Item - 2016.PG16.4

The Planning and Growth Management Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council amend the Terms and Conditions of the Eco-Roof Incentive Program, to:

a.  Increase the amount of the green roof incentive to $100 per square metre.

b.  Provide additional funding for structural assessments for green roof projects, of up to a maximum of $1,000, as outlined in the Structural Assessment Grant Guidelines contained in Appendix 3.

c.  Add the requirement that a staff report be submitted with recommendations to the Planning and Growth Management Committee and City Council for applications for project funding greater than $50,000 for cool roofs and $100,000 for green roofs. 

d.  Remove the requirement for cool roofs to cover 100 percent of the available roof space, thus allowing partial roof replacements to be approved, with the provision of a letter from the property owner stating their intention to complete future roof retrofits with an eco-roof surface that meets program criteria.

e.  Allow cool roofs proposed on new buildings with a Gross Floor Area (GFA) of less than 2000/square metres to be eligible for funding.

f.  Add the requirement for the applicant to provide documentation needed to track eco-roof project costs.

g.  allow all new construction projects by organizations incorporated as not-for-profit corporations, to be made eligible for green roof incentives provided by the City regardless of size.

2.   City Council direct the Chief Corporate Officer to investigate the feasibility of allowing new construction projects to receive funding from the Eco-Roof Incentive Program for the voluntary portion of the green roof that is proposed above and beyond the mandatory portion as required by the Green Roof Bylaw.

Green roofs and cool roofs – known collectively as 'eco-roofs' – help make Toronto more resilient and better adapted to climate change. Eco-roofs reduce urban heat and its associated energy use. Green roofs also help manage storm water runoff, enhance biodiversity, improve air quality, and beautify our city.

The Green Roof Strategy was adopted by City Council in 2006 to encourage the construction of green roofs on City and privately owned buildings through incentives, public education and the development approval process. In 2008, Toronto established the Eco-Roof Incentive Program, which encourages the installation of eco-roofs on existing buildings and some new buildings. In 2010 the Green Roof Bylaw, which requires green roofs on large new developments, came into effect. In 2013, the program became self sustaining drawing its funding from cash-in-lieu payments under the Green Roof Bylaw.

An evaluation of the Eco-Roof Incentive Program was undertaken in 2016, to identify possible changes to increase awareness, improve participation, and help further advance the implementation of eco-roofs in Toronto. This report outlines key recommendations from that review process. Proposed changes to increase the uptake of green roofs include: increasing the incentive to $100/square metre and providing financial support for structural assessments. With regard to cool roofs, proposed changes to eligibility include: allowing partial roof retrofits and approving cool roofs on new buildings under a certain size threshold. The need to remove the financial caps for eco-roof projects is identified.

This report also responds to item PG12.3 - Eco-Roof Incentive Program Funding for the Proposed Green Roof at 2850 Eglinton Avenue East.