The General Manager, Economic Development and Culture recommends that:

1.         City Council dedicate the currently vacant third floor mezzanine of City Hall for use as The "Ward" Gallery of Immigration.

2.         City Council direct staff, led by the General Manager of Economic Development and Culture or his designate, to initiate community engagement processes to:

a.         finalize the scope, content and design of The "Ward" Gallery of Immigration; and

b.         raise funds to implement the Gallery.

3.         City Council direct staff to report back to the appropriate committee, once the exhibition program and gallery design has been finalized, with additional information on building retrofit implications and costs. 

City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square occupy part of the "Ward," a 19^th- and early 20^th- century immigrant reception area. To commemorate the Ward and Toronto’s rich immigration story, this report recommends that the currently vacant third floor mezzanine of City Hall be used for The "Ward" Gallery of Immigration, and that steps be taken to implement the gallery concept.

There are no financial implications resulting from the adoption of this report. Exhibition and building retrofit costs will be determined in the next phase of the project. Funds to implement The "Ward" Gallery of Immigration will be raised from public and private sources. Finance staff have determined that the existing Toronto Museum Project Reserve Fund, intended to receive funds for the future Museum of Toronto and associated galleries, can be used to receive funds for the Gallery of Immigration.

The Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer has reviewed this report and agrees with the financial impact information.

The General Manager, Economic Development and Culture recommends that:

1.         City Council state its intention to designate the area described by Attachment 1 (Maps 1 to 2) of the report (July 14, 2010) from the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, as an expanded Business Improvement Area (BIA), under Chapter 19 of the City of Toronto Municipal Code.

2.         City Council authorize and direct the City Clerk to send out a notice of Council’s intention to expand the boundary of the St. Lawrence Market Neighbourhood Business Improvement Area (BIA) to include the area shown in Attachment 1 (Maps 1 to 2) of the report (July 14, 2010) from the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, in accordance with Chapter 19 of the City of Toronto Municipal Code.

3.         City Council request the Executive Director of Technical Services to prepare designation by-law maps of the area as described by Attachment 1 (Maps 1 to 2) of the report (July 14, 2010) from the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, and submit them to the City Solicitor. 

The purpose of this report is to recommend that the City Clerk conduct a poll to determine if there is sufficient support to expand the boundaries of the St. Lawrence Market Neighbourhood Business Improvement Area (BIA).

Upon the completion of the poll, the General Manager of Economic Development and Culture will report on the results to Council.  Subject to a positive poll result, staff shall prepare the necessary by-laws and bills to give effect thereto. 

The General Manager, Economic Development and Culture recommends that:

1.         Based on the poll results respecting the intention to expand the Mimico Village BIA, City Council designate the area described by Attachment 1 of the report (July 28, 2010) from the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, as the expanded Mimico Village Business Improvement Area (BIA), under Chapter 19 of the City of Toronto Municipal Code.

2.         City Council direct the City Solicitor to submit a by‑law to designate the area described in Attachment 1 of the report (July 28, 2010) from the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, as a Business Improvement Area.

The purpose of this report is to recommend the expansion of the Mimico Village Business Improvement Area (BIA) boundaries.

In accordance with Chapter 19 of the City of Toronto Municipal Code, the City Clerk conducted a poll to determine if there is sufficient support to expand the boundaries of the Mimico Village BIA.  The number of objecting petitions does not meet the sufficiency benchmark set out in Chapter 19‑9B of the Municipal Code.  Accordingly, City Council may expand the boundaries of the Business Improvement Area.  Based upon the results, it is recommended that Council pass a by‑law to designate the area described by the map in Attachment 1, as the expanded Mimico Village BIA.