In 2022, Toronto’s Employment Areas are home to over 21,600 establishments employing over 390,000 people (27% of all jobs in the city). Businesses within our Employment Areas create about 27% of the City’s estimated 2021 GDP of $195.7 billion and contribute about 12% of all property taxes paid in the City (municipal and education taxes). This report also highlights the social and economic role that Employment Areas play in the health and growth of the city, given the role that they play in supporting Toronto’s diverse economic base and providing jobs with living wages for Toronto’s diverse labour pool. This report provides a fulsome overview of the planning context for Employment Area policies, recent decisions impacting Employment Areas and provides the second in a series of Final Reports on 45 conversion requests. A third Final Report is targeted for the July 2023 Planning and Housing and Council meetings. All reports fall under the City’s Municipal Comprehensive Review (MCR) and recommend Official Plan amendments under Section 26 of the Planning Act, where the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing is the approval authority. The Minister’s decisions are not subject to appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal unless the Minister refers all or part of the amendments to the Tribunal. Council authorized the commencement of the MCR and Growth Plan Conformity Exercise known as “Our Plan Toronto”, on August 4, 2020. As part of the MCR, the City Planning received approximately 150 requests to convert lands designated Core Employment Areas or General Employment Areas in the Official Plan for non-employment uses, including some of which were City-initiated. The Minister has been reviewing OPA 591 since August 9, 2022. The Minister suspended the 120-day time period to make a decision on the Council-adopted 30+ conversion requests. To date, the City has not received a decision on OPA 591. This Final Report recommends Council retain most of the lands subject to these 45 conversion requests listed in Attachment 2 of this report as either Core Employment Areas or General Employment Areas. Staff recommended Employment Area conversions in this report are captured through draft Official Plan Amendment 644 listed as Attachment 1 to this report. This report is to be considered at a Special Public Meeting under Section 26 of the Planning Act regarding the City's phased Official Plan and Municipal Comprehensive Reviews.
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