September 9, 1999

To:Policy and Finance Committee

Planning and Transportation Committee

Board of Health

From:City Clerk

Subject:Retirement and Lodging Homes

Recommendations:

The Community Services Committee on September 9, 1999:

(i)recommended to the Policy and Finance Committee, and Council:

(a)the adoption of the attached joint report dated September 8, 1999, from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services and the Medical Officer of Health, subject to the recommendations being amended to read as follows:

"It is recommended that:

(1)a Retirement and Lodging Homes Advisory Committee be established, comprised of Councillors Ootes (Deputy Mayor), Johnston (Seniors Advocate), Filion (Chair, Board of Health), Duguid (Chair, Community Services Committee), Jones (Vice-Chair, Community Services Committee), and Flint (Chair, Planning and Transportation Committee);

(2)a Retirement and Lodging Homes Action Team, led by Public Health, be established with membership from Homes for the Aged, Municipal Standards and Licensing, Fire, Ambulance, Buildings, Legal Services, Shelter Housing and Support, Toronto Police, and Social Development. This team will immediately implement a short-term action plan to address complaints and concerns from the public regarding retirement homes;

(3)the City of Toronto fully apply its existing legal powers to investigate complaints related to the health and safety of residents in retirement homes across the City;

(4)the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services and the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services, in consultation with the Medical Officer of Health and City Solicitor, establish an interdepartmental working group comprised of staff from Police, Fire, Ambulance and Legal as well as other appropriate stakeholders. This working group will report back to the Retirement and Lodging Homes Advisory Committee by November 1999, and by December 1999 to the Community Services Committee and the Planning and Transportation Committee on the scope of the problem, issues related to the development and monitoring of mechanisms for ensuring quality and standards of care, and possible roles for the City, the Province and other stakeholders in this regard;

(5)this report be forwarded to the Planning and Transportation Committee and the Policy and Finance Committee;

(6)the estimated funding of $527,500.00 required for the short-term solution be absorbed in the Community and Neighbourhood Services 1999 approved Operating Budget, and that a report be submitted to the Policy and Finance Committee on the details of this expenditure, and the underexpenditures in 1999 that may be reallocated for this purpose, as part of the 1999 Operating Budget Variance reporting process;

(7)the 1999 expenditures required to immediately implement the initiatives proposed by the Retirement and Lodging Homes Action Team be approved and futher that the City seek 50/50 cost-sharing from the Province of Ontario to cover these expenditures;

(8)the funding implications of a longer-term solution be subject to a report to the Policy and Finance Committee for consideration with the year 2000 Operating Budget process; and

(9)the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect hereto.";

(b)that all references to the Retirement Homes Advisory Committee and the Retirement Homes Action Team, referred to in the joint report, be amended to read Retirement and Lodging Homes Advisory Committee and the Retirement and Lodging Homes Action Team respectively; and

(c)that the focus of both the Retirement and Lodging Homes Advisory Committee and the Retirement and Lodging Homes Action Team include retirement and lodging homes where personal support is being provided on site;

(ii)directed that the Policy and Finance Committee be requested to expedite discussion of the aforementioned joint report from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services and Medical Officer of Health to ensure consideration by Council at its meeting on September 28, 1999; and

(iii)directed that the aforementioned joint report be forwarded to the September 13, 1999, meeting of the Planning and Transportation Committee for information, insofar as it pertains to municipal property standards, zoning and related issues, with a request that any comments thereon be submitted directly to the Policy and Finance Committee for its meeting on September 16, 1999.

The Medical Officer of Health gave an overhead slide presentation to the Community Services Committee on the issues with respect to retirement homes.

City Clerk

R. Dyers/tl

Item No. 8

Sent to:Policy and Finance Committee

Planning and Transportation Committee

Board of Health

c.Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services

Medical Officer of Health

Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services