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.

From the floor

“The city is the party that has the planning responsibilities to residents. The city is the party that has to think about waterfront neighborhoods, schools, daycares, parks, complete communities, and the long-term integrity of the central waterfront vision. And the city is the level of government most clearly grounded in the daily reality that of people who bear those costs.”An advocacy group representative

“Our waterfront is priceless. Our health is priceless and I have no intention of letting them take these things away from us for the sake of their profits.”Affiliation not stated

“The current proposal would run right across that sailing area and constrain navigation through there. And jet blast wind speed at the edge of the marine exclusion zone boundary could cause small recreational boats to become unstable or at risk of capsizing.”Affiliation not stated

“Research from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego has confirmed that sewage polluted water can transfer into the atmosphere through aerosols which can carry bacteria and chemical compounds from the water into the air where they can travel inland and expose people who never enter the water.”Affiliation not stated

“The province and the Toronto Port Authority need to publicly reveal their plans, their business case, and the studies related to the expansion of the island airport. Torontonians and the public deserve to have those answers and to be seen very clearly in terms of whose interest this is all happening in.”Councillor Ausma Malik (Ward 10, Spadina-Fort York)

“The airport itself appears to be an entity that is being directed entirely from a foreign country. And it is very disturbing for people to find that out and I know we all want to know more.”Councillor Paula Fletcher (Ward 14, Toronto-Danforth)

“As of today, we do not know what person or persons or corporate entity ultimately controls and benefits from any proposal to expand that facility. So we can't really see through the corporate veil to know who the man behind the curtain is.”Councillor Gord Perks (Ward 4, Parkdale-High Park)

Also in this item

• JP Morgan Investment Management (a subsidiary of JP Morgan Chase) is identified as an affiliate of the Infrastructure Investment Fund, which owns Newport Aviation (operator of Billy Bishop terminal). The report traces Newport ownership through Affinity Terminal Partners LP and NIPGP Trust, but city staff cannot determine ultimate controlling interests without retaining a specialist consultant. Staff were unable to verify who appoints Newport's board or controls its direction.

• The 2017 Porter proposal environmental assessment showed that closing the western gap of the inner harbor would reduce water inflow by over 50% and double the average residence time of water in the harbor. This is known to correlate with degraded water quality, increased E. coli and nutrients, higher risk of beach closures, and health effects for lake users. Current plans for a 600m+ runway extension would worsen these impacts.

• City staff confirmed they have not been provided a formal, comprehensive plan by the Toronto Port Authority or the province. The media reports suggest a 10-million-passenger capacity with potential expropriation of Little Norway Park and waterfront land, but no official plan has been submitted. Staff cannot assess impacts without a formal proposal.

• The report identifies that new buildings near the expanded airport would require enhanced building envelopes, non-operable windows, mechanical-only ventilation, and outdoor-space restrictions. The current ASHRAE ventilation standard (62.1) was not designed to protect against fine particulate matter or airborne pathogens, creating public health risks during power outages that coincide with poor-air-quality and heat events.

The journey

You can still act

On the Toronto City Council agenda for 2026-07-29

Residents can contact councillors before the next council vote on any motions arising from this committee discussion, respond to the federal government's summer 2026 consultation on the Tripartite Agreement, and continue submitting deputations if further committee hearings are held. A supplemental staff report addressing corporate-ownership transparency is expected at council.

On video

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Who did what

• Mayor Olivia Chow movedMoved to expand the crisis-worker service across the entire TTC, citing 2,840 pilot cases and 783 people who had considered self-harm
• Councillor Alejandra Bravo (Ward 9, Davenport) questioned staffQuestioned deputant and staff on built-in evaluation, quality, and provincial healthcare handoff before further expansion
• Councillor Ausma Malik (Ward 10, Spadina-Fort York) questioned staffAsked staff about paramedic dispatch integration, streetcar availability and response times; praised the program

From the floor

“Efficiency is using the right tool for the right job. And here what we've done is looked and realized we didn't have the right tools.”Councillor Gord Perks (Ward 4, Parkdale-High Park)

“Think about this service and then think about ICE, and you get a sense of why Toronto is a leader.”Councillor Gord Perks (Ward 4, Parkdale-High Park)

“Mental health, the word health is a provincial federal responsibility, and we need to talk to our senior other orders of government to say please look at this data.”Mayor Olivia Chow

“Of all the 211 calls that were made by transit riders, only 2% of them involved the police and only 6% involved special constables.”An advocacy group representative

“We know just policing people and locking them up won't solve our problems. We've been doing that for decades.”Affiliation not stated

Also in this item

• TTC pilot in the downtown 'U' corridor served 2,840 riders in crisis with a 98% diversion rate away from police, and response times as low as five minutes.

• Dispatch integration with Toronto Paramedic Services via the 911 system is targeted for Q1 2027, letting crisis calls be routed faster while 211 remains the public door.

• Of the pilot cases, 783 people had thought about harming themselves, underscoring the suicide-intervention role of the service.

• Toronto Police are described as increasingly willing to hand off mental-health calls to TCCS, with police now reconfiguring their own uniformed crisis response.

The journey

You can still act

You can weigh in

As an Executive Committee item it proceeds toward City Council; residents can contact their councillor before the Council vote. Staff also flagged an ongoing 'make the right call' awareness campaign and a MAP Centre evaluation report due at year-end.

Decision

Mayor Chow moved a motion to expand the crisis-worker service across the entire TTC network; deputations and member speeches were uniformly supportive. The final committee vote is not captured in the transcript excerpt.

On video

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Who did what

• Councillor Jamaal Myers (Ward 23, Scarborough North) movedPut forward the motion directing staff to complete the RFI evaluation and continue market engagement
• A citizen commissioner questioned staffAsked staff how many organizations responded to the RFI

From the floor

“We had over 70 entities who downloaded the documents and kind of expressed some interest. At the end of the day, we've had a couple dozen who have actually responded officially.”City staff

“Translink is going through a process right now too, so it's not a quiet market, and yet we still got quite a significant response from that market.”City staff

Also in this item

• The TTC is actively sounding the market for a successor to the Presto fare system, with over 70 vendors interested and roughly two dozen formal responses.

The journey

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You can weigh in

No open comment window stated; this is an early market-sounding stage. Future fare system procurement decisions will return to the board, residents can watch for and depute on those.

Decision

The board unanimously (7-0) directed staff to complete evaluation of the RFI submissions, including vendor interviews, and undertake additional market engagement to assess market capabilities and value for money in support of future fare collection system decisions.

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From the floor

“Buildings make winds worse for nearby houses by altering the natural flow of air through three primary forces. Downwashing, funneling, and corner vortices.”Affiliation not stated

“These homes were built 60 years ago when no large buildings existed in the neighborhoods. The planners and builders of 60 years ago did not anticipate concentrated high gust of winds impacting the homes.”Affiliation not stated

“The shadow study was found to meet the city's objectives in adequately limiting shadow. That was done by setbacks, massing of the building towards Birchmount and away from the neighbouring residential property.”City staff

“The wind study was found to be acceptable, except for pedestrians on a seasonal basis. That would be in and around the site. As you get further removed from the building, the impact would be lessened.”City staff

“As the community grows quite quickly with the very large proposed developments in the vicinity of the Agent Court Mall, there's a concern with the length of time it takes for residents to use public transit. There is no higher order transit than TTC buses in all of Ward 22.”Affiliation not stated

“When you're building new development in communities, it's a balancing act that you need to make sure that everyone is comfortable with. I have full reassurance from our staff that they're doing everything properly that we can do to make sure that development is done in a proper way.”A councillor

Also in this item

• Wind concerns raised by neighbours cite damage to 60-year-old homes not built for concentrated wind gusts created by tall buildings; staff wind study found 'acceptable' only for grade-level pedestrian use, not for adjacent residential property impacts

• Area faces rapid density growth (Birchmount and Agent Court proposals) without higher-order transit; only bus service available; Shepard extension under study by Metrolinks with no timeline; RapidTO on Birchmount not in first tranche

The journey

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On the Toronto City Council agenda for 2026-07-29

Decision

Staff recommendation approved unanimously (all in favour, none opposed). Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment adopted.

On video

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Who did what

• Councillor Dianne Saxe (Ward 11, University-Rosedale) movedMoved the motion to direct staff to study speeding up the 506; then cross-examined deputant Leblanc over his cost claims and elicited large staff cost estimates
• Councillor Jamaal Myers (Ward 23, Scarborough North) secondedSeconded the motion and chaired; questioned deputants on scope and jurisdiction
• Councillor Alejandra Bravo (Ward 9, Davenport) voted againstVoted no despite College serving her ward, arguing against singling out one line over a system-wide approach
• A citizen commissioner questioned staffQuestioned whether College is the 'most burning priority' and how it fits the Q1 2027 network study; pressed staff on cost-benefit prioritization

From the floor

“Even though college serves my community, I can't support a motion that is only addressing one street carline.”Councillor Alejandra Bravo (Ward 9, Davenport)

“Traffic congestion will be a top issue in the municipal election... If you don't support transit priority, we voters will vote for candidates who do.”A deputant

“If you've done everything in your power already to speed up street cars, why move this motion now?”Councillor Dianne Saxe (Ward 11, University-Rosedale)

“I am working with a team of planners and experts, but nonetheless, I don't have the resources of a city council.”A deputant

“At $1 million we don't see how you could take the entire 14 kilometer route and 60 stops of direction and make it more reliable.”City staff

Also in this item

• Staff put costs on the record: roughly $200M+ to raise ~655 streetcar stops plus $50M for vehicle self-leveling for level boarding, and about $160M for double-point switches network-wide.

• A sitting commissioner (Saxe) used most of the debate to cross-examine a citizen advocate whose competing plan was released to media eight days before her motion, unusual treatment of a deputant.

• Staff confirmed a TTC streetcar network strategy with early findings due Q1 2027 is already underway, plus a 'surface transit toolkit', the study largely duplicates directions already given.

• A declared Ward 11 council candidate deputed on the item, and multiple deputants explicitly tied transit priority to the October 2026 election.

The journey

You can still act

You can weigh in

Staff report back is expected in early 2027; a companion motion sits at the Infrastructure and Environment Committee on city-controlled measures. Residents on the corridor can push for the consultation channel deputants requested and watch for the streetcar network strategy findings (Q1 2027).

Decision

Motion adopted directing TTC staff to report back (early 2027) on measures within TTC control to improve the speed and reliability of the 506 streetcar. Commissioner Bravo opposed; not unanimous.

On video

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Who did what

• Councillor Neethan Shan (Ward 25, Scarborough-Rouge Park) movedMoved the staff recommendations on this item

From the floor

“We believe that this is a practical and balanced approach. It recognizes that the Coronation Drive employment area remains an important industrial employment district while also acknowledging the concerns of our neighbors about traffic safety and compatibility.”Affiliation not stated

“Good planning starts with understanding the impacts before changes occur, not after problems emerge. And this amendment ensures that review occurs.”Affiliation not stated

“Deafening noise, rattling vibrations, dusty air makes it undesirable to open windows, to chat outdoors with neighbors, to allow children to play safely out on front yards, to take naps, or even sleep because the trucks continue into the night.”A deputant

Also in this item

• Speed limit reduction to 40 km/h on Coronation Drive between Manse Road and Beechgrove Drive addresses safety concerns in the employment area adjacent to residential neighborhoods

• New Site and Area Specific Policy 938 requires transportation impact studies before new industrial development, formalizing requirements for industrial operators in the area

The journey

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On the Toronto City Council agenda for 2026-07-29

Decision

Approved: Official Plan Amendment with new Site and Area Specific Policy 938 requiring transportation impact studies for new industrial development; speed limit reduction from 50 km/h to 40 km/h on Coronation Drive between Manse Road and Beechgrove Drive.

On video

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Who did what

• Councillor Paula Fletcher (Ward 14, Toronto-Danforth) movedChair opening remarks; indicated she had requested the staff report

From the floor

“There are 10 gaps along this 75 km loop trail that could be easily fixed. And we hope you also don't ignore community groups fighting for the connection from Taylor Creek via the proposed West Scarborough rail trail to the Meadowway.”An advocacy group representative

“The gaps won't be closed till 2035. So that's not a serious timeline. Imagine riding the loop with a family member. Let's say they're 8 years old. You come across the dangerous underpass on Finch Avenue.”Affiliation not stated

“Scarborough needs and deserves new safe and accessible connections to the loop trail, the Meadowway and Rouge National Park to support ecological health, improved access to natural areas, expand opportunities for recreation and active transportation.”Affiliation not stated

“The Scarborough wine contains grievance, gripe, lack of infrastructure, lack of connections. It's kind of a bitter wine and it's time that we made that wine sweeter and we want to connect to the rest of Toronto.”Affiliation not stated

“Following the motion from city council, the west Scarborough rail path, there is work underway with TTC on the design of a parallel bridge. That is well underway, it's funded, and once we have an update on that we'll be updating the feasibility study work that was previously done.”City staff

“We do need to find the money. The partnerships are so important. The federal government has been a very good partner on all of these large TRCA city projects. Let's do the easy ones, plan the complicated ones, find the money, get people on the trails and discovering our city.”Councillor Paula Fletcher (Ward 14, Toronto-Danforth)

Also in this item

• Staff stated design work on a parallel bridge for the West Scarborough Rail Trail is funded and underway with the TTC, answering a key infrastructure question that has been blocking community momentum.

• A motion from city council by Councilor Kandival calling for a 10% design study that includes the West Scarborough Rail Trail was referenced by the deputant, suggesting prior council direction exists on this project.

• The first phase of the East Don Trail (4.5 kilometres) cost $22 million (half city, half federal funding) and involved complicated environmental assessments with multiple bridges, establishing precedent and cost baselines for similar multi-government trail projects.

• Staff acknowledged that bike lanes were previously removed from Scarborough (Pharmacy, Birchmount, and a segment of Brimley), framing current trail investments as partial compensation for past disinvestment in that ward.

The journey

You can still act

You can weigh in

Residents can attend the September 27 loop trail community ride to engage with councillors and candidates. Interested parties can contact city staff and transportation department (contact information to be provided by staff) to participate in upcoming community meetings on the West Scarborough Rail Trail design. Residents can advocate with their councillors to prioritize federal funding applications and motion support at the TTC board for the project.

Decision

Staff committed to meeting with the Scarborough Junction community in the coming weeks to discuss the West Scarborough Rail Trail project and coordinate with TTC on bridge design. Design work on the parallel bridge is funded and underway. No formal motion or vote occurred; the item closed after discussion and staff commitments.

On video

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Who did what

• Councillor Michael Thompson (Ward 21, Scarborough Centre) questioned staffQuestioned the composition of the facility's board, governance of the 50% public-use requirement, enforcement mechanisms for non-compliance, and parking solutions; noted past issues with shared-space agreements not working as intended.
• Councillor Jamaal Myers (Ward 23, Scarborough North) questioned staffRaised concerns about transit accessibility for the large Tamil community within walking distance, parking overflow on residential streets, and community involvement in Phase 2 planning; asked how the public would be involved in future site decisions.

From the floor

“In 2017, with the support of the former mayor, we were able to move a motion to ask the city staff to work together with the community to explore opportunities for the community to build a community center. The area was heavily underserviced. In the early 2000s when this community was built there was an informal promise of a community center that never materialized in the local neighborhood.”Councillor Lily Cheng (Ward 18, Willowdale)

“It is being built through a grassroots community initiative. The city provided the lease, but the community came together, advocated for other levels of government, and more importantly raised $17 million already in a tight economic situation with over 850 families donating $10,000 each.”Councillor Lily Cheng (Ward 18, Willowdale)

“We were not able to advance the auditorium because those are questions that could not be answered at this time. There was no sense of how transit could be increased, whether satellite parking could be made available, the walkway of the community center and the catchment of it as well.”City staff

“The 50% has been stipulated through the lease agreement as well as the community access agreement. The community access agreement speaks to notification of the broader community and local groups that they are aware of space at the center and if they apply for space and the space is available that decision gets made through the joint use agreement.”City staff

Also in this item

• The Tamil Community Center project is funded entirely through grassroots effort, with 850+ families each donating $10,000, raising $17 million without city subsidy; council staff and the applicant did not disclose or address ongoing governance and compliance-enforcement uncertainty, instead deferring it to Phase 2.

• Phase 2 (auditorium expansion) is indefinitely deferred: council flagged transit capacity and parking as unsolved, but the transcript does not identify when or how these constraints will be studied, nor when Phase 2 will return to committee.

• A 50% public-use requirement is locked into a lease and community access agreement, but governance of that 50% and enforcement of non-compliance rest on a corrective-action mechanism in the lease rather than proactive city oversight; council did not resolve who decides space allocation or how the public will access it.

The journey

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On the Toronto City Council agenda for 2026-07-29

Phase 2 planning will invite community input through a notice of intention to lift holds and a public comment period. The community may also write to staff during site plan review for Phase 1 and any Phase 2 hold-lifting application.

Decision

Approved zoning amendment for 3030 Markham Road to permit gas station with ancillary retail and car wash, clearing the way for Phase 1 Tamil Community Center. Phase 2 auditorium deferred pending feasibility study on transit, parking, and site plan refinement.

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Who did what

• Councillor Michael Thompson (Ward 21, Scarborough Centre) movedMoved to defer the matter, citing discomfort with prior decisions' community impact and requesting more time for consultation

From the floor

“I'm uncomfortable with respect to decisions that we have made and its impact on the community. I'm uncomfortable in the sense that we need to afford more time for members of the community to be able to be consulted with.”Councillor Michael Thompson (Ward 21, Scarborough Centre)

Also in this item

• Councillor Thompson explicitly flagged a pattern of policy-compliant applications producing negative community outcomes, suggesting a potential equity gap between what the policy permits and what serves the community fairly.

The journey

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On the Toronto City Council agenda for 2026-07-29

Contact Councillor Thompson or attend the next Scarborough Community Council meeting when this item is reconsidered, to provide input on traffic and community impact concerns.

On video

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Who did what

• Councillor Jamaal Myers (Ward 23, Scarborough North) questioned staffAsked detailed questions about maximum parking capacity (114 spaces identified), overflow parking strategies, street parking mitigation on Staines Road, community access provisions and the 50% operating-hours agreement, and staff feasibility of a 425-person auditorium with only 114 parking spaces.

From the floor

“We have implemented a holding provision over the auditorium phase 2 portion of the site. This means that prior to any development of the auditorium or phase 2 occurring, the TCC board must satisfy certain conditions, including a study that assesses transportation impacts including parking and makes recommendations that must be accepted by the city. And second, the TCC board must secure that parking, whether it be on-site, off-site, shared parking strategies or others, or seek a reduction in the overall size of that auditorium.”City staff

“In 2021, the city contributed to the project with the land lease at dollar 1 per year; the land's estimated value is $25 million. Last year, council also waived the zoning bylaw amendment fee of $80,000. We have raised 17 million dollars from the community itself, and beyond major donors it came from 850 grassroot level of community members who have been contributing towards this project.”An advocacy group representative

“I believe the agreement spec stipulates that 50% of the time the facilities need to be open to community use. Could you just expand on that and what it actually means? Is that the vision for the Tamil community center—while yes it will be funded and a lot of the activities will be centered on serving the Tamil community, there will be services, facilities, programming available for the wider community as well.”Councillor Jamaal Myers (Ward 23, Scarborough North)

Also in this item

• Phase 2 auditorium (425-person capacity estimated) cannot proceed until parking is studied and secured; only 114 on-site spaces are currently possible, creating a hard constraint on the building's future size independent of funding.

• The city has committed $25 million in land value at $1 per year plus an $80,000 fee waiver; the Tamil community has raised $17 million from 850 grassroots donors, showing major institutional support for a single non-profit facility.

The journey

You can still act

On the Toronto City Council agenda for 2026-07-29

Decision

Approved the Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment; Phase 1 proceeds with 60 parking spaces; Phase 2 auditorium placed under a Holding provision pending a parking and transportation study to be submitted by the Tamil Community Centre board before the hold can be lifted.

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Who did what

• Councillor Michael Thompson (Ward 21, Scarborough Centre) movedMoved deferral to allow further community discussion and exploration of cumulative development impact, citing insufficient information on Cliffside area character and community concerns.
• Councillor Neethan Shan (Ward 25, Scarborough-Rouge Park) secondedSupported the deferral motion (recorded vote tally).

From the floor

“The fact that the community is coming out saying look we still have some concerns... I do think there's an opportunity here for more work to be done. Let's afford the community an opportunity to be able to have further discussion.”Councillor Michael Thompson (Ward 21, Scarborough Centre)

“The character analysis of the Cliffside area in the community, I'm not comfortable that we have enough information that helps us to say let's just move this along and approve it today.”Councillor Michael Thompson (Ward 21, Scarborough Centre)

“I'm not comfortable moving something like this forward without having all those answers and the community understanding the impact. The community association has been asking for years about trying to understand the cumulative impact of development on their neighborhood.”A councillor

Also in this item

• Councilor Mantis cited cumulative development concerns specifically: Doris McCarthy Trail lacks public parking; Bellamy and Kingston Road project raised school-capacity issues at Bliss Karman; residents cannot walk to local schools and must be bused out of the community.

The journey

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You can weigh in

Residents can continue engaging with the city and developers during the deferral period through the scheduled community consultation. Timing and next steps were not specified on the record.

Decision

Item deferred for further community consultation; no expansion approved at this time.

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