Item - 2017.TE28.8

The Toronto and East York Community Council referred the item back to the Acting Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District and request City Planning staff to work with the Toronto Community Housing Corporation and Transportation Services staff to report back to the Toronto and East York Community Council in the first quarter of 2019 on a public engagement process for the Cooper Street Extension Official Plan Amendment, including but not limited to 55 The Esplanade and 1 Church Street; such report to include addressing the retention of affordable rental housing.

The Toronto and East York Community Council held a statutory public meeting on November 14, 2017, and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

The purpose of this report is to introduce an amendment to the Official Plan to protect for the lands required for the Cooper Street Extension (also referred to as the "Cooper Street Tunnel"), from Lake Shore Boulevard East to The Esplanade, underneath the Metrolinx Union Station Rail Corridor.

There is not an immediate plan to implement and construct this network component of the Lower Yonge Transportation Master Plan (TMP).  The purpose of this amendment is to establish a policy framework that will allow construction of the Cooper Street Extension at an appropriate time in the future.  This amendment is technical in nature and reflects past City Council decisions on the Lower Yonge Precinct Plan, Official Plan Amendment, Transportation Master Plan (TMP), and Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA).

 The extension of Cooper Street north to connect with Church Street and The Esplanade was identified through the Transportation Master Plan process as a long-term objective to provide redundancy in the transportation network and provide a vital cycling and pedestrian linkage across the Union Station Rail Corridor.  This connection, referred to as the "Cooper Street Tunnel", is included in the Lower Yonge Precinct Plan and is referenced in Map J3 of the Council-endorsed Lower Yonge OPA.  The preferred design of the Cooper Street Extension alignment was recommended through the Lower Yonge Municipal Class Environmental Assessment process.

The Municipal Class Environmental Assessment preferred network, including the Cooper Street Extension, supports the recommendations of the Precinct Plan and will facilitate the envisioned intensification and transformation of the Lower Yonge Precinct.