Infrastructure and Environment Committee
The full agenda, as filed
All 10 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.
IE9.1adopted
The purpose of this report is to seek City Council's authority to close portions of the eastbound lanes on the F.G. Gardiner Expressway and northbound lanes on the Don Valley Parkway for the Toronto Triathlon Festival event for 2024. The proposed route of the 2024 Toronto Triathlon Festival event will remain the same as 2023.
The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that: 1. City Council authorize the closure of the F.G. Gardiner Expressway, eastbound lanes only, from the Humber River to the Don Valley Parkway, including all ramps, and the Don Valley Parkway, northbound lanes only, from the F.G. Gardiner Expressway to Eglinton Avenue East, including all ramps, on Sunday July 14, 2024 from 2:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., for the 2024 Toronto Triathlon Festival event. 2. City Council prohibit other road closures due to events or film permits on arterial roads bounded by Highway 401, Warden Avenue, Lake Ontario, Humber River, Queen Street / The Queensway, and Yonge Street, on Sunday July 14, 2024 as they will be required to accommodate overflow traffic from the expressway closures resulting from the 2024 Toronto Triathlon Festival event. 3. City Council require the organizer to pay, within 90 days of the City issuing an invoice, any costs incurred to the City to secure the work zones along the F.G. Gardiner Expressway during the F.G. Gardiner Expressway rehabilitation work.
Staff recommendation as filed
The General Manager, Transportation Services recommends that: 1. City Council authorize the closure of the F.G. Gardiner Expressway, eastbound lanes only, from the Humber River to the Don Valley Parkway, including all ramps, and the Don Valley Parkway, northbound lanes only, from the F.G. Gardiner Expressway to Eglinton Avenue East, including all ramps, on Sunday July 14, 2024 from 2:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., for the 2024 Toronto Triathlon Festival event; 2. City Council prohibit other road closures due to events or film permits on arterial roads bounded by Highway 401, Warden Avenue, Lake Ontario, Humber River, Queen Street / The Queensway, and Yonge Street, on Sunday July 14, 2024 as they will be required to accommodate overflow traffic from the expressway closures resulting from the 2024 Toronto Triathlon Festival event; and 3. City Council require the organizer to pay, within 90 days of the City issuing an invoice, any costs incurred to the City to secure the work zones along the F. G. Gardiner Expressway during the F. G. Gardiner Expressway rehabilitation work.
IE9.2amended
Single-Space Meters - Various Locations
The General Manager, Transportation Services, is seeking City Council approval to decommission all of the 176 on-street single-space meters which are currently located in various Wards across the City of Toronto and accordingly delete all entries in Schedule III, Parking Meters, of the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 910, Parking Machines, Parking Meters and Mobile Only Zones. Transportation Services is making this proposal after consulting with the Toronto Parking Authority with respect to the Toronto Parking Authority's experience with the City's on-street single-space meter paid parking program. Single-space meters have been in operation for a number of decades; however, the equipment is at end-of-life and requires extensive maintenance to continue operation. As a result of the higher rate of machine failure, low revenue, and high operating expenses, Transportation Services is asking that single-space parking meters be removed from operation. In some single-space locations, nearby Pay and Display machines can be used by customers in place of single-space meters, while in a select few locations Pay and Display machines are recommended for installation in place of single-space meters to preserve the existing paid parking areas and accordingly new entries will be introduced in Schedule I, Parking Machines, of the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 910, Parking Machines, Parking Meters and Mobile Only Zones. In addition, amendments to Chapter 950, Traffic and Parking will also be introduced to adjust the curbside regulations as a result of the removal of single-space meters at certain locations and introduction of Pay and Display in others. This is a city-wide initiative to modernize paid parking in the City by removing the high maintenance, low revenue generating single-space meters while keeping pace with modern technology.
The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that: 1. City Council amend Schedule III, Parking Meters, of City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 910, Parking Machines, Parking Meters and Mobile Only Zones, and Schedule XV: Parking for Restricted Periods, of City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 950, Traffic and Parking, by deleting the entries generally as listed in Attachment 1 to the report (November 15, 2023) from the General Manager, Transportation Services. 2. City Council amend Schedule I, Parking Machines, of City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 910, Parking Machines, Parking Meters and Mobile Only Zones, and Schedule XV: Parking for Restricted Periods, of City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 950, Traffic and Parking, to allow for the introduction of pay-and-display machines for the specified locations by adding the entries generally as listed in Attachment 2 to the report (November 15, 2023) from the General Manager, Transportation Services, as required, once alternate payment systems are put in place for any locations where parking will continue to be permitted. 3. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the necessary bills to give effect to City Council's decision and City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make any necessary clarifications, refinements, minor modifications, technical amendments, or by-law amendments as may be identified by the City Solicitor or the General Manager, Transportation Services, in order to give effect to City Council's decision.
Staff recommendation as filed
The General Manager, Transportation Services, recommends that: 1. City Council amend Schedule III, Parking Meters, of City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 910, Parking Machines, Parking Meters and Mobile Only Zones, and Schedule XV: Parking for Restricted Periods, of City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 950, Traffic and Parking, by deleting the entries generally as listed in Attachment 1 to the report (November 15, 2023) from the General Manager, Transportation Services. 2. City Council amend Schedule I, Parking Machines, of City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 910, Parking Machines, Parking Meters and Mobile Only Zones, and Schedule XV: Parking for Restricted Periods, of City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 950, Traffic and Parking, to allow for the introduction of pay-and-display machines for the specified locations by adding the entries generally as listed in Attachment 2 to the report (November 15, 2023) from the General Manager, Transportation Services, as required. 3. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the necessary bills to give effect to City Council's decision and City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make any necessary clarifications, refinements, minor modifications, technical amendments, or by-law amendments as may be identified by the City Solicitor or the General Manager, Transportation Services, in order to give effect to City Council's decision.
IE9.3amended
This report presents an update on waste reduction initiatives from the Solid Waste Management Services Division (Solid Waste). The report proposes a new Single-Use and Takeaway Items Bylaw (SUTI Bylaw) applicable to retail business establishments as part of Stage 2 of the Single-Use and Takeaway Items Reduction Strategy (Reduction Strategy). The proposed Single-Use and Takeaway Items Bylaw includes the following mandatory activities by a retail business establishment operator: - confirm a customer needs a single-use accessory food item prior to distribution; - confirm a customer needs a paper shopping bags prior to distribution; - charge customers a minimum amount for a reusable shopping bag, with the minimum amount to increase one year following the proposed SUTI Bylaw comes into force; - accept the use of reusable shopping bags by a customer; - confirm a customer needs a single-use beverage cup prior to distribution; and - accept the use of a reusable beverage cup by a customer. Table 1. Summary of Single-Use and Takeaway Items Bylaw and proposed implementation timeline Targeted Items Proposed Implementation Date of Mandatory Measures, Post-Adoption by City Council March 1, 2024 May 1, 2024 May 1, 2025 Single-Use Accessory Food Items Ask-First/By-Request Paper Shopping Bags Ask-First/By-Request Compatibility Reusable Shopping Bags Mandatory Acceptance Minimum Amount Charged - $1.00 Minimum Amount Charged - $2.00 Single-Use Beverage Cups Ask-First/By-Request Reusable Beverage Cups Provided by Customers Mandatory Acceptance This report also responds to City Council's direction to advise on options to incentivize businesses to reduce single-use and takeaway items by proposing a new business grant program, the Circular Food Innovators Fund (CFIF). This report outlines Phase One of the Circular Food Innovators Fund, which focuses on supporting businesses to implement reuse systems that eliminate single-use and takeaway items. Lastly, the report outlines next steps for Stage 3 of the Reduction Strategy, to further explore measures targeted towards the use of reusable items and the further reduction of single-use and takeaway items, in addition to next steps for the second phase of the Circular Food Innovators Fund. Please note that in advance of the Infrastructure and Environment Committee meeting scheduled for November 29, 2023, Solid Waste staff will provide a supplemental report that provides an update as it relates to the recent decision issued on November 16, 2023, by the Federal Court in Responsible Plastic Use Coalition v. Canada (Environment and Climate Change) regarding the constitutionality of the Government's current approach to banning single-use plastics. The report will also address the impacts, if any, to the Single-Use and Takeaway Items Bylaw proposed in this report that may result from the decision.
The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that: 1. City Council repeal City of Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 604, Packaging, effective January 1, 2024. 2. City Council adopt a new City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 702, Single-Use and Takeaway Items, substantially in accordance with the draft chapter attached as Attachment 1 to the report (November 15, 2023) from the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, to Update and Action Plan on Stage 2 of the Single Use and Takeaway Items Reduction Strategy, including Phase One of the Circular Food Innovators Fund (November 15, 2023), with: a. §702-1. (Definitions), §702-2. (Accessory food item), §702-3. (Paper shopping bags), §702-4.A. (Use of reusable shopping bag); §702-5. (Beverage cup), §702-6. (Reusable beverage cup), §702-7. (Offence). §702-8. (Entry to inspect), §702-9. (Orders to comply), and §702-10. (Remedial action) coming into force on March 1, 2024; and b. §702-4.B. (Minimum amount charged for reusable shopping bag) and §702-4.B. (Exemption minimum amount charged for reusable shopping bag) coming into force on May 1, 2024. 3. City Council authorize the City Solicitor, in consultation with the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, to make such clarifications, minor modifications, technical or stylistic amendments to the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 702, Single-Use and Takeaway Items as may be required to give effect to City Council's decision. 4. City Council direct the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, to apply to the Ontario Court of Justice for any new set fines or to review and increase, as required, the current set fines. 5. City Council direct the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, in consultation with the relevant City divisions, to submit for consideration as part of the 2025 Budget process, the supporting budget required to implement the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 702, Single-Use and Takeaway Items. 6. City Council: a. Direct the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, to report back to City Council in the first quarter of 2025, in consultation with the relevant City divisions, on further measures (Stage 3) to reduce single-use and takeaway items, including the feasibility of expanding City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 702, Single-Use and Takeaway Items further to include: 1. large event venues in Toronto; 2. acceptance of reusable food containers provided by a customer at retail business establishments; and 3. requirements for retail business establishment operators to use reusable food containers and beverage cups in their dine-in operations in Toronto. b. Authorize the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, to negotiate and enter into any non-competitive agreements or any amendment agreements to existing agreements necessary for professional services, such as third-party independent public and stakeholder opinion polling to support the development and research work to accelerate and advance Stage 3 of the Single-Use and Takeaway Items Reduction Strategy as authorized in the recommendations above, in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor. 7. City Council authorize the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, or their designate, until December 31, 2028, to negotiate and enter into agreements, as may be required and where it is determined that the project will support the implementation of Stages 1 and 2 of the Single Use and Takeaway Items Reduction Strategy, with non-profit, public, and private sector organizations to: a. collaborate on projects or initiatives; b. provide in-kind and / or financial support from the approved Solid Waste Management Services budget and is within the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services financial authority; and / or c. receive funding and /or in-kind support, on such terms and conditions acceptable to the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor. 8. City Council authorizes the implementation of Phase One of the Circular Food Innovators Fund by Solid Waste Management Services, substantially in accordance with the Framework for Phase One of the City of Toronto's Circular Food Innovators Fund in Attachment 2 to the report (November 15, 2023) from the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services. 9. City Council authorizes the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, or their designate, until December 31, 2024, to execute, on behalf of the City of Toronto, agreements with successful recipients to receive funds distributed under Phase One of the Circular Food Innovators Fund outlined in Attachment 2 to the report (November 15, 2023) from the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, on terms and conditions acceptable to the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, or their designate, and in a form acceptable to the City Solicitor. 10. City Council directs the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, to report back by fourth quarter 2026 on the implementation of Phase One of the Circular Food Innovators Fund, and with proposed recommendations for the potential implementation of Phase Two of the Circular Food Innovators Fund that considers support for business innovation across the whole food value chain in support of the City's circular economy and sustainable consumption goals. 11. City Council direct the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, to report back in the first quarter of 2024, with any recommendations to adjust the Single Use and Takeaway Items Reduction Strategy that considers the Federal Court's decision quashing the Order Adding a Toxic Substance to Schedule 1 to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA), the pending appeal and any amended approaches by the Federal Government. 12. City Council direct the City Manager, through the appropriate Divisions and together with associated City Agencies, Boards and Commissions, to develop a plan that will , prioritize and support the accelerated advancement of Stage 1 and Stage 2 of the Single-Use and Takeaway Items Reduction Strategy at City properties, events and City-run facilities to demonstrate the City taking a leadership role to reduce the use of single-use and takeaway items. 13. City Council request the City Solicitor to report to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee by or before the end of the first quarter of 2024 on the legal feasibility of enacting and enforcing, pursuant to the City of Toronto Act, 2006, a City of Toronto bylaw that would prohibit certain retail business establishments in Toronto from providing their customers with the same plastic manufactured items indicated in the Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations (SOR/2022-138). 14. City Council request the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, as part of the first quarter of 2024 report back on any recommendations to adjust the Single-Use and Takeaway Items Reduction Strategy to include any recommendations to modify the list of items and measures to reduce Single-use and Takeaway items that may result from: a. a review of an item's prevalence in the City's 2022 Litter Audits; b. considerations of an item's potential to persist in the environment (i.e. not biodegradable); and, c. operational challenges and considerations with an item's management as litter by the City. 15. City Council direct the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services to, as part of the first quarter 2024 report-back to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee, include additional details on a monitoring plan which will be used to determine the outcomes of the Single-Use and Takeaway Items Bylaw including: - The amount of targeted items found in future Litter Audits and Residential Waste Composition Audits; - Input and feedback from retail business establishments on the awareness of the Single-Use and Takeaway Items Bylaw; - Input and feedback from retail business establishments on any change in the distribution and quantities of Single-Use and Takeaway Items; - Public and stakeholder input and feedback on any behaviour changes related to the use of Single-Use and Takeaway Items; - Any enforcement related statistics resulting from compliance measures related to the Single-Use and Takeaway Items Bylaw; and - A proposed reporting frequency of the monitoring plan.
Staff recommendation as filed
The General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services recommends that: 1. City Council repeal City of Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 604, Packaging, effective January 1, 2024. 2. City Council adopt a new City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 702, Single-Use and Takeaway Items, substantially in accordance with the draft chapter attached as Attachment 1 to Update and Action Plan on Stage 2 of the Single Use and Takeaway Items Reduction Strategy, including Phase One of the Circular Food Innovators Fund (November 15, 2023), with: a. §702-1. (Definitions), §702-2. (Accessory food item), §702-3. (Paper shopping bags), §702-4.A. (Use of reusable shopping bag); §702-5. (Beverage cup), §702-6. (Reusable beverage cup), §702-7. (Offence). §702-8. (Entry to inspect), §702-9. (Orders to comply), and §702-10. (Remedial action) coming into force on March 1, 2024; and b. §702-4.B. (Minimum amount charged for reusable shopping bag) and §702-4.B. (Exemption minimum amount charged for reusable shopping bag) coming into force on May 1, 2024. 3. City Council authorize the City Solicitor, in consultation with the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, to make such clarifications, minor modifications, technical or stylistic amendments to the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 702, Single-Use and Takeaway Items as may be required to give effect to City Council's decision. 4. City Council direct the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, to apply to the Ontario Court of Justice for any new set fines or to review and increase, as required, the current set fines. 5. City Council direct the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, in consultation with the relevant City divisions, to submit for consideration as part of the 2025 Budget process, the supporting budget required to implement the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 702, Single-Use and Takeaway Items. 6. City Council direct the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, to report back to City Council in 2025, in consultation with the relevant City divisions, on further measures (Stage 3) to reduce single-use and takeaway items, including the feasibility of expanding City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 702, Single-Use and Takeaway Items further to include: a. large event venues in Toronto; b. acceptance of reusable food containers provided by a customer at retail business establishments; and c. requirements for retail business establishment operators to use reusable food containers and beverage cups in their dine-in operations in Toronto. 7. City Council authorize the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, or their designate, until December 31, 2028, to negotiate and enter into agreements, as may be required and where it is determined that the project will support the implementation of Stages 1 and 2 of the Single Use and Takeaway Items Reduction Strategy, with non-profit, public, and private sector organizations to: a. collaborate on projects or initiatives; b. provide in-kind and / or financial support from the approved Solid Waste Management Services budget and is within the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services financial authority; and / or c. receive funding and /or in-kind support, on such terms and conditions acceptable to the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor. 8. City Council authorizes the implementation of Phase One of the Circular Food Innovators Fund by Solid Waste Management Services, substantially in accordance with the Framework for Phase One of the City of Toronto's Circular Food Innovators Fund in Attachment 2 to the report (November 15, 2023) from the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services. 9. City Council authorizes the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, or their designate, until December 31, 2024, to execute, on behalf of the City of Toronto, agreements with successful recipients to receive funds distributed under Phase One of the Circular Food Innovators Fund outlined in Attachment 2, on terms and conditions acceptable to the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, or their designate, and in a form acceptable to the City Solicitor. 10. City Council directs the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, to report back by fourth quarter 2026 on the implementation of Phase One of the Circular Food Innovators Fund, and with proposed recommendations for the potential implementation of Phase Two of the Circular Food Innovators Fund that considers support for business innovation across the whole food value chain in support of the City's circular economy and sustainable consumption goals.
IE9.4adopted
The purpose of this report is to respond to a request from City Council to the General Manager, Toronto Water, to review the feasibility of expanding the eligibility criteria of the Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy Program (the "Program") to include registered owners of existing residential fourplexes within the City of Toronto, subject to their meeting the other Program eligibility criteria. Currently, the Program is only available to eligible registered property owners of an existing single-family residential duplex, or triplex property within the City of Toronto, subject to all the terms and conditions of the Program. Expanding the eligibility criteria of the Program was determined to be financially and operationally feasible and is timely as it aligns with the recent Council decision in May 2023 to permit residential multiplexes up to fourplexes. This review also supports recommendations from the Program audit conducted in 2017 by the Auditor General. The estimated financial impact over the ten-year period from 2023 to 2032 ($273,280) is not considered significant when compared to the overall Program funding as forecasted in the 2023 Approved Capital Budget and 2024-2032 Approved Capital Plan ($55 million). The operational impact of expanding the Program is not expected to be significant as no additional staff will be required and any Program administrative changes are expected to be minimal.
The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that: 1. City Council authorize the General Manager, Toronto Water, to expand the eligibility criteria of the City's Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy Program (the "Program") to include an eligible registered property owner of an existing residential fourplex property within the City of Toronto, subject to all the terms and conditions of the Program.
Staff recommendation as filed
The General Manager, Toronto Water, recommends that: 1. City Council authorize the General Manager, Toronto Water, to expand the eligibility criteria of the City's Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy Program (the "Program") to include an eligible registered property owner of an existing residential fourplex property within the City of Toronto, subject to all the terms and conditions of the Program.
IE9.5amended
Proposed Building Emissions Performance Reporting By-Law
Existing buildings are Toronto's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for approximately 58 percent of total community-wide emissions. The City's Net Zero Existing Buildings Strategy focuses on reducing emissions from existing buildings with the ultimate target of achieving net zero emissions by 2040, and an interim target of cutting emissions nearly in half by 2030, relative to 2008 levels. Achieving these ambitious targets will require the City to take nine key actions identified in the Net Zero Existing Buildings Strategy. Mandatory emissions performance standards for all existing buildings that will require improved emissions performance over time is the most critical of these actions to drive transformation. In the Updated Long-Term Financial Plan (2023.EX7.1), staff recommended the expedited introduction of a mandatory emissions performance standards by-law which is necessary to drive the scale and depth of emissions reductions in the buildings sector, including residential, commercial, industrial and institutional buildings in the City of Toronto. Introduction of these requirements would establish the City of Toronto as a leader in its commitment to reducing building emissions and provide certainty to the development and retrofit sectors on actions needed to support emission reduction. A critical step towards enabling the establishment of emissions performance standards for existing buildings is to require annual emissions performance reporting and public disclosure to improve property owners' and the City's understanding of the performance of Toronto's homes and buildings. Ontario was the first jurisdiction in Canada to introduce energy benchmarking regulations, developed in consultation with Toronto and actualized through the provincial Energy and Water Reporting and Benchmarking program. Energy and Water Reporting and Benchmarking currently requires all buildings above 50,000 square feet to report their performance data on an annual basis. This report proposes that City Council adopt a by-law that would require owners of large and medium-sized buildings to report building energy and water use data to the City annually (the "Building Emissions Performance Reporting" By-law or the "By-Law" as set out in Attachment 1). Energy and water use both have greenhouse gas impacts associated with them. The energy and water use information collected under the By-law will allow the City to calculate the greenhouse gas impacts associated with each property and building. The Building Emissions Performance Reporting By-law would apply to all buildings 929 square meters (~10,000 square feet) and larger, which would predominantly include buildings from the commercial, multi-residential, institutional, and industrial sectors. This size threshold is based on the total gross floor area for the building, including all energy and water used on the premises, regardless if metered in bulk or separately for uses or spaces within the building. For example, a small office building with about 30 to 60 employees or a small multi-residential building with 15 average-sized suites could have a gross floor area close to this lower limit. Coverage of all buildings larger than this lower size threshold aligns with the direction adopted with the 2021 Net Zero Existing Buildings Strategy (2021.IE26.1) and is informed by feedback received during stakeholder engagement. The By-law would phase-in compliance with buildings that have a gross floor area equal to or greater than 4,645 square meters (~50,000 square feet) being required to report as of the first business day of July 2024 (i.e. July 2, 2024) (these buildings are already required to report under Energy and Water Reporting and Benchmarking) and those with gross floor area equal to or greater than 929 square meters (~10,000 square feet) would begin reporting as of the first business day in July 2025 (i.e. July 2, 2025). This 2025 reporting deadline for the smaller buildings (929 to 4,645 square meters in size) will give Environment and Climate Division time to work with utilities to ensure a streamlined reporting process, which is especially important for owners of properties with smaller buildings. The impacts of the proposed By-law on property owners are non-monetary in nature. The cost associated with reporting stems from the time required to gather energy and water data and enter it into the City's reporting tool. This is a relatively small time-commitment, estimated at a few hours of time annually, per building. A potential side effect of the Emissions Performance Reporting By-law could yield a possible energy cost savings by encouraging property owners to more closely track and better manage their buildings' energy and water use. Requiring property owners to report the energy and emissions performance of their buildings is critical to achieving the City's net zero by 2040 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target, both due to the greenhouse gas reduction benefits of reporting itself, and to reporting's role as a key enabling action that is needed to implement other critical greenhouse gas-reduction actions called for in the Net Zero Existing Buildings Strategy - notably, the establishment of emissions performance standards for existing buildings. Reporting energy and water use enables property owners to track their buildings' energy, water and emissions performance and allows them to compare their buildings' performance over time, to other buildings in their portfolio, or to other buildings in Toronto. If the old management adage "you can't manage what you don't measure" is true, then tracking, benchmarking, and reporting energy use is the first step towards better managing energy use and energy operating costs, and to improving building efficiency and energy and emissions performance. Requiring property owners to report the energy and emissions performance of their buildings is also critical to enabling the City to implement subsequent key actions called for in the Net Zero Existing Buildings Strategy. Receiving annual building greenhouse gas emission performance data will enable the City to design future by-laws around these subsequent key actions so that they reflect an ambitious yet realistic pace for property owners to achieve the 2040 net zero emissions target. The most notable key action in this regard is establishing emissions performance standards for existing buildings, which will set limits on the amount of greenhouse gas emissions buildings can emit. The intent of establishing an emissions performance standard is to encourage building owners to make improvements to their buildings so that Toronto can achieve community-wide greenhouse gas emissions reductions which provide a benefit to all Torontonians. Environment and Climate Division staff plan to present a proposed bylaw that would require property owners to meet set emissions performance standards for their buildings (the "Building Emissions Performance Standards By-law") to Council in 2024 as directed by Council in the Long-Term Financial Plan.
The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that: 1. City Council adopt a new City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 367, Building Emissions Performance, substantially in accordance with the draft chapter attached as Attachment 1 to the report (November 16, 2023) from the Executive Director, Environment and Climate, as amended by Infrastructure and Environment Committee, with the Chapter coming into force on January 1, 2024. 2. City Council authorize the City Solicitor, in consultation with the Executive Director, Environment and Climate Division, to make such clarification, minor modifications, amendments to the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 367, Building Emissions Performance as may be required to give effect to City Council's decision. 3. City Council direct the Executive Director, Environment and Climate Division to apply to the Ontario Court of Justice for any new set fines or to review and increase, as required, the current set fines. 4. City Council direct the General Manager, Toronto Water, in consultation with the Director, Revenue Services and the Chief Technology Officer, Technology Services, to prioritize the project to automate the aggregation of whole-building water consumption data for properties with buildings with gross floor area equal to or greater than 929 square meters (~10,000 square feet), and to enable the direct upload of whole-building water consumption data to Energy Star Portfolio Manager by first quarter 2025. 5. City Council request the Mayor to consider financial impacts of the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 367, Building Emissions Performance in proposing the 2024 Budget for Environment and Climate and Toronto Water, in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, the Executive Director, Environment and Climate Division, and the General Manager, Toronto Water. 6. City Council approve the Building Emissions Performance - Public Disclosure of Report Information Policy set out in Attachment 3 to the report (November 16, 2023) from the Executive Director, Environment and Climate Division, which outlines the City of Toronto's public disclosure policy for information collected under City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 367, Building Emissions Performance to be effective January 1, 2024. 7. City Council direct the Executive Director, Environment and Climate Division to report back to Council in 2024 on the potential of amending the Building Emissions Performance - Public Disclosure of Report Information Policy to include the public disclosure of non-anonymous data sets. 8. City Council direct the Executive Director, Environment and Climate Division to report back to Council in 2024 on the implementation of City of Toronto Municipal Code 367, Building Emissions Performance, including: a. status of work with utility providers to enable automatic uploading of information into Energy Star Portfolio Manager reporting tool; b. the policy and procedure developed for reporting exemptions and extensions granted by the Executive Director, Environment and Climate Division to property owners; and c. the applying of new set fines to the Ontario Court of Justice. 9. City Council direct the Executive Director, Environment and Climate Division to provide a status update report on the development of Emissions Performance Standards for buildings to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee in the second quarter of 2024.
Staff recommendation as filed
The Executive Director, Environment and Climate, recommends that: 1. City Council adopt a new City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 367, Building Emissions Performance, substantially in accordance with the draft chapter attached as Attachment 1 to the report (November 16, 2023), with the Chapter coming into force on January 1, 2024. 2. City Council authorize the City Solicitor, in consultation with the Executive Director, Environment and Climate Division, to make such clarification, minor modifications, amendments to the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 367, Building Emissions Performance as may be required to give effect to City Council's decision. 3. City Council direct the Executive Director, Environment and Climate Division to apply to the Ontario Court of Justice for any new set fines or to review and increase, as required, the current set fines. 4. City Council direct the General Manager, Toronto Water, in consultation with the Director, Revenue Services and the Chief Technology Officer, Technology Services, to prioritize the project to automate the aggregation of whole-building water consumption data for properties with buildings with gross floor area equal to or greater than 929 square meters (~10,000 square feet), and to enable the direct upload of whole-building water consumption data to Energy Star Portfolio Manager by first quarter 2025. 5. City Council request the Mayor to consider financial impacts of the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 367, Building Emissions Performance in proposing the 2024 Budget for Environment and Climate and Toronto Water, in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, the Executive Director, Environment and Climate Division, and the General Manager, Toronto Water. 6. City Council approve the Building Emissions Performance - Public Disclosure of Report Information Policy set out in Attachment 3 to the report (November 16, 2023) from the Executive Director, Environment and Climate Division which outlines the City of Toronto's public disclosure policy for information collected under City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 367, Building Emissions Performance to be effective January 1, 2024. 7. City Council direct the Executive Director, Environment and Climate Division to report back to Council in 2024 on the potential of amending the Building Emissions Performance - Public Disclosure of Report Information Policy to include the public disclosure of non-anonymous data sets. 8. City Council direct the Executive Director, Environment and Climate Division to report back to Council in 2024 on the implementation of City of Toronto Municipal Code 367, Building Emissions Performance, including: a. status of work with utility providers to enable automatic uploading of information into Energy Star Portfolio Manager reporting tool; b. the policy and procedure developed for reporting exemptions and extensions granted by the Executive Director, Environment and Climate Division to property owners; and c. the applying of new set fines to the Ontario Court of Justice.
IE9.6amended
Community Support Options for Zero-Emissions Landscape Equipment
City Council has expressed its support for a ban on the use of two-stroke small engine equipment in Toronto. City Council has requested staff to report back in 2023 on opportunities for support programs, such as a low-emission equipment lending library, and opportunities for partnerships to incent a transition to low-emission equipment. This report provides an overview of equipment lending libraries within Toronto and other communities, while also outlining key considerations for implementing such services. It is important to note that Toronto Public Library (TPL) staff have indicated that a zero-emission equipment lending library is not a suitable fit for Toronto Public Library branches or services. However, the Toronto Tool Library, which currently operates a single downtown location, has expressed interest in engaging in further discussions regarding this concept. Additionally, the report outlines partnership programs to incent residents to align with the City's goals, facilitating a transition towards more environmentally friendly practices. As directed by City Council if adequate resources are allocated in the 2024 budget, staff will initiate the work for City Council to enact a by-law that imposes a ban on the use of two-stroke engine equipment. This will involve reporting to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee in 2024. Furthermore, this undertaking will include a more comprehensive examination of clean transition support programs and potential partnerships aimed at promoting compliance.
The Infrastructure and Environment Committee: 1. Requested the Executive Director, Environment and Climate Division to further explore ways to support the public's shift to low-emissions equipment, as part of the broader effort to develop a by-law banning the use of two-stroke equipment, and acknowledge that undertaking this work is conditional on allocating the required resources in the 2024 Budget, once it has been deemed adopted. 2. Requested the Executive Director, Environment and Climate Division to develop a Spring 2024 public awareness campaign aimed at promoting the benefits of zero-emissions landscape equipment and sustainable landscape practices that supports biodiversity and reduces yard waste.
Staff recommendation as filed
The Executive Director, Environment and Climate Division recommends that: 1. The Infrastructure and Environment Committee request the Executive Director, Environment and Climate Division to further explore ways to support the public's shift to low-emissions equipment, as part of the broader effort to develop a by-law banning the use of two-stroke equipment, and acknowledge that undertaking this work is conditional on allocating the required resources in the 2024 Budget, once it has been deemed adopted.
IE9.7amended
Update: City Renewable Energy Programs
This report principally provides an update responding to City Council direction (Part 40, 2021.IE26.16 TransformTO Net-Zero Strategy Report) on addressing barriers and developing strategies to increase deployment of renewable energy in Toronto. The report requests City Council's continued support with specific recommendations to scale the City's renewable energy programs and initiatives, reduce barriers, strengthen existing partnerships, and establish new partnerships to advance renewable energy uptake to meet Council adopted TransformTO's ambitious target of 50 percent of community-wide energy from renewable sources by 2030. By scaling up renewable energy in its own operations, the City leads by example. By deploying clean technologies using innovative delivery models on City-owned properties, the City charts new pathways for decarbonization and creates local demand for zero emissions goods and services. In addition to playing a leadership role, the City plays a necessary role in supporting community-wide renewable energy adoption, in particular given that community-wide emissions represent 95 percent of annual emissions versus 5 percent of annual emissions from City operations. The City facilitates adoption by leveraging its own assets both hard and soft, such as enabling access to City-owned land and infrastructure to host renewable thermal energy projects and utilizing the City's existing information and software resources, including Geographic Information System to help residents, businesses and institutions assess renewable energy potential. The City also has direct oversight of permitting and inspection procedures for renewable energy projects, and by implementing best permitting practices, the City can facilitate adoption. In this report, there is a table (pages 13 to 15) with responses to outstanding Council directives in addition to updates on current and future City renewable energy programs, including deep geothermal exploration for the Port Lands, hosting renewable thermal energy below ground surface in City-owned land, and shallow-lake cooling and heating for building in the waterfront. One key area that is expected to exponentially grow in deployment is solar and storage for local resilient renewable electricity generation and peak demand management. - The City's SolarTO program helps Toronto residents, businesses and institutions with their decisions to adopt solar and storage. It provides an interactive online resource of Toronto's rooftops solar potential. By entering an address, a report is provided in real-time of the estimated potential solar energy production for that roof, including environmental and financial benefits. Also, by continuing to adopt renewable energy technologies including solar and storage on City facilities and land where feasible, the City demonstrates leadership - As adoption of renewable energy, and certainly interest from residents and businesses continues to grow towards mass adoption (anticipated exponential growth) to meet TransformTO goal of 50 percent of energy use from renewables before 2030, City staff will work with partners to review opportunities to streamline grid connection, and City regulatory and non-regulatory processes. - Also, while solar hardware costs have fallen dramatically in recent years, "soft costs", such as grid connection, permitting, installation, financing, and related processes have not. Soft costs are driven up when processes for going solar are slow or inefficient. On average, a home roof top solar installation takes two weeks for on-site physical installation, versus over 20 weeks for an applicant to get all the necessary processes completed. City Divisions and partner agencies are working with industry and stakeholders to look at ways to improve this ratio.
The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that: 1. City Council direct the Executive Director, Environment and Climate to continue to work with Toronto Hydro to accelerate efforts to streamline the grid interconnection process for solar and storage projects by: a. identifying opportunities to streamline the interconnection process for small-scale projects with the aim to make it faster, cost effective, and easier for residents, and implement changes in the near-term, based on best practices; b. having Toronto Hydro share its efforts to remove distribution system constraints that prevent customers from installing solar or storage, and identifying actions to remove or reduce information barriers, such as the location of grid constraints or expected interconnection timelines and costs, that can slow the interconnection of small-scale solar; c. exploring options for streamlining permitting processes for solar installations; and d. exploring opportunities to remove zoning barriers to solar, storage or heat pumps. 2. City Council direct the Executive Director, Environment and Climate, in consultation with Corporate Real Estate Management, and relevant divisions and agencies to work together to: a. Develop a corporate standard for combining re-roofing programs / projects with roof-top-solar installations on City buildings, based on solar photovoltaic (PV) feasibility, funding availability and alignment with the capital plan. b. Develop a corporate standard to assess the feasibility of surface parking lots for solar photovoltaic carport opportunities as part of repaving projects in the asset management planning/program. 3. City Council authorize the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services, or their designates, to negotiate amendments to the Joint Development Agreement, dated April 4, 2018, between the City of Toronto and Enwave Energy Corporation ("JDA") on terms acceptable to the Interim Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services, and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor, as a condition for the City agreeing to renew the Joint Development Agreement for a second 5-year term. 4. City Council direct the City Manager or their designates, in consultation with relevant City Divisions, Agencies and Corporations, to establish a framework for reviewing proposals to establish renewable thermal energy infrastructure under City land assets to reduce emissions in buildings. 5. City Council direct the Executive Director, Environment and Climate, Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and the Director, Waterfront Secretariat in City Planning to establish a framework for reviewing energy projects that require locating heat exchange infrastructure on the Lake Ontario lakebed and to consult with the Province of Ontario and the Government of Canada on a combined regulatory approach to better facilitating such projects. 6. City Council direct the Executive Director, Environment and Climate, in consultation with relevant City Divisions, Agencies and Corporations, involved with any of the initiatives discussed in this report, to report to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee on the status and progress of the above recommended directions in alignment with the annual TransformTO reporting requirements. 7. City Council direct that the Confidential Attachment 1 remain confidential until the City Solicitor advises the City Clerk that the material can be made public, as it involves a position, plan, procedure, criteria or instruction to be applied to any negotiations carried on by the City.
Staff recommendation as filed
The Executive Director, Environment and Climate Division recommends that: 1. City Council direct the Executive Director, Environment and Climate to continue to work with Toronto Hydro to accelerate efforts to streamline the grid interconnection process for solar and storage projects by: a. identifying opportunities to streamline the interconnection process for small-scale projects with the aim to make it faster, cost effective, and easier for residents, and implement changes in the near-term, based on best practices. b. having Toronto Hydro share its efforts to remove distribution system constraints that prevent customers from installing solar or storage, and identifying actions to remove or reduce information barriers, such as the location of grid constraints or expected interconnection timelines and costs, that can slow the interconnection of small-scale solar. 2. City Council direct the Executive Director, Environment and Climate, in consultation with Corporate Real Estate Management, and relevant divisions and agencies to work together to: a. Develop a corporate standard for combining re-roofing programs / projects with roof-top-solar installations on City buildings, based on solar photovoltaic (PV) feasibility, funding availability and alignment with the capital plan. b. Develop a corporate standard to assess the feasibility of surface parking lots for solar photovoltaic carport opportunities as part of repaving projects in the asset management planning/program. 3. City Council authorize the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services, or their designates, to negotiate amendments to the Joint Development Agreement, dated April 4, 2018, between the City of Toronto and Enwave Energy Corporation ("JDA") on terms acceptable to the Interim Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services, and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor, as a condition for the City agreeing to renew the Joint Development Agreement for a second 5-year term. 4. City Council direct the City Manager or their designates, in consultation with relevant City Divisions, Agencies and Corporations, to establish a framework for reviewing proposals to establish renewable thermal energy infrastructure under City land assets to reduce emissions in buildings. 5. City Council direct the Executive Director, Environment and Climate, Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and the Director, Waterfront Secretariat in City Planning to establish a framework for reviewing energy projects that require locating heat exchange infrastructure on the Lake Ontario lakebed and to consult with the Province of Ontario and the Government of Canada on a combined regulatory approach to better facilitating such projects. 6. City Council direct the Executive Director, Environment and Climate, in consultation with relevant City Divisions, Agencies and Corporations, involved with any of the initiatives discussed in this report, to report to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee on the status and progress of the above recommended directions in alignment with the annual TransformTO reporting requirements.
IE9.8adopted
Enacting the Expanded Community Safety Zone Framework
At its meeting of November 8 and 9, 2023, City Council directed the General Manager, Transportation Services to present the list of new priority locations for community safety zones at the next meeting of Infrastructure and Environment Committee. A framework and expanded criteria for establishing Community Safety Zones outside of School Zones was developed by Transportation Services and adopted by City Council in November 2023. The new framework will be used to evaluate requests from Councillors for new Community Safety Zone designations outside of school frontages with the goal of enabling future Automated Speed Enforcement implementation at those locations. Staff are currently reviewing sites for the next mobile Automated Speed Enforcement rotation which is planned for spring 2024. Once the sites have been finalized, a notification will be sent to the respective Councillor's office as per the established process. Requests from the Councillor, the public and / or the Toronto Police Service are taken into consideration when prioritizing future Automated Speed Enforcement locations.
The Infrastructure and Environment Committee: 1. Received the report (November 15, 2023) from the General Manager, Transportation Services, for information.
Staff recommendation as filed
The General Manager, Transportation Services recommends that: 1. The Infrastructure and Environment Committee receive this report for information.
IE9.9adopted
At its meeting on October 16, 2023, the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee considered item DI3.2 - Ensuring Safe and Accessible Pedestrian Routes in Construction Zones, and made recommendations to City Council.
The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that: 1. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services to work with all constructors working in the transportation right-of-way, to ensure there is clear notification and signage, on which both 311 phone number and the construction zone number are listed, for all residents of Toronto regarding construction projects and the planned accommodations for safe, accessible, and clearly marked pedestrian routes through them. 2. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services to report back on related measures to the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee in the first quarter of 2024.
Staff recommendation as filed
The Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee recommends that the Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommend that: 1. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services to work with all constructors working in the transportation right-of-way, to ensure there is clear notification and signage, on which both 311 phone number and the construction zone number are listed, for all residents of Toronto regarding construction projects and the planned accommodations for safe, accessible, and clearly marked pedestrian routes through them. 2. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services to report back on related measures to the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee in the first quarter of 2024.
IE9.10adopted
Reducing Bird Deaths by Turning off Lights during Migration
Fatal Light Awareness Program Canada is a registered Canadian charity widely recognized as the pre-eminent authority on the bird-building collision issue. As Fatal Light Awareness Program has documented, artificial light from buildings and cityscapes endangers birds, especially during migration season. Many species of birds migrate at night, using light from the moon, the stars, and the setting sun to navigate. The bright lights of urban areas confuse these birds and pull them out of their way. Especially on foggy or rainy nights when the cloud cover is low, birds fly at lower altitudes and are more likely to be disoriented by city lights. They may be pulled down into downtown mazes, where they often collide with buildings. Also dangerous are floodlights, lighthouses, and airport ceilometers (light beams for measuring cloud altitude). Once birds are attracted to a light source, they tend not to leave it, and may become trapped until they die. The City of Toronto used to have a program to turn off lights in city buildings at night during migration seasons, in order to reduce energy costs and reduce bird deaths. This program has fallen into disuse. Corporate Real Estate Management agrees that it should be resumed.
The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that: 1. City Council direct the City Manager to resume the cost-saving and bird-life-saving practice of turning off unnecessary lights on city property during bird migration seasons.
Staff recommendation as filed
Councillor Dianne Saxe recommends that: 1. City Council direct the City Manager to resume the cost-saving and bird-life-saving practice of turning off unnecessary lights on city property during bird migration seasons.