Toronto Transit Commission / City of

ETOBICOKE-FINCH WEST TRANSIT TRANSIT PROJECT ASSESSMENT ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT REPORT

ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT REPORT MARCH 2010

Delcan Corporation FINAL REPORT

Toronto Transit Commission / City of Toronto Etobicoke-Finch West Light Rail Transit Transit Project Assessment Environmental Project Report

Table of Contents 4. PREFERRED PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION ...... 4-1 4.1 Toronto Environmental Plan ...... 4-1 1. INTRODUCTION AND STUDY PROCESS ...... 1-1 4.2 Environmental Benefits of LRT ...... 4-1 1.1 Study Purpose ...... 1-1 4.3 Transportation Impacts ...... 4-2 1.2 Study Area ...... 1-1 4.3.1 Transit Impacts 4-2 1.3 The Transit Project Assessment Process (2008) ...... 1-2 4.3.2 Traffic Impacts 4-2 1.3.1 Environmental Project Report 1-3 4.4 Natural Environment ...... 4-3 1.3.2 Transit Project Assessment Approvals 1-3 4.4.1 Vegetation and Vegetation Communities 4-3 1.3.3 Finch West LRT Pre-Planning Activities 1-3 4.4.2 Aquatic Habitat and Communities 4-3 1.4 Study Organization ...... 1-4 4.4.3 Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat 4-4 4.4.4 Designated Natural Areas 4-5 1.5 Background and Context ...... 1-4 4.4.5 Geotechnology 4-5 1.5.1 Provincial Planning Policies 1-4 4.4.6 Contaminated Soils 4-7 1.5.2 City of Toronto Planning Policies 1-5 4.4.7 Stormwater 4-7 1.5.3 TTC Policies 1-10 4.4.8 Air Quality 4-7 1.5.4 AdditIonal related Studies 1-11 4.5 Socio-Economic Environment ...... 4-7 2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION ...... 2-1 4.5.1 Land Use 4-7 2.1 Background Studies ...... 2-1 4.5.2 Noise and Vibration 4-8 2.1.1 Technology Selection 2-1 4.5.3 Property 4-9 2.2 Design Criteria ...... 2-4 4.5.4 Economic Impacts 4-10 2.2.1 Transit Elements 2-4 4.6 Cultural Environment Impacts ...... 4-10 2.2.2 Road Elements 2-4 4.6.1 Archaeology 4-10 2.2.3 Urban Design 2-5 4.6.2 Cultural Heritage 4-11 2.2.4 Typical Cross Sections 2-5 4.7 Summary of Preferred Project Net Effects ...... 4-11 2.2.5 Stop Spacing 2-10 5. FUTURE COMMITMENTS ...... 5-1 2.2.6 Stop Locations 2-10 5.1 Property Acquisition ...... 5-1 2.3 Development of Preferred Design ...... 2-10 2.3.1 Rapid Transit Interfaces 2-10 5.2 During Design ...... 5-1 2.3.2 Highway 400 Crossing between Jane Street and 2-16 5.3 During Construction ...... 5-2 2.3.3 Humber College terminus 2-18 5.4 During Operation ...... 5-2 2.4 Preferred Design...... 2-20 5.5 On-Going Consultation ...... 5-2 2.4.1 Track Alignment 2-20 5.6 Utility Co-ordination ...... 5-2 2.4.2 Rapid Transit Interface 2-20 6. PERMITS AND APPROVALS ...... 6-1 2.4.3 LRT Stops and Stations 2-27 6.1 Federal Environmental Assessment (CEAA) ...... 6-1 2.4.4 Structures 2-29 7. CONSULTATION PROCESS ...... 1 2.4.5 Special Trackwork 2-29 7.1 External Agencies ...... 1 2.5 Electrical Substations ...... 2-29 7.1.1 Method of Consultation 1 2.6 Property Requirements ...... 2-29 7.1.2 Summary of Comments 1 2.7 Funding ...... 2-30 7.2 General Public ...... 10 3. EXISTING AND FUTURE CONDITIONS ...... 3-1 7.2.1 Methods of Consultation 11 3.1 Existing Conditions ...... 3-1 7.2.2 Summary of comments 12 3.1.1 Transportation 3-1 7.3 Aboriginal Communities ...... 13 3.1.2 Natural Environment 3-3 7.3.1 Method of Consultation 13 3.1.3 Socio-Economic Environment 3-9 7.3.2 Summary of Comments 13 3.1.4 Noise and Vibration 3-10 7.3.3 Commitments 13 3.1.5 Cultural Environment 3-11 7.4 Public Review Period/Notice of Completion ...... 13 3.2 Future Conditions ...... 3-14 7.5 Project Approval – TTC/City ...... 13 3.2.1 Transportation 3-14 7.6 Statement of Completion ...... 14 3.2.2 Natural Environment 3-15 8. CONCLUSION ...... 8-1

3.2.3 Socio-Economic Environment 3-15

3.2.4 Cultural Environment 3-16

Delcan Corporation FINAL REPORT

Toronto Transit Commission / City of Toronto Etobicoke-Finch West Light Rail Transit Transit Project Assessment Environmental Project Report

LIST OF EXHIBITS 3-13 CFIA Asian Longhorned Beetle Regulated Area………………………………………………………...3-8 1-1 Study Area ...... 1-1 3-14 Predicted Existing Daytime and Nighttime Traffic Noise Levels ...... 3-10 1-2 Transit Project Assessment Process ...... 1-2 3-15 Registered Archaeological Sites within Two Kilometres of the Study Area ...... 3-11 1-3 Higher Order Transit Corridors – Map 4 City of Toronto Official Plan ...... 1-6 3-16 Identified Built Heritage Resources (BHR) and Cultural Heritage Landscapes (CHL) within the Study Area..3-11 1-4 Surface Transit Priority Network – Map 5 City of Toronto Official Plan ...... 1-7 3-17 Elia Episcopal Church and Cemetery ...... 3-12 1-5 Land Use Plan ...... 1-8 3-18 Shadowbrook, St. Bernard’s Convent ...... 3-12 1-6 Possible Official Plan Amendment for Portion of Etobicoke-Finch West Study Area ...... 1-10 3-19 Arthur Edward Waine House ...... 3-12 1-7 Toronto Light Rail Plan ...... 1-11 3-20 Open Window Bakery ...... 3-13 2-1 Transit Forecast Demand and Technology Requirements ...... 2-2 3-21 5600 Yonge Street (originally a bank or utility building) ...... 3-13 2-2 Examples of LRT Vehicles ...... 2-3 3-22 Contaminated Risk Rating Criteria ...... 3-13 2-3 LRT Design Criteria ...... 2-4 3-23 Summary of Sites for Potential to Contribute to Environmental Contamination ...... 3-14 2-4 Road Design Criteria ...... 2-5 3-24 2001 to 2031 Population Growth (City Planning Division, City of Toronto, 2002) ...... 3-15 2-5 Typical Midblock Cross Section – 36m ...... 2-6 3-25 2001 to 2031 Employment Growth (City Planning Division, City of Toronto, 2002) ...... 3-15 2-6 Typical Midblock Cross Section – 42m ...... 2-7 4-1 Summary of Preferred Project Net Effects ...... 4-12 2-7 Typical Intersection Cross Section (Side Platform) ...... 2-8 7-1 Review Agencies ...... 7-1 2-8 Typical Intersection Cross Section (Centre Platform)...... 2-9 7-2 TRCA Comments and Responses ...... 7-2 2-9 Etobicoke-Finch West Yonge Station Alternative Evaluation Process ...... 2-11 7-3 MOE Comments and Responses ...... 7-3 2-10 Option S1: Centre Station Platform on Surface ...... 2-12 7-4 Main Points of Contact ...... 7-10 2-11 Option S2: Station Platform on Yonge Street, North of ...... 2-12 7-5 Additional Public Presentations ...... 7-12 2-12 Option S3: Single Track Loop ...... 2-13 7-6 Summary of Comments ...... 7-12 2-13 Underground Option ...... 2-13 2-14 Evaluation Matrix for Yonge and Finch Station ...... 2-14 LIST OF APPENDICES 2-15 Option 1: Surface Option, Finch West Station at Keele ...... 2-14 2-16 Option 2: Keele Underground Station ...... 2-15 Appendix A Finch West Feasibility Report 2-17 Evaluation Matrix for Keele and Finch Intersection ...... 2-15 2-18 Highway 400 Segment Road Modifications ...... 2-17 Appendix B Natural Environment Report 2-19 Alternative Alignments at Humber College ...... 2-18 Appendix B.1 Photographic Record 2-20 Evaluation of Alternative Alignments at Humber College ...... 2-19 Appendix B.2 Vegetation Species Listing 2-21 Yonge Subway Interface ...... 2-20 Appendix B.3 Natural Environment Consultation Record 2-22 Yonge Subway Terminus ...... 2-21 2-23 Plan View and Cross Section of Underground Solution at Finch Station ...... 2-21 Appendix C Existing and Future Traffic Operations 2-24 Spadina Subway Extension Station at Keele Street ...... 2-22 2-25 Plan View and Cross Section of Underground Solution at Finch West Station ...... 2-23 Appendix D Microsimulation Traffic Modeling Report 2-26 Jane LRT Crossing ...... 2-24 2-27 Preferred Humber Alignment ...... 2-24 Appendix E Preliminary Property Requirements 2-28 Highway 400 Interchanges Study Area Proposed Refinements ...... 2-26 2-29 Stop Location and Type of Platform ...... 2-27 Appendix F Noise and Vibration Study 2-30 Proposed Stop Locations ...... 2-28 2-31 Property Requirements ...... 2-30 Appendix G Stage 1 Archaeological Assessment 2-32 Map Plates ...... 2-31 3-1 TTC Route Summary ...... 3-1 Appendix H Cultural Heritage Assessment 3-2 Finch Avenue West Peak Hour Intersection Approaches at Capacity ...... 3-2 3-3 Existing TTC Bus Routes ...... 3-3 Appendix I Geotechnical Report 3-4 ELC Vegetation Communities within the Study Limits (TRCA) ...... 3-4 3-5 Humber River, Downstream Side of Islington Bridge, south of Finch Ave...... 3-4 Appendix J Contaminated Sites Assessment 3-6 Don River Valley, South Side of Finch Ave...... 3-4 3-7 Summary of Existing Aquatic Resources within the Project Area ...... 3-5 Appendix K Structural Review 3-8 West Don River, South Side of Finch Ave...... 3-6 3-9 Dufferin Creek, South Side of Finch Ave...... 3-6 Appendix L TTC Traction Power Study 3-10 Tributary, South Side of Finch Ave...... 3-6 3-11 Humber River, Upstream of Islington Bridge Looking West, North of Finch Ave...... 3-7 Appendix M Consultation Record 3-12 Summary of Wildlife Habitat within the Right-of-Way ...... 3-7