Ontario Land Tribunal
Tribunal ontarien de l’aménagement du territoire
ISSUE DATE: March 16, 2026
CASE NO(S).: OLT-25-000876
PROCEEDING COMMENCED UNDER subsection 22(7) of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.13, as amended
Applicant/Appellant: Studios of America Corporation
Subject: Request to amend the Official Plan – Failure to adopt the requested amendment
Description: To redevelop the subject property into a mixed-use neighbourhood and adaptive reuse of the Richard L. Hearn Generating Station
Reference Number: 24 253487 STE 14 OZ
Property Address: 402 and 440 Unwin Avenue
Municipality/UT: Toronto/Toronto
OLT Case No.: OLT-25-000876
OLT Lead Case No.: OLT-25-000876
OLT Case Name: Studios of America Corporation v. Toronto (City)
Heard: March 10, 2026 by video hearing
APPEARANCES:
Parties
Counsel
City of Toronto (“City”)
D. Elmadany H. Waller
Studios of America Corporation (“Studios”)
B. Ruddick
Toronto Port Authority (“Port”)
A. Jeanrie
GFL Environmental Inc. and GFL Environmental Services Inc. (“GFL”)
D. Tang J. White
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (“MMAH”)
J. Wice O. Anstess
Amrize Canada Inc. (“Amrize”)
K. Mullin
Portlands Energy Centre L.P. doing business as Atura Power (“Atura Power”)
A. Mihailescu R. Aburto (in absentia)
MEMORANDUM OF ORAL DECISION DELIVERED BY WILLIAM R. MIDDLETON ON MARCH 10, 2026 AND ORDER OF THE TRIBUNAL
1This decision arises from a Case Management Conference (“CMC”) held by videoconference on March 10, 2026.
2This complex proceeding arises in relation to an application for a City Official Plan Amendment in relation to a proposal to redevelop the subject property into a mixed-use neighbourhood involving the adaptive reuse of the Richard L. Hearn Generating Station located in downtown Toronto in the general portlands area, being 402 and 440 Unwin Avenue (“Site”).
3The statutory Parties are the City and Studios. At the CMC, Port, GFL, MMAH, Amrize, and Atura Power each sought Party status.
4MMAH has a clear interest in this proceeding given the energy and electrical needs of the project and because a Hydro One facility is located next to the Site. Each of Amrize and Atura Power also own property and have substantial operations adjacent to the Site. Port is responsible for the Port of Toronto waters and shipping channels, as well as the Billy Bishop Airport, nearby the Site. GFL also has substantial waste management operations adjacent to the Site on lands leased to it by the City.
5The City consented to all above Party status requests. After some brief delay, during which time Studios’ counsel obtained instructions from his client, Studios also agreed to those requests.
6The Tribunal found that all of the above-noted entities have obvious and longstanding interests relating to the Site and to the redevelopment project proposed by Studios and granted Party status to each of Port, GFL, MMAH, GFL, Amrize, and Atura Power.
7There were no requests for Participant status.
8Unfortunately, due to the recently-delivered status requests of some of the above-noted entities, the Parties have not yet had an opportunity to have detailed discussions concerning a draft Procedural Order (“PO”). As it is currently uncertain as to by when and whether consent will be reached by all Parties on the final terms of a PO, the Parties have requested a second CMC, which the Tribunal has scheduled to take place on May 11, 2026.
9The second CMC is scheduled to proceed by video on Monday, May 11, 2026 at 10 a.m.
10Parties are asked to log in to the event at least 15 minutes before it begins to test their video and audio connections:
GoTo Meeting: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/660145013
Access code: 660-145-013
11Parties are asked to access and set up the application well in advance of the event to avoid unnecessary delay. The desktop application can be downloaded at GoTo Meeting or a web application is available: https://app.gotomeeting.com/home.html
12Persons who experience technical difficulties accessing the GoTo Meeting application or who only wish to listen to the event can connect to it by calling in to an audio-only telephone line: +1-647-497-9373 or (toll-free) +1-888-299-1889. The access code is: 660-145-013.
13Individuals are directed to connect to the event on the assigned date at the correct time. It is the responsibility of the persons participating in the event to ensure that they are properly connected at the correct time. Questions prior to the event may be directed to the Tribunal’s Case Coordinator.
14As of March 30, 2026, all hearing events are governed by the Tribunal’s Artificial Intelligence Practice Direction. This Practice Direction requires a party, participant, or witness to include a declaration within each submitted document if generative AI was used to create or generate content.
15The Parties expressed interest in considering mediation of this matter at a later date in order to narrow the issues or to achieve an overall resolution. They are encouraged to contact the Tribunal’s mediation facility in this regard.
16The Parties have agreed to deliver to each other, and to the Tribunal, their proposed issues list for the PO by on or before Tuesday, April 7, 2026 and to make reasonable efforts to present an agreed final form PO at the second CMC, at which time a hearing date will be scheduled by the Tribunal.
ORDER
17THE TRIBUNAL ORDERS THAT:
The following shall be granted Party status in this proceeding: Toronto Port Authority, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, GFL Environmental Inc. and GFL Environmental Services Inc., Amrize Canada Inc., and Portlands Energy Centre L.P. doing business as Atura Power;
A second Case Management Conference (“CMC”) has been scheduled, as described above;
The Parties shall deliver to each other, and to the Tribunal, on or before Tuesday, April 7, 2026 their proposed issues list for inclusion in a draft Procedural Order to be presented to the Tribunal prior to the second CMC; and
This Vice-Chair shall be seized only in respect of the second CMC.
“William R. Middleton”
WILLIAM R. MIDDLETON
VIce-Chair
Ontario Land Tribunal
Website: www.olt.gov.on.ca Telephone: 416-212-6349 Toll Free: 1-866-448-2248
The Conservation Review Board, the Environmental Review Tribunal, the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal and the Mining and Lands Tribunal are amalgamated and continued as the Ontario Land Tribunal (“Tribunal”). Any reference to the preceding tribunals or the former Ontario Municipal Board is deemed to be a reference to the Tribunal.