Decisions

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council amend City of Toronto Zoning By-law 569-2013 for the lands municipally known as 7-9 Wardlaw Crescent substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment included as Attachment 5 to the report (March 27, 2025) from the Executive Director, Development Review.

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 direct the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, in collaboration with the local Councillor, to support the integration of the new homes at 7-9 Wardlaw Crescent and promote community cohesion and safety by taking the following actions:
 

a. work with the housing provider and nearby shelter operator, Salvation Army and the Toronto Shelter and Support Services Division to establish a joint Community Liaison Committee;
 

b. work with the Community Liaison Committee and community stakeholders to conduct a community safety assessment and bring forward recommendations to relevant City Divisions, the housing provider of 7-9 Wardlaw Crescent, and consider recommendations in determining final building design, greenspace and landscaping.
 

4. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services, to consider feedback received through the community engagement process and explore opportunities to improve parking access and road safety in the vicinity of 7-9 Wardlaw Crescent and progress necessary improvements, in consultation with the local Councillor.

The Planning and Housing Committee held a statutory public meeting on April 10, 2025, and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This report reviews and recommends approval of a City-initiated Zoning By-law Amendment to permit a four-storey (15-metre, excluding mechanical penthouse) residential apartment building with 51 new affordable rental dwelling units with wrap-around supports at 7-9 Wardlaw Crescent in the Rexdale neighbourhood.

This project will support the City in delivering a full range of housing opportunities, aligned with the objectives of the Official Plan. It also supports the delivery of the HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan ("HousingTO Plan") target of approving 65,000 rent-controlled homes, including 18,000 supportive homes, within complete communities. Further, this project builds upon significant and successful City experience in leading or supporting the creation of new affordable and supportive housing, with twenty-five developments completed or underway in thirteen wards across Toronto since 2020.

Approval of the recommendations in this report will enable the City to move quickly to start construction on this project in summer 2025, with completion in fall 2026 to ensure 51 residents in need of permanent, affordable housing with supports have a safe place to call home. This includes people from equity-deserving groups such as seniors, youth, refugees/newcomers, and people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

This supplementary report provides additional information for Planning and Housing Committee about the community engagement process undertaken related to the new supportive housing development at 7-9 Wardlaw Crescent. Attachment 1 to this supplementary report contains the Community Engagement Summary report prepared by the City’s engagement consultant, summarizing the engagement activities, what was heard, and feedback provided.

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council adopt the Rental Replacement Handbook, in Attachment 1 to the report (March 27, 2025) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, as the guidelines for Rental Housing Demolition applications and direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with the Executive Director, Development Review, to use the Guidelines in the evaluation of new and under review Rental Housing Demolition applications.

2. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, report to the Planning and Housing Committee prior to January 23, 2026 on potential additional measures and resources to support tenants facing Demovictions, including:

a. The outcome of stakeholder consultation related to designing an updated process for vulnerable tenants; 

b. An assessment of divisional resourcing supporting Rental Housing Demolition applications; and

c. Approaches to comprehensively distribute the Rental Replacement Handbook,  including requiring Landlords to post on the Handbook on tenant boards where applicable, and providing physical copies at local housing help centres, community centres, libraries, and other public spaces. 

3. City Council direct the City Solicitor, in consultation with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to include requirements in Section 111 agreements for owners to provide tenants copies of the agreement at no cost.

4. City Council request the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, in consultation with tenant organizations and Councillors, to report to Planning and Housing Committee prior to January 23, 2026 on a review of the adequacy of funding for the Tenant Support Program, including but not limited to, increasing access to pro bono legal representations, defending tenants from Above Guideline Rent Increases, and advocacy support.

This report responds to City Council’s request for the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to evaluate the current approach to calculating rent gap assistance, report back on compliance with tenant assistance policies, and publish updated implementation guidelines for Rental Housing Demolition applications submitted under Chapter 667 of Toronto Municipal Code (“Chapter 667”) that require replacement of existing rental housing.

Throughout November and December 2024, staff undertook consultations with tenants, development industry and tenant advocacy stakeholder groups. This report provides an overview of consultation feedback, highlights areas of implementation that stakeholders identified for improvement, and outlines recent and ongoing rental replacement process changes to address stakeholder feedback, including continuous engagement with tenants, data collection practices, and enforcement of the rental demolition policy framework.

Staff have drafted a Rental Replacement Handbook (the "Handbook"), which sets out updated rental replacement implementation practices and is included as Attachment 1. It will be posted on the City’s website following review by key stakeholders. The Handbook is a new plain-language resource that will provide transparency and guidance to members of the public and the development industry. Staff will continue to consult on the Handbook with stakeholders for ongoing improvement.

Staff have evaluated and consulted on the current approach for calculating rent gap assistance. Based on the analysis and consultations, staff recommend maintaining the current approach of using use Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation data for average market rents for rental units built in or after 2015, with an adjustment to use zone specific data where available.

Legal Services, Housing Secretariat, and Toronto Building were consulted in the preparation of this report.

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council state its intention to designate the property at 750 Yonge Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance for 750 Yonge Street (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 1to the report (March 14, 2025) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

2. City Council state its intention to designate the property at 752 Yonge Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance for 752 Yonge Street (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 2 to the report (March 14, 2025) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

3. City Council state its intention to designate the properties at 756-758 Yonge Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance for 756-758 Yonge Street (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 3 to the report (March 14, 2025) 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 Bills 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 four adjacent properties at 750 Yonge Street (including entrance address at 750A Yonge Street), 752 Yonge Street (including entrance addresses at 752A Yonge Street and 754 Yonge Street), 756 Yonge Street and 758 Yonge Street (hereafter referred to as 756-758 Yonge Street) under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for their cultural heritage value according to the Statements of Significance, which include descriptions of heritage attributes, found in Attachments 1, 2, and 3.

The subject properties at 750, 752, and 756-758 Yonge Street are located on the west side of Yonge Street, mid-block between Charles Street West and Bloor Street West, in the Bay-Cloverhill neighbourhood. A location map and current photograph of the heritage properties are found in Attachment 4.

The properties at 750, 752, and 756-758 Yonge Street contain three contiguous three-storey buildings constructed in 1912, 1890, and 1909, respectively. 750 Yonge Street is a mixed-use commercial building designed by the architects Curry and Sparling in the Renaissance Revival style. 752 and 756-758 Yonge Street are mixed-use commercial buildings designed in the Edwardian Classicism architectural style. Collectively, the properties help maintain and support the historic commercial main street character of Yonge Street, south of Bloor Street, through their consistent low-rise scale, form and massing, and their late-nineteenth to early-twentieth century architectural styles.

All of the subject properties at 750, 752, and 756-758 Yonge Street are included on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register.

Staff have determined that the properties at 750, 752, and 756-758 Yonge Street have cultural heritage value. 750 Yonge Street meets 4 of the Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. 752 and 756-758 Yonge Street each meet 3 of the Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. A property may be designated under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, if it meets two or more of the nine criteria.

On January 1, 2023, amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act (the Act) through the More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 (Bill 23) came into effect. Under the Act, as amended, a municipal heritage register may include properties that have not been designated but Council believes to be of “cultural heritage value or interest", and that meet one or more of the provincial criteria for determining whether they are of cultural heritage value or interest. The Act now limits listing to a period of two years.

As of January 1, 2023, should a property be subject to an Official Plan Amendment, Zoning By-law Amendment and/or Draft Plan of Subdivision Application, properties must be listed on the heritage register prior to Part IV designation and before the occurrence of a prescribed event. A prescribed event is a point of time when the application for an Official Plan Amendment, Zoning By-law Amendment and/or Draft Plan of Subdivision Application has been deemed complete and the City Clerk provides notice of that complete application to the public in accordance with the Planning Act. 

The subject properties at 750 and 756 Yonge Street were listed on the City's Heritage Register on May 10, 11 and 12, 2023 with the new two-year limit. Council must decide on or before its April 23, 24, 25, 2025 meeting to provide sufficient time for the City Clerk to issue a notice of intention to designate before the properties will be removed from the Register.

The subject properties at 752 and 758 Yonge Street were listed on the City's Heritage Register on March 10, 2016, and have been identified as candidates for designation through the City's implementation of Bill 23 amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act and the strategy for Listed Properties that must be removed from the Register by January 1, 2027.

Designation enables City Council to review proposed alterations or demolitions to the property and enforce heritage property standards and maintenance. Designation also gives property owners access to City of Toronto heritage incentive programs.

At its meeting on March 21, 2025 the Toronto Preservation Board considered Item PB29.2 and made recommendations to City Council.

Summary from the report (March 7, 2025) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning:

 
This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the four adjacent properties at 750 Yonge Street (including entrance address at 750A Yonge Street), 752 Yonge Street (including entrance addresses at 752A Yonge Street and 754 Yonge Street), 756 Yonge Street and 758 Yonge Street (hereafter referred to as 756-758 Yonge Street) under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for their cultural heritage value according to the Statements of Significance, which include descriptions of heritage attributes, found in Attachments 1, 2, and 3.

The subject properties at 750, 752, and 756-758 Yonge Street are located on the west side of Yonge Street, mid-block between Charles Street West and Bloor Street West, in the Bay-Cloverhill neighbourhood. A location map and current photograph of the heritage properties are found in Attachment 4.

The properties at 750, 752, and 756-758 Yonge Street contain three contiguous three-storey buildings constructed in 1912, 1890, and 1909, respectively. 750 Yonge Street is a mixed-use commercial building designed by the architects Curry and Sparling in the Renaissance Revival style. 752 and 756-758 Yonge Street are mixed-use commercial buildings designed in the Edwardian Classicism architectural style. Collectively, the properties help maintain and support the historic commercial main street character of Yonge Street, south of Bloor Street, through their consistent low-rise scale, form and massing, and their late-nineteenth to early-twentieth century architectural styles.

All of the subject properties at 750, 752, and 756-758 Yonge Street are included on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register.

Staff have determined that the properties at 750, 752, and 756-758 Yonge Street have cultural heritage value. 750 Yonge Street meets 4 of the Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. 752 and 756-758 Yonge Street each meet 3 of the Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. A property may be designated under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, if it meets two or more of the nine criteria.

On January 1, 2023, amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act (the Act) through the More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 (Bill 23) came into effect. Under the Act, as amended, a municipal heritage register may include properties that have not been designated but Council believes to be of “cultural heritage value or interest", and that meet one or more of the provincial criteria for determining whether they are of cultural heritage value or interest. The Act now limits listing to a period of two years.

As of January 1, 2023, should a property be subject to an Official Plan Amendment, Zoning By-law Amendment and/or Draft Plan of Subdivision Application, properties must be listed on the heritage register prior to Part IV designation and before the occurrence of a prescribed event. A prescribed event is a point of time when the application for an Official Plan Amendment, Zoning By-law Amendment and/or Draft Plan of Subdivision Application has been deemed complete and the City Clerk provides notice of that complete application to the public in accordance with the Planning Act. 

The subject properties at 750 and 756 Yonge Street were listed on the City's Heritage Register on May 10, 11 and 12, 2023 with the new two-year limit. Council must decide on or before its April 23, 24, 25, 2025 meeting to provide sufficient time for the City Clerk to issue a notice of intention to designate before the properties will be removed from the Register.

The subject properties at 752 and 758 Yonge Street were listed on the City's Heritage Register on March 10, 2016, and have been identified as candidates for designation through the City's implementation of Bill 23 amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act and the strategy for Listed Properties that must be removed from the Register by January 1, 2027.

Designation enables City Council to review proposed alterations or demolitions to the property and enforce heritage property standards and maintenance. Designation also gives property owners access to City of Toronto heritage incentive programs.

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council approve the application to amend Subsection 4G of Schedule C, Additional Special Sign District Regulations, to Chapter 694, Signs, General, to replace references to the previous name of the square with respect to regulations concerning the sign copy allowed to be displayed, and replace these references with the current name of the square; as well as replacing the modified permitting regime contained within Subsection 4G, with the standard permitting regime otherwise applicable for signs; substantially in accordance with the draft by-law set out in Attachment 1 to the report (March 26, 2025) from the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building.

2. City Council amend Chapter 694, Signs, General, to replace all incidents of the phrase “Dundas Square Special Sign District” with the phrase “Sankofa Square Special Sign District” and incidents of the phrase “DS-SSD” with the phrase “SK-SSD”, substantially in accordance with the draft by-law set out in Attachment 2 to the report (March 26, 2025) from the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building.

In 2017, City Council adopted amendments to the Sign By-law (the “2017 Amendment”) to facilitate the installation of signage at 1 Dundas Street East (now Sankofa Square), previously known as Yonge-Dundas Square (“The Square”). The signage proposal included five electronic ground signs and two electronic roof signs featuring a mix of third-party advertising, event displays, information about upcoming events, art installations, and event sponsorships. Additionally, two of the seven signs were required to display sign copy consisting of either the phrase "Yonge-Dundas Square" or logos identifying Yonge-Dundas Square.

In December 2023, City Council officially renamed Yonge-Dundas Square to Sankofa Square. However, the provisions of the 2017 Amendment specifically referred to the former name of the square and do not accommodate the name change adopted in 2023. Also, as part of the 2017 Amendment, the seven electronic signs were permitted on the condition that the sign permits would expire after a ten-year term, specifically on July 31, 2027, and would not be subject to renewal.

Since their installation, the seven signs permitted in the 2017 Amendment have become an integral part of The Square, contributing to its sense of place and suitability as a dynamic event space in downtown Toronto.

The Sankofa Square Board of Management (the “Applicant”) has submitted a Sign By-law amendment application (the “Proposed Amendment”) for 1 Dundas Street East where The Square is located. The Proposed Amendment seeks revisions to the 2017 Amendment which will modify the clauses in the area-specific By-law requiring the display of “Yonge-Dundas Square” and the provisions concerning the permit expiry of the seven electronic signs.

Toronto Building conducted a thorough review of the application and supporting materials. The Chief Building Official (the “CBO”) is of the opinion that since their installation, the seven signs allowed and regulated by Subsection 4G have become an integral part of the Square, contributing to its sense of place and suitability as a dynamic event space in downtown Toronto. The Chief Building Official believes that the requested amendment aligns with the broader goals of the City, the objectives of the Sign By-law, and the specific regulations for the premises and surrounding area. Therefore, the Chief Building Official supports Council approval of the Proposed Amendment.

In addition, the Chief Building Official is proposing that similar changes to reflect the 2023 name change be adopted within the Sign By-law as a whole, specifically that all references to the Dundas Square Special Sign District or (DS-SSD) in the Sign By-law be changed to the Sankofa Square Special Sign District or (SK-SSD).

The Planning and Housing Committee:

1. Received the report (March 27, 2025) from the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services, for information.

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

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

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

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

d. Average timeline to approve a Site Plan Application. 

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

Quarterly reports are also available for 2024: Q1 2024 (2024.PH9.2), Q2 2024 (2024.PH11.5), Q3 2024 (2024.PH14.4), and Q4 2024 (2024.PH16.5). Reporting has evolved to reflect ongoing legislative change and to improve data accuracy and interpretation, as detailed in the 'Comments' section of this report.

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council direct that a new chapter in the City of Toronto Municipal Code titled, Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 513, Housing Programs, be established substantially in the form attached as Attachment 1 to the report (March 27, 2025) from the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, and require that the chapter apply to all municipal housing facilities in Toronto unless otherwise exempted in the by-law.

2. City Council repeal City of Toronto By-law 713-2024 to enact a new municipal Housing Facility By-law and to repeal By-law 183-2022.

3. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat to negotiate and enter into, on behalf of the City, Municipal Housing Project Facility Agreements for housing purposes for up to 20 years with Housing Services Act, 2011 Part VII.1 Community Housing Providers to secure affordable housing in accordance with the new Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 513, Housing Programs as set out in Part 1 above on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat and in a form approved by the City Solicitor.

4. City Council authorize an exemption, for Housing Services Act, 2011 Part VII.1 Community Housing Providers who have entered into a Municipal Housing Project Facility Agreement pursuant to Part 3 above, from taxation for municipal and school purposes and authorize staff to cancel or refund any taxes paid after the Effective Date of exemption from taxation for municipal and school purposes as set out in the applicable Municipal Housing Project Facility Agreement with the Housing Services Act, 2011 Part VII.1 Community Housing Provider.

5. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat to negotiate, on behalf of the City, service agreements with Housing Services Act, 2011 Part VII.1 Community Housing Providers that incorporate the requirements of a social housing program under s. 453.1 of the City of Toronto Act, 2006, upon terms and conditions satisfactory to the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

6. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, together with the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, to forgive, extend, or otherwise amend the financial terms and conditions of existing City loan agreements with Community Housing Providers, issued from the Social Housing Stabilization Reserve Fund (XQ1106) and Social Housing Federal Reserve Fund (XR2105) as identified in Table 2, on a case-by-case basis.

7. City Council direct the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, together with the Chief Financial Officer, to implement a case-by-case approach, in their sole discretion, forgive, extend or otherwise amend Provincial loan agreements with Housing Services Act, 2011, Part VII Community Housing Providers that have been transferred to the City of Toronto.

8. City Council direct the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat to continue to advocate with the provincial and federal governments for increased, predictable, and sustainable funding to address the capital repair needs of Community Housing Providers.

9. City Council request the Government of Ontario to allow residents of community housing projects that are exempted from taxation for municipal and school purposes to be eligible for the Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit component of the Ontario Trillium Benefit.

10. City Council enact a site specific by-law amending the criteria for "Affordable Housing" in the Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 513, Housing Programs as set out in Part 1 above, to exempt a total of 142 affordable rental housing units at the addresses listed in Table 5 to this report (March 27, 2025) from the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, owned and operated by Houselink and Mainstay Community Housing from the restriction that affordable rental housing units be “new” to meet the definition of Affordable Housing in the Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 513, Housing Programs as set out in Part 1 above.

11. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat to negotiate and enter into, on behalf of the City, a Municipal Housing Project Facility Agreement (the “City's Contribution Agreement”) with Houselink and Mainstay Community Housing as further described in Table 4 in the Financial Impact section of this report (March 27, 2025) from the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, to secure affordable housing in accordance with the Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 513, Housing Programs as set out in Part 1 above, on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, and in a form approved by the City Solicitor.

12. City Council authorize an exemption from taxation for municipal and school purposes for Houselink and Mainstay Community Housing for the properties and periods of time described in Table 4 in the Financial Impact section of the report (March 27, 2025) from the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, with the tax exemption being effective from the Effective Date as set out in the City's Municipal Housing Project Facility Agreement.

13. City Council authorize the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer to cancel or refund any taxes paid after the Effective Date of the Municipal Housing Project Facility Agreement with Houselink and Mainstay Community Housing.

14. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the necessary Bills and make such stylistic and technical changes to the draft Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 513, Housing Programs as may be required.

In June 2024, City Council adopted PH13.9 - Community Housing Sector Modernization and Growth Strategy (“Strategy”), which recommended a new approach to protect the City's existing community housing stock. The strategy included a focused initiative on renewing partnerships with Community Housing Providers with expiring mortgages under the Housing Services Act 2011 (HSA), Part VII.

To further advance the actions adopted by Council through the Community Housing Sector Modernization and Growth Strategy to support the operational and capital needs of Community Housing Providers, this staff report recommends Community Housing Providers to be governed under the Housing Services Act Part VII.1, enter into a Municipal Housing Project Facility Agreement to maintain units at an affordable rent, in exchange for a property tax exemption for an initial twenty-year period. The property tax exemption will continue to provide financial relief that is already provided by the subsidy paid under Part VII of the Housing Services Act funding formula.

Providing property tax exemptions to these community housing projects will help maintain over 16,000 affordable rental homes in a state of good repair, preserving some of the City’s most affordable homes for residents. This report also recommends that the City amend any existing loan agreements between the City and Community Housing Providers who enter into a Service Agreement, on a case-by-case basis where necessary.

In addition, a site-specific property tax exemption is recommended for Houselink and Mainstay Community Housing (“Houselink”) for eight buildings located at their newly acquired Finchurst site, which will ensure the on-going affordability for 142 homes of this former federal housing project that supports military veterans and their families.

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council adopt the Academic Housing Strategy and its recommended actions as outlined in this report and Attachment 1 to the report (March 27, 2025) from the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, as part of the City’s HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan.

2. City Council direct the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat to develop a five-year implementation plan for the Academic Housing Strategy.

3. City Council direct the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat to provide annual update reports on the Academic Housing Strategy as part of annual update reports on the HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan.

4. City Council direct the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat and Executive Director, Housing Development Office to identify a pilot affordable student housing project on public land delivered in partnership with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, not for profit housing provider(s) and academic institutions and report back by the fourth quarter of 2026 on potential projects, associated costs of municipal incentives, and support required from provincial, federal and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation sources to deliver the pilot project. 

5. City Council direct the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, in consultation with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, and if necessary consult with the City Solicitor, to identify opportunities for expanding City financial support to create new, and preserve and revitalize existing affordable student housing options.

6. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat to enter into a data sharing agreements with post-secondary institutions of the Academic Institutions Working Group described in this report to implement the Academic Housing Strategy, and including authorizing the use, sharing, analysis, and reporting of socio-demographic and disaggregated survey data collected and received by the Housing Secretariat from students, staff and faculty attending the post-secondary institutions, for the purposes of informing post-secondary specific housing initiatives, on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, and in a form satisfactory with the City Solicitor.

In December 2022, City Council directed staff to develop a post-secondary housing strategy in partnership with post-secondary institutions aimed at increasing the availability of student housing. The proposed Academic Housing Strategy (Strategy) provides a snapshot of housing needs of post-secondary students in Toronto and outlines a framework for action by the City, other orders of government, and academic institutions to address their immediate and longer-term housing needs. The delivery of this Strategy is also a City commitment through the federal Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF).

Toronto’s post-secondary institutions are leading contributors to the City’s economy and important sources of job creation, skills training, and research and innovation. They are critical in maintaining a talent pipeline that supports the economic growth of the city and advancing student success and well-being is a key part of maintaining that pipeline. This is at the core of their missions, as academic institutions continue to advance educational priorities for students within their regulatory and financial capacity.

In Toronto, it is estimated that over 350,000 students are enrolled in public academic institutions. In recent years, an increasing number of post-secondary students have been struggling to meet their basic needs for housing, food, and other life necessities. The higher costs of living, coupled with financial assistance programs that do not reflect increasing costs, are leaving more students financially stretched and overwhelmed. While this is a national trend, it is more prevalent in Toronto, where housing costs are already some of the highest in the country. As a result, more post-secondary students are relying on food banks and homelessness services; they are more likely to experience precarious housing situations and live in over-crowded homes; and are increasingly more vulnerable to housing scams and fraud. In addition, institutions are facing financial constraints; an over-reliance on international student fees, and changing immigration policies that make it challenging to predict and prepare for their financial future. This makes it particularly challenging for institutions to plan and respond to the diverse housing needs of their students.

The Proposed Academic Housing Strategy

The development of this Strategy was directly informed by extensive consultation with nearly 2,000 students, staff and faculty across public colleges and universities in Toronto, as well as subject matter experts from academic, and non-profit and private housing sectors. The engagement process was held in partnership with Toronto’s academic institution partners and included:

- Online surveys;

- Campus drop-in sessions;

- Key informant interviews;

- Focus groups; and

- Student-led “consultation-in-a-box" sessions.

The results of the engagement offer first-hand insight into experiences, challenges, and barriers that students in Toronto are facing. In particular, students highlighted challenges with affordability of life, burdens of commuting, poor quality of housing, discrimination, and limitations in finding housing that met their needs. The results have also shown the need to conduct additional meaningful engagement with First Nation, Inuit and Métis students, faculty and staff to ensure their unique and distinct voices are included.

The Strategy aims to achieve five overarching strategic priorities:

1. Strengthen Policy and Partnerships for Academic Housing

2. Expand and Fund Affordable Student Housing

3. Unlock Land and Infrastructure for Student Housing

4. Ensure Safe, Secure, and Equitable Student Housing

5. Enhance Wrap-Around Support for Students

These strategic priorities are aligned with the City’s priorities and objectives, and its 17 proposed actions will be implemented over the next five years through the implementation of the HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan.

Recent federal and provincial announcements introducing caps on international students as well as changes introduced through Bill 185, Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act, 2024 (exempting publicly assisted post-secondary institutions from the Planning Act, among other measures), have and continue to change the post-secondary housing landscape.

The City’s actions to improve housing outcomes for post-secondary students will continue to reflect the federal and provincial legislative and funding environment to ensure consistency and alignment across all orders of government, and to ensure a whole-of-government and whole-of-community approach to addressing the housing needs of post-secondary students, faculty and staff.

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council approve the Initial Development Proposal outlined in this report as the initial project concept for the revitalization of Toronto Community Housing Corporation's properties located at 1-154 Swansea Mews (“Swansea Mews”).

2. City Council request that the Toronto Community Housing Corporation Board of Directors direct the appropriate officers to submit a Rental Housing Demolition and Conversion application to demolish the existing uninhabitable vacant 154 social housing units located at Swansea Mews, and address replacement obligations and provide an acceptable Tenant Relocation and Assistance Implementation Plan in conjunction with Official Plan Amendment, and Zoning By-Law Amendment applications. 

3. City Council authorize and request the Executive Director, Development Review, to defer payment of all planning application fees at 1-154 Swansea Mews until such time as Toronto Community Housing Corporation submits a Site Plan Application.

4. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Development Review to enter into an agreement with Toronto Community Housing Corporation setting out the terms and conditions of the deferral of all planning application fees in a form acceptable to the City Solicitor.

5. City Council authorize and request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to waive the fees associated with the Rental Housing Demolition applications at 1-154 Swansea Mews.

6. City Council authorize and request the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building to waive the fees associated with the demolition permit applications at 1-154 Swansea Mews.

7. City Council request the Deputy City Manager Development and Growth Services, Executive Director, Housing Development Office, and Executive Director, Development Review in collaboration with the appropriate City Divisions, CreateTO and Toronto Community Housing Corporation, report to City Council for approval of both an Actions Report and Planning Report, respectively, for Swansea Mews in accordance with Stage 2: Procurement and Final Consents of the approvals framework for Toronto Community Housing Corporation Revitalization projects in the fourth quarter of 2025.  

8. City Council request the Deputy City Manager Development and Growth Services and Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, in consultation with the President and Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Community Housing Corporation, engage other orders of government to request funding and low-cost financing necessary to deliver the Swansea Mews Revitalization, including:

a. to forward this report to the Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to request program and financial support for the implementation of the Swansea Mews revitalization project; and

b. engage with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and Housing, Infrastructure, and Communities Canada to examine funding and low-cost financing opportunities to support the Swansea Mews revitalization.

9. City Council direct that the confidential information contained in Confidential Attachment 1 remain confidential in its entirety, until such time as the Toronto Community Housing Corporation agrees that the confidential information may be disclosed to the public.

The Swansea Mews community is a 5.3 acre Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) property located at the intersection of the Queensway and Windermere Avenue consisting of 154 rent-geared to income (RGI) homes in nine 4-storey blocks of stacked townhomes. Following an incident of structural failure, an Emergency Order was issued by the Chief Building Official in June 2022 and all residents were immediately relocated offsite. Based on independent, professional reports, the structural failure was determined to be due to a defect in the building’s original construction. Faced with the risks of future structural failures, demolition was determined to be the only viable course of action. Today, the buildings remain vacant and uninhabitable. 108 households maintain a right to return to the once it is redeveloped and the homes are replaced.

Toronto Community Housing Corporation has over two decades of experience in the successful revitalization of its communities, in partnership with residents. Toronto Community Housing Corporation 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 predevelopment, design, construction, and community engagement and relocation. Toronto Community Housing Corporation’s 10-year development plan, in partnership with the City, aims to deliver over 10,000 new homes in our city by 2035. Swansea Mews is a critical site within this development plan.

On July 16, 2019, through Item No. PH7.4, "A New Approvals Framework for Toronto Community Housing Corporation Revitalization Projects", City Council adopted a new approvals framework for Toronto Community Housing Corporation revitalization projects. As part of this new approvals framework, a stage gate process was established to provide the City with early and enhanced oversight of Toronto Community Housing Corporation projects, and to ensure that these revitalizations support strategic city-building priorities.

Pursuant to this approval framework, this report recommends that City Council endorse, in principle, Toronto Community Housing Corporation’s proposed plans to redevelop the Swansea Mews community as outlined herein as the Initial Development Proposal (IDP) as a general concept prior to proceeding to the next stage of the approvals framework.

The Initial Development Proposal envisions the replacement of 154 rent-geared to income homes onsite. 154 homes have been vacant due to safety issues following the incident of structural failure on May 27, 2022. In addition to Toronto Community Housing Corporation replacement homes at Swansea Mews, initial massing studies suggest that approximately 550-700 net new homes (beyond the 154 replacement social housing homes) can be achieved on-site with varying levels of affordability and ownership models, and approximately 1,400 – 1,860 square meters of commercial, community, and/or amenity space. The total gross floor area (GFA) and estimated unit counts will be confirmed through the rezoning process.

Other city-building objectives are also proposed to be achieved including improved open/park space, improved access and road alignment, increased tenant benefits through community economic development programs, and an overall design that will promote community safety and social cohesion.

This Initial Development Proposal for the Swansea Mews Community was developed in consultation with an interdivisional City working group and establishes a preliminary framework for future investment and redevelopment, including the creation of three residential development blocks, a large open space, a new road network and an overall design that will promote community safety and sound planning principles.

The built form and design concept will continue to be developed and refined through the development review and community consultation process. An appropriate Official Plan Amendment, Zoning By-law Amendment, plan of sub-division (if required), site plan and built form will be created which will form the basis of the final proposal for the site.

The approval of this Initial Development Proposal will allow Toronto Community Housing Corporation to proceed to Stage 2 of the approvals framework which includes the submission of both an Actions Report and Planning Report for City Council approval. These forthcoming reports will be based on public consultation, planning application submissions, and a real estate development plan that ultimate defines the business terms and recommended delivery model for the project. 

The future Actions Report, to be prepared by Toronto Community Housing Corporation, will consider potential non-profit rental and co-operative and private sector development partners and partnership arrangements. The proposed number of homes, levels of affordability and tenure, third-party funding sources and overall financial implications will be assessed through the new Housing Delivery Governance Framework, that includes staff from the City, CreateTO and Toronto Community Housing Corporation and which is led by the new Housing Development Office. This will be done prior to recommendations being brought forward to Toronto Community Housing Corporation’s Board and City Council.

The Planning and Housing Committee:

1. Received the item for information.

City Council on March 26 and 27, 2025, referred the supplementary report for Item AU8.1 to the April 10, 2025 meeting of the Planning and Housing Committee.

Summary from the report (March 21, 2025) from the Auditor General:

This report provides a response to the Audit Committee's request. Our audit of the City's Short-Term Rental Program and Municipal Accommodation Tax (2024.AU5.7) did not specifically include 181 and 219 Dundas Street. Our online search for illegal short-term rental listings may have included these locations, however it is not possible to link the online listings to specific addresses.

As supplemental information for City Council, we used the data extract from our audit of the short-term rental database and transactions from two licensed companies and found 70 transactions at 181 Dundas St. E. and 52 at 219 Dundas St. E. between 2021 and 2023. As of February 29, 2024, when we extracted the short-term rental registration data for our audit, both locations had one active permit each.

In a subsequent update on March 11, 2025, Municipal Licensing and Standards (MLS) confirmed that all active short-term rental permits at 181 and 219 Dundas Street East had been canceled or revoked following investigations. MLS also engaged with property management at both locations and verified that short-term rentals are prohibited under the respective condominium by-law declarations.