When the City buys and builds, the Community Benefits Framework helps to maximize economic and community-building opportunities for local residents and Indigenous, Black and equity-deserving groups. City agreements with vendors, developers and contractors can sometimes include conditions related to equity-focused employment and training opportunities, doing business with local and diverse suppliers, and other local community-identified priorities.
The Community Benefits Framework refers to community benefits that are separate and distinct from community benefits charges (CBC’s), or Section 37 of the Ontario Planning Act.
The Community Benefits Framework supports commitments in the City’s:
The City works in partnership with community and private sector partners, as well as employment service providers and other non-profit organizations, to shape and support the Community Benefits Framework’s continued growth and impact.
Community Benefits Framework Infographic | Community Benefits Framework Infographic Accessible PDF
Through community benefits, the FIFA World Cup 26™ offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create and share lasting positive social and economic impacts for residents, communities, and neighborhoods across Toronto.
The FIFA World Cup 26™ Community Benefits Plan includes:
Quarterly update reports to FIFA Sub-Committee can be found here
| Initiative | Community Benefits Overview |
|---|---|
| Community Development Plans | Community Development Plans may include principles of inclusive economic development that may create community benefits opportunities such as local workforce development and local and diverse procurement. |
|
Economic Development & Growth in Employment (EDGE) Incentive Program |
EDGE supports new construction or major renovation of buildings in targeted employment sectors by providing tax increment equivalent grants. EDGE grant agreements include a community workforce development requirement. |
| FIFA World Cup 26™ Community Benefits Plan | The FIFA World Cup 26™ Community Benefits Plan includes:
|
| Rexdale Community Benefits Agreement | The Rexdale Community Benefits Agreement was established in 2018 with One Toronto Gaming. It includes local hiring, social procurement, childcare, responsible gambling and community access to space. |
| Social Procurement Program | Uses the City's purchasing power to:
|
| Toronto Builds (City-led housing development) | The Toronto Builds Policy Framework was established in 2025 to guide the City’s commitments when advancing the development of affordable and rental homes on public land. Through the framework’s implementation, community benefits clauses can be included in lease agreements when public land is leased. |
| Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) Revitalization Projects | TCHC Revitalization Projects prioritize providing jobs and scholarships for TCHC tenants as part of the revitalization of TCHC properties. |
The Community Benefits Framework follows guiding principles and best practices to ensure Toronto’s Indigenous, Black and equity-deserving communities are connected with workforce development pathways and business opportunities, when the City buys and builds.
The use of community benefits hard targets is important to ensure accountability. A hard target is a measurable goal completed within a set time. These could include targets for local hiring, social procurement, or training opportunities. The Rexdale-Casino Woodbine Community Benefits Agreement includes a target that 40 per cent of hires are local residents or people from Indigenous, Black or other equity-deserving communities.
The community benefits terms and conditions included in City of Toronto agreements should be passed on to project subcontractors. All project partners such as the general contractor, construction manager, or subcontractors, should be aware of community benefits requirements and obligations.
Tracking progress through regularly scheduled meetings ensures parties are on track to meeting targets and held accountable to community benefits goals and obligations.
For City of Toronto projects, a Workforce Intermediary is a City staff who:
Tools, templates and resources are necessary to support the implementation and monitoring of community benefits initiatives. They may include:
The inclusion of community benefits clauses takes into consideration a number of factors, including the relevant City policy or program, type of City agreement to enforce compliance and community-driven, place-based priorities.
The Community Benefits Framework is intended to provide guidance on ways to integrate community benefits opportunities like employment and training and local and diverse procurement, into City of Toronto policies, programs and initiatives.
Community benefits clauses are conditions that may be included in agreements between the City and vendors, developers and contractors, that would lay out requirements related to:
Community benefits clauses set definitions (for example, “local hire”), timelines and measurable targets for employment and training. Community benefits clauses help to set expectations and hold all parties accountable.
The City communicates and engages with key partners in the Community Benefits Advisory Group (CBAG) on various community benefits issues and topics. The Community Benefits Advisory Group includes:
CBAG meeting minutes available upon request, see unit contact.