| 146578 | REPORT | N | N | MAIN | ACTION | ADOPTED | N | Waterfront Dockwalls and Western Beaches Breakwaters Action Plan Update | 2026.EX31.4 | Y | Y | Y | Y | <p>The Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, the General Manager, Parks and Recreation, and the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management recommend that:</p>
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<p>Dockwall Resilience Program</p>
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<p>1. City Council increase the 2026-2035 Capital Budget and Plan for Corporate Real Estate Management by $6.780 million, with 2026 cash flow of $2.7 million and 2027 commitments of $4.080 million, fully funded by debt, to accelerate Dockwall Resilience Program led by CreateTO.</p>
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<p>2. City Council authorize the Director, Asset Management and Building Performance, Corporate Real Estate Management, in consultation with the Director, Waterfront Secretariat and the Director, Capital Projects Design and Delivery, Parks and Recreation, to negotiate and execute required delivery agreements and/or amendments for the Dock walls Resilience Program with CreateTO, Toronto Port Lands Company, Build Toronto Inc. or their respective subsidiary corporations on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Director, Asset Management and Building Performance, Corporate Real Estate Management and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.</p>
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<p>Western Beaches Breakwaters</p>
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<p>3. City Council direct the Director, Waterfront Secretariat, to prioritize the Western Beaches Breakwaters deflector arm repairs as a part of discussions with the Province of Ontario and the Government of Canada.</p>
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<p>Overall Work Program</p>
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<p>4. City Council direct the City Manager to continue to engage federal and provincial officials to advance dockwall ownership, responsibility, and funding discussions.</p>
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<p>5. City Council direct the Director, Waterfront Secretariat, in collaboration with the Director, Asset Management and Building Performance, Corporate Real Estate Management, the Director, Capital Projects Design and Delivery, Parks and Recreation, and the Vice President, Port Lands Asset Management, CreateTO, to report back in Q3 2027 on the overall Dockwall Resilience Program and the Western Beaches Breakwaters Action Plan.</p> | <p>Dockwalls have been identified as a priority asset due to their age, deteriorating condition, unclear ownership, and risks to public safety. The City’s dockwalls form a near‑continuous system extending from Scarborough to Etobicoke, encompassing over 50 kilometres of shoreline infrastructure, the majority of which was constructed 70 to 112 years ago and is at or beyond its intended service life.</p>
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<p>In response to this, City Council previously approved $1.5 million for the Dockwall Prioritization Study in the Waterfront Revitalization's 10-Year Capital Plan through the 2025 budget process. This included initial funding of $550,000 to advance the Dockwall Resiliency Program, as well as funding for urgent repairs to dockwalls as may be needed and identified including through the Resilience Plan.</p>
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<p>This report recommends an additional $2.7 million in 2026 and $4.080 million in cash flow commitments in 2027, for a total of $6.780 million, fully funded by debt, on an exceptional basis to Corporate Real Estate Management to further enable CreateTO to complete the Dockwall Resilience Program in an accelerated manner. This will enable further condition assessments and preliminary ownership verification for approximately 30 kilometres of priority dockwalls and is anticipated to conclude in 2027 with most critical segments in the central waterfront being completed in 2026. This work is crucial to inform future budgeting for state of good repair needs and intergovernmental engagement.</p>
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<p>In addition to dockwalls, the condition assessment for the Western Beaches Breakwaters has also identified a need to prioritize the repair of the "deflector arm" section, with an initial cost estimate of $2.16 million. Furthermore, preliminary analysis indicates that the full replacement of the Western Beaches breakwaters could cost up to $180 million. Final costs and ultimate responsibility for these items are subject to confirmation of ownership and further intergovernmental discussions.</p>
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<p>In addition to dockwalls and the breakwaters, this report also includes an update on the Eastern Gap Seawall. The Eastern Gap Seawall is a marine structure distinct from dockwalls and breakwaters. Ownership has been confirmed to rest with the Toronto Port Authority, and as such, there is no financial impact to the City associated with its rehabilitation or maintenance.</p>
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<p>The outcomes of the Resilience Program will be critical to refining cost estimates and informing future capital investment to address urgent capital repairs. These requirements are anticipated to exceed current planned expenditures in the 10-year Capital Budget and Plan, which as outlined in the 2025 Corporate Asset Management Plan, allocates approximately $2 million annually on average for dockwall state of good repair work across multiple Divisions, including Corporate Real Estate Management, Waterfront Revitalization, and Parks and Recreation. Future capital works have yet to be determined and budgeted, however it is important to note that the Corporate Asset Management plan estimates a replacement value of $1.2 billion for ~25 kilometres of dockwalls and breakwaters.</p>
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<p>A whole-of-government approach and intergovernmental funding support will be required given the complexity and scope of Toronto’s shoreside infrastructure. City staff will continue to advance engagement and discussions with other orders of government and will report back by Q3 2027 on the findings and outcomes following the engineering condition assessments. These findings will inform next steps, including stage-gating execution and phased investments for priority repair areas of the dockwalls, and will be considered within the capital prioritization framework as part of the future budget process.</p>
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<p>The Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer has reviewed this report and agrees with the information as presented in the Financial Impact Section.</p> | <p>Toronto’s waterfront infrastructure includes more than 37 kilometres of shoreline protection and marine structures, such as dockwalls, breakwaters, and revetments, many of which are approaching or over 100 years old. They serve critical functions including safeguarding vital waterfront areas and assets, providing stabilization for the shoreline and protecting the city from flooding and erosion, facilitating marine navigation including for industrial and recreational boating, and supporting vibrant public spaces along Toronto's waterfront.</p>
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<p>This report provides an update on matters related to Toronto's shoreside infrastructure, including the Dockwall Resilience Program, the Western Beaches Breakwaters Action Plan, and the Eastern Gap Seawall.</p>
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<p>Given the existing condition of dockwalls and breakwaters, and the known gaps in condition and ownership information, this report recommends a funding commitment of $6.78 million with 2026 cash flow of $2.7 million and 2027 commitments of $4.08 million on an exceptional basis to accelerate the Dockwall Resilience Program. The recommended funding is required to support the time-sensitive development of a state of good repair (SOGR) program for this major asset. As this shoreside infrastructure ages and declines, it presents increasing risks related to public safety, liability, and the continued use of the waterfront for economic, recreational and commercial purposes, making it essential for the City to take the first step in developing a clear understanding of current conditions to set priorities, estimate costs, and identify areas of risk for all governments.</p>
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<p>The report recommends this be included in the Corporate Real Estate Management (CREM) budget. CREM has been identified as the Divisional lead for the dockwall work, including leading CreateTO agreements. CREM is the appropriate lead to inform lifecycle planning and a capital investment strategy for this City-wide strategic asset, particularly given the complicated nature of dockwall ownership and management along the waterfront and recognition that not all ownership is confirmed. As outlined throughout this report, CREM will work collaboratively with the Waterfront Secretariat and Parks and Recreation on the delivery of this work.</p>
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<p>The work plan described in this report will inform capital prioritization, ultimately helping the City fully understand the pressure that this asset will place on the already constrained 10-year capital plan. It will also help advance discussions with other governments on roles and responsibilities for maintenance and long-term investment.</p>
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<p>Dockwall Resilience Program</p>
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<p>As directed by City Council, the Dockwall Resilience Program has been initiated on behalf of the City by CreateTO. The Dockwall Resilience Program will involve four phases including:</p>
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<p style="padding-left: 30px;">- Phase One: Background review and prioritization</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">- Phase Two: Engineering condition assessments, and subject to capital funding,</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">- Phase Three: Capital repairs</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">- Phase Four: Monitoring and maintenance.</p>
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<p>The recommendations in this report, if approved, will advance the first two phases of the Dockwall Resilience Program which will include the development of a consistent assessment and prioritization methodology for repair and renewal needs, a systematic review of dockwall title and ownership, and the integration of this information into a database to collate the information in one organized location. The first phase will also include ownership verification for all known dockwalls. This will clarify who owns which dockwalls and will support the City and its government partners in understanding the true extent of the shared infrastructure challenges. It has been long-established that the current and future state of Toronto's shoreline infrastructure is not just a municipal issue but also a matter of provincial and federal concern, whether through ownership, regulation and/or policy direction.</p>
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<p>An in-year adjustment to the 2026–2035 Capital Budget and Plan is recommended on an exceptional basis to allow work to begin and to ensure that preliminary findings are available to inform the City’s next 10‑year Capital Budget and Plan later this year. This work builds on an initial $550,000 allocation previously approved as part of the Waterfront Revitalization 10‑Year Capital Budget and Plan to support project start‑up activities in 2026.</p>
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<p>Western Beaches Breakwaters Action Plan</p>
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<p>The Western Beaches Breakwaters Action Plan relates to the in-water assets between Ontario Place and the Humber River, creating locations for recreational activities and beach shoreline protections. City staff, in consultation with Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), have been advancing short-term project specific discussions in a coordinated manner with other orders of government. Staff have also consulted with stakeholders and community members within the Western Beaches and initiated discussions with government partners on historical records review and ownership.</p>
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<p>A visual condition assessment, conducted by Baird Associates in 2026 has identified that over 60 percent of the Western Beaches Breakwaters system is in fair (20 percent) to poor (41 perecent) condition, with approximately 14 percent in serious condition requiring intervention within one to five years to maintain the asset. Zero (0) percent is in critical condition requiring immediate repairs. The assessment also identified priority repair areas and rough order of magnitude cost estimates to guide future discussions. System‑wide repairs are estimated at approximately $97 million, while full replacement of the 2,100 m breakwater system could cost up to $180 million, highlighting the necessity of a phased investment approach rooted in intergovernmental partnership.</p>
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<p>City staff have identified a need to prioritize discussions on the repair of the "deflector arm" section of the breakwater. The arm has failed and its rehabilitation is estimated to cost $2.16 million. As the ownership review of the entire Western Beaches Breakwaters is ongoing, it is recommended that City Council direct staff to prioritize the deflector arm repairs in discussions with other governments.</p>
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<p>Eastern Gap Seawall</p>
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<p>The Eastern Gap seawall plays a critical role in protecting the Inner Harbour, supporting marine operations adjacent Toronto Island lands, and is also experiencing advanced deterioration and material loss. Transport Canada has confirmed that the seawall is under the ownership of the Toronto Port Authority. Early discussions have begun with the Toronto Port Authority on the need for additional safety fencing and signage to warn residents and visitors of its condition, and future discussions will be needed to identify long-term rehabilitation solutions.</p>
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<p>Next Steps</p>
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<p>Staff will report back on the Dockwall Resilience Plan by Q3 2027 including an update on condition assessments and ownership reviews. This report will include an update on the Western Beaches Breakwaters Action Plan. Technical updates will also be provided via the Annual Corporate Asset Management Plan (i.e., state of good repair reporting). Additional reports may be brought forward to City Council on specific assets should further approvals be required.</p>
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<p>Ultimately the Dockwall Resilience Program, and its implementation as recommended to City Council, will allow for improved asset management, better capital budgeting and planning for state of good repair, and support a more comprehensive approach to discussions with government partners.</p>
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<p>Toronto's dockwalls and breakwaters are owned by many agencies/governments, address various local, provincial and national objectives, and will require a collaborative approach to rehabilitation. As this shoreside infrastructure ages and declines, it presents increasing risks related to public safety, liability, and the continued use of the waterfront for economic, recreational and commercial purposes, making it essential for the City to take the first step in developing a clear understanding of current conditions to set priorities, estimate costs, and identify areas of risk for all governments.</p> | 31 | 4 | CMMTTEE | EX | 3 - Etobicoke - Lakeshore, 4 - Parkdale - High Park, 10 - Spadina - Fort York, 14 - Toronto - Danforth, 19 - Beaches - East York, 20 - Scarborough Southwest, 24 - Scarborough - Guildwood, 25 - Scarborough - Rouge Park | N | 1779249600000 | … | Report | ACTION | Adopted | Main | Committee | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | Decision information not found | false | Adopted | … | … | … | … | — | — | — | — |