You will need the free Adobe Acrobat Viewer to view and print the PDF files.

What's New

Council Adopted By-laws Appealed to OMB
On October 27, 2009, Toronto City Council adopted Official Plan Amendment No. 84 by By-law 1102-2009 and passed Zoning By-law No. 1103-2009 to implement the findings and recommendations of the St. Clair Avenue Study. Copies of the by-laws are available below:

• Official Plan Amendment No. 84 (By-law 1102-2009)
• Zoning By-law Amendment (By-law 1103-2009)

These By-laws have been appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board and will not be in full force and effect until a decision has been rendered. In the interim, the current policies zoning provisions will continue to apply to the properties in the area.

City Planning’s Final Report
City Planning staff have prepared a final report and supplementary reports recommending approval of amendments to the Official Plan and Zoning By-law 438-86 to implement the findings and recommendations of the St. Clair Avenue Study. These reports also recommend adoption of Urban Design Guidelines and outline implementation strategies to achieve, over time the revitalization of St. Clair Avenue West within this Avenue segment. The reports are available below:

• Final Report (May 11, 2009)
• Supplementary Report (June 2009)
• Supplementary Report #2 (Sept 29, 2009)

---

Contents

• Background
• Study Area
• Area Councillors Messages
• Study Purpose
• Study Process
• Community Consultation Material
• Local Advisory Committee (LAC)
• Need more information?

---

Background

The City of Toronto has adopted an Official Plan to replace the existing Official Plans of the former six local municipalities and the former Metropolitan Toronto. The new Plan is both visionary and strategic. It departs from the traditional land use approach, focusing on opportunities for renewal and reinvestment, and finding new ways to direct and manage the physical, social, and economic development for the City.

The overriding objective will be to maintain and improve the quality of life in Toronto.

The purpose of the Official Plan is to direct physical growth by:

• Identifying areas where the City wishes to see that growth occur (Downtown, Centres and Avenues, and industrial growth in Employment Districts);
• Focusing civic resources to ignite that change; and
• Creating a new regulatory framework (i.e. zoning by-law and design guidelines) that allows development to proceed in a timely manner with a degree of design flexibility while continuing to provide the broader community with a level of certainty about the character and form of development.

Study Area

This Avenue Study will examine St Clair Avenue West between Bathurst Street and Glenholme Avenue.

Area Councillors Messages

• Message from Councillor Joe Mihevc
• Message from Councillor Cesar Palacio

Study Purpose

The purpose of the study is to identify a vision for the future development of the area, as well as an implementation program to achieve this vision. Each Avenue is different in terms of lot sizes and configuration, street width, existing uses, neighbouring uses, transit service and streetscape potential. There is no one size fits all program for the Avenues. A framework for change will be tailored to suit the local conditions along the street and will involve local residents, businesses and other stakeholders.

The St Clair Avenue West Avenue Study will specifically show:

• How mid-rise, mixed-use buildings can be introduced;
• How the streetscape and pedestrian environment can be improved;
• Where public open space can be created and existing parks improved;
• Where trees should be planted; and
• How use of the road allowance can be optimized and transit service enhanced.

Study Process

This is a joint effort by the City's City Planning Division and the consulting firm of Brook McIlroy, who have been retained by the City to prepare the study. Upon completion of the study, and in consultation with the local community, City Planning staff will prepare area-specific zoning to guide development. The new zoning by-law will set out the mix of uses, heights, densities, setbacks and other zoning standards. It will be supplemented with urban design guidelines.

For more information on the Terms of Reference of the Avenue Studies, please consult the Request for Proposals.

Community Consultation

City Planning staff and the consulting team held several community meetings for the study. Presentations given at these meetings are available on this website.

In addition to the community meetings, City Planning staff and the consulting team consulted with the Local Advisory Committee (LAC). This group comprises local area residents, business owners and property owners. The role of the LAC is to advise City Planning staff and the consulting team of issues and opportunities within the area and to provide feedback throughout the study process.

Public Meeting under the Planning Act – June 4, 2009
Planning staff prepared a Final Report on the Avenue Study for St. Clair Avenue West between Bathurst Street and Keele Street for consideration at the June 4, 2009 meeting of the Planning and Growth Management Committee (PGMC). The report recommended amendments to the City of Toronto Official Plan and the former City of Toronto Zoning By-law 438-86 that would implement a vision and implementation strategy to guide future development along St. Clair Avenue West between Keele Street and Bathurst Street. A public meeting was also held and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

The Planning and Growth Management Committee adopted staff’s Final Report and requested that the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning report, directly to City Council on a number of additional issues related to the proposed implementation strategy. The decision document can be found here (scroll down to Item Number: PG 26.2).

City Council Meeting – September 30, 2009
Planning staff are currently preparing a Supplementary Report on the St. Clair Avenue Study to be heard at the September 30, 2009 meeting of City Council. This report will be considered in conjunction with staff’s Final Report.

View City Staff's Final Report on this matter:

• Final Report – May 11, 2009

Community Consultation Meetings
On February 16 and 17, 2009, Community Planning staff hosted meetings to present the recommended changes to the City's Zoning By-law to permit higher buildings of quality design on St. Clair Avenue West, so as to bring more businesses and residents to the area.

Staff recommended changes also include area-specific policies and urban design guidelines to guide new development and to ensure that they positively add to the character of the residential neighbourhoods adjacent to St. Clair Avenue. The meetings provided an opportunity for the community to comment on the study's recommendations and ask questions.

Community Consultation Meeting Report - February 16 & 17, 2009

Final Consultant Report
The City has not adopted this report. City staff are currently reviewing the consultant recommendations and will be preparing an Implementation Report for Council to consider. This Report will include an area specific By-law and Urban Design guidelines that reflect changes to the existing zoning in place to allow for the reurbanization of St. Clair Avenue West.

• Building a Vision for St. Clair Avenue - May 3, 2006
  (FULL - 5.1 MB PDF)
• Building a Vision for St. Clair Avenue - Part 1
• Building a Vision for St. Clair Avenue - Part 2