Other Items Considered by the Committee

(a)1999 Operating Budget - Community and Neighbourhood Services.

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee reports having:

(A)recommended to the Budget Committee the adoption of the 1999 Operating Budgets under the purview of the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee, subject to the following amendments:

(i)Consolidated Grants:

That the 1999 Consolidated Grants Budget be approved at the 1998 level of $45,133,000.00 (gross) and $43,209,000.00 (net), as originally recommended by the Municipal Grants Review Committee, the Chief Administrative Officer, and the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services.

(ii)Social Services Division:

That the proposed cut to the WIACT (Worker's Information and Action Committee of Toronto) Program be deferred, pending an examination of this Program's role in relation to the City; that, as part of this review, the Chief Administrative Officer and Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services be requested to approach the Federal and Provincial Governments to request funding for the work of the WIACT Program; and further that the Chief Administrative Officer and Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services be requested to report back to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee on this matter by the end of the summer.

(iii)Public Health:

That the service levels recommended by the Board of Health with respect to the Food Safety Program, the Tuberculosis Control Program, the Needle Exchange Program, and the Dental and Oral Health Program be supported.; and

(B)Public Health:

(i)requested the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services and the Medical Officer of Health to report to the Budget Committee on the impact of the provincial announcements on the Public Health budget; and

Toronto Housing Company:

(ii)requested the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services to report to the Budget Committee for its meeting on April 6, 1999, on the feasibility of operational savings made by the Toronto Housing Company being reinvested in service enhancements.

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee had before it the following 1999 Operating Budgets:

-Shelter, Housing and Support;

-Toronto Housing Company;

-Homes for the Aged;

-Children's Services;

-Public Library;

-Social Development and Administration;

-Consolidated Grants;

-Social Services; and

-Public Health.

The Committee also had before it the following communications:

-(March 5, 1999) from the City Clerk advising that the Budget Committee had completed its preliminary review of the 1999 Operating Budgets; and attaching a communication from Councillor Tom Jakobek, Chair, Budget Committee, together with a synopsis of the Budget Committee recommendations;

-(February 24, 1999) from the City Clerk advising that the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee on February 23, 1999, had before it a report (February 19, 1999) from the Chief Administrative Officer respecting Service Level Harmonization, wherein it recommended that the report be forwarded to Community Councils and the respective standing committees (Community and Neighbourhood Services for the Library and Public Health components);

-(March 4, 1999) from Councillor John Filion, Chair, Board of Health, forwarding the following reports related to the Public Health 1999 Operating Budget:

(i)(February 22, 1999) respecting the Public Health 1999 Budget;

(ii)(January 25, 1999) respecting the Meeting of Provincial Standards Across the City for Selected Public Health Programs and Services;

(iii)(January 25, 1999) respecting the State of the City's Health: Achieving Public Health Goals in the Millennium;

(iv)(February 22, 1999) respecting Options for the Delivery of Public Health Dental Treatment Programs; and (February 16, 1999) respecting the Dental Complement in Public Health;

(v)(January 15, 1999) respecting the Harmonization of Dental and Oral Health Services;

(vi)(January 15, 1999) respecting Harmonization of Food Access Grants; and

(vii)(February 22, 1999) respecting Anticipated Revenues and Expenditures Resulting from By-law No. 28-1999, A By-law Respecting Animals;

-(February 10, 1999) from Councillor Irene Jones forwarding a health survey completed by a student working at the Lakeshore Area Multiservice Project, in part, with respect to Dental Services;

-(March 8, 1999) from Ms. Zainab Amadahy respecting WIACT;

-(March 22, 1999) from Mr. Stephen Lee, Staff Lawyer, Kensington-Bellwoods Community Legal Services, respecting WIACT;

-(March 22, 1999) from Ms. Christie Maquarrie, West Scarborough Community Legal Services, respecting WIACT;

-(March 22, 1999) from Ms. Joyce Nobel respecting WIACT;

-(March 13, 1999) from Ms. Ruth Crammond respecting WIACT;

-(March 22, 1999) from Mr. John Cartwright, Business Manager, Construction Trades Council, respecting WIACT;

-(March 22, 1999) from a group of students from The Canadian National Institute for the Blind, ESL Program, respecting WIACT;

-(March 23, 1999) from Ms. Ruby Trostin, the Assaulted Women's Helpline, respecting WIACT;

-(March 23, 1999) from Mr. Luis. M. Aguiar, Trent University, respecting WIACT;

-(March 23, 1999) from Mr. Myles Magner, Chief Steward, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, Local 5104, respecting WIACT;

-(March 23, 1999) from Ms. Charlene Mueller respecting WIACT;

-(March 16, 1999) from Ms. Lisa Trudel, Clerical Workers Centre, George Brown College, respecting WIACT;

-(March 16, 1999) from Ms. Anne Dubas, President, Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 79, respecting WIACT;

-(March 4, 1999) from Ms. Linda Torney, President, Labour Council of Metropolitan Toronto and York Region, respecting WIACT;

-(March 12, 1999) from Altamont Mitchell respecting WIACT;

-(March 22, 1999) from Ms. Maureen Hynes, Co-ordinator, School of Labour, respecting WIACT;

-(March 23, 1999) from Mr. Michael Block, Chair, Board of Directors, Industrial Accident Victims Group of Ontario, respecting WIACT;

-(March 15, 1999) from Mr. Paul Clifford, President-Administrator, Hotel Employees, Restaurant Employees Union, Local 75, respecting WIACT;

-(March 22, 1999) from Mr. Dennis Robideau and Mr. Jim Iliffe, York Community Services, respecting WIACT;

-(March 23, 1999) from Mr. David Carrington, Chair, Alliance for Employment Equity, respecting WIACT;

-(March 18, 1999) from Mr. Myer Siemiatycki, Department of Politics and School of Public Administration, Ryerson Polytechnic University, respecting WIACT;

-(March 15, 1999) from Mr. Lance Williams, Counsellor, Metro Youth Job Corps, West Scarborough Neighbourhood Community Centre, respecting WIACT;

-(March 23, 1999) from Ms. Ana Guimaraes, CAW Local 40, respecting WIACT;

-(March 23, 1999) from Ms. Susan Pigott, Executive Director, St. Christopher House, respecting WIACT;

-(March 16, 1999) from Ms. Anne Dubas, President, Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 79, respecting the Homes for the Aged, Toronto Housing Company and Public Health budgets;

-(March 24, 1999) from Ms. Pam Prinold, Rexdale Partners, respecting various aspects of the 1999 Operating Budget and the need to level-up services;

-(March 24, 1999) from Ms. Janet Rowe, Women's Outreach Network of Toronto; respecting the Public Health budget; and

-(March 23, 1999) from Ms. Anita James respecting WIACT.

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee reports, for the information of the Budget Committee, having:

(1)received overhead presentations from the following during an informal session of the Committee held prior to its regular meeting on March 24, 1999:

-Overview of the 1999 Budget Status for the Community and Neighbourhood Services Department by Ms. Shirley Hoy, Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services;

-Shelter, Housing and Support Division by Ms. Joanne Campbell, the General Manager, Shelter, Housing and Support, and Mr. John Jagt, Director of Hostel Services;

-Toronto Housing Company by Mr. Derek Ballentyne, Chief Operating Officer;

-Homes for the Aged by Ms. Sandra Pitters, General Manager, Homes for the Aged;

-Children's Services Division by Ms. Brenda Patterson, Director of Contract and Quality Control Compliance;

-Public Library by Ms. Josephine Bryant, City Librarian; and

-Public Health by Dr. Sheela Basrur, Medical Officer of Health; and

(2)had before it printed copies of the following overhead presentations:

-Social Development and Administration Division; and

-Social Services Division.

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee, during its regular meeting, also received an overhead presentation on the Preliminary Operating Budget by Mr.MichaelGarrett, Chief Administrative Officer.

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The following persons appeared before the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee in connection with the various 1999 Operating Budgets under its purview:

-Ms. Trish Stovel, Co-Chair, Community Advisory Committee to the Workers Information and Action Centre of Toronto (WIACT);

-Ms. Maria de Wit, Chair, Child Care Advisory Committee (Children's Services);

-Mr. Lee Zaslofsky, Citizens for Public Health, and showed photographs of a child with dental problems (Public Health);

-Ms. Cheryl MacDonald, Metro Toronto Coalition for Better Child Care; and submitted a brief in regard thereto (Children's Services);

-Ms. Evie Jesin, President, College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario; and submitted a brief in regard thereto (Public Health);

-Ms. Antonella Schiraldi (WIACT);

-Ms. Amy Casipullai (WIACT);

-Ms. Ann Fitzpatrick, Children's Aid Society of Toronto;

-Mr. Jim Tsatsos, Home Child Care Association of Toronto, and submitted a brief in regard thereto (Children's Services);

-Mr. Vance Latchford (Housing);

-Mr. Cliff Martin, The Public Housing Fightback Campaign (Housing);

-Ms. Maureen Orton, Sexual Health Network (WIACT);

-Ms. Erminia Ko, CNIB, English as a Second Language Program, and students Ms.VeraWang and Mr. Etienne Tengera (WIACT);

-Mr. Howard Tessler, Executive Director, Federation of Metro Tenants Association (Housing);

-Councillor Irene Jones, Vice-Chair, Board of Health (Public Health); and

-Mr. Peter Clutterbuck, Community Social Planning Council of Toronto, on behalf of Community Voices of Support.

(b)"Still Hungry for Change: Fifteen Years of Daily Bread".

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee reports having referred the following communication to the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services for review and report thereon to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee, and to the Children and Youth Action Committee:

(February 26, 1999) from Ms. Devi Arasanayagam, Public Education Co-ordinator, Daily Bread Food Bank, submitting a copy of the report, entitled "Still Hungry for Change: Fifteen Years of Daily Bread".

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Ms. Devi Arasanayagam, Public Education Co-ordinator, Daily Bread Food Bank, appeared before the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee in connection with the foregoing matter.

(c)Support for Child Care Programs During School Strike.

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee reports having:

(1)recommended to the Budget Committee, and Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, the adoption of the following report (March 3, 1999) from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services; and

(2)requested the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services to report to the Budget Committee for its meeting on March 29, 1999, on:

(i)the implications of the imminent announcement from the Toronto District School Board on the closing of ten schools, and the impact on child care centres; and

(ii)the rental agreement with the School Boards:

(March 3, 1999) from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services outlining the service and financial impacts that the labour disruption currently being experienced by the Toronto District School Board are having on child care centres serving subsidized families within the City; and recommending that:

(1)City staff review the expenditures of child care programs serving subsidized children during the period of school labour disruption, identify those additional costs eligible for payment and recommend a one time adjustment in payment in accordance with existing guidelines to the program once the strike has been settled;

(2)subject to provincial cost-sharing, the payment of the City's portion of the one time adjustments to which subsidized child care programs are entitled be funded from the money dedicated to increased school occupancy costs within the 1999 Children's Services budget request; and

(3)the appropriate City officials take the necessary action to give effect thereto.

(d)City of Toronto Provincial Homeless Initiatives Fund Allocations.

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee reports having received the following reports:

-(February 10, 1999) providing an update on the selection of projects and funding allocations from the City's Provincial Homelessness Initiatives Fund; advising that of the $1.02 million allocated by the Province, 25projects have been selected for $805,279.00 in funding, as outlined in the report; noting that the balance of the fund will be used for the "Youth Helping Youth" project at 11 Ordnance Street, and to fund emerging priorities identified later in the year; and recommending that the report be received for information; and

-(March 4, 1999) responding to the request of the Committee to report on how the City's Provincial Homelessness Initiatives Fund will be evaluated; and recommending that the report be received for information.

(e)1998 Outstanding Items - Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee.

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee reports having received the following communication:

(March 5, 1999) from the City Clerk submitting, for information, the list of outstanding items for the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee as of December 31, 1998.

(f)Co-operative Housing Day Proclamation.

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee reports having referred the following communication to Mayor Lastman for consideration:

(March 10, 1999) from Councillor Jack Layton, Don River, recommending that Council proclaim April 27, 1999, as Co-operative Housing Day in the City of Toronto.

Respectfully submitted,

COUNCILLOR CHRIS KORWIN-KUCZYNSKI,

Chair

Toronto, March 24, 1999

Rosalind Dyers

Tel. (416) 392-8018