Update – Cirque du Soleil in South Etobicoke
Residents in the Humber Bay Shores area have reached out to my office to share their experiences and concerns with the traffic congestion, noise, and light pollution caused by Cirque du Soleil’s installation on the former Mr. Christie site. As First Capital REIT has signed a four-year lease with Cirque du Soleil, I am committed to working collaboratively with residents, City staff, and Cirque du Soleil to address these concerns.
Cirque’s Committee of Adjustments (CoA) application was considered on April 27th, in which they requested permission to increase the number of permitted parking spaces, the permitted height of the tent, and the number of vehicle accesses to the site.
In preparation for this hearing, my team and I met with Transportation Services and Toronto Police Traffic Services staff to identify strategies to alleviate traffic impacts residents were already experiencing. My staff attended the April 27th CoA hearing on my behalf and shared my recommendations to improve site access control, including increased traffic ambassadors onsite, clearer signage and wayfinding, Paid Duty Officers at all entrances, and a submission of a revised Transportation Master Plan.
The CoA granted Cirque permission to Cirque du Soleil until June 30, 2024, on the condition that they meet our recommendation to submit a revised Transportation Master Plan and revised set of architectural drawings that addresses issues of site access control and site circulation to the satisfaction of Transportation Services. Subsequently, Cirque has filed an appeal with the Toronto Local Appeal Body (TLAB) to extend the permission to October 30, 2024 to accommodate their second season. All related documents can be found on the City’s Application Information Centre here.
Shortly after the CoA hearing, I visited the site to meet with Cirque staff directly to further discuss residents’ concerns. Since performances began, they have reduced the volume of the show, and agreed to reduce the use of sound during rehearsals. They advised me that the lighting is necessary as a security measure, and I will continue to work with them to identify how the overnight lighting can balance security and the comfort of neighbouring buildings.
Arts and cultural events are critical to the vibrancy of our city. The arts sector helps drive our local economy, and brings tangible positive impacts to Ward 3. Cirque du Soleil is committed to being a good neighbour and has taken welcome steps to mitigate neighbourhood concerns. My office is committed to remaining engaged to ensure that existing traffic challenges and other concerns are understood and consistently addressed.
