BOARD OF HEALTH

A G E N D A

Date of Meeting:Tuesday, November 10, 1998Enquiry:Christine Archibald

Metro Hall, 55 John Street,carchiba@city.toronto.

Torontoon.ca

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST PURSUANT TO THE MUNICIPAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST ACT

1.THE PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSE TO HOMELESSNESS

(Staff presentation)

(Report from Medical Officer of Health not yet available)

2.A MULTI-FACETED FOOD ACCESS STRATEGY FOR THE CITY OF TORONTO

(Report from Medical Officer of Health not yet available)

3.PHASING OUT PESTICIDE USE IN THE CITY OF TORONTO

Medical Officer of Health

(October 30, 1998)

Recommending that:

(1)The Board of Health and City Council make a commitment to the reduction and phase out of pesticides used on City-owned lands;

(2)the Board of Health and City Council request the Medical Officer of Health and the Toronto Inter-Departmental Environment Team (TIE) to:

(a)establish a Pesticides Subcommittee, with representatives from relevant departments and the public, to develop a Corporate policy and action plan for the reduction and phase out of pesticides used on City-owned lands;

(b)report through the Medical Officer of Health to the Board of Health by April 1999 on the Corporate policy and action plan; and

(c)implement the first phase of the action plan in the summer of 1999.

(3)the Board of Health request the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism and the Medical Officer of Health to submit a joint report to the Board of Health and to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee on the findings of a survey of pesticide-free maintenance programs in other jurisdictions and the options for implementing a pesticide-free maintenance program in Toronto parks;

(4)the Medical Officer of Health and the Toronto Inter-Departmental Environment Team (TIE) develop and implement an action plan to pilot the use of Integrated Pest Management in City-owned indoor properties;

(5)the Medical Officer of Health and the Toronto Inter-Departmental Environment Team (TIE) develop and implement, in collaboration with community organizations, a coordinated pesticide public education program to help residents reduce their exposures and assist them in making informed decisions about pesticide use;

(6)City Council request that the federal Minister of Health:

(a)document non-agricultural pesticide use;

(b)require disclosure of the names of inert ingredients on pest control product labels; and

(c) remove the exemption which applies to pesticides under the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS).

(7)City Council request that the Ontario Minister of Environment:

(a)research and implement economic incentives to promote the use of sustainable pest management strategies;

(b)establish a 1% waste handling charge on all pesticides sold in Ontario; and

(c)foster an industry stewardship initiative to collect unused or unwanted pest control products and their containers from residential households.

(A)Pesticides: A Public Health Perspective - Technical Report

Toronto Public Health, Environmental Protection Office

(October 30, 1998)

(B)Pesticides

Chair, Environmental Task Force, addressed to Works and Utilities Committee, Board of Health and Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee

(October 29, 1998)

Recommending:

1.That City Council indicate its support for the development of targets, strategies and actions to eliminate uses of chemical pesticides on public green space and in public buildings by all City departments, agencies, boards and commissions and that targets, strategies and actions be established in time for preparation for the 1999 growing season (ie. winter, 1998);

2.That City Council and relevant City departments, agencies, boards and commissions be advised that the Task Force strongly supports the following actions which are underway by City staff:

i)an inventory of types, volumes and reasons for chemical pesticide use both indoors and outdoors by all City departments, agencies, boards and commissions; and

ii)strategies and options to reduce/eliminate chemical pesticide uses in the City of Toronto.

3.That City Council be advised that the Environmental Task Force is willing to assist by examining the issue of chemical pesticides, including the reports being prepared by City staff, and recommending a plan which will include targets, time lines, options and strategies for the elimination of pesticide uses in Toronto;

4.That the Works and Utilities Committee receive this report for information;

5.That the Board of Health adopt this report and forward it to City Council together with the report on pesticides from the Medical Officer of Health;

6.That the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee receive this report for information and consideration together with the pending report requested by City Council on pesticide alternatives and costs involved from the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism; and

7.That the Toronto Inter-departmental Environment Team (TIE) submit the inventory of indoor and outdoor pesticide uses and the proposed corporate strategy for the reduction/elimination of outdoor pesticide uses to the Environmental Task Force by fall 1998 en route to Standing Committee..

4.REDUCING INDOOR PESTICIDE SPRAYING IN THE RESIDENTIAL SECTOR

Medical Officer of Health

(October 30, 1998)

Recommending:

(1)That the Board of Health endorse Integrated Pest Management (IPM) as the least-toxic, most effective method for controlling cockroaches in houses and multi-unit residential buildings;

(2)that Public Health staff work with staff in other divisions and departments to develop an action plan to implement widespread use of IPM for cockroach control. Creation of the action plan should address the following aspects:

(a)Promotion of IPM for cockroach control in city-owned residential buildings;

(b)Review of municipal by-laws that concern cockroach control in multi-unit residential buildings, including recommendations for improvement as warranted; and

(c)Development of a consistent public response strategy by municipal officials that encourages City residents to use IPM methods for cockroach control instead of traditional pesticide spraying.

(A copy of the reports from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation headed "Farewell to Cockroaches" and "Curbing Cockroaches: The Least Toxic Way", and (1998) Toronto Public Health report headed "Cockroach Control in the Housing Sector: Evaluation of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Demonstration Project for an Apartment Complex" has been forwarded to members only.)

5.TORONTO HEART HEALTH PROGRAM

Medical Officer of Health

(October 29, 1998)

Recommending that:

(1)(The Board of Health approve the four strategic directions outlined in this report; and

(2)the Board of Health demonstrate commitment to preventing cardiovascular disease through the ongoing allocation of sufficient staff resources to implement a comprehensive heart health program in the city of Toronto over the next five years.

6.ACCESS AND EQUITY TO HEALTH: IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE ISSUES

Medical Officer of Health

(October 30, 1998)

Recommending that:

(1)The Board of Health reaffirm its commitment to access and equity, and immigrant and refugee health issues;

(2)the Board of Health direct Toronto Public Health to continue to integrate principles of access and equity in the provision of public health services and programs and respond to the health needs of Toronto's immigrants and refugees; and

(3)the Board of Health forward this report to the Task Force on Community Access and Equity and the Advisory Committee on Immigration and Refugee Issues in Toronto.

7.PUBLIC HEALTH GRANTS - 1999 GOVERNANCE

Medical Officer of Health

(October 30, 1998)

Recommending that the Board of Health assume overall governance of Public Health Grants programs, as follows:

(a)The Board of Health, on the recommendation of the Medical Officer of Health in January, 1999, will appoint the members of the 1999 AIDS Prevention and Drug Abuse Prevention Review Panels. The Review Panels shall include City Council members, Board of Health members, informed citizens, and, in the case of AIDS Prevention, people living with HIV or AIDS;

(b)the Medical Officer of Health will promote the 1999 Public Health Grants program, make applications available to groups, and prepare a staff report for the AIDS Prevention and Drug Abuse Prevention Review Panels;

(c)Review Panels will review all applications, make recommendations, hear appeals from applicants, and make a final report to the Board of Health; and

(d)the Board of Health will approve the recommendations of the Review Panels and forward those recommendations to City Council.

8.INTERIM ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE PROVISIONS OF ANIMAL SHELTERING AND RELATED SERVICES FOR WARDS 19 TO 26

Medical Officer of Health

(October 30, 1998)

Recommending that the Chief Administrative Officer and the Medical Officer of Health be authorized to extend the existing contract to December 31, 1999, between the Toronto Humane Society and the City of Toronto for animal sheltering services for Wards 19 - 26, upon the same terms and conditions, in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

9.1999 PUBLIC HEALTH BUDGET

(Report not yet available)