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August 5, 2009 - 1:20 p.m.
City of Toronto service resumption plan
The City of Toronto wishes to thank residents and businesses for their patience and support during the labour disruption.
The City has prepared a detailed plan to resume City services and programs.
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The City asks for the understanding and patience of residents while services and programs are brought back to regular levels. There is a backlog of service requests in some programs and therefore it will take time to get back to regular processing times. In addition, before resuming services, staff will need a short period of time to confirm that equipment is in good working order and that facilities are properly prepared for use. The City regrets any inconvenience to our residents and businesses and the cooperation of the public continues to be appreciated.
Residents and businesses may continue to call or email Access Toronto 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 416-338-0338 for further assistance. Information on this page will be updated regularly. Please check back.
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Affordable Housing Office
- Service will resume on Friday, July 31.
- City staff will facilitate City approvals and funding to assist existing affordable housing proponents with outstanding matters resulting from the labour disruption.
- City staff will resume the administration of the City’s affordable housing initiatives, including the selection and notification of short-listed proponents under the Affordable Housing Program Economic Stimulus Initiative.
- City staff will resume the administration of the Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program and process outstanding funding requests on an urgent basis.
Toronto Building
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All building permit counters will be open on Friday, July 31.
- Please wait until August 10, 2009 before requesting general zoning or Building Code information at our Customer Service counters or by telephone. Pending issues and information requests that were received prior to the strike will be given first priority.
- Building Inspectors will begin to take requests for inspection on Friday, July 31. There will be some delays in processing your inspection requests initially, but regular service will resume as soon as possible.
- More information about Toronto Building
Children’s Services
- Municipally operated child care facilities will re-open on Tuesday, August 4, immediately following the scheduled vacation closure (July 20 to August 3).
- For municipal child care families who have paid child care fees in advance, any refunds owed as a result of the labour disruption will be made as an adjustment to families’ accounts. Invoices will be sent out once centres re-open and normal City services resume. Invoices will reflect these adjustments.
- Children's Services district offices will re-open on Friday, July 31. Staff will contact clients to reschedule appointments. We will begin to accept applications and placements immediately.
- As of Friday, July 31, please call 416-392-KIDS for more information.
- More information about child care in the City of Toronto
City Clerk’s Office
- Toronto Archives
- Toronto Archives will re-open on Friday, July 31.
- Public education tours will resume on Friday, July 31.
- More information about Toronto Archives
- Protocol events, including flag raisings
- Protocol staff will contact organizers. Protocol events and flag raisings will resume on Friday, July 31.
- Wedding Chambers
- Bookings will be accepted on Friday, July 31.
- Wedding Chambers will re-open on Saturday, August 1.
- More information about wedding chambers
- Birth and Death Registrations
- Services will be available at City Hall, Scarborough Civic Centre, Etobicoke Civic Centre and North York Civic Centre on Friday, July 31.
- More information about birth and death registrations
- Lottery licenses
- Services will be available on Friday, July 31.
- More information about lottery licenses
- Liquor licenses (Special Occasion Permit)
- Liquor License (Municipal Liquor License Clearance Applications)
- Applications will be accepted on Friday, July 31 at all Elections & Registry Service offices at City Hall and civic centres.
- More information about Special Occasion Permits
- Marriage licenses
- Will be available on Friday, July 31 at all Elections & Registry Service offices at City Hall and civic centres.
- More information about marriage licenses
City Planning
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Planning applications
- All intake for development approval applications and Committee of Adjustment applications for minor variances will return to normal on Friday, July 31.
- Committee of Adjustment Meetings
- The regular schedule of Committee of Adjustment hearings will resume and those meetings that were cancelled during the labour disruption will be re-scheduled.
- More information about City Planning
Court Services
Economic Development, Culture and Tourism
- All services for the business and investment community will resume on Friday, July 31.
- City of Toronto Museums, Galleries and Cultural Services
- All City of Toronto museums, galleries and cultural services will reopen on Tuesday, August 4.
- Registered camp programs run by Cultural Services are scheduled to resume on Monday, August 10.
- Full refunds will be issued for registered cultural/arts programs that did not commence or have been cancelled.
- More information about the City’s Museums, Galleries and Cultural Services
- Special Events
- The six farmers’ markets that take place on City squares continue with their regular schedules.
- Sunday Serenades on Mel Lastman Square will resume on Sunday, August 2.
- Fresh Wednesday on Nathan Phillips Square will resume on Wednesday, August 5.
- Tasty Thursdays at Nathan Phillips Square will resume on Thursday, August 6.
- The Sunday Seniors’ Concerts at Scarborough Civic Centre will begin again on August 9, 2009
- More information about special events operated by the City of Toronto.
- ScotiaBank Caribana events will proceed this weekend. More information about ScotiaBank Caribana events
Emergency Medical Services
- CPR, Public Access Defibrillation course fees
Employment and Social Services
- On Thursday July 30, the following three open offices will continue to provide services from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Etobicoke North - 220 Attwell Dr - 416 392-6400
- Downtown - 111 Wellesley St E - 416 392-5300
- Scarborough West - 1225 Kennedy Rd - 416 392-2800
- On Friday July 31, Toronto's Employment and Social Services offices will resume service at all locations from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- For general inquiries about Toronto Employment and Social Services, residents may also call the Client Services and Information Unit at 416-392-2956 as of Friday July 31.
- For more information about Employment and Social Services in Toronto
Toronto Public Library
- Armour Heights, Flemingdon Park, St. James Town and Port Union Branches will re-open on Friday, July 31 at 10:00 a.m. Todmorden Room will re-open on Tuesday, August 4 at 12:30 p.m.
- City Hall and Urban Affairs branches will return to normal hours of service on Friday, July 31. The City Hall branch will be open from Monday to Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The Urban Affairs branch will be open with summer hours from Monday to Friday from 9:30 a.m.to 6:00 p.m.
- The Island bookmobile stops will resume on Saturday, August 8.
- For more information about Toronto libraries, visit torontopubliclibrary.ca
Meetings
- Council and Committee meetings
- City Council will meet on August 5 and 6 to conduct regular business. The City Clerk will post the agenda when it is ready.
- Some of the urgent business from the cancelled meetings of Government Management Committee, North York Community Council and Toronto & East York Community Council will be considered by Council on August 5 and 6. All other business will be added to previously scheduled meetings in September.
- The September cycle of meetings, including agenda closings, will proceed as scheduled.
- Any changes to the meeting schedule will be posted to the City’s website
- Property Standards Committee Meetings
- The regular schedule of Property Standards Committee panels will resume and additional meetings may be scheduled to make up for meetings cancelled during the labour disruption.
- Committee of Adjustment meetings
- Environment Days
- Environment Days have been postponed to October 2009.
- Please check your Councillor’s or the City’s website for more details.
Municipal Licensing and Standards (MLS)
- MLS District Offices will re-open on Friday, July 31. Municipal Standards Officers will contact residents and applicants for permits or to re-schedule property inspections.
- Licensing Services will re-open on Friday, July 31.
- Staff will contact all applicants/licensees who missed mobile business vehicle inspections at the MLS Test Facility at 843 Eastern Avenue; business license trades examinations at 850 Coxwell Avenue, and all taxicab driver/owner and limousine driver/owner training courses at 1530 Markham Road.
- Business licences
- Late fees for licenses that expired on the last day of business before the labour disruption will be waived.
- Business licences trades examinations
- Fees for 'no show' vehicle inspections will be waived.
- Inspections
- Staff will contact applicants for vending and boulevard cafe permits to re-schedule inspections for applications in process.
- Taxicab/ Limousine Industry
- All applicants who missed vehicle inspections at 843 Eastern Avenue will be contacted by staff.
- All taxicab owner and driver, and limousine owner and driver training courses at 1530 Markham Road will be rescheduled. Those drivers/owners whose courses were cancelled will be contacted by Municipal Standards Officers to re-schedule. Fees paid for cancelled courses will be applied to the re-scheduled course.
- More information about Taxicab Driver Training Courses
- Permit applications in process for temporary signs will be reviewed and fees refunded where warranted.
- More information about the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division
- Toronto Animal Services
- Shelters - all shelters will re-open Friday, July 31. All of the animals in our care received excellent care, including a very clean environment, proper food and water, medical care when warranted, and veterinary examinations at least twice weekly. During the labour disruption, we continued to adopt animals out and to place animals with other rescue organizations to ensure that animals were not left waiting in cages. Sheltering is a stressful environment for animals at any time and we continued try to reduce their stress in many different ways.
- Adoptions - Animal adoptions will return to regular hours of operations and the public are encouraged to consider visiting the animal centres to adopt one of our pets who are eagerly waiting to find their forever home.
- Pet licenses - The issuance of dog and cat licenses will be delayed by approximately four weeks following the end of the labour disruption.
- Volunteers - Animal Services volunteers should contact the volunteer coordinator at our animal centres for information.
- More information about Toronto Animal Services.
- More information about the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division.
Parking Permits
- Full service for the issuance of parking permits will begin on Friday, July 31. The City will allow a grace period until Friday, August 14 for customers to purchase their parking permits and to return for cancellation any parking tags/tickets received during the labour disruption due to their inability to obtain a parking permit.
- When purchasing a permit, residents should follow the same directions as noted on our permit parking website
- Please note that any permit parking related tickets will be cancelled through our Permit Parking Service Counters located at City Hall and East York Civic Centre only between 8:30 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. weekdays.
- More information about Permit Parking in the City of Toronto
Parking Tickets
• Service will resume Friday, July 31.
• More information about how to pay for your parking tags
Parks, Forestry and Recreation
- Refunds
- Ensuring affected customers receive program and permit refunds is a priority for the division. Staff has already begun processing refunds for recreation programs that have been cancelled due to the labour disruption.
- Affected program registrants and permit holders are not required to call in to get their refund. Refunds will be issued automatically, depending on how payment was received:
- Visa/Mastercard: account credit
- Cash/cheque: cheque in the mail.
- It may take up to 4 to 5 weeks to process all program and permit refunds. All refund, transfer, and cancellation administration fees for ALL summer programs and permits will be waived.
- Full refunds will be issued for registered recreation programs that did not commence or have been cancelled. Refunds will be pro-rated for programs that commence part way through the session. Beginning on July 31, contact Customer Service at 416-338-4386 for more information about program refunds.
- Program memberships will be extended by the number of days that the membership could not be used. Community centre staff will mark the memberships accordingly with the new expiration date prominently displayed. Pro-rated refunds will be issued if requested.
- Full refunds will be issued for one-time permits that did not take place. Seasonal permits will automatically receive a pro-rated refund based upon the number of dates that were cancelled. Beginning on Friday, July 31, please contact 416-392-8188 for more information.
- Recreation Program Registration
- Registration for camp programs will be available on Wednesday, August 5. General program registration will continue to be offered through Toronto FUN Online. In-person registration at civic centres will be available on Friday, July 31 for all programs, except summer camps.
- In-person registration at Community Centres will be available on Wednesday, August 5.
- Welcome Policy
- Applications for Welcome Policy will be accepted at civic centres on Friday, July 31. Approved Welcome Policy members may register for programs as indicated above including online.
- Camp Programs
- Registered camp programs run by Parks, Forestry and Recreation are tentatively scheduled to resume on Monday, August 10.
- Two week sessions that should have begun on Tuesday, August 4 will be reduced to one week if necessary.
- Registrants can expect to be contacted directly by phone by program staff prior to commencement.
- Some programs may be cancelled or modified due to low program registration or to the unavailability of staff. To confirm the status of your camp program or call your local community centre after Friday, July 31.
- General Recreation Programs
- Drop-in programs may resume by Wednesday, August 5. General registered recreation programs are tentatively scheduled to resume on Saturday, August 8.
- Please be aware that there may be some unexpected program cancellations due to low registration and unavailability of staff. Cancellations will be posted on the website or call your local community centre for more information after Friday, July 31.
- Outdoor Pools
- The City’s outdoor pools are expected to open between Wednesday, August 5 and Saturday, August 8. Check the list of pools that have been opened. Some openings may be delayed due to maintenance or operational issues.
- Instructional programs at outdoor pools may resume as early as Wednesday, August 5. Please confirm the availability of your program after August 4. Information will be changing so please check regularly for updates.
- Indoor Pools
- Leisure swim programs at the City’s indoor pools are expected to resume Wednesday, August 5. Instructional programs at indoor pools may resume as early as Thursday, August 6. Please confirm the availability of your program after August 4. Information will be changing so please check regularly for updates.
- Wading Pools
- Wading pools will re-open on Wednesday, August 5. There may be some delayed openings due to required maintenance.
- Splash Pads
- Splash Pads will resume normal operations on Tuesday, August 4. There may be some temporary closures due to required maintenance.
- Community Centre Operations
- Community centres are scheduled to re-open for casual use on Friday, July 31. Drop-in programs, permits, in-person registration and other administrative functions will resume on Wednesday, August 5.
- Golf courses
- Toronto’s five public golf courses will re-open at 10:00 a..m. on Friday, July 31.
- More information about operating hours and tee-times of the Golf Courses.
- Glen Rouge Campground
- Operations at Glen Rouge Campground will resume on Friday, July 31.
- More information about Glen Rouge Campground.
- Conservatories & greenhouses
- Ornamental Gardens (Rosetta McClain, Music Gardens, Allen Gardens, Edwards Gardens,
James Gardens)
- Ornamental gardens will continue to be open for casual use. Existing photography permits will be honoured beginning Saturday, August 8.
- Cancelled wedding photography permits will be refunded through PFR customer service.
- Allotment Gardens and Community Gardens
- Full service will resume immediately.
- Animal farms & PFR zoos
- Far Enough Farm and High Park Zoo will resume normal operations Friday, July 31.
- Riverdale Farm will re-open on Saturday, August 1.
- More information about Riverdale Farm.
- More information about Far Enough Farm.
- More information about the High Park Zoo.
- Sports fields
- Considerable maintenance (including litter removal, grass-cutting and turf rehabilitation) must be carried out at sports fields before we are able to resume full operations. Premier and Class A sports fields are expected to re-open on Saturday August 8, weather permitting, for existing permit holders. It may take as long as two weeks before all Class B and C fields receive their first cut. To check on the status of your permit, contact Customer Service at 416-392-8188 after Tuesday, August 4.
- Requests for new permits for sports fields will not be taken until Monday, August 10.
- Parkland
- Parks will continue to be open for casual use. Previously booked special event permits will resume on Saturday, August 8 to allow staff time to cut grass, collect and remove litter and garbage. To check on the status of your permit, please contact Customer Service at 416-392-8188 after August 4.
- Island Ferry service
- The Island Ferry service will resume on Friday, July 31 on a reduced scheduled. Full service is expected to be restored no later than Saturday, August 1 assuming that there are no issues found upon inspection of the ferries.
- More information about Toronto Island Park and the ferry services.
- Toronto Island Park Operations
- Not all park areas or facilities will be up to usual standards.
- Recreation programs will resume on the Monday, August 10.
- Arenas and ice permits
- Permitting staff will begin pre-season and seasonal allocation of ice as early as next week. Applicants can check on the status of their request with the permit office beginning the week of August 10.
- Urban Forestry
- Tree Service Maintenance
- Staff will resume regular operations on Tuesday, August 4, after all equipment has been serviced and appropriate staffing and administrative issues have been resolved. It will take up to one week to achieve regular service levels. Service calls will be addressed on a priority basis.
- Emergency tree service continues after hours (416-338-TREE or 416-338-8733).
- Tree Permits & Inspections
- Staff will resume processing these requests on Friday, July 31 after the resolution of staffing and administrative items. It will take up to one week to reach regular service standards and several weeks to address the backlog of requests.
- Learn more about Urban Forestry Services Operations or call 416-338-TREE (8733).
Public Health
- The majority of Public Health services will resume on Friday, July 31.
- Call Toronto Health Connection (416-338-7600) for information about service resumption.
- More information about services offered by Toronto Public Health
Public Right of Way Permits
Purchasing & Materials Management Division
- Purchasing Services will resume on Friday, July 31. However there will be delays in the processing of calls currently underway and also in the issuance of new calls.
- Issuance of Call Documents - Refunds will not be issued for calls that have been suspended. For suspended calls, closing dates will be amended via an addendum and the procurement of goods and services will continue through normal processes. Refunds will only be issued where appropriate and per the normal criteria for the cancellation of a call.
- Public Openings of Call Documents. - Purchasing & Materials Management Division will likely be dealing with large closings of the various calls that were suspended/delayed due to the labour disruption. This may result in the delay of issuance and closing of new call documents. Purchasing & Materials Management Division is anticipating it may take approximate 3 to 4 weeks at minimum to clear away backlog of calls.
Shelter, Support and Housing
- Basic services have continued at all shelter locations throughout the labour disruption. Full front line services will be available in shelters within 24 hours of the end of the labour disruption. Full dietary services will resume within 72 hours.
- The Adelaide Women’s Shelter will re-open on the Tuesday, August 4.
- Basic street outreach services have continued throughout the labour disruption. Full street outreach and housing support services will commence Friday, July 31.
- The 112 Elizabeth Street Drop-in for Streets to Homes clients will re-open on Tuesday, August 4.
- Reduced service levels have continued in all sections throughout the labour disruption. Full services will resume on Friday, July 31 in the General Manager’s Office, Social Housing Unit, Streets to Homes Administration, Hostel Services Administration, Housing and Homelessness Support and Initiatives, Program Support, and Partnership Development and Support.
- More information about the City’s Shelter, Support and Housing Division
Solid Waste Management (Garbage)
- Resumption of Solid Waste Management services following labour disruption fact sheet
- Removal of garbage from both open and closed temporary garbage drop-off sites will begin immediately following Council approval of the new CUPE collective agreements.
- Houses receiving curb-side collection:
- Collection will resume starting on Tuesday, August 4.
- Follow your collection calendar regarding day of collection and material to be collected (i.e. do not put out garbage if scheduled for recycling collection).
- Return to separating your material and placing it in the appropriate bin. Green Bin collection will resume on your scheduled pick-up day starting on August 4.
- Unlimited waste or recycling may be put out for your first two collections of both garbage and recycling after the labour disruption (i.e. two garbage pick-ups and two recycling pick-ups). No yellow tags needed for garbage. Extra recycling should be placed in clear plastic bags. This will be in effect for four weeks only following service resumption.
- On scheduled pick-up day, leave materials at the curb until collected. Crews may be delayed in finishing their routes.
- Transfer Stations re-opened on Tuesday, August 4. All regular charges will apply. All temporary garbage drop-off sites closed August 1 at 7 p.m.
- Leaf and yard waste collection:
Etobicoke only - yard waste collection will begin week of August 4.
Rest of city - yard waste collection will begin the week of August 18.
Follow your collection calendar for your scheduled pick-up day.
- Pick up of electronic waste, noted in the new collection calendar to begin in August, will now begin in September following Labour Day.
- Apartments/condominiums and apartments above businesses:
- Collection will begin the week of Tuesday, August 4
- Pick-up of garbage, recycling, bulky items and green bin organics will resume on the apartment’s or building’s next scheduled collection day.
- Yellow Bag commercial customers:
- Collection will begin the week of Monday, August 3.
- Service will resume according to the set out and collection policies established prior to the strike.
- Transfer Stations will re-open for regular commercial business on Tuesday, August 4.
- More information about the commercial Solid Waste program.
- Litter Services – Litter Bins
- Service will resume on the morning of Friday, July 31.
- Litter Services – Street Litter
- Service will resume on the morning of Friday, July 31.
Technical Services
- Technical Services will re-open on Friday, July 31. Development review and the issuance of Utility Permits will return to normal service levels.
Toronto Office of Partnerships
Utility (Water and Solid Waste) and Property Tax Bills
- Service including Customer Service Counters and water meter reading will resume on Friday, July 31.
- All enquiries regarding property tax bills and utility (water/solid waste) bills can be made directly to Revenue Services' Customer Service Tax/Utility Enquiry line at 416-338-4829. Hearing-impaired customers can call our TTY line at 416-392-0719.
- Written enquiries can be faxed to 416-696-3605, or mailed to:
City of Toronto, Revenue Services Division
General Correspondence
5100 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario M2N 5V7
- Enquiries regarding property tax or water programs can also be directed to the numbers or addresses above.
- General information can also be accessed on the City's website at:
Toronto Water
- All Toronto Water programs and services are in full operation. All systems were maintained in full compliance with provincial laws and regulations during the labour disruption.
- Phone, e-mail and written correspondence backlogs will be cleared shortly.
- More information about Toronto Water
- Swimming Beaches
- Daily water quality testing at all 11 swimming beaches will resume on Friday, July 31.
- Limited testing of water quality that exceeds the Ministry of Health’s protocol requirements was conducted Mondays to Fridays during the labour disruption at:
- Sunnyside Beach
- Cherry Beach
- Woodbine Beaches
- Kew-Balmy Beach
- Bluffer's Park Beach
- More information about swimming conditions
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