October 21, 1999

To: Works Committee

From: Barry H. Gutteride, Commissioner, Works and Emergency Services

Subject: Proposed By-law Requiring Display of Addresses at the Rear of Properties Abutting Lanes

Purpose:

The purpose of this report is to obtain approval in principle for a proposed by-law that would require the display of municipal house numbers on lanes.

Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

There are no financial implications resulting from the adoption of this report.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1) the City Solicitor in consultation with the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services prepare a by-law to require the affixing of municipal numbers at the rear of properties abutting lanes; and

(2) the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect thereto, including the introduction of any Bills that may be required.

Background:

The Emergency and Protective Services Committee on June 16, 1998, had before it a communication (June 2, 1998) from Councillor Dennis Fotinos, Davenport, requesting the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services and the City Solicitor for a report on the development of a by-law making it mandatory for home and business owners to display their respective addresses on the rear of their garages or properties should they abut a laneway. We have therefore consulted with the City Solicitor, whose comments are contained in this report.

Comments:

Comments on the proposal for a by-law that would require the display of municipal house numbers on lanes have been obtained from staff of Toronto Police, Ambulance and Fire Services.

Ambulance Services mandate includes responding to all designated life-threatening emergency calls as quickly as possible since, in the worse case medical or trauma situation, seconds can make the critical difference between a positive and a negative patient outcome.

Direct access to possible patients requires accurate address determination. The confirmation of the address requires that the structure being responded to be clearly identifiable. In cases where rear access must be achieved by way of a laneway or other thoroughfare, it is often difficult to confirm the entry point, as such buildings or structures do not always have their exact address location visible at the rear of their premises. This situation has led to undue delays in getting help to patients, while time was spent confirming addresses or in establishing the best route into the property.

Ambulance Services staff endorse any effort to minimize the chance that necessary medical intervention might be compromised as a direct result of the unavailability of clear visual address identification, whether at the back or front of residential or business structures.

The Director of Corporate Planning, Toronto Police Services is of the opinion that the display of property addresses in laneways will assist police emergency vehicles to locate addresses quickly, with valuable response time not being wasted looking for addresses. Property owners will benefit directly, with potential decreases to response times.

The Police Services response is based upon the results of two different pilot projects on rear lane numbering. The pilot projects consisted of partnerships between the police, local community groups and business and residential property owners. Both projects were deemed sucessful community policing initiatives because the local community identified a problem, and developed and implemented solutions. These projects took place in the Upper Beaches area of Police Division 55, and in Parkdale, Police Division 14.

Fire Services staff have suggested that the posting of municipal numbers at the rear of properties abutting lanes would assist fire inspectors on occasion but not enough to warrant this proposal. Fire suppression crews generally respond to the front of the building, and if a secondary response was needed to the rear of a buidling, it would normally be visibly evident to them.

Conclusions:

The introduction of a numbering by-law with provision for improved display of house numbers on lanes is desirable because of the benefits to community security and the potential to reduce delays in dispatching a police or ambulance service vehicle to a location.

The City Solicitor has advised that there are no provisions in the Municipal Act that would allow the City to require the display of addresses at the rear of properties abutting properties on an area specific basis. Therefore, the requirement for the display of an address would apply to all properties abutting a lane.

A consolidated municipal numbering by-law for the City, requiring the display of addresses on streets and lanes, will the subject of a separate report.

Contact:

W. (Wally) Kowalenko

City Surveyor

Tel. (416)392-7664

Fax (416)392-0081

E-mail: wkowalen@toronto.ca

Tom G. Denes, P. Eng.

Executive Director, Technical Services

Barry H. Gutteridge

Commissioner, Works and Emergency Services

WK/bc

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