April 12, 2013
1. Letter from Councillor Wong-Tam
Dear Constituents, Your voices have been very important in the City's discussions on the issue of casinos. You came out in large numbers to the consultations at City Hall and the Metro Reference Library. Your emails, calls, and letters to me have been passionate and reasoned. This coming week, you will have another opportunity to make your views known. A special meeting of the City's Executive Committee is being held on Monday, April 15 and Tuesday, April 16 to discuss the City Manager's April 5 report on new casino and convention centre development in Toronto. This report can be read, in full, here. The City Manager has presented a significant number of recommended criterion that any proposal would need to meet and this is an opportunity for you to share your comments on this report and the future of the casino file. If you would like to depute, you can contact the committee administrator: Kelly McCarthy Executive Committee Administrator 416-392-4666 exec@toronto.ca A copy of the meeting's agenda is available online here. To date, your communications with my office have overwhelmingly expressed deep concerns and opposition with the casino proposal. This has been important and, joined by residents across the City, you have helped steer the debate towards a reasoned demand for complete information on what the real impacts of what a casino development would have and how it can, or cannot, fit into the plan for the Toronto we are working hard to build. Respectfully yours, Kristyn Wong-Tam 2. April 3 and 4 Council Highlights Arts and culture funding Council approved the allocation of $6 million as the first instalment of new money for culture in a four-year phase-in of revenues from the City's Third Party Sign Tax. The new revenue will help to achieve Council's long-held goal of a $25 per capita annual investment in arts and culture. City-wide zoning bylaw Council authorized the enactment of a harmonized zoning bylaw that compiles the land-use regulations for all of Toronto. The bylaw bill still needs Council's approval for the bylaw to take effect. As a result of a motion that Council supported, the zoning bylaw is to include a prohibition on paid visitor parking at multi-residential/apartment buildings. Council also adopted a motion to work on a process to establish pilot projects involving a new Residential Apartment Commercial (RAC) zoning category in specified communities. In addition, Council agreed to affirm, through the City's zoning practices, its commitment to religious freedom in Toronto. Councillor Wong-Tam is pleased to announce that through strong advocacy and collaboration with the Moore Park Crematorium Working Group, she was successful in moving an amendment that will ensure a 300m separation distance from new crematoriums and residential neighbourhoods in the new zoning by-law. Emergency shelter services Council discussed a report on Toronto's emergency shelter services and adopted a related motion. As a result, the City will consider on an interim/emergency basis activating 172 flex beds available in the shelter system, as well as opening additional shelter sites and beds as needed to achieve an occupancy rate no higher than 90 per cent in the short term. The City-funded shelter system provides 3,836 beds at 57 shelter locations. The City operates nine of those shelters, providing 1,315 beds (and sometimes motel spaces for families), and the City has 172 emergency/flex spaces. Previously, the flex beds were primarily available for use during extreme cold weather. Councillor Wong-Tam worked closely with her Council colleagues on the Community Development and Recreation Committee to amend this report to address concerns she has been hearing from outreach workers and community advocates. Waiting list for social housing Council authorized consultation and the preparation of a report with recommendations to more effectively match applicants seeking rent-geared-to-income (RGI) subsidized units with available RGI units. The City wants to transform the current waiting-list system to give people better access to housing options that meet their needs. A centralized system for selecting households for RGI social housing is required under the provincial Housing Services Act. About 87,000 households were on Toronto's waiting list at the end of 2012. Below market rent program Council adopted recommendations resulting from the Toronto Ombudsman's investigation into a complaint from a group of six community organizations leasing space from the City of Toronto through its Below Market Rent program. The program allows some non-profit community groups that are providing key services to lease City space in a way that is cost-neutral to the City. The Ombudsman's report was critical of how City divisions communicated with regard to a rent increase and related matters. In addition to adopting the recommendations, Council approved a motion of apology directed to the community organizations involved. Paid duty policing Council considered a Toronto Police Services Board report on paid duty service and agreed to ask the board and the City Manager to initiate discussions with the Province of Ontario on changing the current approach to paid-duty policing. Paid-duty policing involves hiring off-duty police officers to perform certain police duties. An earlier audit of Toronto's paid-duty system recommended addressing criteria used to decide on the need for paid-duty policing for traffic control. Managing construction disruptions Council agreed to ask the Toronto Transit Commission to align its capital planning with the City's strategies for managing disruptions caused by the construction of roads, sewers and watermains. A report before Council described new strategies the City is using to manage disruption. The report defines disruption as any negative impacts on residents of adjacent properties and on motorists, pedestrians or other roadway users. Federal financial support for infrastructure Council asked the City Manager to report back to Council detailing the City’s priorities for the use of new federal infrastructure funding and Toronto's strategy to acquire its fair share of the funds. Council directed that the report take into account Council's recent decisions on transit priorities, the Gardiner Expressway, Toronto Water and the housing capital program. The federal government recently announced $47 billion in new infrastructure funding for Canadian cities. Review of garbage truck operations Council directed the Solid Waste Management Services division to review its policies, equipment, training requirements and routing with the goal of reducing the risk of injuries or fatalities to pedestrians. The action is being taken in response to a recent fatal accident involving a City waste collection truck that hit a young pedestrian. Cycling in Toronto Council authorized a bill that will allow cyclists in Toronto to ride in configurations other than single-file when they can share the road without creating congestion or road safety issues. At the same time, Council called for work on relevant municipal bylaws to contribute to the safe and equitable use of Toronto's roadways by road users. Adult entertainment clubs Council adopted amendments to adult entertainment club regulations under the Toronto Municipal Code, including new and revised provisions concerning operators, the licensing of managers and the use of security cameras. The amendments address health and safety risks to entertainers, consumers and staff, and strike a balance between security needs and privacy rights. Advertising for new developments Council adopted a motion for the City to formally request the Ontario Ministry of Consumer Services to require developers to clearly and prominently state on all their advertising of new developments that the development application is subject to approval by the City of Toronto. Advertising can give local community members and residential unit buyers the mistaken impression that a condominium or other such development has already been approved by the City when, in fact, the City has not yet issued a building permit. The motion was moved by Councillor and supported by Councillor Wong-Tam. City and Toronto Port Authority Council voted against approving the terms of a proposed settlement with the Toronto Port Authority concerning payments in lieu of taxes made to the City for Billy Bishop Toronto Centre Airport. The airport is one of several Toronto properties owned by the federal port authority. Appointments to Toronto Hydro board Council approved the appointment of eight citizen members to the Board of Directors of Toronto Hydro Corporation for the two-year term from April 15, 2013 to April 14, 2015, with a renewal term of two years or until a successor is appointed. 3. Upcoming Ward 27 Consultations April 15 – 481 University Planning Application – Community Consultation The City is holding a Community Consultation meeting where you can learn more about this application, ask questions and share your comments. To view the flyer, please click here. Date: April 15, 2013 Time: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. – Open House 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. – Presentations, Questions & Answer + Comments Place: 100 Queen Street West, City Hall Committee Room 3, Second Floor Proposal: The applicant is proposing a 55-storey mixed-use building, which includes a 10-storey commercial office/retail base. The proposed base of the building will retain the facades of both 481 University Avenue and 210 Dundas Street West, both of which are listed heritage properties. The application is proposing a total of 748 residential units and 378 parking spaces underground. You can view a copy of the Preliminary Report providing background information at: http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2013/te/bgrd/backgroundfile-56844.pdf To speak to the planner directly, contact Giulio Cescato, at (416) 392-0459 or gcescat@toronto.ca. You may mail your comments to the planner at Toronto and East York District, 100 Queen St W Floor 18 E Toronto On, M5H 2N2. You may also contact our office, at (416) 392-7903, or email at: councillor_wongtam@toronto.ca. April 23 – College Park Revitalization: Public Open House Councillor Wong-Tam and City of Toronto staff will be reviewing the preliminary design concepts for proposed improvements to College Park. Local residents are invited to provide input in the design process and the shaping of the future of the park. To view the flyer, please click here. Date: Thursday, April 23, 2013 Time: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Location: Delta Chelsea Inn 33 Gerrard Street West For more information, please contact: Netami Stuart 416-392-3390 nstuart@toronto.ca or Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam 416-392-7903 councillor_wongtam@toronto.ca City-Wide Consultations: Street Needs Assessment On April 17, 2013, about 1,200 volunteers and staff from community agencies and City divisions will fan out across Toronto to conduct a 13-question survey with people who are homeless. They will also take a census of those sleeping outdoors and in emergency shelters, as well as those listed with no fixed address in prisons and hospitals. You can help. Please sign up to volunteer today! This is the third Street Needs Assessment in Toronto. The results of the first two surveys and homeless counts, in 2006 and 2009, helped the City improve services and make investments more targeted to assist homeless people to find and keep permanent housing. For more information, please visit this website: http://www.toronto.ca/housing/SNA2013.htm City of Toronto Condominium Consultation The City of Toronto is consulting with Toronto's condominium occupants. the purpose of this consultation is to engage with condo residents, condo boards, businesses located in condo buildings, property managers, City staff and others to identify possible changes to City policies as they relate to condo living in Toronto. Some examples of existing issues that the City has been made aware of to date include: Access to parks and dog parks, recreational and community amenities, parking and visitor parking and childcare options in the neighbourhood. The health of Toronto's condo communities is critical to the future health of our city as a whole. With the number of new condos quickly changing the face of Toronto, there's a lively and high profile discussion underway regarding what impact these condos will have/are having on the people living in the condos as well as on the broader city. For more information, please contact: Peter Moore City Planning, City of Toronto Tel: 416.392.8806 Email: pmoore@toronto.ca For more information on the Condo Consultation, please visit this website: http://www.toronto.ca/planning/condo_consultation.htm 4. Upcoming Ward 27 Events Community Clean-Up Day Saturday, April 20th, 2013 is the City of Toronto Community Clean-Up Day. You are invited to start your own Clean-Up event on April 20. Gather your friends, family or neighbours, pick an area in your community that's important to you, and help clean Toronto together. Here's how to get started:
For more information on the City's Community
Clean-Up, please visit their website: http://www.toronto.ca/litter/clean-up/signup.htm
The North Rosedale Resident's Association is organizing their annual Spring Clean-Up Campaign. It is a great opportunity to meet your neighbours and help out your neighbourhood at the same time. Date: Saturday April 20th from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm (Raindate: April 21st) Where to meet: Rosedale Park Playground, Chorley Park (Douglas Drive gate), Northeast corner of Mount Pleasant & Whitehall. What to Wear: Long pants and long-sleeved shirt. Work gloves. Boots or sturdy shoes. What to Bring: Rakes, pruning shears, and clippers. Garbage bags will be provided. Are you already planning a clean-up in your neighbourhood? Please send the details to councillor_wongtam@toronto.ca and Councillor Wong-Tam will post it on her website. Jane's Walk: The Parks of Yorkville Guided by: Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, Architects Ken Greenberg and Michael McClelland Meeting place: 22 Yorkville Avenue, Yorkville Public Library End place: Village of Yorkville Park, Cumberland Street Date: Saturday, May 4th Start Time: 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM Est. Duration: 2 hours Yorkville, one of Toronto's most historic and culturally rich neighbourhoods, has seen dramatic transformation over the past two hundred years and remains subject to further change. But is this change sustainable? Growing from a mixed industrial and suburban area in the 1830s, to the hub of bohemian culture for famous Canadian writers and activists including Margaret Atwood and Neil Young in the 1960s, Yorkville began to take on the cultural and commercial landscape of today in the 1980s with the arrival of internationally renowned designers, high-end shops, cafes, galleries, and residences. Intense commercial and residential development continues today within the neighbourhood from Yonge Street to Avenue Road, Bloor Street West to Davenport Road. While the strong retail presence and heritage characteristics have generated tourism and contributed to a vibrant neighbourhood, it has also brought intense residential development pressures for pedestrians, business owners, vehicle drivers, and challenges from a streetscaping and urban design perspective. On Saturday May 4, 2013 join Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam and Architects Ken Greenberg and Michael McClelland for a walking conversation of pedestrianization efforts and how the future of Yorkville can be shaped in the context of current development proposals, while taking in the unique sights of heritage buildings including the Yorkville Public Library, Heliconian Hall, and the award-winning Village of Yorkville Park. Further information and updates will be available here. |
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