March 12, 1998
To: Metropolitan Cycling and Pedestrian Committee
Toronto City Cycling Committee
North York Cycling and Pedestrian Committee.
From: Jack Becker, Co-Chair, Metropolitan Cycling and Pedestrian Committee
Subject: Staffing Levels and Other Resources Provided to Cycling Committees
Purpose:
The Cycling Committees are making recommendations on continued staffing and other resources for cycling initiatives to the staff in their preparation of the report requested by the Urban Environment and Development Committee.
Funding Sources, Financial implications and Impact Statement:
Funding for recommendations was within the former municipalities
budgets.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that:
(1) the Toronto Cycling Committee's work be supported by core staff dedicated to working on cycling issues;
(2) the current staff support level for the Toronto City Cycling Committee and the Metropolitan Cycling and Pedestrian Committee be maintained for the Toronto Cycling Committee; and
(3) if there are opportunities to temporarily reassign staff made surplus through the restructuring of the new City, that such staff be assigned to priority projects contained within the plans of the existing cycling committees.
Council Reference/Background/History:
At its January 12, 1998 meeting, the Urban Environment and Development Committee directed the Interim Functional Leads for Transportation and Planning to report back to the Committee on staffing level and other resources previously in place to support the various cycling committees and the adequacy of it in context of the new City.
Comments and / or Discussion and / or Justification:
The excellent service level that the existing staff provided to the old City of Toronto will not be able to be maintained as they start to provide services to the much larger geographical area of the new City of Toronto. There will be a much higher need for their services in the other communities that have not benefited from the programs that were initiated in the old City of Toronto.
Staff support for the old City of Toronto consisted of three full time staff and, as well as, clerk support for Committee meetings. The Metropolitan Cycling and Pedestrian Committee also received support for its meetings from the former Metropolitan Clerks, Legal, Transportation, Planning, and Parks & Culture. In addition, the Sub-Committees were provided with meeting and other support from Planning. The Network Planning Sub-Committee received support of a portion of a staff from Transportation and from Parks & Culture. In addition, Access Metro provided support for the Committee's web site while Planning provided voicemail service.
As a minimum, it would be appreciated if Council could continue to provide this level of staffing and other support.
There will be considerable demands on the Toronto Cycling Committee and the City to roll-out existing initiatives over the rest of the new City. Such initiatives need the support of staff expert in cycling matters.
The need for expanding the cycling infrastructure within the new City is well understood. This winter has shown the increasing dedication of residents of the City to use cycling as their means of transportation. The number of road incidents that left cyclists injured and dead, highlights the ongoing need to focus on safety and education of cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers of motorized vehicles.
Conclusions:
The recommendations of the Working Group on the Governance Plan, contained in this report, are intended to provide advice to staff in the preparation of the report requested by the Urban Environment and Development Committee. The Cycling Committees' recommendation to Council is that existing staff, support, and resources continue to be given to the Toronto Cycling Committee. In addition if restructuring of the new City provides opportunity to reassign existing or provide contract staff, on a temporary basis, that consideration be given to assign such resources to cycling matters.
Contact Name:
H-JEH Becker
Co-Chair (Public), Metropolitan Cycling and Pedestrian Committee
416-203-1711 (Home)
416-968-4052 (Work)
hjehbecker@clo.com
H-JEH ( Jack ) Becker
Co-Chair (Public), Metropolitan Cycling and Pedestrian Committee
