Decisions

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:

1. Endorsed the contents of the report (March 14, 2024) from the Interim Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning as the basis for public consultation and request staff report back with final recommendations in the fourth quarter of 2024 in conjunction with the Growing Space for Trees: Protecting and Enhancing the Tree Canopy While Supporting Infill Housing Final Report.

2. Directed the Interim Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to forward the Preliminary Report (March 14, 2024) from the Interim Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to the Director, Zoning and Secretary-Treasurer, Committee of Adjustment, to be shared with all Committee of Adjustment Members and Application Technicians.

3. Requested the Interim Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to consider as part of the fourth quarter report back, identifying applications for iceberg homes on Public Notices, in the Application Information Centre, Committee of Adjustment Agendas, and on application materials distributed to Committee of Adjustment Members.

4. Requested the Executive Director, Environment and Climate, to include information on iceberg homes in future work on the Net Zero Buildings Strategy and other reporting, where appropriate.

5. Requested the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to apply a climate lens to the final recommendations in the report expected for the fourth quarter of 2024.

This report responds to a City Council direction (2021.MM36.33) to report back on strategies to address the impacts of iceberg homes. Iceberg homes are houses which exhibit a larger below grade footprint than their above grade footprint. This includes houses which have more than one level of basement.

This report identifies issues associated with iceberg homes, presents a jurisdictional scan of policies and regulations applied to below grade construction in jurisdictions across Canada and internationally, and presents considerations to address the impacts of iceberg homes, including potential changes to the zoning by-law.

The Planning and Housing Committee:

1. Received the report (March 7, 2024) from the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services for information.

This report responds to Planning and Housing Committee's direction requesting staff report development review timeline metrics to Planning and Housing Committee on a quarterly basis (2023.PH6.2). Quarterly reports include the following:

a. Average timeline to complete the Pre-Application Consultation Process; 

b. Average timeline to reach a decision on a Zoning By-law Application;

c. Average timeline to reach a decision on a combined Official Plan Amendment/Zoning By-law Application; and

d. Average timeline to approve a Site Plan Application. 

In addition to a description of the metrics listed above, the report provides context on how ongoing improvements to the development review process impact application review timelines in the medium to long term.

In Q1 2024, the report included aggregate metrics for items b. through d., above. The Q2 2024 report breaks these metrics out into two categories (non-Bill 109 and Bill 109 files) to highlight timeline management improvements for Bill 109 files. 

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. The Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, report back to the Planning and Housing Committee in the first quarter of 2025 on the status and results of the implementation plan contained in the report (March 15, 2024) from the Interim Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

City Planning staff have embarked on a multi-year, transformational work program focused on improving the ability of stakeholders to participate in the Committee of Adjustment process and public hearings. This work program was presented to the Planning and Housing Committee in February 2023 and staff committed to providing a status update on this work in 2024. Staff are methodically working through recommendations made by KPMG on how to improve participation in Committee of Adjustment hearings within a framework of improving the customer service experience, while upholding the principals of natural justice and fairness and fulfilling the Committee's statutory obligations.

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.