The City’s application review process for the development proposal at 1025 The Queensway is now complete. The Etobicoke York Community Council (five Councillors who represent the Etobicoke York wards) voted to approve this application on June 4, 2025, and City Council will vote on this item at the meeting on June 25–26, 2025.

Development Review submitted a report recommending approval of the application with Holding Provisions placed in this site’s zoning bylaw. These Holding Provisions act as checkpoints for the project, giving City staff opportunities throughout the project to review progress, ensure that specific conditions have been met, and pause the project until they are.

When reviewing this site, my key priorities were:

• Transportation – How does this development proposal impact the transportation network in the area? Can our existing road network and public transit service support the demand from this development?
• Retail, Services, and Amenities – How does this development support a vibrant community through space for retail, services, and amenities? (For example, our shared desire to keep our local Cineplex open.)
• Parkland – Is the outdoor greenspace enough to support the growing population on The Queensway? Is it high quality, and does it provide opportunities for healthy, active lifestyles?
• Affordable Housing – How much affordable housing is secured with this development, and what type?

The applicant has submitted a revised proposal.

This development application has changed since its original submission. In January 2025, the applicant submitted a revised proposal to address feedback they’ve received to date. This includes the questions and concerns we heard at the Community Consultation Meeting on July 15, 2024 and the comments you shared by phone and email with my office and Development Review staff.

Changes to the proposal include:

City staff have recommended Holding Provisions for this application – what are they and how will they work?

Holding Provisions (also called Holding Symbols) are a planning tool that stop development from moving forward until specific defined conditions are met. This means the property owner will need to submit proof to Development Review staff, which gives the City additional checkpoints to ensure all is going according to plan. If staff are satisfied that the required conditions have been met, they will lift the hold so the development can proceed.

City staff recommend approving the application with 8 Holding Provisions, one on each of the “development blocks” identified in Table 1 of the report. The applicant will be required to satisfy several conditions, summarized below, to the satisfaction of the City before Holds will be lifted and the next stage of development can proceed. The full details of the Holding Provisions are outlined in the Draft Zoning By-law. 

The Holding Provision conditions will relate to:

• Housing – The applicant will be required to submit a Housing Issues Report that outlines how the affordable housing requirements will be met at each stage of residential development. This will not be required for blocks that do not contain residential development.
• Servicing – The applicant must submit a revised Functional Servicing and Stormwater Management Report to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction.
• Transportation – The applicant will be required to submit updated Transportation Impact Studies and Transportation Demand Management and Mobility and Monitoring Plan, providing a stage gate where staff can review how transportation conditions have changed with time and development completed to date. The TDM will consider, but not be limited to:
  • Monitoring travel characteristics of the site area as development progresses over time.
  • Measuring against the travel objectives for site and other overarching policy objectives of the Official Plan and Provincial Planning Statement.
  • Informing transportation studies and TDM securities for subsequent development phases.
  • Informing decision making for subsequent development stages.

More information on Transportation Impact Studies and Transportation Demand Management Plans can be found here. Refer to the Transportation Impact Study section and its sub-section 6a. 

If it is determined that improvements or upgrades to transportation or other municipal infrastructure are needed to support this development, the applicant will be required to work with the City to satisfy these issues before proceeding with the development. Typically the cost of those improvements is the responsibility of the applicant.

The decision to lift a Holding Provision from a zoning by-law is not subject to vote/approval by City Council, but is under delegated authority to City staff. Nevertheless, I will work with the appropriate City Departments to make sure these reviews are conducted thoroughly.

How are my key priorities reflected in this new proposal?

Transportation

City staff have reviewed the impact of this development on the transportation network and have considered it during their evaluation of the application. The applicant also included a revised Transportation Impact Study as part of their resubmission. Staff are satisfied that the new public streets and vehicular accesses are organized effectively to minimize their impact on the public realm. 

However, there are clearly some remaining concerns related to overall transportation impacts from this development, as staff have recommended Holding Provisions (described above) to ensure that traffic impacts are monitored as development progresses. These will provide checkpoints to assess existing conditions and impact of the next phase of development, prior to allowing the next stage to move forward.

Retail, Services, & Amenities

I share the community’s desire and passion to keep the Cineplex open. I have strongly advocated for this to City staff and directly to the property owner.

This site is subject to Site & Area Specific Policy (SASP) 432 in Toronto’s Official Plan. A SASP is a planning tool that applies only to a particular property or group of properties, setting out unique guidelines or permissions that differ from broader city-wide policies. In this case, the SASP was established through a settlement between City Council and the land owner in 2022, as part of an Ontario Land Tribunal appeal process.

SASP 432 requires that a “minimum of 2,500 square metres of non-residential gross floor area will be provided” with development of this site. The applicant is meeting and exceeding this requirement, proposing 2,893 square metres of non-residential space.

Unfortunately, this means that the revised development proposal does not include a space that could accommodate the existing Cineplex. The total floor area of the existing Cineplex is over 9,000 square metres. Because the applicant is already exceeding the minimum requirement of SASP 432, the City has no grounds to require the applicant to retain the Cineplex in their proposal – and doing so would not hold up to a legal challenge.

While I had hoped to find a solution that integrated a space for the Cineplex into the future development, we do not have any leverage under the Planning Act to mandate this, and the applicant has been firm that they cannot accommodate this request.

However, this is a 2 phase development and the phasing plan has been established with consideration for providing conditions where the Cineplex can remain operating through the entirety of Phase 1, meaning it can stay in place and open for many years to come. The applicant has stated that they want the Cineplex to continue operating as long as reasonably possible.

A 929 square metre non-profit licensed child care facility, with 344 square metres of adjacently located outdoor space, will be constructed, finished, and conveyed to the City as a Community Benefit contribution. This contribution will make up 100% of the Community Benefit Charge for the entire development, as permitted by the province. As a result, the facility will be delivered later in the development phases, with the City securing letters of credit for 20% of the estimated child care facility costs prior to the release of Building Permits for the first, third, and fifth building permits as a security. The child care facility must be constructed prior to the issuance of a Building Permit for the tenth building, at which point the City will release the letters of credit.

Parkland

The Ontario Planning Act defines the amount of parkland that municipalities can require as a condition of redevelopment. For this site a parkland dedication of 4,265 square metres is required and 4,285.5 square metres is being provided, slightly exceeding the requirement. Staff have worked with the applicant on tower locations, step backs, and separation distances to maximize sunlight in the park.

Affordable Housing

SASP 432 includes a requirement for affordable housing with any residential development on this site and would be provided in addition to the required Community Benefits Contribution. The rate at which affordable housing will be delivered will depend on if the developer builds rental housing (5% affordable housing required, or approximately 204 units) or condos (7% affordable housing required, or approximately 285 units). The City of Toronto uses an income based definition for affordable housing. The affordable housing must be the same proportionate unit mix, similar size, and be delivered at the same pace as the market units. Affordable units will be secured at affordable rents or affordable ownership prices for a period of 99 years.

What’s next?

I supported the staff recommendations to approve this application on June 4th at Community Council. City Council will vote on this item at the meeting on June 25–26.

Despite the apprehension towards the level of growth and significant change it represents for the community, the process has been collaborative, respectful and in keeping with the City and Official Plan stated goals for growth and development. Holding Provisions are also being used effectively to monitor conditions, control the pace of development, and provide opportunities to pause until further infrastructure improvements are implemented, if necessary.

I trust the details above, along with the additional pieces of work highlighted, help everyone appreciate the care and attention my office and I approach each file with, aiming to support the best possible outcome for our neighbourhoods. 

If you would like to weigh in on this application, your participation is welcome.

You can submit written comments by email to [email protected] before the City Council meeting on June 25. Please include the agenda item name “EY23.4 - 1025 The Queensway - Zoning By-law Amendment Application - Decision Report - Approval” with your submission.

Learn more about Council and deputations at Toronto.ca/Council. If you need support from our office, please reach out by phone (416-397-9273) or email ([email protected]).