(Report dated May 14, 1998, addressed to the Special Committee to Review The Final Report Of The Transition Team, from the City Clerk.)

Re: The Roles and Responsibilities of the Community Councils

The Toronto Community Council:

(1)recommends to the Special Committee to Review the Final Report of the Transition Team that the City=s delegates to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) national convention, particularly the FCM Board Members from the City of Toronto, urge the FCM to develop a comprehensive position and strategy to accomplish a constitutional amendment which will provide for municipalities to be autonomous orders of government within Canada=s governance structure;

(2)urges the Special Committee to insist on the broadest possible interpretation of the powers which may be actually or essentially delegated to Community Councils and to be as creative as possible to provide for achieving these objectives. For example the following tools should be developed: a framework for a community council budget; a by-law delegating significant planning approvals to the Community Council;

(3)recommends to the Special Committee that staff be requested to assist the Working Group on Community Consultation in drawing up a list of specific responsibilities (including specific by-law making powers and specific budgetary powers) which would be delegated to Community Councils, in keeping with the proposal from the Working Group endorsed by Toronto Community Council, and that this list be forwarded to the Special Committee as a model for the delegation of powers.

The Toronto Community Council also:

(1) adopted the following motion from Councillor McConnell:

AWHEREAS the report of the Working Group on Citizen Participation called for the delegation of by-law powers, limited budgetary authority, staff direction and service management to the Community Councils; and

WHEREAS the Toronto Community Council has already endorsed the report of the Working Group; and

WHEREAS the Special Committee to Review the Final Report of the Transition Team will quickly be developing final, concrete proposals regarding the powers of Community Councils;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Toronto Community Council strongly encourage the Special Committee, and through it, City Council, to actively pursue the power to delegate by-law making authority to Community Councils, and;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Toronto Community Council strongly urge the Special Committee, and through it, City Council, to reduce the burden of issues at Council by fully delegating matters that are clearly local in scope to the Community Councils;

(2)received the report titled, ARoles and Responsibilities of the Community Councils - A Discussion Paper (March 1998)@ and thanked the members and Chair of the Special Committee for their efforts in this regard.

Background:

The Toronto Community Council on May 6, 1998, had before it a report, titled AThe Roles and Responsibilities of the Community Councils - A Discussion Paper (March 1998)@.

The Toronto Community Council also had before it the following communications:

-(April 24, 1998) from Mr. Robert Sheridan, The Greater Yorkville Residents= Association;

-(April 15, 1998) from Councillor McConnell, obo the Working Group on Citizen Participation;

-(April 21, 1998) from Mr. Walter Ross, addressed to Councillor Adams;

-(May 6, 1998) from Ms. Katherine H. Packer, President, Deer Park Ratepayers= Group Inc.;

-(May 6, 1998) from Mr. Bill Roberts, Directors, Swansea Area Ratepayers Association.;

-(April 30, 1998) from Ms. Rita Luty;

-(October 6, 1997) from Mr. Brian Maguire, The Municipal Coalition;

-(April 9, 1998) from Ms. Valerie Siren Schatzker, President, The South Rosedale Ratepayers= Association.

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

-Ms. Rita Luty, Toronto, Ontario

-Mr. William Roberts, Toronto, Ontario

-Mr. David Vallance, Chair, CORRA

-Mr. Dave Roberts, on behalf of ABC Residents= Association

-Mr. Richard Jessop, Avenue Road/Eglinton Avenue Community Association

-Mr. Brian Maguire, North Hill District Homeowner=s Association

-Mr. John McGinnis, Deer Park Ratepayer=s Group

-Mr. Dennis Choptiany, Toronto, Ontario

-Mr. Harold Pidduck, South Eglinton Ratepayer=s and Resident=s Association

-Mr. George Carere, Sherwood Park Resident=s Association

-Mr. Alson Fisher, Rathnelly Area Resident=s Association

-Mr. Bruce Budd, on behalf of East End Citizens For Democracy

-Ms. Diane Dyer, Toronto, Ontario

-Mr. Jim Houston, Toronto, Ontario