Attendance

Members of the Community Development and Recreation Committee were present for some or all of the time periods indicated under the section headed “Meeting Sessions”, which appears at the end of the Minutes.

Confirmation of Minutes

On motion by Councillor Ainslie, the minutes of the meeting of the Community Development and Recreation Committee held on February 6, 2009, were confirmed.

The Community Development and Recreation Committee:

1.         requested the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, and the City Manager,  to explore the feasibility of accessing the Government of Canada's Recreational Infrastructure Fund to fund the state of good repair for the arenas and pools; and

2.         referred the following motion by Councillor Parker to the Budget Committee for consideration during the 2010 capital budget process:

Moved by Councillor Parker:

“That the City make the state of good repair and construction of new swimming pools and ice rinks a higher priority in the Capital Budget and that this be reflected in the 2010 capital budget and future capital budgets; and

That the state of good repair 2010 capital budget be doubled.”

The Community Development and Recreation Committee:

1.         referred this matter to the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, with the request that she report to a future meeting of the Community Development and Recreation Committee when she has any recommended changes to the City’s use of school pools that result in no net cost increases to the City;

2.         requested staff to continue participation in the Toronto Lands Corporation (TLC) Aquatics Working Group (AWG); and

3.         referred the following motion by Councillor Jenkins to the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, for inclusion in her upcoming report:

Moved by Councillor Jenkins:

“That the appropriate City staff be requested to prepare a report on how the City of Toronto, the Toronto District School Board, and the Provincial Government, as three interested parties,  can work together to keep our school and community pools operational, using as a framework for that report the four recommendations:

1.         that the Provincial Government provide funding, including $12 million for capital repairs;

2.         that the parties seek operational cost savings;

3.         that the parties seek opportunities for increased revenues; and

4.         that the parties seek a new governance structure for school and community pools.”

School pools are an important part of Toronto's infrastructure and recreational programming.  Toronto is unique in that historically the municipality combined resources with the school board to build pools for schools and community use.  These assets support non-profit swim clubs, camps and community swim needs in addition to regular programming by the school board and the City.

On August 27, 2008 the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) moved the following motion:

143. Swimming Pools

a.         That the Board thank David Crombie for his work on finding possible funding sources to operate school swimming pools;

b.         That, based on the Provincial transition funding for pools announced on August 7, 2008:

(i)         that the pools slated for decommissioning this fall remain open for the 2008-09 school year and that aquatics instructors and caretaking staff be hired as soon as possible, subject to confirmation that Provincial funding has been received by the TLC;

(ii)        that the Board participate fully in the Toronto aquatic workgroup proposed by Mr. Crombie;

(iii)       that the Toronto Lands Corporation be given responsibility for providing operational oversight and licensing/permitting services for the 39 pools that are currently unfunded; and

(iv)       that the Director instruct staff to assist the Toronto Lands Corporation in collecting more precise data on the operating costs of individual pools.

c.         That the Chair of the Board forward a copy of the Board's decision and a copy of the letter from Mr. Crombie to the City of Toronto's Community and Social Services Committee for their possible review and comment.

(Submitted to City Council on January 27 and 28, 2009 as MM30.20)

Hospital offload delay refers to the delay in transferring a patient's care from paramedics to the receiving hospital.  The purpose of this report is to update Committee on the current status of hospital offload delay as it affects Toronto EMS and to provide an overview of the recent strategies undertaken by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC).

Hospital offload delay is the number one operating pressure for Toronto EMS.  Paramedic crews are delayed in emergency departments for extended periods of time, caring for their patients while waiting for an available hospital stretcher.  Toronto EMS in-hospital times have increased from an average of 35 minutes in 2000 to nearly 70 minutes, in April of 2008.  This additional time has had a negative impact on EMS resources available to provide service to the community within appropriate and acceptable time frames.  However, as a result of the offload nurse program, which hospitals began implementing in August 2008, hours lost as a result of offload delays has improved.

The Community Development and Recreation Committee recommends that:

1.         City Council approve the appointment of the selected individual listed in a confidential report (February 12, 2009) from the General Manager, Long-Term Care Homes and Services, to the Advisory Committee on Long-Term Care Homes and Services for a period of four years, with the provision for an extension of an additional term, as outlined in the terms of reference.

2,         The appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.

3.         City Council authorize the City Clerk to make the appointee’s name public once appointed by City Council.

The Advisory Committee on Long-Term Care Homes and Services on February 27, 2009, considered a confidential report (February 12, 2009) from the General Manager, Long-Term Care Homes and Services, entitled "Proposed New Member – Advisory Committee on Long-Term Care Homes and Services" and forwarded its recommendations to the Community Development and Recreation Committee.

Councillor Frances Nunziata expressing concerns regarding a recent incident at the Hollis Resource Child Care Centre and recommending that staff submit a report to the Community Development and Recreation Committee.

The Community Development and Recreation Committee:

1.         referred the letter from the Tenant Defence Sub-Committee to the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, for a report to the June 11, 2009, meeting of the Community Development and Recreation Committee; and

2.         requested the Acting Treasurer to report to the June 11, 2009, meeting of the Community Development and Recreation Committee with advice on how to provide supports to the tenant population affected by the failure to provide rent reduction notice to Parkdale Pilot Project rooming houses.

The Tenant Defence Sub-Committee on March 25, 2009, considered a communication (March 16, 2009) from Councillor Gord Perks, Ward 14, Parkdale-High Park, entitled "The Residential Tenancies Act and the Tax Notification Program", and forwarded its recommendation to the Community Development and Recreation Committee.

The Community Development and Recreation Committee recommends that:

1.         The General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, in consultation with the City Solicitor, be authorized to enter into a four-year, $0 net  contribution agreement with the Mental Health Commission of Canada to receive funding for certain activities as Service Coordinator of the Toronto Research Demonstration Project in Mental Health and Homelessness.

2.         Once the contribution agreement is in place, the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, be authorized to enter into agreements with other City divisions, community agencies, private expert individuals and any other agreements which may be required to administer and deliver services in accordance with the terms and conditions of the $0 net contribution agreement.

3.         Once the contribution agreement is in place, the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, report to Budget Committee on the final budget allocations ($0 net) for the Toronto Research Demonstration Project in Mental Health and Homelessness.

4.         The General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, in consultation with the City Solicitor, be authorized to enter into such agreements with the Mental Health Commission of Canada as may be required to fulfill its role as National Trainer on the Streets to Homes Intensive Case Management model for all demonstration project sites across Canada.

5.         The General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, report back to the Community Development and Recreation Committee on the findings of the Toronto Research Demonstration Project in Mental Health and Homelessness in 2013, or as soon as they become available; an interim report for information to be provided in 2011.