Economic Development, Culture & Tourism
July 7, 1998
To:All City of Toronto Community Councils
From:Joe Halstead, Commissioner, Economic Development, Culture & Tourism
Subject:The 2008 Toronto Olympic Bid - Public Consultation
PURPOSE
- Generally outline the public consultation process related to Toronto's bid to host the 2008
Olympics and specifically set out the details of Phase I of the process.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
None arising from this report.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that this report be received for information.
COMMENTS
1. Public Consultation Overview
At its meeting on March 4, 5 and 6, 1998, City Council, in approving in principle the City of
Toronto bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games, passed a number of motions which relate to the
need to seek public consultation in the development of the bid. This report responds to those
motions and outlines a public consultation process which would inform the general public
interested in the bid, and would involve assistance from those with expertise in 6 key areas
related to the development of the bid. As well, the consultation with and assistance from those
who are directly impacted by the Olympic venues and legacies will be critical.
Central to preparing a bid to host the Olympics are:
(1)the development of a comprehensive and inclusive set of guiding principles of a bid which
is socially responsible; environmentally friendly; financially sound; and provides for public
participation; and ensures optimum legacies for the City; and
(2)the creation of a Bid Book which summarizes a unique vision for hosting the Games and
which would be used as the centrepiece for advancement of the bid internationally.
Developing the guiding Olympic Principles is an important first step which will inform the
development of the draft bid book. Both the Olympic Principles and the bid book would
remain as drafts throughout the process and would be revised as work proceeds. While City
Council will make the final decision on the content of the Olympic Principles, and provide
input into the bid book, it is proposed that these decisions be made following significant and
meaningful public consultation.
The overall goal of the public consultation process should have three objectives:
(1)Provide the public with an opportunity to express their views on what they want the
Olympics to do for the citizens of Toronto and our city;
(2)Provide the public with access to and opportunities to participate in the Olympic planning;
(3)Provide the citizens of Toronto with a public consultation process that receives input,
incorporates new ideas, responds to concerns, educates the public, and builds support for the
bid.
It is proposed that three phases of public consultation should be undertaken, separate and apart
from what it is anticipated the IOC will require as part of its evaluation process.
First Phase
Broad launch of the consultation process and the development of Olympic Principles to guide
the preparation of the bid book. Consultation should be organized around the 6 key areas of
interest as expressed by the public and City Council:
Social Equity
Environment
Financial Impact (Costs and Benefits)
Transportation
Venues
Cultural Programming
The details of Phase I of the public consultation are outlined in Section 2 below.
Second Phase
Intensive public consultation while detailed studies are being undertaken by City staff and
TO-Bid. The second phase consultation process would be modeled on the success or
shortcomings of the first phase and could include general information meetings, local
constituency meetings, roundtable meetings, stakeholder meetings, issue-specific workshops,
presentations to community and business organizations, focus groups, surveys, or
questionnaires. This consultation would focus on the draft bid book preparation and would
take place between November, 1998 and the summer of 1999, using the Council adopted
Olympic Principles as a framework.
Third Phase
This phase of consultation would consolidate the work done over the previous year. This
consultation would involve stakeholders and the community. In this phase the details of the
bid would be finalized and the various objectives of the bid would be prioritized.
2. Phase I Public Consultation details -- The Launch of the Public Consultation Process
The first phase of public consultation begins in July, 1998 with this report. Phase I of the
consultation is designed to get public input into the 2008 Olympic Bid and Draft Olympic
Principles. It is important that information related to the public consultation process be clearly
disseminated to the public and the media so that those interested in hearing about the Olympic
Bid or voicing an opinion know when, where and how to participate.
The public consultation process for the first phase will be summarized in a brochure which
will be available on August 17, 1998. In addition to the information contained in this report,
the brochure will also set out the addresses for the civic centres, telephone numbers for the
Community Council Clerks, focus group addresses and contact telephone numbers, as well as
Open House locations and contact telephone numbers. Over the balance of the summer, the
brochure will be mailed out to all community groups, the TO-Bid mailing list, special interest
groups, including those set out in Appendix 1 and neighbourhood associations in the
waterfront. The published material will contain the full list of Phase I dates, times and
locations set out below. Newspaper ads, including those in local community newspapers, will
also be published.
Note that because of Council schedules, the dates set out below have changed from those set
out in the June 24, 1998 report to the June 30, 1998 Strategic Policies and Priorities
Committee.
2.1 Launch at Community CouncilsSeptember and October , 1998
At special evening meetings of the Community Councils in September and October, 1998, the
City of Toronto will invite citizens to attend meetings at their local Civic Centre across
Toronto to launch the public consultation process for the 2008 Olympic bid. Mr. David
Crombie will be making presentations to all six Community Councils. This will be an
opportunity for the public to indicate their area of interest or concern.
The full list of Community Council meetings is as follows:
LocationDateTime
East York Community CouncilSeptember 14, 19987:30 p.m.
York Community CouncilSeptember 15, 19987:30 p.m.
Scarborough Community CouncilSeptember 16, 19987:30 p.m.
Etobicoke Community CouncilSeptember 17, 19987:30 p.m.
North York Community CouncilOctober 21, 19987:30 p.m.
Toronto Community CouncilOctober 22, 19987:30 p.m.
2.2Focus Group Meetings November, 1998
City of Toronto staff, in consultation with TO-bid and COA staff will then set up a series of
focus group meetings to gather public input into six key areas of the Olympic Principles. The
major task of these focus groups will be to develop a series of guiding Olympic Principles
related to the 6 key areas, describing a "wish list" of legacies related to each area, and
determining priorities for the legacies.
The full list of focus group meetings is as follows:
TopicLocationDateTime
Social Equity Metro Reference Library Nov. 7, 199810:00 a.m. -5:00 p.m
EnvironmentYork Quay Centre --
Lakeside TerraceNov. 7, 199810:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m
VenuesExhibition Place --
Fountain Dining Room
Queen Elizabeth BuildingNov. 7, 199810:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Financial ImpactsNorth York Civic CentreNov. 14, 199810:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
TransportationMetro Hall -- 27th FloorNov. 14, 199810:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Cultural ProgrammingDesign ExchangeNov. 14, 199810:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Note that because of the intensive work involved in developing a series of Olympic Principles
that the meetings are scheduled for all day on two Saturdays.
2.3Open HousesDecember, 1998
City of Toronto staff, in consultation with TO-Bid and COA staff and the leaders of the public
focus groups will then prepare draft Olympic Principles to guide the development of an
Olympic bid and the staging of the Olympic Games. These will be subject of two open houses
where the public will be invited to comment on the draft Principles related to:
2008 Olympics and social equity issues
2008 Olympics and the environment
2008 Olympics -- the costs and financial returns
2008 Olympics and transportation
2008 Olympics -- the venue legacies
2008 Olympics and cultural legacies
The open houses will be held as follows:
LocationDateTime
Metro Reference LibraryWednesday, December 2, 19982:00 - 8:00 p.m
Metro Reference LibraryMonday, December 7, 19982:00 - 8:00p.m
Staff from the City, as well as representatives of TO-Bid and the COA will be on hand to
answer any questions.
2.4Survey/Feedback
Over the summer, City staff, in consultation with the TO-Bid and COA staff will work with
media partners to seek public opinion on various components of the bid. This could take the
form of one of the local newspapers or television station asking the public a question a week
related to the Olympics or could be a more formal survey.
2.5Draft Guiding PrinciplesEarly 1999
Staff will target a City Council meeting in early 1999 to report on the results of the public
consultation process, the draft Olympic Principles, and the next steps related to Phases II and
III of the public consultation.
2.6Other meetings
City staff are available starting immediately to discuss the Olympics with any group or
organization. Members of Council should contact the City Olympic Office at 392-2008 if they
wish staff to speak to community groups, residents associations, or other organizations.
Where appropriate, TO-Bid and COA representatives will be invited to assist in briefings and
information meetings as well.
3. Communications Strategy
Corporate Communications staff, in consultation with the City Olympic Office, are currently
in the process of developing a comprehensive communications plan which recommends a
variety of communication tools to support the Phase I community consultation process. The
plan outlines a strategy that is designed to ensure that everyone and anyone who is interested
in hearing about -- or voicing an opinion about -- the bid will know how, where and when to
access the process. Council will be kept informed about the communications strategy as part
of regular reports to Council on the progress of the bid.
4. City Olympic Office
Further to the discussion at the March 4, 5 and 6, 1998 Council regarding staffing related to
the Olympic Bid, a multi-disciplenary team is being brought together, representing a variety
of interests as well as representative of the former municipalities, to respond to the Council
motions, brief members of Council on a regular basis, prepare reports to Council, respond to
public enquiries, and begin the public consultation process related to the submission of the bid
to the IOC. The City Olympic Office staff work program is detailed in the report to the June
30, 1998 Strategic Priorities and Policies Committee and is included as Appendix 2.
The City Olympic Office has now been set up on the 22nd Floor of Metro Hall:
Telephone:392-2008
Fax392-3821
E-mail:Olympbid@city.toronto.on.ca
Web sitewww.city.toronto.on.ca/olympics (launch: August 17, 1998)
A memo has been sent to the Mayor, members of Council, the CAO's office, and all the
Commissioners offering the services of the City Olympic Office to respond to correspondence
and enquiries on the Olympic bid that come to the City.
CONTACT NAME
Joe Halstead, Commissioner
Economic Development, Culture & Tourism
Telephone:(416) 395-6188
Fax(416) 395-0388
_________________________
Joe Halstead
Commissioner
Appendix 1: Group Lists
Staff have attempted to put together a list of groups which relate to the 6 key areas of the
Olympic Principles. The list is by no means exhaustive and representatives from any group
not currently on the list should contact the City's Olympic bid office or TO-bid
representatives. It should also be that internal groups will be asked to vet the preliminary list
of external contacts for comprehensiveness.
1.Social Equity
Joint Citizens Committee on People with Disabilities
Healthy Cities Office
Social Planning Council
Community Service Agencies (neighbourhood centres, daycares, immigrant and settlement
centres)
Agencies serving children and youth
Social Justice Network
Child Advocate
Task Force on Community Access
Association of Neighbourhood Centres
Boys and Girls Clubs
Association for Community Living
Hugh McMillan Centre
March of Dimes
CNIB
Public and Separate School Boards
Bread Not Circuses Coalition
Transportation Action Now
Housing
The Metro Toronto Housing Company Limited
City Housing
CityHome
Homes First
Fair Rental Policy Organization of Ontario
Federation of Metro Tenants Associations
Ontario Non Profit Housing Association
Cooperative Housing Federation of Toronto
University professors (eg.Planning, School of Social Work)
Housing Producers
Advisory Committee On the Homeless
Strategy Committee for People Without Homes
Toronto housing design and construction community (architects, urban designers, Toronto
Home builders association)
2.Environment
Task Force to Bring Back The Don
Toronto Bay Initiative
South Riverdale Environmental Health Liaison Committee
Friends of the Spit
Citizens for a Safe Environment
Toronto Environmental Alliance
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
Don Watershed Regeneration Council
Metropolitan Waterfront Coalition
University Faculty (eg. Environmental Studies programmes)
Ontario Hydro
Toronto District Heating Corporation
Green Peace
Pollution Probe
Green Tourism
ICLEI
Energy Efficiency Office of Toronto
Canadian Urban Institute
Howland House
Ecology House
3.Financial (Costs and Benefits)
The Board of Trade
Ontario Chamber of Commerce
Toronto Construction Association
Canadian Federation of Independent Business
Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnership
Metro Toronto Convention & Visitor Association
Tourism Ontario
CD Howe Institute
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Toronto
Scarborough Chamber of Commerce
North York Chamber of Commerce
Etobicoke Chamber of Commerce
Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas
Scarborough/North York/York Chinese Association
Toronto Real Estate Board
Canadian Italian Business and Professional Association of Toronto
Urban Development Institute
4.Transportation
City Cycling Committee
Task Force On The Gardiner Lakeshore Corridor
TCCA
Centre for Sustainable Transportation
Streetcars for Toronto
Greater Toronto Airports Authority
Ontario Motor Coach Association
Ontario Ministry Of Transportation
Transportation 2000
The Green Transportation Coalition
Canadian Urban Institute
Bikes not Cars
Canadian Urban Transit Association
Pollution Probe
Waterfront Regeneration Trust
ICLEI
Transportation Action Now
This group will be augmented by meetings with transportation operators.
5.Venues
Exhibition Place
Ontario Place
Groups to be consulted regarding venues will include community-based recreation groups,
community centre boards throughout the city as well as provincial and national sports
federations and organizations.
6.Cultural Programming
Toronto Arts Council
Public Art Commission and various Municipal Public Art Advisory committees
Arts Foundation of Greater Toronto
Ontario Association of Landscape Architects
Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Culture
Toronto Society of Architects
Toronto Theatre Alliance
Visual Arts Ontario
Harbourfront Centre
Toronto Theatre Alliance
Ontario Film Development Corporation
Arts Etobicoke
Scarborough Arts Council
Exhibition Place
Ontario Place
Major producing/presenting organizations and festivals (Toronto Symphony, Canadian Opera
Company, National Ballet, Canadian Stage Co., Downtown Jazz Festival, Caribbean Cultural
Committee)
Commercial producers (Livent, Mirvish)
Major institutions (AGO, ROM)
Major venue operators (Hummingbird, Ford, St. Lawrence, RTH/Massey Hall Corp., Glen
Gould Studios)
Experienced festival producers
City LACAC's (including Heritage Toronto)
Architectural Conservancy of Toronto
Town of York Historical Society (and other historical societies with an interest in the Olympic
sites)
Friends of Fort York
University of Toronto Faculty of Architecture
Community Heritage Project
In addition to the list above organized around specific issues staff has developed a list of over
40 resident and community Groups, BIA's, issue-specific committees (Friends of the Fort,
Friends of the Spit), and coalitions of groups south of Queen Street in the Waterfront which
would be consulted as part of the Olympic Bid process. The City will also consult with
ethno-cultural and ethno-racial organizations.
Appendix 2: Olympic Bid Staff Work Program
1.MAJOR TASKS
|
TASK/REPORT |
DESCRIPTION |
DUE DATE /
PROGRESS |
1. |
Quarterly progress
reports to Council |
Regular progress reports to Council on:
·status of the competition from other
cities
· responding to the concerns of Council
·status of public consultation |
October 1, 1998
November 25, 1998
March 1999
June 1999
September 1999 |
2. |
Public participation |
Extensive public consultation process
required to:
a) develop Olympic principles
b) provide input into the bid book |
ongoing - commencing
July 1998, with first
phase (Olympic
Principles) concluding
in November |
3. |
Olympic Guiding
Principles |
Framework for Olympic bid book
submission |
November 1998 |
4. |
Council endorsement
of bid |
Document to be submitted to IOC
outlining Toronto's bid to host the
Olympics |
November 1999 |
2.RESPONSE TO COUNCIL MOTIONS
|
TASK/REPORT |
DESCRIPTION |
DUE DATE /
PROGRESS |
1. |
Quarterly reports |
Report to Council |
October 1, 1998
November 25, 1998 |
2. |
Tripartite Agreement |
City, TO-bid & COA to define staff, the
relationship, roles and responsibilities of
each in bidding for the Games |
Addressed in
agreement before
Council on July 8,
1998 |
3. |
Financial Strategy |
TO-bid develop report which does not
impact on the tax rate and this strategy be
made available for public consultation |
A further report
forthcoming October 1,
1998 Council
The Bid City
Agreement provides for
a number of
mechanisms for
financial
accountability. |
City & TO-bid enter into discussions on
the development of a suitable financial
mechanism between them and provide
Council with accountability options to
ensure protection for taxpayers and the
City |
4. |
Olympic Principles |
City, TO-bid and COA develop Olympic
Principles to update Olympic
Commitment and be subject of broad
consultation |
Develop guiding
Olympic Principles in
1998 through public
consultation process |
5. |
Transportation |
TO-bid enter into discussions with TTC
on ways and means of increasing public
transit during the Games and minimizing
vehicular traffic. Discussions to be
extended to include Gardiner Lakeshore
Task Force to achieve a transportation
plan to support on the Olympic
requirements |
Report to November
25, 1998 Council
meeting
Report to be informed
by public consultation
process commencing in
July, 1998 as well as
the meetings with
transportation
operators scheduled to
begin in July. |
6. |
Housing &
Construction |
TO-bid work with all stakeholders in the
housing and construction industry to
develop options to ensure that the
opportunities for long term affordable
housing are maximized from the
accommodation to be built for the
Games. That particular attention to be
paid to ensure that all accommodation is
constructed to the highest environmental
standards possible |
Report to the October
1, 1998 Council
|
7. |
Social Impact
Assessment |
TO-bid work with social planning
agencies and City staff to determine the
best method to develop a full social
impact assessment process for the Games |
Report to the October
1, 1998 Council
Initial discussions on
this issue have been
held with the Social
Planning Council. |
8. |
Homeless/Tenant
Strategy |
In consultation with Toronto Advisory
Committee on Homeless and Isolated
Persons, report on issues and mechanisms
to ensure the Games do not negatively
impact on the homeless, isolated persons
and tenants |
Report to the October
1, 1998 Council
Report to be informed
by public consultation
process commencing in
July 1998. Initial
meeting held with Task
Force on the Homeless
on May 8, 1998.
A discussion paper on
Olympic
accommodations and
housing has been
prepared by BIDCO
staff. |
9. |
Social Investment
Fund |
TO-bid work with social planning
agencies to consider the opportunity and
viability of establishing a social
investment fund from the Games -- to be
provided within the context of a
financially responsible Games |
Report to the October
1, 1998 Council
|
3.RESPONSE TO MOTIONS REFERRED TO CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
(CAO)
|
TASK/REPORT |
DESCRIPTION |
DUE DATE /
PROGRESS |
1. |
Referral to CAO with
request for report
(Bernardinetti) |
that all motions submitted by Members
of Council in regard to the Olympic Bid
with the exception of Motion (2) by
Councillor Pantalone, and Motion (5) by
Councillor Bussin, be referred to the
CAO with a request that the concerns
raised therein be addressed in future
reports in the regard |
To be set out in
Quarterly reports,
commencing October
1, 1998
|
2. |
Lake Shore light rail
(Bussin) |
that the following motion be referred to
the TTC for consideration and report
thereon to SP & P "that a light rail
system along the Lake Shore East
Transportation Corridor be included in
the infrastructure planning and budget for
the 2008 Olympic bid for consideration
and approval by City Council |
Component of report to
November 25, 1998
Council
To be discussed at
meetings with
transportation
operators commencing
in July 1998. |
3. |
Board of Trade
liaison
(Davis) |
that the CAO be requested to investigate
with the Board of Trade the issue of the
City's participation in Toronto 2000 as a
means of showcasing the City of Toronto
as part of the Olympic bid process |
Component of report to
October 1, 1998
Council
Initial meeting already
held with 4
subcommittees of
Board of Trade on May
6, 1998. |
4. |
Access for people
with disabilities
(Johnston) |
that the CAO be requested to submit a
report providing more detail on
improvements which will be made to
present facilities for persons with
disabilities, such report to be prepared in
conjunction with organizers of the
Paralympics which would follow the
Games |
Component of report to
October 1, 1998
Council
Meetings to discuss
these issues with
stakeholders held June
25, 1998. |
5. |
Financial due
diligence
(Layton) |
that TO-bid be requested to include in its
due diligence process, an arms-length
financial check for each stage of the
process to obtain the 2008 Olympics |
Component of report to
October 1, 1998
Council |
6. |
Guarantees from
other levels of
government and
private sector
(Miller) |
that City Council's final support of the
Olympic bid be contingent, in part, upon
the provision of satisfactory guarantees
by other levels of government, the private
sector or otherwise, for the City's
liability under Section 40 of the Olympic
Charter |
To be set out in
quarterly reports,
starting October 1,
1998
The Bid City Legal
Agreement sets out
provisions about
provincial and federal
government support. |
7. |
Rent Control |
that the 1992 Rent Control Act, Landlord
and Tenant Act, and the Rental Housing
Protection Act, be reinstated at least for
the City of Toronto and preferably for the
whole Province until at least the year
2010 |
To be set out in
quarterly reports,
starting October 1,
1998
|
Privatization of
Social Housing |
that the Federal and Provincial
governments suspend all privatization of
co-operative apartments and units and
other forms of social housing withing the
GTA until at least 2010 |
Unit market
assessment
|
that, given the potential for extreme
instability in assessment because of
redevelopment related to the Olympic
Games, Provincial legislation confer
upon the City of Toronto a system of
Unit Assessment (U.A.) To remain in
effect until at least the year 2010. |
N.B.Council motions had referred to BIDCO, however, with the creation of the new
corporation, the actions will be carried out by TO-Bid staff and therefore referred to as
TO-Bid in this work plan and hereafter.
As noted in several instances throughout this work program, meetings with interested parties,
agencies, and organizations have already begun. A full outline of meetings held to date will be
set out in the October 1, 1998 report to Council.