Opposing the Provincial Land Grab at Bathurst Quay and the Island - by Mayor Olivia Chow, seconded by Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik

Through their legislation today, the Government of Ontario has chosen to ignore the decisions of Toronto's government. Worse, the Provincial Government is going to take parkland and pave it at Little Norway Park, in a neighbourhood that needs more precious green space and public space, not less. We need to send a clear message to the Provincial Government that this is not acceptable to us as a municipal government. Nor is it acceptable to the residents of waterfront neighbourhoods, or any resident of Toronto, as they learn there is nothing stopping the Provincial Government from taking parks, roads, public spaces or anything they decide they want. To date, no one has seen concrete or draft plans for the airport expansion. We do not know what it will look like, or the impact it will have on our city. Toronto residents and their municipal government only have media statements from the Province. Further, we know this work cannot move forward without Federal support for airport expansion, through the Port Authority and the Federal Minister, yet we have no clear indication that they support the Province's plans. What we do know for certain is that Torontonians are being kept in the dark by higher orders of government and their land is being taken. As a Council, we must make our opposition clear. Reason for urgency: The Provincial government has introduced legislation to expropriate City land and the City must respond quickly.

3. City Council request the Province of Ontario to reimburse the City of Toronto for all capital expenses adjusted to inflation related to Little Norway Park incurred over the last 40 years, including provincial and federal government stimulus funding that funded the 2010 park improvements project. 4. City Council request the Province to provide funding for land, capital, public consultation, and any other costs to acquire and develop replacement parkland, playground and sports facilities equivalent to what is proposed to be expropriated in Little Norway Park, as well as to relocate the Waterfront Neighbourhood Centre community centre, Waterfront Elementary School, The City School, and the Lakeside Waterfront Child Care centre currently located next to Little Norway Park and Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, should that be required. 5. City Council direct the City Manager to notify the families at The Waterfront School, The City School, and the Lakeside Waterfront Child Care centre, people who access the Waterfront Neighbourhood Centre community centre and the Corleck Building (Irish community centre) residents of the nearby condos, and recreation groups who hold permits for sports leagues at Little Norway Park of the Provincial expropriation and impact on their access to these vital community assets. 6. City Council request the Province of Ontario provide the option for all residents within 500m of the expropriation area to move, at province's expense, and purchase or provide rent equivalent homes at fair market value with an apology for the disruption to their community. 7. City Council request the Province compensate any and all recreational sports leagues, including softball, baseball, cricket, and other leagues, for loss of access to a favourite sports facility. 8. City Council request the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services, to review all leases held by the City with the Toronto Port Authority in anticipation of expropriation. 9. City Council request the federal government to disallow this land grab from the province and to clarify their position on the land grab. 10. City Council direct the City Solicitor to explore all legal options in response to the provincial legislation and authorize the City Solicitor to pursue legal action to protect the City's interests. 11. City Council reiterate its request of the Province to work collaboratively with the City on the future of Toronto's waterfront. 12. City Council request the Executive Director, Waterfront Secretariat, or designates, to appear before any public hearings held by the Ontario Legislature regarding the Bill to give testimony in accordance with the position outlined in this item. 13. City Council request the City Manager to submit written comments to any consultations by the Government of Ontario that reflect the City's positions outlined in this item, including Council's opposition to the unilateral expropriation of waterfront parkland. 14. City Council adopt the position that no costs associated with compliance with the provincial legislation should be incurred or paid by the City of Toronto, including staff time, and that the City must be compensated at fair market value for best and highest use for any land expropriated by the Province.