City Council meeting of April 25, 2006
Construction of five-star downtown hotel
A developer's plan to construct a 46-storey building as part of a complex including a five-star Four Seasons hotel received Council's approval after a debate about the tall building's effect on the Yorkville neighbourhood. The new complex, situated on the east side of Bay Street between Yorkville Avenue and Scollard Street, will also include a 30-storey residential building. The hotel will occupy the first 21 floors of the taller building, with the upper floors a residential condominium. The developer has agreed to contribute $5 million for local community projects involving the Toronto Reference Library, Jessie Ketchum School, the local fire hall and streetscape improvements.
Integrity commissioner's handling of complaints
Council amended the protocol for the integrity commissioner's handling of complaints about the conduct of City Council members. The changes give councillors greater protection against complaints that are frivolous, vexatious, made in bad faith or lacking in substance. Council has a formal code of conduct that provides guidance on appropriate and inappropriate behaviour.
Green Roof incentives
Council approved the terms of reference and an application process for a Green Roof incentive pilot program. Administered by Toronto Water, the two-year pilot program will offer grants of up to $20,000 as an incentive for property owners to plant vegetation on building roofs, subject to a qualification process and a limited program budget. The City would like to see the construction of a variety of green roof types on a range of buildings, from industrial to single-family residential. The program will showcase different green roof technologies and planting styles.
Work plan to address basement flooding
Council approved a work plan to help prevent basement flooding. The approach taken in the past concentrated on providing enough sewer capacity to handle storm flows. A rain storm in 2005 resulted in numerous flooded basements in Toronto. The new approach will focus on first preventing surface flooding and reducing the amount of stormwater that enters sewer systems, then assessing the sewer capacity needed to handle remaining storm flows. The City offers programs to help people protect their homes from potential basement flooding. Details: www.toronto.ca/water
Improvements to City programs
Council approved recommendations that followed audits of the Fire Services and Technical Services divisions and the City's management of information technology assets. The Technical Services recommendations are intended to improve the management of construction contracts. The operational review of Fire Services identifies steps to strengthen management controls and enhance the cost-effectiveness of operations. The review of information technology asset management proposes changes in the City's procedures.
Water quality at Toronto beaches
Council approved new measures and the expansion of existing programs to better manage local beaches and control the gulls, ducks and geese that are polluting them. Five Toronto beaches consistently experience poor water quality - in large part because of bacteria produced by gulls, ducks and geese. The City will take specific steps this year to address the bird problems at Centre Island Beach and Bluffer's Park Beach while improving maintenance at all major City beaches. The City will also promote public awareness that it is important not to feed gulls, ducks or geese.
Toronto's plan for pandemic influenza
Council endorsed the Toronto Board of Health's pandemic influenza plan. The goal of the plan is to minimize the impact of a potential influenza pandemic on Toronto's residents and visitors. The plan is aligned with existing provincial and federal pandemic plans, and was developed in consultation with stakeholders. It will be updated regularly, and will help the City respond to other emergencies as well.
Petition concerning U.S. air pollution
Council agreed to endorse a legal petition organized by the Sierra Legal Defence Fund with the aim of reducing air-pollutant emissions from coal-fired power plants in the United States. The petition will be presented to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The City of Toronto and the Government of Ontario are making many efforts to reduce local emissions of pollutants, but Toronto's air quality is also affected by emissions from U.S. coal-fired power plants.
Alcohol and drug abuse
Council agreed that the City of Toronto, as part of its drug strategy, will work to advance priorities of mutual concern identified in a federal report called "National Framework for Action to Reduce the Harms Associated with Alcohol and Other Drug Substances in Canada." Council endorsed the document, which encourages partnerships with municipalities such as Toronto.
Promoting Toronto's drinking water
Council adopted a motion encouraging the operators of all Toronto municipal facilities to distribute City of Toronto tap water rather than commercially-bottled water. The City wants to promote awareness of the high quality of its municipally-produced drinking water - which has been found to meet or exceed the quality of most commercially bottled water on the market.
Addendum - City's 2006 operating budget
Council set the City's 2006 operating budget on March 30. The $7.6 billion budget limits spending increases in most City programs to two per cent and protects basic services. The 2006 budget provides for an increase in the number of front-line police officers, improvements to Toronto Transit Commission services, continuation of the Clean and Beautiful City program, and further efforts to make Toronto neighbourhoods strong and safe. Details are provided on the City's website at www.toronto.ca/budget2006.
Previous Council Highlights
For inquiries about the official documentation of Council decisions, contact the City Clerk by e-mail, clerk@toronto.ca
Council Highlights, produced for your convenience, is a summary of Council's recent decisions. Council Highlights is not intended to serve as an official record of the meeting. If you have questions about this summary, please e-mail Strategic Communications at stratcom@toronto.ca.
