1. HEMSON The Nature of Employment Land Urban Studies Program, Innis College University of Toronto Antony Lorius February 8th, 2011

2. Background and Introduction Hemson Consulting works primarily for the public sector Planning for employment land is a primary area of expertise Many studies undertaken as part of Growth Plan conformity

3. Topics for today: What is employment land? Employment land in the Growth Plan context The density issue Key challenges 3

4. What is Employment Land? One of three land use planning-based employment types Employment Land (ELE) Major Office Population-related Defined as land occupied by industrial-type buildings Distinct from notion of “Employment Areas” 4

5. Distinction between employment by type and by area is important 5

6. Employment Land Is Strongly Oriented to the Transportation Network 404 Whitby-Oshawa 400 Caledon Markham Pickering-Ajax Vaughan 407 407 401 401 427 427 410 410 Toronto Toronto LBPIA Brampton Georgetown 401 401 Guelph Mississauga Mississauga Approximate Extent of Developed Urban Area Milton QEW 403 403 QEW Developed & Developing Employment Areas 407 407 Waterloo Major Office Development In Employment Areas International Airports Intermodal Yards Oakville Kitchener 401 Cambridge Burlington Hamilton 403 Woodstock Brantford Source: Hemson Consulting Ltd. NTS

7. Toronto Is Also Part of a System of Major North American Trade Corridors Sault Ste. Marie Montreal Ottawa River Georgian Bay St. Lawrence River ONTARIO Lake Huron I-87 401 Toronto I-75 Lake Ontario U.S.A. Hamilton Rochester I-90 Lake Michigan Albany Buffalo Sarnia I-69 U.S.A. Detroit US 219 I-94 Chicago Lake Erie I-90 and I-87 Proposed NAFTA “Super-Highway” connecting Toronto to Atlanta and Miami I-90 Toledo US 219 Proposed NAFTA “Super-Highway” connecting Toronto to Atlanta and Miami I-79 I-75 I-94 Chicago and upper midwest. Western Canada and USA I-77 I-77 and I-79 Pittsburgh and Ohio Manufacturing centres and points south I-75 and I-69 Auto and Manufacturing Corridors: Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama. Connections to Mexican manufacturing centres via Ciudad Juarez and Nuevo Laredo NTS Source: Hemson Consulting Ltd.

8. Employment Structure Continues to Evolve

9. Declines in Manufacturing Employment Do Not Necessarily Mean Less Land Need

10. Manufacturing is Not The Only Economic Activity on Employment Land

11. GTA Economy Remains Highly Oriented to Industrial Space

12. From a strategic planning perspective, Employment land is important Long-term economic outlook remains positive Employment land is required to accommodate economic growth Nature of industry seems to be changing more than built space requirements

13. Muskoka Halliburton GEORGIAN BAY Hastings Peterborough Kawartha Lakes Simcoe Grey Northumberland Dufferin Durham York Wellington Peel Toronto LAKE ONTARIO Halton Perth Waterloo Hamilton Brant Oxford Niagara GTAH Outer Ring Haldimand Norfolk NTS Employment land in a Growth Plan context By 2031, 11.5 million people 5.6 million jobs Good planning principles

14. Promoting Economic Vitality is a key element of the Growth Plan Ensure availability of sufficient land for employment (Section 2.2.1) Protect and preserve Employment Areas (Section 2.2.6) Minimize conversion of employment land to non-employment use (Section 2.2.6)

15. “Value Gap” Is the Main Factor Driving Pressure for Conversion Land supply is highly restricted Residential or retail is worth more than employment land in most cases Potential to achieve increased value creates a strong incentive for conversion

17. Paved parking lot

18. Site Area – 33,368 square feet

19. Official Plan – Mixed Use Area

20. Zoning Description – Commercial Residential, height limit 22 storeys and 7.8 times density

22. 2 Towers, 41 & 38 storeys, 633 units and 531 parking stalls (Murano Condominiums)

25. 3 old houses, 6,500 s.f. fruit market and garden centre

26. Site Area – 96,703 square feet

27. Zoning Description – R-02 (allowing detached houses)

31. Vacant industrial building of 52,140 square feet

32. Site Area – 537,966 square feet

33. Zoning Description – EMP (Employment)

37. Retail Plaza of 7,700 square feet with 4 stores

38. Site Area – 10,127 square feet

39. Official Plan – Mixed Use Areas

40. Zoning Description – Commercial / Residential permitting 2.5 times density

42. 16 storey condominium, 282 units, with retail uses at grade & 3 levels of underground parking (259 spaces)

44. % Value Increase - 93%* Note: GFA based on larger land assembly of 46,016 square feet inc. 775 King Street West

46. Two vacant office buildings and parking lot

47. Site Area – 26,673 square feet

48. Official Plan – Mixed Use Area

49. Zoning Description –CR T3.0 C3.0 R2.5 & CR T2.0 C2.0 R2.0, (maximum GFA of 73,272 s.f. and 2.5 times density)

51. 29 storeys, 216 units and 234 parking stalls

54. Preserve lands near major transportation infrastructure (Section 2.2.6.9)

56. Accommodate 40% residential intensification

57. Plan to achieve a density of 50 residents and jobs per ha on Greenfield

59. Most Employment Land does not: Average is approximately 30 jobs per net ha Employment densities are higher than in the past, but now stable: Downward trends in goods production and distribution Upward trend of denser office uses integrated into industrial building Increasing amount of “flex space” that accommodates a wide range of uses 24

60. Trends help explain geographical variation of densities across the region 25

62. Unlike residential, not a close relationship between built form and occupancy

64. Other industrial places in North America? No, probably not

66. Most of our economic development goals point to lower densities

68. Whole new ‘breed’ of building has emerged, larger, more automated, offices combined with manufacturing or distribution