Item - 2019.TE11.74

The Toronto and East York Community Council requested:

1. the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District to conduct a review of the Chinatown area, (Spadina Avenue from College Street to Queen Street West and Dundas Street from Beverley Street to Cameron Street), and to work with the Director, Transportation Services to review potential streetscape improvements; public realm opportunities and complete streets initiatives on Spadina Avenue and Dundas Street West in the context of current and future development proposals and planned road reconstruction work;

2. the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District to work with the Director, Urban Design, City Planning and the Senior Manager, Heritage Preservation Services, Urban Design, City Planning, to assess the applicable policy framework in the area and consider augmenting existing policies and developing additional urban design and built form guidelines, including an assessment of heritage resources, to be used to inform the review of current and future development proposals, and to develop an understanding of what defines the character of these streets, including the unique retail environment of Chinatown; and

   
3. the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District, to work with the Housing Secretariat and the Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, to review potential for protecting existing and creating new affordable housing and community services in the context of current and future development proposals in the area.

The neighbourhood of Chinatown – roughly encompassing Spadina Avenue from College Street to Queen Street West and Dundas Street West from Beverley Street to Cameron Street - is a unique neighbourhood in the City of Toronto with an important history.

The purpose of this City Planning review is to focus on the unique character of Chinatown to effectively plan for new development that will complement the existing built form and heritage attributes, work to preserve the unique retail character of Chinatown, contribute to affordable housing, and ensure that the public realm, parkland and community services meet the needs of the community.

The request for this review comes at a time when this neighbourhood is under increased development pressure. Due to the recent development proposals within the study area, as well as adjacent neighbourhoods, there is urgency to this request. The development pressure, in addition to the current housing crisis and rising commercial rents, threaten Chinatown’s well-established neighbourhood character.

A study of Spadina Avenue from Queen Street West to Dupont Street was initiated in 2012 but has not been completed. We request that the Spadina Avenue study be divided into phases, and that the first phase focus on Chinatown, with study boundaries defined as: Spadina Avenue from College Street to Queen Street and Dundas Street from Beverley Street to Cameron Street.