Getting the Gardiner Right: Moving Forward with a New Study on Better Options for the Gardiner East - by Councillor Josh Matlow, seconded by Councillor Amber Morley

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The decision

2023-03-29 · Toronto City Council · deferred

As filed

City Council on March 29, 30, and 31, 2023, deferred Item MM5.33 to the May 10, 11, and 12, 2023 meeting of City Council.

The vote

Waive Referral · Carried, 20-5

Against (5)Frances Nunziata, Jon Burnside, Mike Colle, Nick Mantas, Stephen Holyday

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On the agenda

As the city filed it

No construction on the Gardiner East of Cherry street is scheduled to being until 2026. Moreover, Staff revealed in committee that the current cost estimate provided to Council last month does not include inflation or ongoing maintenance costs. This represents a potential jump in costs of hundreds of millions of dollars over the original 2016 estimate. While this delay and cost escalation is frustrating for residents, there is time for the City to re-evaluate the decision made to rebuild this least-used section of the Gardiner as an elevated expressway.

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It is incumbent upon Council to explore the feasibility of a plan that could maintain the connection between the DVP and Gardiner with a new road on the ground, or in another configuration, that could save hundreds of millions of dollars. According to a report done by Colliers for the Globe & Mail, a new configuration could also open up over 5 acres of City land with a value of $450M with enough space to build 8,000 homes for 15,000 people.

Staff recommended

Councillor Josh Matlow, seconded by Councillor Amber Morley, recommends that: 1. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services, to temporarily pause entering the City of Toronto into new contractual obligations regarding the Gardiner East of Jarvis, given that no new construction is scheduled until 2026, to allow for a comprehensive report, in consultation with the City Planning, Housing Secretariat, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, Waterfront Toronto, and CreateTO, is provided to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee, including: a.

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updated costs for the construction of the "Hybrid" and "Boulevard" options that consider inflation and supply chain issues; b. updated lifecycle maintenance costs of the "Hybrid" and "Boulevard" options that consider inflation and supply chain issues; c. a detailed analysis of the land value and additional housing that could be realized by opting for the at-grade boulevard; and d. contemplation of any alternative option that maximizes existing investment and achieves a Hybrid that opens up more City land and minimizes lifecycle maintenance costs.

On the record

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