Other Items Considered by the Committee

(a)Election of Vice-Chair - Community Services Committee.

The Community Services Committee reports having elected Councillor Irene Jones as Vice-Chair of the Committee for the term of office expiring November 30, 2000, and until a successor is appointed.

(b)Staff Presentation on Emergency Preparedness.

The Community Services Committee reports having:

(1)suggested that the Emergency Plan include protocols, policies, and action plans for emergencies in Ontario, Canada, and internationally, and that the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services be requested to report thereon;

(2)directed that the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services be requested to develop mutual aid strategies and report thereon to the Community Services Committee; and further that such report include a recommendation that the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities be notified of the City's mutual aid strategies, and encourage other municipalities to enact similar strategies;

(3)directed that the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services be requested to report to the Community Services Committee, as soon as possible, on the necessary funding required to prepare a pamphlet for distribution to all citizens in the City of Toronto respecting steps that could be taken by citizens in regard to various emergency situations; and

(4)referred the following motion by Councillor Prue to the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services for review and comment thereon in the report requested in Recommendation No. (3):

"That the information to citizens be disseminated through the media rather than by pamphlet."

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The Manager, Emergency Planning, Works and Emergency Services, gave an overhead presentation on the City of Toronto's emergency response abilities, in response to the request of the Committee at its meeting on July 14, 1999.

(c)Qualifications and Training for Entry-Level Primary Care Paramedics.

The Community Services Committee reports having received the following report:

(August 10, 1999) from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services advising of changes to the academic curriculum provided by community colleges for the training of paramedics in Ontario; and recommending that the report be received for information.

(d)Radio Communications System - Toronto Police and Toronto Fire Services.

The Community Services Committee reports having received the following communication:

(July 20, 1999) from the City Clerk advising that the Policy and Finance Committee on July 20, 1999, had before it a communication (June 3, 1999) from the City Clerk, and a joint report (July 7, 1999) from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services and the Fire Chief responding to the Audit Committee's request for a six-monthly status report of the Integrated Police and Fire Services Radio Communications System; and that the Committee concurred in the recommendation embodied in the aforementioned joint report that such report be received and forwarded to the Community Services Committee for information.

(e)Ontario Works Caseload Profile.

The Community Services Committee reports having:

(a)adopted the recommendations contained in the following communication from Councillor Chow, subject to such recommendations being amended to read as follows:

"(1)that the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services provide an action plan for Members of Council urging the Federal and Provincial Governments to invest in a extensive early childhood development program, including the provision of child care services, and that such a plan be presented to the next meeting of the Community Services Committee; and

(2)that the Children and Youth Advocate report to the next meeting of the Community Services Committee on the result of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' meeting in Charlottetown"; and

(b)received the following report of the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services:

(i)(August 23, 1999) from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services advising of important changes in the City's social assistance caseload through the 1990s, focussing on overall caseload growth and decline, and on key trends related to caseload composition and to changes in the length of time clients remain on assistance; summarizing the implications for the delivery of Ontario Works; and recommending that the report be received for information; and

(ii)(September 7, 1999) from Councillor Olivia Chow, Children and Youth Advocate, respecting the report of the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services on the Ontario Works Caseload profile; and recommending:

(1)that the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services provide an action plan for Members of Council urging the Federal and Provincial Governments to invest in an extensive early childhood development program and that such a plan be presented at the upcoming Council meeting; and

(2)that the Children and Youth Advocate report to the upcoming Council meeting on the result of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' meeting in Charlottetown.

(f)Retirement and Lodging Homes.

The Community Services Committee reports having:

(i)recommended to the Policy and Finance Committee, and Council:

(a)the adoption of the following report dated September 8, 1999, from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services and the Medical Officer of Health, subject to the recommendations being amended to read as follows:

"It is recommended that:

(1)a Retirement and Lodging Homes Advisory Committee be established, comprised of Councillors Ootes (Deputy Mayor), Johnston (Seniors Advocate), Filion (Chair, Board of Health), Duguid (Chair, Community Services Committee), Jones (Vice-Chair, Community Services Committee), and Flint (Chair, Planning and Transportation Committee);

(2)a Retirement and Lodging Homes Action Team, led by Public Health, be established with membership from Homes for the Aged, Municipal Standards and Licensing, Fire, Ambulance, Buildings, Legal Services, Shelter Housing and Support, Toronto Police, and Social Development. This team will immediately implement a short-term action plan to address complaints and concerns from the public regarding retirement homes;

(3)the City of Toronto fully apply its existing legal powers to investigate complaints related to the health and safety of residents in retirement homes across the City;

(4)the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services and the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services, in consultation with the Medical Officer of Health and City Solicitor, establish an interdepartmental working group comprised of staff from Police, Fire, Ambulance and Legal as well as other appropriate stakeholders. This working group will report back to the Retirement and Lodging Homes Advisory Committee by November 1999, and by December 1999 to the Community Services Committee and the Planning and Transportation Committee on the scope of the problem, issues related to the development and monitoring of mechanisms for ensuring quality and standards of care, and possible roles for the City, the Province and other stakeholders in this regard;

(5)this report be forwarded to the Planning and Transportation Committee and the Policy and Finance Committee;

(6)the estimated funding of $527,500.00 required for the short-term solution be absorbed in the Community and Neighbourhood Services 1999 approved Operating Budget, and that a report be submitted to the Policy and Finance Committee on the details of this expenditure, and the underexpenditures in 1999 that may be reallocated for this purpose, as part of the 1999 Operating Budget Variance reporting process;

(7)the 1999 expenditures required to immediately implement the initiatives proposed by the Retirement and Lodging Homes Action Team be approved and further that the City seek 50/50 cost-sharing from the Province of Ontario to cover these expenditures;

(8)the funding implications of a longer-term solution be subject to a report to the Policy and Finance Committee for consideration with the year 2000 Operating Budget process; and

(9)the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect hereto.";

(b)that all references to the Retirement Homes Advisory Committee and the Retirement Homes Action Team, referred to in the joint report, be amended to read Retirement and Lodging Homes Advisory Committee and the Retirement and Lodging Homes Action Team respectively; and

(c)that the focus of both the Retirement and Lodging Homes Advisory Committee and the Retirement and Lodging Homes Action Team include retirement and lodging homes where personal support is being provided on site;

(ii)directed that the Policy and Finance Committee be requested to expedite discussion of the following joint report from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services and Medical Officer of Health to ensure consideration by Council at its meeting on September 28, 1999; and

(iii)directed that the following joint report be forwarded to the September 13, 1999, meeting of the Planning and Transportation Committee for information, insofar as it pertains to municipal property standards, zoning and related issues, with a request that any comments thereon be submitted directly to the Policy and Finance Committee for its meeting on September 16, 1999:

(September 8, 1999) from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services and the Medical Officer of Health respecting retirement homes.

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The Medical Officer of Health gave an overhead slide presentation to the Community Services Committee on the issues with respect to retirement homes.