Date:February 5, 1999

To:Urban Environment and Development Committee

From:David C. Kaufman, General Manager, Transportation Services Division

Subject:Snow Link Seniors' Snow Removal Program in York Community Council Area

Purpose:

To respond to a request of the Chair of the Urban Environment and Development Committee to provide information on the Snow Link Seniors' Snow Removal Program in the York Community Council area. This report also provides background on seniors snow removal programs in the other districts of the City of Toronto.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

Not applicable.

Recommendation:

That the report recommending a comprehensive winter maintenance plan for the City, to be submitted by the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services to the March 31, 1999 meeting of the Urban Environment and Development Committee address seniors and disabled persons sidewalk snow removal.

Background:

Councillor Bill Saundercook, in a communication dated January 6, 1999, has requested the opportunity to speak about the Snow Link program currently in operation in the York Community Council area. This matter will be considered by the Urban Environment and Development Committee (UEDC) in conjunction with the overall summary of winter operations during January 1999 (Agenda Item No. 5).

Committee Chair, Councillor Joe Pantalone, in a January 20, 1999 letter, requested staff to report on the Snow Link program. This report responds to that request and also outlines the programs in effect in the East York and Toronto Community Council areas for comparison purposes.

Comments:

Snow Link Program - York

The former City of York has offered its seniors and disabled residents the Snow Link Program since 1983. The program currently serves approximately 850 residents and it is being administered through three separate community centres: York Fairbank Centre for Seniors, York Community Services, and George. S. Syme Seniors' Centre of York.

Who is eligible?

• senior citizens, over the age of 65
• disabled persons

Snow cleared from:

• public sidewalk in front of the property
• from the flankage, if it is a corner property
• front/back steps
• pathways
• driveways

Fees:

• The senior citizen or disabled person is responsible for paying the shoveller directly.
• A rebate for eligible senior and disabled residents is available to a maximum of $10.00 per storm and a maximum of $65.00 per season.

Costs of the program:

George Syme Seniors' Centre of York$14,523.00

York Community Services$10,646.00

York Fairbank Centre for Seniors$17,040.54

Administration Cost:$42,209.54

Reimbursement based on 1997/8:$17,213.00

Total Estimated Cost:$59,422.54

Ms. Novina Wong, City Clerk, in her communication dated February 3, 1999 entitled "Request for Transfer for Snow Link Program Ward 27, York Humber and Ward 28, York Eglinton", requested that the following resolution from Councillor Saundercook, which was before the York Community Council at its meeting of January 20, 1999, be brought to the Urban Environment and Development Committee for its meeting of February 8, 1999:

"WHEREAS an unprecedented snowfall has halted life in the City of Toronto recently; and

WHEREAS the amount of snow clearance and removal has exceeded existing budgets; and

WHEREAS in the Ward 27, York Humber and Ward 28, York Eglinton areas, snow clearing for seniors and the disabled is undertaken by the Snow Link Program, which is funded through City grants and user fees; and

WHEREAS the community agencies contracted by the City to provide the Snow Link Program should not experience deficit financing to provide this service;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Urban Environment and Development Committee be requested to direct the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services to transfer an amount of $25,000.00 to the appropriate budget line that funds the Snow Link Program, to provide for the increased costs associated with this program."

East York

A seniors' snow shovelling program for the East York Community Council area has been in effect for several years. The program has a limited capacity and it is on a first-come first-served basis. The program currently serves approximately 450 residents a year and it is delivered by a community agency called Neighbourhood Information Centre.

Who is eligible?

• Residents over 65 and physical disabled residents provided there is no other person able to shovel snow living in the home

Snow cleared from:

• public sidewalk in front of the property
• from the flankage, if it is a corner property
• regularly used private path from door to public sidewalk

Fees (including GST):

• Regular lot: $67.41
• Corner lot: $95.50
• No sidewalk: $39.32

GAINS (Guaranteed Annual Income Supplement) Recipients Fees:

• Regular Lot: $28.09
• Corner Lot: $38.89

The costs and revenue data for the program is summarized as follows:

1998/99 Budget requirements$89,190.00

Revenue:$29,190.00

NET COST (includes labour, supplies, $60,000.00

and $15,000 administration to NIC):

It is noted that during the recent storms, this program did not have the capacity to accommodate about 150 new applicants. These people were registered under the former Toronto program, described below.

Toronto

A policy adopted by the former City of Toronto Council providing snow removal services for senior citizens and people with disabilities has been in effect since 1972. The snow removal program currently serves 7,306 seniors and 939 people with disabilities and it is delivered by Works and Emergency Services.

Who is eligible?

• Resident owner or tenant of one or two-family dwellings only, 65 years of age or over and where there is no relative less than 65 years of age residing at the premises;

• Resident owner or tenant of one or two-family dwellings only, 65 years of age or over and where there is no relative less than 65 years of age residing at the premises;

• Resident owner or tenant of one or two-family dwellings only, who is under 65 years of age; and

is determined by the applicant's physician to be incapable of removing snow from their sidewalks without danger to their health;

provided that there is no able-bodied relative under 65 years of age also resident at the premises; and

• owner of a commercial building, containing not more than two separate units who;

• must reside within and operate a legitimate business from the premises;
• is determined by his/her physician to be incapable of removing snow on their sidewalks without danger to their health;
• has no abled-bodied relative under 65 years of age residing at the premises; and
• has no other able-bodied employee engaged in the operation of the business.

To help determine the eligibility of applicants for free snow removal, all applications must be renewed annually. Each applicant, either senior or disabled person, must sign and date a renewal application form and return it by mail before the privileges are renewed. In addition, new applications must be accompanied by a doctor's certificate for disabled persons and senior citizens must certify in writing that he/she is a senior citizen.

Snow cleared from:

• public sidewalk in front of the property
• from the flankage, if it is a corner property

In addition, seniors and disabled residents are provided with a list of agencies which provide home maintenance including snow removal from private property (not funded by the City). The following are the agencies which provide such services:

• West Toronto Support Services
• SAINTS
• Senior Link
• Toronto Christian Resource Centre
• Youth Employment Service

Fees:

• Free snow clearing

Costs of the program:

• The cost to deliver this program is approximately $1M for the removal of snow and ice for 8,245 senior citizens and disabled residents.

Scarborough

The seniors' snow removal program in the former City of Scarborough has been in effect for a number of years. The program serves approximately 4,400 residents and it is delivered by Works and Emergency Services.

Who is eligible?

• senior citizen, over the age of 65
• disabled persons

Snow cleared from:

• public sidewalk in front of the property
• from the flankage, if it is a corner property
• windrow

Fees:

• free snow clearing

In addition to the services mentioned previously under the former City of Toronto, residents of Scarborough also have access to West Hill Community Services, Scarborough Support Services, and Warden Woods Community Services (not funded by the City).

Costs of the program:

• The annual cost to deliver this program is in the order of $250,000.

Etobicoke

The seniors' snow removal program in the former City of Etobicoke has been in effect for a number of years. The program serves approximately 3,800 residents and the service is delivered by Works and Emergency Services.

Who is eligible?

• senior citizen, over the age of 65
• disabled persons

Snow cleared from:

• public sidewalk in front of the property
• from the flankage, if it is a corner property
• windrow

Fees:

• An administrative fee of $25.00 was charged with each application for snow clearing services. The clearing of the snow was free.

In addition to the services previously mentioned under the former Toronto, residents of Etobicoke also had access to CANES and Storefront Humber Home Support Services (not funded by the City).

Costs of the program:

• The annual cost to deliver this program is $211,000.

North York

The former City of North York provided free sidewalk snow removal services for all residents. However, a special program to clear windrows for seniors on former Metro roads was also in effect. About 60 residents take part. The annual cost is $5,000.

Conclusions:

The issue of seniors and disabled persons sidewalk and windrow snow clearing was dealt with in some detail in the October 15, 1998 report to the UEDC entitled "Examination of Service Levels for Road Maintenance and Related Budget Complications". It was noted that each of the former municipalities had programs, with similar eligibility criteria, however, there are wide variations in terms of fees, annual registration requirements, service delivery methods, number of clearances per season, etc. These programs have all been popular, leading to the conclusion that there is a need to continue the service. However, it is clear that there is a need to develop a uniform approach.

As the previous report pointed out, three key inter-related factors must be considered;

• eligibility
• whether to charge a fee and is so, at what level
• service delivery method and level of service

It is important to point out that some of the programs involve snow clearing from private property (driveways, walks, steps). In considering the above noted report, Council, at its meeting of November 25, 26 and 27, 1998, directed that the City provide a free sidewalk and windrow clearing service to all senior citizens over the age of 65 years, and disabled residents residing in single family residences, subject to no other occupant who is capable of removing snow (Motion No. 11). At the same meeting, Council, in considering recommendations of the York Community Council, adopted, as amended, the following:

(1)the current method of snow removal for seniors and the disabled through its Snow Link Program be endorsed for the 1998/1999 winter season;

(2)the current Snow Link Program be endorsed as the preferred additional method for providing winter maintenance services for seniors and the disabled for future winter seasons;

(3)the Snow Link Program continue to be administered by the York Fairbank Centre for Seniors, the York Community Services and the George S. Syme Seniors' Centre for York for 1998/1999; and

(4)consideration be given to expanding the snow removal program for the former City of Toronto and Borough of East York areas of the new City of Toronto.

(Clause 6 in Report No. 14 of York Community Council).

In the above-mentioned October 15, 1998 report, a range of 10 options to address seniors snow clearing was outlined. It is recommended at this time, in light of all of the foregoing, that using these options as a base and evaluating the numerous parameters, the seniors snow clearing programs be revisited in the context of the upcoming winter maintenance plan to be submitted to the UEDC in March.

Contact Name and Telephone Number:

Andrew Koropeski

Director, Transportation Services, District 1

Works and Emergency Services

Phone (416) 392-7711

Fax (416) 392-0816

e-mail "ekoropes@toronto.ca"

David C. Kaufman, General Manager

Transportation Services Division

Barry H. Gutteridge, Commissioner

Works and Emergency Services

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