Other Items Considered by the Committee

(a)Integration of the Public Access Defibrillating (Cardiac Safe City) Program into the Emergency Response System.

The Emergency and Protective Services Committee reports having received the following report:

(December 9, 1998) from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services advising of the integration of the Public Access Defibrillation (Cardiac Safe City) Program into the City's existing emergency response system; noting that the program at Toronto City Hall will act as a demonstration project to show how workplaces across the City can increase the level of life safety present in their buildings; and recommending that the report be received for information.

(b)Collision Reporting Centres and Their Profit Margins.

The Emergency and Protective Services Committee report having:

(a)referred the following motions to the City Solicitor for a report thereon to the Emergency and Protective Services Committee:

(1)that a fourth Downtown Collision Reporting Centre (CRC) be opened;

(2)that the appropriate City staff recommend suitable City lands for a Downtown CRC, in order to minimize the cost;

(3)that the appropriate staff report on a suitable location;

(4)that the Downtown CRC be operated by the City of Toronto; and further that the responsibility for the administration of all CRC contracts be transferred to the City, with the Toronto Police Services Board continuing to provide Police personnel;

(5)that proceeds from the CRCs be directed towards civilian staffing by the CRCs;

(6)that, initially, the Downtown CRC be operated as a nine-hour facility, with the possibility of expansion to a twenty-four hour facility; and

(7)that the insurance industry be advised that, should any legal actions nullify the provisions of the by-law that prohibits persons in a CRC from recommending an autobody shop, the City exercise its options with the Collision Reporting Centres' contracts to terminate and operate them as City facilities without the direct involvement of the insurance industry;

(b)referred the following joint memorandum from the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, and the General Manager, Toronto Licensing, to the City Solicitor with a request that he submit a confidential report thereon to the next meeting of the Emergency and Protective Services Committee, such report to include a full range of remedies that might be available to respond to the actions taken by the insurance industry with respect to the Collision Reporting Centres;

(c)requested the Toronto Police Services Board to give consideration to bringing accident data back on line within six months;

(d)directed that, if it is the wish of the private sector that a third-party survey be conducted to investigate allegations with respect to customer persuasion, direction, and satisfaction, and they wish to fund such a survey, the appropriate staff be requested to help the industry develop terms of reference; that such survey be managed and controlled by the City Auditor, and directed to customers of the Collision Reporting Centres; and further that a report thereon be submitted to the Emergency and Protective Services Committee; and

(e)received the following reports dated November 17 and December 16, 1998, from the City Auditor:

(i)(November 17, 1998) responding to a recommendation by the Budget Committee that the City Auditor report on the collision reporting centres' operations and their profit margins; and recommending that the report be received for information;

(ii)(December 16, 1998) responding to the request of the Emergency and Protective Services Committee on December 1, 1998, to provide the names of the members of the Collision Reporting Centre Evaluation Committee; and

(iii)(January 12, 1999) from the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, and the General Manager, Toronto Licensing, recommending that the City Solicitor be requested to submit a confidential report to the next meeting of the Emergency and Protective Services Committee on the legal proceedings initiated by the Allstate Insurance Company of Canada, the General Accident Group (Canada) Ltd., and the Progressive Casualty Insurance Company of Canada with respect to Schedule 24 of By-law No. 20-85.

--------

The following persons appeared before the Emergency and Protective Services Committee in connection with the foregoing matter:

-Mr. Michael Wines, representing the Independent Auto Repairer's Association, and submitted a brief in regard thereto; and

-Councillor Blake F. Kinahan, Lakeshore-Queensway.

(c)Communication Respecting the Granting or Extension of Liquor Licences.

The Emergency and Protective Services Committee reports having referred the following motion by Councillor Frances Nunziata to the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services, in consultation with appropriate staff, with a request that she report thereon to the Emergency and Protective Services Committee, such report to include a systematic approach to be undertaken by all the Community Councils in the consideration of liquor licence issues:

"WHEREAS the granting of liquor licences or the extension of liquor licences in most communities is a sensitive issue; and

WHEREAS in some of the former municipalities that now constitute the City of Toronto, prior to the issuance of a liquor licence, the opportunity to comment was provided to the local police division, fire department, by-law staff and other appropriate departments; and

WHEREAS the lack of communication between these bodies in the issuance of liquor licences afforded each of them the opportunity to obtain information on the applicant;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT such a process now be implemented in the City of Toronto and that the City urge the provincial Alcohol and Gaming Commission to take into serious consideration any comments received from the police, fire and any other appropriate department."

--------

Councillor John Adams, Midtown, appeared before the Emergency and Protective Services Committee in connection with the foregoing matter.

(d)Request for Reports from the Toronto Ambulance and Fire Services - Current Snow Storm Emergency.

The Emergency and Protective Services Committee reports having:

(1)referred the following communications from Councillor Duguid to the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Ambulance with a request that they report thereon to the next meeting of the Emergency and Protective Services Committee; and

(2)directed that the Chair of the Emergency and Protective Services Committee be requested to write to the General Manager, Ambulance Services, the Fire Chief, and the Chief of Police commending their staff for their efforts during the recent winter snow storms:

(January 4, 1999) addressed to Chief Alan Speed, Toronto Fire Service and the General Manager, Toronto Ambulance, from Councillor Brad Duguid, Scarborough City Centre, requesting reports be submitted to the Committee on their responses to the current snow storm emergency, and on the risks faced by residents due to the inaccessibility of some streets to emergency services as a result of the storm.

The Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services, in response to concerns raised by CouncillorBrian Ashton, advised the Emergency and Protective Services Committee that clearance of snow around fire hydrants would be given priority.