Item - 2020.EX12.1

City Council considered Items EX12.1, IE11.1, IE11.2 and IE11.3 together.

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1. City Council adopt the items outlined in Figure 1 in the report (January 8, 2020) from the General Manager, Parks Forestry and Recreation, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the General Manager, Toronto Water as the key next steps to implement the Ravine Strategy over the next ten years.

  
2. City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, the General Manager, Toronto Water, the General Manager, Transportation Services and the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services, in consultation with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to report back as part of the 2021 budget process with a proposed plan, including funding options, to address the capital investment need for service improvements in the initial ten Priority Investment Areas as identified in Figure 4 in the report (January 8, 2020) from the General Manager, Parks Forestry and Recreation, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the General Manager, Toronto Water and other projects as appropriate, any staffing requirements to support the implementation of the Ravine Strategy and any associated operating impacts of capital.

 
3. City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, to advance a Ravine Campaign in consultation with ravine leadership advisors for the purpose of raising additional funds to support and accelerate implementation of the Ravine Strategy.

 
4. City Council authorize the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, in coordination with the General Manager, Transportation Services, to negotiate and enter into the appropriate agreements with Evergreen and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority regarding the advancement of the Loop Trail project as described in Section 5.1 of the report (January 8, 2020) from the General Manager, Parks Forestry and Recreation, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the General Manager, Toronto Water, on terms satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

 
5. City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to develop and implement the 'InTO Ravines: Nature at your doorstep' program, as described in Section 5.2 of the report (January 8, 2020) from the General Manager, Parks Forestry and Recreation, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the General Manager, Toronto Water.

6. City Council request the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer and the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to consider in the phased funding strategy, the implementation of items that emphasize the Protect and Restoration components in the early years.

7. City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation in consultation with the Toronto Region Conservation Authority and other partners to:

a. develop a student internship program for youth to engage in restoring Toronto’s ravines as part of the Ravine Strategy Implementation Plan;

b. work with Social Development, Finance and Administration and People and Equity to help develop a recruitment strategy focusing on Neighbourhood Improvement Areas; and

c. report to the Economic and Community Development Committee with an update in the second quarter of 2020.

8. City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation in partnership with the General Manager, Toronto Water and the General Manager, Transportation Services to seek funding from other levels of government to advance the Ravine Strategy Implementation.
 

9. City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, in consultation with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, General Manager, Toronto Water and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, to report on the advancement of the Ravine Strategy's objectives every five years.

The General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation gave a presentation on Ravine Strategy Implementation.

The Executive Committee:

1. Referred Recommendation 2 in the report (January 8, 2020) from the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning; and the General Manager, Toronto Water to the Budget Committee, as follows:

2. City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to request as part of the 2021 Operating Budget process, for consideration, the following:

a. the necessary operating funds to support the creation of a dedicated Ravine Litter Cleanup program, with an estimated annual cost of $0.657 million, including timelines for phasing in this service level increase; and

b. operating funding to support enhanced invasive species management and ecological restoration in ravines, estimated at $2.050 million annually at full implementation.

2.  Requested the Budget Committee to advance the Ravine Litter Pick-Up program ($0.657 million) and the operating support to enhanced invasive species management and ecological restoration in ravines ($0.600 million) from 2021 to 2020 through the 2020 Operating Budget of Parks, Forestry and Recreation.

In October 2017, City Council adopted the Toronto Ravine Strategy, and directed the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and the General Manager, Toronto Water, in consultation with the General Manager, Transportation Services and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority to establish an interdivisional 10-year implementation strategy and capital plan for the Ravine Strategy.

The Ravine Strategy provides, for the first time, an intentional and coordinated vision and approach to managing this natural resource on an ongoing basis through a series of 20 actions under five guiding principles: Protect, Invest, Connect, Partner, and Celebrate. The Strategy guides the management of the ravines and ensures the protection of these irreplaceable lands is balanced with their use and enjoyment, so that they continue to bring nature to people and flourish for the next 100 years and beyond.

Toronto’s ravine system extends over 300 km and covers 11,000 hectares, or 17 percent of Toronto’s land area. Over half (5700 hectares) of ravine system land is publicly owned parkland. This includes over 1100 hectares within Rouge National Urban Park that is under Parks Canada jurisdiction. The remaining 40 percent is owned by a patchwork of landowners, including public institutions and private property owners, and includes approximately 30,000 private addresses.

Ravines provide an exciting opportunity to connect people in the city with nature. Approximately 30 percent of Toronto’s population lives within 500 metres of ravines, and some areas of the city in close proximity to ravines will see considerable population growth in the coming years, such as Don Mills and Eglinton, the Lower Don, and more. The ravine system provides significant opportunities to reflect the integral connection that continues today between the Indigenous communities that were the original inhabitants of the area and Toronto's natural spaces and waterways.

Ravines provide essential access to urban greenspace and opportunities for passive and active recreation which contributes to the physical health, mental health and well-being of residents. Toronto's ravines provide over $800 million in services every year from nature-based recreation, avoided health care costs due to inactivity, and reduced rates of depression (see Attachment B).  When people are engaged in Toronto's ravines, they can also be inspired to take responsibility for the natural environment and become involved in affecting positive change.

Ravines are important natural refuges in the city and contain most of Toronto's Environmentally Significant Areas, forests and wetlands, and many varieties and significant species of plants and animals. Maximizing the value of ravines will benefit both human and environmental health.

There are also billions of dollars of critical City and other infrastructure – from roads to water and sewer pipelines – in the ravines. The renewal of this infrastructure over time also provides a unique opportunity to improve and enhance the ravine system. The anticipated impacts of climate change, such as large scale storms, higher temperatures, flooding and erosion will also put stress on the system. The resiliency of the ravines will, in turn, increase the resiliency of the city to face the challenges of the 21st century. These factors require coordinated management and investment to protect, restore and maintain ravines and to improve the human-nature connection, which is why Toronto’s Ravine Strategy was developed.

The key next steps required to implement the Ravine Strategy over the next ten years, as outlined in this report and summarized in the figure below, are:

Figure 1. Key Next Steps to implement the Ravine Strategy

Of the twenty Ravine Strategy Actions to date, two have been completed, sixteen are in progress, and the remaining two are not yet started. The work of protecting, managing, and improving the ravine system will always be ongoing, and require leadership and careful attention to balancing the needs of supporting public access to ravine areas, while protecting and restoring ecological areas. This report outlines steps taken by multiple Divisions to engage in that work. In addition to reporting out on the eight council motions, this report responds to a renewed interest and commitment in ravine conservation and engagement both within the City and with stakeholders and the public.

The Ravine Strategy Implementation report also outlines a balanced approach to funding the ravine system over the long term. This includes recommending some immediate investments to address urgent needs and to ensure the system does not fall farther behind, including a substantial increase in the service levels of invasive species management and increased ravine litter collection.