City Council on July 6, 7 and 8, 2010, adopted the following:

1.         City Council request  the Canadian Association of  Zoos and Aquariums to develop an 'Affiliate Accreditation Program'.

The Licensing and Standards Committee recommends that:

1.         City Council request  the Canadian Association of  Zoos and Aquariums to develop an 'Affiliate Accreditation Program'.

The purpose of this report is to explore the feasibility of the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA) expanding its accreditation program to include organizations such as Earth Rangers. Expanding the accreditation program would permit these organizations, if accredited, to use animal 'Ambassadors' in educational programs which would otherwise be prohibited by Chapter 349, Animals, of the Municipal Code.

Earth Rangers is a non profit organization, located in Woodbridge, Ontario, that focuses, in part, on communicating the importance of protecting  endangered animals and habitats using live animal 'Ambassadors' in  educational programs at schools and community events in Toronto (and across Ontario).

Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 349 Animals does not currently offer a process by which organizations may apply for exemption status. 

CAZA, Earth Rangers, and the Legal Services Division were consulted in the preparation of this report.

City Council on July 6, 7 and 8, 2010, adopted the following:

1.         City Council request the City Solicitor bring forward the Postering By-law, as authorized by Council at its meeting on July 25, 26 and 27, 2006, for enactment by Council at its next meeting on August 25, 2010.

2.         City Council direct the General Manager of Transportation Services to expedite the installation of the poster kiosks under the contract with Astral Media Outdoor (Toronto) G.P.

 3.        City Council authorize the General Manager of Transportation Services to settle and finalize the contract dispute with Astral Media Outdoor (Toronto) G.P. over responsibility for the installation costs of concrete pads for street furniture, including the kiosks, substantially in accordance with the recommendation contained in the confidential report (September 29, 2009) from the City Solicitor to the Government Management Committee and as recommended by Government Management Committee to Council (GM25.7) at Council’s meeting on October 26 and 27, 2009, conditional on all the poster kiosks and other poster display media being installed no later than 2012.

4.         City Council direct that the confidential report (September 29, 2009) from the City Solicitor to the Government Management Committee continue to remain confidential until such time as a settlement is reached by formal agreement at which time the confidential recommendation may be made public.

 5.        City Council request the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards to begin enforcement on an area-by-area basis as the display media is installed, or where an alternative postering option exists.

The Licensing and Standards Committee:

1.         Requests that City Council give consideration to implementing the Poster By-law at its meeting on July 6, 2010.

Request for a verbal report from Municipal Licensing and Standards staff on actions taken since the Postering By-law was passed in April 2006.