Agenda

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Declarations of Interest under the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act

Confirmation of Minutes - December 5, 2024

Speakers/Presentations: The speakers list will be posted online at 8:30 a.m. on January 23, 2025.

Communications/Reports

The Executive Director, Development Review recommends that:

1. City Council amend City of Toronto Zoning By-law 569-2013 for the lands municipally known as 267-275 Merton Street substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment included as Attachment 5 to this report.

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

3. City Council approve that the Applicant shall design, construct, and deliver as part of the development, parkland in base and above-base condition, lands located along the west side of the site and to serve as a connection between Merton Street and the Key Gardner Beltline Trail, to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Parks and Recreation and the City Solicitor.

4. City Council approve the acceptance of the lands for public park purposes subject to the lands being free and clear, above and below grade, of all easements, encumbrances, and encroachments, in an acceptable environmental condition, save and except for the underground garage; the owner may propose the exception of encumbrances of tiebacks, where such an encumbrance is deemed acceptable, all to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Parks and Recreation, in consultation with the City Solicitor.

5. City Council request the General Manager, Parks and Recreation to enter into a Maintenance Agreement with the Applicant (or their heirs or assigns) for the duration of the lease for the ongoing maintenance and upkeep of the parkland and the maintenance obligations shall be finalized via separate agreement to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Parks and Recreation.

This report reviews and recommends approval of an application to amend the Zoning By-law to permit a 128-metre (40 storeys), excluding the mechanical penthouse, mixed-use, purpose-built rental building, containing 494 dwelling units, of which 148 (30 percent) will be affordable rental units. A total gross floor area of 32,000 square metres is proposed, including a minimum of 100 square metres and a maximum of 300 square metres of grade-related non-residential gross floor area. A new on-site encumbered park will also be featured within this development proposal.

This project is the result of a development partnership between the City and the applicant to provide new affordable rental units in support of the City's HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan ("HousingTO Plan") to approve 65,000 rent-controlled homes within complete communities. The development partnership is the result of negotiations led by CreateTO in consultation with Corporate Real Estate Management and the Housing Secretariat.

There are no financial implications arising from the recommendations in this zoning amendment report.

A summary of financial incentives for this approved development project has been previously provided and approved by City Council through 2024.PH13.6.

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

The Executive Director, Development Review recommend that:

1. City Council amend the Official Plan for the lands municipally known as 1871, 1875, 1880, 1885, and 1888 O'Connor Drive, and 1460, 1468 and 1474 Victoria Park Avenue substantially in accordance with the draft Official Plan Amendment 788 included as Attachment 1 to this report.

2. City Council amend the Site and Area Specific Policy of the Official Plan for the lands municipally known as 1 to 70 Eglinton Square, 1431 and 1437 Victoria Park Avenue, and 14, 18, 22, and 26 Engelhart Crescent substantially in accordance with the draft Official Plan Amendment 789 included as Attachment 2 to this report.

3. City Council amend Site-Specific Zoning By-law 1282-2022(Ontario Land Tribunal) for the lands municipally known as 1 to 70 Eglinton Square, 1431 and 1437 Victoria Park Avenue, and 14, 18, 22, and 26 Engelhart Crescent substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment included as Attachment 3 to this report.

4. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the draft Official Plan Amendments and Zoning By-law Amendment, as may be required.

5. City Council authorize the City Solicitor and appropriate City staff to take all necessary actions to implement City Council's decision.

This Report recommends approval of the City-initiated Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments in support of the ReNew Golden Mile Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA).

The ReNew Golden Mile MCEA was undertaken by the City to complete Phases 3 and 4 of the Environmental Assessment process that will determine the design of new or existing major streets that were identified in the Golden Mile Transportation Master Plan (TMP) in 2020. The conclusion of the Renew Golden Mile MCEA advances the preferred alignments these new or reconfigured major streets. The Final Report on the ReNew Golden Mile MCEA is anticipated to be considered by Executive Committee on January 28, 2025, and City Council on February 5, 2025.

One of the preferred alternatives to be advanced is the O'Connor Drive Reconfiguration at Victoria Park Avenue, south of Eglinton Avenue East. As described in greater detail in the MCEA report, O'Connor Drive is proposed to be reconfigured to cross Victoria Park Avenue south of its current intersection and continue east towards Pharmacy Avenue generally parallel to Eglinton Avenue East. To support the implementation of the recommended alignment, amendments are required to Site and Areas Specific Polices (SASPs) for lands along the reconfigured right-of-way on both sides of Victoria Park Avenue, and a minor Zoning By-law Amendment is required for lands east of Victoria Park Avenue.

Lands west of Victoria Park Avenue (1871, 1875, 1880, 1885, and 1888 O'Connor Drive, and 1460, 1464 and 1474 Victoria Park Avenue) are subject to SASP 400. The proposed Official Plan Amendment adjusts SASP 400 and provides policy direction to protect for the lands required for the future O'Connor Drive Reconfiguration by encouraging consolidation and comprehensive mixed-use intensification of the subject lands. SASP 400 would be amended by requiring a Block Context Plan as part of a complete application. The Block Context Plan would need to demonstrate how the future O'Connor Drive right of way could be delivered through consolidation and comprehensive redevelopment of the subject lands. Through this redevelopment process, the recommended OPA provides City Council the opportunity to authorize the existing O'Connor Drive right of way lands to be included in future consolidation if the lands required for the road reconfiguration are appropriately protected for.

Lands east of Victoria Park Avenue (1 to 70 Eglinton Square, 1431 and 1437 Victoria Park Avenue, and 14, 18, 22, and 26 Engelhart Crescent) are subject to a site-specific Official Plan Amendment (SASP 582) and Zoning By-law Amendment (By-law 1282-2022(OLT)) to facilitate comprehensive redevelopment of the existing mall. The lands are also subject to the Golden Mile Secondary Plan (GMSP). The proposed Official Plan Amendment recommended for approval makes refinements to SASP 582 to facilitate the preferred O'Connor Drive alignment and makes adjustments to the approved built form map accordingly. The overall development permission (gross floor area and gross site density from SASP 582) are unchanged. Similar adjustments to the site-specific Zoning By-law are recommended, along with the lifting of the Holding (H) symbol. The holding provision was originally put in place to ensure development did not proceed until the completion of the MCEA and is no longer required.

City staff recommend the proposed amendments to the Official Plan and the Zoning By-law Amendment to support and implement the ReNew Golden Mile MCEA. The proposed amendments have regard to matters of provincial interest under section 2 of the Planning Act, are consistent with the Provincial Planning Statement (2024), and are consistent with the general intent of the Official Plan. The proposed Zoning By-law Amendment for the lands east of Victoria Park Avenue will conform with the Official Plan, as amended by proposed OPA.

Subject to City Council's decision on the Report from Executive Committee on the ReNew Golden Mile MCEA, the Development Review Division confirms that there are no financial implications resulting from the recommendations included in this Report in the current budget year or in future years.

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

1. City Council amend Zoning By-law 569-2013 substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment attached as Attachment 1 to this report, to update the accessible, visitor and bicycle parking standards.

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

3. City Council rescind the delegated approval and signing authority from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and their designate and delegate the approval and signing authority to the Executive Director, Development Review for agreements related to payments-in-lieu of bicycle parking under Clause 230.5.10.11(7) of Zoning By-law 569-2013, as amended, in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

4. City Council direct the Executive Director, Development Review to use $538 per "short-term" bicycle parking space reduced, adjusted for inflation, as the basis upon which payments under Clause 230.5.10.11(7) of Zoning By-law 569-2013, as amended, be calculated.

5. City Council direct the Executive Director, Development Review to use $1076 per "long-term" bicycle parking space reduced, adjusted for inflation, as the basis upon which payments under Clause 230.5.10.20(1) of Zoning By-law 569-2013, as amended, be calculated.

6. City Council adopt the Guidelines for the Design and Management of Bicycle Parking Facilities, included as Attachment 2 to this report, and direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and the Executive Director, Development Review, to use the Guidelines in the evaluation of all current and new development applications.

7. City Council direct the City Solicitor, in consultation with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division and the Executive Director, Development Review to explore options to maintain accessible parking standards in Major Transit Station Areas and Protected Major Transit Station Areas.

8. City Council direct the Executive Director, Development Review to continue to apply existing accessible parking standards in Major Transit Station Areas and Protected Major Transit Station Areas.

9. City Council direct the Executive Director, Development Review, in consultation with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to report back to Etobicoke York Community Council before the end of Q2 2025 with a City-initiated draft amendment to City-wide Zoning By-law 569-2013 to apply the new parking standards to any future development on Blocks 2 and 4 in Plan of Subdivision 66M-2265 for 1400 Weston Road.

10. City Council direct the Executive Director, Development Review to require site plan applications related to any future development on Blocks 2 and 4 in Plan of Subdivision 66M-2265 for 1400 Weston Road to be supported by a Transportation Impact Study including a Traffic Operations Assessment which considers the proposed amount of parking. 

The recommendations in this report build on work started in 2021 to review the parking standards in the City-wide Zoning By-law 569-2013. These standards were originally adopted by City Council in 2013 and based on a series of studies conducted between 2005 and 2007. The first phase of this review resulted in amendments to the standards for automobile and bicycle parking in 2022, but left comprehensive reviews of accessible parking and bicycle parking for a subsequent phase. City Council directed staff to continue the work to review the accessible parking and bicycle parking standards. They also directed other related work, including a further review of the impacts of the changes to the visitor parking standards.

This report recommends the adoption of a Zoning By-law Amendment to City-wide Zoning By-law 569-2013 (Attachment 1) to modify the current standards for accessible and bicycle parking. Minor modifications to aspects of the visitor parking standards are included. The report also recommends the adoption of updated Guidelines for the Design and Management of Bicycle Parking Facilities (Attachment 2).

The recommended changes to the accessible parking standards advance the Official Plan vision to enable everyone – regardless of age, income, ability, race, ethnicity, gender, or any other attribute – to have convenient and safe access to the range of things that contribute to a good quality of life. It does this by, among other things, introducing a requirement that at least 5 percent of parking in new developments be accessible. Higher required proportions of accessible parking are recommended at medical offices and clinics, as well as residential developments in Parking Zone A (generally areas within 400 metres of frequent higher-order transit). To ensure that there is a reasonable supply of accessible parking, including in developments with very low overall parking supply, requirements for accessible parking based on the number of dwelling units or gross floor area of non-residential developments are also recommended. The changes would also simplify the process of retrofitting existing parking spaces to become an accessible parking space. As the City does more to encourage walking, cycling and transit and reduce auto dependence, a greater proportion of parking will need to be accessible to maintain comparable access for people who rely on accessible parking.

The review of the bicycle parking standards in Zoning By-law 569-2013 and of the Guidelines for the Design and Management of Bicycle Parking Facilities was guided by the principle that the bicycle parking zoning standards should require sufficient parking to encourage people of all ages, abilities and means to bicycle for everyday transportation, recreation, and commercial activity. Throughout the review, the quality of the bicycle parking was considered with greater importance than the quantity of the parking. The recommended changes generally maintain the standards related to the quantity of bicycle parking provided. They also increase the standards for the quality of the bicycle parking and include recommendations to improve quality in the Design Guidelines. Some of the recommendations will reduce requirements which were a barrier to small-scale development or were considered unnecessary. Other changes will introduce flexibility for developers to decide how best to support the growth of bicycling. The recommended changes to the Zoning By-law include: 

• Expanding the Payment-in-Lieu of Bicycle Parking Program to all types of bicycle parking for residential use, city-wide;
• Increasing bicycle parking requirements for Education Use, Private School, Public School, Office and Medical Office uses;
• Establishing a bicycle parking standard for Residential Care Home, Retirement Home, Nursing Home and Student Residence uses;
• Introducing bicycle parking requirements for other uses which do not already have them, based on a percentage of the amount of vehicle parking provided;
• Removing the requirement for a minimum of 3 short-term bicycle parking spaces for all uses;
• Reducing the requirements for shower and change facilities;
• Lowering the minimum width requirement of staggered bicycle parking spaces; and
• Introducing new requirements relating to oversized bicycle parking, aisle width, stacked and vertical racks restrictions, and access and paths to indoor bicycle parking.

Although the amount of visitor parking proposed in new development has declined significantly in recent years, most of this decline occurred prior to the work which ultimately resulted in the reduction in minimum visitor parking requirements. Since the reduction in the minimum visitor parking standards did not appear to have a significant effect on the amount of visitor parking supplied in new development, the review does not recommend significant changes to the visitor parking standards. However, the decline in visitor parking is worth exploring further as it plays a role in basic building maintenance functions, can support social inclusion for people and other important functions. Staff will enhance the monitoring program to more fully consider the supply of and demand for visitor parking, and to work across divisions to identify ways to increase the availability of parking for visitors throughout the city, where appropriate.

The Payment-in-Lieu of Bicycle Parking (PILOBP) program was introduced in 2021 to give residential development flexibility to meet its short-term bicycle parking requirements, by making a cash contribution to the expansion of Toronto Bike Share instead of providing the full amount of spaces on site.

The recommendations in this report will serve to expand the program, allowing for greater future contributions to the Toronto Bike Share should developers choose to opt-in. To date, the program has not generated any funds; however, there is an increasing interest given the expanded eligibility and awareness around the program.

City Planning Division estimates that the expansion could generate as much as $6 million per year, assuming full adoption of the program and residential development activity continuing at the same pace as recent years. Uptake of the program is externally driven, and the actual contributions received are expected to be much lower.

There are no immediate financial implications arising from the adoption of the recommendations in this report. Any funds that are received will be placed in the existing Payment-In-Lieu of Bicycle Parking Reserve Fund for Toronto Parking Authority (TPA) for the purposes of acquisition of new bike share stations and/or bicycles as determined by the TPA. If there are financial impacts in future budget years, it will be included in the subsequent budget submission for the affected Division/Agency.

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

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

1. City Council amend the Official Plan substantially in accordance with the proposed Official Plan Amendment 762 appended as Attachment 5 to this report.

2. City Council amend Zoning By-law 569-2013, as amended, substantially in accordance with the proposed Zoning By-law Amendment appended as Attachment 6 to this report.

3. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the proposed Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments as may be required.

4. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to monitor the implementation and effectiveness of Official Plan Amendment 762 and the Zoning By-law Amendment in facilitating fiveplex and sixplex developments, and to report to the Planning and Housing Committee in the second quarter of 2028 on monitoring outcomes and any necessary revisions to the Official Plan policy, Zoning By-law, or other changes to improve the implementation and facilitation of fiveplex and sixplex construction.

5. City Council direct the Executive Director, Environment, Climate and Forestry to refuse, at the Executive Director’s discretion, a permit to injure or destroy a tree protected under Municipal Code Chapters 608, 658, and 813, received in relation to a building permit application to construct or expand a multiplex building type, and to advise the applicant to meet with Development Review and Urban Forestry staff as appropriate to consider how the location, massing and design of the proposed building or expansion can be amended to protect the By-law protected tree(s) in question.

6. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to track and review the number of by-law protected trees damaged or removed as a result of the construction of fiveplex and sixplex developments, and the number and type of minor variances requested and approved for fiveplex and sixplex developments, as part of the monitoring program and to report on these findings to the Planning and Housing Committee in the second quarter of 2028.

Building on the Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods (EHON) City-wide Multiplex Study, City Council directed staff to undertake an area specific study within an area that roughly corresponds to the boundaries of Ward 23 – Scarborough North. The study explored the potential of permitting multiplexes with up to six dwelling units on properties designated Neighbourhoods in the Official Plan, and increasing the maximum building depth up to 19 metres, regardless of the lot dimensions.

This report summarizes the work undertaken and recommends approving area specific Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments to permit multiplexes with five and six dwelling units (also referred to as fiveplexes and sixplexes, respectively) in all residential zones within the study area. The proposed amendments build on the existing city-wide multiplex permissions for up to four units, and do not include changes to built form performance standards. This study is a significant pilot which brings forward permissions to expand city-wide multiplex dwelling unit permissions from four to six units within a single residential home. This is one of 54 actions in Toronto's 2023 Housing Action Plan (HAP), which seeks to increase the housing supply within complete, inclusive, and sustainable communities with critical infrastructure to support growth. The new homes enabled by the HAP will contribute to the provincial housing target of 285,000 new homes in Toronto by 2031.

As part of the City’s commitments under the federal Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), the City has committed to permit more low-rise, multi-unit housing development through as-of-right zoning by-laws in Neighbourhoods, including permissions for residential buildings with up to six dwelling units. Adoption of the recommendations in this report marks a significant milestone towards meeting this commitment in 2025.

The recommended amendments are consistent with the Provincial Planning Statement 2024 and also in keeping with the recently adopted new Chapter 1 to the Official Plan vision, which aims to eliminate disparities, prioritize climate action, and become the world’s most inclusive city.

The Ward 23 Multiplex Study consisted of a work program that included a jurisdictional scan of multiplex permissions in other cities; a detailed review of multiplex development applications submitted to the city; a three-phased analysis prepared in consultation with ReHousing; and engagement with local residents and industry professionals. The key findings of the above streams of work were analyzed and informed the recommended Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments.

Expanding the multiplex permissions will increase new low-rise housing options for Torontonians in Ward 23. New residents in low-rise neighbourhoods can help stabilize declining populations, optimize the use of existing infrastructure, and support local retail establishments and services. While it is anticipated that most multiplex units will be delivered as market rental housing, they would provide ground-related alternatives, adding to the range of housing in Toronto’s low-rise, mid-rise, and tall building types. Additionally, these new permissions could unlock additional opportunities for individuals to access funding and low interest rate loans for housing projects through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). While the proposed amendments will expand the planning permission for up to six units, this report also details potential challenges to their implementation beyond simply adjusting the zoning permissions.  These issues, and other lessons learned through the Ward 23 Multiplex Study, will inform ongoing work being undertaken by City Planning and other Divisions to permit and promote multiplexes city-wide.

The City Planning Division confirms that there are no financial implications resulting from the recommendations included in this report in the current budget year or in future years.

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

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

1. City Council adopt OPA 778 in accordance with Attachment 1.

2. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to commence the necessary work to bring forward an Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment upon Council’s adoption of OPA 778 to implement the intent of the new Avenues vision and policies, including:

a. where appropriate, redesignate and rezone lands along Avenues;

b. where appropriate, redesignate Neighbourhood lands nearby Mixed Use Areas and Apartment Neighbourhoods along the Avenues to facilitate the planned built form of the Avenues; and

c. in the absence of the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing issuing a decision on the Council adopted Official Plan delineations and policies for Protected Major Transit Station Areas and Major Transit Station Areas, make best efforts to provide additional height and density zoning permissions with appropriate performance standards for lands along Avenues in Mixed Use Areas within a 500 to 800-metre walking distance to existing and planned subway, light rail transit, and GO rail stations as shown on Official Plan Map 4.

3. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to monitor the implementation and effectiveness of OPA 778 and to report back as part of the statutory review of the Official Plan with any recommended amendments.

4. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to continue and conclude all Avenue studies that were commenced before December 31, 2024 and that these studies consider the new vision and policy recommendations in OPA 778.

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

6. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes

to the recommended OPA 778 as may be required.

For over two decades, Toronto’s Avenues have been part of the City’s strategy to manage growth and accommodate intensification. Through the Housing Action Plan (HAP) 2022-2026, Council directed City Planning to review the Official Plan to ensure that it aligns with the need for more housing in areas that can accommodate more residential growth. As part of the HAP Work Plan, the Avenues Policy Review examined opportunities to enable more housing by reframing the Avenues vision, policies, and mapping. This initiative represents one of 54 actions items in the HAP.

Avenues have attracted significant realized and potential growth. The City’s Development Pipeline bulletin for 2023 (January 2019 - December 2023) reported that Avenues contained the most proposed projects of any of the Official Plan’s growth management areas. In total, there are 640 development projects (271 under review, 227 active, and 142 built) that account for over 180,000 residential units and over 1 million square metres of non-residential gross floor area, representing 24 percent of the city’s units and 8% of its non-residential gross floor area in the pipeline. While not all of these projects are approved, under construction, or built, this data demonstrates the importance of Avenues in supporting transit supportive growth.

This report recommends an Official Plan Amendment (OPA) to update the Avenues policies in Section 2.2.3. It also introduces mapping changes to Map 2 to expand the Avenues geography and other policy updates necessary to implement the new vision and policy framework. These updates leverage the Avenues as a growth management tool, identifying more opportunities for housing across the city and creating a more streamlined policy framework with clear direction on the type of growth to be directed to Avenues. The most significant changes include:

• 283 kilometres of new Avenues, representing an increase of approximately 165 percent.
• Removing requirements for Avenue Segment Reviews and new Avenue Studies.
• Introducing a new monitoring program to assess the Avenues implementation.
• Directing growth along Avenues to be up to the height and scale of mid-rise buildings.
• Directing more growth near subway, light rail transit, and GO transit stations, approximately 36 percent of new and existing Avenues.
• Providing uses that activate the ground floor in developments along Avenues in Mixed Use Areas.
• Directing applicants to consult with small businesses, community service providers, and the local community when proposing developments that would result in the displacement of existing small businesses and community service providers, and to assess the potential of their return.

To implement this new vision, policies, and mapping for Avenues, this report also recommends next steps for staff to redesignate and rezone lands along and nearby Avenues. The new policies do not result in a net new development application submission requirement in the new Avenues policies.

The Government of Canada’s Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) provides incentive funding to local governments aimed at increasing housing supply. It also supports the development of complete, low-carbon and climate-resilient communities that are affordable, inclusive, equitable and diverse. The recommendations in this report will help satisfy the conditions set out in the City’s application under the HAF, as this initiative responds directly to the Federal request that municipalities consider increasing the minimum allowable density and minimum allowable height within walking distance to transit. This funding would assist a number of initiatives that support and expedite delivery of the HousingTO Plan and Housing Action Plan.

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

The Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and the Chief Procurement Officer recommend that:  

Applications for Affordable and Supportive Housing Funds

1. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, to submit applications and enter into agreement(s) and/or amendments with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), the Government of Canada or any other government entity necessary (the “Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Agreement”), for the receipt and expenditure of funding under the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) – Rapid Housing Sub-stream, on such terms and conditions as are satisfactory to the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, and the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and in a form approved by the City Solicitor.

2. City Council approve the receipt of any program funds under the Affordable Housing Fund – Rapid Housing Sub-stream, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Agreement and any other related agreements, directives or program guidelines.

3. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat to endorse or provide letters of support for applications by Indigenous and non-profit housing providers to the Affordable Housing Fund – Rapid Housing Sub-stream.

4. City Council request the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, in consultation with the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management and the Executive Director, Development Review, to inform local Councillors of plans to purchase or develop properties using the Affordable Housing Fund – Rapid Housing Sub-stream funding in advance of any address being publicly announced and to work with local Councillors on communication and community engagement.

5. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, and Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, to work with the University Health Network (UHN) to submit application(s) to the Affordable Housing Fund – Rapid Housing Sub-stream to request funding for additional site(s) to be developed under the Social Medicine Initiative, including to enter into any agreements; memoranda of understanding or letters of intent with University Health Network or any related entity in relation to those projects as may be required for the application process.

6. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, and/or Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, to work with Canada Lands Company Limited (CLC) and its affiliates to submit application(s) to the Affordable Housing Fund – Rapid Housing Sub-stream to request funding for project(s) to be developed on lands in Toronto, including to enter into any agreements, memoranda of understanding, or letters of intent with Canada Lands Company Limited or its affiliates in relation to those projects as may be required for the application process.

Delivery of New Supportive and Affordable Rental Housing

7. City Council request the Executive Director, Development Review, Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building, prioritize and expedite the review of planning and/or building permit applications for sites submitted under the Affordable Housing Fund – Rapid Housing Sub-stream.

8. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat to issue Requests for Proposals and to select non-profit and Indigenous housing operators, to lease and operate the affordable and supportive housing projects that may be approved under the Affordable Housing Fund – Rapid Housing Sub-stream.

9. City Council direct the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, to prioritize the selection of Black-led housing provider(s) through the process in Part 8 above in support of the City’s commitment to Confront Anti-Black Racism, the Toronto Housing Charter, and to access Affordable Housing Fund Rapid Housing Sub-Stream funding prioritized for Black-led organizations.

10. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat to negotiate and execute on behalf of the City, municipal housing project facility agreements for up to 99 years with the non-profit and Indigenous housing operators selected through the competitive process referred to in Part 8 above, or any related corporation(s), to secure the financial assistance being provided and to set out the terms of the operation of the new affordable rental housing, on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat and in a form approved by the City Solicitor.

11. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat to negotiate and enter into any agreements with the non-profit and Indigenous housing providers selected for any operating funding that may be available, including but not limited to rent supplement or grant funding agreements, on terms and conditions agreed to by the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat and in a form approved by the City Solicitor.

12. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat to execute, on behalf of the City, any security or financing documents required by the non-profit and Indigenous housing operators, including any postponement, confirmation of status, discharge or consent documents where and when required during the term of the municipal housing project facility agreement, as required by normal business practices, and provided that such documents do not give rise to financial obligations on the part of the City that have not been previously approved by City Council.

13. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, or designate in consultation with the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, to negotiate, approve and execute, on behalf of the City, long-term leases (or sublease as applicable ) and related agreements with the non-profit housing operators selected through requests for proposals for 175 Cummer Avenue, 35 Bellevue Avenue, and 11 Brock Avenue, or any related corporation(s) substantially on the major terms and conditions set out in Attachment 1 to the report (Jan 9, 2025) from the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat and Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and such other terms as deemed appropriate by the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, in consultation with Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

14. Subject to City Council approval of a zoning by-law for the development, City Council authorize the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, in consultation with the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, to negotiate, approve and execute, on behalf of the City, a long-term nominal rent lease with Youth Without Shelter or a related entity at 7-9 Wardlaw Crescent substantially on the major terms and conditions set out in Attachment 1 to the report (Jan 9, 2025) from the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat and the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and such other terms as deemed appropriate by the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, in consultation with the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

15. Subject to City Council approval of a zoning by-law for the development, City Council authorize the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat to negotiate and execute on behalf of the City, a municipal housing project facility agreement with Youth Without Shelter or a related entity, for 7-9 Wardlaw Crescent, to set out the terms of the operation of the new affordable rental housing, on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat and in a form approved by the City Solicitor.

16. City Council consider the leases referenced in Part 13 and 14 above to be in the interests of the City.

17. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, or designate, in consultation with the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, to administer and manage the leases including the provision of any amendments, consents, approvals, waivers, notices, and notices of termination, provided that the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management may, at any time, refer consideration of such matters, including their content, to City Council for its determination and direction.

18. City Council, in accordance with Section 71-11.1C of the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 71 (Financial Control), authorize the amendment of Purchase Order 6054523 issued to Govan Brown Associates Limited for Construction Management Services for the affordable rental housing building located at 65 Dundas Street East, in the amount of $10,562,651 net of all taxes ($10,748,554 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries), fully funded within the Council approved 2024 Housing Secretariat Budget, revising the current purchase order value from $51,857,637 net of all taxes ($52,770,331 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries) to $62,420,288 net of all taxes ($63,518,885 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries).

19. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, in consultation with the Chief Procurement Officer and Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, to execute any necessary Purchase Order Amendments, with a value exceeding $500,000 or more than 10 per cent of the original commitment, for which Committee or City Council approval would normally be required under City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 71, (Financial Control By-law) and City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 195 (Procurement) for the provision of construction and professional services needed and to carry out any necessary pre-development, pre-construction, construction, renovation or conversion of properties for the development of affordable housing under the Phases 1, 2 and 3 of the Rapid Housing Initiative, provided that:

a. the purchase order amendment is necessary to meet the timelines of the Rapid Housing Initiative;

b. the funds are available for, and funded through the Council approved Housing Secretariat Budget;

c. the terms and conditions of any amending agreements are acceptable to the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor; and

d. a report summarizing any amendments made under this authority is submitted to the appropriate Committee and/or City Council for information on an annual basis.

20. City Council authorize an exemption from taxation for municipal and school purposes for the affordable rental homes developed in the projects listed in and for the periods of time described in Table 2 below in the Financial Impact section of this report.

21.City Council authorize the Controller to cancel or refund any taxes paid after the effective date of the exemption from taxation for municipal and school purposes as set out in the applicable municipal housing facility agreement.

Intergovernmental Action to Build More Supportive Homes

22. City Council request the Government of Canada and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation significantly increase the funding available under the new Affordable Housing Fund – Rapid Housing Sub-stream to at minimum $1.5 billion each year from 2025 to 2029, and make enhancements to the program based on successful elements of the former Rapid Housing Initiative, including:

a. Providing guaranteed Cities Stream allocations to large municipalities, including Toronto, reflective of levels of need and demonstrated demand from prior rounds of the program and as part of the City’s request for a Canada-Ontario-Toronto Builds portfolio of funding and financing;

b.    Streamline and simplify application requirements for large municipalities recognizing their experience and track record of delivering affordable homes under prior rounds of Rapid Housing Initiative; and

c.     Allowing municipalities to submit applications on behalf of non-profit housing organizations in their jurisdiction to enhance their chances of success under the program.

23. City Council request the Province of Ontario to expand on its commitment to partner with the City of Toronto on supportive housing by providing a three-year allocation of $60 million in operating funding for support services beginning in 2025, to ensure residents of over 2,000 supportive homes have access to health and social supports and enable approximately 400 new supportive homes currently under construction to open in 2025 and 2026.

The City of Toronto has taken an increased role in the creation of new supportive and rent-geared-to-income (RGI) homes for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, particularly since the adoption of the HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan (HousingTO Plan) and as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite increased action and investments, Toronto’s housing and homelessness crises have worsened. Deeply affordable rental housing is at risk of being lost, and difficult and volatile economic conditions have made the construction of new housing, particularly RGI, supportive, affordable rental homes, more challenging. The shortage of supportive homes, inadequacy of social assistance rates, and need for greater mental health and social supports is illustrated most starkly by the rising number of encampments in Toronto.

Concerted action and investment from all orders of government and the private, health, and social services sectors is needed to respond to these crises. Despite this growing need, federal and provincial investment in measures proven to be most effective – new supportive housing, mental health and social supports, and higher social assistance rates that match the cost of living – have not kept pace.

This report provides a summary of the City’s progress in creating new supportive homes, and requests authorities needed to complete existing in-flight developments creating more than 700 RGI and supportive homes and to advance new projects through an application for funding under a revised federal program to build more RGI and supportive homes.

On November 14, 2024, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) announced changes to the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF), including the creation of a new permanent Rapid Housing Sub-stream. CMHC also announced that $963 million was being made available over five years (2025-2029) across Canada under this new program. The program replaces the former Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI), which was delivered through three phases between 2020 and 2022, for a total of $4 billion over three years nationally. The RHI supported the creation of rent-geared-to-income and supportive homes for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, by providing capital grant funding to eligible projects covering up to 100 percent of capital costs. The City of Toronto and its Indigenous and non-profit housing partners received $610.8 million in capital funding under the RHI, supporting the creation of more than 1,500 new homes. These investments have enabled the City to expand its supply of newly built supportive housing and exceed targets under the first 24-Month Housing and Homelessness Response Plan, launched in 2020 as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2020, 3,880 supportive housing opportunities have been secured, including 1,763 net new supportive homes, for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

This report outlines key program changes and requests authority from City Council for staff to make applications and enter into agreements with CMHC under the new program. Despite new limitations and reduced funding available under this program, it is recommended the City continue to invest in due diligence activities to bring projects forward to be considered by CMHC. This report also recommends City Council request the federal government:

• make significantly greater funding available under this new program,
• make changes to program design based on the elements of the RHI that were most effective in creating new supportive homes for people experiencing homelessness, and
• provide Toronto with a portfolio of funding and financing under a Canada-Ontario-Toronto Builds model.

Through this report, staff are also requesting Council approvals required complete in-flight projects creating more than 700 RGI and supportive homes, including authority for Purchase Order Amendments, authority to enter into operating and lease agreements with non-profit housing providers, and property tax exemptions.

City Council took significant action in 2024 to expand its housing programs to support the creation of a range of new rental homes, including the launch of a new Community Housing Pre-development Fund to support community housing providers with early due diligence, and approval of a new Rental Housing Supply Program offering funding and incentives to a range of rental homes. The City acting alone cannot address the housing and homelessness crises, particularly for the more than 12,000 Toronto residents currently experiencing homelessness. A whole-of-government and whole-of-community response is needed to effectively respond. This must include new and enhanced policy, program, and funding tools at the federal and provincial levels that are effectively designed and adequately scaled to meet the depth of need, and investment in upstream interventions such as social assistance programs and access to mental health and social services, to prevent more households from falling into poverty, housing precarity, and homelessness.

The Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) had been a successful federal program for building new rent-geared-to-income and supportive homes for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness in Toronto. The City and its partners have received $610.8 million in grant funding through the program, to build over 1,500 new affordable homes. Supportive housing offers a more cost-effective response to homelessness than emergency shelter and reduces downstream public expenses in the health and justice systems.

New Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) – Rapid Housing Sub-Stream Application

Unlike the former RHI, the new AHF Rapid Housing Sub-stream does not provide Toronto with a guaranteed allocation of capital funding to build a minimum number of new rent-geared-to-income and supportive homes. To receive any funding under this new program, the City must submit a complete application and compete with other jurisdictions and housing providers across the country through a first-come first-served application process. CMHC has also significantly reduced funding available under this program. Whereas RHI provided $1 billion in 2020, and $1.5 billion in each of 2021 and 2022, the new Rapid housing Sub-stream provides $963 million over five years from 2025-2029.

To successfully compete under the new Rapid Housing Sub-stream, the City must immediately advance projects through pre-development due diligence including completing site and servicing diligence, environmental assessments, design development, preliminary costing, and planning approvals. The Housing Secretariat has sufficient funding available within its approved 10-Year Capital Budget to allocate up to $850,000 to undertake this due diligence for potential development sites with no net new budget impact. For projects approved by CMHC, the City will recover funds expended on these activities.

In addition to the AHF Rapid Housing Sub-stream, the projects may be eligible for City incentives under the Rental Housing Supply Program, including exemptions from fees and charges and property tax exemptions.

Purchase Order Amendments at 65 Dundas Street East

The City purchased the former shelter hotel at 65 Dundas St. E. in 2022 with RHI funds to create 280 new permanent affordable rental homes, including homes with supports, in the Downtown East. Renovations on Phase 1 of the project were completed in summer 2024 and Phase 2 is ongoing. To fund the ongoing work, this report recommends an Amendment of Purchase Order 6054523, issued to Govan Brown Associates Limited in the amount of $10,562,651 net of all taxes ($10,748,554 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries). This amendment will increase the contract value from $51,857,637 net of all taxes ($52,770,331 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries) to $62,420,288 net of all taxes ($63,518,885 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries). Funding for 2025 is included in Housing Secretariat’s 2025-2034 Capital Plan. Additional details are described in Table 1.

This amendment is being requested due to a contractual obligation of the standard Construction Management contract (construction agreement template CCDC5B) frequently used in the construction sector. The amendment at this juncture in the project is a standard component of finalizing the contract terms to exercise the Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) option or to convert the remainder of the executable work to a Stipulated Sum contract. The need for the amendment was anticipated from the outset of the project, as it is a part of the normal course of the Construction Management method of project delivery. Funding to facilitate this amendment was anticipated and allocated in the Housing Secretariat’s approved Capital Plan. The additional cost represents current market rates as part of the open-book pricing requirements of the contract.

Table 1: Purchase Order Amendment for 65 Dundas Street East

Property Tax Exemptions for Previously Approved Affordable and Supportive Housing Projects

This report requests City Council approval of property tax exemptions for affordable rental homes in previously approved housing projects that are in development and expected to reach completion in 2025 and 2026. The table below summarizes the estimated net present value of these property tax exemptions at $6.804 Million. This amount is not a direct payment but rather forgone revenues that the City waives to support the ongoing affordability of these new homes.

Table 2: Property Tax Exemptions for previously approved affordable housing projects

*Calculated using 2024 property tax rates. Property tax rates and fees are subject to change when City Council determines the 2025 tax rate supported budget in February 2025.

Intergovernmental Partnerships to Build Supportive Housing and Relieve Pressure on the City’s Shelter System

Housing is the solution to homelessness, and thousands of new rent-geared-to-income and supportive homes are urgently needed to relieve pressure on the City’s shelter system, and support residents living outside to move inside. The City has taken advantage of the available opportunities provided by the federal and provincial governments to create supportive housing opportunities for individuals exiting shelters. Since 2020, 3,880 supportive housing opportunities have been secured, including 1,763 net new supportive homes. However, the City does not have the financial capacity to respond to this crisis alone and requires capital funding from the federal and provincial governments, and ongoing operating funding for housing benefits and support services from the province, to achieve City Council’s target of approving 18,000 supportive homes by 2030.

This report and its recommendations request the federal government reintroduce key elements of the Rapid Housing Initiative that provided guaranteed allocations of capital grant funding to municipalities, including Toronto, enabling the City to move ahead with supportive housing developments with certainty and speed. Whereas the Rapid Housing Initiative made $4 billion available in the three-year period from 2020-2022, the new Rapid Housing Sub-stream only offers $963 million over the next five years. This reduction in investment comes at a time when the homelessness and housing crisis persists, and Housing First delivered through supportive housing is recognized as the best solution to chronic homelessness and encampments.

In 2023, the province announced a three-year commitment of $48 million to the City for supportive housing through the Homelessness Prevention Program (HPP). This contribution continues to provide wrap-around support services to residents of over 2,000 supportive homes completed since 2020. This report requests the Province renew this commitment and add an additional $12 million in operating funding under the HPP for a total $60 million commitment for three years beginning in 2025. These funds are required to provide ongoing supports in completed projects and enable supportive housing developments under construction to open with the wrap-around supports needed to support residents exiting homelessness to achieve housing stability and improve their well-being.

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

The Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, recommends that:

1. City Council request the Government of Canada to immediately launch the Canada Rental Protection Fund and set aside a dedicated stream for the City of Toronto to flow funds through future Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition Request for Proposal Processes (MURA RFPs).

The focus on preserving the existing supply of rental homes is critical to realizing progress on Toronto’s housing goals. In the Toronto region (Census Metropolitan Area) 18 lower-rent market homes were estimated lost for each new affordable rental home built during the decade preceding 2021. Some of these rental homes are lost due to market pressures that drive rents well above affordable levels, some are converted to short-term rental opportunities, while other older properties are being demolished for intensification and redevelopment purposes, particularly in core, and near transit expansion areas.

The City’s Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition (MURA) Program was launched in 2021 to support the purchase, renovation/conversion and refinancing of rental homes to create permanently affordable rental homes. Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition provides financial support to non-profit housing organizations (including community land trusts), non-profit housing co-operatives ("Co-ops"), and Indigenous housing providers (collectively referred to as “Community Housing Providers”) to purchase and preserve existing rental housing properties. This includes grant funding, property tax relief and planning and building permit fee waivers. To support the City’s commitment to truth, justice and reconciliation and create more “For Indigenous, By Indigenous” housing outcomes, 20 percent of Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition funding is provided to Indigenous-led housing organizations.

Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition is implemented through an annual Request for Proposal Process (RFP) to select and pre-qualify experienced and qualified Community Housing Providers. Through MURA’s 2022 and 2023 RFPs, the City awarded $64.1 million in funding to 15 Community Housing Providers to preserve the affordability of some 368 rental homes.

The 2024 Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition Request for Proposal Process resulted in successful proposals from 17 Community Housing Providers, representing 19 properties and over 700 rental homes through the award of $102 million in grant funding. The funding is comprised of $101 million in MURA funding approved as part of the 2024-2033 capital plan along with $20 million from the Provincial Building Faster Fund, slated for approval through the 2025 Capital budget process. The funding is comprised of funds from the provincial Building Faster Fund, the federal Housing Accelerator Fund, the City’s Vacant Homes Tax funding, and CreateTO dividend funding. This funding will allow all successful proposals under the 2024 Request for Proposal Process to proceed while leaving $18 million remaining to support a forthcoming 2025 Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition Request for Proposal Process.

Future federal and provincial funding programs will be pursued and prioritized to support the 2025 and subsequent Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition Request for Proposal Processes, and will be reported to Council through Budget variance reports, Council’s Budget process, or through a stand-alone staff report.  

Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition will continue to support the delivery of the City’s HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan and targets in partnership with the community housing sector. Securing long-term affordable rental homes will reduce pressure throughout the housing system, improve housing affordability for lower and middle-income households, and support complete communities. New and enhanced investments from all orders of government are needed to ensure more rental homes are preserved and continue to serve future generation of residents in all neighbourhoods across Toronto.

There are no financial implications arising from this report.

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

The Executive Director, Housing Secretariat recommends that:

1. City Council request Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation (CMHC) to expedite the review and approval of the Affordable Housing Funding (AHF) application made by the Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) for funding and financing for Building 4A of the Regent Park revitalization.

2. City Council request the Federal and Provincial governments work with the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services, and the Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) to allocate funding and financing required to deliver remaining phases of the Regent Park revitalization including up to 2,805 new rental homes in a mixed-income, complete community, and optimize the delivery of affordable housing outcomes as a result of this work.

3. City Council request the Executive Director, Development Review, and any other City divisions as appropriate, to prioritize the review of the development applications relating to Building 4A of the Regent Park revitalization.

Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) has over two decades of experience in the successful revitalization of its communities, in partnership with residents. TCHC revitalization projects play a central role within the delivery of the HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan, in helping meet goals for maintaining social housing and adding to new affordable rental housing supply. This includes a wholistic approach to pre-development, design, construction, and community engagement and relocation.  TCHC’s 10-year development plan, in partnership with the City, aims to deliver over 10,000 new homes in our city by 2035. Regent Park is a critical site within this development plan.

Since 2005, TCHC has been implementing the revitalization of Regent Park; a five-phased undertaking to transform the 69-acre community into a mixed-use, mixed-income neighbourhood. To date, 1,450 Rent-Geared-to-Income (“RGI”) Replacement homes, 427 net-new affordable rental homes, and 3,741 new market homes have been built during Phases 1-3.  

On July 19, 2023, City Council approved a Zoning By-law Amendment application for

Phases 4 and 5 of the Regent Park revitalization to permit the development of 12

buildings with heights ranging from 6 to 39 storeys. Phases 4 and 5 plan to deliver 633 RGI Replacement homes (completing the full replacement of the original 2,083 Regent Park RGI homes) along with 2,168 new market homes. 637 net-new affordable rental homes are also planned, provided funding is secured to support the construction and subsidization of rents for these homes. As part of this approval, Council directed that prior to the issuance of a first building permit for each building in Phases 4 and 5, TCHC must report back to Council, through the Housing Secretariat, with an update on progress towards achieving the net-new affordable rental housing targets and towards securing funding from the Federal and Provincial governments to support the construction of these homes.

TCHC submitted an application to Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation (CMHC) Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) in November 2024 for Building 4A and continues to work alongside City Staff (initially with the Housing Secretariat and ultimately with the Housing Development Office) and CMHC’s underwriting team to obtain approval. An approved application would provide the funding and financing necessary for the construction of Building 4A, which will deliver 136 RGI replacement homes and 136 net-new affordable rental homes (272 total homes).

TCHC submitted its site plan application for the first building in Phase 4, “Building 4A”, in December 2024, with the aim of starting construction in the spring of 2025. This report provides an update in accordance with Council direction and ahead of submission of a building permit application for Building 4A.

The partnership between the City and TCHC to replace RGI homes and deliver more affordable rental supply will be further supported by the creation of a new Housing Development Office as part of recent Council approved housing mandate alignment.

In order to advance the next phase of the Regent Park revitalization, City Council approved capital funding in the amount of $50.7 Million in the City’s 2024-2033 Capital Budget and Plan towards the construction of Building 4A through the City’s 2024 budget process. The total costs to construct Building 4A remains confidential in order to preserve the integrity of ongoing construction procurement activities.

Historically, roads and infrastructure costs for previous Regent Park phases have been shared with the City. Details of future cost sharing arrangements for Regent Park Phases 4 and 5 will be subject to further reporting later in 2025.

TCHC, through its partnership deal with Tridel, will be contributing equity from market proceeds towards the project. This equity contribution amounts to approximately 36 percent of total construction costs for Building 4A.

In order to secure the remaining funds required for the project, TCHC has submitted an application to CMHC’s Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) in November 2024 which includes both repayable and forgivable loans. TCHC continues to work alongside the Housing Secretariat and CMHC’s underwriting team towards finalizing the approval of their application. 

Receiving CMHC financing through its AHF program is necessary for the project to be realized and by continuing to advance Building 4A towards construction through approvals, its business case for CMHC financing is strengthened. In the event that TCHC does not secure the required CMHC funding for the affordable rental homes, TCHC staff will need to return to their Board with proposed alternatives including other financing options, a reduction in the size of the building, or a request to seek additional capital funding from other government sources.

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

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

1. City Council amend the City of Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 694, Signs, General, to adopt regulations applicable to signs affixed or attached to structures related to Bike Share Stations, substantially in accordance with the draft by-law attached as Attachment 1 to this report.

This report recommends amendments to the City of Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 694, Signs, General ("Sign By-law"), to include new regulations for signs associated with Bike Share docking stations ("Bike Share Stations") located outside the public right-of-way. Placing Bike Share Stations on lands beyond the public right-of-way is crucial for advancing the City's goals of developing a comprehensive cycling network as part of the overall transportation system.

Currently, signs within the public right-of-way, such as those affixed to Bike-Share Stations operated as part of Bike Share Toronto ("BST"), are excluded from the Sign By-law, however, signs for Bike Share Stations outside the public right-of-way are subject to the Sign By-law. Locations outside of the right-of-way where these signs and Bike-Share Stations may be located include transit stations, Park Roads, Bicycle Paths, Cycle Tracks, and other areas that align with the City's transportation network.

To accommodate signage at Bike Share locations outside the right-of-way and avoid the need for sign variances and site-specific amendments, staff have reviewed the Sign By-law to identify changes that align with the City's objectives for bike sharing, cycling, and transportation networks, while also meeting the goals of the Sign By-law. The regulations proposed in this report will support the City's bike share initiatives and cycling network, permitting signage at Bike Share Stations that is functional, compatible with its surroundings, and enhances Toronto's visual appeal for residents, businesses, and visitors.

Due to the uniqueness of signs on Bike Share Stations, the Sign By-law does not contain regulations that are suitable for these types of signs. The amendments proposed in this report will permit "Bike-Share Signs" (signs displayed on or attached to Bike Share Stations) on private property, integrate these signs into the permit application and approval processes, and establish specific regulations for their size, orientation, content, and illumination. Signs displayed on Bike Share Stations in the right-of-way will continue to be out of scope of the Sign By-law.

These changes will make it easier to add Bike Share Stations, with appropriate signage, to the city's infrastructure and help create a more attractive and unified public realm while supporting Toronto's goal of sustainable transportation.

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

The Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the Executive Director, Development Review recommend that:

1. Planning and Housing Committee receive this report for information.

This report provides the annual update on the Study Work Program from the City Planning and Development Review divisions. It outlines the divisions’ 62 completions and approvals in 2024, including a broad range of city building work across Toronto. The report also provides a forecast for the divisions’ 2025 Study Work Program.

The Study Work Program Update highlights initiatives led by the City Planning and Development Review divisions to manage the city’s growth and its physical form, and the opportunities these initiatives provide for increased access to housing, jobs and services for all Toronto residents.

The Study Work Program supports the City’s equity strategies and is aligned with the Official Plan’s four principles of reconciliation, access, equity and inclusion.

This year’s update reflects work from both divisions as the study work program and budgets remain intertwined.

In 2024, the City Planning and Development Review divisions completed 62 items. With respect to service levels, the divisions delivered 21 items under City Building Studies (service level: 18), 1 item under City-wide Urban Design Guidelines (service level: 1) and 5 items under Heritage Conservation District (HCD) Studies/Plans (service level: 5). In addition to completions against service levels, City Planning undertakes a range of additional initiatives, including legislative review, Official Plan and Zoning By-law updates, forecasts and modelling, environmental implementation, special projects, heritage conservation, Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) appeal-related work, and ongoing Official Plan implementation. 35 of these additional initiatives were completed or approved in 2024.

City Planning and Development Review are actively examining how their city building work can better deliver planning outcomes that advance social equity and economic inclusion for current and future residents; encourage appropriate kinds of growth and development across Toronto; and guide investment in community improvements and infrastructure. The overarching driver is to focus the divisions’ integrated and cross-disciplinary city building approach in support of a more inclusive and climate adaptive city.

Both divisions stand alongside their divisional partners in pursuing all available tools to address the housing crisis. The policies, plans and programs advanced by the divisions encourage responsible development to increase the supply of housing within complete, inclusive and resilient communities that have the necessary infrastructure to support growth. Partnerships with the provincial and federal governments are critical to delivering that vision.

The Divisions’ 2024 achievements spanned a wide range of topics, supporting the Official Plan’s goals of advancing reconciliation, taking action on climate change, addressing housing demand, and removing barriers.

The adoption of a new Chapter One to the Official Plan gives the divisions an updated set of guiding values, brought to life through initiatives such as the naming of Ookwemin Minising and Biidaasige Park. Climate action is also a priority, with efforts such as updating the Toronto Green Standard timelines and improving watershed health. To address housing supply, the divisions advanced work to implement inclusionary zoning, use City-owned lands for housing, and updated the Official Plan to encourage more mixed-use development close to transit.

In 2025, study work will prioritize unlocking permissions for more housing to be built more quickly. The divisions will report on several area studies including for Chinatown, Kingston Road/Guildwood, Glencairn and Lake Shore West. Ongoing work to update the Official Plan will focus on expanding Mixed Use Areas and updating Neighbourhoods and Apartment Neighbourhoods policies while zoning by-law updates will ensure that more housing can be delivered as-of-right across the city.

There are no financial implications resulting from the recommendations included in this report. Outcomes of planning studies and initiatives can ultimately create positive conditions for new opportunities, investment and assessment growth across Toronto, and increased prosperity for all Torontonians.

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

The Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and Executive Director, Development Review recommend that:

1. City Council authorize the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and Executive Director, Development Review to negotiate and enter into a Resourcing Agreement with Woodbine Entertainment Group for the purpose of funding a dedicated staff team to complete a Secondary Plan study on an expedited basis, on terms acceptable to the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and Executive Director, Development Review, and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

2. City Council approve an exemption from the Donations to the City of Toronto for Community Benefits Policy for the purpose of payments made under the Resourcing Agreement in Recommendation 1.

Through the Toronto-Ontario New Deal, the City and Province agreed to advancing transit-oriented communities (TOC), including the prioritization and expeditious treatment of planning approvals for a mixed-use TOC at the future Woodbine GO station. This report seeks Council authorization for the City to negotiate a Resourcing Agreement with the Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) to cover costs of City staff time required to complete the future Woodbine TOC Secondary Plan.

The Resourcing Agreement will include funding of new temporary City staff positions compensated with regular rates of pay, and contributions towards the procurement of consultants for required peer reviewed studies.

This report also recommends an exemption from the Donations to the City of Toronto for Community Benefits Policy which is required in order for the City to accept payments under the Resourcing Agreement.

City Planning and Development Review are recommending that a Resourcing Agreement be executed to secure funding to support an expedited planning process for a Woodbine TOC Secondary Plan.

Funding received will be detailed in future program reporting brought forward for Council consideration through the budget process.

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

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

1. City Council direct the City Manager to seek a firm commitment from the Province that the Additional Community Benefit, as defined through the Transit Oriented Community Value Allocation Framework, will be 8 percent of the value of a Transit Oriented Community rather than "up to 8 percent".

2. City Council authorize the City Manager or designate to negotiate and execute a Memorandum of Understanding for the Queen-Spadina Transit Oriented Community proposals generally in accordance with the terms and conditions set out in Confidential Attachment 1, and on such other terms as may be satisfactory to the City Manager and in a form acceptable to the City Solicitor.

3. City Council direct that Confidential Attachment 1 remain confidential at this time as it pertains to criteria to be applied to negotiations carried on by or on behalf of the City of Toronto and be made public following the execution of the site specific Transit Oriented Community Memorandum of Understanding for the Queen-Spadina Transit Oriented Community.

4. City Council direct that Confidential Attachment 2 remain confidential at this time as it pertains to contains commercial information supplied in confidence to the City of Toronto  and be made public upon confirmation to the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth from the Province that the King Bathurst Transit Oriented Community Letter from the Province is no longer required to remain confidential.

5. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat and the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth, to work with the Province to maximize the affordable housing outcome that can be realized by leveraging the Provincial value contribution from Transit Oriented Community developments to assist in qualifying projects with best cost per door results for City affordable housing incentive programs.

6. City Council direct Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and the Executive Director, Development Review to advise future Transit Oriented Community development partners of the City's affordable housing incentive programs in the context of future applications for development of the Transit Oriented Community sites.

7. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in collaboration with the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat and the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth, to continue to assess opportunities to enhance affordable housing outcomes for all Transit Oriented Community proposals as housing programs continue to evolve.

This report provides an update on the Province's Ontario Line South Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) proposals at Exhibition, Corktown, King-Bathurst and Queen-Spadina and seeks authority from City Council for the City Manager to conclude negotiations on, and enter into, a site-specific TOC Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Queen-Spadina generally in accordance with updated terms.  (City staff will seek updated authorities related to the updated Exhibition and Corktown TOCs in late Q1/Q2 2025.)  Changes in the Toronto housing and office markets have led Infrastructure Ontario to revise the TOC proposals at these sites that were previously presented to City Council in April 2022, requiring changes to MOU terms.

The report outlines the Province's confirmed approach to managing tenant displacement and rental housing replacement in TOCs. The report notes that the Provincial approach does not comply with policies of the Official Plan.  City staff have communicated this to the Province and have advocated for the Province to comply with the City's policy. 

Additionally, the report responds to direction from City Council to assess the feasibility of achieving 20 percent of units in TOC projects as affordable housing.  The Province's primary objective of the TOC program is to generate revenue for the Province to offset the capital cost of new major transit projects. 

The Province's TOC program is not part of an affordable housing program.  Nevertheless, based on the terms of the Value Allocation Framework agreement between the City and the Province, the Province will make a value contribution from each TOC site that will support some affordable housing.  These contributions are not available to typical private developments.  City staff continue to explore options with the Province on how to leverage these contributions to achieve better community benefits outcomes, including affordable housing.  Among the options are to pool contributions from several TOCs to achieve better outcomes where costs are lower, or to provide financial assistance at certain TOC projects to position them to qualify for City incentive programs. 

The Province retains sole authority to allocate TOC value contributions.  Further, the Value Allocation Framework specifies that the Provincial contribution would be "up to" 8 percent of the value of the TOC.  While Infrastructure Ontario consults with the City on how best to do so, the Province retains discretion on how it will use the funds.  Likewise, the value contributions will not be provided to the City but rather will be deployed directly from the Province to the provider of the community benefit(s) funded by the contributions.  Finally, with language of "up to" 8 percent as the amount of Provincial value contribution, the City has no certainty what the actual contribution will be, which could potentially be zero percent.

City Planning staff retained specialized consulting services to undertake an analysis of several known TOC proposals to understand what might be required to reach 20 percent  affordable housing. Results of the assessment indicate that achieving 20 percent affordable housing in TOCs is not feasible without making significant changes to the development proposals, discounting of land value and/or providing additional direct funding. 

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

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

The Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer have reviewed this report and agree with the financial impact information.

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

1. City Council adopt the Community Benefits Charge In-Kind Contribution Guidelines included as Attachment 1 to the report (January 7, 2024) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

2. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and Executive Director, Development Review to apply the Community Benefits Charge In-Kind Contribution Guidelines in the evaluation of in-kind contributions for eligible developments, in accordance with the City's Community Benefits Charge Bylaw (1139-2022).

As Toronto grows, so does the need for new and expanded public facilities and public realm improvements that support a high quality of life. The Community Benefits Charge (CBC) is an important tool, in combination with other funding sources, to help the City respond to this need and create complete communities, where things like parks, libraries, child care, community and cultural spaces, affordable housing options, and a welcoming public realm are available and easily accessible.

In most cases, the CBC is provided as a payment at the time of the first building permit. However, in some instances there may be benefit to the City in accepting in-kind contributions that support the City's strategic and policy goals and meet identified community needs. The purpose of the CBC In-Kind Guidelines (“the Guidelines”) is to provide a transparent, policy supported and evidence-based approach for considering in-kind CBC contributions. The Guidelines (Attachment 1) are also intended to support consistency in how and when in-kind contributions are accepted and ensure alignment with the City's approach to allocating CBC funds that have been collected.

The Guidelines are based on a set of five principles which provide high-level guidance for assessing a proposed in-kind contribution. The principles are: Complete Communities, Growth Pays for Growth, Equitable Distribution, Prioritization of Funding Sources, and Alignment with Planning Tools.

The Guidelines include a recommended process for considering and accepting in-kind CBC contributions, to provide a clear, predictable, transparent path for everyone involved. This process includes guidance for considering when to accept an in-kind contribution while balancing the various community priorities within an area to make best use of the CBC, as well as a general description of the steps involved in securing an in-kind CBC contribution. The Guidelines also include Capital Facility Requirements, which describe minimum requirements, sources of information, and other key considerations for each of the most common types of in-kind contributions in more detail.

There are no immediate financial implications arising from the approval of the recommendations in this report.

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

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

1. City Council adopt the Thermal Comfort Guidelines, included as Attachment 1 to the report.

2. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and Executive Director, Development Review, to apply the Thermal Comfort Guidelines in the evaluation of city-initiated large area studies.

3. City Council request the Executive Director, Development Review, to apply the Thermal Comfort Guidelines in the evaluation of large site developments (over 5 hectares) with buildings over 6 storeys on a voluntary basis.

4. City Council request the General Manager, Parks and Recreation to apply the Thermal Comfort Guidelines in the evaluation of major outdoor public realm capital projects on a voluntary basis.

This report recommends Council’s adoption of the Thermal Comfort Guidelines shown as Attachment 1 to this report and that Council direct staff to apply the Thermal Comfort Guidelines in the evaluation of City-initiated large area studies, major outdoor public realm capital projects, and large site developments (over 5 hectares) with buildings over 6 storeys.

In a period of climate change, it is becoming increasingly important to protect the quality and comfort of the public realm that serves residents, workers, and visitors in the city. Climate change is causing more extreme weather conditions, and there is a growing need to design public spaces that optimize comfort in four seasons.  Toronto's population continues to grow, with much growth occurring through vertical densification. The public realm is an important shared amenity that will be relied upon by more and more people for recreation as well as respite from hot indoor conditions. The design of the public realm optimized for thermal comfort is key in building a resilient and livable city.

Thermal comfort is the measure of how someone feels thermally whether they are too hot or too cold, and the degree of their comfort or discomfort. The four primary contributing factors to thermal comfort are air temperature, radiant temperature, relative humidity, and air movement. The outdoor public realm is all exterior public and private spaces to which the public has access. It is a network that includes but is not limited to, streets, lanes, parks, and open spaces.

City Planning identified the need to update the existing study, "Sun, Wind and Pedestrian Comfort: A Study of Toronto’s Central Area" (1990), prepared for the former City of Toronto more than 30 years ago to analyse how development would affect street level sun, wind, and thermal comfort conditions. The update incorporates new technology and software, as well as modern methodologies to ensure data-driven insights. The Guidelines take a Toronto-specific approach with performance metrics that establish seasonal targets. The Guidelines provide a clear methodology to undertake a Thermal Comfort Study as outlined in the appendices, equipping designers, planners, and the development industry with information on the impact of the built environment on the thermal comfort of public spaces.

The outlined Thermal Comfort Study methodology aligns with and integrates the findings of Pedestrian Level Wind Studies and Sun/Shadow Studies, which are required for development applications involving buildings over 6 storeys. While Pedestrian Level Wind Studies and Sun/Shadow Studies are primarily required for development applications, the Thermal Comfort Study methodology, as outlined in the appendices of the guidelines, is designed to inform City-initiated large-scale area studies, major outdoor public realm capital projects, and large site developments (over 5 hectares). For such large area studies or developments, the Thermal Comfort Study assists in organizing streets and blocks and strategically locating outdoor parks, open spaces, and amenities to maximize thermal comfort. This approach fosters a cohesive and comprehensive strategy for city planning, ensuring a more sustainable and livable urban environment.

The Guidelines also feature a Design Toolbox, offering developers and planners practical strategies to mitigate negative thermal impacts. This toolbox helps development proposals address thermal comfort effectively, promoting better urban environments.

Ultimately, the Thermal Comfort Guidelines address outdoor public realm thermal conditions, responding to climate emergencies, sustainability goals, and the needs of a growing population. By prioritizing thermal comfort, the city enhances urban living, encouraging residents to explore the outdoors, stay active, and engage in recreational activities year-round. This dynamic engagement strengthens urban vibrancy and resilience, fostering a city where people and communities thrive.

The purpose of this report is to provide background on the Thermal Comfort Guidelines, an overview of the contents of the Guidelines, how the Guidelines will be used, and an outline of the next steps.

The City Planning Division confirms that there are no financial implications resulting from the recommendations included in this report in the current budget year or in future years.

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

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

1. Planning and Housing Committee receive this report for information.

Toronto has recorded a new high of 1,600,300 jobs citywide and the highest year-over-year employment growth rate in the last two decades. Many new businesses continue to open with three out of ten businesses being less than five years old. The attached bulletin summarizes these and many other results of the 2024 Toronto Employment Survey, which is the 42nd annual survey of Toronto businesses. The bulletin highlights the Survey's key findings and counts of employment and business establishments in the City of Toronto for 2024. The bulletin also reports on the type and longevity of establishments and employment activity in Downtown, the Districts, the Centres, designated Employment Areas, Secondary Plan areas and Areas of Employment across the city.

The City Planning Division confirms that there are no financial implications resulting from the recommendations included in this report in the current budget year or in future years.

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

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

1. City Council state its intention to designate the property at 3100 Weston Road under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance for 3100 Weston Road (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 1, to the report, December 18, 2024, from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

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

3. City Council direct the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning to evaluate the entire property at 3100 Weston Road as a Cultural Heritage Landscape, considering all historical eras of the site including, but not limited to, the area's Indigenous heritage and the Humber River Valley, the post-colonial siting of the private residence, Rivermede, and the property's use by of The Order of Saint Basil, a Ukranian Greek Catholic monastic order, as the site of their church, school (St. Basil-the-Great College), monastery, and printing house, and to recommend any such amendment to this designation as may be necessary.

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the property at 3100 Weston Road 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 3100 Weston Road is located on the west side of Weston Road at the intersection of Weston Road and Sheppard Avenue West. The subject property straddles the boundary of the Humbermede and Pelmo Park-Humberlea neighbourhoods. A location map and current photograph of the heritage property is found in Attachment 2.

Known as Rivermede, the property contains a detached two and a half-storey house-form building with a two and a half-storey garage, a rear pool complex and pumphouse, and an expansive surrounding landscape. Constructed in c.1930-1931 for Percy R. Gardiner and his wife, Gertrude Gardiner, and designed by renowned architect Jocelyn Davidson and landscape architect Arthur M. Kruse, the residence is fashioned in the Tudor Revival style and is set within an expansive lot that extends into the Humber River Valley. The main house holds a prominent position in its setting at the top of the embankment with the primary (east) elevation fronting Weston Road and the rear (west) elevation contains a panoramic view overlooking the Humber-Sheppard Pond (Crang's Pond) to the west. Views of the side (south) elevation of the main house have also been maintained and contribute to its sense of place within the landscape. While much of the original interior detailing, including expansive wood panelling, has since been removed, the original fieldstone fireplace in the main foyer is extant as is the original wood panelling and ceiling beams in the library at the northeast corner of the main house.

In 1958, 3100 Weston Road was sold to The Order of Saint Basil the Great (OSBM) Holding Corporation, a Ukranian Greek Catholic monastic order, based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, to be the future site of their church, school (St. Basil-the-Great College), monastery, and printing house. The main house at Rivermede, which was used as a residence for the priests, became a full monastery known as the St Gregory of Nyssa Monastery. In 1961 to 1962, the former St. Basil-the-Great College School, which is now Carmine Stefano Community Centre, was constructed in red brick in the Modernist style at the north end of the property. At the rear of the main house at Rivermede, is the former location of the Marian Shrine of Gratitude which was removed prior to the sale of the property in August 2023.

The property at 3100 Weston Road was included on the North York Inventory of Heritage Properties by North York Council on October 6, 1997. The original listing related solely to the former Rivermede house. Following revisions to the Ontario Heritage Act in 2005, 3100 Weston Road and many other properties on pre-amalgamation municipal inventories were included on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register as listed properties on September 27, 2006. 

On September 6, 2023, City Council adopted item MM10.5, a request from Councillor Anthony Perruzza to evaluate the listed property at 3100 Weston Road for designation under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.

City Council amended the Listing Statement on November 8, 2023.

Staff have determined that the property at 3100 Weston 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. 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.

City Planning confirms there are no financial implications resulting from the recommendations included in this report in the current budget year or in future years.

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

The Toronto Preservation Board recommends that:

1. City Council state its intention to designate the property at 3100 Weston Road under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance for 3100 Weston Road (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 1, to the report, December 18, 2024, from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

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

3. City Council direct the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning to evaluate the entire property at 3100 Weston Road as a Cultural Heritage Landscape, considering all historical eras of the site including, but not limited to, the area's Indigenous heritage and the Humber River Valley, the post-colonial siting of the private residence, Rivermede, and the property's use by of The Order of Saint Basil, a Ukranian Greek Catholic monastic order, as the site of their church, school (St. Basil-the-Great College), monastery, and printing house, and to recommend any such amendment to this designation as may be necessary.

At its meeting on January 8, 2025 the Toronto Preservation Board considered Item PB26.1 and made recommendations to City Council.

Summary from the report (December 18, 2025) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning:

 
This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the property at 3100 Weston Road 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 3100 Weston Road is located on the west side of Weston Road at the intersection of Weston Road and Sheppard Avenue West. The subject property straddles the boundary of the Humbermede and Pelmo Park-Humberlea neighbourhoods. A location map and current photograph of the heritage property is found in Attachment 2.

Known as Rivermede, the property contains a detached two and a half-storey house-form building with a two and a half-storey garage, a rear pool complex and pumphouse, and an expansive surrounding landscape. Constructed in c.1930-1931 for Percy R. Gardiner and his wife, Gertrude Gardiner, and designed by renowned architect Jocelyn Davidson and landscape architect Arthur M. Kruse, the residence is fashioned in the Tudor Revival style and is set within an expansive lot that extends into the Humber River Valley. The main house holds a prominent position in its setting at the top of the embankment with the primary (east) elevation fronting Weston Road and the rear (west) elevation contains a panoramic view overlooking the Humber-Sheppard Pond (Crang's Pond) to the west. Views of the side (south) elevation of the main house have also been maintained and contribute to its sense of place within the landscape. While much of the original interior detailing, including expansive wood panelling, has since been removed, the original fieldstone fireplace in the main foyer is extant as is the original wood panelling and ceiling beams in the library at the northeast corner of the main house.

In 1958, 3100 Weston Road was sold to The Order of Saint Basil the Great (OSBM) Holding Corporation, a Ukranian Greek Catholic monastic order, based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, to be the future site of their church, school (St. Basil-the-Great College), monastery, and printing house. The main house at Rivermede, which was used as a residence for the priests, became a full monastery known as the St Gregory of Nyssa Monastery. In 1961-62, the former St. Basil-the-Great College School, which is now Carmine Stefano Community Centre, was constructed in red brick in the Modernist style at the north end of the property. At the rear of the main house at Rivermede, is the former location of the Marian Shrine of Gratitude which was removed prior to the sale of the property in August 2023.

The property at 3100 Weston Road was included on the North York Inventory of Heritage Properties by North York Council on October 6, 1997. The original listing related solely to the former Rivermede house. Following revisions to the Ontario Heritage Act in 2005, 3100 Weston Road and many other properties on pre-amalgamation municipal inventories were included on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register as listed properties on September 27, 2006. 

On September 6, 2023, City Council adopted item MM10.5, a request from Councillor Anthony Perruzza to evaluate the listed property at 3100 Weston Road for designation under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.

City Council amended the Listing Statement on November 8, 2023.

Staff have determined that the property at 3100 Weston 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. 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 Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning recommends that:

1. City Council state its intention to designate the property at 29 Sussex Avenue under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance for 29 Sussex Avenue (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 1, to the report, December 20, 2024, from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

2. City Council state its intention to designate the property at 31 Sussex Avenue under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance for 31 Sussex Avenue (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 2, to the report, December 20, 2024, from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

3. City Council state its intention to designate the property at 33 Sussex Avenue under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance for 33 Sussex Avenue (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 3, to the report, December 20, 2024, from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

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

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the properties at 29, 31 and 33 Sussex Avenue under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for their cultural heritage value according to the Statements of Significance and description of Heritage Attributes in Attachment 1, Attachment 2, and Attachment 3.

The subject properties at 29, 31, and 33 Sussex Avenue are between Huron Street and Spadina Avenue, in the Huron-Sussex neighbourhood. A location map and current photograph of the heritage properties is found in Attachment 4.

The subject properties are part of a trio of originally identical Second Empire style house-form buildings that were constructed in 1879. These properties comprise the earliest surviving houses on Sussex Avenue and survive today as a remnant of a larger Victorian residential neighbourhood that spanned to the south and which was redeveloped as part of the West Campus expansion of the University of Toronto.

The property at 29 Sussex Avenue along with the property at 33 Sussex Avenue were listed on the Heritage Register in November 2016. The middle property located at 31 Sussex Avenue was included on the City of Toronto's inaugural Inventory of Heritage Properties over fifty years ago in 1973 and is listed on the Heritage Register.

The subject properties are currently owned by the University of Toronto. City staff consulted with University of Toronto Assistant Vice-President, University Planning in preparing this report.  

Staff have determined that the properties at 29, 31, and 33 Sussex Avenue have cultural heritage value and meet 5 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 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.

City Planning confirms there are no financial implications resulting from the recommendations included in this report in the current budget year or in future years.

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

The Toronto Preservation Board recommends that:

1. City Council state its intention to designate the property at 29 Sussex Avenue under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance for 29 Sussex Avenue (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 1, to the report, December 13, 2024, from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

2. City Council state its intention to designate the property at 31 Sussex Avenue under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance for 31 Sussex Avenue (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 2, to the report, December 13, 2024, from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

3. City Council state its intention to designate the property at 33 Sussex Avenue under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance for 33 Sussex Avenue (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 3, to the report, December 13, 2024, from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

4. City Council request the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning to pursue the examination of the interior of the properties located at 29, 31 and 33 Sussex Avenue to identify potential heritage attributes relating to the design values.

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

At its meeting on January 8, 2025 the Toronto Preservation Board considered Item PB26.2 and made recommendations to City Council.

Summary from the report (December 13, 2025) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning:

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the properties at 29, 31 and 33 Sussex Avenue under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for their cultural heritage value according to the Statements of Significance and description of Heritage Attributes in Attachment 1, Attachment 2, and Attachment 3.

The subject properties at 29, 31, and 33 Sussex Avenue are between Huron Street and Spadina Avenue, in the Huron-Sussex neighbourhood. A location map and current photograph of the heritage properties is found in Attachment 4.

The subject properties are part of a trio of originally identical Second Empire style house-form buildings that were constructed in 1879. These properties comprise the earliest surviving houses on Sussex Avenue and survive today as a remnant of a larger Victorian residential neighbourhood that spanned to the south and which was redeveloped as part of the West Campus expansion of the University of Toronto.

The property at 29 Sussex Avenue along with the property at 33 Sussex Avenue were listed on the Heritage Register in November 2016. The middle property located at 31 Sussex Avenue was included on the City of Toronto's inaugural Inventory of Heritage Properties over fifty years ago in 1973 and is listed on the Heritage Register.

The subject properties are currently owned by the University of Toronto. City staff consulted with University of Toronto Assistant Vice-President, University Planning in preparing this report.  

Staff have determined that the properties at 29, 31, and 33 Sussex Avenue have cultural heritage value and meet 5 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 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.