

In recent years, the City has completed a significant amount of study work including the Mount Dennis Secondary Plan, the Picture Mount Dennis Planning Framework, and the Mount Dennis Economic Development Study. The result has been the development of a comprehensive vision and planning framework based on the input from area residents, businesses, local services, non-profit organizations, and Indigenous partners.

In 2022, City Council has requested staff to develop a responsive community focused plan for the Mount Dennis area. Building on the established planning framework, the "Community for All Action Plan" will propose specific actions, strategies and quantifiable targets for preserving and building new affordable housing, improving social and economic outcomes including upgraded infrastructure, enhanced community and social services, retaining and expanding local businesses, and cultivating high-quality parks and outdoor amenities.

In addition, City Council also requested the Deputy City Manager, Community and Social Services to provide biannual reports on the development and implementation of a Mount Dennis Community for All Action Plan.  This report represents the inaugural update report to be considered by the Economic and Community Development Committee.

The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that:

1. City Council continue to opt-in to the pilot of large quadricycles under O.Reg. 411/22: Pilot Project - Large Quadricycles made under the Highway Traffic Act, which is scheduled to end in 2032;

2. City Council give authority to the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards or his or her designate, to issue any number of licences, renewable on an annual basis, for pedicabs that are large quadricycles, and any number of licences for any single operating company.

3. City Council amend City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 545, Licensing, as follows:

a. by adding to the end of Section 545-27 the following sentence, "Where a pedicab is a large quadricycle, the number of passengers shall not exceed the number of passenger seats available."

b. by adding to the beginning of Section 545-27A, "Except where a pedicab is a large quadricycle," before "No owner or driver shall permit more than two persons to be passengers in a pedicab at any time without the consent of the Executive Director or his or her designate."

c. to delete Section 545-29.3, which requires the approval of route maps for large quadricycles.

d. to authorize the General Manager, Transportation Services, or their designate to create and amend a list of roadways on which large quadricycles are prohibited from operating, based on the General Manager's opinion of whether the operation of large quadricycles might cause or contribute to traffic management problems and in consultation with City Councillors in whose wards the vehicles are operated, and to post such list publicly.

e. to require the operators of large quadricycles to submit proposed route maps as part of applying for a licence or its renewal and at least 10 business days prior to modifying or adding a route, to the General Manager, Transportation Services, or their designate, for verification that the route complies with the list of prohibited roadways for large quadricycles and that, in the opinion of the General Manager, the proposed routes will not cause or contribute to potential traffic management problems, and must notify Municipal Licensing and Standards no less than five business days upon verification of any changes or additions to their operating routes.

f. the General Manager, Transportation Services shall not verify proposed routes for large quadricycles that do not comply with the following restrictions:

1. Any road with a designated speed limit greater than 40km/h per Chapter 950 Schedule XXXV;

2. No more than one consecutive block of travel on Yonge Street;

3. No more than one consecutive block of travel on Bloor Street or Danforth Avenue;

4. No lefthand turns at unsignalized intersections where at least one of the roads is an arterial road; and

5. No straight-through movements at unsignalized intersections where the road that the large quadricycle is crossing is an arterial road.

g. to authorize the General Manager, Transportation Services, or their designate, to immediately revoke verification of an existing route on the basis of a change in the list of prohibited roadways for large quadricycles, traffic management conditions, or repeated by-law infractions including noise.

h. by adding to the beginning of Section 545-33 the following, "Except where a pedicab is a large quadricycle," before "No owner and no driver shall calculate fares on any basis other than time, and the number of passengers shall not be used in any way to calculate any rates, fares or payments."

4. City Council amend City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 950, Traffic and Parking by adding a new section 950-204A, which states, "No person shall operate a large quadricycle or similar vehicle on a roadway unless operating licensed as a pedicab owner or driver under Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 545, Licensing."

5. City Council amend City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 950, Traffic and Parking by adding a new section 950-204B, which states, "No person shall operate, park, store or leave a large quadricycle on a sidewalk under any conditions."

6. City Council directs the General Manager, Transportation Services to report back at the end of the Provincial Pilot Project - Large Quadricycles (in 2032) or sooner as requested, in collaboration with Municipal Licensing and Standards, Economic Development and Culture and other divisions, as appropriate, to the appropriate Committee(s) about the impacts of large quadricycles on city streets and any recommended by-law changes, based on consultation with relevant stakeholders, including emergency services, the Toronto Transit Commission, business improvement associations, and the public, and in concurrence with any changes to related Provincial regulations as they emerge.

7. 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, Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, or General Manager, Transportation Services, in order to give effect to the adopted recommendations.

In 2022, City Council adopted recommendations to opt-in to a Province of Ontario pilot project under the Highway Traffic Act, which allowed the operation of large quadricycles in Toronto under specific conditions. Among the conditions approved by City Council were the requirements that large quadricycle operators must have a valid pedicab licence, and that all routes must be approved by the General Manager, Transportation Services prior to commencing operations. Since 2022, a single company has operated a tour service using large quadricycles on a seasonal basis (May to October). The two operating seasons in 2022 and 2023 have provided valuable learning opportunities for both City staff and large quadricycle operators. This report serves as an update on the Large Quadricycle Pilot Project and provides a summary of feedback from internal and external stakeholders as well as local residents.

It is recommended that the City continue to opt-in to the Province of Ontario's Large Quadricycle Pilot Project. This recommendation is based on findings that conclude large quadricycles did not have identifiable impacts on traffic congestion, transit operations, or public safety in the first two years of the pilot. Input received from local businesses confirms that large quadricycle tours present a small but visible economic development opportunity and support tourism. Further, results from a public survey found that the majority of Toronto resident respondents (77 percent) support the continued use of large quadricycles in Toronto.

Many of the conditions under which large quadricycles were permitted to operate were key to the success of this pilot project in 2022-2023. Therefore, this report recommends that the same roadway restrictions continue to apply to large quadricycles, in addition to the requirement that operators submit proposed routes for approval prior to commencing operations. In addition to these requirements, staff recommend that the General Manager, Transportation Services, or their designate, be granted the authority to establish new route approval conditions for large quadricycles.

Finally, this report recommends that the limit on the number of licences that may be issued to large quadricycles be lifted but that the City prohibit at all times the use of large quadricycles that are not licensed as pedicabs.

The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that:

1. City Council recognize the success of the Phase 1 of the alcohol in parks pilot in 27 of the 171 parks that met the criteria and approve the transition of the 27 pilot parks, with the addition of Riverdale Park West, 375 Sumach Street, into park locations where personal alcohol consumption is allowed on a permanent basis with restrictions for health and safety, by amending Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 608, Parks, substantially as set out in Attachment 1 to the report (March 15, 2024) from the Acting General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, as amended by Recommendation 2 below, subject to such stylistic or minor substantive changes as are deemed necessary or appropriate by the City Solicitor:

Park Name, Address

Campbell Avenue Playground and Park, 225 Campbell Avenue

Cedarvale Park, 443 Arlington Avenue

Christie Pits Park, 750 Bloor Street West

Corktown Common, 155 Bayview Avenue

Dovercourt Park, 155 Bartlett Avenue

Dufferin Grove Park, 875 Dufferin Street

Earlscourt Park, 1200 Lansdowne Avenue

East Toronto Athletic Field, 175 Main Street

Eglinton Park , 200 Eglinton Avenue West

Greenwood Park, 150 Greenwood Avenue

Hillcrest Park , 950 Davenport Road

June Rowlands Park, 220 Davisville Avenue

Lee Lifeson Art Park, 45 Princess Avenue

McCleary Park, 755 Lake Shore Boulevard East

Milliken Park, 4325 McCowan Road

Monarch Park, 115 Felstead Avenue

Morningside Park, 390 Morningside Avenue

Neilson Park - Scarborough, 1555 Neilson Road

Oriole Park - Toronto, 201 Oriole Parkway

Queen's Park, 110 Wellesley Street West

Riverdale Park East, 550 Broadview Avenue

Roundhouse Park, 255 Bremmer Boulevard

Sir Winston Churchill Park, 301 St. Clair Avenue West

Skymark Park, 3500 Don Mills Road

Trinity Bellwoods Park, 790 Queen Street West

Underpass Park, 33 St. Lawrence Street

Withrow Park, 725 Logan Avenue

2. City Council amend Attachment 1 to the report (March 15, 2024) from the Acting General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to authorize the local Councillor to provide approval for the addition of a park only when at least one park is designated in the Councillor's Ward, and to approve the removal of a park only when there are at least two parks designated in the Councillor’s Ward, it being the intention that at least one park in each Ward is designated for the personal alcohol consumption.

3. City Council approve the administrative process outlined in Attachment 2 and amend Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 608, Parks, substantially as set out in Attachment 1, to the report (March 15, 2024) from the Acting General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, as amended by Recommendation 2 above, and subject to such stylistic or minor substantive changes as are deemed necessary or appropriate by the City Solicitor, in order to delegate authority to the General Manager to add and remove parks to Schedule A of Chapter 608 provided the criteria listed are satisfied and that the local Councillor is authorized to approve the addition of a park only when at least one park is designated in the Councillor's Ward, and to approve the removal of a park only when there are at least two parks designated in the Councillor’s Ward, it being the intention that at least one park in each Ward is designated for the personal alcohol consumption.

4. City Council confirm that of the remaining 144 parks that met the criteria set by Parks, Forestry and Recreation that a minimum of one park in each city ward be designated for personal alcohol consumption, with consideration for sensitive uses, health and safety.

5. City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, in consultation with local Councillors, to identify and designate at least one park location where alcohol is permitted for personal consumption in every City of Toronto ward, in accordance with the criteria, restrictions and process set out in Attachment 1, as amended by Recommendation 2 above, and Attchment 2 to the report (March 15, 2024) from the Acting General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, by July 4, 2024 2024, and support Councillors' community consultation efforts, as requested.

6. City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, in consultation with the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, and other appropriate Division Heads, to continue to monitor and evaluate park locations where alcohol is permitted for personal consumption, and report back to Economic and Community Development Committee in second quarter of 2025 with a status update.

In response to City Council direction (2023.EC5.1), this report presents the evaluation findings of the Alcohol in Parks Pilot Program, as implemented from August 2, 2023 to October 9, 2023 in 27 parks.

Overall, the Alcohol in Parks Pilot Program was implemented with a high level of satisfaction among park visitors, few issues arising, and minimal operational impacts.

The vast majority (92 percent) of those who visited a pilot park and responded to the experience survey shared that they were satisfied with their visit. Respondents felt safe, and people who chose to drink at the park were considerate.

There were minimal increases in service requests to 311 for noise, behaviour or garbage/recycling bins at pilot parks, but not all of these are attributable to the pilot, given other activities taking place in the parks, including special events. Further, there was no increased need for police response at the vast majority of pilot parks, and no increase in hospital emergency department visits due to alcohol, compared to the preceding year (2022).

The general public sentiment about alcohol in parks was assessed through a public opinion survey, representative of the Toronto population. The results indicate that 46 percent of respondents were supportive of allowing drinking in parks, 23 percent were neutral and 30 percent were opposed.

Given the findings of the pilot evaluation and adhering to the guiding principles approved by City Council for the program, should Council wish to maintain the pilot parks and/or expand the program, this report provides a path forward for Council's consideration, including transitioning all pilot parks to permanent locations, and directing staff to work with local Councillors to expand the number of parks where drinking is permitted to include at least one park in every ward that meets Council-approved public health and safety criteria. If approved, staff will continue to monitor implementation and provide ongoing updates to local Councillors regarding issues arising in parks where alcohol consumption is allowed as well as report back with a status update in the second quarter of 2025. As part of implementation, this report also recommends implementing an administrative process to streamline the addition and removal of park locations where personal alcohol consumption is allowed through amendments to Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 608, Parks.  

In the development of this report, Parks, Forestry and Recreation consulted Legal Services, Municipal Licencing and Standards, Toronto Public Health, Solid Waste Management Services, Customer Experience - 311, Toronto Paramedic Services, Toronto Fire Services, and Toronto Police Service.

The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that:

1. City Council approve the renaming of the St. Lawrence Market Neighbourhood Business Improvement Area, as defined by the boundaries described in Attachment 1, to the report (March 8, 2024) from the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to the Old Town Toronto Business Improvement Area.

2. City Council amend the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19, Business Improvement Areas, as required to reflect the name change of the St. Lawrence Market Neighbourhood Business Improvement Area to the Old Town Toronto Business Improvement Area.

The purpose of this report is to recommend that the name of the St. Lawrence Market Neighbourhood Business Improvement Area (BIA) be changed to "Old Town Toronto Business Improvement Area". The Business Improvement Area Board of Management voted to support the renaming process and request the City of Toronto to formally change the name of the Business Improvement Area. This name change request was also endorsed by the Business Improvement Area's general membership at its November 23, 2023 Annual General Meeting (AGM).

The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that: 

1. City Council adopt and certify the 2024 recommended Operating Budgets and Levy requirements of the following Business Improvement Areas:
 

2.  City Council elect to have the subclasses for the commercial and industrial property classes apply for 2024, and to apply the respective BIA special levy rate reductions to the subclasses, all as set out in Appendix C, to the report (March 14, 2024) from the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer.

This report brings forward Business Improvement Area (BIA) annual Operating Budget for approval by City Council as required by the City of Toronto Act, 2006. City Council approval is required to permit the City to collect funds through a special levy on the rateable commercial and industrial properties within the respective Business Improvement Area boundaries. Special levy rate reductions for the subclasses have been set out in Appendix C, for properties in the subclasses of the commercial and industrial property classes.

The Business Improvement Area is an association, independently managed from the City and operated by local businesses and property owners, joining together to organize, finance, and deliver capital streetscape improvements, and to promote economic development in a district with its own governance structure as set out in Chapter 19 of the Toronto Municipal Code and the City of Toronto Act, 2006.

There are currently 84 established Business Improvement Areas in the City of Toronto. City Council previously approved the 2024 Operating Budgets for 60 Business Improvement Areas through Report 1 at its meeting on February 6, 2024 (Item EC9.2). One Business Improvement Area, Historic Queen East, is inactive. Included in this Report 2 is the 2024 Operating Budgets for the remaining 23 Business Improvement Areas for City Council approval. No City funding is required since the financing of individual Business Improvement Area Operating Budgets is raised by a special levy on the rateable commercial and industrial properties within the respective Business Improvement Area boundaries.

Under current Chapter 19 of the Toronto Municipal Code, the Business Improvement Areas By-law does not have specific provision requiring a Business Improvement Area maintain a certain amount in their accumulated surplus. Should a Business Improvement Area find itself in a deficit, be dissolved or becomes inactive, City Council has the authority to collect funds required and liabilities including interests, through the Business Improvement Area levy as stipulated under the By-law. If a board is dissolved and the liabilities exceed the assets assumed by the City, Council shall recover the difference. As directed by City Council at its meeting on July 19, 2022, the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture will conduct additional review and consultation on other issues impacting Business Improvement Areas. To ensure prudent stewardship of public resources and further strengthen financial management and oversight, the issue of maintaining a minimum balance requirement in the Business Improvement Area accumulated surplus reserves will be part of the By-law review. Based on the outcome of the review, City staff will present recommendations including the potential for amendment to the current Chapter 19 of the Toronto Municipal Code, and report back to Council by the second quarter of 2024.

The recommendation in this report reflects the board-adopted 2024 Operating Budgets by the respective Business Improvement Areas’ Boards of Management and General Membership. Complete budgets and supporting documentation have been reviewed by City staff to ensure that the 2024 Operating Budgets for Business Improvement Areas reflect Council’s approved policies and practices.

The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that:

1. City Council authorize the General Manager, Toronto Shelter and Support Services to:   

a. Provide the remaining reimbursement of a total of $1,440,401 to churches and community organizations who previously received a partial reimbursement for their eligible expenses incurred to September 30, 2023, based on City Council’s direction CC10.2 Immediate Federal Government Support Required for Refugee Claimants in Toronto on September 6, 2023.

b. Explore options for one-time extension of reimbursement to churches and community organizations selected by General Manager, Toronto Shelter and Support Services for eligible expenses incurred towards providing temporary shelter to refugee claimants incurred until December 31, 2023 and provide an update to Council as part of scheduled reports on the City of Toronto’s Homelessness Services Capital Infrastructure Strategy in the third quarter of 2024.

c. Should federal funding not fully cover the funding in part a and b above, City Council authorize the use of any operating surplus realized by the City at the 2023 Year-End, subject to the Surplus Management Policy.

2. City Council direct the General Manager, Toronto Shelter and Support Services to explore opportunities where appropriate to respond to the continued high level of need for shelter from refugee clients and to report back to the Council as part of scheduled reports on the City of Toronto’s Homelessness Services Capital Infrastructure Strategy in the third quarter of 2024.

The unexpected and unprecedented surge in the number of refugee claimants arriving in Toronto has placed significant strain on the City's shelter and other systems. These pressures spiked in late spring and summer 2023, resulting in groups of refugees staying outside the City’s assessment and referral centre on Peter Street, with no space available in the shelter system.

In response, many Black-led churches and community organizations stepped up, opening their doors to provide emergency shelter and supports to hundreds of refugee claimants who were arriving in Toronto homeless.

In late summer, the City provided $150,000 to three leading churches. Additionally, in September 2023, City Council authorized that up to $750,000 be provided to churches and community organizations for eligible expenses incurred by September 30.

The recommendations in this report will ensure that Black-led churches and community organizations are fully reimbursed for costs previously determined eligible and that options for their further reimbursement are identified for City Council's consideration.

The General Government Committee recommend that: 

1. City Council, in accordance with Section 195-8.5.B of the Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 195 (Purchasing By-Law), grant authority to award Request for Proposal Ariba Document Number Doc3580308056 for the supply and delivery of Station Wear (Trousers and Shirts) in the amount of  including the option years is $14,410,095 net of all taxes and charges ($14,663,713 net of Harmonized Sales Tax Recoveries) being the highest scoring Supplier meeting all specifications as set out in the Request for Proposal, for a period of one (1) year, with the option to renew the Contract for an additional term of up to six (6) additional one (1) year periods, at the sole discretion of the City and subject to budget approval(s).

The purpose of this report is to advise on the results of the Request for Proposal

Doc3580308056 for the supply and delivery of Station Wear (Trousers and Shirts) for the City of Toronto's Fire Services Division and to request authority to enter into a contract with Safedesign Apparel Ltd., being the highest scoring Supplier meeting all specifications as set out in the Request for Proposal. The proposed contract is, for a period of one (1) year with the option to renew the Contract for six (6) additional separate one (1) year periods at the sole discretion of the City and subject to budget approval(s). Should the optional year(s) be exercised, the Fire Chief and General Manager will request the Chief Procurement Officer to process the renewals under the same terms and conditions. The total potential duration of this contract is seven (7) years. The total potential contract award including the option years is $14,410,095 net of all taxes and charges and $16,283,408, including all taxes and charges. The total potential cost to the City, including the option years is $14,663,713 net of Harmonized Sales Tax Recoveries.

The proposed contract is for a minimum period of one (1) year, with an option in favour of the City to extend the contract on the same terms and conditions for up to six (6) additional one (1) year periods. Since the proposed contract term, inclusive of any extension of the contract term as exercised by the City, exceeds five (5) years, City Council authority to award the contract is required.

The General Government Committee recommend that:

1. City Council authorize the Chief Technology Officer to negotiate and execute a non-competitive contract with Esri Canada Limited to purchase proprietary Geographic Information System software licences, cloud subscriptions and related maintenance, commencing from the date of award for a one (1) year period, for the total amount of $1,052,851 net of all taxes and applicable charges ($1,071,381 net of Harmonized Sales Tax Recoveries).

The purpose of this report is to request City Council authority negotiate and enter a non-competitive contract with Esri Canada Limited for the provision of proprietary Geographic Information System software licences, cloud subscription and related maintenance. The Contract will commence from the date of award for a one (1) year period, for the total amount of $1,052,851 net of all taxes and applicable charges ($1,071,381 net of Harmonized Sales Tax Recoveries). Obtaining additional Esri licences for existing products through this report will support anticipated divisional growth on current Geographic Information System capabilities and provide continued support for key initiatives such as affordable housing and sustainable urban development.

Geographic Information System is a critical technology domain to enable spatial analysis and data-driven decision-making. It plays a pivotal role in City operations (e.g. supporting 911 dispatch, aiding urban planning initiatives and serving as a decision support tool for transit related activities, utility management and affordable housing). Geographic Information System is integrated extensively across several City-wide systems such as Elections to coordinate and assign Toronto voters to over 1,800 voting stations across ward boundaries. Toronto also relies on Geographic Information System for infrastructure management: Toronto Water tracks and coordinates nearly $6 billion in linear capital works as part of its 10-Year Capital Plan and maintains an asset inventory of over 2.2 million records through Geographic Information System solutions.

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

The General Government Committee recommends that:

1. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, to continue negotiations to acquire the property interests as illustrated on the project map attached as Appendix A to the report (March 12, 2024) from the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, as set out in Appendix B (the “Property Requirements”)  to the report (March 12, 2024) from the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and as illustrated in the easement drawings attached as Appendix C to the report (March 12, 2024) from the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and City Council authorize the initiation of expropriation proceedings for the Property Requirements for the purposes of permanent easements for a sanitary trunk sewer and one shaft, and a temporary easement for construction staging, if the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, deems it necessary or appropriate to proceed in that manner.

2. City Council grant authority to serve and publish the Notices of Application for Approval to Expropriate Land for the Property Requirements, to forward to the Ontario Land Tribunal any requests for hearings that are received, to attend the hearing(s) to present the City's position, and to report the Ontario Land Tribunal's recommendations to City Council for its consideration.

This report seeks authority to initiate expropriation proceedings for permanent easements in part of the properties municipally known as 37 Downsview Avenue, 200 Chalkfarm Drive, 1570 Wilson Avenue, 2090 Jane Street, 2208 Jane Street, 2210 Jane Street and 75 Hyde Avenue, and a temporary easement in part of the property municipally known as 2090 Jane Street for the purposes of facilitating Phase One of Toronto Water's Black Creek Sanitary Trunk Sewer Relief System project.

This is Stage 1 of the expropriation process. Should City Council adopt the recommendations in this report, staff will serve and publish the Notice of Application for Approval to Expropriate Land on each registered owner. Owners, as defined in the Expropriations Act (the "Act"), will have 30 days to request a hearing into whether the City's proposed taking is fair, sound and reasonably necessary.

Staff will report back to City Council with a Stage 2 report, providing details on property values and other costs, and if a hearing is requested, the report of the Ontario Land Tribunal. The proposed expropriations would only be effected after adoption by City Council, as approving authority, of the Stage 2 report, by registration of an expropriation plan(s), which would then be followed by the service of notices as required by the Act. Before the City could take possession of the expropriated properties, offers of compensation based on appraisal reports must be served on each registered owner.

The General Government Committee recommends that: 

1. City Council, as the approving authority under the Expropriations Act (the “Act’), approve the expropriation of the property interests as set out in Appendix A (the “Property Interests”) and as identified on the draft reference plans attached as Appendix C to the report (March 12, 2024) from the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management.

2. City Council authorize the City, as the expropriating authority under the Act, to take all necessary steps to comply with the Act, including but not limited to the preparation and registration of Expropriation Plans, and the service of Notices of Expropriation, Notices of Election and Notices of Possession, as may be required.

3. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management to prepare, execute and serve offers of compensation based on reports appraising the market value of the Property Interests in accordance with the requirements of the Act. 

4. City Council authorize the public release of the confidential information contained in Confidential Attachment 1 to the report (March 12, 2024) from the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, once there has been a final determination of the compensation payable to the property owners by arbitration, appeal, or settlement to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor. 

On July 14, 2021 and April 14, 2018, City Council authorized the initiation of expropriation proceedings for properties required for the purpose of constructing Transportation Services’ St. Clair Avenue West Transportation Master Plan, which aims to improve multi-modal transportation network in the area.

This report relates to the second stage of the expropriation process. During the first stage and in accordance with the Expropriations Act, Notices of Application for Approval to Expropriate were served on all applicable "registered owners" who had 30 days to request an inquiry into whether the proposed taking is fair, sound, and reasonably necessary. No requests were received within the 30-day period and City Council may now approve the expropriation by this Stage 2 report. If authorized, an Expropriation Plan will be registered, and associated notices served. Statutory Offers of Compensation must be served prior to the City taking possession of the expropriated properties.

The property requirements are set out in Appendix A and shown on the draft reference plans attached as Appendix C.

The General Government Committee recommends that: 

1. City Council authorize the permanent closure of the unused public road known as Eglinton Avenue West, shown as Part 1 on Plan 66R-31588 and Property Plate, attached as Attachments 1 and 2 to the report (March 12, 2024) from the General Manager, Transportation Services

2. City Council enact a by-law substantially in the form of the draft by-law attached as Attachment 3 to the report (March 12, 2024) from the General Manager, Transportation Services.

This report proposes to permanently close an unused portion of a public highway located in the northwest quadrant of Croham Road and Eglinton Avenue West to support new infrastructure for the new Caledonia GO station on the Barrie rail corridor. City Council approval of this report is required to stop-up and close this unused portion of the Eglinton Avenue West right-of-way.

Transportation Services recommends the permanent closure of the land legally described as Part 1 on Plan 66R-31588. This closure would allow this land to be nominally transferred to Metrolinx to become part of the Caledonia GO station, through the delegated authority of the Deputy General Manager, Internal Corporate Services and the Director, Real Estate Services.

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that:

1. City Council direct City staff to pursue competitive procurement of daytime curbside collection services in District 2 to ensure collection services continue following the expiration of the current agreement on August 2, 2026.

2. City Council authorize the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services to negotiate and enter into any service agreements or amending agreements with any Blue Box Program administrator, and / or their designate, for the City of Toronto to be contracted to provide services, based on terms and conditions outlined in Confidential Attachment 1 to the report (March 13, 2024) from the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, for the management of blue box materials at the City's transfer stations until December 31, 2035, on terms acceptable to the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

3. City Council direct the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services to implement curbside collection routing changes as a result of no longer collecting eligible Blue Box materials to re-optimize collection services and to investigate potential efficiencies and synergies within collections and litter operations and return to Council for direction as required.    

4. City Council authorize the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services or their designate to negotiate and enter into any new agreements or amending agreements necessary for the City's continued litter vacuum operations until December 31, 2026, based in part on the recommendations on pricing set out in Confidential Attachment 1 to the report (March 13, 2024) from the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, and on terms satisfactory to the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

5. City Council direct that Confidential Attachment 1 to the report (March 13, 2024) from the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, remains confidential in its entirety in accordance with the provisions of the City of Toronto Act, 2006, as it involves a position, plan, procedure, criteria or instruction to be applied to any negotiation carried on or to be carried on by or on behalf of the City.

6. City Council communicate to the Premier of Ontario and Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks the following City of Toronto positions with respect to extended producer responsibility under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016 and related regulations:

a. Any changes to the legislation and regulations that underpin the delivery, through extended producer responsibility, of the Blue Box program in Ontario should support the Province’s stated commitments to improve recycling rates and reduce the movement of recyclable materials into landfills or the environment as litter;

b. Municipal governments have a strong interest in supporting actions that align with the Province’s commitments as it is the municipal taxpayer who is responsible for the costs associated with any delay in improving Blue Box recycling in Ontario, be it through the management of landfills, composting facilities or public space litter; and

c. Any changes to the legislation and regulations that are under consideration by the Province should be subject to a public and transparent consultation process and be posted on the Environmental Registry so that all interested parties have the opportunity to participate and provide feedback.

7. City Council authorize the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services to negotiate and enter into any new agreements, amendments of existing agreements, or acknowledgements, including on the basis of a non-competitive procurement under Municipal Code, Chapter 195, Purchasing, necessary in connection with the efforts to continue provision of Blue Bin material recycling services for non-producer serviced locations (such as City-serviced commercial locations, City facilities, charities, institutions and religious organizations), including advocacy, financial analysis, or waste composition audits on terms and conditions satisfactory to the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services and each in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

8. City Council direct the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services to report back to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee, no later than the third quarter of 2025, on the results of the review and analysis of the potential service delivery options for the City’s integrated litter program operations including:

a. any timelines and recommendations to undertake a managed competition process or directly bring operations in-house for contracted litter vacuum operations; and

b. any timelines and recommendations for changes to the City’s on-street litter bin operations which are currently part of the City’s coordinated Street Furniture Program.
 

9. City Council formally express its commitment to ensuring that any staff currently employed by the City and that may have their positions impacted by the Blue Box transition to extended producer responsibility, will be supported throughout the transition so that they can continue to work for the City of Toronto.
 

10. City Council direct the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services to report back to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee, no later than the first quarter of 2025 with a comparison of service standards and metrics between districts for daytime, curbside waste collection.

The purpose of this staff report is to provide City Council with an update on the transition of the Blue Box Program to Extended Producer Responsibility, including the City's potential role in the Post -Transition Phase (2026 and beyond).

As directed by Council, staff pursued discussions with Circular Materials for Toronto to continue to provide curbside recycling collection post - transition. These discussions ceased in early 2024 due primarily to Circular Materials' requirement for a cost of service to be provided within their required timeframe, which the City was unable to meet due to upcoming procurements. As a result, Circular Materials confirmed they were not open to further discussions or direct negotiations with the City related to Blue Box collection service post - transition.

In relation to receipt of recycling post - transition, this report provides an update on the bid the City submitted in response to Circular Materials' Request for Proposals for Receiving Facilities (also known as transfer stations). 

Additionally, the report provides an overview of the options analysis undertaken for curbside waste collection in District 2 once the current contract expires in August of 2026 and the recommended path forward. 

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that:

1. City Council grant authority to the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services to amend Purchase Order Number 6052895 with GHD Limited (GHD) awarded through Request for Proposal Number Doc2659801647 to provide detailed design and construction oversight services to expand the Disco Road Organics Processing Facility (Disco OPF) based on the pricing information presented in the Confidential Attachment to the report (March 13, 2024) from the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services.

2. City Council authorize the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services and / or designate, to negotiate and enter into any new agreements, amendments of existing agreements or related documents - including on the basis of a non-competitive procurement under Municipal Code Chapter 195, Purchasing - necessary to operate, maintain and undertake capital improvements to continue to process organics at the Disco Road Organics Processing Facility, for a term up to an additional five (5) years, based on the pricing information presented in the Confidential Attachment to the report (March 13, 2024) from the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, on terms and conditions satisfactory to the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

3. City Council authorize the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, and / or designate, to negotiate and enter into any new agreements, amendments of existing agreements or related documents with CCI Bioenergy Inc. (CCI) to supply a BTA ® Waste Pulper, two (2) anaerobic digester equipment packages and required ancillary equipment to expand the processing capacity of the Disco Road Organics Processing Facility, based on the pricing information presented in the Confidential Attachment to the report (March 13, 2024) from the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, on terms and conditions satisfactory to the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

4. City Council authorize the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, and / or designate, to negotiate and enter into any new agreements, amendments of existing agreements or related documents with GHD Ltd. (GHD) to provide engineering design and contract administration services for improvements to the Dufferin Organics Processing Facility, based on the pricing information presented in the Confidential Attachment to the report (March 13, 2024) from the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, on terms and conditions satisfactory to the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

5. City Council authorize the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services and / or designate, to negotiate and enter into any new agreements, amendments of existing agreements or related documents - including on the basis of a non-competitive procurement under Municipal Code Chapter 195, Purchasing - necessary to design and supply pre-processing equipment to continue to process source separated organics at the Dufferin Organics Processing Facility, based on the pricing information presented in the Confidential Attachment to the report (March 13, 2024) from the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, on terms and conditions satisfactory to the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

6. City Council authorize the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, and / or designate, to negotiate and enter into any new agreements, amendments of existing agreements, or related documents or acknowledgements - including on the basis of a non-competitive procurement under Municipal Code Chapter 195, Purchasing - necessary in connection with the efforts to design, supply, install and operate additional Renewable Natural Gas infrastructure with Enbridge Gas Inc. (EGI) at the Disco Road Renewable Natural Gas facility with a term of fifteen (15) years from the date of total completion of construction estimated to be in the forth quarter of 2029, based on the pricing information presented in the Confidential Attachment to the report (March 13, 2024) from the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, on terms and conditions satisfactory to the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services and, if necessary, the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

7. City Council authorize the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services and / or designate, to negotiate and enter into any new agreements, amendments of existing agreements, or acknowledgements - including on the basis of a non-competitive procurement under Municipal Code Chapter 195, Purchasing - necessary in connection with the efforts to produce, manage, market, distribute, use and sell Renewable Natural Gas and other environmental attributes associated with Renewable Natural Gas production, on terms and conditions satisfactory to the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services and, if necessary, the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

8. City Council direct that the Confidential Attachment to the report (March 13, 2024) from the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, remain confidential in its entirety indefinitely, as it relates to a position, plan, procedure, criteria or instruction to be applied to any negotiations carried on or to be carried on by or on behalf of the City of Toronto.

The City's Green Bin program helps to keep waste out of landfill by collecting and processing organics from approximately 460,000 houses and more than half of apartment and condominium buildings as well as schools and City-owned buildings. The City of Toronto (City) owns and operates two anaerobic digestion organic processing facilities: the Disco Road Organics Processing Facility and the Dufferin Organics Processing Facility. The Disco Road Organics Processing Facility is designed to process 75,000 tonnes of organics per year and the Dufferin Organics Processing Facility is designed to process 55,000 tonnes of organics per year, for a combined City-owned processing capacity of 130,000 tonnes per year. Solid Waste Management Services is currently collecting between 160,000 and 170,000 tonnes of organics per year and utilizing third-party contractors to process the excess organic waste.

With limited regional organics processing capacity and the need to plan for the growth of Toronto, Solid Waste Management Services identified increased organics processing capacity as a priority and accelerated the planning of a third organics processing facility (construction in 2026 – versus 2036). This initiative was approved by City Council and included within the capital budget.

As part of the planning work for a third facility, various studies were undertaken and it was determined that expanding the existing Disco Road Organics Processing Facility would be the most cost-effective way to increase the City's organics processing capacity versus building a new facility. Expansion of the Disco Road Organics Processing Facility would take advantage of existing infrastructure and known technology, reducing both risk and costs of the project. The expansion will allow the City to increase its organics processing capacity at the Disco Road Organics Processing Facility from 75,000 tonnes per year up to 140,000 tonnes per year.

The purpose of this report is to seek authorities to expedite the expansion of the Disco Road Organics Processing Facility and enhance performance at the Dufferin Organics Processing Facility.

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that:

1. City Council receive the Annual TransformTO Net Zero Progress and Accountability Report, in Attachment 1 and its related attachments to the report (March 13, 2024) from the Executive Director, Environment and Climate Division, for information.

2. City Council confirm support for a renewed focus and coordinated approach on climate resilience at the City of Toronto.

3. City Council direct the Executive Director, Environment and Climate Division in collaboration with all City Divisions, Agencies, Boards, and Corporations to report back to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee in the fourth quarter of 2025 with the following:

a. an update on Division, Agencies and Corporations' current activities and future plans where current and future climate conditions are included in their respective infrastructure, operational, policy, and program planning;

b. a refreshed governance approach that integrates climate resilience into decision-making and co-ordination across the services, assets, and communities of the City of Toronto, that builds upon the climate-specific learnings from the City's 2019 Resilience Strategy;

c. a list of climate resilience priorities and recommended next steps based on technical analysis of climate risk that incorporate insights from engagement with internal and external partners; and

d. a discussion of how Indigenous worldviews and relationships with Indigenous communities have been prioritized in climate resilience planning to date.

4. City Council Direct the Executive Director, Environment and Climate, and the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, in collaboration with other Divisions, Agencies, Boards and Corporations of the City of Toronto, to include in the TransformTO Net Zero Implementation Strategy for 2026-2030 a timeline, the resources for, and process for, phasing out the use of fossil gas in all new and existing City-owned facilities by 2040.

5. City Council request that the General Manager, Transportation Services, in consultation with the Toronto Transit Commission, to report back to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee by the fourth quarter of 2024 on opportunities to improve the speed and reliability of surface transit by reducing hours for on-street parking in the vicinity of construction-related lane restrictions.

6. City Council request the Executive Director, Environment and Climate, to report back on existing resources and potential City measures to support residential homeowners in pursuing energy efficient and net zero renovations, as part of reporting on the development of emissions performance standards for existing buildings in the fourth quarter of 2024.

This report offers a comprehensive update on climate change. It highlights the progress made in mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2040 (with full details in the attached Annual TransformTO Net Zero Progress and Accountability Report) and proposes a renewed focus and coordinated approach to building resilience to a changing climate within the City of Toronto.

Impacts of the changing climate

Toronto is experiencing weather that is hotter, wetter, and wilder, and these conditions are expected to worsen. The number of days per year with temperatures above 30°Celsius (extreme heat days) has already increased from an average of 8 days in the 1950s to about 18 days per year now. Data suggests that if global emissions remain on their current path this could increase to 29 days by the 2030s (2021-2050), and 54 days by the 2060s (2051-2080)1. As well, data suggests that by 2080 Toronto will experience an increase in annual precipitation of 19 percent, and extreme rainstorms with 30 percent more rainfall than the historical baseline (1971-2000), which are expected to lead to flooding and associated infrastructure damage, injuries, habitat degradation, degraded water quality, soil erosion and disruptions to services and the economy.

Over the past year, extreme heat, wildfire, flooding, and storm events in Toronto, across Canada, and globally further illustrated how harmful and costly these events can be to residents and the assets and services that support them. The impacts of climate change also amplify existing socio-economic vulnerabilities and inequities, unfairly affecting people who already have challenges coping.

The City's focus to date has been to do its share to respond to a global call to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and avoid harmful temperature rise. A second but no less important stream of City responsibility is to steadily build Toronto's resilience and readiness at a local level to respond to the day-to-day exposure of Torontonians living in an increasingly unpredictable climate.

Progress towards achieving net zero emissions

The City's efforts to mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions are detailed in Attachment 1: Annual TransformTO Net Zero Progress and Accountability Report. This new annual report format offers a comprehensive and accessible view of City-led Greenhouse Gas reduction actions, highlighting the progress midway through the City's first Short-Term Implementation Plan (2022-2026) with respect to the critical steps needed to achieve net zero.

The City is leading at the cutting - edge of work to reduce emissions in Toronto. Key highlights include:

- The Toronto Green Standard which is helping new developments reduce emissions by 15,000 to CO2e per year,

- City-led work to develop Emission Performance Standards for existing buildings that will help align business and household decisions with a transition to technologies like heat pumps that run on clean electricity, and

- Greening the Corporate fleet with emissions on pace for the 45 percent emission reduction target by 2025 and TTC planning for a zero-emissions bus fleet by 2037 – three years ahead of schedule.

Additionally, a summation of Toronto's 2024 budget commitments shows that while Toronto’s actions are making a positive difference, the goal of net zero emissions by 2040 is at risk unless the City, other levels of government, residents and businesses support and invest in transformative actions that meet the scope and scale of the climate challenge.

The report also highlights how the City can tackle the biggest source of Greenhouse Gas emissions – fossil (natural) gas for heating buildings – by moving forward with Emission Performance Standards for every building in Toronto which will be outlined in further detail later in 2024. Additional opportunities to accelerate progress will be presented in Toronto's next 2026 - 2030 Net Zero Strategy Short-term Implementation Plan, due in 2025.

Full details on progress implementing the Net Zero Strategy and new Carbon Accountability measures can be found in the attachments to this report.

Increasing Readiness for Climate Change

As the climate changes, Toronto strives to remain a livable and vibrant City for all. While many divisions are already doing important work to reduce risks from climate change, the potential for climate change to negatively affect the City and its residents is clear.

The City of Toronto does not currently have a Council-adopted climate resilience or adaptation plan; however, consistent with recommendations from the Resilience Strategy, Environment and Climate is restarting city - wide discussions on resilience by establishing a new role to coordinate climate resilience planning and action in a unified way, city-wide, starting with proposing a refreshed governance approach.

In 2022-2023, a new team was established within Environment and Climate to specifically support climate resilience. During Fall 2023, Environment and Climate led inter-divisional discussions and workshops with 21 divisions and agencies to identify the current status of climate resilience work across the city and map out priorities for addressing climate risks now and in the future.

An outcome of this work identified the benefit of establishing centralized, refreshed guidance on climate resilience that builds on past work, incorporates up-to-date information, aligns us with peer cities, and protects vulnerable people. Four priority areas for action surfaced: (i) clear direction to address climate resilience as a priority (ii) an approach that will prioritize Indigenous worldviews, relational views of land protection and Indigenous community leadership to enhance climate resilience, (iii) more access to evidence, information, expertise, and advice to guide the City's priorities and actions, and (iv) development of a clear framework, mandate and objectives for addressing climate impacts at a City-wide level.

It should be noted however, that while Environment and Climate is well - positioned to coordinate and support climate resilience city - wide, each division, agency and corporation will need to play a leadership role to integrate climate considerations into their own policies, programs, and activities.

As part of this work, Environment and Climate will be collecting and analysing local evidence and data which is fundamental to the work of collective and divisional resilience planning. A climate risk and vulnerability assessment will meet this need, generating updated, local, future climate projections for the City and identifying the people, assets, and services, including natural systems, that are most vulnerable to climate impacts. This additional work scope, which will conclude in early 2025, will help prioritize potential adaptation actions and support recommendations for how to best minimize impacts to residents, many of whom are already disproportionately impacted by climate change.

To clarify the financial risks facing Toronto from climate change and provide context to the costs of adaptation, the City is partnering with the new Ontario Resource Centre for Climate Adaptation (ORCCA) to estimate the cost of inaction. In 2020, Toronto reported that four rainstorm, ice storm, and high lake / windstorm events directly cost the City a combined $228 million dollars between 2005-2017 while a recent study done in Ontario estimated that a proactive adaptation approach would save $1.1 billion dollars per year in climate costs by the end of the century, compared with paying for the damage inflicted by those same impacts retrospectively.

A detailed evaluation of our progress to net zero by 2040 and a renewed focus on coordinating climate resilience activities that builds on data about future climate, risks, and costs will together shape critical actions and next steps that will prepare our city government, our economy, our ecosystems, our communities, and our residents for a changing climate.

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that:  

1. City Council authorize the installation of the following bikeway projects on:

a. Ferrand Drive from Rochefort Drive (west) to Rochefort Drive (east) and at Eglinton Avenue East, uni-directional cycle tracks and contra-flow bicycle lanes at Eglinton Avenue East;

b. Rochefort Drive from Don Mills Road to Deauville Lane, uni-directional cycle tracks;

c. Deauville Lane from Rochefort Drive to St Dennis Drive, uni-directional cycle tracks;

d. Galloway Road from Guildwood Parkway to Dearham Wood, bicycle lanes;

e. Dan Leckie from Queens Quay West to Queens Wharf Road, bi-directional cycle tracks;

f. Portland Street from Queen Street West to Front Street West, bi-directional cycle tracks;

g. Silverthorn Avenue from Rogers Road to Lane North St Clair East Cloverdale, contra-flow bike lanes;

h. Rockwell Avenue from Silverthorn Avenue (west branch) to Silverthorn Avenue (east branch), bi-directional cycle tracks;

i. Blackthorn Avenue from Rogers Road to Rockwell Avenue, contra-flow bicycle lanes;

j. Pine Street (west side) from Wright Avenue to Church Street, bicycle lanes, and Pine Street (east side) from Wright Avenue to King Street, bicycle lanes;

k. Richmond Street from Augusta Avenue to Portland Street, bi-directional cycle tracks; and

l. Jones Avenue from Queen Street to Dundas Street, uni-directional cycle tracks.

2. City Council delegate, despite any City of Toronto By-law to the contrary, to the General Manager, Transportation Services, until November 1, 2027, for the purposes of implementing and then addressing operational and safety issues that may arise in relation to the projects identified in Recommendation 1, the authority to implement changes and process and submit directly to Council any necessary bills for by-law amendments to the schedules to City of Toronto Code Chapters on the streets and within the parameters as identified in Attachment 2 to the report (December 21, 2023) from the General Manager, Transportation Services, and that such by-laws submitted be made permanent on November 1, 2027.

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

4.  City Council authorize an all-way compulsory stop control at the intersection of Rochefort Drive and Ferrand Drive (west leg).

5. City Council authorize an all-way compulsory stop control at the intersection of Ferrand Drive (west leg) and Seaton Park Road.

6. City Council authorize an all-way compulsory stop control at the intersection of Ferrand Drive (west leg) and Windom Road.

7. City Council authorize a compulsory stop control for westbound traffic on Helen Avenue at Blackthorn Avenue.

8. City Council reduce the speed limit from 40 kilometres per hour  to 30 kilometres per hour on Pine Street from Wright Avenue to Church Street.

9. City Council reduce the speed from 40 kilometres per hour to 30 kilometres per hour on Ferrand Drive from Rochefort Drive to Deauville Lane.

10. City Council reduce the speed from 40 kilometres per hour to 30 kilometres per hour on Rochefort Drive from Don Mills Road to Deauville Lane.

11. City Council reduce the speed from 40 kilometres per hour to 30 kilometres per hour on Deauville Lane from Rochefort Drive to Grenoble Drive.

12. City Council amend cycling, traffic and parking regulations required in Chapter 886, Chapter 903, Chapter 910 and Chapter 950, as generally described in Attachment 3 - Technical Amendments to the report (March 13, 2024) from the General Manager, Transportation Services, for previously approved projects by City Council that have been enacted in phases aligned with the timing of implementation of the appropriate segments of the respective projects over 2024 to 2025 and by-law accuracy.

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

a. Edgebrook Drive (south side from [30 metres West] Bankfield Drive to Bankfield Drive);

b. Fishleigh Drive (south side fronting Scarborough Heights Park);

c. Mayfield Avenue (south side from Armadale Avenue to Willard Garden Parkette);

d. Rannock Street (north side from Craigton Drive to [15 metres East] Rannock Street);

e. Sorauren Avenue (east side of fronting 239 Sorauren Avenue).

14. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services, as part of the Dan Leckie-Portland Cycling Connections project included in Infrastructure and Environment Committee Recommendations 1e., 1f., and 1k., to conduct analysis of the new configuration after a standard review period, along with potential impacts on Front Street, Bathurst Street and Spadina Avenue, and publish data including multi-modal volumes and make recommendations to implement adjustments to the project if necessary, in consultation with the local Councillor.

15. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services to review, to consider, and prioritize the construction of a sidewalk on Howden Road from Lawrence Avenue East to Laura Secord Walk and Laura Secord Walk from Howden Road to Birchmount Road and to provide recommendations to the Ward Councillor that include potential delivery timelines.

This report seeks City Council authority to install bikeway projects identified in the Cycling Network Plan as well as Missing Links Sidewalk Projects.

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. Through this report, Transportation Services is seeking authority for bikeway projects that were proposed to be installed in the near term (2022-2024) and for which design and consultation have now been completed.

This report seeks Council authority to install 5.8 centreline kilometres (km) of new bikeways associated with five projects on the following streets:

- Ferrand Drive Area Safety Improvements

- Ferrand Drive: Rochefort Drive (west) to Rochefort Drive (east) and at Eglinton Avenue East (cycle tracks and contra-flow bike lanes, Ward 16)

- Rochefort Drive: Don Mills Road to Deauville Lane (cycle tracks, Ward 16)

- Deauville Lane: Rochefort Drive to St Dennis Drive (cycle tracks, Ward 16)

- Galloway Road Sidewalks and Cycling Connections

- Galloway Road: Guildwood Parkway to Dearham Wood (bike lanes, Ward 24)

- Portland-Dan Leckie Cycling Connections

- Dan Leckie Way: Queens Quay West to Queens Wharf Road (cycle tracks, Ward 10)

- Portland Street: Queen Street West to Front Street West (cycle tracks, Ward 10)

- Silverthorn Cycling Connections

- Silverthorn Avenue: Rogers Road to Lane North St Clair East Cloverdale (contra-flow bike lanes, Ward 9)

- Rockwell Avenue: Silverthorn Avenue (west branch) to Silverthorn Avenue (east branch) (cycle tracks, Ward 9)

- Blackthorn Avenue: Rogers Road to Rockwell Avenue (contra-flow bike lanes, Ward 9)

- Weston Cycling Connections

- Pine Street: Wright Avenue to Church Street (bike lanes, Ward 5)

Further, this report seeks Council authority to make by-law amendments associated with improvements to 0.5 centreline km of existing bikeways on the following streets:

- Richmond Street: Augusta Avenue to Portland Street (uni-directional cycle tracks to bi-directional cycle tracks, Ward 10)

- Jones Avenue: Queen Street to Dundas Street (bicycle lanes to cycle tracks, Ward 14)

As part of this report, Transportation Services is continuing to utilize the streamlined reporting process for by-law amendment submissions associated with cycling infrastructure projects approved by Council for implementation. Once projects are approved by Council, the streamlined process involves delegation of authority to submit bills directly to Council for a discreet period of time after project implementation which enables Transportation Services to make minor adjustments to constructed conditions without delay and based on local Councillor and public feedback such as parking adjustments to improve sightlines, adjustments or addition of accessible loading areas, and similar modifications.

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, new sidewalk installations, pedestrian head starts and motor vehicle lane adjustments.

Finally, this report seeks to make minor housekeeping amendments to existing bikeways and their associated traffic and parking by-laws on the following streets:

- Danforth Avenue: Main Street to Victoria Park Avenue (bicycle and traffic and parking, Ward 19)

- Deauville Lane (bicycle and traffic and parking, Ward 16)

- Hibernia Avenue at Laughton Avenue (traffic and parking, Ward 9)

An additional report is anticipated for Cycling Network Plan projects in the third quarter of 2024.  

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:

- Edgebrook Drive from [30 metres West] Bankfield Drive to Bankfield Drive (south side, Ward 1);

- Fishleigh Drive fronting Scarborough Heights Park (south side, Ward 20);

- Mayfield Avenue from Armadale Avenue to Willard Garden Parkette (south side, Ward 4);

- Rannock Street from Craigton Drive to [15 metres East] Rannock Street (north side, Ward 21); and

- Sorauren Avenue fronting 239 Sorauren Avenue (east side, Ward 4).

A map of the cycling network and sidewalk projects proposed in this report is included as Attachment 1 and 2, respectively.  

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that:

1. City Council endorse, in principle, the Under Gardiner Public Realm Plan, Attachment 4 to the report (March 13, 2024) from the Interim Chief Planner and Executive Director City Planning, the General Manager, Transportation Services, the Acting General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, and the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture.

2. City Council direct the Interim Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, the General Manager, Transportation Services, the Acting General Manager, Parks Forestry and Recreation and the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, and the General Manager, Toronto Shelter and Support Services, to establish an interdivisional advisory committee, with representation from The Bentway Conservancy and the Province, to provide guidance on the development of an implementation strategy for projects along the Under Gardiner corridor (from Dufferin Street to the Don River), identified in the Under Gardiner Public Realm Plan, including identification of near-term priorities, a prioritization framework to support the long-term vision, a guide for implementation partnerships, funding strategy and a resource for reviewing future development applications along the corridor, which in the case of City financial contributions, will inform future budget submissions for relevant City Divisions.

The Bentway Conservancy ("The Bentway") and the City have collaborated to provide a vision for underutilized public space under and adjacent to the F.G. Gardiner Expressway ("the Gardiner") in the City of Toronto's downtown core. The findings of this work are summarized below and attached to this report as the Under Gardiner Public Realm Plan. The Under Gardiner Public Realm Plan supports the City's Central Waterfront Secondary Plan and the Downtown Parks and Public Realm Plan where key policies in the "Shoreline Stitch" are to improve north-south connections to the waterfront, as well as east-west linkages between the Fort York National Historic Site and the Don River Valley.

City Divisions including Transportation Services, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, City Planning, and Economic Development and Culture have been working closely with The Bentway in response to a Member's Motion from 2020 (MM24.18), requesting that the City review how The Bentway’s Under Gardiner proposals align with City plans, policies and programs, and report on how implementation could be realized through planning and development applications / approvals, rehabilitation / maintenance programs related to City roads, sidewalks and related infrastructure, and capital programs related to public realm improvements.

The Under Gardiner Public Realm Plan is a collaboration that was developed between the City's Divisions and The Bentway, and through extensive public consultation. The Under Gardiner Public Realm Plan provides a public realm vision with recommendations for "baseline" improvements that will provide a cohesive public realm; where residents and visitors could encounter amenities such as pedestrian lighting, public wi-fi, accessible seating, wayfinding and public art. Ideas for site specific improvements have also been included in the plan that respond to various qualities and features of the lands under and adjacent to the Gardiner. City staff, working with The Bentway, will develop an implementation strategy for the plan, including a prioritization framework and funding strategy. Further study is required to confirm the details of the proposed improvements and their feasibility and to integrate further public input. Council approvals, including any City finding contributions approved through the annual budget process, will be sought as necessary once feasibility is confirmed in order to advance detailed design and implementation. The implementation plan would be structured as a rolling near - term implementation plan, allowing for the flexibility to add and prioritize projects as opportunities arise and available funding is allocated.

The Under Gardiner Public Realm Plan is consistent with the vision for public realm improvements for Lake Shore Boulevard East Public Realm Plan that was developed along with the Gardiner East Environmental Assessment, and aligned with current City policies, plans, guidelines, and strategies, including: the City of Toronto's Official Plan (Central Waterfront Secondary Plan and Downtown Plan), the Vision Zero Road Safety Plan, Toronto's Public Art Strategy, Visitor Economy Strategic Directions 2023-2028, TransformTO Net Zero Strategy, and Complete Streets Guidelines. The City's downtown core has been growing and moving organically towards Toronto's waterfront. Investment in the Gardiner and surrounding public spaces present an opportunity to further connect the downtown to the waterfront.

The Gardiner Expressway Strategic Rehabilitation Plan that was approved by Council is underway. As part of the "Ontario - Toronto New Deal", the City of Toronto is working with the Provincial government on the upload of the Gardiner. The City has communicated the Under Gardiner Public Realm Plan to the Province, and preserving the public realm and programming as part of the upload is a priority for the City.

The Under Gardiner Public Realm Plan provides both a vision as well as an inventory of strategies, identification of opportunity sites and potential interventions to improve public space underneath and adjacent to the Gardiner that can be implemented over time, as opportunities and funding become available. This joint effort will guide public and private investment in the public realm in the underutilized spaces underneath the Gardiner and be structured to be implemented following rehabilitation work that is required for the Gardiner.

The General Manager, Transportation Services recommends that:

1. City Council authorize the continuation of the closure of the south sidewalk and a 2.1 metre-wide portion of the eastbound curb lane on Broadway Avenue, between a point 110 metres west of Redpath Avenue and a point 53 metres further west, from March 28, 2024 to December 31, 2025 inclusive.

2. City Council direct the applicant to continue to pressure wash or sweep (weather permitting) the construction site and adjacent sidewalks and roadways daily, or more frequently as needed to be cleared of any construction debris and made safe.

3. City Council direct the applicant to continue to ensure that the existing sidewalks or the proposed pedestrian walkways have proper enhanced lighting to ensure safety and visibility at all times of the day and night.

4. City Council direct the applicant to continue to clearly consult and communicate all construction, parking and road occupancy impacts with local business improvement areas and resident associations in advance of any physical road modifications.

5. City Council direct the applicant to continue to install appropriate signage and converging mirrors to ensure that pedestrian, cyclist and motorist safety is considered at all times.

6. City Council direct the applicant to continue to provide a sufficient number of traffic control persons as determined by the Work Zone Traffic Coordinator and Toronto Police Construction Liaison Officer, on a daily basis to control construction vehicle access and egress to and from the site and maintain a safe environment for the public.

7. City Council direct the applicant to continue to provide a sufficient number of pay-duty Police Officers as determined by the Work Zone Traffic Coordinator and Toronto Police Construction Liaison Officer, during large scale concrete pours and large scale material deliveries to control vehicle access and egress to and from the site and maintain a safe environment for the public.

8.  City Council direct the applicant to continue to install cane detection within the covered and protected walkway to guide pedestrians who are visually impaired.

9.  City Council direct the applicant to continue to post a 24-hour monitored construction hotline number on the hoarding board, which must be prominently placed and legible from 20 metres and on all elevations from the construction site.

10.  City Council direct the applicant to continue to provide and install public art, including mural artwork, onto every elevation of the hoarding board with adequate spotlighting for night - time illumination, at their sole cost, to the satisfaction of the Ward Councillor.

11.  City Council direct that Broadway Avenue be returned to its pre-construction traffic regulations when the project is completed.

This report is submitted to Infrastructure and Environment Committee as Broadway Avenue forms a shared boundary between the Toronto and East York Community Council and the North York Community Council.

Times Group Corporation is constructing two 45-storey residential towers at 55-65 Broadway Avenue.  The south sidewalk and a 2.1 metre-wide portion of the eastbound curb lane on Broadway Avenue, between a point 110 metres west of Redpath Avenue and a point 53 metres further west is currently closed for construction staging operations. City Council, at its meeting on June 8, 2021, approved the subject construction staging area on Broadway Avenue from June 14, 2021 to December 31, 2022.  At the time, the developer indicated they would require the staging area for a total of 55 months, from June 14, 2021 to December 31, 2025.  As the previous permit was only approved for a 19 month period, the developer has requested an extension of the duration of the construction staging area on Broadway Avenue.

Transportation Services is requesting authorization to extend the duration of the construction staging area on Broadway Avenue for an additional 22 months, from March 28, 2024 to December 31, 2025, to allow for the construction of the development to be completed.

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that: 

1. City Council request that the General Manager, Transportation Services, as part of the approved Superior Avenue: Mimico Neighbourhood Mobility Plan project, implement adjustments to the project design based on new public feedback that continues to support reducing motor vehicle speeds and includes the addition of on-street parking; and after a standard review period, publish before and after motor vehicle speed data and to implement safety adjustments to the project if necessary, in consultation with the local Councillor.

The residents of Superior Avenue have brought a petition to the attention of my office regarding the on-street redesign work on the portion of Superior Avenue between Lake Shore Boulevard West and Stanley Avenue. They have voiced important and reasonable concerns regarding the design and consultation process and have organized to urge the local Councillor to champion new design options for this portion of roadwork. The project was approved through City Council as part of IE4.3 Cycling Network Plan - 2023 Cycling Infrastructure Installation - Third Quarter Updates, prior to the community engagement for the Mimico Neighbourhood Mobility Plan.

I have met with the residents to discuss options and worked closely with City staff assigned to this project to propose solutions based on their input and consultation.

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council amend Zoning By-law 569-2013, as amended, for the lands at 3326 and 3330 Bloor Street West and 1240 and 1226 Islington Avenue substantially-in-accordance with the recommended Zoning By-law Amendments attached as Attachment 9a and Attachment 9b to the report (March 18, 2024) from the Interim Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

2. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the recommended Zoning By-law Amendments as may be required.

3. In accordance with the delegated authority under By-law 229-2000, as amended, City Council be advised that the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning intends to approve the Draft Plan of Subdivision for the lands at 3326 and 3330 Bloor Street West and 1240 and 1226 Islington Avenue as generally illustrated on Attachment 6a and 6b to the report (March 18, 2024) from the Interim Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning subject to:

a. The City obtaining the lands shown as Block 5 on the Draft Plan of Subdivision, currently a portion of the hydro corridor, under the jurisdiction of Hydro One Networks Inc.

b. The condition that a Lease Agreement has been entered into between the City and the development partner that includes, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, standard subdivision obligations as applicable and with necessary modifications for implementation of the proposed plan as well as site-specific subdivision requirements as set out in the Lease Agreement; and

c. Revisions to the proposed Draft Plan of Subdivision and additional or modified subdivision requirements for inclusion in the Lease Agreement with the development partner, as the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, may deem appropriate to address matters arising from the ongoing technical review of this development.

4. City Council request the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO, in consultation with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to engage City partners and the development partner to advance the detailed design of development requirements identified in Attachment 5 to the report (March 18, 2024) from the Interim Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and to secure the delivery of the development requirements on terms, including details and timing, in a Lease Agreement with the development partner.

5. City Council direct that any future planning applications for this development be reviewed in the context of the Bloor-Islington Block Context Plan included as Attachment 7 to the report (March 18, 2024) from the Interim Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

The Planning and Housing Committee held a statutory public meeting on April 5, 2024, and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

The City-owned properties at 3326 and 3330 Bloor Street West and 1240 and 1226 Islington Avenue comprise the Bloor-Islington Housing Now site and the new Islington bus terminal. This is one of 22 sites approved by City Council for redevelopment through the Housing Now Initiative. This report recommends approval of City-initiated Zoning By-law amendments to Zoning By-law 569-2013 to permit a proposed multi-tower development concept and performance standards for the new Toronto Transit Commission Islington bus terminal, which is being relocated to the northern portion of the property to support the overall redevelopment of the site. 

The Housing Now redevelopment will result in approximately 1,415 new dwelling units on this site, of which, approximately 471 new affordable rental units will be targeted through the Housing Now Initiative. The development concept supports a complete community in this part of Etobicoke Centre, providing approximately 9,946 square metres of non-residential space, which will be programmed for community, commercial, and retail uses.

The report also outlines the proposed Draft Plan of Subdivision for the site, creating a new public street linking Bloor Street West and Islington Avenue, implementing the Etobicoke Centre Secondary Plan vision to improve pedestrian connections. The Draft Plan of Subdivision sets out four development blocks: two blocks for mixed-use Housing Now development, one block for the relocated Toronto Transit Commission bus terminal and one for a new publicly accessible space.

The recommended Zoning By-law Amendment and Draft Plan of Subdivision is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement (2020), conforms with the A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2020), the City's Official Plan and Etobicoke Centre Secondary Plan.

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council adopt Official Plan Amendment 718 substantially-in-accordance with Attachment 1 to the report (March 18, 2024) from the Interim Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

2. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the recommended Official Plan Amendment 718 as may be required.

The Planning and Housing Committee:

1.  Requested the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to provide a presentation to the Housing Rights Advisory Committee by the end of the second quarter of 2024 on the new Chapter One of the Official Plan.

2. Requested the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to develop a work plan to continue annual meetings with the Community Leaders Circle as a method to monitor and evaluate progress toward addressing the priorities and achieving the vision and principles contained in Official Plan Amendment 718.

3.  Requested the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning apply additional considerations of increasing housing supply and choice when implementing the Chapter 1 priorities, vision and principles in future local area studies and Official Plan and zoning updates, all in support of advancing the City’s Housing Action Plan and commitments associated with the Federal housing Accelerator Fund application, and other applicable housing targets.

The Planning and Housing Committee held a statutory public meeting on April 5, 2024, and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

Chapter One of the Official Plan sets out aspirational and vision-based statements that inform how the city will grow for the next 30 years. These statements reflect the shared values of Torontonians, expressed in a way to guide development, and are the foundation for the other chapters in the Plan. The Official Plan is Toronto’s roadmap for growth and Chapter One is the compass that helps inform our choices. Chapter One seeks to balance the needs of todays residents without compromising the needs of future generations of Torontonians. The current Chapter One was adopted by Council in 2002 as part of the City’s first post-amalgamation Official Plan and similar to other Chapters of the Official Plan requires updating to reflect the changing vision for the city.

This report recommends replacing the current Chapter One with a new Chapter One that focuses on advancing reconciliation, a Vision to 2051, and Principles for a successful and inclusive city. The recommended Chapter One will serve as a statement of values that will inform future amendments to the Plan. An emphasis on inclusion, access, and equity will ensure that these values become embedded in future decisions.

This report recommends adoption of Official Plan Amendment 718 informed by the engagement program held as part of the Municipal Comprehensive Review and Growth Plan Conformity Exercise, known as “Our Plan Toronto”. The recommended Official Plan Amendment is considered under Planning Act Section 17.

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council enact the Zoning By-law amendments substantially in accordance with Attachment 1 to the report (March 15, 2024) from the Interim Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

2. City Council authorise the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the Zoning By-law amendments as may be required.

The Planning and Housing Committee held a statutory public meeting on April 5, 2024, and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

On an ongoing basis, the City rectifies technical errors to the text and mapping of Zoning By-law 569-2013.

This report proposes technical amendments to Zoning By-law 569-2013 to correct typographical errors; add, remove or replace words; revise regulations in order to clarify or correct interpretations and permissions; and make adjustments to zoning and overlay map boundaries.

In response to the January 29, 2024, Planning and Housing Committee motion to PH9.5 Housing Action Plan: Incorporating Low-rise Residential Lands into Zoning By-law 569-2013 Preliminary Report, 47A-49D Carrera Boulevard, in Ward 21 are added to Zoning By-law 569-2013 in a manner that is consistent with their zoning in the Dorset Park Community By-law. These properties were excluded from the Zoning By-law when enacted on May 9, 2013.

All proposed revisions are in keeping with Council's intentions when first approved by Council, and do not affect the substance of the by-law.

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council amend City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 694, Signs, General, to modify the provisions concerning the processing of applications for amendments to, and variances from the provisions the Sign By-law, and delegate authority to the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building to implement amendments to sign district designations contained in Schedule A, Maps, and related matters substantially in accordance with the draft by-law attached as Appendix 1 to the report (February 13, 2024) from the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building.

This report responds to an October 26, 2023 direction from the Planning and Housing Committee for the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building ("CBO") to review and report back with potential amendments to the Sign By-law (Chapter 694 of the Toronto Municipal Code) to streamline and provide greater clarity to the Sign By-law Amendment process, as well as ensure that Sign By-law Amendment applications are not being used as a substitute to the Sign Variance process.

Toronto's 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 Council to amend the Sign By-law to implement significant changes to the sign regulations for a specific property or area. Applications are commonly made requesting amendments to the Sign By-law to allow signs that are prohibited, to remove permissions for signs in an area, or to modify the administrative requirements of the Sign By-law. The Chief Building Official and Executive Director brings applications to amend the Sign By-law together on an annual basis for City Council consideration; this allows City Council to assess the overall and cumulative impact of these applications on the city's-built environment, and the Sign By-law itself.

In recent years, there has been a concern that a number of Sign By-law Amendment applications submitted to City Council do not reflect the intended scope of the Sign By-law amendment process. This report was requested to examine if these applications align with the intended amendment application scope or if they should be more suitably addressed through the Sign Variance process.

The report recommends modifications to the Sign By-law based on the results of sign industry consultation and feedback, as well as staff review of Sign Bylaw amendment applications that have been received over the past five years. The proposed changes aim to enhance the Sign By-law amendment application process, decrease the volume of Sign By-law amendment applications reviewed by the City Council, and ensure applications more appropriate for the Sign Variance Committee are routed accordingly, resulting in a more efficient use of City Council resources. The amendments recommended in this report will also help to eliminate any perception by members of the public that applicants gain unfair advantages by manipulating sign approval processes or through offering donations other benefits, increasing trust and confidence in the sign approvals.

The recommendations proposed in this report include delegating authority to the Chief Building Official to directly submit Bills to City Council for updating the Schedule A, Maps (Sign District Maps) in the Sign By-law where City Council has changed the Official Plan and/or Zoning designation of a property, bypassing the need for reports to the Planning and Housing Committee and City Council. The Chief Building Official and Executive Director is also proposing amendments to provide the Chief Building Official and Executive Director with authority to stream applications for Sign Variances and Sign By-law Amendment according to the substantive nature of the application; and, to refuse Sign Variance and Sign By-law Amendment applications that are in contravention of applicable City of Toronto Policies and By-laws. Lastly, it recommends deleting criterion 694-30A(2) from the Sign Variance criteria in the Sign By-law to increase the flexibility of the Sign Variance process for third-party sign applicants.

The Sign By-law provides a comprehensive set of regulations for new signs, including regulations governing their size, height, illumination, and location, it also establishes sign districts to reflect the city’s character and has created open and transparent processes to obtain approvals for signs and properties. The recommendations in this report will enhance procedural fairness in sign approvals and will enhance the integrity of the Sign By-law Amendment and Sign Variances processes, both of which were developed through comprehensive engagement with the sign industry and input from the public.

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:  

1. City Council, as Shareholder, request the Board of Directors of Toronto Community Housing Corporation to direct the President and Chief Executive Officer of Toronto Community Housing Corporation to submit a report by the end of 2024 to the Board of Directors of Toronto Community Housing Corporation on the refreshed Tenant Engagement System and a comprehensive implementation plan.

2. City Council, as Shareholder, request the Board of Directors of Toronto Community Housing Corporation to forward the report referenced in Recommendation 1, above to City Council for information once approved by the Board of Directors of Toronto Community Housing Corporation.

Since spring 2023, Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) and the City have been working collaboratively to launch Toronto Community Housing Corporation's Tenant Advisory Committee. The Tenant Advisory Committee's mandate is to advise Toronto Community Housing Corporation on improvements to the implementation of their refreshed Tenant Engagement System and on corporate initiatives that advance tenant priorities.

Key activities undertaken by Toronto Community Housing Corporation and City staff in 2023 to launch the Tenant Advisory Committee included:

• A joint recruitment process culminating with an orientation for all committee members in the summer;
• A series of working group meetings with the committee members to jointly develop the committee's terms of reference, and;
• Monthly committee meetings starting in September co-chaired by the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Toronto Community Housing Corporation and the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services.

This report updates City Council on the progress of the Toronto Community Housing Corporation Tenant Advisory Committee, including the terms of reference, as per City Council's request at their meeting on March 29, 2023. Additionally, it outlines the Committee's 2024 priorities.

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council amend Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 354, Apartment Buildings to:

a. Remove 354-3.11. COVID-19 measures;

b. Amend 354-3.2B to add that all information required to be posted on the notification board shall be posted in a manner that ensures each piece of information is completely visible to tenants;

c. Add a provision to 354-4.1 B(5) to require the owner or operator to include in their logs of all pest treatment activities, the date of a follow-up inspection, if any, and

d. Amend 354-5.1B so that the Executive Director is authorized to conduct targeted engagement visits in apartment buildings, and that the owner or operator shall pay any fees in accordance with Chapter 441, Fees and Charges.

 
2. City Council amend Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 441, Fees and Charges, Appendix C – Schedule 12, Municipal Licensing and Standards by amending the fee to read as set out in the table below:

3. City Council amend Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 441, Fees and Charges, Appendix C – Schedule 12, Municipal Licensing and Standards by adding the following fees in the table below:

4. City Council direct that amendments to Municipal Code Chapter 354, Apartment Buildings and Chapter 441, Fees and Charges take effect June 1, 2024.

5. City Council direct the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, in consultation with relevant City Divisions, to report to Planning and Housing Committee prior to consideration of the 2025 Budget with standard operating procedure service standards, subject to annual review, for RentSafe Municipal Standards Officers which provide targeted timelines by violation category to bring landlords into compliance with City by-laws from the date an order is issued, including guidelines for when fines and remedial actions are employed, and make the standards available to the public on the RentSafe website by the first quarter of 2025.

6. City Council reaffirm its direction from 2019 on adopting an administrative penalty system for Chapter 354, Apartment Buildings, and request the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, to report to the appropriate Committee on a framework to introduce Administrative Penalties for by-laws enforced by Municipal Licensing and Standards, including Chapter 354, Apartment Buildings, Chapter 629, Property Standards, and other relevant bylaws.

7. City Council express its support to the Premier of Ontario and the Ontario Attorney General for higher set fine penalties for offences related to Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 354, Apartment Buildings.

8. City Council direct the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards report to the Planning and Housing Committee prior to consideration of the 2025 budget with a review of remedial action, including an assessment of additional contracts needed to enhance RentSafeTO’s capacity to undertake remedial action.

9. City Council request the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards to review its procedures for when officers could extend time for compliance with a property standards order.

10. City Council request the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards to ensure ongoing training for RentSafe Bylaw Enforcement Officers to recognize, and appropriately refer matters outside their enforcement purview including, but not limited to, violations of the Residential Tenancies Act, Fire Code, and Building Code.

11. City Council request the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards in consultation with the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, engage as appropriate with the Renters’ Action Committee, established by MM11.34, on future updates to the RentSafeTO program.

12. City Council request the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, to report to the Planning and Housing Committee prior to consideration of the 2025 budget on the feasibility of incorporating levied fines/penalties into the RentSafeTO program’s public reporting. 

13. City Council request the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, to report to the Planning and Housing Committee prior to consideration of the 2025 budget, on the feasibility of extending the length of time orders to comply/notices of violation and emergency orders lower building scores.

14. City Council request the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, to report to the Planning and Housing Committee by the end of the third quarter of 2025, after the full implementation of the program’s redesigned evaluation tool, on:

a. the 2.5 percentile audit threshold, and whether any changes are needed; and

b. resource impacts of any potential updates to the tool.

15. City Council request the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, to report to the Planning and Housing Committee prior to the consideration of the 2025 budget process on the feasibility of allocating an adequate portion of the program budget for tenant engagement to be used for direct door-to-door engagement regarding tenant rights and responsibilities, and advice on how tenants can participate in Toronto's by-law for apartment buildings, with particular consideration for English as a second language residents, subject to the criteria Council established in LS17.1 - recommendation 42.

16. City Council request the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, to report to the Planning and Housing Committee prior to the consideration of the 2025 budget process with a review of in-unit inspections including tenant engagement measures and number of in-unit inspections completed.

Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 354, Apartment Buildings outlines maintenance and operational standards for purpose-built rental buildings with three or more storeys and ten or more rental units. These standards are enforced through the City's RentSafeTO: Apartment Building Standards program, which aims to strengthen compliance with City bylaws, enhance tenant engagement and access to information, and promote proactive maintenance in apartment buildings to prevent the deterioration of critical housing stock.

At its March 25, 2022 meeting, Planning and Housing Committee adopted 2022.PH32.4 – RentSafeTO Update Report and directed Municipal Licensing and Standards (MLS) to report back on directives pertaining to the program’s fee structure and evaluation tool design, in addition to requests made by Executive Committee (2022.EX30.2) in February 2022.

The purpose of this report is to respond to Council direction in order to:

• Provide an update on critical work completed in 2023 to enhance the RentSafeTO program.
  • This includes the redesign of the building evaluation tool to expand evaluation categories, introduce a reactive scoring scheme to reflect active violations and outstanding property standards orders, establish a new threshold for building audits and update the program’s interactive web map.
• Highlight the recently published 2023 RentSafeTO Year in Review report.
• Summarize outcomes of recent budget processes and propose additional fee changes.
  • Through the 2024 budget process, City Council approved changes to the program’s registration and inspection fees.
• Propose technical amendments to Chapter 354, Apartment Buildings to support enforcement and compliance measures.
• Respond to outstanding Council directives related to staff resources and jurisdictional research.

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council amend Chapter 547, Licensing and Registration of Short-Term Rentals to:

a. Require an applicant for a short-term rental operator registration to submit, upon request, at least two documents in addition to government-issued identification to demonstrate to the satisfaction of Municipal Licensing and Standards that the proposed short-term rental is their principal residence;

b. Amend the definition of principal residence to clarify that an operator's principal residence cannot include another space on the same property as a proposed or existing short-term rental that meets the definition of a dwelling unit;

c. Insert a definition of "dwelling unit", for the purposes of determining an operator's principal residence, as a "separate or self-contained living accommodation for a person or persons living together as a single housekeeping unit in which both food preparation and sanitary facilities are provided for the exclusive use of the occupants of the unit, and includes, for the purposes of this Chapter, a secondary suite, laneway suite, garden suite, or similar accommodation";

d. Require an applicant for a short-term rental operator registration or its renewal to attend an in-person interview, upon request, at a time and place designated by Municipal Licensing and Standards, and provide any information or documents Municipal Licensing and Standards may require to evaluate the applicant’s eligibility for a short-term rental operator registration;

e. Clarify that Municipal Licensing and Standards may require an operator to attend an inspection of their short-term rental at any time during the term of their registration and that the operator must comply with directions given by Municipal Licensing and Standards during that inspection;

f. Clarify that a short-term rental operator registration is tied to the address listed on the registration issued by Municipal Licensing and Standards and require Municipal Licensing and Standards to refuse an application for a short-term rental operator registration or its renewal related to any address for which a short-term rental operator registration had been revoked in the 12 months preceding the application date, except where applicant can demonstrate to the satisfaction of Municipal Licensing and Standards that the property has been sold;

g. Limit short-term rental operator registrations to one per dwelling unit, regardless of how many people may live in that dwelling unit, to be implemented by permitting only the operator who has held a registration related to the dwelling unit for the longest continuous period of time to renew their registration;

h. Require the records short-term rental companies must keep to include the full name of the short-term rental operator as listed on their corresponding registration issued by Municipal Licensing and Standards;

i. Clarify the requirements for short-term rental advertisements, verification of operator registration information by licensed short-term rental companies, and the removal of short-term rental advertisements by unregistered operators by amending 547-1.3 to include the following requirements:

i. Require that no person shall advertise a short-term rental unless it displays the operator's registration number in a prominent location on the main page of the advertisement.

ii. Require that no person shall advertise, facilitate the advertising or rental of, or broker a short-term rental unless the operator is registered as such with Municipal Licensing and Standards and is using their full name, address and registration number on record with Municipal Licensing and Standards.

iii. Require every short-term rental company to verify the above information, at each instance they provide such services, in a manner prescribed by the Executive Director, by reference to the short-term rental registration data maintained and provided by Municipal Licensing and Standards for this purpose.

iv. In addition to the above, require a person, within 24 hours of being requested to do so by Municipal Licensing and Standards, to remove an advertisement that does not comply with the above requirements or that relates to an unregistered operator and cancel all future bookings made with respect to that short-term rental.

j. Amend the process to revoke an operator's registration such that if an operator delivers a written response to Municipal Licensing Standards' notice of intent to revoke their registration, the response shall be reviewed by the Executive Director, or their designate, who shall make a final decision that is no longer subject to further appeal or review;

k. Require short-term rental operators, in addition to providing emergency information and an exit diagram to guests, to post a physical copy of such information in a conspicuous place within the short-term rental for the duration of a guest's rental period;

l. Require short-term rental companies to verify the validity of listings on their platforms that claim to be hotels by reference to a list of registered hotels provided by Municipal Licensing and Standards and to remove any listings that do not correspond with the list;

m. Prohibit a multi-tenant house operator from obtaining a short-term rental operator registration related to that multi-tenant house;

n. Remove 547-2.2 D given its time-limited application during the City's pandemic response.

2. City Council direct the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards and the Chief Technology Officer to develop an Application Programming Interface (API) to facilitate the secure delivery of and access to short-term rental registration data for the purposes of operator validation by licensed short-term rental companies.

3. City Council request the Province of Ontario to clarify the application of the Residential Tenancies Act with respect to rentals of 28 days or longer.

4. City Council request the Province of Ontario to commit to the preservation of long-term rental housing stock by addressing the Provincial Ombudsman’s recommendations related to resource and process-based constraints impacting the operation of the Landlord and Tenant Board.

5. City Council direct the by-law amendments in Recommendation 1, above come into effect on the following dates:

a. The amendment in Recommendation 1 (n) to remove time-limited provisions related to the City's pandemic response come into effect immediately on the date a by-law is adopted.

b. The amendments in Recommendations 1 (b), (c), (h), (i) i - iv, (j), (k), (l) and (m) to enhance data verification processes, advertising requirements and bylaw compliance and enforcement measures come into effect on June 30, 2024.

c. The amendments in Recommendations 1 (a), (d), (e), (f), and (g) addressing strengthening registration requirements and the principal residence requirement come into effect on September 30, 2024.

6. City Council amend Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 441, Fees and Charges, Appendix C - Schedule 12, Municipal Licensing and Standards by amending fees in the below table:

7. City Council direct that the amendments to Chapter 441 come into effect as follows:

a. The changes to the Short-Term Rental Company Application Fee, Short-Term Rental Company Renewal Fee, and Short-Term Rental Nightly Fee shall come into force on June 30, 2024.

b. The changes to the Short-Term Rental Operator Registration Fee shall come into force on January 1, 2025.

8. City Council increase the 2024 Operating Budget of Technology Services Division by $0.243 million gross and net; and increase the 2024 Operating Budget of Municipal Licensing and Standards by $0.777 million gross, $1.020 million revenue, and -$0.243 million net, fully funded from increased licence fee revenues.

9. City Council increase the approved staff complement of Technology Services Division by 2 positions; and increase the approved staff complement of Municipal Licensing and Standards by 21 positions to support the implementation of the proposed changes outlined in the report (March 21, 2024) from the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards.

10. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make amendments to the Toronto Municipal Code, including such technical, stylistic, organizational, or other clarifications to its existing provisions, as may be necessary, in their opinion, to bring these and past adopted recommendations related to short-term rentals into effect or to increase the clarity and readability of its provisions.

11. City Council amend Chapter 547 short-term rental definition to exempt student premises owned or operated by a publicly funded or not-for-profit educational institution from the requirements of the Chapter.

12. City Council request the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, to consider amending the screening criteria for Short Term Rental Operators and strengthen the threshold for convictions related to Chapter 591, Noise, to address impacts arising from nuisance parties at Short Term Rentals.

13. City Council request the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, in consultation with the Chief Technology Officer, to report back prior to the development of the 2025 budget on technology tools and other technical measures to increase efficiency in the short-term rental licensing and enforcement processes.

Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 547, Licensing and Registration of Short-Term Rentals regulates short-term rental activity by requiring short-term rental operators to be registered and short-term rental companies to be licensed with the City and abide by operational standards and regulatory requirements. The regulations - in conjunction with zoning provisions - permit property owners and tenants who are registered as short-term rental operators to rent their principal residence (i.e. where they ordinarily reside) for a period of less than 28 consecutive days. The primary principles of Chapter 547 are to limit short-term rental activity to principal residences and to protect critical rental housing stock by maintaining access to long-term accommodation for tenants.

This report responds to City Council direction to provide an update on the implementation of the City's short-term rental regulations and assess their impact on Toronto's short-term rental market. The report provides an overview of program data and revenues, contextualized by new research conducted by experts from the School of Urban Planning at McGill University, and outlines bylaw interpretation challenges and the City's response to enforcement challenges such as "ghost hotels". It also discusses the medium-term rental market (i.e. rental periods of 28 days or more), emerging activity related to third-party international student housing providers, and the impact of the bylaw's implementation on Toronto's hotel industry.

Through this report, Municipal Licensing and Standards is recommending a suite of bylaw amendments that aim to uphold the program's principles, further prevent commercialized short-term rental activity, and address enforcement and bylaw interpretation challenges. Proposed amendments include: i) strengthening the principal residence requirement through improvements to registration standards, ii) amending definitions to clarify the bylaw, iii) enhancing advertising, data sharing and data verification requirements with short-term rental companies, iv) streamlining the process to revoke a short-term rental operator's registration and v) introducing additional measures to curtail rental activity by unregistered operators. In addition, enhancements to administrative, enforcement and compliance resources are proposed through updates to the program's fee structure. This report also proposes that City Council request the Province of Ontario to clarify legislative authority of medium-term rentals and to take action to preserve long-term housing stock by addressing the Provincial Ombudsman's recommendations related to the Landlord and Tenant Board.

This report was developed with input from the Housing Secretariat, Technology Services, Revenue Services, City Planning, and Economic Development and Culture divisions.

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning make available on the City of Toronto website updated implementation practices for Rental Housing Demolition and Conversion applications.

2. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to implement indexing of average market rent for vacant units when calculating rent gap assistance and secure such indexing in Section 111 agreements.

3. City Council reiterate previous requests to the Province of Ontario to protect existing renters and rental stock by:

a. maintaining the City’s ability to require rental replacement, including any associated conditions, as part of any rental demolition project; and

b. re-introducing rent control to cover units occupied after November 15, 2018.

4. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to continue discussions with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) on the methodology for how vacant purpose-built rental units are surveyed as part of the annual Rental Market Report and identify improvements to ensure rental data reflects local market areas.

5. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to report to the Planning and Housing Committee in the first quarter of 2025 on the feasibility of including the secondary market (condominiums) in the calculation of area-specific rent gap payments, and whether the inclusion of such properties more accurately reflects local rental markets.

6. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to make all reasonable attempts to include the new rent gap approach in Rental Housing Demolition applications subject to conditional approvals without finalized Section 111 agreements, and report back, where applicable, to the appropriate Community Council with recommendations to apply the new rent gap payment calculation resulting from Recommendation 1 in the Decision Advice, if adopted.

7. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, to ensure existing supports and programs are available to support tenants with previous Section 111 agreements that are in danger of losing safe, similar, appropriate housing in the same District due to insufficient rent gap payments.

8. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, ensure that tenants at risk of, or have been subject to, a “demoviction” are represented at the Renters’ Action Committee, established by MM11.34 to understand the experience with the rental replacement process, with an emphasis on understanding long-term outcomes of rental replacement on tenants’ housing stability. 

9. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to report in the first quarter of 2025 on compliance with tenant relocation and assistance policies during the relocation period in Section 111 agreements not addressed in the Auditor General’s report of February 4, 2022 regarding Rental Replacement policies.

10. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to publicly communicate outcomes of the rental replacement and tenant relocation and assistance policy.

11.  City Council direct that the confidential information contained in Confidential Attachment 1 to the supplementary report (March 19, 2024) from the City Solicitor remain confidential, in its entirety, as it contains advice which is subject to solicitor-client privilege.

The Planning and Housing Committee:

1.  Directed the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to review the use of Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) data on Private Apartment Average Rents, by Year of Construction and Bedroom Type – Toronto census metropolitan area (CMA) for purpose-built rental buildings constructed 2015+ to calculate rent gap assistance and report directly to the April 17, 18 and 19 City Council meeting on the reliability of such data and how it can be immediately implemented for all active Rental Housing Demolition applications.

This report responds to City Council’s request for the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and City Solicitor to review components of the City’s implementation approach and approval conditions for Rental Housing Demolition applications submitted under Chapter 667 of the Toronto Municipal Code (“Chapter 667”).

The report addresses the following rental replacement implementation matters:

• Requiring additional purpose-built market rent units as a condition of approval for Rental Housing Demolition applications;
  
  
• Feasibility of using secondary market (i.e., condominium) rental data to inform how financial compensation is calculated as part of Tenant Relocation and Assistance Plans for eligible tenants; and
  
  
• Providing income-eligible post-application tenants the option to rent available replacement affordable rental units prior to eligible individuals who are on the Centralized Affordable Rental Housing Access System.

Staff are not recommending changes in response to the above implementation matters as such changes could unintentionally negatively impact the City’s existing rental replacement policy framework. The report identifies recent process improvements, such as indexing rental market data, to ensure compensation provided under the Tenant Relocation and Assistance Plan better reflects current market data. Staff will also be publishing updated implementation practices for Rental Housing Demolition applications that will provide for a plain language resource for members of the public and the development industry to reference.

Legal Services and the Housing Secretariat were consulted in the development of this report.

Staff have been requested to report to the Planning and Housing Committee by the end of Q1 2024 with advice regarding whether and how, when considering rental demolition applications for large rental buildings, conditions can be imposed to double the amount of rental space in replacement buildings by requiring new purpose built market rental units within the development, in addition to rental replacement units and any appropriate thresholds for the imposition of such conditions.

This report has been prepared by the City Solicitor in consultation with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning in response to City Council's direction and is Supplementary to the Report from the Executive Director and Chief Planner dated March 15, 2024, entitled "Response to Including New Approval Conditions for Rental Demolition Applications".

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council endorse the Etobicoke Creek Watershed Plan, in Attachment 1 to the report (March 15, 2024) from the Interim Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to advise the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority Board of Directors of the City’s ongoing commitment to implementation.

The Etobicoke Creek Watershed Plan is a non-statutory planning document that helps to guide land use decisions and acts as a resource to inform initiatives related to natural heritage restoration and flood remediation. The Plan was developed by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) in collaboration with City Planning and Toronto Water staff, and staff from the Region of Peel, City of Mississauga, City of Brampton, Town of Caledon, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Greater Toronto Airports Authority.

The Plan will be finalized after presentation to the Board of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority later this year. This staff report indicates the City of Toronto’s commitment to continuing to collaborate with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and regional partners to undertake its implementation.

The Plan and its management actions align with many existing City of Toronto policies and ongoing programs and strategies. The Etobicoke Creek Watershed Plan, and watershed planning more broadly, is a requirement of Provincial policy. The Plan has and will continue to inform land use and infrastructure planning decisions, municipal programs and help identify opportunities to protect, enhance and restore the health of the watershed, including important natural features and areas. Ongoing collaboration and support by Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, the municipalities in the watershed, partners and watershed stakeholders/residents will be key to the successful implementation of the Plan and to achieving the vision for the watershed.

The Planning and Housing Committee forwards the item to City Council without recommendation.

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the property at 1111 Danforth Avenue under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value according to the Statement of Significance and description of Heritage Attributes found in Attachment 3.

Located on the south side of Danforth Avenue, east of Byron Avenue and west of Greenwood Avenue, the subject property at 1111 Danforth Avenue contains a two-storey buff brick building raised on a basement that was constructed in 1931 in the Neo-Gothic architectural style. The building was reconfigured from an unfinished apartment building to a funeral home when it was purchased by Lorne Willard Trull who engaged architect William Breden Galbraith (1885-1937) to redesign it for the Trull Funeral Home. In operation for over 100 years, the Trull Burial Company is one of the longest operating businesses on Danforth Avenue. The subject property is also associated with architect, William B. Galbraith, a prolific designer of substantial private houses located in the neighbourhoods of Forest Hill, Lawrence Park, Moore Park and Rosedale.

The subject property was listed on the Heritage Register in July 2022 as a result of the Danforth Avenue (Segment 2) Cultural Heritage Resource Assessment undertaken by City staff in 2021.

Following further research and evaluation, staff have determined that the property at 1111 Danforth Avenue meets Ontario Regulation 9/06, the criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act under design/physical, historical/associative, and contextual vales. 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 City received a Zoning By-law Amendment Application in February 2022, and a Site Plan Application in March 2022 related to the proposed redevelopment of the subject property which also includes the property at 1095 Danforth Avenue. The City Clerk issued a complete application notice for the Zoning By-law Amendment application on March 15, 2022, and on May 12, 2022, for the Site Plan application. The proposed development would partially retain and integrate the existing listed building at 1111 Danforth Avenue into the new construction of a nine (9)-storey (plus mechanical) mid-rise building with commercial uses at-grade and residential rental units above. The existing building at 1095 Danforth Avenue would be demolished.

The City received a Zoning By-law Amendment Application resubmission on January 31, 2023, and a Site Plan Application resubmission On February 1, 2023.

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. An Heritage Impact Assessment and a Cultural Heritage Evaluation Report (CHER) completed by ERA Architects Inc. dated February 11, 2022, and revised December 9, 2022, were submitted to support the applications.

The applicant has provided a waiver with no expiry date to extend the 90-day timeline established under Bill 108 to designate the subject property under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.

At its meeting on January 18, 2024 the Toronto Preservation Board considered Item PB13.3 and made recommendations to City Council.

Summary from the report (January 2, 2024) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning:

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the property at 1111 Danforth Avenue under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value according to the Statement of Significance and description of Heritage Attributes found in Attachment 3.

Located on the south side of Danforth Avenue, east of Byron Avenue and west of Greenwood Avenue, the subject property at 1111 Danforth Avenue contains a two-storey buff brick building raised on a basement that was constructed in 1931 in the Neo-Gothic architectural style. The building was reconfigured from an unfinished apartment building to a funeral home when it was purchased by Lorne Willard Trull who engaged architect William Breden Galbraith (1885-1937) to redesign it for the Trull Funeral Home. In operation for over 100-years, the Trull Burial Company is one of the longest operating businesses on Danforth Avenue. The subject property is also associated with architect, William B. Galbraith, a prolific designer of substantial private houses located in the neighbourhoods of Forest Hill, Lawrence Park, Moore Park and Rosedale.

The subject property was listed on the Heritage Register in July 2022 as a result of the Danforth Avenue (Segment 2) Cultural Heritage Resource Assessment that was undertaken by City staff in 2021.

Following further research and evaluation, staff have determined that the property at 1111 Danforth Avenue meets Ontario Regulation 9/06, the criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act under design / physical, historical / associative, and contextual vales. 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 City received a Zoning By-law Amendment Application in February 2022, and a Site Plan Application in March 2022 related to the proposed redevelopment of the subject property. The City Clerk issued a complete application notice for the Zoning By-law Amendment application on March 15, 2022, and on May 12, 2022, for the Site Plan application. The proposed development includes the properties at 1095 and 1111 Danforth Avenue. The proposed development would partially retain and integrate the existing listed building at 1111 Danforth Avenue into the new construction of a nine (9)-storey (plus mechanical) mid-rise building with commercial uses at-grade and residential rental units above. The existing building at 1095 Danforth Avenue would be demolished.

The City received a Zoning By-law Amendment Application resubmission on January 31, 2023, and a Site Plan Application resubmission On February 1, 2023.

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. An Heritage Impact Assessment and a Cultural Heritage Evaluation

Report (CHER) completed by ERA Architects Inc. dated February 11, 2022, and revised December 9, 2022, were submitted to support the applications.

The applicant has provided a waiver with no expiry date to extend the 90-day timeline established under Bill 108 to designate the subject property under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council refuse the application to repeal By-law 606-2018, regarding the property municipally known as 64 Woodlawn Avenue West, under Section 32 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

2. City Council state its intention to amend By-law 606-2018, which designates the property at 64 Woodlawn Avenue West under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, pursuant to Section 30.1 of the Ontario Heritage Act substantially in accordance with Attachment 3 to the report (March 15, 2024) from the Interim Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

3. If there are no objections to the proposed amendment to By-law 606-2018, City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the Bill in Council amending By-law 606-2018 under Part IV, Section 30.1 of the Ontario Heritage Act. 

The designated property at 64 Woodlawn Avenue West contains a 2½-storey detached house form building that is located on the north side of the street, west of Yonge Street, east of Avenue Road, and south of St Clair Avenue West. Constructed in 1906, the dwelling on the subject property was designed by the notable Toronto architect, Eden Smith, for Robert Stapleton Pitt Caldecott and his wife, Emma Arnold Caldecott, in a subdivision of the former “Woodlawn” estate.

On March 26 and 27, 2018, City Council adopted item MM38.28 – 64 Woodlawn Avenue West- Intention to Designate Under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act (OHA). No notice of objection to the designation was served on the Clerk within the 30-day objection period. The City of Toronto passed Designating By-law 606-2018 on May 24, 2018.

The City Clerk received a Notice of the Application to Repeal a Designating By-law at 64 Woodlawn Avenue West under Section 32 of the OHA from the property owner on January 25, 2024. The applicant is of the opinion that the property at 64 Woodlawn Avenue West does not merit designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the OHA. 

The OHA requires that notice of an objection to the Application to Repeal the Designating By-law may be served on the City Clerk within 30 days of January 25, 2024, which was February 26, 2024. The City Clerk did not receive any objections during this period. City Council shall consider an application within 90 days after the end of the 30-day period, which is May 26, 2024. 

As a result of the recent changes to Ontario Regulation 9/06, a property may be designated under Part IV, Section 29 of the OHA, if it meets 2 or more of the 9 criteria.

Staff have reviewed the Repeal Application and remain of the opinion that the property at 64 Woodlawn Avenue West has cultural heritage value and meets 4 of the Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the OHA.

As such, the property should continue to be designated, however, staff are recommending that the designating By-law be amended to address specific matters identified by the owner/applicant in their Repeal Application and as described below in this report. The amendments to By-law 606-2018 are appended to this report as Attachment 3. A redline to Schedule A to By-law 606-2018, as proposed to be amended by Attachment 3, is appended in this Report as Attachment 4.

At its meeting on March 28, 2024 the Toronto Preservation Board considered Item PB16.11 and made recommendations to City Council.

Summary from the report (March 12, 2024) from the Acting Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning:

The designated property at 64 Woodlawn Avenue West contains a 2½-storey detached house form building that is located on the north side of the street, west of Yonge Street, east of Avenue Road, and south of St Clair Avenue West. Constructed in 1906, the dwelling on the subject property was designed by the notable Toronto architect, Eden Smith, for Robert Stapleton Pitt Caldecott and his wife, Emma Arnold Caldecott, in a subdivision of the former “Woodlawn” estate.

On March 26 and 27, 2018, City Council adopted item MM38.28 – 64 Woodlawn Avenue West- Intention to Designate Under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. No notice of objection to the designation was served on the Clerk within the 30-day objection period. The City of Toronto passed Designating By-law 606-2018 on May 24, 2018.

The City Clerk received a Notice of the Application to Repeal a Designating By-law at 64 Woodlawn Avenue West under Section 32 of the Ontario Heritage Act from the property owner on January 25, 2024. The applicant is of the opinion that the property at 64 Woodlawn Avenue West does not merit designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. 

The Ontario Heritage Act requires that notice of an objection to the Application to Repeal the Designating By-law may be served on the City Clerk within 30 days of January 25, 2024, which was February 26, 2024. The City Clerk did not receive any objections during this period. City Council shall consider an application within 90 days after the end of the 30-day period, which is May 26, 2024. 

As a result of the recent changes to Ontario Regulation 9/06, a property may be designated under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, if it meets 2 or more of the 9 criteria.

Staff have reviewed the Repeal Application and remain of the opinion that the property at 64 Woodlawn Avenue West has cultural heritage value and meets 4 of the Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

As such, the property should continue to be designated, however, staff are recommending that the designating By-law be amended to address specific matters identified by the owner / applicant in their Repeal Application and as described below in this report. The amendments to By-law 606-2018 are appended to this report as Attachment 3. A redline to Schedule A to By-law 606-2018, as proposed to be amended by Attachment 3, is appended in this Report as Attachment 4.

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council state its intention to designate the property at 1 Heritage Place under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance for 1 Heritage Place (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 1 to the report (March 14, 2024) from the Interim 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 1 Heritage Place under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value according to the Statement of Significance which includes a description of Heritage Attributes found in Attachment 1.

The subject property at 1 Heritage Place is located one block west of Scarlett Road north of Eglinton Avenue West in the Humber Heights-Westmount neighbourhood in Etobicoke. It contains a two-storey detached house form building located in a subdivision development from the 1950s along La Rush Drive. With the address of 1 Heritage Place, the subject property is located on a cul-de-sac off La Rush Drive with three other residential properties. A Location Map and Current Photograph of the heritage property is found in Attachment 2. 

Constructed between 1851 and 1857 for prominent merchant and landowner Edward Scarlett, the Pre-Confederation era property features a vernacular style villa incorporating late Georgian and Italianate elements, reflecting the astylistic simplicity that was popular in the mid-19th century. The Scarlett family were prominent merchant millers, businessmen and landowners who contributed to the early industrial development of Etobicoke and York Townships. This included Scarlett Road, which is named after the family. The Edward Scarlett House is located on a rise of land adjacent to the Humber Creek, framed by generous landscaping within a picturesque landscape that retains a sense of rural seclusion.

Staff have determined that the property at 1 Heritage Place containing the Edward Scarlett House has cultural heritage value and meets 3 of the Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. 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 was listed on the City's Heritage Register on September 27, 2006.

The owner of 1 Heritage Place requested the designation and proposes to undertake chimney and masonry restoration. The owner has submitted an application to the 2024 Toronto Heritage Grant program. To be eligible for a Toronto Heritage Grant a property is required to be Designated under Part IV Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

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

At its meeting on March 28, 2024 the Toronto Preservation Board considered Item PB16.3 and made recommendations to City Council.

Summary from the report (March 12, 2024) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning:

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the property at 1 Heritage Place under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value according to the Statement of Significance which includes a description of Heritage Attributes found in Attachment 1.

The subject property at 1 Heritage Place is located one block west of Scarlett Road north of Eglinton Avenue West in the Humber Heights-Westmount neighbourhood in Etobicoke. It contains a two-storey detached house form building located in a subdivision development from the 1950s along La Rush Drive. With the address of 1 Heritage Place, the subject property is located on a cul-de-sac off La Rush Drive with three other residential properties. A Location Map and Current Photograph of the heritage property is found in Attachment 2. 

Constructed between 1851 and 1857 for prominent merchant and landowner Edward Scarlett, the Pre-Confederation era property features a vernacular style villa incorporating late Georgian and Italianate elements, reflecting the astylistic simplicity that was popular in the mid-19th century. The Scarlett family where prominent merchant millers, businessmen, and landowners who contributed to the early industrial development of Etobicoke and York Townships. This included Scarlett Road, which is named after the family. The Edward Scarlett House is located on a rise of land adjacent to the Humber Creek and framed by generous landscaping, the property is situated within a picturesque landscape that retains a sense of rural seclusion.

Staff have determined that the property at 1 Heritage Place containing the Edward Scarlett House has cultural heritage value and meets 3 of the Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. 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 was listed on the City's Heritage Register on September 27, 2006.

The owner of 1 Heritage Place requested the designation and proposes to undertake chimney and masonry restoration.  The owner has submitted an application to the 2024 Toronto Heritage Grant program. To be eligible for a Toronto Heritage Grant a property is required to be Designated under Part IV Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

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

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council state its intention to designate the properties at 111 and 115 Berkeley Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statements of Significance for 111 and 115 Berkeley Street (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 1 and Attachment 2 to the report (March 20, 2024) from the Interim 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 each property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the properties at 111 and 115 Berkeley Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for their cultural heritage value according to the Statements of Significance, including a description of Heritage Attributes, found in Attachments 1 and 2.

The subject properties at 111 and 115 Berkeley Street anchor the southeast corner of Berkeley Street and Richmond Street East within the King-Parliament community located directly north of the historic St. Lawrence neighbourhood.

The property at 111 Berkeley Street contains a 2.5 storey Bay-and-Gable type semi-detached house-form building built in 1881 with fine Gothic Revival styling and details. The adjacent house-form building at 115 Berkeley Street, flanking Richmond Street East, represents a rare, surviving pre-Confederation era residence completed in 1845 by local brick mason, builder and City Councilman, Sheldon Ward. A Location Map and Current Photograph of the heritage properties is found in Attachment 3.

Berkeley Street defines the eastern limit of the Old Town of York where the subject properties at 111 and 115 Berkeley Street continue to anchor the Berkeley Street and Richmond Street East intersection. The properties define, maintain and support the historic character of the area as it represents the 19th century residential development of the neighbourhood, along with the adjacent pair of semi-detached house-form buildings at 106-112 Berkeley Street (1886), which are also recognized on the City's Heritage Register. The subject properties at 111 and 115 Berkeley Street form part of a significant, broader collection of surviving mid to late-19th century residential buildings located between King and Richmond along both sides of historic Berkeley Street.

The subject properties at 111 and 115 Berkeley Street were listed as part of the City's inaugural collection of properties considered to have cultural heritage value adopted by Council on June 20, 1973.

Staff have determined that the properties at 111 and 115 Berkeley Street have cultural heritage value with each property meeting a total of four of the Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. 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.

A development application for a Zoning By-law amendment was made with the City for the properties on December 28, 2023 that proposes retention of the subject properties at 111 and 115 Berkeley Street. Since the above noted development application has been made to the City, a potential prescribed event may occur on this property.

At its meeting on March 28, 2024 the Toronto Preservation Board considered Item PB16.5 and made recommendations to City Council.

Summary from the revised report (March 21, 2024) from the Acting Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning:

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the properties at 111 and 115 Berkeley Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for their cultural heritage value according to the Statements of Significance, including a description of Heritage Attributes, found in Attachments 1 and 2.

The subject properties at 111 and 115 Berkeley Street anchor the southeast corner of Berkeley Street and Richmond Street East within the King-Parliament community located directly north of the historic St. Lawrence neighbourhood.

The property at 111 Berkeley Street contains a 2.5 storey Bay-and-Gable type semi-detached house-form building built in 1881 with fine Gothic Revival styling and details. The adjacent house-form building at 115 Berkeley Street, flanking Richmond Street East, represents a rare, surviving pre-Confederation era residence completed in 1845 by local brick mason, builder and City Councilman, Sheldon Ward. A Location Map and Current Photograph of the heritage properties is found in Attachment 3.

Berkeley Street defines the eastern limit of the Old Town of York where the subject properties at 111 and 115 Berkeley Street continue to anchor the Berkeley Street and Richmond Street East intersection. The properties define, maintain and support the historic character of the area as it represents the 19th century residential development of the neighbourhood, along with the adjacent pair of semi-detached house-form buildings at 106-112 Berkeley Street (1886), which are also recognized on the City's Heritage Register. The subject properties at 111 and 115 Berkeley Street form part of a significant, broader collection of surviving mid to late-19th century residential buildings located between King and Richmond along both sides of historic Berkeley Street.

The subject properties at 111 and 115 Berkeley Street were listed as part of the City's inaugural collection of properties considered to have cultural heritage value adopted by Council on June 20, 1973.

Staff have determined that the properties at 111 and 115 Berkeley Street have cultural heritage value with each property meeting a total of four of the Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. 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.

A development application for a Zoning By-law amendment was made with the City for the properties on December 28, 2023 that proposes retention of the subject properties at 111 and 115 Berkeley Street. Since the above noted development application has been made to the City, a potential prescribed event may occur on this property.

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council state its intention to designate the property at 24 Mason Boulevard under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance for 24 Mason Boulevard (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 1 to the report (March 15, 2024) from the Interim 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 24 Mason Boulevard under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value according to the Statement of Significance which includes a description of Heritage Attributes found in Attachment 1.

Located southwest of the intersection at Yonge Street and York Mills Road/Wilson Avenue in North York, the property at 24 Mason Boulevard contains a late-19th-century vernacular Ontario farmhouse, known as the Denison/Mason Farmhouse. A Location Map and Current Photograph of the heritage property are found in Attachment 2.

As the oldest surviving structure within its immediate suburban context, the subject property is a vestige of a former 125-acre farm that was owned by members of the Denison family, of the Kensington Market neighbourhood, for about fifty-five years (from 1823 until 1879). The farm is located on Mason Boulevard, which is named after Henry Mason, a farmer who purchased the farm lot from the Denison family in 1879. The Denison/Mason Farmhouse (estimated date of construction between 1876-1882) remained in place as the farming and milling community of York Mills, North York, transitioned into suburban housing in the post-war period.

Staff have determined that the property at 24 Mason Boulevard has cultural heritage value and meets four of the Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. 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 current property owners nominated the property at 24 Mason Boulevard for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. For the past thirty years, the current owners have maintained thoughtful stewardship over the almost 150-year-old building.

At its meeting on March 18, 2024 the Toronto Preservation Board considered Item PB15.1 and made recommendations to City Council.

Summary from the report (March 1, 2024) from the Acting Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning:

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the property at 24 Mason Boulevard under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value according to the Statement of Significance which includes a description of Heritage Attributes found in Attachment 1.

Located southwest of the intersection at Yonge Street and York Mills Road / Wilson Avenue in North York, the property at 24 Mason Boulevard contains a late-19th-century vernacular Ontario farmhouse, known as the Denison / Mason Farmhouse. A Location Map and Current Photograph of the heritage property are found in Attachment 2.

As the oldest surviving structure within its immediate suburban context, the subject property is a vestige of a former 125-acre farm that was owned by members of the Denison family, of the Kensington Market neighbourhood, for about fifty-five years (from 1823 until 1879). The farm is located on Mason Boulevard, which is named after Henry Mason, a farmer who purchased the farm lot from the Denison family in 1879. The Denison / Mason Farmhouse (estimated date of construction between 1876-1882) remained in place as the farming and milling community of York Mills, North York, transitioned into suburban housing in the post-war period.

Staff have determined that the property at 24 Mason Boulevard has cultural heritage value and meets four of the Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. 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 current property owners nominated the property at 24 Mason Boulevard for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. For the past thirty years, the current owners have maintained thoughtful stewardship over the almost 150-year-old building

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council state its intention to designate the property at 101 Mildenhall Road under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance for 101 Mildenhall Road (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 1 to the report (March 14, 2024) from the Interim Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

2.  City Council state its intention to designate the properties at 294 (including structure address at 296), 306, and 318 Lawrence Avenue East under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance for 294-318 Lawrence Avenue (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 2 to the report (March 14, 2024) from the Interim 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 properties at 294 (including structure address at 296), 306, and 318 Lawrence Avenue East and 101 Mildenhall Road under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for their cultural heritage value according to the Statements of Significance which include a description of Heritage Attributes found in Attachments 1 and 2.

The subject properties are located on the north side of Lawrence Avenue East, between Mildenhall Road and Bayview Avenue. A Location Map and Current Photographs of the heritage properties are found in Attachment 3.

The subject properties belong to a larger ensemble of buildings forming the Toronto French School (TFS) campus. The school was founded in the Lawrence Park neighbourhood in 1962. In 1969, TFS commissioned the design of the Moderne-style school building at 101 Mildenhall Road to be their first purpose-built facility. Between 1980-1983, TFS purchased the adjacent properties comprising the former estate of the Sifton family, at 294 (including structure address at 296), 306, and 318 Lawrence Avenue East, which presently serve as administration and classroom space for the TFS. The estate houses form part of a collection of grand estates constructed between 1920 and 1940 along the natural contours of the West Don River valley in proximity to Bayview and Lawrence Avenues. The West Don River valley stretches across a substantial portion of the site, with the West Don River forming its northern boundary. The ensemble, including the built forms and ecological features, constitutes a cultural heritage landscape united through the properties' use for recreation and retreat throughout the last century.

Staff have determined that the property at 101 Mildenhall Road has cultural heritage value and meets 6 of the Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

The properties at 294-318 (including structure address at 296) Lawrence Avenue East also meet 6 of the criteria. 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 294-318 (including structure address at 296) Lawrence Avenue East were originally listed on the North York Inventory of Heritage Properties. They were confirmed on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register in 2006 by Council decision.

On February 29, 2024, the Committee of Adjustment heard an application for a Minor Variance to permit the construction of a new 3 storey performance hall addition to the school campus. The application was approved with conditions. The project will retain the school building at 101 Mildenhall Road (designed in1969) and the historic estate houses at 296, 306, and 318 Lawrence Avenue East in situ.

A Cultural Heritage Resource Assessment (CHER) prepared by Stevens Burgess Architects Ltd. (SBA) dated September 2023 was submitted on behalf of the applicant, Toronto French School. In the preparation of the CHER, SBA consulted with many staff and stakeholders of the Toronto French School and retained the services of Bill Woodworth, Elder for the School of Architecture and Faculty of Engineering at the University of Waterloo. 

At its meeting on March 28, 2024 the Toronto Preservation Board considered Item PB16.6 and made recommendations to City Council.

Summary from the report (March 11, 2024) from the Acting Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning:

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the properties at 294 (including structure address at 296), 306, and 318 Lawrence Avenue East and 101 Mildenhall Road under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for their cultural heritage value according to the Statements of Significance which include a description of Heritage Attributes found in Attachments 1 and 2.

The subject properties are located on the north side of Lawrence Avenue East, between Mildenhall Road and Bayview Avenue in the Bridle Path-Sunnybrook-York Mills neighbourhood. A Location Map and Current Photographs of the heritage properties are found in Attachment 3.

The subject properties belong to a larger ensemble of buildings forming the Toronto French School campus. The school was founded in the Lawrence Park neighbourhood in 1962. In 1969, Toronto French School commissioned the design of the Moderne-style school building at 101 Mildenhall Road to be their first purpose-built facility. Between 1980-1983, Toronto French School purchased the adjacent properties comprising the former estate of the Sifton family, at 294 (including structure address at 296), 306, and 318 Lawrence Avenue East, which presently serve as administration and classroom space for the Toronto French School. The estate houses form part of a collection of grand estates constructed between 1920 and 1940 along the natural contours of the West Don River valley in proximity to Bayview and Lawrence Avenues. The West Don River valley stretches across a substantial portion of the site, with the West Don River forming its northern boundary. The ensemble, including the built forms and ecological features, constitutes a cultural heritage landscape united through the properties' use for recreation and retreat throughout the last century.

Staff have determined that the property at 101 Mildenhall Road has cultural heritage value and meets 6 of the Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. The properties at 294-318 (including structure address at 296) Lawrence Avenue East also meet 6 of the criteria. 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 294-318 (including structure address at 296) Lawrence Avenue East were originally listed on the North York Inventory of Heritage Properties. They were confirmed on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register in 2006 by Council decision following municipal amalgamation.

On February 29, 2024, the Committee of Adjustment heard an application for a Minor Variance to permit the construction of a new 3 storey performance hall addition to the school campus. The application was approved with conditions. The project will retain the school building at 101 Mildenhall Road (designed in1969) and the historic estate houses at 296, 306, and 318 Lawrence Avenue East in situ.

A Cultural Heritage Resource Assessment prepared by Stevens Burgess Architects Ltd., dated September 2023 was submitted on behalf of the applicant, Toronto French School. In the preparation of the Cultural Heritage Resource Assessment, Stevens Burgess Architects Ltd. consulted with many staff and stakeholders of the Toronto French School and retained the services of Bill Woodworth, Elder for the School of Architecture and Faculty of Engineering at the University of Waterloo.

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council state its intention to designate the property at 322 La Rose Avenue under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance for 322 La Rose Avenue (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 1 to the report (March 14, 2024) from the Interim 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 322 La Rose Avenue under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value according to the Statement of Significance and description of Heritage Attributes found in Attachment 1.

The subject property at 322 La Rose Avenue (La Rose Farmhouse) is located on the north side of the street, east of Islington Avenue and north of Eglinton Avenue West. A Location Map and Current Photograph of the heritage property is found in Attachment 2.

As the oldest surviving structure within its immediate suburban context, the property at 322 La Rose Avenue is a vestige of a former 200-acre farm that was owned by Daniel La Rose, after who the street was named. A Pre-Confederation farmhouse that was constructed in c.1861, the property is an example of the Ontario farmhouse typology with Georgian style detailing. It contains a detached 2-storey main house with a 1½-storey rear kitchen wing on a L-shaped plan. There is also a 1-storey modern shed addition on the north side of the property and a modern 2-bay garage at the south side.

Staff have determined that the property at 322 La Rose Avenue has cultural heritage value and meets 4 of the Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. 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 was listed by the Borough of Etobicoke in c.1982 and subsequently included on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register in the 2000s.

On February 27, 2024 Heritage Planning received a Notice of Intention to Demolish a Listed Property under the Ontario Heritage Act for the property at 322 La Rose Avenue in accordance with the requirements of the Toronto Municipal Code 103-7.2 and the Ontario Heritage Act Section 27(9).

The Ontario Heritage Act states that structures or buildings on properties listed on the City’s Heritage Register cannot be removed or demolished without at least 60 days’ notice to Council. The legislation allows time for Council to review the property’s cultural heritage value to determine if the property merits designation before the property may be demolished if a building permit is requested.

Council should make a decision on the intention to designate the property by April 24, 2024. 

As the owner is concerned that the effect of Bill 23 may result in the loss of protection of the cultural heritage value of the property under the OHA after January 1, 2025, the owner of the property submitted the notice as a means of expediting heritage evaluation of the property and Council's decision on designation. The owner initially requested the listing of the property in the 1980s and recently hired a heritage consultant to prepare a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA). The owner would like the property to be designated as the family has had ownership of the La Rose Farmhouse for 80 years since the 1930s. At this time, no redevelopment is proposed for the subject property.  

At its meeting on March 28, 2024 the Toronto Preservation Board considered Item PB16.4 and made recommendations to City Council.

Summary from the report (March 11, 2024) from the Acting Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning:

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the property at 322 La Rose Avenue under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value according to the Statement of Significance and description of Heritage Attributes found in Attachment 1.

The subject property at 322 La Rose Avenue (La Rose Farmhouse) is located on the north side of the street east of Islington Avenue and north of Eglinton Avenue West, in the Willowridge-Martingrove-Richview neighbourhood. A Location Map and Current Photograph of the heritage property is found in Attachment 2.

As the oldest surviving structure within its immediate suburban context, the property at 322 La Rose Avenue is a vestige of a former 200-acre farm that was owned by Daniel La Rose, after who the street was named. A Pre-Confederation farmhouse that was constructed in c.1861, the property is an example of the Ontario farmhouse typology with Georgian style detailing. It contains a detached 2-storey main house with a 1½-storey rear kitchen wing on a L-shaped plan. There is also a 1-storey modern shed addition on the north side of the property and a modern 2-bay garage at the south side.

Staff have determined that the property at 322 La Rose Avenue has cultural heritage value and meets 4 of the Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. 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 was listed by the Borough of Etobicoke in c.1982 and subsequently included on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register in the 2000s following amalgamation.

On February 27, 2024 Heritage Planning received a Notice of Intention to Demolish a Listed Property under the Ontario Heritage Act for the property at 322 La Rose Avenue in accordance with the requirements of the Toronto Municipal Code 103-7.2 and the Ontario Heritage Act Section 27(9).

The Ontario Heritage Act states that structures or buildings on properties listed on the City’s Heritage Register cannot be removed or demolished without at least 60 days’ notice to Council. The legislation allows time for Council to review the property’s cultural heritage value to determine if the property merits designation before the property may be demolished if a building permit is requested.

Council should make a decision on the intention to designate the property by April 24, 2024. 

As the owner is concerned that the effect of Bill 23 may result in the loss of protection of the cultural heritage value of the property under the Ontario Heritage Act after January 1, 2025, the owner of the property submitted the notice as a means of expediting heritage evaluation of the property and Council's decision on designation. The owner initially requested the listing of the property in the 1980s and recently hired a heritage consultant to prepare a Heritage Impact Assessment. The owner would like the property to be designated as the family has had ownership of the La Rose Farmhouse for 80 years since the 1930s. At this time, no redevelopment is proposed for the subject property.  

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council state its intention to designate the properties at 6 and 8 Cawthra Square under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statements of Significance for 6 and 8 Cawthra Square (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 1 and Attachment 2 to the report (March 13, 2024) from the Interim 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 each property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the properties at 6 and 8 Cawthra Square under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value according to the Statements of Significance which includes a description of Heritage Attributes found in Attachments 1 and 2.

The subject properties at 6 and 8 Cawthra Square are located between Jarvis and Church Streets, on the north side of Cawthra Square, east of Barbara Hall Park and west of the George Gooderham mansion (1891) at 504 Jarvis Street, in the Church - Wellesley village area.

Each of the properties at 6 and 8 Cawthra Square contains a nearly identical, red-brick Queen Anne Revival-style house dating from 1892. A Location Map and Current Photograph of the heritage properties is found in Attachment 2.

Staff have determined that each property at 6 and 8 Cawthra Square has cultural heritage value, each possessing three Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. 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 subject properties were listed on the City's Heritage Register on July 19, 2023. A development application for an Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendment was made with the City for the properties on May 2, 2023.

The property is subject to a Prescribed Event. The owner provided a waiver to extend the time period for Council to make a decision which expires on May 1, 2024.

In order to meet prescribed timelines under the Ontario Heritage Act, Council must make a decision at its April 17-19, 2024 meeting to provide sufficient time for the City Clerk to issue a notice of intention to designate.

At its meeting on March 18, 2024 the Toronto Preservation Board considered Item PB15.2 and made recommendations to City Council.

Summary from the revised report (March 12, 2024) from the Acting Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning:

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the properties at 6 and 8 Cawthra Square under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value according to the Statements of Significance which includes a description of Heritage Attributes found in Attachments 1 and 2.

The subject properties at 6 and 8 Cawthra Square are located between Jarvis and Church Streets, on the north side of Cawthra Square, east of Barbara Hall Park and west of the George Gooderham mansion (1891) at 504 Jarvis Street, in the Church - Wellesley village area.

Each of the properties at 6 and 8 Cawthra Square contains a nearly identical, red-brick Queen Anne Revival-style house dating from 1892. A Location Map and Current Photograph of the heritage properties is found in Attachment 2.

Staff have determined that each property at 6 and 8 Cawthra Square has cultural heritage value, each possessing three Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. 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 subject properties were listed on the City's Heritage Register on July 19, 2023. A development application for an Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendment was made with the City for the properties on May 2, 2023.

The property is subject to a Prescribed Event. The owner provided a waiver to extend the time period for Council to make a decision which expires on May 1, 2024.

In order to meet prescribed timelines under the Ontario Heritage Act, Council must make a decision at its April 17-19, 2024 meeting to provide sufficient time for the City Clerk to issue a notice of intention to designate.

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council direct the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, in consultation with the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, and Chief Procurement Officer, to issue a follow-up pre-qualification by the fourth quarter of 2024 to expand the City’s existing pre-qualified roster of vendors for rapid-build housing construction.
 

2.  City Council direct the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, in consultation with the Chief Procurement Officer, and any relevant City Divisions, Agencies, Corporations, to initiate discussions with the Province of Ontario and Infrastructure Ontario regarding the creation of a pre-qualified roster of vendors to facilitate rapid-build construction for access and use by all Ontario municipalities.
 

3.  City Council direct the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building review and strengthen guidelines, checklists, and other tools that help facilitate approvals and support permit applicants who construct buildings partially or completely off-site in a manufacturing facility, and are then transported to a property and assembled in the City of Toronto, undertake consultation with industry stakeholders as part of this process, and report back to the Planning and Housing Committee by the end of the third quarter of 2024.

4.  City Council direct the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building review and streamline Toronto Building’s current program which provides certification that building plans meet the requirements of the Ontario Building Code (without site specific information), and report back to the Planning and Housing Committee with any necessary Toronto Municipal Code amendments by the end of the third quarter of 2024.

To increase the supply of housing – and restore affordability – municipalities like Toronto must take steps to unlock rapid build construction technologies that will help us build the housing that we need.

Through programs like the Rapid Housing Initiative, we’ve seen the benefits of modular construction and other rapid build technologies. With these technologies, projects like the modular supportive housing site at 540 Cedarvale in my community can be fully constructed within a matter of days and with far less impact to the surrounding community. We must continue to pull every policy lever available to us as a municipality to encourage and foster this growing industry.

One of the most important steps that we can take as a municipality is to invite both established and emerging builders of rapid build construction to do business in Toronto. That means expanding the City’s pre-qualified roster of vendors so that a greater number of builders will be eligible to bid on City-led housing projects. In addition, the City should engage with Infrastructure Ontario to establish a province-wide roster of vendors that all municipalities may have access to.

Most importantly, Toronto should also create pathways for builders of modular and other rapid build construction technologies to have their designs pre-approved. With adjustments to the City’s existing process for plan certification, builders will be able to achieve efficiencies and drive down costs on their projects by utilizing the same building designs on lots across Toronto. Building permit applications submitted to Toronto Buildings with certified designs will receive approvals in record time.

All options must be on the table to build the homes needed to house all those who call Toronto home, now and in the future. These are a series of actions that Toronto can take today to secure that future.

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:  

1.  City Council adopt the confidential instructions to staff in Confidential Attachment 1 to the report (April 2, 2024) from the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat.

2. City Council authorize the public release of Confidential Attachment 1 and Confidential Attachment 2 to the report (April 2, 2024) from the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat at the discretion of the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat.

This report pertains to financial support for an affordable home ownership development by Habitat for Humanity Greater Toronto Area. Confidential Attachments 1 and 2 of this report will be released publicly at the discretion of the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat.

Affordable homeownership is an important part of the housing spectrum. When people are unable to move into homeownership, it leads to increased demand for rental homes, reduces availability, and results in increased cost of rents. In order to ensure that Toronto has a diverse range of housing opportunities, creating homeownership options for more renter households is an important action in the HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan.  However, with the average home price of $1.072 million (as of February 2024), more middle-and moderate-income households continue to be priced out of ownership opportunities.

Stimulating ownership opportunities for low-and-moderate income households, particularly first-time home buyers, has been a long-standing City commitment. Since 2007, the City has dedicated a portion of its funding allocation under federal/provincial housing programs to support affordable home ownership in Toronto through partnerships with both non-profit and private sector developers.

The Etobicoke York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council amend the City of Toronto Zoning By-law 569-2013 substantially-in-accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendments in Attachment 1 to the report (March 15, 2024) from the Director, Transportation panning, for the lands at:

• A portion of 3650 Eglinton Avenue West;
• A portion of 3700 Eglinton Avenue West;
• A portion of 101 Emmett Avenue;
• A portion of 1 Richview Road;
• A portion of 4200 Eglinton Avenue West;
• A portion of 4300 Eglinton Ave West;
• A portion of 4530 Eglinton Avenue West;
• A portion of 4760 Eglinton Avenue West;
• A portion of 535 Martin Grove Road;
• A portion of 555 Martin Grove Road;
• A portion of unaddressed lands north of Eglinton Avenue West east of Richview Road cul-de-sac;
• A portion of 4400 Eglinton Avenue West;
• A portion of 4600 Eglinton Avenue West;
• A portion of unaddressed lands north side of Eglinton Avenue West, east of Highway 427 ramp;
• A portion of unaddressed lands north side of Eglinton Avenue West, west of Highway 427 Eglinton Avenue off-ramp; and
• A portion of unaddressed lands at Eglinton Avenue West and Matheson Boulevard East.

2. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the draft Zoning By-law Amendments as may be required.

The Etobicoke York Community Council held a statutory public meeting on April 8, 2024, and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This report proposes City-initiated Zoning By-law amendments to facilitate the delivery of the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension (ECWE) project. The purpose of these amendments is to provide relief from certain zoning provisions related to transportation uses for lands to be acquired by Metrolinx to accommodate Eglinton Crosstown West Extension project elements.

The Zoning By-law amendments affect lands that will accommodate transit facilities such as emergency exit buildings, traction power substations, transit station entrance buildings and temporary facilities required for construction.

The amendments would apply to transportation uses only and are consistent with Official Plan policies and zoning, and none of the proposed amendments affect zoning permissions on abutting lands, nor will the amendments impact other uses permitted on properties affected by the amendments.

The Etobicoke York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council direct the City Solicitor and appropriate City staff to attend the Ontario Land Tribunal to oppose the current application appeal for 1 York Gate Boulevard, and to continue discussions with the applicant in an attempt to resolve outstanding issues.

2. In the event the Ontario Land Tribunal allows the appeal, in whole or in part, City Council authorize the City Solicitor to request that the issuance of any final Order(s) be withheld until such time as the City Solicitor advises that:

a. The final form and content of the Zoning By-law Amendment is satisfactory to the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and the City Solicitor;

b. The owner has provided a revised Functional Servicing and Stormwater Management Report to determine the stormwater runoff, sanitary flow, and water supply demand resulting from the proposed development, and whether there is adequate capacity in the existing municipal infrastructure to accommodate the proposed development to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director of Engineering and Construction Services;

c. The owner has provided a revised Transportation Impact Study including a Transportation Demand Management Plan, to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Transportation Services;

d. The owner has made arrangements with the City and has entered into the appropriate agreement(s) for the design and construction of any improvements to the municipal infrastructure, should it be determined that upgrades are required to the infrastructure to support this development, according to the revised Functional Servicing and Stormwater Management Report accepted by the Chief Engineer and Executive Director of Engineering and Construction Services, and Transportation Impact Study accepted by the General Manager, Transportation Services;

e. The owner has submitted a revised Hydrological Assessment Report and Hydrological Review Summary Form, Servicing Report Groundwater Summary Form, and Foundation Drainage Summary Form to determine the quality and quantity of groundwater that may be required to be discharged to the City sewage works as a result to of a proposed development and comply with Foundation Drainage Policy and guidelines to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director of Engineering and Construction Services and the General Manager, Toronto Water;

f. The owner has provided a revised Pedestrian Level Wind Study including a Wind Tunnel Study, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning;

g. The owner has provided a revised Sun/Shadow Study, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning; and,

h. The submitted Compatibility/Mitigation Studies, including the Air Quality Study, dated February 11, 2022, prepared by RWDI AIR Inc., and the Noise Impact Study, dated February 10, 2022, prepared by LEA, have been peer reviewed by a third-party consultant retained by the City at the owner's expense, and the owner agrees to implement any necessary control measures and recommendations identified by the peer review, with the control measures to be secured through the Site Plan Control process, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

3. City Council authorize the City Solicitor and other City staff to take any necessary steps to implement City Council’s decision.

On February 23, 2022, an application was submitted to amend the city-wide Zoning By-law (569-2013) and former North York Zoning By-law 7625 for the northwest portion of the lands municipally known as 1 York Gate Boulevard (Yorkgate Mall). The application proposes to construct a 22-storey residential rental building with a gross floor area of 17,930 square metres and 294 dwelling units. A total of 147 vehicular surface parking spaces are proposed along with 57 bicycle parking spaces on the ground floor of the building.

On March 29, 2022, a Site Plan Control application was submitted for the proposed development.

On September 22, 2023, the applicant appealed the Zoning By-law Amendment and Site Plan Control applications to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) citing City Council's failure to make a decision on the applications within the time period prescribed under the Planning Act. A Case Management Conference (CMC) was held on January 22, 2024. City staff require direction from City Council in advance of the next Case Management Conference scheduled for May 6, 2024. An Ontario Land Tribunal hearing has not been scheduled at this time.

This report recommends that Council direct the City Solicitor, together with appropriate City staff, to attend the Case Management Conference and any future Ontario Land Tribunal hearing to oppose the application in its current form and to continue discussions with the applicant in an attempt to resolve outstanding issues.

The Etobicoke York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council direct the City Solicitor, together with appropriate City staff, to attend the Ontario Land Tribunal in opposition to the subject Zoning By-law Amendment in its current form for the lands at for 33-51 Walsh Avenue and 2717-2745 Weston Road.

2. City Council authorize the City Solicitor and appropriate City staff to continue discussions with the applicant to address outstanding issues including but not limited to those outlined in this report.

3. If the Ontario Land Tribunal allows the subject appeals, in whole or part, City Council instruct the City Solicitor to request that the issuance of any final Order(s) be withheld until such time as the Ontario Land Tribunal has been advised by the City Solicitor that:

a. The final form and content of the draft Zoning By-law Amendment is to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

b. The owner has addressed all outstanding issues identified within the Engineering and Construction Services Part I – Re-zoning Application correspondence, dated November 22, 2023, or as revised, to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director of Engineering and Construction Services.

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

d. The owner has submitted a revised Traffic Impact Study to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Transportation Services, the Chief Engineer and Executive Director of Engineering and Construction Services and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

e. Should it be determined that upgrades are required to the infrastructure to support the development according to the accepted Functional Servicing and Stormwater Management Report and/or the Transportation Impact Study, City Council direct the City Solicitor and appropriate City staff to request that a Holding Provision be included in the final form of the site-specific Zoning By-law Amendment and the Holding Provision not to be lifted until such a time as the owner has made satisfactory arrangements, including entering into appropriate agreement(s) with the City for the design and construction of any improvements to the municipal infrastructure and the provision of financial securities to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director of Engineering and Construction Services and General Manager, Transportation Services.

f. The owner has submitted a revised Hydrological Assessment Report, and Hydrological Review Summary Form, Servicing Report Groundwater Summary Form and Foundation Drainage Summary Form to determine the quality and quantity of groundwater that may be required to be discharged to the City sewage works as a result to of a proposed development and comply with Foundation drainage policy and guidelines to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director of Engineering and Construction Services and the General Manager, Toronto Water.

g. The owner has addressed all transportation related issues identified in Section A1.1 of the memorandum from Engineering and Construction Services, dated November 22, 2023, to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Transportation Services and the Chief Engineer and Executive Director of Engineering and Construction Services.

h. The owner has addressed all outstanding issues identified in the Toronto Transit Commission memorandum, dated October 11, 2022, to the satisfaction of the Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Transit Commission, the General Manager, Transportation Services, and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

i. The owner has submitted revised Landscape and Planting Plans to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation.

j. The owner has provided an on-site parkland dedication in a size, location and configuration that is to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation.

k. The owner has submitted an Energy Strategy Report to the satisfaction of the Executive Director, Environment and Climate Division.

l. The submitted Air Quality and Land Use Compatibility Assessment, and Transportation Noise and Vibration Assessment, both dated August 31, 2022 and authored by Gradient Wind Engineers and Scientists, have been peer reviewed by a third-party consultant retained by the City at the owner's expense to confirm there are no negative impacts on the proposed development or surrounding uses, and the owner agrees to implement any necessary air quality, noise, vibration or land use compatibility control measures and recommendations identified through the peer review, with the control measures to be secured through the Site Plan Control process, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

m. The owner has submitted a revised Pedestrian Level Wind Study to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

4. City Council approve the acceptance of a development charge credit against the Parks and Recreation component of the Development Charges for the design and construction by the applicant of the above base park improvements to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation; and the development charge credit shall be in an amount that is the lesser of the cost to the applicant of designing and constructing the above base park improvements, as approved by the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation and the Parks and Recreation component of the development charges payable for the development in accordance with the City's Development Charges By-law, as may be amended from time-to-time.

5. City Council authorized the City Solicitor and other appropriate staff to take any necessary steps to implement City Council's decision.

On September 22, 2022, applications for Zoning By-law Amendment and Site Plan Control approval were submitted to permit the construction of a mixed-use development with six towers with building heights ranging from 14 to 40 storeys, a public park at the corner of Walsh Avenue and Weston Road, in addition to 766 square metres of retail space at the base of the buildings proposed to front Weston Road. A total of 2,452 residential units are proposed.

On November 14, 2023, the applicant appealed the applications to the Ontario Land Tribunal ("OLT") due to Council's failure to make a decision within the timeframe prescribed under the Planning Act. A Case Management Conference occurred on February 6, 2024. A second Case Management Conference will occur on May 16, 2024 and a three week hearing has been scheduled to commence on February 3, 2025.

This report recommends that the City Solicitor, together with the appropriate City staff, attend the Ontario Land Tribunal hearing and oppose the applications in their current form, and to continue discussions with the applicant to resolve any outstanding issues.

The Etobicoke York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council direct the City Solicitor and appropriate City staff to attend the Ontario Land Tribunal to oppose the current Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment application appeal for 65-81 McCormack Street, and to continue discussions with the applicant to resolve outstanding issues.

2. In the event that the Ontario Land Tribunal allows the appeal, in whole or in part, City Council authorize the City Solicitor to request that the issuance of any final Order be withheld until such time as the City Solicitor advises that:

a. The form and content of the Official Plan Amendment is satisfactory to the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the City Solicitor;

b. The form and content of the Zoning By-law Amendment is satisfactory to the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the City Solicitor;

c. The owner has addressed all outstanding issues identified within the Engineering and Construction Services correspondence dated October 30, 2023, to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director of Engineering and Construction Services;

d. The owner has submitted a revised Transportation Impact Study including all requested revisions identified within the Engineering and Construction Services correspondence, dated October 30, 2023, to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Transportation Services;

e. The owner has submitted a revised Functional Servicing and Stormwater Management Report to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director of Engineering and Construction Services, and such report shall determine the stormwater run-off, sanitary flow and water supply demand resulting from the development and whether there is adequate capacity in the existing municipal infrastructure to accommodate the proposed development and/or any upgrades that may be required;

f. The owner has addressed all outstanding issues identified by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) and the City Divisions, associated with sufficient setbacks to natural hazard lands at the rear of the property including the need for updated materials, including a Landscape Plan, Planting Plan, Erosion and Sediment Control Plan, Functional Servicing and Stormwater Management report, Geotechnical Study and Hydrological Assessment, to the satisfaction of the General Manager of Parks, Forestry and Recreation and Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning;

g. The owner has provided a Pedestrian Level Wind Study, in accordance with the City's Terms of Reference, with such report to be reviewed and recommendations implemented as part of the Zoning By-law and/or secured in a development agreement, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning;

h. The owner has submitted a Natural Heritage Impact Study, to be peer reviewed by a third-party consultant on behalf of the City, with recommendations to be implemented as part of the amending Official Plan policies and Zoning By-laws and/or secured in a development agreement, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning;

i. The owner has submitted an Electromagnetic Field (EMF) Management Plan to be peer reviewed at the owner's expense, with recommendations to be implemented to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning;

j. The owner has satisfactorily addressed matters from the Urban Forestry, Tree Protection and Plan Review, in response to future submissions filed by the owner, and provided required materials, including a Public Utilities Plan and a Site Grading Plan, all to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation;

k. The owner has submitted a phasing plan to demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director of City Planning, how the required non-residential gross floor area will be achieved; and

l. The owner has made revisions to meet the Toronto Green Standard requirements to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

3. In the event that the Ontario Land Tribunal allows the appeal, in whole or in part, City Council direct the City Solicitor and appropriate City staff to request that a Holding provision (H) be included in the final form of the site-specific Zoning By-law Amendment, not to be lifted until such time as:

a. Should it be determined that upgrades are required to the infrastructure to support the development according to the accepted Functional Servicing Report and/or the Transportation Impact Study, the owner has made satisfactory arrangements, including entering into appropriate agreement(s) with the City for the design and construction of any improvements to the municipal infrastructure and the provision of financial securities, at no cost to the City, to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director of Engineering and Construction Services and General Manager, Transportation Services;

b. The owner has entered into a Municipal Housing Project Facility Agreement or such other agreement(s) as may be satisfactory to the City Solicitor to secure the provision of affordable housing;

c. The submission and acceptance of a Housing Issues Report, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, that identifies the unit mix, unit sizes, and how affordable housing requirements will be met; and

d. Submission of a Compatibility and Mitigation Study (including air quality and noise and vibration) to be peer reviewed at the owner's expense, with recommendations to be implemented to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

4. City Council authorize the City Solicitor and other City staff to take any necessary steps to implement City Council's decision.

On December 15, 2022, a combined Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment application was submitted to permit the development of two mixed-use buildings of 10 and 12 storeys each at 65-81 McCormack Street. The proposal would have a total gross floor area of approximately 21,465 square metres and consist of 263 residential dwelling units and 2,256 square metres of non-residential space.

This site was converted through the City's Municipal Comprehensive Review process from General Employment Areas to Mixed Use Areas through Official Plan Amendment (OPA) 591 and includes a new site and area specific policy (SASP) 437, which applies to the subject lands. Official Plan Amendment 591 was adopted by City Council on July 22, 2022 and received Ministerial approval on December 13, 2023. There is no appeal of the Minister's decision.

On December 19, 2023, the applicant appealed its Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment application to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) citing City Council's failure to make a decision on the application within the prescribed time frame set out in the Planning Act. A Case Management Conference has been scheduled for May 1, 2024.

This report recommends that Council direct the City Solicitor, together with appropriate City staff, to attend the Ontario Land Tribunal hearing to oppose the proposal in its current form and to continue discussions with the applicant to resolve outstanding issues.

The Etobicoke York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council direct the City Solicitor and appropriate City staff to attend the Ontario Land Tribunal to oppose the current Zoning By-law Amendment application appeal for 630 The East Mall, and to continue discussions with the applicant in an attempt to resolve outstanding issues.

2. If the Ontario Land Tribunal allows the appeal, in whole or in part, City Council direct the City Solicitor to request that the issuance of a final Order be withheld until such time as the City Solicitor advises that:

a. The form and content of the Zoning By-law Amendment is satisfactory to the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the City Solicitor;

b. The owner has submitted a revised Transportation Impact Study including all requested revisions to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Transportation Services;

c. The owner has addressed all outstanding issues identified within the Engineering and Construction Services correspondence, dated November 15, 2023, to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director of Engineering and Construction Services;

d. The owner has submitted a revised Functional Servicing and Stormwater Management Report to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director of Engineering and Construction Services, and such report shall determine the stormwater runoff, sanitary flow and water supply demand resulting from the development and whether there is adequate capacity in the existing municipal infrastructure to accommodate the proposed development, and/or any upgrades that may be required;

e. The owner has submitted a revised Hydrological Assessment Report, Hydrological Review Summary Form, Servicing Report Groundwater Summary Form and Foundation Drainage Summary Form to determine the quality and quantity of groundwater that may be required to be discharged to the City sewage works as a result of a proposed development and comply with Foundation drainage policy and guidelines to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director of Engineering and Construction Services and the General Manager, Toronto Water;

f. The owner has addressed all outstanding issues raised by Urban Forestry noted in correspondence, dated November 16, 2023, including the need for an updated Landscape Plan, Planting Plan and Soil Volume Plan, to the satisfaction of the General Manager of Parks, Forestry and Recreation;

g. The Noise and Vibration Report has been peer reviewed at the cost of the applicant and any required revisions resulting from this study have been made to the proposal to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Director, City Planning;

h. The Air Quality Study has been peer reviewed at the cost of the applicant and any required revisions resulting from this study have been made to the proposal to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Director, City Planning; and,

i. The owner has made revisions to meet the Toronto Green Standard requirements to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

3. Should it be determined that upgrades are required to the infrastructure to support the development according to the Transportation Impact Study and/or the accepted Functional Servicing and Stormwater Management Report, City Council direct the City Solicitor and appropriate City staff to request that a Holding Provision be included in the final form of the site-specific Zoning By-law Amendment, and the Holding Provision is not to be lifted until such time as the owner has made satisfactory arrangements, including entering into appropriate agreement(s) with the City for the design and construction of any improvements to the municipal infrastructure and the provision of financial securities to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services and General Manager, Transportation Services.

4. City Council authorize the City Solicitor and other City staff to take any necessary steps to implement City Council's decision.

On November 10, 2022, a Zoning By-law Amendment application was submitted and subsequently revised on October 11, 2023 to permit the development of two residential buildings. One building would contain two 24-storey towers with a nine-storey base building while the other would be a 12-storey building. In total, the proposed development would comprise 839 dwelling units and a gross floor area of 53,356.8 square metres.

On December 1, 2023, the applicant appealed the application to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) citing City Council's failure to make a decision on the application within the prescribed time frame set out in the Planning Act. A Case Management Conference has been scheduled for March 20, 2024.

This report recommends that Council directs the City Solicitor, together with the appropriate City staff, to attend the Ontario Land Tribunal hearing to oppose the application in its current form and to continue discussions with the applicant to resolve outstanding issues.

The Etobicoke York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council refuse the application for Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendments (Application No. 23 126569 WET 07 OZ) at 12 Hillside Road.

2. City Council authorize the City Solicitor, together with appropriate staff, to appear before the Ontario Land Tribunal in support of City Council’s decision to refuse the applications, if the applications are appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal.

This application proposes a two-storey detached dwelling with an integral garage on a site designated Natural Areas and located within the Natural Heritage System as identified on Map 9 of the Official Plan. The site is also located in the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority's (TRCA) regulated area and is subject to the Ravine and Natural Feature Protection By-law.

The proposed development is not consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement (2020) and does not conform with A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2020). The proposed development also does not conform to the City's Official Plan.

This report reviews and recommends refusal of the application to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law as the proposal is not consistent with the Natural Environment and Parks and Open Space policies of the Official Plan, and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority's Living City Policies, and would result in negative impacts to the natural environment.

The Etobicoke York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council deny the application for the proposed Clothing Drop Box Location permit at 10 San Romanoway.

The purpose of this staff report is to report on the refusal to issue a permit by Municipal Licensing and Standards in the matter of an application for Clothing Drop Box Location permit at 10 San Romanoway.

The Etobicoke York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council deny the application for the proposed Clothing Drop Box Location permit at 2020 Sheppard Avenue West.

The purpose of this staff report is to report on the refusal to issue a permit by Municipal Licensing and Standards in the matter of an application for Clothing Drop Box Location permit at 2020 Sheppard Ave West.

The Etobicoke York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council deny the application for the proposed Clothing Drop Box Location permit at 500 Murray Ross Parkway.

The purpose of this staff report is to report on the refusal to issue a permit by Municipal Licensing and Standards in the matter of an application for Clothing Drop Box Location permit at 500 Murray Ross Parkway.

The Etobicoke York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council approve the application for the proposed Clothing Drop Box Location permit at 2190 Weston Road.

The purpose of this staff report is to report on the refusal to issue a permit by Municipal Licensing & Standards in the matter of an application for Clothing Drop Box Location permit at 2190 Weston Road.

The Etobicoke York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council authorize permit parking to be in effect from 12:01 a.m. to 7:00 a.m., daily, except no parking anytime between Redgrave Drive and a point 55 metres west and no parking anytime between Willowridge Road and a point 60 metres east, on the odd (south) side of Longbourne Drive from Willowridge Road to Redgrave Drive.

2. City Council prohibit parking at all times on the even (north) side of Longbourne Drive between Willowridge Road and Redgrave Drive.

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

Transportation Services is recommending that overnight on-street permit parking be introduced on Longbourne Drive, between Willowridge Road and Redgrave Drive from 12:01 a.m. to 7:00 a.m., on an area named basis, within newly created Permit Parking Area 11.

Residents requested the implementation of overnight on-street permit parking on Longbourne Drive to accommodate their long-term parking needs.

The Etobicoke York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council authorize reducing the speed limit from 50 km/h to 40 km/h on Burnhamthorpe Road between Kipling Avenue and Dundas Street West.

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

Transportation Services has reviewed the need for a 40 km/h speed limit on Burnhamthorpe Road between Kipling Avenue and Dundas Street West. Based on the assessment undertaken, Transportation Services does not recommend reducing the speed limit from 50 km/h to 40 km/h, as the warrant criteria was not met.

The Etobicoke York Community Council recommends that:

1.  City Council amend the existing eastbound left-turn prohibition on Islington Avenue and the driveway, located on the west side a point 157.2 metres south of Eglinton Avenue West, in effect from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., Monday to Friday., except public holidays, to be in effect from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., and 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, except public holidays.

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

Transportation Services is requesting approval to prohibit eastbound left turn movements between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. from the driveway of 1738 Islington Avenue (Richview Collegiate Institute) to Islington Avenue, located approximately 157.2 metres south of Eglinton Avenue West. Richview Collegiate Institute principal has requested the existing left turn prohibition, in effect between 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., be amended to encompass the afternoon peak between 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., as well. The intended purpose of these additional times will allow for better traffic flow during the afternoon peak period for the school's driveway.

North York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council amend City of Toronto Zoning By-law 569-2013 for the lands at 379-381 Wilson Avenue substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment attached as Attachment 5 to the report (February 29, 2024) from the Director, Community Planning, North York District.

2. City Council authorizes the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the draft Zoning By-law Amendment as may be required.

The North York Community Council held a statutory public meeting on April 2, 2024, and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This application proposes to amend the Zoning By-law to permit a 13-storey (41.10 metres) mixed use building at 379-381 Wilson Avenue with 261 dwelling units. The proposed building has a Gross Floor Area of 19,172 square metres, including 481 square metres of non-residential Gross Floor Area, for a Floor Space Index of 4.58.

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

This report reviews and recommends approval of the application to amend the Zoning By-law. The proposed building is an appropriate scale for the site and will provide an appropriate transition to the lower-scale neighbourhood to the south.

North York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council direct the City Solicitor and appropriate City staff to attend the Ontario Land Tribunal in opposition to the current Application regarding the Zoning By-law Amendment appeal for the lands at 278 - 280 Viewmount Avenue and to continue discussions with the applicant in an attempt to resolve outstanding issues.

2. In the event that the Ontario Land Tribunal allows the appeals in whole or in part, City Council authorize the City Solicitor to request that the issuance of any final Order with respect to the zoning by-law amendment be withheld until such time as the City Solicitor advises that:

a. the final form and content of the draft Zoning By-law is to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, which among other matters may include a holding (H) provision to address municipal servicing;

b. the owner has satisfactorily addressed the Transportation Services and Engineering and Construction Services matters in the Engineering and Construction Services Memorandum dated September 5, 2023, and any outstanding issues arising from the ongoing technical review (including provision of acceptable reports and studies), as they relate to the Zoning By-law Amendment application, to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Transportation Services and Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services;

c. the owner has submitted to the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services, for review and acceptance, a Functional Servicing Report to determine the storm water runoff, sanitary flow and water supply demand resulting from this development and whether there is adequate capacity in the existing municipal infrastructure to accommodate the proposed development;

d. the owner has made satisfactory arrangements with Engineering and Construction Services and enter into the appropriate financially secured agreement with the City for the design and construction of any improvements to the municipal infrastructure, should it be determined that upgrades are required to the infrastructure to support this development, according to the accepted Functional Servicing Report accepted by the Chief Engineer and Executive Director of Engineering and Construction Services;

e. Space has been provided within the development for installation of maintenance access holes and sampling ports on the lands, as close to the property line as possible, for both the storm and sanitary service connections, in accordance with the Sewers By-law Chapter 681.10 and to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services;

f. the owner has satisfactorily addressed matters from the Tree Protection and Plan Review, Urban Forestry Memorandum dated August 15, 2023, or any outstanding issues raised by Urban Forestry arising from the ongoing technical review (including provision of acceptable reports and studies), as they relate to the Zoning By-law Amendment application, to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation.

g. the owner has submitted a revised Travel Demand Management Plan to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the General Manager, Transportation Services;

h. the owner has submitted architectural plans reflecting the proposal as approved in whole or in part, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning;

i. the owner has submitted a Rental Housing Demolition Application and City Council, or the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning where authorized to do so, has authorized the Rental Housing Demolition Application under Chapter 667 of the Toronto Municipal Code pursuant to Section 111 of the City of Toronto Act, 2006, as applicable;

j. the owner has at its sole cost and expense, facilitated the City undertaking a peer review of the submitted Noise and Vibration Assessment, and secured any recommended mitigation measures in the amending by-law, all to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning; and,

k. the owner has submitted an updated and complete Toronto Green Standard Checklist and Statistics Template, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

3. City Council authorizes the City Solicitor and City staff to take any necessary steps to implement City Council's decision.

On December 22, 2022, a Zoning By-law Amendment application was submitted to permit a 33-storey (107 metres) residential building with a total of 342 units and 296 square metres of retail space on the ground floor. The proposed development will have a total Gross Floor Area of approximately 22,360 square metres, and the Floor Space Index is 15.5 times the area of the site.

On December 21, 2023, the applicant appealed the Zoning By-law Amendment application to the Ontario Land Tribunal due to Council not making a decision within the time frame prescribed in the Planning Act. A first Case Management Conference has been scheduled for March 27, 2024.

This report recommends that City Council instruct the City Solicitor with the appropriate City staff to attend the Ontario Land Tribunal hearing and oppose the application in its current form and to continue discussions with the Applicant to resolve outstanding issues.

North York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council direct the City Solicitor and appropriate City staff to attend the Ontario Land Tribunal in opposition to the current applications regarding the Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment and Site Plan Control appeals for the lands at 390-400 Woodsworth Road and to continue discussions with the applicant to resolve outstanding issues;

2. In the event that the Ontario Land Tribunal allows the appeal in whole or in part, City Council authorize the City Solicitor to request the Ontario Land Tribunal to withhold the issuance of any final Order(s) until such time as:

a. the Ontario Land Tribunal has been advised by the City Solicitor that the final form and content of the draft Official Plan Amendment, draft Zoning By-law and site plan application are to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning;

b. the Ontario Land Tribunal has been advised by the City Solicitor that City Council has approved the Rental Housing Demolition Application number 21 229478 NNY 15 RH under Chapter 667 of the Toronto Municipal Code pursuant to Section 111 of the City of Toronto Act, 2006 and, should City Council authorize the demolition, that the applicant has entered into, and registered on title to the lands, an agreement pursuant to Section 111 of the City of Toronto Act securing the replacement of the existing rental dwelling units, including unit mix, size and rents, tenant assistance to mitigate hardship, and other rental related matters, all to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning;

c. the owner has, at the owner's sole expense:

1. confirmed sanitary, stormwater and water capacity for the development to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services;

2. submitted a Functional Servicing Report, Stormwater Management Report and Hydrogeological Report ("Engineering Reports") to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services, in consultation with the General Manager, Toronto Water;

3. should the City accept Engineering Reports identifying that any upgrades or improvements to existing municipal infrastructure and / or new municipal infrastructure are required to support the development, those upgrades and improvements shall be designed and financially secured by appropriate development agreement(s) as a condition of Site Plan approval, and be constructed and operational prior to the issuance of any building permits for any development on the lands, all at the Owner’s sole expense, and all to the satisfaction to the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services, the General Manager, Toronto Water and the City solicitor;

4. provided all necessary financial securities for transportation improvements in the area, including signal modifications and / or upgrades, to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services;

5. made satisfactory arrangements to convey to the City any land dedications including road widening and site triangles, to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services;

6. submit a Transportation Demand Management plan (the "TDM") to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the General Manager, Transportation Services and that such matters arising from the accepted Transportation Demand Management plan, be secured if required;

7. made arrangements to satisfy the parkland dedication requirement, in accordance with Section 42 of the Planning Act, to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation and the City Solicitor;

8. made satisfactory arrangements to transfer the parkland, if deemed appropriate, to the City free and clear, above and below grade, of all easements, encumbrances, and encroachments, in an acceptable environmental condition; the owner may propose the exception of encumbrances of tiebacks, where such an encumbrance is deemed acceptable by the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, in consultation with the City Solicitor; and such an encumbrance will be subject to the payment of compensation to the City, in an amount as determined by the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation and the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management;

9. made arrangements, if deemed appropriate, for a development charge credit against the Parks and Recreation component of the Development Charges for the design and construction by the Owner of the Above Base Park Improvements to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation. The development charge credit shall be in an amount that is the lesser of the cost to the Owner of designing and constructing the Above Base Park Improvements, as approved by the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, and the Parks and Recreation component of development charges payable for the development in accordance with the City's Development Charges By-law, as may be amended from time to time;

10. submit a revised Natural Heritage Impact Study and associated Landscape Plan which identifies and labels natural areas to be restored and enhanced via shading and notation, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and that such matters arising from the accepted Natural Heritage Impact Study and Landscape Plan, including but not limited to planting enhancement and restoration within the natural heritage system, as well as establishment of appropriate buffers, be secured if required;

11. a submit a pedestrian level wind study, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

3. City Council authorize the City Solicitor and other appropriate staff to take any necessary steps to implement City Council's decision.

The application proposes to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law to permit 8, 9, and 10-storey residential apartment buildings and three blocks of stacked, back-to-back townhouse units.  The proposed development would have 603 residential units with a total Gross Floor Area of 47,729 square metres, and a floor space index of 2.26 times the lot area.

There are 80 rental townhouse units on the site, all of which would be demolished and are proposed to be replaced with new rental housing units within the new development.  This proposal is also subject to a Rental Housing Demolition Application.

On December 18, 2023, the applicant appealed the Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment application to the Ontario Land Tribunal due to Council not making a decision within the time frame prescribed in the Planning Act. The applicant has also appealed the Site Plan application due to Council not making a decision within the time frame prescribed in the Planning Act.  A case management conference or hearing date has not been scheduled yet.  It is anticipated that a procedural order would be established to determine the sequencing of the various appeals to resolve the Official Plan and Zoning amendment matters prior to the Site Plan Control matters.

This report recommends that City Council instruct the City Solicitor with the appropriate City staff to attend the Ontario Land Tribunal hearing and oppose the applications in their current form and to continue discussions with the Applicant to resolve outstanding issues.

North York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council approve the Rental Housing Demolition Application File Number 19 248116 NNY 17 RH in accordance with Chapter 667 of the Toronto Municipal Code and pursuant to Section 111 of the City of Toronto Act, 2006, which allows for the demolition of forty-seven (47) existing rental dwelling units located at 680 and 688 Sheppard Avenue East, subject to the following conditions:

a. The owner shall provide and maintain forty-seven (47) replacement rental dwelling units on the subject site for a period of at least 20 years beginning from the date that each replacement rental dwelling unit is first occupied, and, during which time, no application may be submitted to the City for condominium registration, or for any other conversion to a non-rental housing purpose, or for demolition without providing for replacement. The replacement rental dwelling units shall collectively have a total gross floor area of at least 3,290.5 square metres and be comprised of two (2) studio units, fifteen (15) one-bedroom units, twenty-nine (29) two-bedroom units, and one (1) three-bedroom unit, as generally illustrated in the plans dated October 31, 2023 and submitted to the City Planning Division on November 13, 2023. Any revision to these plans shall be to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division;

b. The owner shall, as part of the forty-seven (47) replacement rental dwelling units required in Recommendation 1.a above, provide at least two (2) studio, fifteen (15) one-bedroom, twenty-nine (29) two-bedroom, and one (1) three-bedroom replacement rental dwelling units at affordable rents, defined as gross monthly rent no greater than one times the average City of Toronto rent by unit type, as reported annually by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, all for a period of at least 10 years beginning from the date of first occupancy of each unit;

c. The owner shall provide an acceptable Tenant Relocation and Assistance Plan for all Eligible Tenants of the forty-seven (47) existing rental dwelling units proposed to be demolished at 680 and 688 Sheppard Avenue East, addressing the right to return to occupy one of the replacement rental dwelling units at similar rents, the provision of rent gap assistance, and other assistance to lessen hardship. The Tenant Relocation and Assistance Plan shall be developed in consultation with, and to the satisfaction of, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division;

d. The owner shall provide an access plan addressing how replacement rental dwelling units will be occupied, including the use of the City's Centralized Affordable Rental Housing Access System or, where the system is not yet in place, to tenants who have demonstrated that they are in need of affordable rental housing through a fair and transparent process developed in consultation and to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and Executive Director, Housing Secretariat; and

e. The owner shall provide tenants of all forty seven (47) replacement rental dwelling units with access to, and use of, all indoor and outdoor amenities in the proposed 22-storey building at no extra charge. Access to, and use of, these amenities shall be on the same terms and conditions as any other resident of the building without the need to pre-book or pay a fee, unless specifically required as a customary practice for private bookings;

f. The owner shall provide ensuite laundry in each replacement rental dwelling unit at no extra charge;

g. The owner shall provide central air conditioning in each replacement rental dwelling unit within the proposed building at no extra charge;

h. The owner shall provide balconies or terraces for private and exclusive access by tenants of at least six (6) one-bedroom units and three (3) two-bedroom units, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division;

i. The owner shall provide and make available for rent at least sixteen (16) vehicle parking spaces to tenants of the replacement rental dwelling units. Such parking spaces shall be made available firstly to returning tenants who previously rented a vehicle parking space, and at similar monthly parking charges that such tenants previously paid. The remaining vehicle parking spaces shall be made available to tenants of the replacement rental units to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division;

j. The owner shall provide tenants of all replacement rental dwelling units with access to bicycle and visitor parking on the same terms and conditions as any other resident of the proposed mixed use building;

k. The owner shall provide and make available for rent a minimum of fourteen (14) storage lockers to tenants of the replacement rental dwelling units. Such storage lockers shall be made available firstly to returning tenants who previously rented a storage locker, and at similar monthly rates that such tenants previously paid. The remaining storage lockers shall be made available to tenants of the replacement rental units to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division;

l. The replacement rental dwelling units required in recommendation 1.a. above shall be made ready and available for occupancy no later than the date by which 70 percent of the new dwelling units in the proposed development, exclusive of the replacement rental dwelling units, are made available and ready for occupancy, subject to any revisions to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning; and,

m. The owner shall enter into, and register on title to the lands at subject site, an agreement pursuant to Section 111 of the City of Toronto Act, 2006 to secure the conditions outlined in Recommendations 1.a. through 1.l. above all to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division.

2. City Council authorize the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division, to issue Preliminary Approval of the Rental Housing Demolition Permit under Chapter 667 of the Toronto Municipal Code pursuant to Section 111 of the City of Toronto Act, 2006 for the demolition of the forty-seven (47) existing rental dwelling units located at 680 and 688 Sheppard Avenue East after all the following have occurred:

a. All conditions in Recommendation 1 above have been fully satisfied and secured;

b. The Official Plan Amendment has come into full force and effect;

c. The Zoning By-law Amendment has come into full force and effect;

d. The issuance of the Notice of Approval Conditions for site plan approval by the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division or their designate, pursuant to Section 114 of the City of Toronto Act, 2006;

e. The issuance of excavation and shoring permits (conditional or full permit) for the approved development on the site; and

f. The owner has confirmed, in writing, that all existing rental dwelling units proposed to be demolished are vacant.

3. City Council authorize the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building Division to issue a Rental Housing Demolition Permit under Chapter 667 of the Toronto Municipal Code after the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division has given Preliminary Approval referred to in Recommendation 2 above.

4. City Council authorize the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building Division to issue a Residential Demolition Permit under Section 33 of the Planning Act and Chapter 363 of the Toronto Municipal Code for 680 and 688 Sheppard Avenue East after the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division has given Preliminary Approval referred to in Recommendation 2 above, which may be included in the Rental Housing Demolition Permit under Chapter 667 pursuant to section 6.2 of Chapter 363, on condition that:

a. The owner removes all debris and rubble from the site immediately after demolition;

b. The owner erects solid construction hoarding to the satisfaction of the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building;

c. The owner erects the proposed building on the site no later than three (3) years from the date that the demolition of the existing rental dwelling units commences, subject to the timeframe being extended to the discretion of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division; and

d. Should the owner fail to complete the proposed building within the time specified in Recommendation 4.c. above, the City Clerk shall be entitled to enter on the collector’s roll, as with municipal property taxes, an amount equal to the sum of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000.00) per dwelling unit for which a demolition permit is issued, and that such amount shall, until payment, be a lien or charge upon the land for which the Residential Demolition Permit is issued.

5. City Council authorize the appropriate City officials to take such actions as are necessary to implement City Council's decision, including execution of the Section 111 Agreement and any other related agreements.

The North York Community Council held a statutory public meeting on April 2, 2024, and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This Rental Housing Demolition application proposes to demolish a total of 47 existing rental dwelling units at 680 and 688 Sheppard Avenue East and replace them with 47 new replacement rental dwelling units with the same unit types and sizes and at similar rents to those in effect at the time of the application.

The properties are also the subject of Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment applications (19 248099 NNY 17 OZ), which were appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal. The Ontario Land Tribunal issued a written decision on February 15, 2023, approving the Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments in principle, with the final Order being withheld until all outstanding matters, including the rental housing matters and necessary agreements with the City, are secured.

This report recommends approval of the Rental Housing Demolition application under Chapter 667 of the Toronto Municipal Code and the Residential Demolition Permit under Chapter 363 of the Toronto Municipal Code, subject to conditions to replace the existing rental housing and the provision of a Tenant Relocation and Assistance Plan for all eligible tenants of the existing rental dwelling units, including the right to return to a replacement rental dwelling unit.

North York Community Council:

1. Forwarded the item to City Council without recommendation.

The North York Community Council held a statutory public meeting on April 2, 2024, and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

The Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment application proposes to construct a 26-storey residential building, containing 305 units. The building proposes to have 19,384.5 square metres of total gross floor area, resulting in a density of 8.98 times the area of the site at 26, 28, 36 and 38 Hounslow Avenue. The application proposes to include 1,310 square metres of indoor and outdoor amenity space. Vehicular access to the site would be provided by a driveway via Hounslow Avenue and parking is proposed to be contained within 2 levels of underground parking that will provide 78 vehicular parking spaces including 18 visitor parking spaces, and 264 bicycle parking spaces.

City Planning staff have reviewed the proposal and are recommending approval in an amended form with an increase of 4 metres to the west side setback to the podium (for a total minimum west side yard setback to the podium (floors 2-5) of 5.5 metres) and a minimum rear yard setback of 1.5 metres on the ground floor.

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

This report reviews and recommends approval of the application to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law; the application proposes a redevelopment of the site to provide a residential development that supports existing transit infrastructure and is located with an area where Provincial and City policies have planned for intensification and growth.

North York Community Council:

1. Forwarded the item to City Council without recommendation.

The North York Community Council held a statutory public meeting on April 2, 2024, and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This application proposes to develop a 43-storey (135.15 metres) mixed use building at 18-28 Athabaska Avenue. The building would contain 516 residential units and a gross floor area of 31,983 square metres for a Floor Space Index of 10.81.

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

This report reviews and recommends approval of the application to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-laws. The proposed building represents an appropriate level of intensification on the site and begins to implement the vision of the Council-adopted Yonge Street North Secondary Plan (OPA 615).

This Supplementary Report provides an update to the parkland dedication recommendations contained in the report titled 18-28 Athabaska Avenue – Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment – Decision Report – Approval dated March 11, 2024 from the Director, Community Planning, North York District.

North York Community Council:

1. Forwarded the item to City Council without recommendation.

The North York Community Council held a statutory public meeting on April 2, 2024, and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This application proposes to amend the City of Toronto Official Plan and Zoning By-law to permit a 44-storey (144 metres including mechanical penthouse) mixed use building at 461 Sheppard Avenue East. The proposed building would consist of 513 dwelling units and have a gross floor area of 29,151 square metres, including 372 square metres of ground floor retail gross floor area, for a Floor Space Index of 13.07.

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

This report reviews and recommends approval of the application to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law. The proposed building represents an appropriate level of intensification on the site given its proximity to Bayview Subway Station, location within the Council-adopted Bayview Major Transit Station Area and has been designed to provide an enhanced public realm at a prominent node.

North York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council authorize the installation of traffic control signals at the intersection of Parkwoods Village Drive and Combermere Drive.

As the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) operates a transit service Parkwoods Village Drive, City Council approval of this report is required.

Transportation Services is requesting approval to install traffic control signals at the intersection of Parkwoods Village Drive and Combermere Drive. The traffic control signals will provide enhanced safety for all road users and are justified based on the assessment undertaken.

North York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council approve the naming of 125 Consumers Road to David Caplan Park and the placement of a plaque in the park to commemorate David Caplan and his contributions to the City of Toronto.

Born and raised in Toronto, David Caplan left behind an extraordinary legacy of accomplishments. Having lived most of his life in the North York area and raising his two sons, Benjamin and Jacob with his wife Leigh, he found himself drawn to public service very early on in life and later served the residents of North York for many years.  

His many accomplishments include being elected as the trustee for the North York Board of Education in 1991 (including being appointed as vice-chair of the Board in 1993). He also served on the Metropolitan Toronto School Board from 1994 to 1997 and departed as its Vice Chair when he was elected as the Member of Provincial Parliament of Oriole in 1997. He was elected shortly after as the MPP for Don Valley East in 1999 and was known to residents as one of the most accessible and hardworking MPP's, re-electing him once again in 2003.  After his career in politics, he continued on as the vice-chair of Global Public Affairs in Toronto and later became the Chief Operating Officer of the Ontario Road Builders Association serving from 2017-2018.

David Caplan's passion, commitment and years of devoted service is worthy of commemoration and celebration and 125 Consumers Road is the perfect location to do so as it stands directly across his old constituency office here in North York. The naming is also in alignment with the City's guiding principles for commemoration by sharing the story of an individual who made such an important contribution to the community, the City of Toronto and the Province of Ontario.

The Scarborough Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council amend City of Toronto Zoning By-law 569-2013 for the lands at 2771 and 2773 Victoria Park Avenue substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment attached as Attachment 5 to the report (March 14, 2024) from the Director, Community Planning, Scarborough District.

2. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the draft Zoning By-law Amendment as may be required.

The Scarborough Community Council held a statutory public meeting on April 4, 2024, and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This application proposes to amend the Zoning By-law to permit the development of a four-storey stacked and back-to-back townhouse building containing 62 dwelling units and 31 surface parking spaces.

City Planning staff have reviewed the proposal and are recommending approval of the application in an amended form. Staff will refer to the applicant's original proposal as the "Applicant's Proposal," while the amended form of the application, supported by staff, will be referred to as the "Amended Proposal."

The changes made to the proposed Zoning By-law Amendment address several concerns with the Applicant's Proposal raised through the development review process and in consultation with the community. This has resulted in an Amended Proposal with 1) greater building setbacks along Huntingwood Drive (an identified Major Street in the Official Plan) to enable the creation of an enhanced public realm; 2) a reduced massing to complement the existing physical character while having regard for the future redevelopment of the neighbourhood; 3) a minimum parking rate to reduce the impacts of parking spilling over onto neighbouring streets; and 4) amenity space for residents' exclusive use. A holding provision is placed on the lands to ensure outstanding engineering issues are resolved to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director of Engineering and Construction Services prior to permitting the development.

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

This report reviews and recommends approval of the application to amend the Zoning By-law on the basis that the Amended Proposal represents good planning and will set a positive precedent for the future redevelopment of similar sites along Huntingwood Drive and Victoria Park Avenue.

The purpose of this report is to provide updated directions on the holding provision and vehicular parking rates outlined in the Decision Report dated March 14, 2024.

The updated directions are to be reflected in the Draft Zoning By-law, and is based on the resolution with the applicant to better accommodate the Amended Proposal as supported by City staff.

The Scarborough Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council amend City of Toronto Zoning By-law 569-2013, as amended, for the lands at 1125 to 1137 Markham Road and 2141 Eglinton Avenue East substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment attached as Attachment 7 to the report (March 13, 2024) from the Director, Community Planning, Scarborough District.

2. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the draft Zoning-By-law Amendment as may be required.

3. City Council approve that in accordance with Section 42 of the Planning Act as a component of the registration of Plan of Subdivision, the conveyance to the City of an on-site parkland dedication of 830 square metres, to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation and the City Solicitor.

4. City Council approve the acceptance of on-site parkland dedication, subject to the Owner transferring the parkland to the City free and clear, above and below grade, of all easements, encumbrances, and encroachments, in an acceptable environmental condition to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation  subject to the following:

a. the Owner may propose an exception of encumbrances for tiebacks, where such an encumbrance is deemed acceptable by the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, in consultation with the City Solicitor; and

b. such an encumbrance will be subject to the payment of compensation to the City, in an amount as determined by the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation and the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management.

5. City Council approve a development charge credit against the Parks and Recreation component of the Development Charges for the design and construction by the Owner of the Above Base Park Improvements to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation. The development charge credit shall be in an amount that is the lesser of the cost to the Owner of designing and constructing the Above Base Park Improvements, as approved by the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, and the Parks and Recreation component of development charges payable for the development in accordance with the City's Development Charges By-law, as may be amended from time to time.

6. In accordance with the delegated approval under By-law 229-2000, as amended, City Council be advised that the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning intends to approve the Draft Plan of Subdivision as generally illustrated in Attachment 9 to the report (March 13, 2024) from the Director, Community Planning, Scarborough District, subject to:

a. the conditions from various City divisions generally listed in Attachment 8 to the report (March 13, 2024) from the Director, Community Planning, Scarborough District, which, except as otherwise noted, must be fulfilled prior to final approval and the release of the Plan of Subdivision for registration; and

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

7. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with the local Ward Councillor and the City Solicitor, to continue to work with the applicant to explore an in-kind community benefit package pursuant to Section 37(6) of the Planning Act that includes the provision of affordable housing units within the proposed development and to report back to City Council for further instruction on any offer of in-kind community benefits made by the owner.

The Scarborough Community Council held a statutory public meeting on April 4, 2024, and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This application proposes to amend Zoning By-law 569-2013, as amended, to permit the redevelopment of the lands at 1125 to 1137 Markham Road and 2141 Ellesmere Road. The proposal includes three towers (18, 33 and 37-storeys in height) and an 8-storey mid-rise building. The proposal also includes a public park and two public roads which would be dedicated to the City. The existing structures on the site would be demolished.

The proposed development is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement (2020) and conforms with the Growth Plan (2020). The proposed development also conforms with Site and Area Specific Policy (SASP) 322 by implementing new public road connections and adding a park to the area while maintaining commercial uses on the site. The proposal contributes to the emergence of an intensifying mixed use community at the southeast corner of Markham Road and Ellesmere Road and conforms with the Official Plan policies for Mixed Use Areas as further articulated by the Markham-Ellesmere Revitalization Study Urban Design Guidelines and Conceptual Master Plan and Site and Area Specific Policy 322.

This report reviews and recommends approval of the application to amend the Zoning By-law. The recommended Zoning By-law Amendment includes a holding provision (H) on the lands which can be lifted upon the submission of a Functional Servicing and Stormwater Management Report to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer, Engineering Construction Services. The hold would also remain in place until confirmation that a lot addition application has been approved and additional lands acquired by the owner to facilitate an interim road condition required for the development and that other matters relating to the associated plan of subdivision were in place.

A related Draft Plan of Subdivision application has been submitted. This report advises that the Interim Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning intends to approve the Draft Plan of Subdivision application to create the development block, proposed park block and new roads/widenings.

The Scarborough Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council enact the temporary use zoning by-law amendment with respect to temporary public spaces substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment attached as Attachment 1 to the report (March 14, 2024) from the Director, Zoning, and Secretary-Treasurer, Committee of Adjustment and the Director, Community Planning, Scarborough District.

2. City Council direct the Interim Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to report back to the Planning and Housing Committee prior to the expiration of the temporary use zoning by-law amendment on potential permanent city-wide modifications of zoning regulations for public spaces on private property.

3. City Council direct the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the temporary use zoning by-law amendment as may be required.

4. City Council direct the City Solicitor and appropriate staff to attend and support the temporary use by-law in its current form, should it be appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal within the statutory timeframe of the Planning Act.   

The Scarborough Community Council held a statutory public meeting on April 4, 2024, and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

PlazaPOPS, a not-for-profit organization, supports the transformation of parking lots and other under-utilized spaces into free, safe and accessible gathering places for the community and are proposing several public spaces on both public and private property in the Wexford Heights Business Improvement Area (BIA). However, Zoning By-law 569-2013 does not permit the reduction of lawfully existing parking spaces to accommodate these public spaces.

This report recommends a temporary use by-law pursuant to Section 39 of the Planning Act for three years to permit public spaces to occupy parking spaces or drive aisles leading directly to those parking spaces adjacent to commercial uses in the Wexford Heights Business Improvement Area (BIA). This will support planned public spaces to be installed and maintained in Wexford by plazaPOPS, a not-for-profit organization.

The proposed temporary use by-law will apply to all lots in the Commercial Residential (CR) Zone abutting Lawrence Avenue East between Victoria Park Avenue and Canlish Road. The by-law will also limit the size of these public spaces to 400 square metres per lot and permit entertainment such as performance, music or dancing, subject to a maximum size of 10% of the lot area and a minimum distance requirement of at least 10 metres from the Residential or Residential Apartment Zone categories.

Enabling public spaces on private property creates opportunities to support and animate the public realm, contribute to complete communities by providing places for rest, recreation and socialization, revitalize commercial main streets, and to be an asset for local businesses. Enacting a temporary use by-law will provide temporary permission for public spaces in Wexford as a pilot project, where staff can monitor the impacts of these spaces and consider potential amendments to zoning regulations on a city-wide basis.

The proposed temporary use by-law is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement (2020) and conforms with A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe and the Official Plan.

The Scarborough Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council deny the application for the proposed Clothing Drop Box Location permit at 10 Tuxedo Court.

The purpose of this staff report is to report on the refusal to issue a permit by Municipal Licensing and Standards in the matter of an application for a Clothing Drop Box Location permit at 10 Tuxedo Court.

The Scarborough Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council deny the application for the proposed Clothing Drop Box Location permit at 30 Tuxedo Court.

The purpose of this staff report is to report on the refusal to issue a permit by Municipal Licensing and Standards in the matter of an application for a Clothing Drop Box Location permit at 30 Tuxedo Court.

The Scarborough Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council deny the application for the proposed Clothing Drop Box Location permit at 215 Markham Road.

The purpose of this staff report is to report on the refusal to issue a permit by Municipal Licensing and Standards in the matter of an application for a Clothing Drop Box Location permit at 215 Markham Road.

The Scarborough Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council deny the application for the proposed Clothing Drop Box Location permit at 370 McCowan Road.

The purpose of this staff report is to report on the refusal to issue a permit by Municipal Licensing and Standards in the matter of an application for a Clothing Drop Box Location permit at 370 McCowan Road.

The Scarborough Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council deny the application for the proposed Clothing Drop Box Location permit at 567 Scarborough Golf Club Road.

The purpose of this staff report is to report on the refusal to issue a permit by Municipal Licensing & Standards in the matter of an application for Clothing Drop Box Location permit at 567 Scarborough Golf Club Road.

The Scarborough Community Council recommends that:

1.  City Council receive the report (March 15, 2024) from the Director, Traffic Management, Transportation Services for information.

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

Scarborough Community Council directed Transportation Services to conduct a review of various safety and operational concerns for road users at the intersection of Kingston Road and Collinsgrove Road.  This report provides an overview of the assessments undertaken by Transportation Services.

The Scarborough Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council designate a two-way centre left-turn only lane on Port Union Road, between a point 58 metres south of Island Road and Dear Gate.

2. City Council prohibit eastbound right-turns on red signal at all times at the intersection of Lawrence Avenue East and Port Union Road, bicycles excepted.

Construction on the Port Union Road widening project is underway. Transportation Services staff are recommending additional minor changes to Port Union Road to enhance safety and operations.

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council amend City of Toronto Zoning By-law 569-2013 for the lands at 2453-2469 Bloor Street West substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment attached as Attachment 5 to the report (March 13, 2024) from the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District.

2. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the draft Zoning By-law Amendment as may be required.

The Toronto and East York Community Council held a statutory public meeting on April 3, 2024 and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This application proposes to amend the zoning by-law to permit a 13 storey mixed-use building containing 91 dwelling units and 260 square metres of ground floor retail at 2453-2469 Bloor Street West. Staff are recommending a modified approval of a 10 storey mixed-use building to better support the existing and planned context of this area, and to maintain adequate sunlight on the public realm on Bloor Street West.

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

This report reviews and recommends modified approval of the application to amend the zoning by-law, with a holding provision. The proposal is intended to use mass-timber construction, advancing a sustainable construction method and building.

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council amend the former City of Toronto Harbourfront Zoning By-law 289-93, as amended by By-law 681-2020 (LPAT) for the lands at 350, 370, 390 and 396 Queens Quay West substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment included as Attachment 6 to the report (March 8, 2024) from the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District.

2. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make stylistic and/or technical changes to the draft Zoning By-law Amendment as may be required.

3. City Council direct the City Solicitor to withhold the necessary Bills for enactment until the owner has at its sole cost and expense:

a. submitted revised Functional Servicing Report to address matters identified in the Engineering and Construction Services memorandum dated March 4, 2024, to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services; and

b. entered into a financially secured agreement(s) with the City to secure the construction of the required improvements, where improvements to the municipal sewer and/or water system are recommended in the revised Functional Servicing Report, as accepted by the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services.

The Toronto and East York Community Council held a statutory public meeting on April 3, 2024 and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This application proposes to amend the Zoning By-law to permit a 16-storey residential tower above an existing 5-storey parkade (with a total height of 21 storeys, or 66 metres, inclusive of the mechanical penthouse) at 396 Queens Quay West. It also includes additions to the existing buildings at 390 and 396 Queens Quay West, as well as interior and exterior alterations at 350, 370 and 390 Queens Quay West. Overall, the proposal will introduce 249 new dwelling units, 43 new hotel suites, and public realm enhancements along Queens Quay West.

This report reviews and recommends approval of the application to amend the Zoning By-law. The proposed new tower and building additions are at appropriate scales for the site and surrounding area. The proposed new residential tower will provide adequate separation and privacy from existing towers to the east and west and will also provide a new supply of rental housing units for the area. Lastly, the proposal includes substantive improvements to the public realm.

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council amend the Official Plan, for the lands at 350 Bloor Street East substantially in accordance with the draft Official Plan Amendment included as Attachment 5 to the report (March 14, 2024) from the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District.

2. City Council amend City of Toronto Zoning By-law 569-2013 for the lands at 350 Bloor Street East substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment included as Attachment 6 to the report (March 14, 2024) from the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District.

3. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the draft Official Plan Amendment and draft Zoning By-law Amendment as may be required.

4. City Council direct the City Solicitor to withhold the necessary Bills for enactment, until the owner has, at its sole cost and expense:

a. entered into an agreement for the conveyance of at least 16 new affordable rental housing units with the City of Toronto and operator of the social housing program pursuant to Section 453.1 of the City of Toronto Act, 2006, to secure the provision of a social housing program on the lands and registered it in priority against title to the lands, with such terms and conditions satisfactory to the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat and the City Solicitor, and with such terms and conditions outlined in Attachment 7 to the report (March 14, 2024) from the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District;

b. submitted a revised Functional Servicing and Stormwater Management Report for review and acceptance to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services;

c. entered into a Municipal Infrastructure Agreement to financially secure the construction of any improvements to the municipal infrastructure in connection with the accepted Functional Servicing Report by the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services, should it be determined that improvements to such infrastructure are required; and

d. submitted a detailed Reconstruction Plan, prepared by a qualified heritage consultant that is substantially in accordance with the reconstruction strategy set out in the Heritage Impact Assessment dated February 12, 2024, prepared by ERA Architects Inc., for the property at 350 Bloor Street East, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning.

5. City Council request that the owner make reasonable commercial efforts to convey off-site parkland to the City equal to the value of the on-site parkland dedication, in fulfilment of the parkland dedication requirements pursuant to Section 42 of the Planning Act, with the off-site parkland dedication to be acceptable to the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation and free and clear of any above or below grade encumbrances, with the exception of any encumbrances as may be otherwise approved by the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, to be conveyed prior to the issuance of the first above grade building permit; and

a. in the event that the off-site parkland dedication is less than the value of the on-site parkland dedication, then the owner will pay cash-in-lieu of parkland to make up for the shortfall in parkland dedication, prior to the issuance of the first above grade building permit;
 

b. in the event that the owner is unable to provide an acceptable off-site parkland dedication to the City, the owner will be required to satisfy the parkland dedication requirement through the payment of cash-in-lieu; and

c. the value of the cash-in-lieu of parkland dedication will be appraised through Real Estate Services and payment will be required prior to the issuance of the first above grade building permit.

6. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with the local Ward Councillor and the City Solicitor, to continue to work with the applicant to explore an in-kind community benefit package pursuant to 37(6) of the Planning Act, and to report back to City Council for further instruction on any offer of in-kind community benefits made by the applicant.

7. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to secure the following through the site plan approval process:

a. an outdoor, publicly accessible source of drinking water;

b. outdoor seating, to be located within or adjacent to the public right-of-way for public use, in consultation with Transportation Services; and

c. low-carbon energy strategy as part of the site plan agreement that includes at least the following sustainability measures:

1. a highly energy-efficient building envelope;

2. low carbon building heating and cooling, including Energy Recovery Units that provide sensible and latent heat recovery from ventilation in each suite;

3. ample electrical outlets for bicycle charging in the interior bicycle parking area;

4. fixtures and appliances that are efficient in their use of water and energy;

5. rainwater capture, used for site irrigation;

6. electric-only appliances or fireplaces for a minimum of 85 percent of the residential units;

7. motion sensor-controlled LED lighting in common areas;

8. accommodation for future solar photovoltaic system;

9. improved Stormwater Management Measures;

10. installation of outdoor (dark sky) downward lighting;

11. provision of indoor space dedication for household hazardous waste;

12. diversion of 75 percent of total construction waste from landfill;

13. installation of 16.0 metre height of exterior glazing as bird friendly;

14. Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment spaces for 100 percent of motor vehicle parking;

15. installation of cabinet space in kitchen suites for segregated waste;

16. upgrading the cycle-tracks directly in front of 350 Bloor Street East to raised cycle tracks, further enhancing safety for cyclists and promoting the use of alternative modes of transportation for residents of the new building and the wider community;

17. provision of 807 bicycle parking spaces for the 806 residential units, at a rate of 1.0 spaces/unit, to encourage cycling;  two bike repair stations are proposed as part of the development;

18. a direct entrance to the bike room from Mount Pleasant Road;

19. narrowing of Mount Pleasant Road on-ramp by implementing a “lane diet” to reduce the width of the travel lane along Mount Pleasant Road; the existing lane measures 7.3 metres - 8.8 metres, and the narrowing will reduce the travel lane to 4.5 metres; this reduction will allow for the addition of approximately 3 metres of boulevard space along the east side of Mount Pleasant Road to be allocated for a wider pedestrian sidewalk with new trees and planting zones;

20. improvements to the Bloor Street East and Mount Pleasant Road intersection to shorten the pedestrian crossing, and to implement further safety measures with raised islands and buffers for cyclists;

21. a detailed feasibility study of the implementation of Toronto Green Standard version 4.0 Tier 2 and geothermal energy to City of Toronto staff; and

22. providing a one-year Bike Share membership for all units at time of occupancy.

8. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services to review and report back on the feasibility of amending Schedule B of the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 925, Permit Parking, to exclude the development located at 350 Bloor Street East from Permit Parking.

9. City Council request the applicant to regularly consult the Bloor East Residents’ Association in the preparation of its site plan, as the applicant has committed to do.

The Toronto and East York Community Council held a statutory public meeting on April 3, 2024 and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This report reviews and recommends approval of the application to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law to permit a 63-storey mixed-use building with 806 dwelling units, and a minimum of 400 square metres of non-residential gross floor area. 1,300 square metres of gross floor area will be dedicated to new affordable housing.

The Official Plan Amendment is required to permit development within 10 metres of the top-of-bank of a ravine, and to allow for the reduction of office uses and provision of a minimum gross floor area as affordable housing.

The Toronto and East York Community Council forwards the Item to City Council without recommendation.

The Toronto and East York Community Council held a statutory public meeting on April 3, 2024 and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This report reviews and recommends approval of the application to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law to re-designate the lands from Neighbourhoods to Apartment Neighbourhoods, and to permit an 11-storey (39.5 metres excluding mechanical penthouse) residential building with 64 dwelling units. The application also proposes to demolish three rental dwelling units located in the 3-storey designated heritage building at 171 Lowther Avenue, which is proposed to be partially conserved and integrated within the new development.

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council amend City of Toronto Zoning By-law 569-2013 for the lands at 931 Yonge Street substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment attached as Attachment 7 to the report (March 14, 2024) from the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District.

2. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the draft Zoning By-law Amendment as may be required.

3. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services to review and report back on the feasibility of amending Schedule B of the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 925, Permit Parking, to exclude the development located at 931 Yonge Street from Permit Parking.

The Toronto and East York Community Council held a statutory public meeting on April 3, 2024 and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This report reviews and recommends approval of the application to amend the Zoning By-law to permit a 32-storey (99.3 metres, excluding the mechanical penthouse) mixed-use building with 250 dwelling units, and 150 square metres of commercial space on the ground floor. The application is part of the ModernTO program and proposes a minimum of 33 percent of the units to be secured as affordable.

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council amend the Official Plan for the lands at 34-42 Maitland Street substantially in accordance with the draft Official Plan Amendment attached as Attachment 5 to the report (March 14, 2024) from the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District.

2. City Council amend City of Toronto Zoning By-law 569-2013 for the lands at 34-42 Maitland Street substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment attached as Attachment 6 to the report (March 14, 2024) from the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District.

3. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the draft Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments as may be required.

4. Before introducing the necessary Bills to City Council for enactment, City Council require the owner to submit a Functional Servicing Report for review and acceptance to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services; the report will determine whether the municipal water, sanitary and storm sewer systems can support the proposed development and whether upgrades or improvements of the existing municipal infrastructure are required.

5. City Council approve the Rental Housing Demolition Application (File 23 103089 STE 13 RH) in accordance with Chapter 667 of the Toronto Municipal Code and pursuant to Section 111 of the City of Toronto Act, 2006, which allows for the demolition of 55 existing rental dwelling units located at 36-42 Maitland Street, subject to the following conditions:

a. the owner shall provide and maintain 55 replacement rental dwelling units on the subject site for a period of at least 20 years beginning from the date that each replacement rental dwelling unit is first occupied and, during which time, no application may be submitted to the City for condominium registration, or for any other conversion to a non-rental housing purpose, or for demolition without providing for replacement; the replacement rental dwelling units shall collectively have a total gross floor area of at least 3,876.4 square metres and be comprised of 3 studio units, 26 one-bedroom units, and 26 two-bedroom units as generally illustrated in the plans submitted to the City Planning Division dated February 23, 2024; and any revision to these plans shall be to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning;

b. the owner shall, as part of the 55 replacement rental dwelling units required in Recommendation 5.a. above, provide at least 2 one-bedroom units, and 9 two-bedroom units at affordable rents, 3 studio units, and 2 one-bedroom units at mid-range (affordable) rents, and 21 one-bedroom units, and 17 two-bedroom units at mid-range (moderate) rents as currently defined in the City's Official Plan, all for a period of at least 10 years beginning from the date of first occupancy of each unit; the rent of the remaining 1 one-bedroom replacement rental dwelling units is not required to be affordable or mid-range; and rents shall not include additional charges for ensuite laundry or central air conditioning;

c. the owner shall provide an acceptable Tenant Relocation and Assistance Plan to all Eligible Tenants of the 55 existing rental dwelling units proposed to be demolished at 36-42 Maitland Street, addressing the right to return to occupy one of the replacement rental dwelling units at similar rents, the provision of rent gap assistance, and other assistance to lessen hardship; the Tenant Relocation and Assistance Plan shall be developed in consultation with, and to the satisfaction of, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning;

d. the owner shall provide tenant relocation and assistance to all Post Application Tenants, all to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning;

e. the owner shall provide tenants of all 55 replacement rental dwelling units with access to, and use of, all indoor and outdoor amenities in the proposed 56-storey building; access to, and use of, these amenities shall be on the same terms and conditions as any other resident of the building without the need to pre-book or pay a fee, unless specifically required as an established practice for private bookings;

f. the owner shall provide ensuite laundry in each replacement rental dwelling unit;

g. the owner shall provide central air conditioning in each replacement rental dwelling unit;

h. the owner shall provide and make available for rent at least 9 vehicle parking spaces to tenants of the replacement rental dwelling units; such parking spaces shall be made available firstly to returning tenants who previously rented a vehicle parking space, and at similar monthly parking charges that such tenants previously paid; and the remaining vehicle parking spaces shall be made available to tenants of the replacement rental units to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning;

i. the owner shall provide tenants of all replacement rental dwelling units with access to bicycle and visitor parking on the same terms and conditions as any other resident of the proposed building;

j. the replacement rental dwelling units required in Recommendation 5.a. above shall be made ready and available for occupancy no later than the date by which 70 percent of the new dwelling units in the proposed development, exclusive of the replacement rental dwelling units, are made available and ready for occupancy, subject to any revisions to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning; and

k. the owner shall enter into, and register on title to the lands at 34-42 Maitland Street an Agreement pursuant to Section 111 of the City of Toronto Act, 2006, to secure the conditions outlined in Recommendations 5.a. through 5.j. above, all to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

6. City Council authorize the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to issue Preliminary Approval of the Rental Housing Demolition Permit under Chapter 667 of the Toronto Municipal Code for the demolition of the 55 existing rental dwelling units located at 36-42 Maitland Street after all the following have occurred:

a. all conditions in Recommendation 5 above have been fully satisfied and secured;

b. the issuance of the Notice of Approval Conditions for site plan approval by the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning or their designate, pursuant to Section 114 of the City of Toronto Act, 2006;

c. the issuance of excavation and shoring permits (conditional or full permit) for the approved development on the site; and

d. the owner has confirmed, in writing, that the 55 existing rental dwelling units are vacant.

7. City Council authorize the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building to issue a Rental Housing Demolition Permit under Chapter 667 of the Toronto Municipal Code after the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning has given Preliminary Approval referred to in Recommendation 6 above.

8. City Council authorize the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building to issue a Residential Demolition Permit under Section 33 of the Planning Act and Chapter 363 of the Toronto Municipal Code for 36-42 Maitland Street after the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning has given Preliminary Approval referred to in Recommendation 7 above, which may be included in the Rental Housing Demolition Permit under Chapter 667 pursuant to section 6.2 of Chapter 363, on condition that:

a. the owner removes all debris and rubble from the site immediately after demolition;

b. the owner erects solid construction hoarding to the satisfaction of the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building;

c. the owner erects the proposed building on site no later than 3 years from the date that demolition of the existing rental dwelling units commences, subject to the timeframe being extended to the discretion of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning; and

d. should the owner fail to complete the proposed building within the time specified in Recommendation 8.c. above, the City Clerk shall be entitled to enter on the collector’s roll, as with municipal property taxes, an amount equal to the sum of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000.00) per dwelling unit for which a demolition permit is issued, and that such amount shall, until payment, be a lien or charge upon the land for which the Residential Demolition Permit is issued.

9. City Council authorize the appropriate City officials to take such actions as are necessary to implement City Council's decision, including execution of the Section 111 Agreement and any other related agreements.

The Toronto and East York Community Council requested the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with the local Ward Councillor and the City Solicitor, to continue to work with the applicant on the provision of in-kind affordable housing pursuant to 37(6) of the Planning Act and report back to the April 17, 18 and 19, 2024 meeting of City Council if an in-kind community benefits charge offer is made by the applicant.

The Toronto and East York Community Council held a statutory public meeting on April 3, 2024 and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This report reviews and recommends approval of the application to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law to permit a 56-storey (176.5 metres, excluding mechanical penthouse) residential building at 34-42 Maitland Street. The proposal includes 532 dwelling units with 55 rental replacement units. The Official Plan amendment to Site and Area Specific Policy (SASP) 382 is required to permit a tall building on the site.

This report recommends approval of the Rental Housing Demolition application, including a Tenant Relocation and Assistance Plan, that addresses the right for existing tenants to return to replacement rental dwelling units at similar rent and financial compensation to lessen hardship.

The site contains two Part IV designated heritage properties at 36-42 Maitland Street. The front façades of the heritage buildings are proposed to be retained in situ, while portions of the west façade of 36 Maitland Street and the east façade of 42 Maitland Street are proposed to be panelized and reassembled.

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council amend the Official Plan for the lands at 646-664 Yonge Street and 2-4 Irwin Avenue substantially in accordance with the draft Official Plan Amendment attached as Attachment 5 to the revised report (March 28, 2024) from the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District.

2. City Council amend City of Toronto Zoning By-law 569-2013 for the lands at 646-664 Yonge Street substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment attached as Attachment 6 to the revised report (March 28, 2024) from the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District.

3. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the draft Official Plan Amendment and draft Zoning By-law Amendment as may be required.

4. City Council approve the Rental Housing Demolition Application (File 22 242933 STE 13 RH) in accordance with Chapter 667 of the Toronto Municipal Code and pursuant to Section 111 of the City of Toronto Act, 2006 which allows for the demolition of 15 existing rental dwelling units located at 648 Yonge Street, 660 Yonge Street and 664 Yonge Street subject to the following conditions:

a. the owner shall provide and maintain 15 replacement rental dwelling units on the subject site for a period of at least 20 years beginning from the date that each replacement rental dwelling unit is first occupied and, during which time, no application may be submitted to the City for condominium registration, or for any other conversion to a non-rental housing purpose, or for demolition without providing for replacement; the 15 replacement rental dwelling units shall be comprised of 1 studio unit, 10 one-bedroom units, and 4 two-bedroom units as generally illustrated in the plans submitted to the City Planning Division dated October 11, 2023; any revision to these plans shall be to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning;

b. the owner shall, as part of the 15 replacement rental dwelling units required in Recommendation 4.a. above, provide at least 1 studio replacement rental dwelling unit at affordable rent, 1 one-bedroom unit at mid-range (affordable) rent, and 9 one-bedroom units, and 4 two-bedroom units at mid-range (moderate) rents as currently defined in the City's Official Plan, all for a period of at least 10 years beginning from the date of first occupancy of the replacement rental units;

c. the owner shall provide an acceptable Tenant Relocation and Assistance Plan for all Eligible Tenants of the 15 existing rental dwelling units proposed to be demolished at 648 Yonge Street, 660 Yonge Street, and 664 Yonge Street, addressing the right to return to occupy one of the replacement rental dwelling units at similar rents, the provision of rent gap assistance, and other assistance to mitigate hardship; the Tenant Relocation and Assistance Plan shall be developed in consultation with, and to the satisfaction of, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning;

d. the owner shall provide tenant relocation and assistance to all Post Application Tenants, all to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning;

e. the owner shall provide tenants of all 15 replacement rental dwelling units with access to, and use of, all indoor and outdoor amenities in the proposed 75-storey mixed-use building at no extra charge; access to, and use of, these amenities shall be on the same terms and conditions as any other resident of the building without the need to pre-book or pay a fee, unless specifically required as a customary practice for private bookings;

f. the owner shall provide ensuite laundry in each replacement rental dwelling unit within the proposed mixed-use building at no extra charge;

g. the owner shall provide central air conditioning in each replacement rental dwelling unit within the proposed mixed-use building at no extra charge;

h. the owner shall provide tenants of the 15 replacement rental dwelling units with access to all bicycle and visitor parking on the same terms and conditions as any other resident of the proposed mixed-use building;

i. the 15 replacement rental units shall be made ready and available for occupancy no later than the date by which 70 percent of the new dwelling units in the proposed development, exclusive of the replacement rental units, are made available and ready for occupancy, subject to any revisions to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning; and

j. the owner shall enter into, and register on title at 646-664 Yonge Street and 2-4 Irwin Avenue, an Agreement pursuant to Section 111 of the City of Toronto Act, 2006, to secure the conditions outlined above, all to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

5. City Council authorize the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to issue Preliminary Approval of the Rental Housing Demolition Permit under Chapter 667 of the Toronto Municipal Code for the demolition of the 15 existing rental dwelling units located at 648 Yonge Street, 660 Yonge Street and 664 Yonge Street after all the following have occurred:

a. all conditions in Recommendation 4 above have been fully satisfied and secured;

b. the issuance of the Notice of Approval Conditions for Site Plan approval by the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning or their designate, pursuant to Section 114 of the City of Toronto Act, 2006 or as otherwise authorized by the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning;

c. the issuance of excavation and shoring permits (conditional or full permit) for the approved development on the site; and

d. the owner has confirmed, in writing, that all existing rental dwelling units proposed to be demolished are vacant.

6. City Council authorize the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building to issue a Rental Housing Demolition Permit under Chapter 667 of the Toronto Municipal Code after the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning has given Preliminary Approval referred to in Recommendation 5 above.

7. City Council authorize the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building to issue a Residential Demolition Permit under Section 33 of the Planning Act and Chapter 363 of the Toronto Municipal Code for 648 Yonge Street, 660 Yonge Street and 664 Yonge Street after the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning has given Preliminary Approval referred to in Recommendation 6 above, which may be included in the Rental Housing Demolition Permit under Chapter 667 pursuant to section 6.2 of Chapter 363, on condition that:

a. the owner removes all debris and rubble from the site immediately after demolition;

b. the owner erects solid construction hoarding to the satisfaction of the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building;

c. the owner erects the proposed building on the site no later than 3 years from the date on which the demolition of the existing rental dwelling units commences, subject to the timeframe being extended to the discretion of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning; and

d. should the owner fail to complete the proposed building within the time specified in Recommendation 7.c. above, the City Clerk shall be entitled to enter on the collector’s roll, as with municipal property taxes, an amount equal to the sum of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000.00) per dwelling unit for which a demolition permit is issued, and that such amount shall, until payment, be a lien or charge upon the land for which the Residential Demolition Permit is issued.

8. City Council authorize the appropriate City officials to take such actions as are necessary to implement City Council's decision, including execution of the Section 111 Agreement and other related agreements.

9. City Council approve that the required parkland dedication of 134 square metres pursuant to Section 42 of the Planning Act for lands municipally known as 646-664 Yonge Street and 2-4 Irwin Avenue ("646 Yonge Parkland Dedication") may be fulfilled, in whole or in part, by the over-dedication of 302 square metres of on-site parkland secured in connection with the rezoning approval for the property municipally known as 475 Yonge Street (the "Over-Dedication Credit Lands"), in accordance with City Council Decision Item 2023.TE8.5, and subject to the following:

a. prior to the issuance of the first above-grade building permit for the 646-664 Yonge Street and 2-4 Irwin Avenue development, there is a Section 37 Agreement and a section 118 restriction under the Land Titles Act registered on title to lands municipally known as 475 Yonge Street securing the Over Dedication Credit Lands;

b. the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation has confirmed in writing that the over-dedication credit has not been fully used by other benefitting developments, and the amount of over-dedication remaining;

c. if, prior to the issuance of the first above grade building permit for the 646-664 Yonge Street and 2-4 Irwin Avenue development, a Section 37 Agreement and Section 118 restriction under the Land Titles Act securing the Over Dedication Lands have not been registered, or the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation has confirmed there is no over-dedication credit remaining or there is insufficient credit remaining to fully fulfil the 646 Yonge Parkland Dedication requirement, then the owner of the 646-664 Yonge Street and 2-4 Irwin Avenue shall provide a cash-in-lieu of land payment to fulfil or partially fulfil the 646 Yonge Parkland Dedication in accordance with Chapter 415, Article III of the Toronto Municipal Code, all to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation;

d. if there is confirmed over-dedication credit remaining which can fulfil or partially fulfil the 646 Yonge Parkland Dedication, and the owner of 646-664 Yonge Street and 2-4 Irwin Avenue elects to use the over dedication credit but the Over-Dedication Credit Lands have not yet been conveyed to the City, the owner of 646-664 Yonge Street and 2-4 Irwin Avenue or the owner of 475 Yonge Street shall provide the City with a Letter of Credit, in the City's standard form, to secure the value of the cash-in-lieu of land payment for the 646 Yonge Parkland Dedication or part thereof that will be fulfilled by the over dedication credit on the 475 Yonge Street lands, prior to the issuance of the first above-grade building permit for the 646-664 Yonge Street and 2-4 Irwin Avenue development, all to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, and the amount of over-dedication credit remaining shall be reduced by the amount being used to fulfil or partially fulfil the 646 Yonge Parkland Dedication;  

e. the Letter of Credit required in Recommendation 9.d. above shall be indexed upwards in accordance with the Non-Residential Building Construction Price Index for the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, as reported quarterly by Statistics Canada in Building Construction Price Indexes Publication 18-10-0135-01, or its successor two years from the date it is received by the City and increased on each succeeding anniversary date by the amount of the Construction Price Index for the previous year, all to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation; and

f. if the conveyance of the Over-Dedication Lands described in Part 8.a.ii. of City Council Decision Item 2023.TE8.5 has not occurred within six years from the date the Letter of Credit required in Recommendation 9.d. above is received by the City, the City may draw upon the Letter of Credit for a cash-in-lieu of land payment in fulfilment or partial fulfilment of the parkland dedication requirements for the 646-664 Yonge Street and 2-4 Irwin Avenue development and neither the owner of 646-664 Yonge Street and 2-4 Irwin Avenue or the owner of 475 Yonge Street may object.

10. Before introducing the necessary Bills to City Council for enactment, City Council require the owner to:

a. enter into a Heritage Easement Agreement with the City for the properties at 650 (650A and 652) and 664 Yonge Street substantially in accordance with the plans and drawings dated November 10, 2023, prepared by AS + GG Canada Partnership and the Heritage Impact Assessment dated December 16, 2022, prepared by ERA Architects Inc., subject to and in accordance with the Conservation Plan required in Recommendation 10.b. below, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, including execution of such agreement to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor;

b. provide a detailed Conservation Plan, prepared by a qualified heritage consultant that is consistent with the conservation strategy set out in the Heritage Impact Assessment dated December 16, 2022, prepared by ERA Architects Inc., to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning;

c. provide a Reconstruction Plan for the properties at 646, 648, 654, 656 and 658 Yonge Street that is consistent with the conservation strategy set out in the Heritage Impact Assessment dated December 16, 2022, prepared by ERA Architects Inc., prepared by a qualified heritage consultant, with such Plan being satisfactory to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning;

d. withdraw their appeal(s) of the Historic Yonge Street Heritage Conservation District Plan as it relates to 646-664 Yonge Street and 2-4 Irwin Avenue, and if not an appellant, but rather a party to such appeals, the owner shall withdraw as a party and not seek any party or participant status on the appeals, or advise the City Solicitor, in writing, that they shall not object to the Historic Yonge Street Heritage Conservation District Plan and only maintain a monitoring brief of the hearing on the merits; and

e. enter into an Agreement, or similar legal instrument, between the owner of 646-664 Yonge Street and 2-4 Irwin Avenue, the owner of 668 Yonge Street, and the City as applicable, to be registered on title to 668 Yonge Street that would prevent the erection of a building above the existing height permissions, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the City Solicitor.

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

The Toronto and East York Community Council requested the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with the local Ward Councillor and the City Solicitor, to continue to work with the applicant on the provision of in-kind affordable or supportive housing pursuant to 37(6) of the Planning Act and report back to the April 17, 18 and 19, 2024 meeting of City Council if an in-kind community benefits charge offer is made by the applicant.

The Toronto and East York Community Council held a statutory public meeting on April 3, 2024 and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act and the City of Toronto Act, 2006.

This report reviews and recommends approval of the application to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law to permit a 75-storey mixed-use building (254 metres including mechanical penthouse) containing residential and retail uses on 646-664 Yonge Street and 2-4 Irwin Avenue. The proposal includes 647 dwelling units (including 15 rental replacement units) and 364 square metres of non-residential retail space fronting onto Yonge Street and Irwin Avenue. A new 136 square metre open space is proposed along Irwin Avenue. The Official Plan Amendment to Site and Area Specific Policy 382 is required to permit the proposed building on the site.

The site contains Part IV designated heritage properties at 650 and 664 Yonge Street. The development proposal involves the in-situ retention of a portion of both significant heritage buildings, including the front elevations. 654-658 and 646-648 Yonge Street will be reconstructed to match the historic design.

This report also reviews and recommends approval of the Rental Housing Demolition Application. The proposal includes a Tenant Relocation and Assistance Plan that addresses the right of existing tenants to return to replacement rental units at similar rents and financial compensation to mitigate hardship.

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1. In accordance with the delegated approval under By-law 229-2000, as amended, City Council be advised that the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning intends to approve the Draft Plan of Subdivision as generally illustrated in Attachment 4 to the report (March 12, 2024) from the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District subject to:

a. the conditions as generally listed in Attachment 5 to the report (March 12, 2024) from the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District which, except as otherwise noted, must be fulfilled prior final approval and the release of the Plan of Subdivision for registration; and

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

The Toronto and East York Community Council held a statutory public meeting on April 3, 2024 and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This report advises that the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning intends to approve the Draft Plan of Subdivision to divide 6 Dawes Road into four blocks including mixed-use development parcels (Block 1 and Block 2), a public park (Block 3) and lands that will allow for a new public road extension (Block 4).

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

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council refuse the application for a Zoning By-law Amendment (Application 23 216060 STE 10 OZ) in its current form for the lands municipally known as 70-86 Lynn Williams Street.

2. In the event the applications are appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal, City Council, pursuant to subsection 34(11.0.0.1) of the Planning Act, use mediation, conciliation or other dispute resolution techniques in an attempt to resolve the Zoning By-law Amendment application, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the City Solicitor.

3. City Council direct the City Clerk, should an appeal be filed, to notify all persons or public bodies who may have filed an appeal to this decision of City Council’s intention to rely on subsection 34(11.0.0.1) of the Planning Act and the City Clerk shall provide notice to all prescribed persons or public bodies under subsection 34(11.0.0.2) of the Planning Act. 

4. City Council direct the City Clerk, should an appeal be filed, to notify the Ontario Land Tribunal of City Council’s intention pursuant to subsection 34(11.0.0.1) of the Planning Act, and that the Ontario Land Tribunal shall receive the record, the notice of appeal and other prescribed documents and materials seventy-five (75) days after the last day for filing a notice of appeal for these matters.

5. Should the Zoning By-law Amendment applications be resolved, and there is no appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal or the appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal has been withdrawn, City Council direct the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District, to bring forward an Approval Report to the July 10, 2024 Toronto and East York Community Council meeting for a statutory public meeting as required under the Planning Act.

6. City Council authorize the City Solicitor and other appropriate staff to take any necessary steps to implement City Council's decision.

This application proposes to amend the Zoning By-law to permit a 43-storey mixed-use building containing 588 rental dwelling units at 70-86 Lynn Williams Street.

The application in its current form is not supportable. It does not meet Official Plan policies in terms of public realm and built form. Moreover, the proposal does not appropriately respond to existing heritage resources and fails to meet servicing requirements.

This report recommends refusal of the application to amend the Zoning By-law because the outstanding issues could not be resolved within the legislated timeline for decision of 90 days. If City Council does not make a decision within the legislated timeline, the City may be subject to a request to refund all or part of the application fees. The report also recommends that staff work with the applicant to use mediation to resolve the outstanding issues.

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council refuse the Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment Applications in their current form, for the lands municipally known as 68-78 Wellesley Street East and 505-509 Church Street.

2. In the event the applications are appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal, City Council, pursuant to subsections 22(8.1) and 34(11.0.0.1) of the Planning Act, use mediation, conciliation or other dispute resolution techniques in an attempt to resolve the Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment applications, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the City Solicitor.

3. City Council direct the City Clerk, should an appeal be filed, to notify all persons or public bodies who may have filed an appeal to this decision of City Council’s intention to rely on subsections 22(8.1) and 34(11.0.0.1) of the Planning Act and the City Clerk shall provide notice to all prescribed persons or public bodies under subsections 22(8.2) and 34(11.0.0.2) of the Planning Act. 

4. City Council direct the City Clerk, should an appeal be filed, to notify the Ontario Land Tribunal of City Council’s intention pursuant to subsections 22(8.1) and 34(11.0.0.1) of the Planning Act, and that the Ontario Land Tribunal shall receive the record, the notice of appeal and other prescribed documents and materials seventy-five (75) days after the last day for filing a notice of appeal for these matters.

5. City Council authorize the City Solicitor and other appropriate staff to take any necessary steps to implement City Council's decision.

6. City Council direct the City Solicitor to request, in the event of an appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal, the Ontario Land Tribunal to withhold its final order, until the following conditions are met:

a. the final form of the Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments are to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and the City Solicitor, including any appropriate holding (H) provisions;

b. City Council has approved Rental Housing Demolition Application 24 109955 STE 13 RH under Chapter 667 of the Toronto Municipal Code pursuant to Section 111 of the City of Toronto Act, 2006 to permit the demolition of the existing rental housing, and the owner has entered into, and registered on title to the lands, one or more agreements with the City, to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, securing all rental housing-related matters necessary to implement City Council’s decision including:

i. replacement of the existing 17 rental dwelling units, including the same number of units, bedroom type and size and with similar rents; and

ii. an acceptable Tenant Relocation and Assistance Plan addressing the right for existing tenants to return to a replacement rental unit on the lands at similar rents, the provision of rent gap assistance, and other assistance to lessen hardship, all to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning;

c. the applicant has resolved all comments from Engineering and Construction Services contained in their March 5, 2024 memorandum to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services;

d. the owner shall revise the Functional Servicing and Stormwater Management Reports prepared by Counterpoint Engineering, and re-submit to the City for review and acceptance by Engineering and Construction Services; the report will determine whether the municipal water, sanitary and storm sewer systems can support the proposed development and whether upgrades or improvements of the existing municipal infrastructure are required;

e. the owner shall enter into a financially secured agreement for the construction of any improvements to the municipal infrastructure, should it be determined that upgrades and road improvements are required to support the development, according to the transportation report accepted by the General Manager, Transportation Services and the functional servicing report accepted by the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services;

f. enter into a Heritage Easement Agreement with the City for the property at 68 Wellesley Street East, substantially in accordance with the plans and drawings, prepared by the applicant architect, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, including execution of such agreement to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor; and

g. provide a detailed Conservation Plan, prepared by a qualified heritage consultant that is consistent with the conservation strategy set out in a forthcoming Heritage Impact Assessment for 68 Wellesley Street East, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning.

This report reviews and recommends refusal of the Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment to work with the applicant to use mediation to resolve the outstanding issues regarding their proposal for a 28-storey mixed use building at 68-78 Wellesley Street East and 505-509 Church Street. The proposed building would contain 258 residential units and 620 square metres of non-residential gross floor area.

The proposed built form and massing is not consistent with the Church Street Character Area policies of Site and Area Specific Policy 382 in the Official Plan. The outstanding issues cannot be resolved within the legislated timeline for decision of 120 days. If City Council does not make a decision within the legislated timeline, the City may be subject to a request to refund all or part of the application fees.

The application proposes to maintain and reconstruct portions of the existing designated Heritage building on site. A related Rental Housing Demolition and Conversion application proposing to replace the existing 17 rental dwelling units is currently under review. 

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council direct the City Solicitor and appropriate City staff to attend the Ontario Land Tribunal to oppose the appeal of the Zoning By-law Amendment in its current form for the lands at 467-479 Wellington Street West and 33 Draper Street and City Council authorize the City Solicitor and appropriate City staff to continue discussions with the applicant in an attempt to resolve outstanding matters.

2. In the event that the Ontario Land Tribunal allows the appeal in whole or in part, City Council direct the City Solicitor to request the Ontario Land Tribunal to withhold issuance of its final Order until such time as the City Solicitor advises that:

a. the final form and content of the draft Zoning By-law is to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the City Solicitor; and

b. the owner has at its sole cost and expense:

i. submitted a revised Functional Servicing Report, Stormwater Management Report, and Hydrogeological Review, including the Foundation Drainage Report or addendums ("Engineering Reports"), to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services, in consultation with the General Manager, Toronto Water;

ii. secured the design and provision of financial securities for any upgrades or required improvements to the existing municipal infrastructure identified in the accepted Engineering Reports, to support the development, all to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services, should it be determined that improvements or upgrades are required to support the development; and

iii. ensured the implementation of the accepted Engineering Reports does not require changes to the proposed amending By-laws or any such required changes have been made to the proposed amending By-laws, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and the City Solicitor, including the use of a Holding ("H") By-law symbol regarding any new infrastructure or upgrades to existing municipal servicing infrastructure, as may be required.

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

On July 20, 2022, a Zoning By-law Amendment application was submitted seeking permission for a 23-storey mixed-use building containing 225 dwelling units at 467-479 Wellington Street West and 33 Draper Street. The applicant appealed the application to the Ontario Land Tribunal ("OLT") due to Council not making a decision within the time frame prescribed in the Planning Act.

This report recommends that the City Solicitor and appropriate City staff attend the OLT hearing to oppose the application in its current form and continue discussions with the applicant to resolve outstanding issues.

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council direct the City Solicitor and appropriate City staff to attend the Ontario Land Tribunal in opposition to the current application regarding the Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment appeal for the lands at 595 Bay Street and 306 Yonge Street and to continue discussions with the applicant in an attempt to resolve outstanding issues.

2. In the event that the Ontario Land Tribunal allows the appeal in whole or in part, City Council authorize the City Solicitor to request that the issuance of any final Orders be withheld until such time as the City Solicitor advises that:

a. the final form and content of the draft Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment are to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning; and

b. the owner has at its sole cost and expense:

1. submitted a revised Functional Servicing and Stormwater Management Report, Servicing Report Groundwater Summary Form, and Hydrological Review Summary Form ("Engineering Reports") to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services, in consultation with the General Manager, Toronto Water;

2. secured the design and provision of financial securities for any upgrades or required improvements to the existing municipal infrastructure identified in the accepted Engineering Reports, to support the development, all to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services and the General Manager, Toronto Water, should it be determined that improvements or upgrades are required to support the development; and

3. ensured the implementation of the accepted Engineering Reports does not require changes to the proposed amending By-laws or any such required changes have been made to the proposed amending By-laws, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and the City Solicitor, including the use of a Holding ("H") By-law symbol regarding any new infrastructure or upgrades to existing municipal servicing infrastructure as may be required.

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

On November 8, 2021, an Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment application was submitted to permit a 34-storey (113.9 metres, including mechanical penthouse) mixed-use building containing 317 dwelling units and 2,998 square metres of non-residential gross floor area. The 4 to 8-storey building at the northeast corner of the existing Atrium on Bay retail and office building would be demolished to accommodate the proposed development. The remainder of the Atrium on Bay, including the existing office towers, would be retained.

The applicant submitted an Official Plan Amendment application which proposes to create a Site and Area Specific Policy that would permit the new 34-storey building without replacement of the demolished office gross floor area. The Zoning By-law Amendment application proposes to amend Zoning By-law 438-86, as amended by Site-specific Zoning By-law 1725-2013, to permit the proposed development. The application also proposes to bring the site into Zoning By-law 569-2013.

The site is located within the eastern flight path for The Hospital for Sick Children heliport. The proposed building height exceeds the height that would be permitted by the flight path regulations for this site.

On January 12, 2024, the applicant appealed the Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment application to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) due to Council not making a decision within the time frame in the Planning Act.

This report recommends that the City Solicitor and appropriate City staff attend the OLT hearing to oppose the application in its current form and continue discussions with the applicant to resolve outstanding issues.