Other Item Considered by the Community Council
(a)Etobicoke Community Council Recommendations
Pertaining to the 1999 Operating Budget.
The Etobicoke Community Council reports having:
(A)recommended to the Budget Committee that:
(1)Public Health programs be expanded in the following areas:
(I)Dental Treatment program;
(ii)Food Access program;
(iii)Food Safety program;
(iv)Tuberculosis program; and
(v)AIDS/HIV Needle Exchange program;
(2)the Montgomery's Inn budget be reinstated in the original amount of $399.0
thousand to provide for the continuation of the education component of the programs
offered at Montgomery's Inn; and
(3)of the $1.3 million required to maintain a flat-line consolidated grants budget, the
amount $898.6 thousand be retained and that this amount be applied on a pro rata basis
across the City.
(B)requested the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer to submit a report directly to
the Budget Committee on:
(1)the impact of accelerating the conversion of flat rate accounts to metered service
City-wide;
(2)the geographical areas in which flat rate accounts are located; and
(3)the rationale for a no-phase in policy respecting changes in the water rate and water
rate structures as a result of harmonization; and
(C)requested the Director, Parks and Recreation - West District, to submit a report to
the Etobicoke Community Council respecting the facilities available in the parks located
in the area of Rexdale-Thistletown and the condition of the existing amenities.
(i)(March 5, 1999) from the City Clerk advising that the Budget Committee has completed
its preliminary review of the 1999Operating Budget; forwarding the 1999 Operating Budget,
together with a communication (March 5,1999) from Councillor Tom Jakobek, Chair, Budget
Committee, and the preliminary recommendations of the Budget Committee for the
information of the Etobicoke Community Council; and requesting that the Etobicoke
Community Council forward its recommendations pertaining to the 1999 Operating Budget to
the Budget Committee prior to the commencement of the "wrap-up" meetings on April 6,
1999;
(ii)(March 18, 1999) addressed to the Budget Committee from the Chief Administrative
Officer and the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, summarizing, by former municipality,
the financial impact:
(a)of the various service harmonization proposals outlined in the report dated February19,
1999, addressed to the Budget Committee from the Chief Administrative Officer, as well as
other options described in various reports that have been presented to Standing Committees;
and
(b)arising from the proposed water and approved hydro rate harmonization initiatives, tax
rate harmonization, Current Value Assessment, and the net financial and fixed assets brought
into the amalgamated City by each former municipality, as requested by the Budget
Committee, the Works and Utilities Committee and the Urban Environment and Development
Committee; and
(iii)(March 22, 1999) addressed to the Budget Committee from the Chief Financial Officer
and Treasurer, presenting a review of the current practices and rate structure respecting the
water and wastewater program; and recommending a strategy towards a harmonized rate
structure across the new City.
(iv)(March 29, 1999) from Ms. Ruth Kottas, Etobicoke Supervisors Network, regarding the
operation of Child Care Centres in Wards 3 and 5, and requesting that the City adopt the
principle of paying actual costs to operators and increasing the rates to home child care
providers;
(v)(March 29, 1999) from Ms. Susan Ezeard, Community Outreach, Youth Without Shelter,
submitting comments in support of publicly funded dental services;
(vi)(March 26, 1999) from Dr. Abdullahi Berih, Etobicoke, expressing grave concern
regarding the cut-backs in the public health programs and, in particular, the tuberculosis
programs;
(vii)(March 26, 1999) from the Board of Directors, Rexdale Home Child Care Agency,
requesting an increase in the 1999 Budget for Children's Services to accommodate the need
for both increased rates for Home Child Care Providers and actual costs to agencies;
(viii)(March 25, 1999) from Ms. Gracia Brockenshire, Counselor/Advocate for Children,
Ernestine's Women's Shelter, submitting comments in support of the Rexdale Community
Health Centre and the collective concern from the Etobicoke community about cuts to dental
services for children, seniors and other economically disadvantaged groups;
(ix)(March 22, 1999) from Ms. Anne Dubas, President, Local 79, C.U.P.E., expressing
concern regarding the impact of the continuing loss of City staff and urging Councillors to
make the preservation of services and staff a key theme of the budget debate; and
(x)(March 1999) from Ms. Diane Weinwurm, Co-Chair, The Lung Association Tuberculosis
Committee, stressing the importance of providing adequate resources for the prevention and
treatment of tuberculosis.
__________
Ms. Brenda Glover, Executive Director, Human Resources Division, Corporate Services,
made an overhead presentation to the Etobicoke Community Council, on the format of the
1999 Operating Budget, the Recommendations of the Chief Administrative Officer and the
Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer as a result of the harmonization of service levels
respecting hydro rates and tax rates in the new City, and filed a copy of her presentation with
respect thereto.
The following persons appeared before the Etobicoke Community Council in connection with
the foregoing matter:
-Mr. V. Jeevaratham, Sri Lankan-Tamil Seniors Association, North Kipling, and filed a
submission with respect thereto;
-Ms. Amy Casipullai, Board of Directors, Rexdale Community Health Centre, and filed a
submission with respect thereto;
-Ms. Lisa Tjernstrom, Etobicoke Childcare Supervisors, Wards 2 & 4, and filed a
submission with respect thereto;
-Mr. Terry Reardon, Etobicoke Federation of Ratepayers' & Residents' Associations
(EFRRA), and filed a submission with respect thereto;
-Mr. Earl Jarvis, Chair, Etobicoke Historical Board;
-Mr. Ahmed Yusuf, Somali Seniors Community Services;
-Mr. David Greig, Toronto & York Region Labour Council, on behalf of Workers
Information and Action Centre;
-Ms. Sarah Shartal, on behalf of Workers Information and Action Centre, and filed a
submission with respect thereto;
-Ms. Theresa MacKinnon, C.U.P.E. Local No. 79;
-Mr. Crawford Murphy, Member, Toronto Cycling Committee;
-Ms. Karen Savage, Equally Healthy Kids, and filed a submission with respect thereto;
-Mr. Sam Singh, Concerned Citizens of Etobicoke North;
-Mr. Hans Gupta, Democratic South Asian Seniors;
-Mrs. Dorothy Wheeler, Etobicoke, and filed a submission with respect thereto;
-Mr. R. Summers, Etobicoke;
-Mrs. Ruth Grier, Etobicoke;
-Ms. Jane Fader, Etobicoke General Hospital, Public Health Tuberculosis Program;
-Mr. Joe Leonard, L.A.M.P., and submitted a motion for consideration by Council;
-Mr. Peter Clutterbuck, C.S.P.C., and filed a submission with respect thereto;
-Ms. Suzanne Sutherland, Central & Northern Etobicoke Home Support Services;
-Mr. Boris Waschtschuk, Etobicoke;
-Mr. Klaas Vangraft, Etobicoke;
-Ms. Sara Dearing, Rexdale Partners, and filed a submission with respect thereto; and
-Ms. Barb Rundle, Rexdale Partners.
Respectfully submitted,
COUNCILLOR ELIZABETH BROWN,
Chair
Toronto, March 29, 1999
Molly Sutherland
Tel. (416)394-8078