Item - 2022.IE31.14

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that:

1. City Council endorse the Preferred Designs for the Broadview Avenue Extension and New Street East, generally shown in Attachment 1 and 2 of the report (June 23, 2022) from the General Manager, Transportation Services.

2. City Council authorize the General Manager, Transportation Services to prepare the Environmental Study Report for the Broadview Avenue Extension Environmental Assessment, issue the Notice of Completion, and post the Environmental Study Report in the public record in accordance with the requirements of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment process for Schedule C projects.

3. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services, as part of the detailed design process which will include ongoing consultation with the local Councillor, area stakeholders, and the community to incorporate refinements to the design features of the Preferred Designs regarding, but not limited, to:

a. location and length of on-street vehicle lay-bys;

b. location and length of vehicle turning lanes;

c. location of power drops to support the film industry; and

d. improvements at the intersection of Broadview Avenue and Queen Street East.

4. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to prepare an Official Plan Amendment to reflect the planned right-of-way widths associated with the Preferred Concept for the existing segment of Broadview Avenue between Eastern Avenue and Queen Street East and hold a Statutory Public Meeting of the Toronto and East York Community Council.

5. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services, to work with the Owner of the East Harbour development, Metrolinx, and Infrastructure Ontario on agreements necessary for completion of detailed design and construction of the Broadview Avenue Extension from Eastern Avenue to the south side of the Metrolinx rail embankment, and authorize the General Manager, Transportation Services to negotiate, enter into, and execute the necessary agreements, on terms and conditions satisfactory to the General Manager, Transportation Services, in relation to the detailed design, construction, and warranty of the Broadview Avenue Extension, and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

The Unilever Precinct is set to transform from its industrial and manufacturing past into a vibrant urban district. New flood protection, transit, transportation, and servicing infrastructure enables this transformation and will connect the Precinct to its surroundings and the broader city. The Precinct’s major street network, established through the 2017 Council-endorsed Port Lands and South of Eastern Transportation and Servicing Master Plan, connects to and through the new East Harbour Transit Hub. In the future, the area will be a walkable and transit-oriented place, with vibrant and complete streets that connect people to jobs, recreation, amenities and most other daily needs. It is expected that 90 percent of future trips in the area will be made by people walking, cycling, or taking transit.

The Broadview Avenue Extension is envisioned as signature civic spine and primary local transit corridor in the area, connecting the Precinct to communities to the north and the Port Lands to the south. It will be designed to accommodate high volumes of pedestrians and cyclists and provide space for a future dedicated right-of-way for streetcars. The street will have a generous green boulevard to support mature trees and stormwater management infrastructure, and a well-designed public realm with high-quality materials. A new east-west street, referred to as 'New Street E' in the Unilever Precinct Secondary Plan, will connect the Don Roadway to Booth Avenue through the middle of the Precinct. This street will be the primary retail street in the Precinct, with wide sidewalks, dedicated cycling facilities, space for trees, curbside activity, and active patio zones adjacent to buildings.

This report summarizes the outcomes of Broadview Avenue Extension Environmental Assessment study, which completes Phases 3 and 4 of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment process for the Broadview Avenue Extension and New Street E - two Schedule C projects identified in the Eastern Transportation and Servicing Master Plan.

The Broadview Avenue Extension Environmental Assessment study focussed on developing and evaluating design alternatives and identifying recommended preferred designs for these new streets in the Unilever Precinct and immediate vicinity. Additionally, the Environmental Assessment study explored other transportation improvements in tandem with completing the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment process for the two Schedule C projects. These included:

- Modifications to the existing Eastern Avenue on-ramp to the Don Valley Parkway; and

- Improvements to the existing segment of Broadview Avenue, between Eastern Avenue and Queen Street East, and identifying the need to amend the Map 3 of City's Official Plan for a right-of-way widening on the east side of the street.

The Environmental Assessment study builds on the previously-completed Port Lands and South of Eastern Transportation and Servicing Master Plan and the Unilever Precinct Planning Framework and Secondary Plan. It has been well co-ordinated with the East Harbour Transit Hub, the East Harbour development (owned by Cadillac Fairview), and several other ongoing major studies and initiatives currently underway in the area.

This report summarizes the study process to date, identifies the recommended preferred designs, and seeks direction on a number of next steps to begin implementing each of the recommended transportation infrastructure projects in the Broadview Avenue Extension Environmental Assessment Study.

The segment of the Broadview Avenue Extension between Eastern Avenue and Lake Shore Boulevard East needs to be constructed and operational in time for the opening of the East Harbour Transit Hub and the first phase of the East Harbour development. The segment between Eastern Avenue and the south side of the rail embankment must have construction started by October 31, 2023 in order to trigger a financial contribution by the Owner of the East Harbour development. The completion of the Broadview Avenue Extension Environmental Assessment Study by the City helps meet these construction delivery timelines.