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Council Highlights
Archive
November 2007 |
The Council Highlights
are provided as a service to constituents in Ward 25.
The following is a brief summary of Council’s meeting
held on November 19th and 20th ,
2007.
2008 Toronto Water
budgets and Water & Wastewater rate increase
Council adopted the 2008
Toronto Water budgets, including a 9.36% residential
water rate increase (for the average homeowner)
effective January 1, 2008. This is expected to
generate $677 million in order to pay for operating
expenditures and capital costs in 2008. To provide
incentives for large industrial users of water to be
more efficient, Council adopted a 13% decrease in their
rates if they implement efficiency measures. Programs
include funding for infrastructure renewal, service
delivery, water efficiency and programs to improve
drinking water quality and the natural environment.
Interestingly, the City’s
CFO reported that, over the next 5 years, $165 million
of capital will be required for new water and wastewater
infrastructure. Yet, at current rates, only $56 million
will be generated by this category of development
charges because they are only one third of what they
should be. The $22 million annual shortfall means that
your water rates are at least 3% higher than they would
be if we had appropriate development charges. It
provides graphic proof that development charges should
be tripled, at least, when they are considered again by
Council next spring.
Municipal election
reform
Council endorsed a package
of motions to seek amendments to the Municipal Elections
Act by the provincial government to enact
Toronto-specific election legislation that meets the
unique needs of Toronto. Council also endorsed using
Elections Ontario’s Permanent Register of Electors, and
supplementary information from any other relevant
source, as the basis of Toronto’s voters’ list. If the
provincial government agrees to such reforms, the City
would be permitted to implement its own changes –
including the election finance reforms long advocated by
myself and Councillor Walker: a ban on corporate and
union donations, a strict limit on fundraising expenses,
an end to carrying over election surpluses and an
independent investigative authority. I will report on
the provincial government’s response in future
newsletters.
Stricter safety
requirements for swimming pools
Council amended the City’s
fence bylaw making it mandatory to enclose swimming
pools on all four sides; previously fences were only
required around three sides of the pool with the
residential building serving as the fourth side. The
new provisions apply to new pool enclosures only.
As per the bylaw’s safety objectives, fences must allow
reasonable visibility of the pool area from inside the
building, and self-closing gates must meet strict safety
standards and be locked at all times when the pool area
is not in use. The new bylaw also prohibits the use of
temporary fencing materials in the construction of
permanent line fences, as these materials are not meant
for long-term use and wear, and may result in unsafe
conditions.
Mandatory Downspout
Disconnection Program
Council voted to end the
Voluntary Downspout Disconnection Program and introduced
a new mandatory program. Downspout disconnection
reduces the burden on the City’s sewer system and
treatment facilities, reduces basement flooding and
contributes to improved water quality for Toronto’s lake
and beaches. It also reduces the intense surge of water
into our rivers and streams during storms. Since its
inception in 1998, the voluntary program had limited
participation and would have taken the City more than 20
years to achieve its target disconnection rate. The new
Mandatory Downspout Disconnection Program will initially
target properties in the downtown area served by
combined sewers (stormwater and sewage combined into a
single pipe) and subsequently focus on non-downtown
areas where downspouts are often connected to storm
sewers. Homeowners are expected to disconnect their
downspouts from the sewer system within three years.
Just prior to the adoption of the new program, there
was a rush of applications to the voluntary program –
creating a backlog which may take years to clear.
Zerofootprint carbon
calculator
City Council approved an
interactive web-based carbon calculator that will
improve awareness of the impact of individuals' actions
on the environment, and help address climate change by
allowing residents to calculate and share their
ecological footprint with others. Zerofootprint, a
Toronto-based not-for-profit firm that specializes in
the development of dynamic Internet-based carbon
calculators, will provide its carbon calculator to
Toronto residents at no cost to the City or residents.
The Mayor announced the City’s intent to partner with
Zerofootprint during the C40 Large Cities climate change
summit in New York City in May 2007. Zerofootprint
Toronto supports the City’s Climate Change, Clean Air
and Sustainable Energy Action Plan.
Revised Commercial Dog
Walker Permit Policy
Council amended the
Commercial Dog Walker Permit Policy to require that
commercial dog walkers display a commercial dog walker
permit when walking from four to a maximum of six dogs
in a City park, green space or waterfront area (rather
than two, as adopted by City Council at its meeting of
July 16-19, 2007). Council also approved a permit fee
of $200 for each commercial dog walker.
Design guidelines for
"greening" parking lots
City Council approved draft
design guidelines for "greening" surface parking lots –
to be subject to further consultation with stakeholders.
Council also granted staff interim authority to apply
the draft guidelines in the review and approval of new
developments. The guidelines support the City’s
Official Plan and also provide design options and
strategies to implement many environmental performance
targets of the Council-endorsed Toronto Green
Development Standard - a set of minimum thresholds to
promote environmentally sustainable site and building
design. "Greening" Toronto’s parking lots involves
planting trees, providing good quality soil and generous
landscaped areas, enhancing pedestrian and cycling
infrastructure, managing stormwater run-off, reducing
the urban heat island effect, and using sustainable
materials and technologies.
No alcohol tax for
Toronto
After further consultations
with Toronto-based liquor, wine and beer retailers about
a potential alcohol tax on store sales to non-licensed
consumers, Council voted not to pursue the
implementation of the tax based on tax avoidance
implications, complications due to uniform pricing
issues and applicability of GST on an alcohol tax, and
the cost and effort associated with the administration
of the tax.
Leave of absence to run
for provincial or federal office
City Council voted in
favour of requesting the Province to amend the City of
Toronto Act to require Members of Council running for
provincial or federal office to take a leave of absence,
without pay, during the writ period. At both the
Provincial and Federal level, elected representatives
who wish to run for another office must resign from
their positions before filing their nomination papers.
Bicycle Lanes
Council reopened its
previous delegation of bicycle lanes decisions to
Community Councils. Such delegation had resulted in
delayed implementation of the Toronto Bike Plan and a
large backlog of bike lanes to be implemented. Staff is
directed to report on the streamlining of the bicycle
lane approval process.
Non-Council Items
1.
Right-to-Access.
As reported in last month’s Council Highlights, city
staff were recommending a “Right to Access” by-law that
would permit a property owner to access his/her property
via a neighbour’s property in order to perform repairs
or alterations. Denial by the neighbour of permission
to access could result in a fine of up to $5,000. A
great many people expressed great concern to the
Committee that alterations could include major
renovations and additions, and could involve the use of
heavy equipment. Providing such access could deprive
the neighbouring property owner of quiet enjoyment of
his/her property for extended periods of time. Many
also expressed concern that the proposal did not take
into account insurance, indemnity and liability issues
and was basically not even-handed. The Committee
deferred the item for a staff report on the City of
Ottawa’s implementation of a “Right to Access” by-law
which includes a permit system. For further details,
please consult the staff report which is available at
the following link:
http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2007/ls/agendas/2007-11-30-ls09-ai.htm.
2.
Solar Power in the Valley. Residents of
Hogg’s Hollow, led by Mindy Ganz, are investigating the
use of solar energy for their homes. They are
considering the benefits of combined organizing and
buying power that have been pioneered by residents in
two other areas of the City. They hope to implement
solar devices that could provide hot water and/or
electricity for their homes. And the provincial
government will purchase surplus electricity at an
attractive rate.
3.
For residents residing in the former North
York portion of Ward 25: Reminder of “Winter
Maintenance By-law", Overnight Parking By-law 30662
restricting parking on North York from 2am-6am between
Dec 1 and March 31. This By-law takes precedence over
all other on-street regulations when in effect. It is
intended to help facilitate winter maintenance and the
owner of any motor vehicle parked in contravention of
this by-law is subject to a fine; and tag and/or
towing. Please note this By-law does not apply
to streets in the former City of Toronto portion of Ward
25.
If
you wish to comment on any issue, please call or write
to me: 416-395-6408 or
councillor_jenkins@toronto.ca.
Please feel free to forward these Council Highlights to
others who may be interested in these municipal issues.
If you wish to unsubscribe to
this newsletter, you can also do so with a simple call
or e-mail.
Recent issues of Council
Highlights have generated so much incoming email that I
have not been able to respond individually to all
correspondents. I will certainly read every response
but may unfortunately have to respond with a “form”
letter under some circumstances.
For regular matters, please feel free to call or email
my staff. May Doyle: 416-395-0374 or
madoyle@toronto.ca, Neil
Carter: 416-395-6409 or
ncarter@toronto.ca, Carmela
Morresi: 416-395-6408 or
cmorres@toronto.ca
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