Imagination, Manufacturing, Innovation and Technology (IMIT) Program

The Community Improvement Plan (1207-2018) that enables the IMIT Property Tax Incentive Program states the following:

Local Employment: The applicant or user of the property must agree to collaborate with the City to promote local employment. This will include a local employment plan that will identify opportunities for local hiring and/or training and document how the applicant or property user will utilize City endorsed or sponsored employment programs. It is expected that the employment plan will span the term of the incentive and that outcomes will be tracked and documented.

Starting October 1, 2019, a Council-approved points-based system has been implemented as a pilot program to provide greater clarity and increased ease of use for IMIT recipients and property users.

The system provides IMIT recipients and property users with a menu of options of City-endorsed local hiring and training activities from which to build their Local Employment Plan. Each option has a corresponding point value and tracking indicator.

Grant recipients are provided with an expected points value proportionate to the grant amount, which is to be achieved over the grant period and/or during building construction.

Local hiring and training outcomes will be reported through an online form by the recipient and made public through the City’s Open Data platform.

For more information, view the full background file.

Webinars

• October 30, 2019: staff held an informational webinar to introduce the points-based system to approved IMIT recipient companies and answer preliminary questions. View the online presentation.
• February 10, 2020: staff held an informational webinar to review the points-based system, discuss implementing a plan and answer questions for approved IMIT recipient companies. View the online presentation.
• July 20, 2021: staff held an informational webinar to update IMIT recipient companies on the points-based system. View the online presentation.

Additional webinars will be held as needed. To be added to future mailing lists or for more information, please contact incentives@toronto.ca.

General grants and enhanced grants target the following sectors and uses:

General Grants

• Call Centres
• Computer Systems Design and Services
• Information Services and Data Processing
• Office Building (outside of the Financial District, as shown in Map 2 of the Community Improvement Plan)
• Scientific Research and Development
• Software Development
• Tourism Attractions
• Transformative Project

Enhanced Grants

• Biomedical Operations
• Convergence Centres
• Creative Industries
• Film Studio Complex
• Food and Beverage Wholesaling
• Incubators
• Manufacturing

Sectors

Biomedical: pharmaceutical, bio-technology product, or medical device manufacturing and/or scientific research and development related to the creation of products, processes and services designed to improve health. Does not include activities related to patient health care such as doctor’s offices, clinics, diagnostic labs or hospitals.

Creative Industries: industries which have their origin in individual creativity, skill and talent and which have a potential for wealth and job creation through the generation and exploitation of intellectual property, including

• Arts and Crafts
• Broadcasting
• Design
• Film, Video and Photography
• Music and the Visual and Performing Arts
• Publishing, and
• Software, Computer Games and Electronic Publishing.

Live/work units are excluded.

Manufacturing: fabricating, processing, assembling, packaging, producing or making goods or commodities including ancillary repair, storage, wholesaling or office uses.

Tourism Attractions: a facility or complex, excluding a stadium, an arena, or a Retail Use, that must demonstrate by way of a business plan:

• its long-term financial viability without the need for ongoing municipal subsidy for its operations, and
• its need for financial incentives in order for its capital development to be viable, and
• either its potential to draw a minimum of 100,000 visitors annually and its potential to draw a minimum of 50,000 visitors from beyond 40 km; or
• its ability to support attracting incremental major events, conventions or meetings to Toronto and economic development priorities.

Uses

Broadcasting: radio, television and Internet broadcasting undertaken within studios and associated facilities but not including Major Film Studios.

Call Centre: an establishment primarily engaged in receiving and/or making telephone calls for others generally for the purpose of soliciting or providing information, product and service promotion, taking orders, and raising funds.

Computer Systems Design and Services: provision of expertise in the planning and design of computer systems and of other technical computer-related services.

Convergence Centres: a facility that must demonstrate by way of a business plan that it

• includes an intentional focus/mandate on cluster or sector development,
• provides programming for tenants focusing on business development, collaboration and networking,
• uses the majority of its space for companies within the specific cluster or sector,
• provides external stakeholder and/or public access to programming and/or space, and
• provides security of tenure for a cluster/sector development organization.

Film Studio Complex: premises used for producing motion pictures with a minimum GFA of 7,500 square metres; and in addition may include:

• uses accessory to the film studio(s),
• facilities and services for employees and users of the Film Studio Complex, and
• other uses associated with the operation of the film studio(s).

Food and Beverage Wholesaling: premises used for the sale of food and beverages to retailers or other businesses, but not including the sale of food and beverages directly to the public. No retail operations or warehouse clubs will be eligible for incentives, even if ancillary to the main use.

Incubators: a facility that must demonstrate by way of a business plan that it

• has a mandate for entrepreneurship development and job creation,
• provides start-up companies with a combination of a business address and physical space dedicated to business incubation,
• offers regular start-up business and professional development training, and
• provides comprehensive value-added programs and services that support entrepreneurial / small business growth including strategic partnerships and a service provider network.

Information Services and Data Processing: gathering, preparation, transformation, processing and dissemination of data, excluding call centres.

Office Building: a building in which at least 80 per cent of the ground floor area (GFA) is used for offices. With the exception of the Financial District, grants will be available for Office Buildings with a GFA equal to or greater than 5,000 square metres, or for office uses within a mixed-use building with a minimum contiguous GFA of 5,000 square meters.

Performing Arts: the organization, promotion, operation and presentation of live theatre and music and other performing arts within theatres and other arts facilities.

Scientific Research and Development: the conduct of original investigation, undertaken on a systematic basis to gain new knowledge (research) and the application of research findings or other scientific knowledge for the creation of new or significantly improved products or processes (experimental development), including use of laboratory facilities used exclusively for these purposes.

Software Development: designing, writing, modifying and testing software.

Transformative Project: a large development that must be approved by City Council as a Transformative Project and must demonstrate the following attributes by way of a business plan:

• a minimum investment of $1.5 billion
• a minimum of 200,000 square metres of net new space that will be constructed and occupied within 7 years,
• create a minimum of 3,000 net new jobs in the city of Toronto,
• be of superior architectural design that includes unique and exceptional attributes,
• its ability to act as an anchor within its district and stimulate collateral new investment,
• demonstrate a clear need for financial incentives in order for the development to be financially viable, verified by a qualified third-party satisfactory to the Chief Financial Officer of the City,
• must be linked to regional transit,
• the provision of significant amenities that are accessible to the public and will transform the nature of the area, and
• meet all the criteria for a standard IMIT application.

• Applications must be submitted prior to issuance of the first above grade building permit for the development.
• Eligible sector or use.
• The development must increase the amount of ground floor area (GFA) for Eligible Uses by at least 500 square metres or, in the case of office buildings, at least 5,000 square metres, including contiguous office uses within a mixed-use building.
• Eligible office space provided through an office replacement policy is not subject to a minimum size requirement.
• The property must not be in arrears of property taxes or other fees and charges.
• The owner must develop an employment plan to support local hiring and/or training (see more information above).
• If the estimated construction value exceeds $150,000,000, the application will require City Council approval.
• Construction must
  • conform to all City by-laws, policies, processes and permits (status to be confirmed annually),
  • demonstrate investment value of at least $3 million for eligible uses as evidenced on the main building permit,
  • meet minimum Tier 1 Toronto Green Standard, except that all office developments must conform, at a minimum, to the Tier 2 requirements, and
  • not be demolished or converted to an ineligible use over the term of the incentive.

• Applicant must be the owner of property or their designated agent.
• The applicant must agree to meet annual reporting requirements.

The program applies to the City of Toronto Community Improvement Project Area, which comprises all of the City of Toronto. For eligible development located within an Urban Growth Centre, identified on Map 2 of the Official Plan, excluding lands within the Downtown and Central Waterfront, enhanced grants will be provided equal to a maximum of 70 per cent of the Municipal Tax Increment over a 10-year period, or 77 per cent where combined with brownfield remediation tax assistance.

Focus Areas

For Focus Area A (King-Liberty SmartTrack Station Area) IMIT grants will be incrementally reduced between 2020 and 2028. For Focus Area B (Queen/Carlaw SmartTrack Station Area) IMIT grants will be incrementally reduced between 2023 and 2031.

For Focus Area A (King-Liberty SmartTrack Station Area), grant applications for sites with above grade building permits issued after December 31, 2028, will not be eligible for any portion of the grant. For Focus Area B (Queen/Carlaw SmartTrack Station Area), grant applications for sites with above grade building permits issued after December 31, 2031, will not be eligible for any portion of the grant.

See Appendix 3 of the Community Improvement Plan (1207-2018) for more information.

A program administration fee of 30 cents per square metre of IMIT eligible gross floor area will be charged starting with the 2019 payment year for all existing and new IMIT properties. The fee will be based on the eligible gross floor area of each approved development. This fee will apply to every year of the grant period. The fee is only applicable to eligible projects receiving a grant or a grant in combination with Brownfield Remediation Tax Assistance. Projects receiving Brownfield Remediation Tax Assistance only will not be subject to the fee. This administrative fee was approved by Council in 2018 and will enable the IMIT program administration to operate in a more efficient and responsive manner.

Eligible applicants may apply by contacting Program Manager Julia Rigato by email at incentives@toronto.ca or by phone at 416-392-0466 to discuss their proposed development.