Council Highlights Archive        November & December 2008

 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 6, December 1-3 and 10, 2008.

 Council meeting on Water and Solid Waste Budgets - November 6, 2008

 1. Water Budget:  Council adopted a 2009 Water Budget that included another 9% increase in residential water rates.  The water budget involves net spending and revenues of about $700 million in 2009.  I could not support this budget for the following reasons.  The estimates include approximately $15 million in Development Charge (DC) revenues under the City's current ultra-low development charge policy - but did not consider the possibility that Council might double DCs when it considers a new DC by-law in February.  City Manager Joe Pennachetti estimated that if Council were to double DCs, as indicated by an independent consultant, then the additional revenues would permit a lower water rate increase - indeed, instead of 9%, it could be about 7%.  Consequently, I moved that Council make the rate increase contingent on Council's decision on DCs in February.  However, with the opposition of the Mayor and his close associates on Council, my motion was defeated.  Thus, through the greatly increased 2009 water rates, water users will provide an easily avoidable subsidy to the development industry of about $15 million.

 2. Solid Waste Budget:  While many Toronto residents were receiving their first new combined Water & Solid Waste bill (replacing the former Water bill), Council was considering the Solid Waste levies for 2009.  They will be unchanged from 2008.  But they will be in effect for the entire year - unlike 2008 when they only applied to the last two months of the year.  Many Councillors expressed concerns with respect to the usability of the new green, blue and grey bins - mirroring the avalanche of calls and emails from residents on problems with the final rollout.  Supply and logistical problems with the grey bins forced staff to issue temporary supplies of pink tickets (bag tags) for residents who did not receive their grey bins by the beginning of the program. 

 Regular Council meeting - December 1- 3, 2008

1. Policies to reduce packaging and waste (PW20.1):  Council approved further measures to assist in achieving Mayor Miller's election commitment of 70% waste diversion.  Effective June 1, 2009, the City will require retailers to charge a minimum of five cents for each single-use plastic retail shopping bag taken by a customer, or otherwise provide another packaging option at no-charge.  Also, plastic bags must be compatible with the City's recycling program by June 1, 2010 - and will recycled at net-zero cost to the City, according to our GM of Solid Waste.  Though supportive of green initiatives, I did not support this item - because it largely discards the "no-cost" recycling solution in favour of the "high-cost" diversion solution, and ignores potential legal pitfalls for the City.  Retailers are indeed expected to choose the 5-cent charge since it will result in $10 million of new revenue for them (not the City).  Conceived in a meeting between Mayor Miller and the CEO of a leading grocer, the 5-cent charge will discourage plastic production - but it is a costly measure for Toronto residents.  The material diverted by this charge is expected to preserve landfill capacity valued at about $50,000 per year - but at a cost to the people of Toronto $10 million per year.  Furthermore, the City might be running afoul of the federal Competition Act.  The City could be viewed as participating in a $10 million price-fixing scheme for retailers and be dragged into court.  However, my motion to first get a written legal opinion on the risk to the City was defeated, with the opposition of the Mayor and his close associates on Council.  Council also voted to ban the sale of bottled water at the City's civic centres immediately and to impose a general ban (by 2011) on plastic take-out food containers that are not compatible with Toronto's blue bin program. 

2. Election Finance Reform (MM27.1):  A motion by Councillors Michael Walker, Chin Lee and myself to initiate election finance reform, including banning election contributions from corporations and unions, was not permitted to come to the floor of Council for debate, despite two previous overwhelming votes by Council endorsing the concept.  Instead, Mayor Miller and his associates were successful in having it referred to his Executive Committee meeting on Monday, January 5, 2009.  In my view, there is no single other measure that can reduce the potential for undue influence of Councillors by special interest groups.  Citizens need only look at the recent vote on whether the TTC should be declared an essential service and at the upcoming vote on whether to increase development charges in order to make their own judgments on the effectiveness of election contributions by special interest groups.  You may make your views on this issue known to Council, by either deputing in person or by email to clerk@toronto.ca referencing this item on the January 5 Executive Committee meeting agenda.  Your involvement might prevent this item from being "buried" by that committee

3. GO Transit to invest in Union Station revitalization (EX26.3)                  

Council adopted motions to sell and lease various portions of Union Station to GO Transit.  The sale is to include existing office space in the west wing as well as new concourses that the City plans to build.  With partial ownership and as a significant user of Union Station, GO Transit will contribute to the City's revitalization efforts, including the proposed construction of a northwest underground PATH system aligned with York Street.

4. Management of Union Station   

Council authorized City officials to assume hands-on management of Union Station from Toronto Terminals Railway Company next spring.  Among its initiatives, the City intends to upgrade security as well as engage with Enwave to provide deep lake water cooling for Union Station.

5. Lobbyist Registry  (EX26.22)

Council approved the exemption of not-for-profit community services from registering with the City's Lobbyist Registry.  Under the Municipal Code, not-for-profit organizations are generally exempt from registration but were required to register when applying for City grants, awards or other financial benefits and wanting to lobby about their application.  Much of the information that the Lobbyist Registry collects is already made available through the grants funding process, which is public.  More information: http://www.toronto.ca/lobbying

6. Committee appointments  

Council approved the appointment of Council members to City committees, agencies and advisory bodies for the second half of the current four-year term of Council. The appointments take effect January 1, 2009.  Details are available on the City's website via the November 14 Committee Report to City Council/Striking Committee: http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/2008/agendas/st.htm

 7. Bid to host 2015 Pan American Games (EX26.6)

Council endorsed the City of Toronto's role as host city and participant in a bid to host the 2015 Pan American/ParaPan Games in Toronto and in surrounding communities.  Council authorized the city manager to negotiate a Bid City Agreement on behalf of the City of Toronto with the federal and provincial governments, the Canadian Olympic Committee and the Bid Corporation to define roles and responsibilities.  A more detailed report in 2009 will present a venue strategy and financial implications.

 8. Toronto street food pilot project   (EX26.21)

Council approved setting up a one-year pilot project with eligible street food vendors to expand their menu selections to include healthier food choices.  In addition, Toronto Public Health received Council's authorization to conduct a three-year "Toronto a la Cart" pilot project, starting with as many as 15 new street food vendors chosen for 2009.  They will provide ethnically diverse foods to be sold from carts purchased from the City's contracted manufacturer for the project.

 9. Extension of outdoor ice rink season   (CD20.9)

Council agreed to extend the ice skating season at 14 of the City's 49 outdoor artificial ice rinks by two weeks beyond the standard 12-week season - remaining open until mid March if weather permits.  The 14 artificial ice rinks selected to remain open into March are located across the entire city.  Online information about artificial outdoor ice rinks: http://www.toronto.ca/parks/recreation_facilities/skating/outdoor_ice_rinks.htm

 10. Eco-Roof incentive program   (PG20.8)

Council approved terms of reference for an Eco-Roof Incentive Program encouraging the installation of green and cool roofs.  The City will provide incentive funding to eligible industrial, commercial and institutional property owners.  The goal is to make Toronto's building stock more sustainable and better adapted to climate change.  Green roofs support vegetation and cool roofs reflect the sun's thermal energy.  This new program, an initiative of the City's action plan on climate change, clean air and sustainable energy, builds on the Green Roof Strategy and supports the Toronto Green Standard.

11. Community Right to Know

Council adopted a by-law to provide for an Environmental Reporting, Disclosure and Innovation Program, to take effect on January 1, 2010.  The program would capture important information on priority toxic substances in Toronto's environment, help businesses adopt pollution prevention measures, and inform residents about local environmental conditions.  Toronto Public Health (TPH) research identified 25 hazardous substances commonly used by industrial, commercial and institutional facilities that exist in our air at levels that are of health concern.  This new program would require affected facilities and City of Toronto operations to report to the City each year if they use or release any of these priority substances above specified thresholds.  TPH would phase in reporting obligations over four years and collaborate to provide training and resources for facilities to reduce or find safer substitutes for these chemicals.  Although use or emissions of chemicals from individual small and medium-sized businesses may be modest and meet existing standards, the long-term cumulative exposure to chemicals from many facilities in close proximity to where people live creates significant concern for health.

 Capital budget meeting - December 10, 2008

 Council approved multi-year capital plans and 2009 capital budget  

At a special meeting held December 10, Council approved a five-year, $11-billion Capital Plan that includes a 2009 Capital Budget of $1.6 billion. The City also introduced its first-ever 10-year Capital Plan and Forecast, which outlines capital projects the City will undertake to develop, maintain and improve City assets such as transit, roads, bridges, community centers and libraries. The City's 10-year Capital Plan and Forecast is $25.9 billion.  More details: http://www.toronto.ca/budget2009.  The ramped-up spending over the next ten years will address a state-of-good-repair backlog which has grown despite our significantly increased debt over the last five years.  Indeed, the City will soon be approaching its self-imposed 15% debt service charge ceiling.  A close examination of the future year estimates shows that to maintain that limit, the City will have to increase its "Capital from Current" line item.  That means increased transfers from the future operating budgets and, consequently, either increased taxes or reduced services.  This Council and its predecessor have thus set us on a difficult-to-alter course which will bind future Mayors and future Councils to difficult and unpalatable corrective choices.  Finally, this (2009) Capital Budget demonstrates once again, the City's utter failure to make growth pay for itself - through adequate development charges.  Toronto's growth like that of most cities, has strained our ability to pay for new infrastructure and is starving the municipal budget for infrastructure renewal.  Our 2009 Growth-related capital expenditures of $380 million are "matched" by only $84 million of development charges (comprised of only $53 million in actual forecast DC revenue and the remaining $31 million draw-down of DC reserves).  This is not a rationale growth strategy, it is a 'go broke' strategy and one of the fundamental problems driving our financial and infrastructure crisis.  I voted against this budget and this continuing unsustainable strategy. 

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy New Year