End-To-End Review of the Development Review Process Planning & Housing Committee September 17, 2019 End-To-End Review of the Development Review Process

RE: PH8.7

End-to-End Review of the Development Review Process Planning & Housing Committee September 17, 2019 End-to-end Review of the Development Review Process

Defining and championing City-building outcomes in partnership with other What is the divisions, external agencies, Council, the public, and applicants. Development Review Process? Operating the development review service to achieve our City-building objectives in an efficient and effective manner.

The City believes in continuous improvement to: Why did the • Ensure the development review process is efficient and effective; City perform • Enhance clarity, predictability and transparency to applicants and the the end-to-end public; review? • Above all else, continue producing good city-building results for Toronto’s residents, businesses and visitors

The end-to-end review focused on identifying how the City could improve the development review process, regardless of the current or future policy context that the City works within.

2 Development Review is Complex and Interdivisional

Toronto's development review process is distinctly complex and interdivisional in nature, involving up to 25 City divisions and entities and up to 30 potential external commenting partners.

City Clerk’s Ombudsman Auditor General City Council Office External Commenting Partners Integrity Lobbyist Registrar Legal Services Commissioner CreateTO City Manager Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) City Manager’s People & Equity Office Metrolinx Strategic & Toronto Office of Toronto Community Housing Indigenous Affairs Corporate Policy Partnerships Corporation (TCHC) Office Strategic Civic Innovation Toronto and Region Conservation Communications Office Authority

Infrastructure Ontario Community and Infrastructure and Finance & Treasury Corporate Services Social Services Development Services Services Waterfront Toronto Engineering & Information & Finance & Public Health Toronto Water Toronto District School Board Construction Services Technology Administration Seniors Services and 311 Toronto Financial Planning Toronto District Catholic School Board Housing Secretariat Municipal Licensing Long Term Care Transit Expansion Office & Standards Fleet Services Corporate Finance MonAvenir Parks, Forestry (French Catholic School Board) Children’s Services Policy, Planning, Environment & Energy Internal Audit & Recreation Transportation Services Finance & Admin. City Wide Real Estate Conseil scolaire Viamonde Shelter, Support & Controller Court Services Transformation (French Public School Board) Housing Administration Solid Waste Toronto Building Corporate Real Estate Accounting Services Economic Development Management Services Other Social Development, Management (CREM) & Culture Finance & Administration Pension, Payroll & Fire Services City Planning Business Management Employee Benefits Employment & Social Toronto Paramedic Services Services Office of Emergency Corporate Security Purchasing & Waterfront Secretariat Management Facilities Management Materials Mgmt. Project Management Revenue Services Divisions / entities that support Stakeholders Real Estate Services Legend development review

3 Importance of Process Stakeholder Engagement

The end-to-end review was led by an interdivisional working team consisting of the City’s major commenting partners.

Extensive development process stakeholder consultations were conducted to identify how the City can improve the development review process.

The review included 110 hours of stakeholder consultation with more than 150 stakeholders across the development review process, including:

• 40 industry representatives, including developers, nonprofits, urban planners, lawyers, design professionals and engineers

• 33 City of Toronto senior leaders (GMs, EDs, etc.)

• 37 City of Toronto managers

• 29 City of Toronto Councillors and the Mayor’s Office

• 10 external commenting partners

• Online industry survey

4 What are we trying to improve about the DRP?

Customer Improving the overall customer experience for applicants Experience

Accountability Creating greater accountability and ownership for the process across the City

Collaboration & Ensuring a culture of open collaboration and rigorous project management Project Management

Increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of identification, escalation and Issue Escalation resolution of issues within development applications;

Process Increasing the predictability and consistency across geographies and Standardization commenting partners across the City and external partners + Value-Adding Focusing staff capacity and expertise on value-adding work Process Efficiencies Meaningful reductions in application circulations and/or processing times

Improving the completeness and quality of applications submitted by Application Quality applicants

Technology & Enabling real-time data and analytics to manage the application pipeline and Information drive service planning

5 Recommendations

We will convert the City’s historic practices into a more proactive, transparent and accountable performance-based system that is anchored in project management, teamwork, governance, and modern technology platforms.

Recommendation Outcomes  Clear lines of accountability for end- Interdivisional Forming interdivisional teams that will be to-end process and individual Development Review accountable for developing a cohesive City applications Teams position on each application  Regular and sustained communication

 Enhanced resource and application Enabling staff with project management tools, management across districts Project Management training and technology  Improved consistency across districts, staff and applications

Establishing a standing forum for City divisions and  Formalized conflict resolution at each Interdivisional external partners to identify, escalate and resolve level of the process Governance Structure application issues in a timely manner

Assigning priority applications to enhanced,  Identify and prioritize applications Applications of experienced teams with increased management  Enhanced expertise on significant City-wide Significance oversight from senior City staff applications

6 Recommendations

Recommendation Outcomes

Appointing a lead to direct the multi-year, Business  End-to-end view of process, interdivisional effort to improve the City's development Transformation Lead performance and application volume review process and manage performance

Implementing process-specific improvements to:  Enhanced application quality • Improve the customer experience for applicants Continuous  Enhanced customer service and • Shift the culture towards open collaboration Improvements predictability • Incorporate project management tools and mindset  amongst applicants and City staff Reduced application timelines

Dedicated Units for Pursuing opportunities to centralize certain Repeatable / Specialized specialized and/or repeatable tasks into dedicated,  Increased pipeline and staff capacity Tasks specialized units

 Reduced administrative burden on Continuing to modernize the City’s technology and front-line staff Technology information systems  Improved pipeline and application tracking for staff and applicants

7 Process vs Policy Context

While the recommendations will improve the process, there are provincial, municipal and applicant issues that are not the focus of this review.

Yes Somewhat No

 Internal and external collaboration o Application quality × Provincial legislation (i.e. Planning Act, Growth Plan and  Project management Quality of applicant’s consultants o Provincial Policy Statement) and technical reports  Process standardization × Applications not aligned with Applicants use of the Pre-  Issue identification, escalation and o City’s policies such as the Application Consultation resolution Official Plan and urban design Time taken for the applicant to guidelines  Work and resource allocation o respond to City comments × Applications not aligned with  Customer service o Decisions of Council provincial policies such as the  Performance management Growth Plan and Provincial Policy Statement  End-to-end oversight and accountability  Support for applications of City-wide significance  Roadmap for modernized technology platform and tools

8 Next Steps

Create a dedicated Implementation Team led by the Director of Business Transformation • Will lead the multi-year, interdivisional effort to transform the City's development review process, and the management structures and practices in place to support the process

The administrative, interdivisional changes to the development review process are intended to be implemented in phases over the next two (2) years • Hiring of the Implementation Team is currently underway

Establish End to End Implementation Implementation Review Team

Establish Working Groups to Support Implementation

Development review is a shared, collaborative endeavour. Realizing transformational outcomes and service improvement will require effort from all stakeholders – working together.