Representation on the Board of Directors of

the Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority (MTHA).

The Striking Committee recommends the adoption of Option 3 embodied in the report (October 13, 1998) from the City Clerk, viz.:

"The following option is available to City Council:

Option 3:Direct the Striking Committee to give further consideration to appointments of City nominees to the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority (MTHA) once a response is received from the Province to the request of City Council (from its meeting on October 1 and 2, 1998) that the Province amend the necessary regulations to enable the City of Toronto to appoint a majority of MTHA Board members from City Council."

The Striking Committee reports, for the information of Council, having been advised by Councillor Gordon Chong, who is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority, that he will undertake to request the appropriate MTHA officials to provide all Members of Council, on an ongoing basis, with:

(i)a schedule of upcoming meetings of the Board of Directors; and

(ii)the list of agenda items to be considered at such meetings.

The Striking Committee submits the following report (October 13, 1998) from the City Clerk:

Purpose:

The purpose of this report is to present, as requested by the Striking Committee on September 23, 1998, possible options for proceeding with proposed appointments to the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority (MTHA), and to submit a list of Members of Council who have indicated an interest in such appointments.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

Not applicable.

Recommendation:

It is recommended that the Striking Committee give consideration to the options described in this report respecting proposed appointments to the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority (MTHA).

Council Reference/Background/History:

The Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority was established by provincial Order-in-Council and operates under a management agreement with the Ontario Housing Corporation (OHC). It is responsible for the day-to-day management of the OHC's rental housing in the City of Toronto.

There are currently two MTHA Directors who are municipal Councillors: Gordon Chong (City of Toronto) and Joyce Frustaglio (City of Vaughan). They were both appointed by provincial Order-in-Council, and their terms of office expire on April 30, 2000. The Ministry has advised that one of the two municipal appointees is from the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) since the regional municipalities will be sharing in the MTHA costs once same are downloaded.

City Council on July 29, 30 and 31, 1998, in adopting, as amended, Clause No. 4 of Report No. 7 of The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee, headed "Sale of Scattered Units Owned by Ontario Housing Corporation in the City of Toronto", directed, inter alia, that "the provincial Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing be advised that the City of Toronto will be nominating its two representatives to the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority; and further that the matter of these nominations be referred to the Striking Committee for consideration."

The Striking Committee on September23, 1998, requested the City Clerk and the City Solicitor to submit a report to the Striking Committee on possible options for proceeding with the proposed appointments to the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority (MTHA). The Striking Committee also directed the City Clerk to canvass Members of Council for their interest in being appointed to the Board of Directors of MTHA, should the option of appointing two representatives be available.

In addition, City Council on October 1 and 2, 1998, adopted, as amended, Clause No. 2 of Report No. 8 of The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee, headed "The Future Management of the Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority". In so doing, Council decided, in part, to request the Province of Ontario to amend the necessary regulations regarding appointments to the MTHA Board of Directors to enable the City of Toronto to appoint a majority of Board members from City Council.

City Council also adopted the following further recommendation:

"It is further recommended that the following motions be referred to the Striking Committee, with a request that the Committee submit its recommendations thereon to the next meeting of City Council scheduled to be held on October28, 1998:

Moved by Councillor Moscoe:

'It is further recommended that Councillors McConnell and Moscoe be nominated for appointment to the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority.'

Moved by Councillor Jakobek:

'It is further recommended that Councillor Jakobek be considered for appointment to the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority.' "

In his letter dated September 21, 1998, to the City Clerk, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing responded to the aforementioned decision of City Council to nominate two representatives to the Board of Directors of MTHA as follows:

"With respect to Council's intention to nominate representatives to the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority, I wish to advise that there are currently no vacancies among the eight positions on the Board."

Comments and/or Discussion and/or Justification:

The following options are available to City Council:

Option 1: Request the Province to increase the size of the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority in order to accommodate two representatives nominated by the City Council, and submit the names of two such nominees for appointment by provincial Order-in-Council.

Option 2: Submit to the Province the names of two nominees to represent the City of Toronto on the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority, with a request that such nominees be appointed by Order-in-Council at such time as vacancies occur on the Board.

Option 3:Direct the Striking Committee to give further consideration to appointments of City nominees to the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority once a response is received from the Province to the request of City Council from its meeting on October 1 and 2, 1998, that the Province amend the necessary regulations to enable the City of Toronto to appoint a majority of Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority Board members from City Council.

Members of Council were canvassed on October 7, 1998, to determine their respective interest in being nominated for appointment to the Board of Directors of MTHA. The attached Schedule 1 contains a list of those Members who have indicated an interest in such appointment, in the event that the Striking Committee wishes to recommend the nomination of two appointees.

The City Solicitor has been consulted in the preparation of this report.

Conclusions:

It is recommended that the Striking Committee give consideration to the options described in this report respecting proposed appointments to the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority.

Contact Name:

Joanne Hamill, Interim Contact for the Striking Committee, 392-4339.

--------

The Striking Committee also had before it the following communications:

(i)(August 10, 1998) from the City Clerk advising that City Council on July 29, 30 and 31, 1998, in adopting, as amended, Clause No.4 contained in Report No. 7 of The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee, headed "Sale of Scattered Units Owned by Ontario Housing Corporation in the City of Toronto", directed, inter alia, that the Provincial Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing be advised that the City of Toronto will be nominating its two representatives to the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority; and further that the matter of these nominations be referred to the Striking Committee for consideration.

(ii)(September 21, 1998) from the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing responding to the aforementioned Clause No. 4 contained in Report No. 7 of The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee; and advising, with respect to Council's intention to nominate representatives to the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority, that there are currently no vacancies among the eight positions on the Board.

(iii)(October 9, 1998) from the City Clerk advising that City Council, at its meeting held on October 1 and 2, 1998, in adopting, as amended, Clause No. 2 contained in Report No. 8 of The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee, headed "The Future of The Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority", directed that the following motions be referred to the Striking Committee, with a request that the Committee submit its recommendations thereon to the next meeting of City Council scheduled to be held on October 28, 1998:

"Moved by Councillor Moscoe:

'It is further recommended that Councillors McConnell and Moscoe be nominated for appointment to the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority.'

Moved by Councillor Jakobek:

'It is further recommended that Councillor Jakobek be considered for appointment to the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority.' ".

(iv)(October 14, 1998) from Councillor Jack Layton, Don River, advising of his interest in serving on the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority (MTHA); and stating that as Chair of the Council Strategy Committee for People Without Homes, and Co-Chair of the Advisory Committee on Homeless and Socially Isolated Persons, he feels ideally suited to help ensure that the housing interests of the City are represented.

--------

Councillor Jack Layton, Don River, appeared before the Striking Committee in connection with the foregoing matter.

(A copy of Schedule 1, referred to in the foregoing report dated October 13, 1998, from the City Clerk was forwarded to all Members of Council with the agenda of the Striking Committee for its meeting held on October 19, 1998, and a copy thereof is also on file in the office of the City Clerk.

Councillor Pam McConnell, Don River, subsequently requested that her name be removed from the list contained in Schedule 1.)