January 22, 1999

To:Emergency and Protective Services Committee

From:Commissioner, Urban Planning and Development Services

Subject:By-law Amendment to Driving School Prohibited Area

Purpose:

The purpose of this report is to outline changes respecting the Ministry of Transportation Driver Examination Test Routes affecting the Toronto Licensing By-law No. 127.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

There are no financial implications with this report.

Recommendation:

In order to accommodate the extended test routes, which go beyond the Don Valley Parkway, on the west boundary, it is recommended that the prohibited area for North York/Scarborough presently incorporated into the Toronto Licensing By-law No. 127 be amended to:

1.(ii)North York/Scarborough

(a)The area bounded on the north by Highway 401, on the west by Leslie Street, on the east by Warden Avenue and the Ashtonbee CPR spur line and on the south by Eglinton Avenue East.

Authority:

Subsection 4 of Section 6 of Schedule 12 to By-law 20-85 gives authority to the Commission to designate by By-law any streets or areas in the Toronto area as the Commission may wish to prohibit or restrict driving instructors from giving instructions upon such streets or areas.

Background:

After almost 20 years at the 773 Warden Avenue location the Ministry of Transportation's Metro East Examination Centre re-located on August 2, 1991 to 1448 Lawrence Avenue East. This current location is in a commercial plaza located at the north-west corner of Victoria Park Avenue and Lawrence Avenue East.

The Commission enacted and passed By-law No. 114 on July 11, 1991 to accommodate the 1991 re-location. By-law No. 114, being a By-law respecting the prohibition of driving instruction on certain streets and in current areas in The Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto, was subsequently repealed and the Commission enacted and passed the current By-law No. 127 on February 20, 1997, which added a prohibited area in the north-west area of Toronto, referred to as the "North York" area.

Ministry staff have always expressed a strong need to maintain a prohibited area surrounding any test facility. The existence of a Prohibited Area allows Ministry staff to maintain the sensitive balance between the host neighbourhood and the need to road-test license applicants prior to the issuance of a driver's licence. A prohibited area benefits the residents by precluding the normal influx of driving school vehicles, yet serves the needs of the Ministry, respecting its need to road-test students in an area unfamiliar to them.

Existing North York/Scarborough Prohibited Area:

-on the south by Eglinton Avenue East;

-on the east by Warden Avenue and the Ashtonbee CPR Spur line;

-on the north by Highway 401 and

-on the west by Don Valley Parkway

New Developments\Extended Test Routes:

Ministry of Transportation staff have advised that they are now using the following streets west of the Don Valley Parkway as part of their Driver Examination Test Routes:

Overton Crescent, Belton Road, Dunecairn Road, Longbourne Place, Jacelyn Crescent, The Donway West, The Donway East, Broadleaf Road, Lakespar Lane and Brianfield Drive.

Conclusion:

In order to accommodate the changes to the Ministry's test routes, it is therefore recommended that the amendment to change the west boundary, from the Don Valley Parkway to Leslie Street, be adopted.

Contact Name and Telephone Number:

Carol Ruddell-Foster, General Manager

Toronto Licensing Commission

392-3070

Reviewed by:

James RidgeVIRGINIA M. WEST

Executive DirectorCommissioner

Municipal Licensing and StandardsUrban Planning and Development Services