Our Plan Toronto: Employment Area Conversion Requests - Preliminary Assessments Group 1

This report provides 39 preliminary assessments for a grouping of requests to convert land designated as Core Employment Areas and General Employment Areas as part of the City's Official Plan Growth Plan Conformity and Municipal Comprehensive Review (MCR). This is the first in a series of reports providing staff's preliminary position for the basis of consultation with key stakeholders and the public, including landowners and businesses, to obtain comments and feedback. Council defined a year-long window during which staff would receive formal written requests to convert lands designated as Core Employment Areas and General Employment Areas. The City Planning Division received approximately 140 conversion requests before the opportunity to submit a conversion request closed on August 3, 2021. Proponents were given an additional month to supplement their conversion requests with information required for staff to conduct a technical analysis of the conversion request. Nine conversion requests were received which did not submit the necessary materials and studies to undertake the required review. Staff will bring forward a final report on these "incomplete" conversion requests recommending Council's refusal given the lack of information for staff to adequately review the request. Staff will prepare final recommendations for each of the conversion requests for Planning and Housing Committee and Council's consideration as part of a statutory public meeting under Section 26 of the Planning Act.