1117 Queen Street West - Notice of Intention to Designate a Property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act

As there is no other restriction that applies to this property at this time, subsection 29(10) of the Ontario Heritage Act permits council to give a new notice of intention to designate the property in accordance with Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. The property is located on the south side of Queen Street West between Lisgar Street and Abell Street in the West Queen West neighbourhood, and contains Postal Station 'C', a two-storey building completed in 1903. The Beaux-Arts building was designed by the architecture branch of the federal Department of Public Works, with S.G. Curry acting as the local associate architect. The property was listed on the City of Toronto's Inventory of Heritage Properties (now the Heritage Register) on June 20, 1973 and is a landmark property within the proposed West Queen West Heritage Conservation District. The property functioned as a post office for more than a century until Canada Post ceased operations at the site in 2020. The property was listed for sale on the private market and sold in late 2021. The sale of the federally-owned building prompted many local community members to voice their concern for its survival. In July 2021, City Council adopted a member motion to request a halt to the proposed sale, and directed the City Manager to request that Canada Post work with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, the Director and Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Arts Council, and members of the local community to examine and take measures to retain the building in public ownership for the purpose of establishing a cultural and arts hub for the neighbouring community and the City at large. Staff have completed the Research and Evaluation Report for the property at 1117 Queen Street West and determined that the property meets Ontario Regulation 9/06, the criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act under design and physical, historical and associative, and contextual values. As such, the property is a significant built heritage resource. In June 2019, the More Homes, More Choice Act, 2019 (Bill 108) received Royal Assent. Schedule 11 of this Act included amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act. The Bill 108 Amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act came into force on July 1, 2021, which included a shift in Part IV designations related to Planning Act applications that would trigger a Prescribed Event. Section 29(1.2) of the Ontario Heritage Act now restricts City Council's ability to give notice of its intention to designate a property under the Act to within 90 days after the City Clerk gives notice of a complete application. The designation of this property is not subject to Section 29(1.2), as there are no open planning applications for the site, however, the Part IV designation must be in compliance with the province's amended O. Reg. 9/06 under the Ontario Heritage Act, which came into effect as of January 1, 2023. The revised regulation establishes nine provincial criteria for determining whether a property is of cultural heritage value or interest. A property may be designated under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, if it meets two or more of the nine criteria. The property meets seven criteria relating to design/physical, historical/associative, and contextual values. A Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) is required for all development applications that affect listed and designated properties and will be considered when determining how a heritage property is to be conserved. Designation also enables City Council to review proposed alterations or demolitions to the property and enforce heritage property standards and maintenance.

2. If there are no objections to the designation, City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the Bill in Council designating the property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.