TABLE OF CONTENTS
REPORTS OF THE STANDING COMMITTEES
AND OTHER COMMITTEES
As Considered by
The Council of the City of Toronto
on July 6, 7 and 8, 1999
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
REPORT No. 9
1 City's Endorsement of "Taste of the Danforth" as Signature Event (Ward 25 - Don River and Ward 26 - East Toronto)
City of Toronto
REPORT No. 9
OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
(from its meeting on May 21, 1999,
submitted by Councillor Brian Ashton, Chair)
As Considered by
The Council of the City of Toronto
on July 6, 7 and 8, 1999
1
City's Endorsement of "Taste of the Danforth" as Signature Event
(Ward 25 - Don River and Ward 26 - East Toronto)
(City Council on July 6, 7 and 8, 1999, amended this Clause by adding thereto the following:
"It is further recommended that the Director of Special Events be permitted to review the additional costs for the 'Taste of the Danforth' event and access the Economic Development Partnership Plan in the former City of Toronto to provide moderate assistance, and submit a report to the Policy and Finance Committee on the assistance provided.")
(City Council on June 9, 10 and 11, 1999, deferred consideration of this Clause to the next regular meeting of City Council to be held on July 6, 1999.)
--------
(Clause No. 9 of Report No. 8 of The Economic Development Committee)
The Economic Development Committee recommends the adoption of the following report (May 18, 1999) from the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism:
Purpose:
This report responds to a request from the Special Council Meeting of April 26 and 27, 1999, dealing with the 1999 Operating Budget, that the Economic Development, Culture and Tourism Department, Special Events Division, report on the possibility of including "Taste of the Danforth Festival" as a City of Toronto signature event.
Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:
There are no financial implications or funding sources required.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that:
(1) the endorsement of "Taste of the Danforth Festival" as a City of Toronto signature event be considered in the context of an ongoing initiative to develop an integrated strategy for supporting, marketing and promoting Toronto's many excellent festivals and events; and
(2) the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism report on an integrated "signature event strategy", including consideration of "Taste of the Danforth Festival", for the Economic Development Committee's meeting on October 4, 1999.
Comments and/or Discussion and/or Justification:
The "Taste of the Danforth Festival" is an extremely successful event held each August along Danforth Avenue between Broadview and Jones Avenues. It was started by the Greektown on the Danforth BIA, and has grown to include many other community and corporate partners and sponsors. It is becoming one of Toronto's major annual events and has considerable potential to appeal to the tourist market.
The Special Events Division will work with the "Taste of the Danforth Festival" through its Festival Liaison Office. The mandate of the Festival Liaison Office is to support new or established event producers in the city by offering a multitude of essential services as well as promoting synergies between city produced and externally produced events. The Office offers a "one-stop shopping" customer service approach. External event producers can access important city services through the Festival Liaison Office.
To date, the Festival Liaison Office has provided support to over one hundred and seventy externally produced events and festivals including Caribana, Caravan, and "Taste of the Danforth Festival". The Office assists event organizers in a variety of ways which includes road closures, permits, licenses, grants, etc.
The Special Events Division is exploring ways of building and promoting Toronto's many excellent community-based and externally produced festivals and events. The Division's established relationship with Tourism Toronto may open possibilities of exposing internally and externally produced city events to international markets. Identifying key festivals as "signature events" and developing strategies to support and market them are among the options being considered.
It is suggested that the endorsement of "Taste of the Danforth Festival" as a signature event be considered in the broader context of this ongoing initiative. All externally produced festivals and events that take place in the city are being audited. Criteria will then be developed to identify "signature events". This work is being undertaken in consultation with the Economic Development, the Culture, and the Parks and Recreation Divisions of the Department, all of whom work directly with community-based events and festivals.
Conclusions:
It is concluded that the possible endorsement of the "Taste of the Danforth Festival" as a City of Toronto Signature Event would best be considered in the context of developing an integrated strategy for supporting, marketing and promoting Toronto's many excellent festivals and events. A report on this matter can be brought forward to the Economic Development Committee for its meeting on October 4, 1999.
Contact Name:
Jaye Robinson, Director, Special Events, 395-7310.
Respectfully submitted,
BRIAN ASHTON
Chair
Toronto, May 21, 1999
(Report No. 9 of The Economic Development Committee was adopted, as amended, by City Council on July 6, 7 and 8, 1999.)