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Toronto Humber Yacht Club Update - March 10, 2026
On March 9, General Governance Committee considered item GG27.14 - Renewal of Various Boat Club Leases. The committee largely accepted the staff report but had issues with the rationale behind the following recommendation:
Toronto Humber Yacht Club
The THYC is not being offered a further lease term. The THYC’s lease expired on July 31, 2025. Following expiry, the City has permitted a temporary month-to-month overhold to allow for an orderly wind-down of operations and to facilitate removal of private property and fulfillment of end-of-lease obligations. The decision not to renew follows extensive review by City staff in consultation with the TRCA, the landowner. Through this work, it was determined that a less intensive land use at this location would better support river valley health, ecological management objectives, and long-term resilience to flooding and erosion. Given the environmental sensitivity of the site, the operational history, and TRCA’s support for restoration-focused outcomes, staff determined that renewal of the lease would not be in the public interest.
Staff have communicated this direction to the THYC in the past year, including site visit and written notice in advance of lease expiry, and follow up communication in the fall. Staff continue to meet with the organization regarding timelines for vacating the site.
The City, in collaboration with TRCA, intends to undertake public engagement to inform future uses and potential restoration or programming opportunities once the site has been secured and any required remediation is complete. This work is anticipated to begin in 2026.
This matter will be considered by City Council on March 25. Unfortunately the fate of the THYC is not yet clear. The committee voted to defer the matter of the THYC non-renewal of lease until their June 2 meeting. The committee members seemed confused by the dual issues of the repeated bad behavior of the club versus the environmental issues with that land use in that location. As a result, they were unwilling to terminate the lease of a club with a 70 year history.
March 11 edit:
The text of the amendment passed by the committee is now available. It reads:
City Council direct the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management and the General Manager, Parks and Recreation to continue the temporary month-to-month overhold to allow Toronto Humber Yacht Club to operate for the 2026 season, and request the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and the General Manager, Parks and Recreation to report to the June 2, 2026 meeting of the General Government Committee on:
a. A detailed analysis and explanation of the concerns relating to river valley health, ecological management objectives and long term flood and erosion resilience;
b. Opportunities to correct river valley health, ecological management objectives, and long term flood and erosion issues;
c. Consideration of closing the river to all motorized boats;
d. Public and stakeholder consultation on closing the river to motorized boats, ecological management objectives, and long term flood and erosion resilience; and
e. Opportunities for the club to mitigate any outstanding issues.
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