Economic and Community Development Committee
The full agenda, as filed
All 6 items in the clerk’s order. Each carries the city’s own words: the staff recommendation, what the body decided, and its status. Nothing below is written by us.
EC14.1adopted
Proposed Lawrence Ingram Keele Business Improvement Area Poll Results
The purpose of this report is to recommend that the area shown in Attachment 1 be designated as the Lawrence Ingram Keele Business Improvement Area (BIA). In accordance with the Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19, Business Improvement Areas, the City Clerk conducted a poll to determine if there is sufficient support to designate the area as the Lawrence Ingram Keele BIA. The area is generally bounded by Lawrence Avenue West to the north, Keele Street to the west, Strathnairn Avenue/Woodborough Avenue to the south and the rail track to the east. The City received a sufficient number of ballots to validate the poll and the majority of accepted ballots were in favour of establishing a BIA. Accordingly, it is recommended that City Council pass a By-law to designate the area outlined in Attachment 1 as the Lawrence Ingram Keele BIA. Subject to Council's approval, this will be the City's eighty-fourth BIA.
The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that: 1. City Council designate, based on the poll results respecting the intention to designate the Lawrence Ingram Keele Business Improvement Area, the area outlined in Attachment 1 to the report (July 6, 2020) from the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, as the Lawrence Ingram Keele Business Improvement Area, under the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19, Business Improvement Areas. 2. City Council direct the City Solicitor to submit a By-law to designate the area outlined in Attachment 1 to the report (July 6, 2020) from the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, as the Lawrence Ingram Keele Business Improvement Area. 3. City Council amend Schedule A of the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19, Business Improvement Areas, to include the Lawrence Ingram Keele Business Improvement Area.
Staff recommendation as filed
The General Manager, Economic Development and Culture recommends that: 1. City Council designate, based on the poll results respecting the intention to designate the Lawrence Ingram Keele Business Improvement Area, the area outlined in Attachment 1 as the Lawrence Ingram Keele Business Improvement Area, under the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19, Business Improvement Areas. 2. City Council direct the City Solicitor to submit a By-law to designate the area outlined in Attachment 1 as the Lawrence Ingram Keele Business Improvement Area. 3. City Council amend Schedule A of the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19, Business Improvement Areas, to include the Lawrence Ingram Keele Business Improvement Area.
EC14.2adopted
Bayview Leaside Business Improvement Area Minor Expansion
The purpose of this report is to recommend a minor expansion of the Bayview Leaside Business Improvement Area (BIA) boundary to include the properties at 730 Hillsdale Avenue East, 1674 to 1690 Bayview Avenue, and 703 to 713 Soudan Avenue.
The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that: 1. City Council designate the area outlined in Attachment 1 to the report (July 6, 2020) from the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, as the amended Bayview Leaside Business Improvement Area under the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19, Business Improvement Areas. 2. City Council direct the Chief Technology Officer to prepare designation By-law maps of the area outlined in Attachment 1 to the report (July 6, 2020) from the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, and submit them to the City Solicitor. 3. City Council amend the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19, Business Improvement Areas, as necessary, to reflect the expanded boundaries of the Bayview Leaside Business Improvement Area.
Staff recommendation as filed
The General Manager, Economic Development and Culture recommends that: 1. City Council designate the area outlined in Attachment 1 as the amended Bayview Leaside Business Improvement Area under the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19, Business Improvement Areas. 2. City Council direct the Chief Technology Officer to prepare designation By-law maps of the area outlined in Attachment 1 and submit them to the City Solicitor. 3. City Council amend the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19, Business Improvement Areas, as necessary, to reflect the expanded boundaries of the Bayview Leaside Business Improvement Area.
EC14.3adopted
"Team Toronto" Mayor's London Mission, March 2020
From March 9th to 11th, Mayor John Tory led a delegation, deemed "Team Toronto", to London, UK, with support and participation from corporate partners and agencies including Toronto Global, Tourism Toronto, Toronto Finance International, Toronto Region Board of Trade (TRBOT)/World Trade Centre-Toronto (WTC), and Exhibition Place. The delegation also included the General Manager of Economic Development and Culture Division (EDC). Toronto Finance International supported the planning of, but did not attend, the mission. The purpose of the Team Toronto mission was to engage with industry leaders to advance foreign direct investment (FDI) opportunities; promote Toronto as a tourist, convention and business travel destination; and engage key Canadian business leaders in London to activate them as Toronto ambassadors. One element, a trip to Dublin to visit with the organizers of the Collision Conference, was cancelled due to the growing concern with COVID-19. The purpose of this report is to provide a summary of the Mayor's Team Toronto mission to London.
The Economic and Community Development Committee: 1. Received the report (July 6, 2020) from the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, for information.
Staff recommendation as filed
The General Manager, Economic Development and Culture recommends that: 1. The Economic and Community Development Committee receive this report for information.
EC14.4adopted
Economic Advancement Opportunities for Persons Living with Disabilities
At its meeting on July 3, 2020, the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee considered Item DI8.7, Economic Advancement Opportunities for Persons Living with Disabilities.
The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that: 1. City Council direct the City Manager, in partnership with the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, and the General Manager, Toronto Employment and Social Services, to examine the City of Toronto's role in, and provide a report on, opportunities to support the economic advancement for persons living with disabilities, including but not limited to: a. support services and vendors relevant to the safety, success, and well-being of persons with disabilities for employment provisions which have been researched and reviewed; and b. internal employment opportunities to help foster inclusion, diversity, and accessibility for persons with disabilities by providing internal job vacancies with the City of Toronto. 2. City Council direct the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, and the Chief People Officer, in collaboration with the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, and in consultation with accessibility stakeholders, to develop an outreach model and determine an appropriate pilot strategy, for the purpose of providing support and referrals to relevant services, to inform workers with disabilities of their employment rights, and report to the November 16, 2020 meeting of the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee. 3. City Council request the Province of Ontario to examine partnership opportunities for the economic advancement of persons living with disabilities, including mentoring, internships, and skills training as well as job creation.
Staff recommendation as filed
The Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee recommends that: 1. City Council direct the City Manager, in partnership with Economic Development and Culture and Toronto Employment and Social Services, to examine the City of Toronto's role in, and provide a report on, opportunities to support the economic advancement for persons living with disabilities, including but not limited to: a. support services and vendors relevant to the safety, success, and well-being of persons with disabilities for employment provisions which have been researched and reviewed; and b. internal employment opportunities to help foster inclusion, diversity, and accessibility for persons with disabilities by providing internal job vacancies with the City of Toronto. 2. City Council direct the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, and the Chief People Officer, in collaboration with the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, and in consultation with accessibility stakeholders, to develop an outreach model and determine an appropriate pilot strategy, for the purpose of providing support and referrals to relevant services, to inform workers with disabilities of their employment rights, and report to the November 16, 2020 meeting of the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee. 3. City Council request the Province of Ontario to examine partnership opportunities for the economic advancement of persons living with disabilities, including mentoring, internships, and skills training as well as job creation.
EC14.5adopted
Expediting the Formation of a Business Improvement Area in Willowdale
The Steering Committee for the BIA in Willowdale has asked that I present a motion to the Economic and Community Development Committee to expedite the process to be designated an official Business Improvement Area (BIA) in Willowdale. Their specific request is that City Council consider waiving the requirement to hold an interest meeting to establish a general sense of support for a BIA among businesses in the area: Municipal Code Chapter 19-2.2A(3)(e): Notice and polling - new business improvement areas A. A steering committee shall be formed to undertake the following with the assistance of City staff: (3)(e) Decide on whether to request the General Manager to proceed to a formal public consultation meeting. City Council has authority to waive requirements of the Code particularly when it is in the public interest. Council has done so in the past. In this case, an expedited process will better equip the local business community to address the severe impacts of COVID as an issue requiring urgent and immediate attention. For this reason, the waiving of the interest meeting has been requested in consultation with the Manager of the Toronto BIA Office by the Willowdale BIA Steering Committee, which has already done extensive consultation with the local business community, including a flyer delivered to 1,800 businesses in the area earlier this year, as shown in Attachment 3. That public interest meeting outlined in Municipal Code Chapter 19-2.2 culminates with a secret ballot made by all business representatives in attendance. Though the usual procedure of a physical meeting is unable to be followed at this time due to COVID, the City has no protocol for conducting a secret ballot through a virtual meeting. Moreover, the City also depends on the Steering Committee to drop off notice to business tenants which is unwise in a pandemic. These factors create a unique importance and urgency for expediting the BIA process at this time. The notice and polling conducted by the City Clerk would still be required as the next step. Based on the work of the Steering Committee to date, and the number of businesses who have expressed firm interest and support, I fully endorse their request and agree that it is in the best interest of businesses in Willowdale that a BIA be formed as soon as possible to help with the immediate need of economic recovery and the long-term commercial vitality in the area.
The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that: 1. City Council direct the Steering Committee for the Business Improvement Area in Willowdale and the City of Toronto's Business Improvement Area Office staff to bypass the requirement that the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, conduct a formal public consultation meeting as required under Subsection 19-2.2A(3)(e) and the requirements under Subsection 19-2.2 C to H of the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19, Business Improvement Areas, and proceed to notice and polling under Section 19-2.3 of the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19, Business Improvement Areas. 2. City Council state its intention to designate the area outlined in Attachment 2 to the letter (July 6, 2020) from Councillor John Filion as the Willowdale Business Improvement Area under the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19, Business Improvement Areas. 3. City Council direct the City Clerk to send out a notice of City Council's intention to pass a By-law designating the area outlined in Attachment 2 to the letter (July 6, 2020) from Councillor John Filion as the Willowdale Business Improvement Area, in accordance with the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19, Business Improvement Areas. 4. City Council direct the Chief Technology Officer to prepare designation By-law maps of the area outlined in Attachment 2 to the letter (July 6, 2020) from Councillor John Filion and submit them to the City Solicitor.
Staff recommendation as filed
Councillor John Filion recommends that: 1. City Council direct the Steering Committee for the Business Improvement Area in Willowdale and the City's Business Improvement Area Office staff to bypass the requirement that the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, conduct a formal public consultation meeting as required under Subsection 19-2.2A(3)(e) and the requirements under Subsection 19-2.2 C to H of Chapter 19 of the City of Toronto Municipal Code and proceed to notice and polling under Section 19-2.3 of Chapter 19 of the City of Toronto Municipal Code. 2. City Council state its intention to designate the area as the Willowdale Business Improvement Area under Chapter 19 of the City of Toronto Municipal Code. 3. City Council direct the City Clerk to send out a notice of City Council's intention to pass a By-law designating the area as the Willowdale Business Improvement Area, in accordance with Chapter 19 of the City of Toronto Municipal Code. 4. City Council direct the Chief Technology Officer to prepare designation By-law maps of the area and submit them to the City Solicitor.
EC14.6adopted
Save Jimmie Simpson Recreation Centre
In April 2019, the Government of Ontario announced plans to build the Ontario Line and in August enacted Regulation 248/19. This resulted in the Relief Line South as well as all other TTC transit expansion projects being taken over by the Ontario government and Metrolinx. The Initial Business Case for the Ontario Line proposes the line to run above ground in the current heavy rail GO corridor from the Don River to Gerrard Street - approximately a 2 kilometre stretch - which includes parks, green space and the Jimmie Simpson Community Centre. On October 29, 2019, Toronto City Council passed motions directed to Metrolinx regarding safety concerns and community impacts of the Ontario Line, including the protection of parks, local services and community centres. And on January 29, 2020, City Council called for the Province and Metrolinx to undertake a full, formal Transit Project Assessment Process that would consider alternative technology, station locations and alignment, including putting the Gerrard to Don River section underground. Sadly at their Community Advisory Committee meeting of May 13, 2020, Metrolinx said they are not considering burying the section of the Ontario Line from East Harbour to Gerrard as requested by the community and the City of Toronto, but are only looking at an above ground line in the current heavy rail railway corridor. That railway corridor directly abuts Jimmie Simpson Community Centre and 7 parks. An above ground line will run perilously close to the Jimmie Simpson Community Centre which serves as a community hub for recreation programming with a variety of programs for everyone from preschool to older adults. The back wall of the recreation centre is right on the edge of the rail corridor. Residents in Riverside and Leslieville are deeply concerned. While the City and the neighbourhood will continue to press Metrolinx to bury this 2 kilometre section of the Ontario Line the City has to also start contingency planning to protect/move/rebuild the Community Centre in the event that Metrolinx forges ahead.
The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that: 1. City Council request the City Manager to evaluate the construction, maintenance, and operational impacts of the proposed above-ground Ontario Line on Jimmie Simpson Recreation Centre and Artificial Ice Rink and develop a strategic plan to determine how best to mitigate the impacts on these facilities and on the level and quality of City services currently delivered by the City of Toronto to residents using these facilities.
Staff recommendation as filed
1. City Council request the City Manager to evaluate construction, maintenance and operational impact of the proposed above ground Ontario Line on Jimmie Simpson Recreation Community Centre and Artificial Ice Rink and develop a strategic plan to determine how best to mitigate the impact on these facilities and on the level and quality of City services currently delivered by the City to residents using these facilities.