April 21, 1998

To:Special Committee to Review the Final Report of the Toronto Transition Team

From:City Clerk

Subject:Draft Discussion Paper on the Roles and Responsibilities of Community Councils

Recommendation:

The East York Community Council recommended to the Special Committee to Review the Final Report of the Toronto Transition Team, the following:

(i)a list of municipal functions/responsibilities be established by the Special Committee which reflect city-wide or broad municipal interest including the following:

(a)the authority to pass by-laws;

(b)the authority to restructure Community Council boundaries, alter ward boundaries or change councillor representation;

(c)the authority to levy taxes;

(d)the ability to issue debentures;

(e)the power to expropriate land;

(f)the power to enter into agreements, or to sue or be sued;

(g)the ability to hold title to property;

(h)the power to appoint municipal officers or to hire and fire staff; and

(i)the authority to make grants;

(ii)any other municipal functions/responsibilities be deemed residual which shall be dealt with by the community councils;

(iii)community councils be granted the authority to carry out any policy or by-law adopted by City Council whereby the discretion shall be vested with the community council;

(iv)community councils be consulted during the standardization and consolidation process of all municipal by-laws;

(v)general acceptance of the recommendations and comments in Appendices 1 and 2 of the aforementioned report of the Special Committee with the exception of the following recommendations from Appendix 1 whereby concern was expressed:

(a)Recommendation 2) (c) regarding many functions previously handled at the Metro level which could and should be devolved to the community councils, including many former Metro roads and all Metro parks and requesting Council to continue to review all its functions to allow for the maximum local delivery of service;

(b)Recommendation 2) (d) regarding the linkage of functions into the existing community service infrastructure to allow citizens to enjoy cost savings and service integration;

(c)Recommendation 2) (e) regarding community councils retaining responsibility for most of the areas they now oversee, including sewers, garbage, non-regional roads, parks, recreation centres, and planning matters other than regional planning and the Official Plan;

(d)Recommendation 4 in its entirety regarding how community councils set and spend their budgets; and

(e)Recommendation 5) (c) regarding the premise that all staff serving the functions managed by community councils would report to the community council;

(vi)endorsement of the principle that a two-thirds majority vote by City Council be required to overturn recommendations made by community councils.

The East York Community Council reports for the information of the Special Committee having requested the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer to report directly to the Special Committee on the feasibility of granting discretionary funds to community councils.

The East York Community Council also reports for the information of the Special Committee that it received the report (March 1998) of the Special Committee to Review the Final Report of the Toronto Transition Team with respect to the draft discussion paper on the roles and responsibilities and requesting the East York Community Council to report to the Special Committee after receiving community input.

Background:

The East York Community Council, at its special meeting on April 20, 1998, had before it a report dated March 1998, from the Special Committee to Review the Final Report of the Toronto Transition Team with respect to the draft discussion paper on the roles and responsibilities and requesting the East York Community Council to report to the Special Committee after receiving community input.

The East York Community Council also had before it communications from the following in respect of the roles and responsibilities of the community councils:

-(April 17, 1998) from Ms. Margaret Simpson, East York;

-(April 20, 1998) from Ms. Lorna Krawchuk, East York;

-(April 20, 1998) from Mr. Colin MacLeod, Team East York, East York; and

-(April 20, 1998) from Ms. Carol Burtin Fripp, President, Leaside Property Owners= Association Inc.

The following persons appeared before the East York Community Council in connection with the foregoing matter:

-Ms. Margaret Simpson, East York;

-Ms. Lorna Krawchuk, East York;

-Mr. Colin Macleod, Team East York, East York;

-Mr. Colin MacLeod on behalf of Ms. Carol Burtin Fripp, President, Leaside Property Owners= Association Inc;

-Ms. Maureen Lindsay, East York;

-Mr. Vasil Alexiou, East York;

-Mr. Cliff Dwyer, East York; and

-Ms. Norma Curran, East York.