Toronto City Councillor
Ward 25 Don Valley West

The Council Highlights are provided as a service to Ward 25 constituents.  The following is a summary of the City Council meeting of January 27 and 28, 2009.

1.  New downtown transit line a high priority (EX28.1) 

Council decided to encourage Metrolinx, the regional transportation planning agency, to make the construction of a downtown relief transit line from Pape Station to Queen Station, a higher priority.  Council sees merit in building a new downtown relief line before the more expensive construction of a Yonge Street subway extension north from Finch Station to Richmond Hill.  The proposed relief transit line would address rider capacity challenges that will be intensified by an extended Yonge Street subway bringing many more transit riders into the system.  Council also confirmed major features of the planned, provincially-funded 6.8-kilometre extension of the Yonge subway line north from Finch Station. 

2.  Smoking prohibited at City playgrounds (PE21.5)         

Council approved a plan to make changes to the Municipal Code to prohibit smoking at playgrounds and other child-centred areas in City of Toronto parks.  The intention is to help protect children from harmful second-hand tobacco smoke.  The proposed changes to the code will prohibit smoking within a nine-metre radius of City playgrounds and wading pools.  The City will apply to the Ontario Government to set fines for the offences created by the bylaw, and will place emphasis on raising public awareness of the issue.

3.  2009 Councillor Salary Freeze (MM30.1)

This motion by Councillor Case Ootes and Councillor Karen Stintz would provide for about $100,000 in saving to the City by freezing Councillor salaries in 2009 at their 2008 level.  In moving it, the Councillors intended that Council should exercise personal restraint during a downturn in the economy which is affecting so many people in the City.  Also, by acting collectively, it would be an example for city employees in contract negotiations.  I support the proposal and voted in favour of introducing it at Council.  Unfortunately, it did not achieve the two-thirds vote required to bring it to the floor for debate and was referred to the Mayor’s Executive Committee.  The motion is likely to receive a quick death at Committee.

4. Reverse Slope Driveways “Banned” in North York (NY22.34)

Council adopted new zoning by-laws in the North York Community Council area to no longer permit reverse-sloped driveways.  This can be described as “an ounce of prevention”.  Unfortunately, since some existing reverse-sloped driveways are contributing to basement flooding in parts of the City, Council previously implemented a “pound of cure” – a multi-year program of sewer infrastructure improvements and subsidies for mitigating measures by homeowners.  Council also requested the Committee of Adjustment to be aware of this emerging planning policy in its decisions on future minor variance applications. 

5. Personal Vehicle Tax – Harmonize Refunds (MM30.8)

This motion by Councillor Mike Del Grande and Councillor Cesar Palacio would provide for a refund of a portion of the City’s $60 Personal Vehicle Tax when a licensee no longer needs the plate and surrenders it to the Ministry of Transportation.  This would harmonize the City’s practice to the existing provincial practice.  This motion was also referred to the Mayor’s Executive Committee.

6. Federal gas tax agreement (EX28.3)

Council ratified an extension of the original agreement that transfers a portion of federal gasoline tax revenues to the City of Toronto.  The extension covers the period 2010 to 2014.  During that period, Toronto expects to receive about $619 million in federal funding to support its capital planning for public transit.  This funding arrangement originated with the federal New Deal for Cities and Communities that was secured by Canadian municipalities in 2005. 

7.  One-Cent Now Campaign (IA30.5)

While Mayor Miller has advocated during the last two years for a one-cent share (i.e. 20% of revenues) of the federal government Goods and Services Tax for municipalities, he has done so without a resolution of Council.  By moving this item, Councillor Michael Walker inquired as to the status of the Mayor’s discussions with the Prime Minister, if any, and of the City’s costs.  In response, Mayor Miller indicated that the GST-sharing position of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities had been presented to the federal government but did not respond to the question of the costs to Toronto.

8. Scheduling of non-emergency construction work 

Council decided to ask Transportation Services to prepare guidelines directing staff to determine the dates of significant religious events at religious institutions adjacent to municipal construction projects, and to take steps to minimize the impact of construction activities at those times.   

9. Designer chosen for June Callwood Park (PE21.4)        

Council approved the awarding of a contract to the landscape architecture team that won the recent design competition to create a park named in honour of the late June Callwood.  The park site, located at the foot of the historic Fort York area of Toronto, is scheduled to be completed as a new waterfront-area park by 2011 - in time for bicentennial celebrations marking the War of 1812.

10.  Ambulances donated to Central American city (EX28.2)

Council approved the donation of two decommissioned Toronto ambulances to the City of Soyapango in El Salvador for humanitarian purposes.  The arrangement was made through a technical partnership that the Federation of Canadian Municipalities initiated between Toronto and Soyapango.  Toronto Emergency Medical Services (EMS) replaces about 30 ambulances a year, selling them through auction.

11. Emergency Repairs – Coxwell Sanitary Trunk Sewer (CC30.3)

Council authorized $30 million in emergency repairs and construction of a sewer by-pass to deal with the deteriorating Coxwell Sanitary Trunk Sewer.  The most critical trunk sewer in the City, it runs 4.8 kilometers from O’Connor Drive to the Ashbridges Bay Treatment Plant.  While approximately 200 feet of the sewer is damaged, it is continuing to operate – but there is the potential for blockage if there is further deterioration or collapse.  There is no redundancy which would permit rerouting of the flows in such an event.

13.  Front Street Extension Removed from Official Plan (PG22.2)

Council approved an amendment to the Official Plan to remove the Front Street Extension.  Front Street may now be extended as a local road, but not connected to the Gardiner Expressway.

Non-Council Items

1.       The Executive Committee accepted Mayor Miller’s amendment to freeze Development Charges (levied when building permits are issued) at their current levels.  If adopted by Council, it would represent a giveaway to the development industry of about $50 million per year in foregone revenue.  The City’s Official Plan, which provides that growth should pay for itself and that additional infrastructure growth should NOT burden existing residents in the form of higher taxation and user fees, would be violated.  Mayor Miller justified his amendment by saying the development industry is jeopardized by the downturn in the economy and that it requires this infusion of cash to preserve jobs.  This ignores, however, the jobs which could be created by utilizing the DC revenue to build vitally needed municipal infrastructure.  As well, Mayor Miller obtained no commitments or guarantees of any kind from the development industry with respect to jobs or transparency or accountability.  This matter will come to Council for a final decision on February 23.  In my view, this is irresponsible and I will oppose this $50 million giveaway and move for full implementation instead.

2.       Mayor Miller introduced the 2009 Operating Budget. It features an $82 million tax increase - or 4% on residential properties.  This is in addition to increases in the following rates, taxes and user fees:   Water 9% ($21 million), Garbage ($54 million), Land Transfer Tax (about $160 million) and Personal Vehicle Tax (about $50 million).  The cumulative effect on taxpayers in 2009 is much, much greater than 4%.  Mayor Miller advises that the base budget increase is intended to:  “Protect existing services and service levels (e.g. emergency service); implement TTC Ridership Growth Strategy; improve public access to city services and information; maintain winter snow clearing service levels.”   He also advises that the budget includes an increased “contribution to capital to reduce debt financing.”  However, the City’s debt service charge will actually increase (because of increased debt) to $456 million per year – the second largest line item in the Operating Budget.  The budget will be the subject of various public meetings in the next six weeks and come to Council for approval on March 31.  The City’s Operating Budget has increased by a total of $2.1 billion in the last five years, from $6.6 billion in 2004 to $8.7 billion in 2009.  In my view, burdening taxpayers with such significant increases in an economic downturn is also irresponsible and not supportable – particularly when juxtaposed with the $50 million giveaway in Development Charge revenue in item 1 above.