THE CITY OF TORONTOCity Clerk's Division

Minutes of the Toronto Cycling Committee

Meeting No. 10

Monday, October 25, 1999.

The Toronto Cycling Committee met on Monday, October 25, 1999, in Committee Room No. 3, City Hall, 100 Queen Street West, Toronto, commencing at 7:15 p.m.

Members Present:

Councillor Jack Layton (Co-Chair)

Mr. Stephen Fisher (Co-Chair)

Ms. Marleen Van Laethem (Co-Chair)

Mr. Steve Beiko

Ms. Andrea Bowker

Mr. Alan Burke

Mr. Ole Calderone

Mr. Israel Chackowicz

Ms. Gillian Flower

Mr. Ron Hart

Ms. Nina Koskenoja

Mr. Crawford Murphy

Dr. Linda Perkin

Mr. Phil Piltch

Ms. Jannette Porter

Mr. John Sherk

Mr. Hamish Wilson

Also Present:

Mr. Martin Collier (Alternate), representing Community Bicycle Network

Staff Present:

Ms. Mary Casini, City Clerk's Division

Mr. Mark Edelman, Supervisor, Open Space and Systems Planning

Mr. Daniel Egan, Manager, Pedestrian and Cycling Infrastructure

Mr. Rod McPhail, Director, Transportation Planning

Ms. Barbara Wentworth, Bicycle Safety Coordinator

Mr. Sean Wheldrake, Coordinator, Road and Trail Safety Ambassador Program

Ms. Cynthia Vaz, City Clerk's Division

Concillor Jack Layton in the Chair.

Confirmation of Minutes.

On motion by Mr. Piltch, the Minutes of the meeting of the Toronto Cycling Committee held on September 21, 1999 were confirmed.

10.1 Community Bikeshare Project.

The Toronto Cycling Committee had before it a communication (October 7, 1999) from Mr. Todd Parsons, Board Member, Community Bicycle Network (CBN), providing information regarding a Community BikeShare Project, an initiative of the CBN to bring community bike sharing - in the spirit of Copenhagen's Free Bikes or Portland's Yellow Bikes - to the streets of Toronto; and requesting an opportunity to make a presentation to the Committee on behalf of the CBN.

Mr. Todd Parsons, Board Member, Community Bicycle Network, appeared before the Toronto Cycling Committee in connection with the foregoing matter.

Councillor Layton appointed Mr. Fisher Acting Chair and vacated the Chair.

On motion by Councillor Layton, the Toronto Cycling Committee:

(1) endorsed, in principle, the development of a pilot project to test the feasibility of a Community BikeShare Project in the City of Toronto;

(2) supported the Community Bicycle Network's application for funding by Human Resources Development Canada and the Climate Change Action Fund;

(3) requested the Corporate Communications Division, Corporate Services Department, to consider providing assistance to the Community Bicycle Network with its advertising needs;

(4) suggested that the Community Bicycle Network:

(a) submit, through the Toronto Cycling Committee, a request to the City of Toronto for office space, such request to include details of their requirements;

(b) request Members of the Toronto Cycling Committee, and appropriate City staff, to provide assistance to them in the development phase of this project;

(c) pursue the possibility of establishing a formal partnership with the City of Toronto, to help minimize operating costs, such as insurance coverage; and

(d) contact the Toronto Police Service regarding the possibility of obtaining unclaimed bicycles for this project; and

(5) requested that the Community Bicycle Network submit an update to the Toronto Cycling Committee as the project evolves.

Councillor Layton resumed the Chair.

(Sent to: Mr. Todd Parsons, Board Member, Community Bicycle Network, Toronto; Director, Corporate Communications Division c. Chief of Police, Toronto Police Service - October 28, 1999)

10.2 Year 2000 Budget: Toronto Cycling Committee.

The Toronto Cycling Committee had before it a communication (October 12, 1999) from the Bicycle Safety Coordinator, submitting, as requested by the Toronto Cycling Committee on September 21, 1999, background information to facilitate discussion of the Year 2000 budget; and advising that additional details regarding actual expenditures for 1999 and proposed budget expenditures for 2000 will be presented at the meeting on October 25, 1999.

The following persons made a presentation to the Toronto Cycling Committee in connection with the foregoing matter:

- Mr. Rod McPhail, Director, Transportation Planning;

- Ms. Barbara Wentworth, Bicycle Safety Coordinator;

- Mr. Daniel Egan, Manager, Pedestrian and Cycling Infrastructure; and

- Mr. Mark Edelman, Supervisor, Open Space and Systems Planning.

The following persons declared their interest in this matter insofar as it pertains to the CAN-BIKE Program in that they are Instructors:

- Mr. Steve Beiko;

- Mr. Israel Chackowicz; and

- Mr. Phil Piltch.

Councillor Layton appointed Mr. Fisher Acting Chair and vacated the Chair.

On motion by Councillor Layton, the Toronto Cycling Committee:

(1) established a Working Group on the 2000 Budget, in consultation with the appropriate staff, to monitor the budget process, make strategic decisions, and present the Committee's position through the Toronto Cycling Committee, where possible, or directly to the appropriate Standing Committee and/or Budget Committee;

(2) appointed the following persons to the Budget Working Group:

- Ms. Andrea Bowker (Chair);

- Mr. Steve Beiko;

- Mr. Martin Collier;

- Mr. Stephen Fisher;

- Ms. Gillian Flower;

- Ms. Nina Koskenoja;

- Councillor Jack Layton;

- Mr. Crawford Murphy; and

- Ms. Marleen Van Laethem;

(3) referred the following motion to the Budget Working Group for consideration:

"That the Toronto Cycling Committee strongly recommends that a full bicycle planning staff complement in Urban Planning and Development Services be maintained at last year's level, including the following:

(1) the position of Bicycle Planner that was removed in 1999, be reinstated;

(2) the position of Coordinator, Road and Trail Safety Ambassador Program, be restored to a temporary position;

(3) the vacant position of Workplace Cycling Coordinator, formerly held by Ms. Sue Zelinski, be filled;

(4) requested the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services to establish a minimum guaranteed threshold for bicycle facilities and traffic calming measures from the $2 million spending envelope in the Works and Emergency Services Department;

(5) requested that, until such time as the 2000 budget for cycling related programs has been set, the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services develop a strategy to ensure the continuity of bicycle programs and fill the vacant positions of Bicycle Planner, Commuter Cycling Coordinator, and the temporary position of Road and Trail Safety Ambassador Coordinator;

(6) requested that:

(a) the Director, Transportation Programming and Policy, Transportation Services Division, the Director, Transportation Planning and the Manager, Parks and Recreation Planning, Policy and Development prepare a summary of their respective cycling-related programs and initiatives over the past two years; such summary to include program spending levels and projected levels for the year 2000;

(b) the aforementioned summary be provided to the Working Group on the Toronto Cycling Committee Budget and to City Councillors, for information; and

(7) requested that the Manager, Parks and Recreation Planning, Policy and Development Division prepare a summary of priorities for trails and other parks capital expenditures for the aforementioned Working Group for comment to the Economic Development and Parks Committee at such time as the Capital Budget is before it for consideration.

Councillor Layton resumed the Chair.

(Sent to: Budget Working Group, Toronto Cycling Committee; Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services; Acting Commissioner, Urban Planning and Development Services; Director, Transportation Planning; Manager, Parks and Recreation Planning, Policy and Development;

Director, Transportation Programming and Policy; c. Manager, Pedestrian and Cycling Infrastructure; Bicycle Safety Coordinator; Coordinator, Road and Trail Safety Ambassador Program - November 5, 1999)

9.3 Action of City Council: Vacancies on

the Toronto Cycling Committee.

The Toronto Cycling Commtitee had before it a communication (October 18, 1999) from the City Clerk, advising that City Council on September 28, 29 and 30, 1999, in adopting Clause No. 2 of Report No. 8 of The Nominating Committee, headed "Vacancies on the Toronto Cycling Committee":

(1) appointed Mr. Ole D. Calderone and Ms. Andrea Bowker to the Toronto Cycling Committee to fill two vacancies which have arisen, for a term of office expiring November 30, 2000, and/or until their successors are appointed; and

(2) in the event of a further vacancy occurring during the current term, appointed Mr. Gerald James Corbett to the Toronto Cycling Committee to complete the term of office of that Member.

The Committee was advised by the Chair that, having regard that a Member [Mr. Junya Ho] had not fulfilled the conditions outlined in Section (7) of the Terms of Reference and had not responded to many attempts to contact him, Mr. Gerald James Corbett would be assuming the vacancy created by Mr. Ho. The Chair requested the Committee Secretary to advise Mr. Ho and Mr. Corbett accordingly.

On motion by Ms. Van Laethem, the Toronto Cycling Committee received the aforementioned communication.

1.1 Action by City Council: Report of the Toronto Hoof and Cycle

Courier Coalition - "Choking us to Death: The Air Pollution

Crisis and its Effects on Bicycle Couriers.

The Toronto Cycling Committee had before it a communication (October 4, 1999) from the City Clerk, addressed to the Minister of Transport, advising, for information, that Clause No. 3 of Report No. 4 of The Planning and Transportation Committee, headed "Report of the Toronto Hoof and Cycle Courier Coalition - 'Choking Us to Death: The Air Pollution Crisis and its Effects on Bicycle Couriers' ", which was adopted, without amendment, by the Council of the City of Toronto at its meeting held on September 28 and 29, 1999.

On motion by Mr. Piltch, the Toronto Cycling Committee received the aforementioned communication, for information.

10.5 Action of City Council: Traffic Safety Bureau.

The Toronto Cycling Committee had before it a communication (October 5, 1999) from the City Clerk advising that the Council of the City of Toronto at its meeting held on September 28 and 29, 1999, in adopting, as amended, Clause No. 3 of Report No. 3 of The Works Committee, headed "Traffic Safety Bureau", amongst other things, recommended that:

(1) a formal liaison be established between the City's Pedestrian and Cycling Committees and the Traffic Safety Bureau; and

(2) a copy of this Clause be forwarded to the Pedestrian and Cycling Committees, for information and comments.

On motion by Mr. Beiko, the Toronto Cycling Committee referred this matter to the Education and Safety Sub-Committee, with a request that it act as a liaison with the Traffic Safety Bureau, and provide status reports to the Toronto Cycling Committee, as appropriate.

(Sent to: Education and Safety Sub-Committee; General Manager, Transportation Services Division; c. Manager, Pedestrian and Cycling Infrastructure Unit; Bicycle Safety Coordinator, Urban Planning and Development Services; Coordinator, Road and Trail Safety Ambassador Program - October 28, 1999)

10.6 Proposed Road Classification System (All Wards).

The Toronto Cycling Committee had before it a communication (July 19, 1999) from Ms. Joan Doiron, Co-Chair, Toronto Pedestrian Committee, forwarding a copy of deputations by Ms. Rhona Swarbrick, Co-Chair, Toronto Pedestrian Committee to the Works Committee and the Etobicoke Community Council, respectively, regarding a proposed road reclassification system; and advising that the Toronto Pedestrian Committee will be holding a special meeting on October 21, 1999, on this topic.

On motion by Mr. Hart, the Toronto Cycling Committee referred the aforementioned communication to the Network Planning and Facilities Sub-Committee, for any action deemed appropriate.

(Sent to: Network Planning and Facilities Sub-Committee; Ms. Joan Doiron;

Ms. Rhona Swarbrick - October 28, 1999)

9.7 Action of the Toronto Transit Commission: Lane Width

Requirements for Busses on Prince Edward Drive.

The Toronto Cycling Committee had before it a communication (September 23, 1999) from the General Secretary, Toronto Transit Commission, advising, for information, that the Commission at its meeting on September 22, 1999:

(1) received the report (September 8, 1999) headed, "Lane Width Requirements for Buses on Prince Edward Drive", for information, noting that TTC staff do not support traffic lane widths of less than 3.65 metres on Prince Edward Drive, south of Bloor Street, for the reasons outlined therein; and

(2) decided to forward the report to the Toronto Cycling Committee and the General Manager, Transportation Services Division, for information.

On motion by Mr. Hart, the Toronto Cycling Committee received the aforementioned communication.

(Sent to: Mr. Vincent Rodo, General Secretary, Toronto Transit Commission - October 29, 1999)

10.8 Minutes of Sub-Committees.

The Toronto Cycling Committee had before it the Minutes of the following Sub-Committees:

(i) Network Planning and Facilities Sub-Committee - September 1, 1999; and

(ii) Communications Sub-Committee - September 23, 1999.

10.9 Ontario Cycling "Coalition" Conference Notice.

The Toronto Cycling Committee had before it, for information, a notice of the Ontario Cycling Coalition Conference on November 6, 1999, in St. Catharines, organized by the cycling committees in the Burlington, Hamilton-Wentworth and Niagara Regions.

On motion by Mr. Piltch, the Toronto Cycling Committee received the aforementioned notice, for information.

The Toronto Cycling Committee adjourned its meeting at 10:00 p.m.

Co-Chair.