Item - 2022.PH34.1

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council adopt Official Plan Amendment 583 substantially in accordance with Attachment 1 to the report (May 11, 2022) from the Chief Planning and Executive Director, City Planning.

2. City Council resolve and declare that the revisions to the Official Plan through Official Plan Amendment 583:

a. conforms with and does not conflict with the relevant provincial plans, as defined under the Planning Act;

b. has regard to the matters of provincial interest listed in section 2; and

c. is consistent with the policy statements issued under subsection 3 (1) of the Planning Act. 

3. City Council authorize the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to seek approval of the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing of Official Plan Amendment 583 under Section 26 of the Planning Act.

4. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the draft Official Plan Amendment, as may be required.

The Planning and Housing Committee held a special statutory public meeting on May 31, 2022 and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This report recommends approval of Official Plan Amendment 583 which includes updated Official Plan policies related to the environment and climate change. These proposed policies have been revised from the draft released for consultation based on the results of public consultation and comments from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Official Plan Amendment 583 is a component of the City's Growth Plan conformity exercise and the Municipal Comprehensive Review (MCR). These Official Plan updates continue Toronto's strong legacy of bringing forward leading-edge policies that protect the natural environment, support and enhance biodiversity, and address climate change.

Official Plan Amendment 583 will bring the Official Plan into conformity with A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2020) (the "Growth Plan"); the Provincial Policy Statement (2020); the Greenbelt Plan (2017); and the Food and Organic Waste Policy Statement (2018) as it relates to the City's environmental and climate change policies. Official Plan Amendment 583 also reflects City Council's 2021 directions made in adopting the City's updated TransformTO Net Zero Strategy, Toronto Green Standard Version 4, the 2019 declaration of a Climate Emergency, and the Long Term Waste Management Strategy.

Pursuant to Section 26 of the Planning Act, two statutory public Open Houses were held on April 12, 2022 to discuss the draft Official Plan revisions presented at the March 25, 2022 Planning and Housing Committee meeting. Two Open House sessions held in the afternoon and evening of April 12, 2022 were a major component of the consultation. This outreach process also included meetings focused on environment and climate change updates with expert stakeholders, a presentation to members of the development community, and broader engagement through the Our Plan Toronto banner. Feedback was also received from the Province through their One Window Review process.

The proposed updates presented in this report are organized under three key themes: 1) Net Zero and Climate Change, which includes updates related to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in land use decisions and guiding new development on a pathway to achieving net zero emissions by 2040; 2) Resilience and Adaptation, which includes updates related to biodiversity, natural heritage, water resources, stormwater management, and our urban forests; and 3) Waste and Circular Economy, which includes updates related to reducing waste and achieving Council's aspirational goal of zero waste and a circular economy. These updates will make changes to Chapters 2-5, Chapter 7, Schedule 3, and updates to Map 9, Map 12A and Map 12B.