Minutes Confirmed on June 7, 2018

The Planning and Growth Management Committee recommends that:  

1. City Council request the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building, the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, the General Manager, Transportation Services, the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation and the General Manager, Toronto Water to evaluate the effectiveness of a joint targeted inspection and enforcement program related to residential infill construction activity conducted by Toronto Building, Municipal Licensing and Standards, Transportation Services, Parks, Forestry and Recreation and Toronto Water and report to the Planning and Growth Management Committee in the first quarter 2019.

2. City Council direct the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building, in the review and update to Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 363, to identify and recommend opportunities for efficiencies in the inspection and enforcement of construction fencing.

3. City Council adopt the draft by-law in Appendix 2, to the report (April 23, 2018) from the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building, to add an additional Chapter to the City of Toronto Municipal Code, implementing regulations concerning the posting of public notice on residential infill construction and demolition sites.

4. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make the necessary applications to the Regional Senior Justice to seek approval for short-form wording and set fines with respect to the current provisions of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 363 related to construction fencing, and the additional Municipal Code chapter as indicated in Recommendation 3 above.

5. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to prepare the necessary Bills for introduction in Council to implement the above noted amendments to the City of Toronto Municipal Code, subject to such stylistic and technical changes to the draft by-law as may be required.

6. City Council request the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to report quarterly to the Parks and Environment Committee on the number of tickets issued and charges laid against builders for failure to protect city trees.

7. City Council request the Ontario Real Estate Association and the Law Society of Ontario to update their real estate transactions practices so that, prior to completing a real estate transaction, their members search and advise their clients whether there are open and active building permits associated with the property, regardless of whether title insurance is being used.

8. City Council request the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building, as part of the report requested in Recommendation 1 above, to identify the number of tickets issued on residential infill construction sites by Toronto Building Inspectors and the total value of fines and, if necessary, recommend any changes to the residential infill construction strategy in order to support its continued implementation.

9. City Council Direct the General Manager, Transportation Services in consultation with the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building to review ways to improve the parking of vehicles during construction and to increase awareness of the process to obtain temporary parking permits for contractor vehicles adjacent to active construction sites.

The Planning and Growth Management Committee:

1.  Requested the General Manager, Parks Forestry and Recreation to report directly to Council on changes to Chapter 813 of the Toronto Municipal Code to require tree protection fencing to be structurally secure so that it cannot be easily moved.

2.  Requested the General Manager, Transportation Services and the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building to report directly to Council on a plan to remove illegally placed signage on construction hoarding and to collect the appropriate fees where the payment of such fees would be required.

3. Requested the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building, as part of the upcoming review of the Sign By-law (Chapter of the Toronto Municipal Code), to review the requirements around signs on construction sites, including a review of the number, size and placement of signs on construction sites and report back in the second quarter of 2019.

The Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building gave a presentation on Strategy for Minimizing the Negative Impacts of Residential Infill Construction Activity – Update.

The purpose of this report is to respond to City Council's direction that the Chief Building Official, in consultation with relevant divisions, report to the Planning and Growth Management Committee on the status of actions undertaken to implement the Residential Infill Strategy and identify any further actions necessary to support its continued development.  

In 2016, Toronto City Council adopted the recommendations from the Chief Building Official (Acting) which initiated the implementation and inter-divisional coordination of the strategy to address nuisance issues associated with residential infill construction.  Through inter-divisional cooperation, the implementation of the strategic actions are aimed at preventing problems from occurring on residential infill construction sites as well as creating an effective and streamlined enforcement system to respond to issues when they do occur.  The strategy reflects this shift to being more proactive on residential infill construction-related nuisance issues, rather than being largely reactive.

This report contains an initial evaluation of the strategic actions completed to date and recommendations aimed at improving the effectiveness of the strategy going forward.  These additional recommendations include an annual targeted inspection and enforcement program aimed at residential infill sites throughout the city and proposed additional ticketing and enforcement powers for contraventions of the City's construction site fence requirements.

All action items are underway or completed.  However, there are two remaining items that require City Council action to implement: the infill construction site public notice by-law and the dust control by-law. This report contains recommendations which would establish a by-law requiring a public notice to be posted on all residential infill construction and demolition sites.  Municipal Licensing and Standards is considering creating regulations respecting construction dust and will report back to the Licensing and Standards Committee in July 2018 with recommendations, as the implications of construction dust regulations may extend beyond residential infill construction.

 The Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, General Manager, Toronto Water; General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, General Manager, Transportation Services, Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services, Director, 311 Toronto, Director, Energy & Environment Division, and the City Solicitor were consulted in the preparation of this report.

The Planning and Growth Management Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council increase the 2018 Approved Operating Budgets and associated complement for the following City Programs to fund additional salary, benefit, furniture and computer equipment costs associated with the staffing needs required to implement new processes arising out of Bill 139, resulting in a total cost of $0.617 million in 2018 and an incremental cost of $1.225 million in 2019, to be fully recovered from the Development Application Reserve Fund:

a.  That Legal Services' 2018 Approved Operating Budget be increased by a total of  $0.145 million gross and $0 net, comprising of $0.135 million gross and $0 net to fund 2.0 permanent positions and $0.010 million gross and $0 net to fund one-time furniture and computer equipment costs for the additional complement;

b.  That City Planning's 2018 Approved Operating Budget be increased by a total of  $0.402 million gross and $0 net, comprising of $0.352 million gross and $0 net to fund 9.0 temporary positions and $0.050 million gross and $0 net to fund one-time furniture and computer equipment costs for the additional complement; and

c.  That City Clerks' Office 2018 Approved Operating Budget be increased by a total of $0.070 million gross and $0 net to fund 2.0 permanent positions.

2.  City Council  authorize the continuation and conversion of five (5) existing temporary to five (5) permanent solicitor positions in Legal Services, previously approved by City Council in 2017 for a 2 year period, with continued funding from the City Planning Development Application Reserve Fund.

3.  City Council direct that the 2019 Comprehensive Review of Planning Application Fees include the functions required to implement Bill 139, as outlined in the report (April 27, 2018) from the City Clerk, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the City Solicitor.

4.  City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, as part of City Planning's 2019 Budget submission, to report on the resource requirements to:

a.  advance the policy development and implementation of Inclusionary Zoning;

b.  advance the legislated conformity exercise with the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2017); and

c.  implement related zoning changes.

5.  City Council direct that the Chief Planner and City Solicitor report to the Planning and Growth Management Committee in the first quarter of 2021 on permanent staffing levels required for the implementation of Bill 139, taking into account the findings of the End-to-End Review of the Development Review Process.

6.  City Council direct that the End-to-End Review of the Development Review Process currently underway, include consideration of any operational changes and improvements required as a result of Bill 139.

The Building Better Communities and Conserving Watersheds Act, 2017 (Bill 139) received Royal Assent on December 12, 2017 and has been proclaimed into law as of April 3, 2018.  Bill 139 makes substantial changes to the planning system in the Province and will have significant impacts on procedures, processes and resources at the City.  This report sets out those impacts and recommends the funding of resources required to implement Bill 139.

The Planning and Growth Management Committee recommends that:

1. City Council direct the City Solicitor, together with City Planning staff and other appropriate staff, to attend the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) hearing regarding the City of Vaughan's Yonge-Steeles Corridor Secondary Plan in order to support the City's interests as follows:

a. as a participant for Phase 1 of the hearing;

 
b. to seek party status for Phase 1 of the LPAT hearing should the proposed Yonge-Steeles Corridor Secondary Plan be amended from its current form, should the City Solicitor and staff deem it necessary in consultation with the abutting local ward councillor; and

 
c. to attend the LPAT hearing as a party for all subsequent phases of the hearing.

In 2008 the City of Vaughan initiated a study to develop an urban design and land use framework for the lands on the west side of Yonge Street from Steeles Avenue to Highway 407 and on the north side of Steeles Avenue West between Yonge Street and Hilda Avenue. This study resulted in the Yonge-Steeles Corridor Secondary Plan which was adopted by the City of Vaughan's Council on September 7, 2010. Subsequent to the City of Vaughan's adoption, the Council of the Regional Municipality of York (York Region) failed to make a decision on the Secondary Plan within the timeframe prescribed by the Planning Act and the Secondary Plan was appealed by a number of parties.

At Council's meeting of December 5, 6, 7 and 8, 2017, the City Solicitor was directed to seek party status for the purpose of any mediation that occurs as part of the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) hearing regarding the Secondary Plan and to report back to Council on any modifications and to seek further instructions. The Ontario Municipal Board is now known as the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) and will be referred to as such in the remainder of this report.

The purpose of this report is to update Council on the outcome of the motion filed by the City seeking party status and recommends that the City Solicitor, together with City Planning staff and other appropriate staff, attend the LPAT hearings regarding the City of Vaughan's Yonge-Steeles Corridor Secondary Plan in order to support the City's interests and in support of the Secondary Plan in its current form.

The Planning and Growth Management Committee recommends that:

1. City Council amend the Downtown Plan Attachment 1 - Official Plan Amendment Schedules - Schedule 5 - Downtown Plan, attached to the report (April 17, 2018) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning as follows:

a.  Replace Policy 6.2.3. with the following:

"6.2.3. only contain office and/or non-residential gross floor area for any increase in density above the existing as-of-right permissions contained within the in-force Zoning By-law."

b.  Replace Policy 6.15.2. with the following:

"6.15.2. only contain institutional and/or non-residential gross floor area for any increase in density above the existing as-of-right permissions contained within the in-force Zoning By-law."

c.  Replace Policy 10.5. with the following:

"10.5.  Development will replace the total gross floor area of any existing on-site community service facilities to ensure no loss of community service and facility space. The total gross floor area of the replacement community service facilities will be excluded from the total gross floor area permitted on the site, provided the following matters are provided by the owner and secured to the City's satisfaction:

a. Locate, design, construct, finish and furnish the community service facilities at no cost to the City; and

b.  Provision of the space for a period of no less than 10 years at a rent similar to that in effect at the time of application, with annual increases in line with the rate of inflation."

d.  Replace Policy 10.7. with the following:

"10.7.  Development will include a non-profit child care facility where it can be accommodated on the site."

2.  City Council amend the Downtown Plan Attachment 1 - Official Plan Amendment Schedules - Schedule 5 - Downtown Plan, attached to the report (April 17, 2018) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning by adding:

a.  A new policy to Section 8, Parking and Curbside Management:

"Development will generally be required to limit and/or consolidate vehicle access points and will be encouraged to provide facilities for passenger pick-up/drop-off, loading and parking in off-street locations and/or within building footprints, in order to free up on-street curbside and public realm space and improve safety of pedestrians and cyclists."

b.  A new policy to Section 10, Community Services and Facilities:

"Notwithstanding Policy 10.5 the replacement of any existing community service facilities may be provided off-site at the City's discretion provided:

a.  A receiving site has been secured to the City’s satisfaction;

b.  Funding equivalent to the City's cost of replacing the existing community service facilities within the vicinity of the development has been determined and agreed upon; and

c.  Financial securities equivalent to the City's cost of replacing the existing community service facilities is provided and will be held by the City until such time as the replacement facility is constructed." 

c.  A new policy to Section 10, Community Services and Facilities:

"When it has been determined by the City that existing community service facilities cannot be replaced on-site or off-site, the City may accept a monetary contribution equivalent to the City's cost of replacing the existing community service facilities within the vicinity of the development."

3. City Council amend the Official Plan for the lands located within the Downtown substantially in accordance with the Downtown Plan Official Plan Amendment, as amended by Recommendations 1 and 2 above, attached as Attachment 1 to the report (April 17, 2018) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

4. City Council authorize the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to seek the approval of the Minister of Municipal Affairs of Ontario of the Downtown Plan Official Plan Amendment under Section 26 of the Planning Act. R.S.O. 1990, c. P.13.

5. City Council resolve and declare that the revisions to the Official Plan attached as Attachment 1 to the report (April 17, 2018) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, conform to the Growth Plan, 2017, have regard to matters of Provincial interest listed in Section 2 of the Planning Act and are consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement, 2014 issued under Section 3 of the Planning Act.

6. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to use the Downtown Plan policies, contained in Attachment 1, Schedule 2 to the report (April 17, 2018) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to inform evaluation of current and future development applications in the Downtown Plan area.

7. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to incorporate the Complete Community Assessment as outlined in Attachment 5 to the report (April 17, 2018) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning as an addendum to the Toronto Development Guide Planning Rationale Terms of Reference.

8. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the General Manager of Parks, Forestry and Recreation to prepare a By-law by early 2019 that will amend the Municipal Code (Chapter 415) to enact an alternative requirement for parkland provision for the Downtown in accordance with the permissions under Section 42 of the Planning Act in consultation with the development industry and other stakeholders.

9. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to prepare necessary amendments to Zoning By-law 569-2013 and former City of Toronto Zoning By-law 438-86 as it relates to Retail Priority Streets, and undertake public consultation on the draft amendments.

10. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to undertake a built form and public realm study resulting in a Site and Area Specific Policy for the area generally bounded by Yonge Street, Gerrard Street, Jarvis Street and the Gardiner Expressway.

11. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in collaboration with other Divisions including Parks, Forestry and Recreation, Transportation Services, and Economic Development and Culture, to undertake a King-Parliament Secondary Plan review focused on built form, public realm and heritage.

12. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to undertake a built form, public realm and heritage study for the north side of Queen Street East, between Jarvis Street and River Street, concurrent with the King-Parliament Secondary Plan review identified in Recommendation 11 above.

13. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to prepare Site and Area Specific Policies for areas within 500 metres of planned rapid transit stations within the Downtown, generally shown in Attachment 1, Schedule 2, Map 4 to the report (April 17, 2018) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

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

15.  City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to undertake a study to consider an area-specific Official Plan Section 37 policy for the Downtown Plan including but not limited to the use of a quantitative formula that would provide clarity and consistency related to increases in height and density in calculating Section 37 community benefit contributions, to consult with the local City Councillors, neighbourhood associations and other stakeholders, and to report back to the Planning and Growth Management Committee on the approach and recommended policy amendments by the fourth quarter of 2019.
 

16.  City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director City Planning, in consultation with other divisions including Parks, Forestry and Recreation, Social Development, Finance and Administration and Real Estate Services, to support the Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Catholic District School Board in advancing planning for school facilities facing growth-driven enrollment pressures in areas targeted for growth.  

 
17. City Council request the Province of Ontario to meet with senior City Staff and with senior staff in the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Municipal Affairs to explore a special funding strategy to meet the capital requirements of the Toronto District School Board in areas approved for growth to support local and timely provision of school facilities.
 

18.  City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, the General Manager, Transportation Services, the General Manager, Children's Services, the General Manager, Toronto Water, the Director, Real Estate Services, the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration and the Director, Environment and Energy, to monitor and report back to Council every five years on the implementation of the infrastructure strategies and plans identified in the Downtown Plan to ensure that the infrastructure requirements and priorities contained within them reflect the changing conditions within Downtown over time, and in advance of the next Development Charges By-law update. 

19.  City Council direct the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, in consultation with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, to investigate the feasibility of the creation of a proposed noise mitigation program to support live music venues and report back to the Economic Development Committee in 2019 as part of the night-time economy action plan.

20.  City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards and the Chief Building Official, Toronto Building to undertake a review of the City-wide policies and zoning permissions related to live music venues and report back to the Planning and Growth Management Committee.

21.  City Council direct the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to develop a terms of reference for Noise Impact Studies for new developments within 120 metres of existing live music venues and report back to the Planning and Growth Management Committee in 2019 on the appropriate protocol for the use of the Noise Impact Studies.

The Planning and Growth Management Committee:

1.  Requested City Planning staff to meet as appropriate with deputants and report directly to City Council, with any further recommendations.

2.  Requested the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to examine adding additional policies to address sky view, sunlight and scale of buildings and consider opportunities to improve and support this planning framework. 

 3.  Referred the following motion to the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning with the request that he report directly to Council on the implications:

"That City Council amend Attachment 1 – Official Plan Amendment Schedules - Schedule 5 - Downtown Plan, policy 14.15 to read as follows:

14.15. Community Benefit Agreements will be encouraged as part of development within Mixed Use Areas 1, Mixed Use Areas 2 and Regeneration Areas to achieve social and economic benefits commensurate with the intensity of development in communities within which the development is located."

The Planning and Growth Management Committee held a Statutory Special Public Meeting and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

The Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning gave a presentation on TOcore Planning Downtown - Overview of the Downtown Plan Official Plan Amendment.

This report recommends adoption of the Downtown Plan Official Plan Amendment (OPA), which includes amendments to Section 2.2.1 and Map 6 of the Official Plan, and a new Downtown Plan.  Future amendments to existing Secondary Plans and Site and Area Specific Policies located within the Downtown area are recommended to be implemented once the OPA comes into force and effect.  This amendment – in conjunction with infrastructure strategies that address water, energy, mobility, parks and public realm and community services and facilities – is the result of a three-year study, TOcore: Planning Downtown, and will set the direction for Downtown Toronto over the next 25 years.  As part of the City of Toronto’s Five Year Official Plan Review under Section 26 of the Planning Act, this OPA is a component of the work program to bring the Official Plan into conformity with the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, 2017 (the "Growth Plan").

The Planning and Growth Management Committee recommends that:

1. City Council adopt the Downtown Parks and Public Realm Plan attached as Attachment 1 to the report (April 17, 2018) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, and the General Manager, Transportation Services to serve as the vision for and to guide future review and implementation of the Downtown Plan.

2. City Council direct the Chief Planner, Executive Director of City Planning, the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, and the General Manager of Transportation Services in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer, to develop a Downtown Parks and Public Realm Implementation Strategy, in light of the City's broader Capital Plan, and report back to Executive Committee in the fourth quarter of 2019. The implementation strategy should address among other matters:

a. Identification of the priority parks and public realm projects that will require future technical feasibility studies;

b. Existing aligned projects and/or initiatives that will support and advance the parks and public realm projects identified in the Downtown Parks and Public Realm Plan; and

c. Parks and Public Realm priorities for consideration in future divisional Capital Budget Plans.

3. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation and the General Manager, Transportation Services to use the Downtown Parks and Public Realm Plan to review development applications within the Downtown Plan area to:

a. inform the necessary infrastructure required to support the development application;

b. assess the potential cumulative impact of other applications and previous approvals to determine the City’s ability to secure the necessary infrastructure to support development; and

c. apply planning mechanisms, potentially including the use of holding provisions, as necessary to ensure that growth and infrastructure needs are aligned.

4. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation and the General Manager, Transportation Services to report back every 5 years with updates to the Downtown Parks and Public Realm Implementation Strategy to be coordinated with the preparation of the City’s future Development Charges By-law updates.

5.  City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, the General Manager, Transportation Services and the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, in consultation with other divisions and the Toronto Transit Commission, to consider the potential to prioritize the redesign of University Avenue in the development of the Parks and Public Realm Implementation Strategy.

6. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services, in consultation with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation and other appropriate City Divisions, the ward Councillor and the local community, to design a pilot project for neighbourhood public realm and streetscape improvements in Harbord Village in Ward 20, with potential for additional areas, in alignment with the Council-approved Harbord Village Green Plan, based on the vision and goals articulated in the Downtown Parks and Public Realm Plan, and on the objectives outlined in Policy 7.3.13 of the Downtown Plan on pilot projects and community-based design, according to the following guiding principles:

a. Resilience, Complete Streets and Green Infrastructure;

b. Pedestrian-focused mobility, as articulated in the Mobility Strategy;

c. Expansion of the public realm and re-visioning of local streets as public space

d. Expansion of and integration with Urban Forest and neighbourhood and laneway greening initiatives.

This report recommends adoption of the Downtown Parks and Public Realm Plan (PPR Plan) to serve as the vision for and to guide future review and implementation of the Downtown Plan.

Toronto’s streets, parks and publicly accessible open spaces are among the city’s greatest assets and are essential to the quality of life that Torontonians enjoy. Downtown's proximity to Lake Ontario and its shoreline, the Toronto Islands, the Don River and Rosedale Valley offers a unique experience to residents, workers and visitors within the urban core. These natural features are the setting for Downtown Toronto. They create a link to Indigenous histories and are valued by contemporary Indigenous peoples.

Downtown's parks, squares and streets are some of the most iconic, beloved and heavily used destinations in the city. These public spaces set the stage for daily social interaction and act as the canvas on which public life occurs. The social bonds created in these spaces are fundamental to the city's identity and quality of life.

The variety of parks and open spaces Downtown provides unique experiences and offers a range of necessary functions. Easy and equitable access to quality public space for recreation, passive use, active transportation and nature promotes mental and physical health and contributes to social cohesion. Downtown is becoming a more dense urban environment, and improved and expanded public spaces must address the needs of an increasing intensity of residents, workers, students and visitors.

Working in tandem with the Downtown Mobility Strategy, the Downtown Parks and Public Realm Plan (PPR Plan) sets out a vision for parks, open spaces and streets, proposing a framework to re-imagine, transform and grow public space. It will guide the development of an expanded, improved, connected and accessible network of high-quality open spaces for people and promote healthier, diverse natural systems to support a growing Downtown. It will create stronger connections to the natural landscapes that surround Downtown, unlocking the potential to expand and improve access to the parks and open space network. It will reinforce existing, and provide new visual and physical connections and improve active transportation within and beyond the Downtown.  The PPR Plan supports the implementation of the Downtown Plan by informing the Complete Community Assessment and other requirements as part of the Planning Rationale for development applications.

One of the main financial tools that will be used to implement the Downtown PPR Plan will be the option for an alternative provision for or amount of parkland to be dedicated as part of any development, as permitted through Section 42 of the Planning Act. Prior to passing the by-law, an official plan is required to be in effect that contains specific policies dealing with the provision of lands for park or other public recreational purposes and the use of the alternative requirement.  The City intends to enact a new by-law to set an alternative parkland dedication rate for the Downtown.  The accompanying TOcore: Downtown Plan Official Plan Amendment report includes a recommendation that City Planning in coordination with Parks, Forestry and Recreation staff, bring forward the by-law in early 2019.  The Planning Act also requires that a parks plan be made publicly available prior to the adoption of a new official plan policy addressing an alternate rate.  The Downtown PPR Plan addresses the need for parkland and sets out a park plan for the area to support future growth and change, as referenced in the Planning Act.

The four objectives of the Downtown PPR Plan are: acquire and expand; improve; share; and connect.  The objectives guide the Five Transformative Ideas identified in the PPR Plan: The Core Circle; 12 Great Streets; Shoreline Stitch; Park Districts; and Local Places.

The Five Transformative Ideas are each supported by a number of initiatives that will inform a 25-year implementation strategy.  These initiatives identify opportunities, and provide a vision for and explore concepts that are examples of the type of change that could occur. Moving from the vision and concepts illustrated in the Downtown PPR Plan to implementation will happen through a more detailed planning, design and implementation process, as set out in the graphic below.  Each phase of the process will provide additional technical review and analysis, develop options for consideration, and will solicit further input and feedback from the community and stakeholders. The PPR Plan also promotes coordination among corporate and community partners for implementation.

The Downtown Official Plan Amendment (OPA) will provide a blueprint for growth and infrastructure in Toronto's core over the next 25 years.  Leveraging opportunities that come with intensification, while addressing challenges associated with growth, the Downtown OPA sets the direction for the city centre as the cultural, civic, retail and economic heart of Toronto, and as a great place to live. Downtown is Canada's largest employment cluster with over 500,000 jobs, relying on Union Station, the subway system and the surface transit network to provide access to a city-wide and regional workforce. Close to 240,000 people live Downtown, with more than 7,500 residents added annually over the past 5 years.  The Downtown, together with the 'shoulder' areas of South of Eastern and Liberty Village, has the potential to reach between 850,000 and 915,000 jobs by 2041.

The Downtown Plan requires new development to be commensurate with the provision of infrastructure, it is supported by five infrastructure strategies:

- Downtown Parks and Public Realm Plan
- Downtown Community Services and Facilities Strategy
- Downtown Mobility Strategy
- Downtown Water Strategy
- Downtown Energy Strategy
 

These strategies represent the first phase of work which identifies future infrastructure requirements to guide and support growth over the next 25 years within the Downtown Plan, which encompasses a 17-square-kilometre area from Bathurst Street to the Don River and from the waterfront, north generally to the CP rail corridor and Rosedale Valley Road. Each strategy is reported out separately, and outlines a series of plans, priorities and actions intended to align infrastructure planning with long-term growth. 

Moving forward, an implementation strategy will be developed for the Downtown Parks and Public Realm Plan that will prioritize projects; review aligned initiatives and opportunities for quick start projects; and identify priority projects to advance feasibility studies for consideration in future capital budget.

The Planning and Growth Management Committee recommends that:

1. City Council adopt the Downtown Mobility Strategy attached as Attachment 1 to the report (April 17, 2018) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the General Manager, Transportation Services to guide implementation of the Downtown Plan.

2. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the General Manager, Transportation Services, in consultation with the Interim Chief Financial Officer, to undertake a Street Typology Study and report back to Executive Committee in the fourth quarter of 2019.

3. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the General Manager, Transportation Services, in partnership with the Toronto Transit Commission, and in consultation with the Interim Chief Financial Officer, to undertake a Downtown Transit Area Study and report back in the first quarter of 2020.

4. City Council direct Divisions to use the Downtown Mobility Strategy to inform future Capital Budgets.

5. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the General Manager, Transportation Services to use the Downtown Mobility Strategy to inform the review of development applications within the Downtown Plan area as follows:

a. to inform the necessary infrastructure required to support the development application;

b. to assess the potential cumulative impact of other applications and previous approvals to determine the City’s ability to secure the necessary infrastructure to support development; and

c. use planning mechanisms, including holding provisions, as necessary to ensure that growth and infrastructure needs are aligned.

6. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the General Manager, Transportation Services to report back every 5 years with updates to the Downtown Mobility Strategy to be coordinated with the preparation of the City’s future Development Charges By-law updates.

This report recommends the use of the Downtown Mobility Strategy (the Strategy) to guide implementation of the Downtown Plan, while also recommending additional study work necessary to advance implementation of the actions set out in the Strategy.

Downtown is the heart of transportation activity in the City of Toronto and the surrounding region. However, it faces challenges brought about by the significant recent growth and the continued growth expected in the coming years. Downtown is Canada's largest employment cluster with over 500,000 jobs, relying on Union Station, the subway system and the surface transit network to provide access to a city-wide and regional workforce. Close to 240,000 people live Downtown, with more than 7,500 residents added annually over the past 5 years. By 2041, Downtown, together with 'shoulder areas' of South of Eastern and Liberty Village, has the potential to reach between 850,000 and 915,000 jobs.

The Downtown Mobility Strategy supports the 25-year vision, goals and policies of the Downtown Plan to address transportation needs within a growing Downtown, encompassing the 17-square kilometre area from Bathurst Street to the Don River and from the waterfront to the CP rail corridor/Rosedale Valley Road. The Strategy was prepared collaboratively with several city Divisions and Agencies, including the Transportation Services Division, the Toronto Transit Commission, Toronto Parking Authority, Environment and Energy Division, and Toronto Public Health.

The Strategy seeks to enable the growing numbers of residents, workers, students and visitors in the Downtown to travel safely, efficiently, and more sustainably, while also strengthening the city’s economic competitiveness and environmental resiliency.

It outlines a series of actions that work together with the Downtown Parks and Public Realm Plan to align infrastructure planning with long-term growth: making streets more complete, improving pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, prioritizing surface transit, and managing motor vehicle traffic and parking. The Strategy supports the implementation of the Downtown Plan by informing the Complete Community Assessment and other requirements as part of the Planning Rationale for development applications.

It also supports and complements the rapid transit network planning initiatives currently underway at the city-wide and regional scale and is informed by, and builds on, several City transportation initiatives already underway in the Downtown, such as the Vision Zero Road Safety Plan and the 10-Year Cycling Network Plan.

Moving forward, one of the two key implementation actions being recommended in this report is a Street Typology Study for key Downtown streets that should be initiated as soon as possible to help inform other actions in the Strategy. The study will use the City's Complete Streets Guidelines to help identify priority networks and key outstanding network gaps for various users and determine a range of street typologies for key Downtown streets, based on their existing and planned contexts. Street typologies are intended to be a starting point in the 'complete streets' design approach that establish key transportation and place-making priorities to inform how a street should be designed.

Downtown streets have many different and competing roles, characters, and functions and an individual street may even have different typologies along its length, reflecting the diverse surrounding context of each segment. A street's typology may also change over time, as the city changes and evolves.

It is not feasible to expand or widen Downtown streets, so it is fundamentally important to understand how to better use and allocate the limited amount of right-of-way space available on our streets to achieve the long-term transportation and public realm city-building objectives of the Downtown Plan.

There is no single way to make a street 'complete'. There are some streets in the Downtown where pedestrian improvements should be prioritized, such as providing wider sidewalks and an enhanced public realm. On other streets, cycling infrastructure should be prioritized in order to complete key gaps in the cycling network. And on some streets, motor vehicles play an important role providing a range of functions including personal transport, emergency response, service delivery, goods movement, and curbside activity.

The other key implementation action being recommended is to undertake a Downtown Transit Area Study to develop a long-term vision and plan for surface transit improvements needed to accommodate Downtown population and employment growth. The study will identify a range of options to improve reliability, reduce travel times, and increase ridership on surface transit routes in the Downtown, including: increasing service on existing routes, changing route structures, and adding new routes in areas of growth. It may also include exploring a range of surface transit improvements on some routes, depending on the context.

The Downtown Mobility Strategy's other recommended implementation actions will be undertaken over time, informing future Capital Budgets and Plans and aligning with other studies and work.

The Planning and Growth Management Committee recommends that:

1. City Council adopt the Downtown Community Services and Facilities Strategy, attached as Attachment 1 to the report (April 17, 2018) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, the Acting General Manager, Children's Services, the Director, Real Estate Services and the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, to guide implementation of the Downtown Plan.

2. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director City Planning, the Director, Real Estate Services, the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, the Acting General Manager, Children's Services, and the Chief Librarian, Toronto Public Library Board in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer to:

a. monitor the progress and implementation of the Community Services and Facilities Strategy including updates to the Sector Tables, Actions and Directions contained in the Downtown Community Services and Facilities Strategy; and

b. prepare a Community Services and Facilities Implementation Strategy following the completion of work by each of the divisions and agencies on their respective sector strategies, facility master plans, studies and reviews, targeting a report in the first quarter of 2020. 

3. City Council direct the Director, Real Estate Services, the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, the Acting General Manager, Children's Services, and the Chief Librarian, Toronto Public Library Board, to use the Downtown Community Services and Facilities Strategy, to inform future capital plans.       

4. City Council direct City Staff to use the Downtown Community Services and Facilities Strategy to review development applications within the Downtown Plan area to:

a. inform the necessary infrastructure required to support the development application;

b. assess the potential cumulative impact of other applications and to determine the City’s ability to provide the necessary infrastructure to support development; and

c. use planning mechanisms, such as holding by-laws, to ensure that growth and infrastructure needs are aligned.

5.  City Council direct the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, the Director, Real Estates Services, and the General Manager, Parks Forestry and Recreation, in consultation with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to establish an Inter-Divisional Working Group, to review the future renewal, retrofit and/or expansion needs and opportunities for Association of Community Centres (AOCCS) and other City-owned community facilities (excluding facilities operated by Parks, Forestry and Recreation) serving the Downtown in consultation with AOCCs and Toronto Neighbourhood Centres (TNCs) and to report back by the fourth quarter 2019 with a long-term capital strategy for AOCCS and other appropriate City-owned assets.

6. City Council direct the Executive Director of Social Development, Finance and Administration with the Director of Real Estate Services Division, the Transition Lead of CreateTO, the General Manager of Parks Forestry and Recreation, and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning in partnership with University Settlement House, to explore opportunities to develop a for City-owned assets such as  the University Settlement House, Harrison Pool, St. Patrick's Market, and other sites in the area, including St. George the Martyr, to better meet the emerging needs of the community, in consultation with the Ward Councillor and local community and in cooperation and alignment with the forthcoming Downtown West Service Plan as well as parks and public realm improvements, and to report back to Council by the fourth quarter of 2019

7. City Council direct the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration and the Director,  Real Estate Services, to prioritize the allocation of space through the Community Space Tenancy policy to address the identified needs in the Downtown Community Services and Facilities Strategy.

8. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director,City Planning, the Director, Real Estate Services, the General Manager of Parks, Forestry and Recreation, the Acting General Manager, Children's Services, and the Chief Librarian, Toronto Public Library Board in consultation with the school boards to report back every 5 years with updates to the Downtown Community Services and Facilities Implementation Strategy to be coordinated with the preparation of the City’s future Development Charges By-law updates.

Community services and facilities (CS&F) contribute to the social, economic and cultural development of the city and are vital in supporting a liveable Downtown. CS&F are publically accessible, non-profit facilities and places where City Divisions, school boards and agencies deliver programs and services. They act as neighbourhood focal points and serve as "urban living rooms" for a diverse Downtown population including residents, workers, students and vulnerable populations. CS&F support a strong network of programs and services that are essential to building community capacity as well as the fostering of complete communities. 

Growth in the Downtown has placed significant pressures on the existing community services and facilities sectors, which for the purpose of the Community Services and Facilities Strategy (CS&F Strategy), includes: child care centres, libraries, schools, recreation facilities and human services. The CS&F Strategy outlines directions and actions intended to align service and facility planning with long-term growth in the residential and worker populations. The Strategy identifies growth-related community space and facility needs and priorities to support infrastructure investment through collaboration and alignment with the strategic and capital plans of City divisions, boards and agencies. The CS&F Strategy supports the implementation of the Downtown Plan by informing the Complete Community Assessment and other requirements as part of the Planning Rationale for development applications.

The Downtown Plan provides a blueprint for growth and infrastructure in Toronto's core over the next 25 years. Leveraging opportunities that come with intensification, while addressing challenges often associated with growth, the plan seeks to achieve complete communities, of which CS&F form a critical role. In 2016, Downtown had a population of close to 240,000, with more than 500,000 jobs. By 2041, Downtown has the potential to grow to as many as 475,000 residents. The Downtown, together with the 'shoulder' areas of South of Eastern and Liberty Village, has the potential to reach between 850,000 and 915,000 jobs by 2041.

The Planning and Growth Management Committee:

1. Endorsed the Downtown Energy Strategy attached as Attachment 1 to the report (April 17, 2018) from the Director, Environment and Energy and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to guide implementation of the Downtown Plan.

2. Directed the Director, Environment and Energy to consult with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, the General Manager, Toronto Water, the General Manager Parks, Forestry and Recreation, the General Manager, Transportation Services, the Director, Major Capital Coordination Office, and agencies including CreateTO, Toronto Hydro, Enbridge and Enwave Energy Corporation on implementation of the Energy Strategy.

3. Directed the Director, Environment and Energy and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to use the Downtown Energy Strategy to review development applications, including the Energy Strategy Report, within the Downtown Plan area.

This report recommends endorsement of the Downtown Energy Strategy (the Strategy) to guide implementation of the Downtown Plan. The purpose of the Strategy is to set out a series of actions that will achieve reductions in overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, address constraints within the electricity distribution grid and enhance resilience to area-wide power outages.

Downtown is Canada's largest employment cluster with over 500,000 jobs, relying on Union Station, the subway system and the surface transit network to provide access to a city-wide and regional workforce. Close to 240,000 people live Downtown, with more than 7,500 residents added annually over the past 5 years. The Downtown and the South of Eastern and Liberty Village areas have the potential to reach between 850,000 and 915,000 jobs by 2041.

This growth and intensification may result in increased greenhouse gas emissions and growing electricity demand in the face of constrained supply. Increasing frequency of extreme weather events, compounded by stressed electricity infrastructure and the predominance of high-rise residential buildings where residents rely on electricity for essential services, demands preparations for power outages.

The Downtown Energy Strategy addresses the energy and related resilience needs within a growing Downtown, encompassing the 17-square kilometre area from Bathurst Street to the Don River and from the waterfront to the CP rail corridor/Rosedale Valley Road.

The Energy Strategy contains a series of transformative ideas and immediate and long-term actions. These include working with energy developers to develop local renewable energy solutions and establish new low carbon thermal energy networks. The actions also address promoting residential building retrofits, encouraging developers to achieve near-zero emissions buildings and preparing design guidelines for low-carbon thermal energy ready buildings. Developers will be encouraged to include back-up power for multi-unit high rise residential buildings and to salvage and reuse materials. The Downtown Energy Strategy also serves to align the Downtown Plan with TransformTO, the City’s climate action plan and the Toronto Green Standard.

Moving forward, Environment and Energy will work collaboratively with other City division and agencies, Toronto Hydro and energy providers and energy developers to advance implementation of the Strategy. The Downtown Energy Strategy's actions will be addressed comprehensively through TransformTO and reported out to City Council as appropriate.  The implementation of the Strategy's actions will be largely addressed through application of the Toronto Green Standard and Energy Strategy reports submitted as part of the planning approval process.  City staff will begin using the Strategy to review development applications, including the Energy Strategy Report provided by applicants.

The Planning and Growth Management Committee:

1. Directed the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with the Acting General Manager, Toronto Water to use the Downtown Water Strategy attached as Attachment 1 to the report (April 17, 2018) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the Acting General Manager, Toronto Water to guide implementation of the Downtown Plan.

2. Directed the Acting General Manager, Toronto Water to use the Downtown Water Strategy to inform the 2019-20 Capital Budget.

3. Directed the Acting General Manager, Toronto Water and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to use the Downtown Water Strategy as a reference to review development applications within the Downtown Plan area as follows:

a. to inform the necessary infrastructure required to support the development application;

b. to assess the potential cumulative impact of other applications and previous approvals to determine the City’s ability to secure the necessary infrastructure to support development; and

c. use planning mechanisms, including holding provisions, as necessary to ensure that growth and infrastructure needs are aligned.

This report recommends the use of the Downtown Water Strategy to guide implementation of the Downtown Plan.

The Downtown Water Strategy (the Strategy) identifies infrastructure improvements that are required to accommodate population and employment growth in the Downtown. Downtown is Canada's largest employment cluster with over 500,000 jobs, relying on Union Station, the subway system and the surface transit network to provide access to a city-wide and regional workforce. Close to 240,000 people live Downtown, with more than 7,500 residents added annually over the past 5 years. The Downtown, and the South of Eastern and Liberty Village areas have the potential to reach between 850,000 and 915,000 jobs by 2041.

Toronto Water utilizes a comprehensive process to program capital works projects that ensure a state-of-good-repair and service level enhancement for its infrastructure.

Toronto Water is also incorporating the impacts of future growth to 2041 in its infrastructure studies to identify additional infrastructure improvements to be considered in its capital works program, so that infrastructure capacity is available to support future growth.

The Strategy recognizes challenges associated with the limited space available in the City's road allowance to accommodate additional infrastructure as well as capacity constraints imposed by groundwater infiltration and wet weather flows. A number of aligned initiatives, including those related to energy and resilience, are addressed in the Downtown Water Strategy to ensure integrated planning and implementation.

To ensure growth is supported by the timely provision of infrastructure, the Downtown Plan is further supported by four other infrastructure strategies:

-Downtown Parks and Public Realm Plan
-Downtown Community Services and Facilities Strategy
-Downtown Mobility Strategy
-Downtown Energy Strategy
 

These five strategies set priorities for infrastructure investment, and guide implementation of the Downtown Plan, which encompasses a 17-square-kilometre area from Bathurst Street to the Don River and from the waterfront to about the CP rail corridor/Rosedale Valley Road. Each strategy outlines a series of transformative ideas and actions intended to align infrastructure planning with long-term growth. The Strategy supports the implementation of the Downtown Plan by informing the Complete Community Assessment and other requirements as part of the Planning Rationale for development applications.

Implementation of the Downtown Water Strategy will be undertaken through the capital works program of Toronto Water, informed by several infrastructure studies that are currently underway.  Investments in water-related infrastructure to address capacity constraints associated with growth, as set forth in the Downtown Water Strategy, will be reported out to City Council through the individual projects and implemented through the capital works program of Toronto Water.  Toronto Water and City Planning will work together to prioritize projects that resolve capacity deficiencies and to identify where development may need to be held until the servicing improvements to support growth are implemented. Monitoring of development and growth trends will inform adjustments to the implementation of projects in the capital works program.