2026.MM42.64

Background

Hanlan's Point Beach is an important public space within Toronto Island Park that supports cultural, recreational, artistic heritage. It is also one of Canada's oldest surviving queer spaces and continues to serve diverse communities today. 

The site is also experiencing shoreline erosion, dune degradation, loss of usable beach area, and pressure on existing natural areas. Timely planting and sand renourishment are required to support shoreline resilience, public access, ecological restoration, and the preservation of Hanlan’s Point Beach. Planning work for planting and beach renourishment at Hanlan’s Point is already underway and additional direction is needed.

Source: City of Toronto

Item Description

1. City Council direct the General Manager, Parks & Recreation and Executive Director, Environment, Climate & Forestry, in consultation with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, to undertake the immediate actions of the Hanlan’s Point Landscape Plan by October 2026, including the following:

a. At least 10,000 sq m of planting and naturalization, and technical analysis and consultation to identify up to 20,000 square metres, including renaturalization, infill planting within existing naturalized areas, infill planting in trampled or degraded dune gaps and disturbed areas where planting is appropriate, maps identifying the proposed planting, naturalization, and excluded picnic/open-use areas

b. Reporting with an update to a meeting of the Hanlan’s Point Beach Working Group by July 2026 and a detailed plan to a meeting of the Hanlan’s Point Beach Working Group in September 2026

2. City Council request that the Executive Director, Environment, Climate and Forestry allocate $400,000, on a one-time basis, towards the Hanlan’s Point Beach Landscape Plan, from within the approved 2026 City Wide Environmental Initiatives capital project within the Environment, Climate and Forestry’s Capital Budget

3. City Council direct the General Manager, Parks & Recreation, in consultation with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, to undertake 20,000 cubic metres of sand renourishment on the south and central sections of Hanlan’s Point Beach, subject to technical feasibility and consultation with the Hanlan’s Point Beach Working Group, starting in Fall 2026 and in advance of the 2027 beach season.

4. City Council direct the General Manager, Parks & Recreation and Executive Director, Environment, Climate and Forestry, in consultation with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and the Hanlan’s Point Beach Working Group, to include in the development of the full Hanlan’s Point Landscape Plan, actions that consider the feasibility of the following for immediate or medium-term implementation, and present a detailed plan, including actions to be taken before June 2027, with a preliminary update to a September 2026 meeting of the Hanlan’s Point Beach Working Group and a final update to a meeting of the Hanlan’s Point Beach Working Group by December 2026:

a. Additional planting and naturalization

b. A visitor infrastructure and public realm plan for Hanlan’s Point Beach, including showers, drinking water fountains, bicycle parking, fencing, washrooms, picnic and gathering areas, lighting, retrofits to existing pavilions (in coordination with the Toronto Island Food and Beverage Strategy and existing leases), pedestrian circulation, service access, emergency access, and other priority improvements

c. Continuous monitoring of water level and beach conditions to inform additional beach access and stabilization measures, if required, to ensure access in Summer 2027 beach season

5. City Council direct the General Manager, Parks & Recreation, in consultation with the City Solicitor, to explore additional opportunities for seasonal food service at or near Hanlan’s Point Beach through the Toronto Island Food & Beverage Strategy

Source: City of Toronto

Proposed by

Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik