Ridgewood Road Sanitary Sewer Update

Although delivering the proposed sewer with the road reconstruction and new sidewalk could provide some cost and construction coordination benefits, bundling the two projects would result in the 2026 construction start being delayed to accommodate potential sewer design work. At its meeting on March 20 and 21, 2024, City Council directed the City Manager to consult with the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing on the feasibility of amending Ontario Regulation 596/06 under the City of Toronto Act (the "Regulation") and to make any other legislative or regulatory amendments to allow the City to impose local improvement charges using different methods from those set out in the Regulation for the construction of the Ridgewood Road sewer. Toronto Water, in collaboration with the City Manager's Office, has initiated consultation and been informed that the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing is currently analysing the City's request. Staff will provide an update on the conclusion of consultations with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing at an upcoming Infrastructure and Environment Committee meeting. It is expected that the time required for regulation amendments will exceed the timelines needed to coordinate the proposed sanitary sewer work with the scheduled road and sidewalk work. The road reconstruction and new sidewalk work for Ridgewood Road should proceed as planned without bundling with the potential sanitary sewer project until such time that staff can confirm the use of an amended local improvement charge method to fund the sewer work.