Item - 2021.EX24.3

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council approve the proposed "Province of Ontario - City of Toronto Engagement on the Future of Ontario Place and Exhibition Place Terms of Reference" in Appendix 1 to the report (May 17, 2021) from the Deputy City Manager, Infrastructure and Development Services as a means to continue and advance discussions with the Province of Ontario on the Ontario Place redevelopment.

2.  City Council authorize the City Manager, in consultation with the City Solicitor, to enter into and execute the "Province of Ontario - City of Toronto Engagement on the Future of Ontario Place and Exhibition Place Terms of Reference" in Appendix 1 to the report (May 17, 2021) from the Deputy City Manager, Infrastructure and Development Services.

3.  City Council request the Deputy City Manager, Infrastructure and Development Services to report back to the Executive Committee in the fourth quarter of 2021 on a formal Toronto-Ontario agreement on the priority areas for collaboration on the Ontario Place redevelopment.

4.  City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to report back to the Executive Committee in the fourth quarter of 2021 on the process that will be utilized for Planning Act and Heritage Act approvals for the Ontario Place redevelopment.

This report provides an update on staff's engagement with the Province to date, as directed by Council, on the Province's multi-year process to redevelop Ontario Place, and recommends entering into a "Province of Ontario - City of Toronto Engagement on the Future of Ontario Place and Exhibition Place Terms of Reference" (ToR) to set up a structured engagement process on a go forward basis.  Through this process, the City will work with the Province in a cooperative and coordinated manner on the next phases of the Ontario Place redevelopment to optimize the potential of the Ontario Place and Exhibition Place sites and to achieve outcomes that are consistent with the City's legacy of careful waterfront planning.  The full ToR is attached as Appendix 1 to this report.

On January 18, 2019, the Province, led by the Ontario Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries (MHSTCI) and supported by Infrastructure Ontario (IO), declared its intention to identify potential private sector partners to support the comprehensive redevelopment of Ontario Place.  Subsequently, on May 28, 2019, the Province launched a request for development concepts, the “Call for Development", requesting ideas from a potential partner (or partners) to deliver transformational change aligned with the Province’s vision for the site as a "world-class, year-round destination with global appeal that would attract local, provincial and international visitors".  The original deadline for submissions was September 3, 2019, later extended by the Province until September 24, 2019 (see Appendix 2 for documents issued by the Province).  The Province has advised that it has concluded its Call for Development process and will soon be announcing the outcome. 

On March 5, 2021, the Province also appointed former Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders as a special advisor to Ontario Place, with a mandate to "work closely with the City of Toronto and Indigenous communities, as well as stakeholders and businesses involved in the redevelopment project" and indicated that the Province would be sharing additional information this spring (see Provincial news release at: https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/60584/province-appoints-mark-saunders-as-ontario-place-special-advisor). 

At its May 14, 2019 meeting, City Council directed the City Manager and the Deputy City Manager, Infrastructure and Development Services to engage with the Province on their plans to redevelop Ontario Place.  Specifically, City Council adopted a series of Guiding Principles for the Revitalization of Ontario Place that were recommended by Toronto-East York Community Council on April 24, 2019. The Guiding Principles were based on the Central Waterfront Secondary Plan themes of: Removing Barriers/Making Connections, Building a Network of Spectacular Waterfront Parks and Public Spaces, Promoting a Clean and Green Environment, Creating Dynamic and Diverse New Communities, and Openness and Transparency. Key elements of the Guiding Principles include (see Appendix 3 for the full list of Guiding Principles):

- Exploring opportunities to reduce the barrier effect of Lake Shore Boulevard West between Exhibition Place and Ontario Place.

- Exploring opportunities to consolidate surface parking in order to create a more walkable and transit-supportive environment.-

Securing and enhancing public access to the Ontario Place shoreline.

- Retaining Trillium Park and William Davis Trail as key place-making features.

- Consulting with Indigenous peoples on opportunities for Indigenous placemaking.-

Improving transit and access to, from and between Ontario Place and Exhibition Place.

- Including a mix of non-residential uses and activities that reflect Ontario Place's waterfront location and its status as a showcase and destination.

- Making decisions through a public process with full transparency of government decision-making processes.

In addition, Council requested staff to:

- Engage the Province of Ontario to develop a strategy to "jointly plan the future of Ontario Place and Exhibition Place in a collaborative, co-operative, and consultative manner with all stakeholders".

- In developing the joint strategy, consider the following matters, including: the Central Waterfront Secondary Plan and Festival Plaza Master Plan, Exhibition Place's Strategic Plan and emerging Master Plan, public transit initiatives and traffic congestion concerns, utility infrastructure capacity, cooperative approaches and operating efficiencies for both sites, and Heritage Statements of Significance.

- In consultation with the Province, develop a robust consultation process to engage residents of Toronto in the evaluation of potential options to revitalize Exhibition Place and Ontario Place.

Based on Council direction, City staff entered into discussions, under the parameters of the Toronto-Ontario Cooperation and Consultation Agreement, with staff from MHSTCI and IO, resulting in the development of draft Terms of Reference to govern engagement between the two parties on the future of the Ontario Place and Exhibition Place sites.

The Province's Ontario Place Call for Development was overseen by IO, an independent agency of the Government of Ontario and structured as a three-phase process:

1. In-market period and receipt of submissions to the Province;

2. Assessment of submissions; and

3. Confidential commercial negotiations and selection of a partner (or partners).

City staff did not participate in this process and have not, to date, had the opportunity to review the submissions of the participants that have been selected by the Province. 

To date, staff have taken every opportunity to convey Council's direction and interests and inform the process, although ultimately it has been up to the Province to decide how to use the City's input.  Staff have approached engagement to date with consideration for the Guiding Principles that Council adopted with respect to Ontario Place and Exhibition Place revitalization.  Preliminary discussions have focused on:

- Development of the "Province of Ontario - City of Toronto Engagement on the Future of Ontario Place and Exhibition Place Terms of Reference."

- Municipal planning approvals and related permitting processes.

- Opportunities to align Ontario Place redevelopment with adjacent opportunities at Exhibition Place, including site servicing, joint programming, last-mile transit solutions, and ongoing master planning at Exhibition Place.

- The need for the site's public realm to be planned holistically, to set the context for the site's islands and heritage, as well as waterfront access and connectivity.

- Management of cultural heritage resources, including buildings, landscapes and archaeological resources.

- Engagement of treaty and territorial partners as well as urban Indigenous communities, and opportunities for Indigenous design and programming.

- The importance of public and stakeholder engagement, review and input to support the planning and redevelopment of the site.

On a go forward, staff recommend entering into the "Province of Ontario - City of Toronto Engagement on the Future of Ontario Place and Exhibition Place Terms of Reference" (ToR) to set up a structured engagement process to work with the Province on the next phases of Ontario Place redevelopment with a view to optimizing the potential of the Ontario Place and Exhibition Place sites.

The proposed ToR sets out a framework for cooperation, coordination and engagement; it identifies opportunities for collaboration, detailing objectives, principles, roles and responsibilities, and outlines a governance structure to facilitate working together. The ToR would provide the City with a vehicle for structured engagement with the Province and set out an ongoing role for the City, including City and Exhibition Place staff. 

Early issues that have been identified by MHSTCI staff as priority areas for collaboration in this next phase include:

- Site Planning, Permitting and Approvals

- Site Readiness / Conditions

- Land Requirements

- Ontario Place / Exhibition Place Linkages

- Communications and Stakeholder Engagement

- Other strategic opportunities related to joint priorities identified by the parties during the engagement process

Discussions are anticipated to result in an agreement between the City and Province on an approach to addressing these issues in a manner consistent with the shared objective and principles established through the ToR.  Staff will report to Executive Committee and Council in the fourth quarter of 2021 with an update on City-Ontario engagement and a formal Toronto-Ontario agreement to optimally support the implementation of the Ontario Place redevelopment, while also advancing the long-term framework for physical change, and economic and program development at Exhibition Place.  The agreement would include established responsibilities and commitments of the Province and City, including the process that will be utilized for Planning Act and Heritage Act approvals.