Victoria University (Toronto, Ont.). Board of Regents Task Force Committee

• Task Force on the Charles Street Lands

In 1972, Manufacturer's Life Insurance Company (Manulife) approached the University regarding a development project for the eastern end of the campus bounded by Sultan Street, St. Thomas Street and Charles Street.. The project required Vic supplying land and Manulife supplying development capital and all of the expertise and management necessary to bring such a project into being. The Board of Regents, set up the Task Force on the Charles Street lands in 1973 to look into the proposed development described above (Initially the Property Sub-Committee was looking into the issue). The initial Task Force consisted of representatives from Manulife and the University. Manulife pulled out on the plan in early 1973, but the University decided that they weren’t going to abandon the property development ideas, just the particular project with Manulife. The Task Force was then made a committee of the Board to carry out forward planning of matters of interest to Victoria University. The first meeting of the Committee was held on March 13, 1973. They hired consultants, architects, held community meetings and engaged with the City planning department.
In 1974, the City declared intent to dezone area from Sherbourne to Queen’s Park to maintain existing level of residential housing. The University protested this plan and the Task Force agreed that the University should collaborate with the other proprietors in the area in trying to maintain the existing zoning "intention to retain some flexibility in the use of our lands."The University hired legal representation and consultants on how to deal with the City. Consultants reported to the Task Force that the Planning Commissioner was prepared to recommend the exemptions of Sultan Street to St. Thomas Street from the City Council’s general plans for this sector of the City.
The Task Force then considered Victoria’s position vis-à-vis the plans of the City for the Charles Street area. Mr. Trueman of the City planning department had been invited to explain the manner in which the new city by-law had changed the permitted uses of our property. Mr. Trueman indicated that there was some flexibility in the planning regulations at this time and that the Planning Department would be pleased to receive proposals for the use of the land and would assist in the planning if requested to do so. The Committee felt that the future plans of the adjacent owners should be investigated and then a decision made on whether or not the properties should be leased or sold (March 18, 1976).

Board of Regents Minutes April 19, 1973