Item - 2012.GM11.8

The Government Management Committee recommended that:

1.         City Council grant authority to the Director of Real Estate Services to initiate expropriation proceedings, if necessary where negotiations are unsuccessful, for the property requirements set out in the attached Appendix "A" of the report (February 7, 2012) from the Chief Corporate Officer, for the purpose of constructing the tunnelled portion of the Eglinton Scarborough Crosstown transit project.

2.         City Council grant authority to the Director of Real Estate Services to serve and publish Notices of Application for Approval to Expropriate the property requirements set out in the attached Appendix "A" of the report (February 7, 2012) from the Chief Corporate Officer, to forward to the Chief Inquiry Officer any requests for hearing that are received, to attend the hearings to present the City’s position and to report the Inquiry Officer’s recommendations to City Council for its consideration.

3.         City Council also grant authority to the Director of Real Estate Services to serve and publish Notices of Application for Approval to Expropriate the remaining property interests required to implement the tunnelled portion of the Eglinton Scarborough Crosstown  transit project to forward to the Chief Inquiry Officer any requests for hearing that are received, to attend the hearings to present the City's position and to report the Inquiry Officer's recommendations to City Council for its consideration.

In November, 2009, City Council approved the recommendations contained in the Eglinton Crosstown LRT Transit Project Assessment Study and authorized staff to submit the Environmental Project Report to the Ministry of the Environment.  The Report recommended a 25 km light rail transit line along Eglinton Avenue, including a 10.5 km underground tunnelled section between Black Creek Drive and Brentcliffe Road.  In May, 2010 the Minister issued a Notice to Proceed.  The Toronto Transit Commission is proceeding with the design of the underground section as approved through the Environmental Assessment.

An initial set of property requirements to construct the tunnels have been identified by TTC. This report seeks Council authority for staff to initiate expropriation proceedings if necessary where negotiations to purchase the property interests are unsuccessful for these initial identified properties and also for the remaining properties necessary to proceed with the tunnelled section of the Eglinton Scarborugh Crosstown transit project.