Request for a Minister’s Zoning Order for a long-term care facility in the City of Toronto

An MZO, made pursuant to clause 47(1)(a) of the Planning Act, regulates the use of land and the erection, location and use of any building or structure on the land, and prevails over the existing municipal zoning by-law to the extent there is any conflict.

The Minister is considering requests from the Minister of Long-Term Care and City of Toronto Council to make an enhanced MZO for the lands at 4000 Leslie Street in the City of Toronto. The site is approximately 0.82 hectares in size and is located on the west of Leslie Street, north of Esther Shiner Boulevard, east of Old Leslie Street, and south of Sheppard Avenue. See link to location map below.

The site is currently occupied by existing surface parking. The subject lands are currently designated in the City of Toronto’s official plan as Mixed Use and zoned R3 (One-Family Detached Dwelling Third Density Zone) and M2 (Industrial Zone Two) under the former City of North York By-law No. 7625.

The requested MZO seeks to permit a new long-term care facility integrating the 192 beds from North York General Hospital’s existing long-term facility at 2 Buchan Court and 336 new beds (for a total of 528 beds), as well as retail, medical office, and clinic space.

Specifically, the requested MZO seeks to apply the City of Toronto’s Zoning By-law 569-2013 to the subject lands and permit the following uses:

• long-term care facility up to 69 metres in height, and a maximum of 528 LTC beds
• medical office, clinic and retail spaces on the ground floor and second floor
• outdoor amenity space in the form of courtyards and supportive ancillary space of nursing spaces, personal care rooms, and lounge areas

The requested MZO also proposes exceptions to the requirements of the City of Toronto’s Zoning By-law 569-2013 including setbacks, maximum gross floor area of the long-term care facility (68,500 square metres), gross floor area of the above-ground parking (25,000 square metres) and vehicular parking spaces.

The Minister of Long-Term Care requested the Minister to use his enhanced authorities pursuant to clauses 47(4.3) (a) and (b) of the Planning Act to remove use of site plan control and require the landowner enter into one or more agreements with the City of Toronto dealing with matters listed in subsection 47(4.3) of the Act on the subject lands. The request also seeks an exemption from the application of provincial and local land use policies to downstream approvals.

This zoning order was requested to expedite approvals for the proposal as it supports the provincial priority of providing more long-term care beds.

To help ensure decisions are made in a transparent manner and support government priorities, the Ministry is seeking feedback on whether this request should be considered and any additional information that may help inform a decision. In particular, any potential environmental risks, financial impacts on the municipality or implications for other approved developments and how these can be mitigated.