a.         Introduction of new Chief Executive Officer, Invest Toronto Inc., Renato Discenza.

b.         Economic Outlook Briefing.

The General Manager, Economic Development and Culture recommends that:

1.         The City loan its model of the ship "Mauretania (Lusitania)" to the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic for five years (renewable), subject to an agreement whereby all packing, shipping, conservation and other costs associated with the loan are borne by the Maritime Museum.

2.         City Council delegate authority to the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, or his designate, to sign the initial loan and any loan renewal agreements with the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic for the "Mauretania (Lusitania)" model. 

This report recommends that Council approve the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic’s request for the loan of a ship model in the City of Toronto’s Historical Collection. Delegation of signing authority to the General Manager of Economic Development and Culture for this loan and any loan renewals relating to this artifact is also recommended. All costs associated with the loan will be borne by the Maritime Museum.

Council’s approval is necessary because the value of the artifact exceeds the General Manager’s delegated signing authority.

The Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer recommends that:

1.         The Economic Development Committee adopt and certify to City Council the 2010 recommended expenditures and levy requirements of the following Business Improvement Areas:

This report brings forward Business Improvement Area (BIA) annual operating budgets for approval by Council as required by the City of Toronto Act, 2006.  Council approval is required to permit the City to collect funds through the tax levy on behalf of the BIAs.

Complete budgets and supporting documentation received by January 18, 2010, have been reviewed and are reported herein; BIA Operating Budgets received after this date will be brought forward in later reports.  Of the 70 established BIAs, 15 BIA budgets were approved by City Council on November 30 and December 1, 2009 in Report No. 1; 41 BIA budgets are pending Council approval on January 26, 2010 in Report No. 2; seven BIA budgets are submitted for approval in this report; six BIAs have yet to submit their operating budgets; and one BIA is inactive.

The recommendations reflect 2010 Operating Budgets approved by the respective BIAs’ Boards of Management and have been reviewed by City staff to ensure BIA budgets reflect Council’s approved policies and practices.

No City funding is required since financing of Business Improvement Area budgets is raised by a special levy on members which totals $548,867 for seven BIAs addressed in this report.

All of the 2010 BIA operating budgets submitted for consideration are balanced budgets.  The appeal provision surplus or appeal provision deficit for each BIA, as determined by the Revenue Services Division, has been addressed by the BIA and incorporated into their 2010 Operating Budget.  The BIA budgets have provisions for required capital cost-sharing contributions for those projects approved in 2009 or prior and carried forward into 2010, as well as new capital cost-share projects approved in the 2010 Capital Budget for Economic Development and Culture. 

The General Manager, Economic Development and Culture recommends that:

1.         City Council designate the area described by Attachment 1 of the report (January 18, 2010) from the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, as an expanded Business Improvement Area (BIA), under Chapter 19 of the City of Toronto Municipal Code.

2.         City Council authorize and direct the City Clerk to send out a notice of Council’s intention to expand the boundary of the Mount Dennis Business Improvement Area (BIA) to include the area shown in Attachment 1 of the report (January 18, 2010) from the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, in accordance with Chapter 19 of the City of Toronto Municipal Code.

3.         The Executive Director of Technical Services prepare designation by-law maps of the area, as described in Attachment 1 of the report (January 18, 2010) from the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, and submit them to the City Solicitor.

The purpose of this report is to recommend that the City Clerk conduct a poll to determine if there is sufficient support to expand the boundaries of the Mount Dennis Business Improvement Area.

Upon the completion of the poll, the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture will report on the results to City Council.  Subject to a positive poll result, staff shall prepare the necessary by-laws and bills to give effect thereto.

This report responds to the direction given by City Council at its meeting on December 1, 2 and 3, 2008, for a progress report noting specifically concrete results that have accrued as a result of the endorsement of the Community Arts Action Plan.  The Plan comprises recommendations to be implemented over a course of five years to strengthen arts in communities across Toronto including enhanced support for Toronto’s lead community arts organizations, the Local Arts Service Organizations.

The Community Arts Action Plan for Toronto has served as a strategic planning framework that helps community arts organizations to better plan together to address the priorities and achieve outcomes identified in the Plan.

Since the implementation of the Plan, it has served as a tool and inspiration for lead agencies such as the Toronto Arts Council and the Local Arts Service Organizations, to start and/or augment citywide community arts initiatives and networking opportunities to address the gaps in the community arts sector identified by community members and stakeholders.  Tangible outcomes as well as key ongoing efforts are highlighted in this Report below. (See Appendix 1).

Advising that the Planning and Growth Management Committee on January 6, 2010, considered a report (December 7, 2009) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, entitled "Authorization to Extend the Commercial Façade Improvement Program", and forwarded the report to the Economic Development Committee for information.