City of Toronto Media Relations has issued the following:
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Council Highlights - Toronto City Council meeting of July 7, 8 and 9, 2015
Council Highlights is an informal summary of decisions
made by Toronto City Council. The City Clerk provides the formal documentation
at http://www.toronto.ca/council.
Expanded gaming at Woodbine Racetrack
Council debated expanded gaming at Toronto's Woodbine
Racetrack and passed a resolution in support of the proposal, subject to
conditions. The approval sets the stage for the development of an integrated
entertainment complex including gaming and non-gaming development at the
Woodbine site in the northwest part of the city. Council also agreed to explore
the possibility of designating some of the revenues from expanded gaming to a
community benefits fund, and supported certain employment-related requirements
tied to the expansion of gaming.
Confronting poverty in Toronto
Council adopted an interim report on a strategy to
address poverty in Toronto. In addition to adopting the vision and objectives
for TO Prosperity: Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy, Council directed staff
to undertake further discussions with residents and to provide Council with a
final poverty reduction strategy and detailed implementation plan. Council also
supported taking action on subjects such as eye examinations for schoolchildren
in specific neighbourhoods and pursuing partnerships with the private sector to
support the City's poverty-reduction efforts.
Traffic management
Council authorized Transportation Services' expansion of
the City's traffic-monitoring-camera program as part of the implementation of
the earlier-approved Congestion Management Plan and for monitoring work zones.
The Congestion Management Plan focuses on strategies for managing traffic in
Toronto, using methods/initiatives such as intelligent transportation systems,
congestion and engineering studies, enhanced incident/event response, improved
construction co-ordination and the provision of better information for
travellers.
Construction projects and traffic
Council authorized the City's introduction, on a
pilot-project basis, of contractual measures to help address anticipated
traffic disruptions associated with a delayed/prolonged construction project.
Construction contract provisions that take into account the monetary worth of
early or late completion projects are a proven way to support the reduction of
traffic congestion related to construction projects. The City plans to test
contract measures such as addressing "acceleration and delay" costs
for pertinent contracts to be tendered this fall and in early 2016.
Social housing in Toronto
Council adopted a series of recommendations pertaining to
the report Transforming Social Housing: Renewing the Partnership with the
City's Social Housing Providers. The goal is to make the social housing system
more sustainable, effective and better integrated with the range of affordable
housing options available to low- and moderate-income households in Toronto.
The City administers and funds social housing that provides about 95,000 units,
including about 70,000 rent-geared-to-income (RGI) units. The system includes
City-owned Toronto Community Housing Corporation and more than 240
community-based, non-profit and co-operative housing providers.
Waterfront revitalization
Council adopted recommendations and provided direction to
staff aimed at ensuring continued work on, and effective management of,
Toronto's waterfront revitalization. Council expressed support for a second
phase of waterfront revitalization supported by tri-government funding and
governance, and for Waterfront Toronto to continue as the primary delivery
entity for the revitalization. Council supported the City's initiation of an
intergovernmental negotiation process on funding commitments.
Emergency preparedness
Council provided direction for further work by City staff
and Toronto Hydro in light of the latest in a series of reports on the City's
response to the 2013 ice storm and on the City’s ability to prepare for,
respond to and recover from emergencies in general. For example, Council is
requesting that Toronto Hydro continue with efforts that will make Toronto's
electricity supply more resilient and will reduce power disruptions – in part
by converting overhead power lines to underground lines.
Cycle tracks for east downtown area
Council approved extending the Richmond Street and
Adelaide Street cycle tracks to Parliament Street in the east downtown area,
with associated regulations for vehicles, on a pilot-project basis. The
Richmond Street pilot will extend from Parliament Street to York Street for
westbound cyclists. The Adelaide Street pilot will extend from Simcoe Street to
Parliament Street for eastbound cyclists. Council also supported having staff
look into the possibility of upgrading the bike lanes on Dundas Street East in
the Don Valley area to become protected bike lanes.
Car-pooling app – UberPool
Council supported a motion to request a report on the
anticipated effect of the public's use of Uber's new car-pooling app, known as
UberPool, on Toronto Transit Commission/public transit ridership. UberPool,
which was recently made available in Toronto, tracks similar ride requests and
links them, enabling passengers to share a ride and split the cost with another
person who requested a ride along a similar route.
Canada Post's community mailbox program
Council agreed to ask Canada Post to provide detailed
information in response to questions the City is asking about Canada Post's
plans for implementing the community mailbox program in Toronto. It is
anticipated that Canada Post will begin its transition from door-to-door mail
delivery to a community mailbox system in Toronto starting in 2017. The City's
questions address matters such the accessibility, financial and public realm implications
for the City of Toronto.
Name changes for board and committee
Council approved new names for the City's film board and
disabilities committee. As a result, the former Disability Issues Committee is
now called the Disability, Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee. The former
Film, Television and Commercial Production Industry Committee is now called the
Toronto Film, Television and Digital Media Board.
New fire boat – the William Thornton
Council approved the name William Thornton to identify a fire boat recently acquired by Toronto Fire Services. Originally a Canadian
Coast Guard vessel, the William Thornton will serve as a backup vessel to the
City's William Lyon Mackenzie fire boat. The name William Thornton is
historically significant for Toronto Fire Services and the City. The death of
William Thornton in 1848 was recorded as the first fallen firefighter in
Toronto, and the first in Ontario.
Bike racks
A motion to donate to Toronto's school boards 150 bicycle
racks that the City bought and installed at Pan Am Games venues this summer
received Council's approval. The bike racks, each of which provides parking for
eight bikes, will be given to the Toronto District School Board and the Toronto
Catholic District School Board after the Games as a legacy of the TO2015 Games.
Council also supported authorizing the allocation of City funds to provide for
more bicycle parking at parks and community centres across the city.
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Volume 18 Issue 5
Council Highlights, a summary of selected decisions made
by Toronto City Council, is produced by Strategic Communications.
Formal documentation of City Council decisions: http://www.toronto.ca/council
Questions about Council meetings and decisions: clerk@toronto.ca or 416-392-8016
Information about distribution of this summary: stratcom@toronto.ca
Previous editions online: http://bitly.com/1cmCQXI
The Council Highlights summary is also made available as
a podcast shortly after the email distribution of Council Highlights: http://www.toronto.ca/podcasts/
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