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Planning and Housing Committee

2026-07-16 · 20 stories from 20 items · watch

What we covered

housing

Billy Bishop Airport Proposed Expansion: Response to Council Request for Information on Housing and Transportation Impacts

City staff reported on environmental, transportation, housing, and corporate-ownership impacts of a proposed jet expansion at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport announced by the Toronto Port Authority and Ontario. The report found serious concerns about water quality, air pollution, housing constraints, and hidden corporate beneficiaries. The federal government announced on the day of this council meeting that it would not support the expansion, limiting it to necessary safety measures only.

amendedToronto City Council · Wed, Jul 29DecidedOttawa decides

Who did what

  • Councillor Gord Perks (Ward 4, Parkdale-High Park) movedMoved and carried Deputy Mayor Malik's motion on the item; asked several pressing questions of staff about whether a formal plan exists, corporate beneficiaries, and the city's red lines; summarized that city staff and public have not been given full plans and the beneficiaries remain hidden.
  • Councillor Stephen Holyday (Ward 2, Etobicoke Centre) movedMoved two motions: (1) to understand city's response to rising demand for air travel and cargo given population growth, especially at Pearson; (2) to analyze impacts of Pearson Airport growth on housing, transportation, transit, noise, environment, and livability.
  • Councillor Josh Matlow (Ward 12, Toronto-St. Paul's) movedMoved motion to have staff further explore publicly stated goals of provincial expansion and provide factual information to support public debate, citing staff's earlier success in documenting impacts.
  • Councillor Ausma Malik (Ward 10, Spadina-Fort York) questioned staffRequested confirmation of land parcels covered by Bill 110 expropriation; noted legislation blocks city from entering new leases/agreements on designated lands; asked about waterfront revitalization plan impacts.
  • Councillor Brad Bradford (Ward 19, Beaches-East York) questioned staffQuestioned Mayor Chow on when her office was lobbied by Billy Bishop Airport owners (citing lobbyist registry records showing meetings in Feb-March 2026 before province announced expansion); Mayor denied receiving any plan.
  • Councillor Vincent Crisanti (Ward 1, Etobicoke North) questioned staffSought clarification on provincial action taken (Bill 110 legislation passed; regulations for land vesting not yet enacted) and the status of city encumbrance restrictions (currently enforced).
  • Councillor Jamaal Myers (Ward 23, Scarborough North) questioned staffAsked about mitigation of $12B annual congestion costs if airport expanded; noted city has no indication of funding for TTC/road expansion to handle 10M new passengers; asked TTC about capacity.

From the floor

The federal government has decided not to move forward with the proposed expansion at the Billy Bishop Airport. And I want to thank the prime minister, the Liberal 416 Toronto caucus, the federal minister of transport for listening to the people of Toronto. This victory belongs to everyone who stood up for our city.Mayor Olivia Chow
I have an urgent motion on this in front of you, second by deputy mayor Osma Malik, demanding that the province return the city's land and Little Norway Park and the Toronto Islands, including a very beloved Hanlon's Point Beach. This land belonged to the people of Toronto. And the province must also return Toronto to the tripartite agreement governing the airport so that the people who live here get a say once more in what happens to our waterfront.Mayor Olivia Chow
I've moved several motions along this journey to ask our staff to help us provide factual information to this public debate and to the federal government as they were going through their consultation process. Some asked in the early days, why are you going to the city when this is a conversation that the city has been removed from by the province, and ultimately, it would be a decision of the federal government. And the reason is because we advocate for our communities.Councillor Josh Matlow (Ward 12, Toronto-St. Paul's)
If you treat us like partners, be respectful. Stop calling people who live on the island squatters. Stop calling people who disagree with you fringe. Stop trying to remove the voices of Torontonians as you did with the tripartite agreement. Do not move forward with the expropriation of our parks. Come back to the table. Act like an adult. Treat us like partners.Councillor Josh Matlow (Ward 12, Toronto-St. Paul's)
Yesterday, I read some concerning news in the Toronto Star. There was a column from Peter Donolo, that pointed out and reported that your staff were lobbied by the owners of the airport terminal in the weeks before the province announced their intention to expand Billy Bishop Airport and expropriate our city lands. I know you were asked this question this morning in your press conference, but you were not able to give an answer, so I wanted to give you an opportunity to clear the air. When did you learn specifically from the province and the port authority that they wanted to expand the island airport?Councillor Brad Bradford (Ward 19, Beaches-East York)
16 more people spoke
That area is very tight in it's at the foot of Bathurst. This is the Billy Bishop Airport. It is at the foot of Bathurst, and the Bathurst is very not a very wide street. And it is the East West is Queens Quay. Yes. And there is not a lot of public transit that gets through it.Councillor Paula Fletcher (Ward 14, Toronto-Danforth)
So I can't imagine how cars are gonna be able like, it's fine now at this point. It's already fairly jammed up, but congestion will be if you go from 1,700,000 passengers to 10,000,000 passengers, I can't imagine the traffic congestion that would occur in that neighborhood.Councillor Paula Fletcher (Ward 14, Toronto-Danforth)
So the cost of airport expansion has been pegged at around $5,000,000,000. I'm assuming that doesn't include the cost of transit expansion to accommodate or road expansion to accommodate these 10,000,000 additional people?Councillor Jamaal Myers (Ward 23, Scarborough North)
Has there been any discussion as to how this could potentially be mitigated from a congestion perspective? Through the speaker, we have had, no conversations with the province that have touched on any sort of plan for the airport whatsoever.Councillor Jamaal Myers (Ward 23, Scarborough North)
Their role there is to support the organization as as as a whole. They are, to provide information back and forth. So sharing information, absolutely. But just to be clear, they're not there to advance our interest. They are placed on that board, and then they advance the interests of the Toronto Port Authority.City-staff
Committee asked us to reach out to Newport Aviation to invite them to provide any additional information or communication to council. We did write to them following planning committee and invited them to do that and advised them how they could go about providing a communication to council. There is no communication on the council agenda, so they haven't provided anything to council. But to you? I would note that they did provide a short email to staff. They did indicate a couple of things in those in that email, specifically that infrastructure investments funds holds a majority interest in Newport, but not a 100%, and that it's not registered in the Cayman Islands.City-staff
The federal government, the ports authority, hid its environmental assessment for nine years of the proposal that came out from Porter in 2013. But what is that the impact on Downtown Toronto would be enormously worse than they analyzed. It's completely different from the impact in Etobicoke, which is serious for sure.Councillor Dianne Saxe (Ward 11, University-Rosedale)
The environmental assessment that was done in '20 set really finished in 2017 about the island airport, first of all, assume that there were very few people around. Because if you remember, in 2017, there were very few people around. The waterfront in Toronto was mostly post industrial. So they didn't take into account the impacts of any of those people.Councillor Dianne Saxe (Ward 11, University-Rosedale)
The only reason it doesn't stink to high heaven and have dead fish floating on it is because the water gets flushed through the two gaps. And expanding the runway would block a lot of that flow. So you're talking about the inner harbor not only being impossible for small boats because of jet blast, but being stagnant and stinking because the water flow has been crushed cut off.Councillor Dianne Saxe (Ward 11, University-Rosedale)
The city of Toronto is blessed. We sit on Lake Ontario, which is part of the largest collection of, which is part of the Great Lakes, the largest collection of fresh water in the world. All over the world, people suffer, die, and go without because they don't have access to fresh water. And here we are, the largest city, the largest city on this unbelievable gift. And the we have, as a council, invested money, time, energy, organizing to try to better use that precious natural advantage and gift.Councillor Gord Perks (Ward 4, Parkdale-High Park)
The core issue we have is do we represent the public interest or do we represent private interests? And I can't think of an issue that's been in front of us that better crystallizes this fundamental decision each of us needs to make.Councillor Gord Perks (Ward 4, Parkdale-High Park)
It is the very engine of consuming and commodifying and destroying anything in its path in order to turn money into more money. It will commodify anything. It will commodify our work. It will commodify where we live. It will commodify the Great Lakes. It will commodify that beautiful treasure we have on our front doorstep.Councillor Gord Perks (Ward 4, Parkdale-High Park)
Torontonians have made themselves absolutely clear. This is our city and our waterfront, and that is what we have heard through this experience and this process. Clearly, Torontonians have rejected secret expansion. They've rejected backroom deals and back of napkin schemes.Councillor Ausma Malik (Ward 10, Spadina-Fort York)
Return the city's land, including Little Norway Park and the Toronto Island Park immediately, and restore our role in the tripartite agreement so Torontonians have a say over their city and their waterfront as they always have and they always should.Councillor Ausma Malik (Ward 10, Spadina-Fort York)
So what is in front of us right now is the Toronto Island Airport, but let me tell you that in your area, in Etobicoke, the president of Mimico Wrestling Association, chairs of Mimico Lakeshore Community Networks, the South Etobicoke Community Association, the long the chair of the Long Branch Neighborhood Association, chair of the New Toronto Lakeshore Village Wrestling Association, all collectively said, please do not approve this expansion.Councillor Stephen Holyday (Ward 2, Etobicoke Centre)
If the growth continues to occur, we're going to have to see more measures like that. And that's why I've asked these questions. They're important questions going forward for us to take a position on something like the Billy Bishop Toronto City Centre Airport.Councillor Stephen Holyday (Ward 2, Etobicoke Centre)

Also in this item

The federal government announced on the day of this council meeting (2026-07-29) that it will not support the proposed jet expansion at Billy Bishop Airport, limiting support to necessary runway safety measures only. This was the outcome of the federal government's consultation process, in which Toronto residents and council played a visible role by providing impact data the province had not disclosed.

Bill 110, passed by the Ontario legislature in May 2026, gives the province power to expropriate Toronto Island, Little Norway Park, Hanlon's Point Beach, and Erin Quay. The legislation retroactively prevents the city from entering into new leases, licenses, or agreements on those lands (already in force), but the actual transfer of land to the province has not yet been enacted (awaiting regulations). The province has stated it will not take all of the expropriated area, but has not specified which parcels.

Newport Aviation's ownership is partially controlled by Infrastructure Investments Funds (a majority stake but not 100%), not registered in the Cayman Islands as some had speculated. However, Newport did not provide documentation to support these claims, and JPMorgan Chase is a separate investor. The Toronto Port Authority has not disclosed a full business case or detailed plan for the expansion.

The 2017 environmental assessment for the Billy Bishop expansion was conducted when the waterfront had few residents, did not study a full terminal or parking facilities, and assumed a decrease (not an increase) in flights. It did not account for the billions in public investment in waterfront revitalization that has since occurred.

If Pearson Airport expands to 65 million passengers annually (as it has publicly stated), the noise exposure forecast contours would expand significantly over land in Etobicoke, North York, and surrounding areas, affecting building codes, planning decisions, and residents' quality of life. No equivalent analysis has been done for Pearson as was done for Billy Bishop.

87,000 residents responded to the city's survey on Billy Bishop expansion (would have been higher if left open longer). Residents across the city, including in Etobicoke waterfront communities, organized town halls and spoke against the expansion. Former mayors and chief planners also opposed it.

The journey

Thu, Jul 16 · Planning and Housing Committee · amended
Wed, Jul 29 · Toronto City Council · amended

What happens next

Residents can contact their councillor before any future votes on related motions (e.g., on studying Pearson Airport growth impacts). Public consultation and deputation on future waterfront planning items remains open. The province's Bill 110 enabling expropriation is still in effect; residents can organize to demand its repeal.

Decision

The federal government announced it will not support the proposed expansion of Billy Bishop Airport to accommodate jets; instead, it will limit support to necessary runway safety measures. Council did not vote on this item as a decision but rather received the staff report and debated related motions about future action. The item was held and referred for further work by staff on specified topics.

The vote

On video

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Why is this story here?
StructuralThe province's Bill 110 removes the city's control over Toronto Island, Little Norway Park, and Hanlon's Point Beach. It blocks any future city decisions on leasing, licensing, or agreements on those lands, and it removes Toronto from the Tripartite Agreement governing the airport. Once these powers are transferred to the province via regulation, a future city council cannot reverse them without provincial consent. This closes doors for future councils on waterfront use and governance. The federal government's decision not to support expansion is external but the provincial legislation is a permanent institutional constraint on city authority.Felt nowResidents who live, work, or visit Toronto's waterfront (1.5 million annual visitors to Toronto Island Park; residents of Bathurst Quay, Mimico, Long Branch, New Toronto, Scarborough, Etobicoke, and North York neighborhoods) directly experience the effects: noise from airport operations (especially those near Billy Bishop or under flight paths to Pearson), air quality impacts from ultrafine particles, construction impacts on parks and beaches, road congestion, and constraints on planning and housing development near the waterfront. The noise exposure forecast contours show the present effect is concentrated over water for Billy Bishop but broadly affects land for Pearson. Waterfront residents are experiencing these effects now. Housing development is already constrained by noise mitigation requirements (triple-pane windows, special construction standards). This is a direct present-week effect for a large group.

Stories are ordered by how much weight a decision carries and how directly it reaches daily life. They rise as a decision date approaches and fall as they age.

development

City council approves mixed-income tower and supportive housing on Strachan and Wellington

Council approved an Official Plan amendment and zoning change for a city-owned site in King West, clearing the way for an 8-storey supportive housing building with 81 units and a 28-storey mixed-income residential tower with 296 units, including 60 affordable units. The vote followed community objections to the scale, loss of a community garden, and concerns about transit and school capacity in the neighbourhood.

adoptedToronto City Council · Wed, Jul 29Decided

Who did what

Also in this item

City-owned land at Strachan and Wellington will house 81 supportive housing units alongside 296 mixed-income units, 60 of which are affordable; the site previously contained a community garden that will be displaced.

The journey

Thu, Jul 16 · Planning and Housing Committee · amended
Wed, Jul 29 · Toronto City Council · adopted

What happens next

Council vote on this item is scheduled for later in July 2026. Residents can contact councillors before that vote or attend the public hearing at council. Mark Richardson (Housing Now TTO) requested supplementary information be provided before council vote, so there may be a brief window for comment on amended staff reports.

Decision

Official Plan amendment and zoning by-law amendment approved, permitting the mixed-use development as proposed: 8-storey supportive housing (81 units) and 28-storey mixed-income tower (296 units, 60 affordable).

On video

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Why is this story here?
Big deal at city hallThis is a multi-year commitment to affordable and supportive housing on city-owned land in a high-demand neighbourhood. It changes the Official Plan and zoning permanently for the site and sets a precedent for future city-owned development mixed-use models. Hard to reverse without significant political cost. Meets the test: undoing this would cost real political capital and affects housing supply policy.Felt nowThe development directly affects King West residents' neighbourhood character and street-level experience; it also adds 377 residential units to housing supply in a tight market, including 60 affordable units. Transit and school capacity concerns raised by deputants are neighbourhood-level salience. A recognizable group (King West residents, people seeking affordable housing) notices this in an ordinary week.

Stories are ordered by how much weight a decision carries and how directly it reaches daily life. They rise as a decision date approaches and fall as they age.

development

Buried by deferral

East Harbour employment area: city staff to report once developer and province finish negotiating land-use changes

The committee deferred the East Harbour employment area conversion (a former industrial site near the Don that Cadillac Fairview wants to redevelop as mixed-use housing and office) pending a report on ongoing negotiations between the developer and the province over additional changes to permitted uses. The deferral means Toronto's official plan amendment, which would formalize the province's prior zoning override, stays on hold.

The deferral is open-ended and the negotiations timeline is unspecified. No term-end or funding-deadline language appears in the transcript. The motion defers the substance pending a report, but absent evidence of a pre-emptive denial of delay or a hidden deadline, this is a procedurally genuine referral, not a political burial.

referredPlanning and Housing Committee · Thu, Jul 16DecidedProvince decides

Who did what

From the floor

I'm going to refer the item to the chief planner and executive director city planning and request that the chief planner report once negotiations with Cadillac Fairview and the province related to additional proposed changes to land use permissions at the East Harbour have concluded.Councillor Gord Perks (Ward 4, Parkdale-High Park)

Also in this item

The province's 2022 Minister's Zoning Order for East Harbour permits up to 302,000 square metres of residential development on lands previously zoned employment-only, bypassing Toronto's official plan policies. The city's own amendment would align its planning framework to the province's override after the fact.

Toronto received approximately 150 employment-area conversion requests as part of its Municipal Comprehensive Review; East Harbour is the fourth final report. The pattern suggests ongoing pressure to convert industrial land for housing and mixed-use development.

The journey

Thu, Jul 16 · Planning and Housing Committee · referred
→ referred onward to Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning

What happens next

Residents can contact their councillor before any future vote on the official plan amendment. If the item returns to committee before the October 2026 election, there may be a deputation window; check toronto.ca/council for future agenda dates.

Decision

Referred to Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning; report to come once negotiations between Cadillac Fairview and the province on additional land-use changes at East Harbour have concluded.

On video

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Why is this story here?
Big deal at city hallThis item concerns an official plan amendment that would codify large-scale mixed-use redevelopment on a major downtown site and formalize the province's prior zoning order. An OPA is hard to reverse without lengthy process, affects land-use permissions for years, and shapes future revenue and housing supply at a significant waterfront location. Meets the 'hard to reverse OR wide reach' test for Stakes 2, and approaches Stakes 3 because it closes the option to keep the lands employment-only. The deferral defers the substance, not the stakes of the substance.Touches a narrow groupThis affects developers, future residents of the East Harbour site, and the city's waterfront and employment-land policy. It does not directly change anyone's commute, rent, or bill this week. The site is a specific location, not a city-wide service. Salience is 1 (indirect) because housing supply and waterfront access matter broadly but this particular site is a bounded location, and the deferral means no work begins this week anyway.

Stories are ordered by how much weight a decision carries and how directly it reaches daily life. They rise as a decision date approaches and fall as they age.

development

Heritage facade conservation approved for 28-storey rental tower at 53 Strachan Avenue with 60 affordable units

City Council approved alterations to the designated heritage Strachan House planing mill (1888) to permit a 28-storey, 296-unit rental building with 60 affordable units, plus an adjacent 8-storey supportive housing building. The decision grants authority to enter a heritage easement agreement under the Ontario Heritage Act as part of the Toronto Builds affordable housing program.

adoptedToronto City Council · Wed, Jul 29Province decides

Who did what

Also in this item

The project delivers 60 affordable rental units within a 296-unit building, part of the Toronto Builds affordable housing program

Heritage facade of the 1888 planing mill is conserved within the new development under a heritage easement agreement

The journey

Thu, Jul 16 · Planning and Housing Committee · amended
Wed, Jul 29 · Toronto City Council · adopted

Decision

Approved alterations to the designated heritage property at 53 Strachan Avenue under Ontario Heritage Act sections 33, 34(1)1, and 34(1)2. Authority granted to enter into a heritage easement agreement. The decision permits demolition of heritage attributes and the adjacent 2-storey building to enable the 28-storey rental tower (296 units, 60 affordable) and 8-storey supportive housing building.

On video

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Why is this story here?
Big deal at city hallA multi-building development with permanent heritage constraints, affordable housing commitments, and a supportive housing facility. The heritage easement is a long-term binding agreement limiting future use. The decision commits public resources (Toronto Builds program) and sets precedent for heritage-adaptive reuse at this scale. Hard to reverse or redirect without a serious fight.Touches a narrow groupThe decision affects housing supply (60 affordable units) and the specific neighbourhood around Strachan and Wellington, but the full effect is bounded to this site and its immediate context. No resident's commute, rent, or street experience changes in the present week as a result of approval; the building takes years to construct.

Stories are ordered by how much weight a decision carries and how directly it reaches daily life. They rise as a decision date approaches and fall as they age.

housing

City Council approves infrastructure reimbursement for Lawrence Heights Phases 2 and 3, integrating $X costs into 2027-2036 budget

City Council authorized Toronto Water and Transportation Services to reimburse TCHC for eligible infrastructure costs already incurred on the Lawrence Heights revitalization project Phases 2 and 3, and incorporated refined cost estimates into the 2027-2036 capital budget. Phase 2 (Q4 2026) will replace 277 social housing units with 194 affordable and 960 market units; Phase 3 (2030) will replace 385 units with 385 affordable and 2,127 market units. The decision advances HousingTO 2020-2030 commitments and TCHC's goal of 10,000 new homes by 2035.

adoptedToronto City Council · Wed, Jul 29

From the floor

I'll hold thirty thirty three point six. I do have an amendment that staff wrapped it up. If the staff have it, I can just move it.A councillor

Also in this item

Lawrence Heights Phase 2 will reduce the number of social housing units on the site from 277 to 194, a net loss of 83 affordable units, with replacement coming from new market units (960) and affordable units (194 total). Phase 3 (2030) similarly replaces 385 units with 385 affordable plus 2,127 market units.

The project timeline has Phase 2 beginning Q4 2026 (imminent) and Phase 3 targeted for 2030, extending TCHC revitalization work across a decade.

The journey

Thu, Jul 16 · Planning and Housing Committee · adopted
Wed, Jul 29 · Toronto City Council · adopted

Decision

Infrastructure reimbursement and budget integration approved as recommended; specific amendment detail not stated in the transcript.

On video

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Why is this story here?
Big deal at city hallThis item commits multi-year infrastructure spending integrated into the 2027-2036 capital budget, and authorizes reimbursement for work already incurred, creating a binding financial obligation and controlling budget allocation across a decade. Undoing or redirecting this spending would require substantial political capital and re-negotiation with TCHC. The decision shapes a major public housing revitalization affecting over 2,800 units across two phases.Touches a narrow groupThe immediate present effect falls on TCHC, the city budget process, and staff implementing reimbursement procedures. Residents living at Lawrence Heights will experience construction disruption and unit replacement over the coming years, but the salience of a budget-line item passed today, not touching most of the city, is indirect and bounded to a specific community and a future timeline. No one's commute or housing status changes this week.

Stories are ordered by how much weight a decision carries and how directly it reaches daily life. They rise as a decision date approaches and fall as they age.

development

Buried by deferral

39 Wynford Drive heritage designation deferred to next term; separate motion on Ontario Heritage Act time limits passed

Planning and Housing Committee deferred a staff recommendation to designate a 1962 Modernist office building (39 Wynford Drive) under the Ontario Heritage Act until the next council term, citing procedural timing tied to a concurrent redevelopment application. In parallel, Councillor Matlow moved and the committee carried a separate request to the province for a three-year extension of the Ontario Heritage Act designation deadline, citing pressure on cities to fast-track heritage decisions.

The deferral of 39 Wynford to next term occurs at the last planning meeting before the election cycle changes. Matlow's separate motion on the provincial time limits suggests the deferral itself is partly a response to an externally-imposed deadline problem.

adoptedToronto City Council · Wed, Jul 29DecidedProvince decides

Who did what

  • Councillor Josh Matlow (Ward 12, Toronto-St. Paul's) movedMoved motion requesting premier and Minister of Citizenship to extend Ontario Heritage Act designation deadline by 3 years (Jan 1, 2027 to Jan 1, 2030) for all properties on municipal heritage registers; also moved to request mayor work with GTA municipalities and AMO on the matter.

From the floor

The provincial government has made a decision to forcefully remove heritage listed properties and make it very very difficult to ensure that there is a reasonable time frame to be able to consider whether or not these properties be fully designated. It makes it difficult for our heritage planning staff to do the work that they love and are committed to doing. And it also risks the demolition of countless properties throughout our city and across Ontario that we value and want to see preserved.Councillor Josh Matlow (Ward 12, Toronto-St. Paul's)
I believe that good planning can accommodate both. That good planning means that we have housing supply, we have supply of affordable units, we have school capacity and parks and infrastructure and yes, places like the Sneakydes and great cultural institutions to enjoy along with preserving what we have always loved that really tells us who we are.Councillor Josh Matlow (Ward 12, Toronto-St. Paul's)
That will come back to the first regular planning meeting of the next term which I believe is in December maybe January but a notice will go out of when that meeting is.The chair

Also in this item

Ontario Heritage Act designation deadline creates time pressure on municipalities: properties must be formally designated within a set window or are removed from the heritage register, creating a 'forced demolition' scenario for buildings listed but not yet designated. Matlow's motion highlights that the province has tightened this timeline, affecting Toronto's capacity to assess heritage value.

The journey

Thu, Jul 16 · Planning and Housing Committee · adopted
Wed, Jul 29 · Toronto City Council · adopted
→ referred onward

What happens next

Public comment closed for the 39 Wynford item at this meeting; the separate motion requesting a provincial extension has carried and moves to Council. Residents concerned about heritage preservation can contact their councillors before the Council vote on Matlow's motion.

Decision

Item 39 Wynford Drive designation deferred to first regular planning meeting of next term (December or January); Councillor Matlow's motion requesting provincial extension of Ontario Heritage Act time limits carried unanimously.

On video

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Why is this story here?
Big deal at city hallThe Ontario Heritage Act designation process is a direct control on whether a building can be protected from demolition. A three-year extension of the designation deadline is a change to the legal framework that affects future councils' ability to preserve buildings. The deferral of 39 Wynford itself is procedural (tied to a concurrent redevelopment application), but the separate motion is a request for provincial regulatory change that, if granted, would alter how Toronto manages heritage protection.Touches a narrow groupHeritage designation affects property owners and developers directly, and preservationists emotionally, but has no immediate daily-life impact on most residents this week. The time-limit squeeze is a real constraint on the heritage process, but it operates at the policy level rather than on resident experience. Salience is heightened for heritage advocates and owners of listed properties, but remains indirect for the general population.

Stories are ordered by how much weight a decision carries and how directly it reaches daily life. They rise as a decision date approaches and fall as they age.

development

Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport expansion response; federal decision and provincial land claims

City council received reports analyzing a provincial plan to expand Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport from 1.7 million to 10 million passengers annually, which would require expropriation of Toronto Island and Little Norway Park. The federal government announced it will not support the expansion, backing only safety runway work. The reports detail impacts on housing, transportation, waterfront revitalization, and infrastructure. Council debated the city's role in the tripartite agreement governing the airport and the province's Bill 110 expropriation framework, which is not yet in force.

adoptedToronto City Council · Wed, Jul 29DecidedProvince decides

Who did what

From the floor

This victory belongs to everyone who stood up for our city. And together, we made the case, and together, we protected our waterfront for future generations.Mayor Olivia Chow
If you treat us like partners, be respectful. Stop calling people who live on the island squatters. Stop calling people who disagree with you fringe. Stop trying to remove the voices of Torontonians as you did with the tripartite agreement.Councillor Josh Matlow (Ward 12, Toronto-St. Paul's)
The reality is the elephant in the room is still there. There's an unresolved question. The gas shades have been discontinued. We are still gonna have to resolve the future of Billy Bishop Airport and how to ensure that it's viable.Councillor Stephen Holyday (Ward 2, Etobicoke Centre)
They did indicate a couple of things in those in that email, specifically that infrastructure investments funds holds a majority interest in Newport, but not a 100%, and that it's not registered in the Cayman Islands.City-staff
So their role there is to support the organization as as as a whole. They are, to provide information back and forth. So sharing information, absolutely. But just to be clear, they're not there to advance our interest. They are placed on that board, and then they advance the interests of the Toronto Port Authority.City-staff
1 more person spoke
The province must also return Toronto to the tripartite agreement governing the airport so that the people who live here get a say once more in what happens to our waterfront.Mayor Olivia Chow

Also in this item

The federal government announced it will not support the proposed Billy Bishop expansion, backing only safety runway work. This decision came after sustained public consultation and opposition from Toronto residents and city council.

Bill 110, passed by the Ontario legislature, would allow the province to expropriate Toronto Island, Little Norway Park, and Hanlon's Point Beach for airport expansion. The expropriation mechanism is not yet in force; regulations defining the specific lands have not been finalized.

The city's role in the tripartite agreement governing Billy Bishop Airport was removed by the province without city consent. Mayor and council called for restoration of that role as a condition of any future airport changes.

Toronto Pearson International Airport is projected to grow from 47.3 million passengers in 2025 to 65 million by 2034. Council debated whether the city needs a parallel analysis of impacts on transit, housing, and noise, as was done for Billy Bishop.

The journey

Thu, Jul 16 · Planning and Housing Committee · adopted
Wed, Jul 29 · Toronto City Council · adopted

What happens next

Residents can contact federal and provincial representatives regarding the tripartite agreement and land return; city council elections Oct 2026 will seat a new council that may revisit waterfront and airport policy.

Decision

The federal government announced it will not proceed with airport expansion; the city received and considered staff reports on impacts; council motions called on the province to return expropriated lands and restore Toronto to the tripartite agreement. Council did not vote on a substantive decision regarding the airport itself, as that power lies with federal and provincial governments.

On video

Jump to this item in the meeting video

Why is this story here?
Big deal at city hallThe item reports an external decision (federal rejection of expansion) that removes a threat to city land and waterfront. But it also discloses an unresolved provincial land claim (Bill 110, expropriation mechanism not yet in force) and the breakdown of the tripartite agreement. The city's inability to act on its own waterfront without provincial and federal permission, and the province's unilateral removal of the city from the governing agreement, represent hard-to-reverse constraints on future council authority over a major city asset. Stakes 2 (hard to reverse or wide reach) is the better fit: the loss of voice in the agreement is a governance change that would require provincial consent to undo, and if expropriation proceeds, the city loses land permanently. Not stakes 3 because the federal decision stops the immediate expansion and the province has not yet moved on expropriation.Touches a narrow groupNo resident's week changes today as a result of this decision and debate. The federal rejection of expansion is a near-term political win but does not affect daily life, transit, housing, or waterfront access in any immediate way. The city's loss of voice in the tripartite agreement and the threat of provincial expropriation are structurally important (stakes) but not yet felt on the street. Waterfront residents and airport users are the narrow group most directly aware. Scores 1 (one remove from daily life, or small specific group).

Stories are ordered by how much weight a decision carries and how directly it reaches daily life. They rise as a decision date approaches and fall as they age.

development

Heritage designation of 1911 Master House on Queens Drive, over owner objection

The city proposes to designate the Oliver Master House, a 1911 Shingle-style heritage building at 180 Queens Drive in Weston, under Ontario law. The property owner has objected. Council must decide by September 22, 2026, whether to proceed with the designation despite the objection.

adoptedToronto City Council · Wed, Jul 29Province decides

From the floor

Councilor Niad is moving that. All those in favor? Opposed? Carried.The chair

The journey

Thu, Jul 16 · Planning and Housing Committee · adopted
Wed, Jul 29 · Toronto City Council · adopted

Decision

Designation affirmed (moved by Niad, carried unanimously)

On video

Jump to this item in the meeting video

Why is this story here?
ContainedThe designation is a genuine decision affecting one property's future use and alteration. It is reversible via de-designation but carries institutional weight (heritage register, future alteration review, maintenance enforcement). It does not constrain future councils' options broadly; it applies only to this one parcel. Meets the test of 'something happens, bounded.'Touches a narrow groupThe decision affects one property owner directly and the Weston neighbourhood indirectly through neighbourhood character preservation. Most Toronto residents will not encounter the effect of this decision in their daily lives. It is salient only at the property itself and to heritage advocates. No broader commute, transit, or city-wide service change results.

Stories are ordered by how much weight a decision carries and how directly it reaches daily life. They rise as a decision date approaches and fall as they age.

development

18 Great Oak Drive heritage designation approved; Moore Farmhouse from 1842 now protected

City Council voted to designate the Moore Farmhouse at 18 Great Oak Drive in Etobicoke as a heritage property under the Ontario Heritage Act. The 1842-1851 brick farmhouse is one of eighteen pre-1870 listed properties the city must designate or remove from the Heritage Register by January 1, 2027, under Bill 23 amendments. Designation protects the building from demolition and requires council review of major alterations.

adoptedToronto City Council · Wed, Jul 29Province decides

Who did what

From the floor

Councelor Myers is going to move that. All those in favor, opposed, if any, that carries.The chair

Also in this item

This is one of eighteen pre-1870 heritage properties the city must designate or remove from the Heritage Register by January 1, 2027, under Bill 23 provincial amendments; deadline drives the batch processing.

The journey

Thu, Jul 16 · Planning and Housing Committee · adopted
Wed, Jul 29 · Toronto City Council · adopted

Decision

Council approved the notice of intention to designate 18 Great Oak Drive under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

On video

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Why is this story here?
ContainedA single-property heritage designation is a genuine decision but narrowly bounded: it constrains what the current owner and future owners can do to one specific building in Etobicoke, not a structural change to city policy or a multi-site commitment. Heritage designations are individually reversible by council repeal, though politically difficult. This property is significant historically but the designation applies to one farmhouse, not a neighbourhood or a category of buildings.Touches a narrow groupHeritage designation affects the small group of people who own, occupy, or plan to develop this specific property. A resident in Etobicoke or elsewhere in Toronto does not experience this decision's effect unless they are the owner or a prospective buyer of 18 Great Oak Drive. The Moore Farmhouse's protection is meaningful locally and culturally but does not touch daily life for most residents.

Stories are ordered by how much weight a decision carries and how directly it reaches daily life. They rise as a decision date approaches and fall as they age.

development

City seeks to formally designate the Hamilton Residence as heritage property under Ontario law

The city is moving to formally designate the Hamilton Residence at 2 Hedgewood Road, a 1972 high-tech modernist house, under provincial heritage law. Without designation by January 2027, the property will be struck from the heritage register. Formal designation enables the city to review and enforce heritage standards on future alterations or demolition.

receivedToronto City Council · Wed, Jul 29Still movingProvince decides

Also in this item

The property faces a hard January 2027 deadline to be designated or be struck from the Ontario heritage register permanently.

The journey

Thu, Jul 16 · Planning and Housing Committee · adopted
Wed, Jul 29 · Toronto City Council · received

What happens next

Residents may submit comments or written objections to the heritage designation process through the formal notice period before January 2027.

On video

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Why is this story here?
ContainedFormal heritage designation is a genuine decision affecting one specific property and its future use; it constrains what the owner can do with the building but is reversible through a later appeal or delisting process and does not change city institutions or remove future-council options broadly. The stakes are real but bounded to this address.Touches a narrow groupHeritage designation affects the property owner and people with an interest in preservation of this specific building, a small group. Most Toronto residents do not encounter or think about this particular house. The effect is real for those it touches but narrow in scope.

Stories are ordered by how much weight a decision carries and how directly it reaches daily life. They rise as a decision date approaches and fall as they age.

development

32 Bright Street heritage designation; Costigan Cottage in Corktown

City Planning recommends designating the 1862 Costigan Cottage worker's cottage as a heritage property under Ontario law. The property is one of eighteen pre-1870 buildings the city must designate or remove from the Heritage Register by January 1, 2027, under Bill 23 amendments. The cottage is a rare surviving example of modest 19th-century working-class housing in Corktown.

adoptedToronto City Council · Wed, Jul 29Province decides

Who did what

From the floor

Councilor Myers is going to move it. All right. All those in favor? Opposed? Carried.The chair

Also in this item

32 Bright Street is one of eighteen pre-1870 properties the city must designate or delist by January 1, 2027, under provincial Bill 23 amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act

The journey

Thu, Jul 16 · Planning and Housing Committee · adopted
Wed, Jul 29 · Toronto City Council · adopted

Decision

Carried (no recorded dissent or amendment in the available transcript)

On video

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Why is this story here?
ContainedDesignation is a decision that constrains future use of one property: the owner must seek city approval for alterations or demolition. Hard to reverse without provincial consent, but bounded to a single site. Meets the test: something genuine happens and is hard to undo, but does not remove options from future councils citywide or change institutional authority.Touches a narrow groupHeritage designation affects only the specific property owner and anyone contemplating work on it. The broader Corktown community may value the preservation of working-class history, but daily-life impact is narrow: only the owner's renovation options are constrained. No resident's rent, commute, or street experience changes this week.

Stories are ordered by how much weight a decision carries and how directly it reaches daily life. They rise as a decision date approaches and fall as they age.

development

55 Elm Street heritage designation moving forward; 90-day window under Ontario law closes July 29

City Council must decide by July 29-31 whether to designate the 1891 Renaissance Revival building at 55 Elm Street (Bay and Elm corner) as a protected heritage property. A developer applied to build an 18-storey hotel on the site in January, triggering a 90-day legal deadline. The building is part of Toronto's largest intact surviving collection of St. John's Ward-era structures. Designation would let City Council review and enforce standards on any future alterations or demolition.

adoptedToronto City Council · Wed, Jul 29DecidedProvince decides

From the floor

Anyone want to do anything? Councilor Croanti is moving it. All those in favor? Opposed? If any, that carries.The chair

Also in this item

The 90-day legal deadline is July 29-31, 2026. If Council does not act by then, the Ontario Heritage Act restricts further designation efforts on this property, effectively removing a key tool to shape the developer's proposal.

55 Elm Street is one of 26 surviving heritage buildings along three contiguous blocks of Elm Street, comprising the most intact grouping of St. John's Ward-era built fabric in Toronto. Designation protects a broader understanding of the city's first immigrant neighbourhood.

The journey

Thu, Jul 16 · Planning and Housing Committee · adopted
Wed, Jul 29 · Toronto City Council · adopted

What happens next

Residents may depute to City Council before the July 29-31 meeting when Council must formally decide. The Heritage Conservation Bylaw process allows public input during the designation notice period following Council's decision.

Decision

Committee recommends to Council that the property be designated under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, meeting 5 of 9 prescribed criteria. Vote: unanimous (no opposition voiced).

On video

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Why is this story here?
ContainedThis is a genuine, bounded heritage decision affecting one property and a cluster of 26 related buildings. Designation is reversible through a future bylaw repeal, though that would face political resistance. The decision constrains what the current developer can do on this specific site (mandatory review of alterations/demolition), but does not change municipal structure or close options for future councils on unrelated matters. Meets the real-but-contained test: one site, one facility, hard but not impossible to undo.Touches a narrow groupSalience is narrow and indirect. The property is in downtown Toronto, so location is prominent, but heritage designation affects daily life only for: (1) the developer whose project is constrained; (2) future residents of any building on the site; (3) heritage enthusiasts and Ward history researchers. A general Toronto resident notices this only if they work/live at Bay and Elm or have a personal stake in the Ward's preservation. No immediate commute, transit, rent, or safety effect for the broad public.

Stories are ordered by how much weight a decision carries and how directly it reaches daily life. They rise as a decision date approaches and fall as they age.

development

55 Sudbury Street heritage designation advances to Council

Planning and Housing Committee advanced a notice of intention to designate the former Diamond Glass Company building at 55 Sudbury Street, a 1899-1900 Romanesque Revival structure in Little Portugal (Ward 9), under Ontario's Heritage Act. The property meets five of nine provincial criteria for designation, which would enable the city to review alterations and enforce maintenance standards.

adoptedToronto City Council · Wed, Jul 29DecidedProvince decides

Also in this item

The 55 Sudbury Street property, built 1899-1900, meets five of nine Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria for municipal heritage designation, exceeding the minimum threshold of two criteria.

The journey

Thu, Jul 16 · Planning and Housing Committee · adopted
Wed, Jul 29 · Toronto City Council · adopted

What happens next

Residents can depute or submit written comments if the item appears on a future Council agenda. The formal designation process requires a Council vote following this notice of intention.

Decision

The item advanced to City Council with a recommendation to state the city's intention to designate 55 Sudbury Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

On video

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Why is this story here?
ContainedDesignation of a single property in one neighbourhood is a genuine heritage decision but bounded in scope and reversible through Council amendment or future de-listing. It affects this specific building and its owner's alteration rights, not the institution or the city broadly.Touches a narrow groupHeritage designation is a matter of direct concern to the property owner and to heritage advocates and nearby residents in Little Portugal. It does not affect most Toronto residents' ordinary week. The majority of Torontonians have no interaction with this specific property or its future use.

Stories are ordered by how much weight a decision carries and how directly it reaches daily life. They rise as a decision date approaches and fall as they age.

development

Misleading record

6278 Kingston Road heritage designation deferred until next term

City Planning recommended designating a Scarborough house built around 1850 under Ontario's heritage protection law before a January 2027 deadline. A resident sought to depute, and the committee deferred the item to the next term, moving the decision past the deadline that triggers automatic removal from the heritage register.

The record says: “Committee deferred the item to next term”. The chair offered the resident a choice to depute now and then have the item deferred, or defer immediately without deputation. The resident's question about whether deputation is possible elicited a procedural ruling that if she deputes, she cannot dispute the deferral. The committee then deferred without a recorded vote or explicit motion visible in the transcript.

adoptedToronto City Council · Wed, Jul 29You can weigh inProvince decides

From the floor

If you would prefer, we can just right now defer it without a deputationThe chair
If she deputes now, she can't dispute when the item gets deferredThe chair

Also in this item

The property is one of eighteen pre-1870 listed heritage properties facing automatic removal from Toronto's heritage register on January 1, 2027 unless designated. Deferral to next term (post-November 2026) places the designation decision after that deadline, likely blocking the city's ability to protect it.

The journey

Thu, Jul 16 · Planning and Housing Committee · adopted
Wed, Jul 29 · Toronto City Council · adopted

Time to act

You can weigh in

A resident prepared to depute on this item; deferral to next term means deputation opportunity moves with it. Follow up if the item is scheduled again.

On video

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Why is this story here?
ContainedDesignation of a single property is bounded and reversible in principle, though the January 2027 deadline creates a hard constraint: if not designated by then, this property's removal from the register is automatic under provincial law. The institutional decision is real but limited to one site.Touches a narrow groupThe property is a 1850s house in the Highland Creek neighborhood of Scarborough, not a major public facility or transit change. Its designation affects the property owner's ability to alter or demolish without city review, a direct effect on one household but not a recognizable group or a change most residents would notice. A resident did prepare to depute, indicating local stake, but this is narrow.

Stories are ordered by how much weight a decision carries and how directly it reaches daily life. They rise as a decision date approaches and fall as they age.

development

Misleading record

7 Meadowcrest Road heritage designation deferred to next term

The committee voted to defer the designation of Spring Bank Cottage, a pre-Confederation farmhouse in Sunnylea, to the first regular planning meeting of the next term (December or January). The property was listed on the Heritage Register in 2006 and meets provincial criteria for designation under the Ontario Heritage Act; staff and heritage consultants concur it qualifies. The deferral moves the decision past the end of this council term.

The record says: “Item deferred by motion; all in favor”. Item deferred to next term (December/January) after council election, which moves the decision to a differently-composed council.

deferredPlanning and Housing Committee · Thu, Jul 16You can weigh inProvince decides

From the floor

I'll just move the deferral. All those in favor? Opposed? Carried. So that will come back to the first regular planning meeting of the next term which I believe is in December maybe January but a notice will go out of when that meeting is.The chair

Also in this item

The property is one of eighteen pre-1870 listed properties citywide that the city must designate or remove from the Heritage Register by January 1, 2027, under Bill 23 amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act.

The journey

Thu, Jul 16 · Planning and Housing Committee · deferred

Time to act

You can weigh in

A resident may depute at the next planning meeting when the item returns. The notice of designation process is non-statutory, so deputation at deferral does not bar deputation at the future hearing.

On video

Jump to this item in the meeting video

Why is this story here?
ContainedDesignation of a single property is a genuine decision affecting one owner's rights to alter or demolish, and it is not easily reversed (requires a de-designation process), but it is bounded to one site. The city's obligation to act by January 1, 2027 is a hard deadline, but deferral past term end may create procedural complications; the substance is not structural.Touches a narrow groupThe designation affects the owner of 7 Meadowcrest Road directly, but no resident outside that property or the immediate neighbourhood experiences the change in an ordinary week. Heritage designation is a policy matter that touches a narrow group. The broader context (Bill 23 deadline) is significant institutionally but does not move most residents.

Stories are ordered by how much weight a decision carries and how directly it reaches daily life. They rise as a decision date approaches and fall as they age.

housing

Misleading record

City to study whether rent inspectors can help tenants fight fraudulent evictions

A motion asks city staff to explore whether RentSafe officers can identify and compile evidence of criminal conduct by landlords, such as fraudulent evictions and illegal renovictions, and forward it to police or provincial authorities. The motion was revised to focus on gathering legal and factual information before the city commits to an expanded enforcement role. Nothing happens immediately; this is a study request that will report back in 2027.

The record says: “Councilor Matlow moved a revised motion that 'strikes and replaces' the original. The chair stated the motion 'carries' (unanimous or all-in-favor)”. Matlow explicitly narrowed and reframed his own motion to remove contested language ('remove us from a debate') and shift focus from asserting RentSafe can investigate to asking staff whether it can. He states his intent was to avoid the debate and reach 'the next council' with facts, not conclusions.

amendedPlanning and Housing Committee · Thu, Jul 16DecidedProvince decides

Who did what

From the floor

This motion seeks to understand what our abilities are to use existing resources within our rent safe staff to be able to when they see or are told about a potential crime being perpetrated toward tenants, whether it be illegal evictions through renovictions. Often we hear about cases where landlord owned use is done fraudulently. White collar crime is still crime and if you defraud somebody that's covered under the criminal code.Councillor Josh Matlow (Ward 12, Toronto-St. Paul's)
A tenant should not have to become a detective to prove that they were pushed out of their home unfairly. But it is usually them who must find the evidence and figure out where to take it. The report should look beyond a simple yes or no answer and explain what officers would be legally allowed to investigate, what evidence they could collect, and how that evidence would reach the province, the police, or another appropriate authority.A deputant
My intent with the initial wording of the motion is that we've concluded that we do have the ability to do it. I've heard others question that or have concerns about other aspects of that. So the revision is to ensure that at least the intent of the request be able to reach the next stone across the river and that we seek the facts.Councillor Josh Matlow (Ward 12, Toronto-St. Paul's)

Also in this item

RentSafe currently covers only larger apartment buildings, leaving tenants in condos, basement apartments, townhouses, and smaller buildings without city inspection support, a significant coverage gap that will need to be addressed in the report.

The motion cites the 500 Dawes Ave case, where it took 15 years of complaints and fines before an incarceration order was issued, as evidence that the Landlord and Tenant Board's enforcement is often ineffective.

The journey

Thu, Jul 16 · Planning and Housing Committee · amended
→ referred onward

What happens next

No immediate window. The study will report back in 2027; residents interested in tenant protections can track the report when it arrives and advocate for implementation. Deputation window has closed.

Decision

Staff directed to report back in 2027 on whether RentSafe officers can identify and compile evidence of landlord criminal conduct for forwarding to law enforcement, with particular focus on fraudulent evictions, illegal renovictions, and landlord-owned-use fraud.

On video

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Why is this story here?
ContainedThe motion requests a study and report-back, not a final decision. If the report leads to expanded RentSafe enforcement powers, that could be Stakes 2 (a change in who investigates tenant complaints and how evidence flows to law enforcement). The study itself is procedurally bounded and its outcome deferred. The substantive stakes, whether RentSafe can and should investigate landlord fraud, are real but not yet decided.Touches a narrow groupFraudulent evictions and illegal renovictions directly harm tenants, but this item does not change anyone's week now. It is a study request with no immediate enforcement change. The subject (tenant protection from fraud) is broadly felt, but the salience discount for deferred action applies: nothing lands on a tenant this week. Salience would rise to 2 if the report were approved and implemented immediately, but it is not.

Stories are ordered by how much weight a decision carries and how directly it reaches daily life. They rise as a decision date approaches and fall as they age.

development

City asks Ontario to extend heritage property deadline from 2027 to 2030

Toronto's heritage properties face automatic removal from municipal registers on January 1, 2027, unless formally designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. About 4,000 Toronto properties and 21,000 across Ontario are affected. Councillor Matlow moved a motion asking the province to grant a three-year extension and asking the mayor to coordinate with other municipalities and AMO on the request.

adoptedToronto City Council · Wed, Jul 29DecidedProvince decides

Who did what

From the floor

The provincial government has made a decision to forcefully remove heritage listed properties and make it very very difficult to ensure that there is a reasonable time frame to be able to consider whether or not these properties be fully designatedCouncillor Josh Matlow (Ward 12, Toronto-St. Paul's)
There is a in my opinion a very false narrative that sometimes ensues in these debates over planning between the need for housing and progress and ensuring that there is adequate housing supply and protecting what we also love and value. I believe that good planning can accommodate both.Councillor Josh Matlow (Ward 12, Toronto-St. Paul's)
The story of Toronto goes back thousands of years. And you know even the you know the first peoples who walked these lands I walk along Davenport which was an indigenous trail it was actually on the shore of the ancient lake Irakqua.Councillor Josh Matlow (Ward 12, Toronto-St. Paul's)

Also in this item

About 4,000 Toronto heritage properties currently listed on the municipal register will be automatically removed on January 1, 2027 unless formally designated under the Ontario Heritage Act; 21,000 properties across Ontario face the same deadline.

Properties that lose listing status cannot be re-listed for another five years, making the January 1, 2027 deadline effectively permanent for undesignated properties.

The province previously extended the deadline from January 1, 2025 to January 1, 2027 through Bill 200 (Homeowner Protection Act, 2024), citing housing affordability pressures.

The journey

Thu, Jul 16 · Planning and Housing Committee · adopted
Wed, Jul 29 · Toronto City Council · adopted
→ referred onward

What happens next

No deputation window or comment period noted in the transcript. This is a request to the province; residents could contact their MPP or attend any future city council vote on this motion.

Decision

Motion moved by Councillor Matlow requesting the province extend the Ontario Heritage Act designation deadline from January 1, 2027 to January 1, 2030. The motion also requests the mayor coordinate with GTA municipalities and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario to seek the extension and forward the item to them for information.

On video

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Why is this story here?
ContainedThe motion is a request to the province, not a binding city decision. Toronto City Council has no authority to change provincial law. The outcome depends entirely on provincial action. However, the substance, whether 4,000 Toronto buildings are protected or demolished, is substantial. Scoring the motion itself rather than the provincial deadline: the motion is a lobbying effort, bounded in scope and reversible without cost, so it ranks as real-but-contained.Touches a narrow groupHeritage preservation is important to some residents and neighbourhoods, but the January 1, 2027 deadline has not yet forced any demolitions and no individual resident faces an immediate effect this week. The motion is about securing a future extension, not about a present change to daily life. Heritage property owners and preservationists are directly affected by the deadline; the broader public experiences this indirectly through the loss of cultural landmarks. The issue affects a recognizable group but at one remove from immediate daily experience.

Stories are ordered by how much weight a decision carries and how directly it reaches daily life. They rise as a decision date approaches and fall as they age.

development

City Council approves mixed-use zoning for two Yorkland Boulevard sites, including new road and park

City Council approved an Official Plan Amendment converting two employment sites on Yorkland Boulevard to mixed-use areas, enabling residential and commercial development. The decision unlocks public benefits including a new public road, a public park, affordable housing requirements, and commercial space, and implements part of the ConsumersNext Secondary Plan.

adoptedToronto City Council · Wed, Jul 29

Who did what

Also in this item

The decision unlocks a new public road as a public benefit, which is a material infrastructure contribution beyond the typical development agreement.

Affordable housing units are secured as a condition of the Official Plan Amendment approval.

The journey

Thu, Jul 16 · Planning and Housing Committee · adopted
Wed, Jul 29 · Toronto City Council · adopted

Decision

Official Plan Amendment approved for 235 and 245 Yorkland Boulevard, converting the sites from Employment Areas to Mixed Use Areas and setting development parameters including public benefits (new road, public park, affordable housing).

On video

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Why is this story here?
ContainedThis is a site-specific Official Plan Amendment affecting two addresses. While OPA decisions are reversible by future councils and the scope is bounded to these two properties, the change is genuine and affects what can be built. It does not close options for future councils citywide or change the institution's structure.Touches a narrow groupThe decision affects the two specific sites on Yorkland Boulevard and whoever develops, builds, or eventually lives or works there. Most Toronto residents do not live, work, or pass through these addresses in an ordinary week. The effect is real but narrow to the immediate area and the people involved in the site.

Stories are ordered by how much weight a decision carries and how directly it reaches daily life. They rise as a decision date approaches and fall as they age.

housing

City approves 54-unit rental building on Springhurst and Close for housing vulnerable populations

Toronto City Council approved an 8-storey, 54-unit rental apartment building as part of the Dunn House Phase 2 project, a partnership between the city, a hospital, and a charitable organization to house vulnerable populations. The decision required Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments for two sites. One occupied affordable rental unit will be demolished as part of the project.

adoptedToronto City Council · Wed, Jul 29

Who did what

Also in this item

The project involves demolition of one occupied affordable rental unit to enable construction of 54 new rental units for vulnerable populations; net gain of 53 affordable rental units in the building

The journey

Thu, Jul 16 · Planning and Housing Committee · adopted
Wed, Jul 29 · Toronto City Council · adopted

Decision

Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments approved; 54-unit rental building on 78 Springhurst Avenue and 1 to 3 Close Avenue authorized to proceed.

On video

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Why is this story here?
ContainedThis is a decision on a specific two-site development with defined scope and boundaries. While the project is substantive (54 units, Official Plan amendment, zoning change), it is site-specific and reversible relative to the city's overall housing stock or zoning framework. A future council could reverse the zoning or Official Plan amendment for these two parcels without systemic cost, though the political cost would be real. The passing test: this is a genuine decision but bounded geographically and programmatically, not a structural constraint on future councils' options.Touches a narrow groupThe project addresses housing for vulnerable populations, which is a recognized need, but affects a narrow group directly: those who will eventually occupy the 54 units. Most Toronto residents do not feel the effect of this approval in an ordinary week. The demolition of one existing affordable unit may affect one household immediately, but the new units are not occupied yet. Broader housing advocates care about the outcome, but it is one project among many needed. No resident's commute, rent, street safety, or access changes this week from this vote.

Stories are ordered by how much weight a decision carries and how directly it reaches daily life. They rise as a decision date approaches and fall as they age.

1 routine item logged — show them anyway

development

Site plan application fee schedule updated following 2026 review

City planning staff have completed a review of fees charged to developers for site plan control applications and recommend an updated schedule with some fees reduced and others held steady. The change takes effect for new applications and is a routine administrative adjustment that does not alter development policy or housing capacity.

adoptedToronto City Council · Wed, Jul 29

The journey

Thu, Jul 16 · Planning and Housing Committee · adopted
Wed, Jul 29 · Toronto City Council · adopted

Decision

Updated fee schedule adopted as recommended by staff; specific fee changes not detailed in the transcript.

On video

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Why is this story here?
RoutineA fee schedule update is an administrative change. No policy shifts, no new restrictions or entitlements, no structural constraint on future councils. The item is routine reappraisal of cost recovery within an existing statutory framework.Invisible to residentsA change to application fees affects developers submitting site plan applications, not residents. The end user (a prospective tenant or buyer) sees no direct effect on rent, home price, or neighbourhood change. Any cost shift to developers may eventually affect housing supply or price, but that is indirect and speculative, not present-week effect.

Stories are ordered by how much weight a decision carries and how directly it reaches daily life. They rise as a decision date approaches and fall as they age.

The full agenda, as filed

All 20 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.