Implementation of Council Decisions on Heritage Governance
The Economic Development Committee recommends that:
(1)the report (March 19, 1999) from the Commissioner, Economic Development, Culture and Tourism be adopted
subject to:
(a)requiring that the transition process for implementation be reviewed after six months; and
(b)a six month review of the membership structure of the new Board of Heritage Toronto (Section 1(b) of the
report refers) being undertaken and that the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism be
requested to report to the Economic Development Committee on this review; and
(2)Council recognize the need for stability and continuity of service during the period of transition, including the
continuation of the Toronto Historical Board and the other existing management boards.
The Committee reports, for the information of Council, having requested the Commissioner of Economic Development,
Culture and Tourism to report further to the Committee on:
(1)an internal staff panel reporting procedure; and
(2)a proposed process for dealing with funding and staff deployment for the management of preservation.
The Economic Development Committee submits the following report (March 19, 1999) from the Commissioner of
Economic Development, Culture and Tourism:
Purpose:
The purpose of this report is to provide a framework for the implementation of Council's decisions of December 16 and 17,
1998 with regard to the governance of heritage services and the establishment of the new Heritage Toronto. This report
replaces the report to Economic Development Committee dated February 11, 1999 entitled "Implementation of Council
Decisions on Heritage Governance".
Source of Funds:
Council decided in December 1998 that all staff of Heritage Toronto and the Scarborough Historical Museum Board are to
become staff of the City. The relative costs associated with the implementation of this decision will be reviewed during the
current budget process.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that:
(1)this report be adopted as the implementation plan for Council's decisions of December 16 and 17, 1998 for the
delivery of heritage services across the new City of Toronto;
(2)an arm's length body called "Heritage Toronto" be established as defined in Section 1 of this report;
(3)the development of the Heritage Master Plan will be the subject of a future report from the Commissioner of
Economic Development, Culture and Tourism to the Economic Development Committee;
(4)the City Solicitor be asked to prepare the necessary by-laws; and
(5)the appropriate City officials be authorized to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.
Council Reference:
At its meeting held on December 16 and 17, 1998, City Council set out the framework for heritage governance in the City
by adopting Clause No. (3) of Report No. (15) of the Special Committee to Review the Final Report of the Toronto
Transition Team. As part of that report, Council directed the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and
Tourism to consult selected individuals and report to the Economic Development Committee on the implementation of the
selected governance structure. In addition, the Commissioner was directed to further elaborate the relative roles of the
Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism and the Museum Management Boards with respect to
staffing, as part of the consultation process.
The Commissioner was further directed, in consultation with a number of interested organizations, to report on the steps
required for the further development of the Heritage Master Plan. Council also directed the CAO, in consultation and
partnership with select individuals, to develop a plan to determine the future composition of the new Heritage Toronto.
Discussion:
(1)New Heritage Toronto:
Council's directives create a new body, called "Heritage Toronto" with arm's-length staff to deal with global issues,
advocacy, major fundraising, publicity and public programs such as awards. Recognizing the importance of obtaining
financial support from the private sector, Council also determined that an arms-length foundation be established by the new
Heritage Toronto to promote public awareness of Toronto's heritage and to solicit charitable donations.
A Working Group of Citizens and some Board Chairs developed a proposal for the new Heritage Toronto, which was
further refined through discussions with City staff and the Chairs of LACACs and Museum Boards. The following proposal
is agreed to by all parties:
(a)Mission:
The Mission Statement dated 10/02/99 and drafted by Sheldon Godfrey has general support. (Attached as Appendix 'A'). It
is recommend that it be adopted as a working document to be reviewed by the Board of the New Heritage Toronto, once
that Board is created. The Board to report back to Council not later than December 2000.
(b)Structure of the Board:
It is recommended that the Board of the new Heritage Toronto be comprised of up to 26 individuals, as follows:
-Chairs or representatives of each Community Museum Management Board (9);
-Chairs or representatives of each Community LACAC Panel (6);
-six Members appointed by the City (6), at least one of whom must represent the area of natural heritage;
-one representative from Toronto Historical Association (1);
-one representative of the Aboriginal Community (1); and
-up to three members of City Council (3).
The importance of geographic representation across the new City is recognized. This can be achieved through the
representatives of the Community Museum Management Boards and the Community LACAC Panels. It can also be
achieved by asking that the Council appointments be made on the recommendation of the Community Councils.
The nominating process for the City's many Boards, Agencies and Committees is being reviewed by the City Clerk's
Division. Further information is required on the appropriate process for the new Heritage Toronto.
(c)Roles and Responsibilities:
The following were agreed to as the roles and responsibilities of the new Heritage Toronto:
(i)primary focus of this Board should be advocacy and fundraising;
(ii)delivery of public programs of a city-wide nature;
(iii)host major events such as the Awards program;
(iv)liaison with broad heritage community;
(v)serve as a focal point for volunteer sector groups; and
(vi)major role in the development of the Heritage Master Plan.
There has been considerable discussion of the potential for overlap of the mandates of the New Heritage Toronto with the
mandates of the Community Museum Management Boards, the Toronto Museums Board, the Toronto Preservation Board
and the Community LACAC Panels. There is agreement on the following approach:
(i)Heritage Toronto will not impinge, dictate to or otherwise interfere with the work of the Museum Boards or the
Community LACAC Panels / Toronto Preservation Board;
(ii)Heritage Toronto will conduct only those programs offered in a concerted fashion;
(iii)Heritage Toronto is not to be a co-ordinating body for the work of the other Boards; and
(iv)the autonomy of the Community Museum Boards is to be respected as Heritage Toronto defines its role.
(d)Charitable Foundation:
The outstanding issue of the charitable foundation needs to be addressed. The charitable objects of the new Heritage
Toronto will have to be clarified for Revenue Canada to provide a ruling on the charitable status. This may require a
separate board within Heritage Toronto for fundraising. The Toronto Historical Board is working on this and advises that it
will take 8 months to resolve. The City's Legal Department is also seeking resolution of this issue.
(e)Review:
To be reviewed in three years.
(2)TACAC and Community LACAC Panels:
There have been many discussions among City staff, the Chairs of LACACs and the Chair of the Toronto Historical
Association with regard to the implementation of Council's decisions with regard to the new Toronto Architectural
Conservation Advisory Committee and the Community LACAC Panels.
The following approach is agreed upon by all parties:
(a)The Toronto Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee is to be known as the Toronto Preservation Board. A
Community LACAC Panel will be established for each Community Council area.
(b)Council directed that preservation staff will be City staff of either the Urban Development and Planning Department or
the Culture Division of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, seconded to the Preservation Board. Once the
principles outlined in this report have been adopted, the Commissioners of these Departments and their respective staffs
will meet to develop options for the City administration and identify the appropriate Departmental links.
(c)A Memorandum of Understanding will be necessary to clarify the relative roles and responsibilities of all parties. It is
recommended that a Memorandum of Understanding be developed between the City and the Toronto Preservation Board
that will include the following provisions:
(i)the approach to the hiring of the senior preservation staff person. The Commissioner holds ultimate responsibility for
the hiring, firing and performance of staff. However, given the importance of the working relationship between the senior
preservation staff person and the Board, the Commissioner, Human Resources and the Board will work jointly to select that
person. Similarly, the Board would be asked to provide written input to the performance appraisal of the senior preservation
staff person;
(ii)the mechanism by which the Board will provide input to the Department's budget process, identifying the budget
requirements of the Community LACAC Panels, budget impact of program plans, suggested budget priorities and
recommendations for budget reductions if those are required;
(iii)budgets for the Community LACACs will be provided by the City. The Toronto Community LACAC's budget will
be provided through the Toronto Preservation Board;
(iv)the means to establish reserve funds to secure monies raised through fundraising as dedicated funds;
(v)the means by which the Toronto Preservation Board and the Community LACAC Panels will access support services;
(vi)the establishment of performance measures;
(vii)the requirement of the Preservation Board to annually create a work plan and an annual report;
(viii)access to Committees. The Preservation Board Chair or designate will appear with the Department Head at Standing
Committees of Council;
(ix)the specific roles and responsibilities of the Toronto Preservation Board, the Community LACAC Panels, and the
Preservation Staff, as outlined in Appendix B; and
(x)the review period for the Memorandum of Understanding will be every 3 years.
It was further agreed that the goal is to fully integrate heritage into the business of the City. In addition to Culture, the
City's responsibility for heritage crosses many Divisions and Departments: Planning, Clerks, Archives, Legal, Building,
Inspections, Real Estate, Forestry, Economic Development, Parks and Recreation, and Works.
(d)Composition of Toronto Preservation Board and Local LACAC Panels:
It is recommended that each of the six Community LACAC Panels be comprised of a minimum of five (5) and a maximum
of nine (9) citizen members plus one or two Councillors at the discretion of Community Council. Desired qualifications for
those members would be set out in the Terms of Reference, to be developed.
It is further recommended that the Toronto Preservation Board be comprised of the Chair or designate of each Community
LACAC Panel plus five (5) additional citizens to be appointed by City Council plus up to three (3) Councillors who may be
members of Community LACAC Panels. The five additional citizens would be individuals who possess special interests
and /or knowledge that would assist the Board in fulfilling its responsibilities. At least one of these additional citizens
should be knowledgeable with regard to natural heritage.
(e)The roles and responsibilities of the Toronto Preservation Board are those prescribed in the Ontario Heritage Act.
Other roles may be assigned by Council. The specific responsibilities of the Board and the LACAC Panels will be
articulated in the Memorandum of Understanding as described above.
(3)Museum Services:
City staff met with the Chairs of Museum Boards, the Chair of the Friends of Fort York and the Chair of the Toronto
Historical Association on several occasions to build consensus around the implementation of Council's decisions on the
governance of museums. All agree to the following approach:
(a)Community Museum Management Boards:
It is recommended that nine (9) Community Museum Management Boards be created. The appropriate Community Council
will nominate the membership of the following sites or combination of sites:
(i)Todmorden Mills Museum (East York);
(ii)Montgomery's Inn (Etobicoke);
(iii)Gibson House / Zion Schoolhouse (North York);
(iv)Scarborough Historical Museum (Scarborough);
(v)Spadina / Mackenzie House / Colborne Lodge (Toronto);
(vi)York Museum (York);
(vii)Fort York;
(viii)The Pier; and
(ix)98 Atlantic Avenue.
Community Museum Management Boards identified as (i) through (vi) above should be nominated by the appropriate
Community Council. Recognizing the regional scope and nature of Fort York and the Pier, and the collection at 98 Atlantic
Avenue, it is recommended that City Council appoint the membership of these Management Boards.
Memoranda of Understanding:
Museum staff supporting the Community Museum Management Boards will be City staff, and as such are accountable to
the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism. It is recommended that a Memorandum of
Understanding be developed between the Commissioner and each Community Museum Management Board to clarify the
relative roles and responsibilities of the Department and the Board It is understood that these Memoranda may differ from
site to site, but all would include the following provisions:
(i)the approach to the hiring of the site's senior staff person. The Commissioner holds ultimate responsibility for the
hiring, firing and performance of staff. However, given the importance of the working relationship between the site's senior
staff person and the Board, the Commissioner, Human Resources and the Board will work jointly to select that person.
Similarly, the Board would be required to provide written input to the performance appraisal of the site's senior staff
person;
(ii)the mechanism by which the Board will provide input to the Department's budget process, identifying the budget
impact of program plans, suggested budget priorities (both operating and capital) and recommendations for budget
reductions if those are required;
(iii)the specific roles and responsibilities of that site's Management Board; and
(iv)access to support services.
Four sites will operate as more independent management boards than the others: Fort York, The Pier, Montgomery's Inn
and the Scarborough Historical Museum. For these sites, the following will be reflected in the Memorandum of
Understanding between the City and the Board.
(v)with regards to staff, the Commissioner holds the administrative responsibility for the adherence to human resource
policies and ethical conduct of the senior museum staff person. The Community Museum Management Board is
responsible for ensuring that the professional standards and expertise of the senior museum staff person are of the highest
quality; and
(vi)each of these Community Museum Management Boards will be funded by a budget envelope through the
Department's budget. The budget envelopes will require annual reporting and will be tied to the achievement of specific
performance measures. It is recognized that, in the first instance, the remaining five boards may not be able to assume the
same level of responsibilities, and will need additional assistance and support form the Commissioner's department and
other museums in order to become fully operational as specified above. These needs will be identified and accomplished, as
required, through the memorandum of understanding for each site.
(c)98 Atlantic Avenue:
The 98 Atlantic Avenue collections storage facility will be managed by a management board and will operate on a fee for
service basis with the City and the other boards of management. Human resources for museum-specific support services
such as marketing, exhibit design and collections care that are not allocated across the community museums, will be
attached to this operation.
(d)Salary and Job Descriptions:
It is recognized that salary and job description harmonization will be an early issue for the Department, Human Resources
and the Toronto Museums Board.
(e)Role of the Community Museums Boards and the Toronto Museums Board:
It is agreed that the Toronto Museums Board will co-ordinate global museum issues and general museum policy. It will
also co-ordinate cross-promotion and cross-programming opportunities among the sites.
It is important to ensure the autonomy of the local Community Museum Boards. Budgets will be negotiated directly
between the Community Museum Boards and the City.
(f)Deployment of Support Services:
Support services include marketing, exhibit design, volunteer co-ordination, common training for staff and volunteers, and
administrative support for the Boards. The City will provide non-museum support services such as administration, legal
services, budget and financial support, and human resources. Other support resources will be allocated across the
community museums. There will be an allocation of funds to permit the purchase of services from 98 Atlantic Avenue or
elsewhere by the Community Museum Management Boards. Support services staff directly related to the operation of the
museums that are not assigned to a site will be attached to the 98 Atlantic Avenue operation.
Each site will be responsible for the management of its own collection. Technical support such as conservation would be
the responsibility of the management board of 98 Atlantic Avenue.
(g)Management of Built Assets:
The management of built assets includes specialized staff for technical support, building conservation, and the
co-ordination of the capital works program. All agree that specialized staff are required for these functions and that the City
has responsibility for the stewardship of the heritage assets. All agreed on the following approach to their management:
(i)the City is responsible for the care of the museum buildings as well as the non-museum heritage buildings such as
Dempseys, Jolly Miller, Stanley Barracks, and Lambton House;
(ii)the City will work with the Community Museum Management Boards and in consultation with the Toronto Museum
Board and Heritage Toronto to develop and implement the capital works program;
(iii)these functions entail built assets only and do not extend to the collections held by the sites or at 98 Atlantic Avenue.
(4)Development of the Heritage Master Plan:
Council requested that the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, in consultation with the
Toronto Historical Association and other interested organizations, submit a report to the Economic Development
Committee on the steps required for the further development of the Heritage Master Plan. To date, our consultation process
has placed as a priority the creation of the new Heritage Toronto, Toronto Preservation Board, Community LACAC Panels,
Toronto Museums Board and Community Museum Management Boards. It has been agreed that the new Heritage Toronto
will play a major role in the development of the Heritage Master Plan, but that role needs further clarification in relation to
the role of the City and other organizations.
The development of the Heritage Master Plan will be the subject of a future report, once the appropriate consultation has
taken place.
Summary
These recommendations are the result of an extensive consultation by City staff with the Chairs of Museum Boards and
LACACs, the Chair of the Friends of Fort York, and the Chair of the Toronto Historical Association. They provide a
workable framework for the implementation of Council's decisions and address the fundamental principles adopted by
Council in December 1998. Approval of these recommendations will allow the City to begin the process of establishing the
new Boards defined by Council and to begin to build the relationships, partnerships and agreements necessary to make this
work.
Endorsement
This implementation plan has been endorsed by the following persons who have participated in the consultation process as
prescribed by Council. Their signatures are an indication of the spirit of co-operation and partnership that will make this
proposal work. See Appendix C.
Earl Jarvis, Etobicoke Historical Board;
Marion Joppe, for "New Heritage Toronto" Working Group;
Rick Schofield, Scarborough LACAC;
Lawrence Leonoff, North York Heritage Committee;
Mary Louise Ashbourne, York LACAC;
Joe Kennedy, Scarborough Historical Museum Board;
John Bertram, Todmorden Mills Museum Board; and
Bernard Thompson, York Museum.
Contact Name:
Beth Hanna
Culture Division
392-5225
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Appendix A
Heritage Toronto Mission Statement
Preamble:
Toronto's heritage is more than the uniqueness of its physical setting, its places of natural beauty, of historic interest of
design, more than its important buildings and structures, more than its artifacts and historical documents.
These are merely the tangible expressions, the living reminders, of the intangible elements of our heritage: the ideals, the
creativity and the diversity that have shaped our experience. It is these intangibles that have given us our shared values and
our soaring spirit. By reflecting on the past, we recall that we have all come from someplace else and have participated in
the growth of a new kind of city that is a model for the world to come. By reflecting on the past, we reaffirm our identity as
people with a common interest and take the measure of ourselves as citizens of a free and democratic place.
Toronto has always been composed of people of diverse backgrounds. Toronto's first mayor, William Lyon Mackenzie,
called the inhabitants of this city "a mixed race" almost a hundred and seventy-five years ago. Toronto grew to celebrate the
inclusiveness of its people, not just their diversity. In the words of one of our legislators in 1851, we were inhabited by
"persons from all creeds and from all nations, equally entitled to the favour and protection of the government."
We must save Toronto's treasures - whether places of natural beauty or interest, whether important buildings, whether
artifacts or documents - but we must also remember that the importance of the treasures is determined by the values that
they represent. The worker's cottage should be treasured along with the mill owner's mansion. Laces and quilts, made
labouriously by women by firelight, share an equal place with men's hand forged tools. The traditions of the aboriginal
peoples who lived here over the millennia, the songs of the runaway Black slaves who came here seeking freedom, the
stories of the hardships and triumphs of the diverse peoples who followed, enrich our collective memory along with the
accounts of the Loyalists who came to build a new town in the wilderness.
The heritage treasures of the areas that make up the City of Toronto are the gift of all its people to the generations that
follow.
Mission:
Heritage Toronto exists to ensure that the City of Toronto meets the challenge of making all its citizens proudly aware of
the past we share, celebrating both tangible and intangible expressions of its heritage.
Methods:
Heritage Toronto will perform its work, among other means, through:
-continuing to develop the vision of Toronto's heritage and strategies for its implementation;
-advocating Toronto's heritage values and issues to all levels of government;
-facilitating the work of the Toronto Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee and the Toronto Museums
Historical Board in pursuance of Heritage Toronto's mission;
-promoting programs to increase public awareness and a civic museum to showcase our heritage;
-soliciting gifts of Toronto's heritage treasures as well as donations of funds to support telling the story of the City's
heritage, through an arms' length charitable foundation if necessary;
-encouraging the integration of heritage preservation with city planning to ensure that future developments take
maximum advantage of heritage for the benefit of citizens and tourists alike;
-stimulating the raw energy and common sense of volunteers in all aspects of Toronto's heritage and reminding us that
some of the City's best museums and sites are not in public ownership; that some of the City's best heritage enterprises and
events are generated outside City Hall: that they all deserve broad public support;
-reminding us that Toronto grew through the absorption of hundreds of smaller municipalities and settlements, which
should not be forgotten, whose stories deserve to be told; and
-supporting people of diverse backgrounds in the research and publication of the histories of their communities in
Toronto.
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Appendix B
Preservation Services:
Roles and Responsibilities of Toronto Preservation Board and Community LACAC Panels:
(A)Toronto Preservation Board is the City's official Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (LACAC). Its
statutory role is defined by the Ontario Heritage Act as: to advise and assist municipal council on all matters relating to Part
IV (Conservation of Buildings of Historic and Architectural Value, Designation of Properties by Municipalities) and Part V
(Heritage Conservation Districts of the Act). Council is required to consult with the Committee on the following:
-designation of individual properties or districts;
-applications to alter, demolish or remove designated properties;
-applications to repeal designation by-laws; and
-heritage easements or covenants.
TPB (in consultation with Community LACAC Panels) should also provide advice to Council on:
-identification and inventory of heritage properties;
-clarify the listing criteria and process to develop uniformity across the new City;
-reviewing heritage studies;
-commenting on heritage aspect of zoning by-laws;
-commenting on heritage aspect of OP amendments;
-commenting on heritage aspect of sign by-laws;
-monitoring of Section 37 agreements;
-inspect or have inspections done on heritage property;
-archaeological issues;
-provide input with respect to natural heritage, heritage landscapes and view corridors;
-provide input with respect to municipal heritage preservation policy, including incentives for preservation and
maintenance by owners of heritage property;
-recommend grants for preservation; and
-advocacy.
TPB may also have responsibility for:
-coordination of city-wide inventory that is consistent (data-base);
-providing public programming on preservation issues (shared responsibility);
-provide for public awareness and promotion of built and natural heritage issues, in cooperation with the new Heritage
Toronto and other heritage groups, as required;
-advice to citizens on the care and maintenance of privately owned heritage properties (shared responsibility); and
-inventory of buildings at risk (shared responsibility with Community LACAC Panels).
TPB reports to the Urban Development Committee on city-wide issues, recommendations on preservation policy and the
Official Plan, and on any matters related to the Ontario Heritage Act.
(B)Community LACAC Panels responsible for, but not limited to: (from working group)
-recommend properties within the local community for designation consideration by TPB;
-list heritage properties for review and discussion by TPB;
-research;
-provide for public awareness and promotion of built and natural heritage issues, in cooperation with new Heritage
Toronto and other heritage groups, as required;
-promote neighbourhood heritage/history;
-arrange to erect plaques and/or markers on community sites of local interest;
-provide for local community recognition activities;
-coordinate related heritage activities with local museums, societies, Boards of Education and similar organizations
within the community (shared); and
-advocacy.
Community LACAC Panels report to TPB on all issues related to Parts IV and V of the Ontario Heritage Act. They report
directly to Community Council on other local preservation issues.
Roles and responsibilities of Preservation Staff:
-Manager of Preservation Services is responsible to the Department of administrative issues related to budget and staff.
Responsible to the Toronto Preservation Board for preservation issue;
-the Commissioner holds the administrative responsibility for the adherence to human resources policies and ethical
conduct of the senior preservation staff person. The Preservation Board is responsible for ensuring the professional
standards and expertise of the senior preservation staff person are of the highest quality; and
-Preservation staff take direction from the Manager of Preservation Services.
Responsible for:
-routine monitoring and review (shared with Community LACAC Panels);
-monitoring and review of major projects;
-coordination of the inventory;
-research (shared with Community LACAC Panels);
-community outreach programs (shared with Community LACAC Panels);
-secretarial and administrative support to the Board and the Community LACAC Panels (shared with Department); and
-inspection of major projects (shared with Community LACAC Panels and Board).
Notes:
-responsible for but not limited to these functions.
The Economic Development Committee also submits the following report (February 11, 1999) from the
Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism:
Purpose:
The purpose of this report is to provide a framework for the implementation of Council's decisions of December 16 and 17,
1998 with regard to the governance of heritage services.
Source of Funds:
Council decided in December 1998 that all staff of the Toronto Historical Board and the Scarborough Historical Museum
Board become staff of the City. The relative costs associated with the implementation of this decision will be reviewed
during the current budget process.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that:
(1)the Toronto Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee be known as the Toronto Preservation Board and that a
Local LACAC Panel be established for each Community Council area;
(2)a Memorandum of Understanding be developed between the City of Toronto and the Toronto Preservation Board
which would include the provisions outlined in this report;
(3)each of the six Local LACAC Panels be comprised of a minimum of five (5) and a maximum of nine (9) citizen
members, plus one or two Councillors at the discretion of each Community Council;
(4)the Toronto Preservation Board be comprised of the Chair or designate of each Local LACAC Panel plus five (5)
additional citizens to be appointed by City Council plus up to three (3) Councillors who may be members of the Local
LACAC Panels; and at least one of these additional citizens should be knowledgeable with regard to natural heritage;
(5)eight (8) Community Museum Management Boards be created:
(a)Todmorden Mills Museum (East York);
(b)Montgomery's Inn (Etobicoke);
(c)Gibson House / Zion Schoolhouse (North York);
(d)Scarborough Historical Museum (Scarborough);
(e)Spadina / Mackenzie House / Colborne Lodge (Toronto);
(f)York Museum (York);
(g)Fort York; and
(h)The Pier;
(6)Community Museum Management Boards identified as (a) through (f) above be nominated by the appropriate
Community Council and, recognizing the regional scope and nature of the other two sites, City Council appoint the
membership of a Community Museum Management Board for each of Fort York and The Pier;
(7)Memorandum of Understanding be developed between the City of Toronto and each Community Museum
Management Board which would clarify the relative roles and responsibilities of the Department and the Board and would
include the provisions outlined in this report;
(8)that support services for all of the sites be provided by the City;
(9)the Toronto Museums Board be established as a co-ordinating body, to provide advice on global museum issues and
general museum policy, as identified in Mr. Schofield's '3H Model' of December 1998, and further that this Board provide
advice on priorities for capital and operating budgets;
(10)the report from the Chief Administrative Officer on the plan to determine the composition of the new advisory body
to be called Heritage Toronto be the subject of a report to the next meeting of the Economic Development Committee;
(11)the steps necessary for the development of the Heritage Master Plan will be the subject of a future report from the
Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism to the Economic Development Committee, as requested by
Council; and
(12)the appropriate City officials be authorized to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.
Council Reference:
At its meeting held on December 16 and 17, 1998, City Council set out the framework for heritage governance in the City
by adopting Clause No. 3 of Report No. 15 of the Special Committee to Review the Final Report of the Toronto Transition
Team. As part of that report, Council directed the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism to
consult selected individuals and report to the Economic Development Committee on the implementation of the selected
governance structure. In addition, the Commissioner was directed to further elaborate the relative roles of the
Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism and the Museum Management Boards with respect to
staffing, as part of the consultation process.
The Commissioner was further directed, in consultation with a number of interested organizations, to report on the steps
required for the further development of the Heritage Master Plan. Council also directed the CAO, in consultation and
partnership with select individuals, to develop a plan to determine the future composition of the new Heritage Toronto.
Discussion:
TACAC and Local LACAC Panels:
The Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism met with Heritage Toronto, the Chairs of LACACs
and the Chair of the Toronto Historical Association on January 25, 1999 and February 9, 1999 to discuss the
implementation of Council's decisions with regard to the new Toronto Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee and
the Local LACAC Panels. Significant steps were taken toward reaching consensus. The following items are agreed upon by
all parties:
The Toronto Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee is to be known as the Toronto Preservation Board. A
LACAC Panel will be established for each Community Council area.
Preservation staff will be City staff of either the Urban Development and Planning Department or the Culture Division of
Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, as per Council's resolution. The Commissioners of these two Departments
will resolve this issue. Staff will be seconded to the Preservation Board.
A Memorandum of Understanding will be necessary to clarify the relative roles and responsibilities of all parties. It is
recommended that a Memorandum of Understanding be developed between the City of Toronto and the Toronto
Preservation Board that will include the following provisions:
-the approach to the hiring of the senior preservation staff person. The Commissioner holds ultimate responsibility for the
hiring, de-hiring and performance appraisal of staff. However, given the importance of the working relationship between
the senior preservation staff person and the Preservation Board, the Commissioner, Human Resources Division and the
Board will work jointly to select that person. Similarly, the Board would be asked to provide written input to the
performance appraisal of the senior preservation staff person;
-the mechanism by which the Board will provide input to the Department's budget process, identifying the budget
requirements of the Local LACAC Panels, budget impact of program plans, suggested budget priorities and
recommendations for budget reductions if those are required; and
-the specific roles and responsibilities of the Toronto Preservation Board and the Local LACAC Panels and of the City's
seconded staff.
It is the Department's intention to assign the equivalent of ten full-time positions to support the Preservation Board in 1999,
with administrative support provided through the Department. Staff allocations will be reviewed annually as part of the
budget.
Composition of Toronto Preservation Board and Local LACAC Panels:
It is agreed that each of the six Community LACAC Panels be comprised of a minimum of five (5) and a maximum of nine
(9) citizen members plus one or two Councillors at the discretion of Community Council. Desired qualifications for those
members would be set out in the Terms of Reference, to be developed.
It is further agreed that the Toronto Preservation Board be comprised of the Chair or designate of each Local LACAC Panel
plus five (5) additional citizens to be appointed by City Council plus up to three (3) Councillors who may be members of
Local LACAC Panels. The five additional citizens would be individuals who possess special interests and /or knowledge
that would assist the Board in fulfilling its responsibilities. At least one of these additional citizens should be
knowledgeable with regard to natural heritage.
The roles and responsibilities of the Toronto Preservation Board are those prescribed in the Ontario Heritage Act. Other
roles may be assigned by Council, including the co-ordination of inventories and databases. The specific responsibilities of
the Board and the LACAC Panels will be articulated in the Memorandum of Understanding.
Museum Services:
The Commissioner met with the Chairs of Museum Boards, the Chair of the Friends of Fort York and the Chair of the
Toronto Historical Association on January 25, 1999 and February 10, 1999 to begin to build consensus around the
implementation of Council's decisions on the governance of museums. Although further refinements will be necessary,
consensus was reached on the following items:
Community Museum Management Boards:
It is agreed that eight (8) Community Museum Management Boards be created. The appropriate Community Council will
nominate the membership of the following sites or combination of sites:
(1)Todmorden Mills Museum (East York);
(2)Montgomery's Inn (Etobicoke);
(3)Gibson House / Zion Schoolhouse (North York);
(4)Scarborough Historical Museum (Scarborough);
(5)Spadina / Mackenzie House / Colborne Lodge (Toronto);
(6)York Museum (York).
Recognizing the regional scope and nature of the other two sites, it is recommended that City Council nominate the
membership of a Community Museum Management Board for:
(7)Fort York; and
(8)The Pier.
As per Council's directive, Museum staff supporting the Community Museum Management Boards will be City staff,
managed and directed by the Boards but accountable to the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and
Tourism. It is recommended that a Memorandum of Understanding be developed between the City of Toronto and each
Community Museum Management Board to clarify the relative roles and responsibilities of the Department and the Board.
It is understood that these Memoranda may differ from site to site. The following provisions would be common to all:
-the approach to the hiring of the site's senior staff person. The Commissioner holds ultimate responsibility for the hiring,
de-hiring and performance appraisal of staff. However, given the importance of the working relationship between the site's
senior staff person and the Museum Board, the Commissioner, Human Resources Division and the Board will work jointly
to select that person. Similarly, the Board would be asked to provide written input to the performance appraisal of the site's
senior staff person;
-the mechanism by which the Board will provide input to the Department's budget process, identifying the budget impact
of program plans, suggested budget priorities (both operating and capital) and recommendations for budget reductions if
those are required;
-the specific roles and responsibilities of that site's Management Board; and
-access to support services.
There was some discussion of the establishment of a different management board structure for Fort York and The Pier. All
were in agreement that although this may be desirable in the future, it is premature. It was agreed that the special needs of
these sites can be addressed within the proposed model, through the Memoranda of Understanding. The principle of
keeping staff together to provide for co-ordination of services and to achieve a critical mass was strongly supported.
Support services for the sites in the areas of marketing, exhibit design, volunteer co-ordination, common training and
administrative support for the Boards, will be provided by the City. This approach ensures the well-planned, cost effective
use of resources and allows for the sharing of scarce resources among sites.
Toronto Museums Board:
Council determined that a Toronto Historical Museum Board would be created, composed of representatives of each
Community Museum Management Board and reporting to Economic Development Committee. There are ongoing
discussions about how this could evolve. The Toronto Museums Board should be established as a co-ordinating body,
providing advice on global museum issues and general museum policy as identified in Mr. Schofield's 'Model 3H'. This
Board would also be in a position to provide valuable advice on priorities for capital and operating budgets.
The New Heritage Toronto:
Matters relating to the composition of the new advisory body to be called Heritage Toronto, as delegated to the Chief
Administrative Officer, will be the subject of a future report. Further consultation is necessary with both internal and
external stakeholders, before a recommendation can be brought forward for Council's consideration.
Development of the Heritage Master Plan:
Council requested that the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, in consultation with the
Toronto Historical Association and other interested organizations, submit a report to the Economic Development
Committee on the steps required for the further development of the Heritage Master Plan. To date, our consultation process
has placed as a priority the creation of the new Toronto Preservation Board, local LACAC Panels, Toronto Museums Board
and Community Museum Management Boards. The development of the Heritage Master Plan will be the subject of a future
report, once the appropriate consultation has taken place.
Summary:
These recommendations are the result of much discussion with the Chairs of Museum Boards and LACACs, the Chair of
the Friends of Fort York, and Chair of the Toronto Historical Association. They provide a workable framework for the
implementation of Council's decisions and address the fundamental principles adopted by Council in December 1998.
Approval of these recommendations will allow the City to begin the process of establishing the new Boards defined by
Council and to begin to build the relationships, partnerships and agreements necessary to make this work.
Contact Name:
Beth Hanna
392-5225
The Economic Development Committee also submits the following communication (February 23, 1999) from the
City Clerk, forwarding action taken by the York Community Council at its meeting on February 17, 1999:
Recommendation:
The York Community Council recommended that the Economic Development Committee be advised that:
(1)it endorses the report (February 11, 1999) from the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism to
the Economic Development Committee; and
(2)it reaffirms the decision of the former City of York Council that the York Museum be staffed by a full-time curator.
Background:
The York Community Council on February 17, 1999 had before it the following communications:
(i)report (February 11, 1999) from the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, providing a
framework for the implementation of Council's decisions of December 16 and 17, 1998 regarding the governance of
heritage services; and
(ii)(Undated) from Mr. Bernie Thompson, Chair, Historical Committee, advising of matters to be discussed, such as the
Community Council's position on the museum and heritage in general; the selection of members to Community Museum
Management Boards; conservation; exhibits; collection; research; interviewing and hiring of staff; communication;
marketing; duties related to the curator and the museum; collection management; data base consolidation; new larger
location; budget preparation and control; signing authority; staff assistance; the Board's responsibilities under the new
structure; membership and evaluation; and stating the objectives established by the museum (York) in 1998.
Mr. Bernie Thompson appeared before the Community Council in connection with the foregoing matter.
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The Economic Development Committee also had before it the following communications, and copies thereof are on file in
the office of the City Clerk:
-Appendix C, endorsements by persons who have participated in the consultation process as prescribed by Council,
attached to the report (March 19, 1999) from the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, and
distributed to all Members of Council with the March 29, 1999 and April 6, 1999 agenda of the Economic Development
Committee;
-(February 9, 1999) from Linda Wells, Kidding Awound Wind Up Toys, opposing Heritage Toronto becoming a City
Department;
-(February 10, 1999) from Sheldon J. Godfrey, Toronto, forwarding a Mission Statement created as the result of wide
consultation and endorsed by the Working Group chaired by Marion Joppe;
-(February 11, 1999) from Stephen Otto, supporting the Mission Statement endorsed by the Working Group;
-(February 11, 1999) from Jane Beecroft, Chair, CHP Heritage Centre, The Society of Heritage Associates, Toronto,
urging Council to adopt the Mission Statement endorsed by the Working Group;
-(February 12, 1999) from John Carter, Chair, East York LACAC, not in support of the Mission Statement, but
supporting the recommendations of the report from the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism;
-(February 11, 1999) from John S. Ridout, President, Town of York Historical Society, supporting the Mission Statement
endorsed by the Working Group;
-(February 11, 1999) from John S. Ridout, President, East York Historical Society, supporting the Mission Statement
endorsed by the Working Group; and
-(March 19, 1999) from U. Ernest Buchner, Heritage Coordinator, forwarding a copy of a response of E. E. Jarvis, Chair,
Etobicoke Historical Board and proposing that:
(1)sites should perform all Museum functions for which they have a critical mass;
(2)museum support services should be shared in a cost-effective manner only for the functions each museum can't
support on its own;
(3)non-museum support services, such as administration support, finance/budget, Human Resources, legal, etc., should be
provided by the City;
(4)the proposal doe not reflect true secondment of the preservation employees;
(5)the existing work groups active in each of the three (3) areas be recognized and authorized to work in partnership with
City staff to design and implement the necessary interim procedures;
(6)nothing in the proposal from the Commissioner should preclude or limit the mandate of the "New" Heritage Toronto;
-(Undated) from Joe Gill, The Friends of Fort York and Garrison Common, advising that they have formed an Interim
Board which will consider transitional issues on behalf of the Fort until such time as Council formally appoints a Board,
and that they will be available to work with Heritage Toronto and the City to help plan a smooth transfer of the operations
of the Fort to the new Fort York Management Board; and
-(Undated) from Madeleine McDowell, Chair, Humber Heritage, requesting that they be given an arms' length structure
to enshrine and assure a proper place for our natural and cultural heritage.
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The following persons appeared before the Economic Development Committee in connection with the foregoing matter:
-Earl Jarvis, Chair, Etobicoke Heritage Board;
-Sheldon Godfrey, on behalf of Marion Joppe, New Heritage, Toronto;
-Richard Schofield, Scarborough Community LACAC;
-Joe Gill, Friends of Fort York, Toronto;
-Terry Russell, Toronto Historical Association;
-Madeleine McDowell, Chair, Humber Heritage;
-Carole Stimmell, Heritage Toronto; and
-David Hannah, Toronto.
