March 12, 1998
STRATEGIC POLICIES AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE:
City Council, at its meeting held on March 4, 5 and 6, 1998, referred the following Motion, together with the
communication dated March 4, 1998, from Councillor Brad Duguid, Scarborough - City Centre, to the Strategic Policies
and Priorities Committee:
Moved by:Councillor Duguid
Seconded by:Councillor Faubert
AWHEREAS the former City of Scarborough Council decided on September 16, 1997, to commit $1 million to a
Scholarship Fund for the University of Toronto at Scarborough College under the Ontario Student Opportunity Trust Fund
(OSOTF); and
WHEREAS the former City of Scarborough confirmed this decision on November 25, 1997; and
WHEREAS the $1 million contribution to this Scholarship Fund has been matched by the University of Toronto at
Scarborough, and is also to be matched by the Provincial Government in the same amount; and
WHEREAS the Provincial Government, represented by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, appears to be
attempting to avoid contributing to the Scholarship Fund as per their obligations under the OSOTF by filing a Notice of
Action with the Ontario Court (General Division); and
WHEREAS the Current provincial government has exacerbated the need for scholarship funds due to its neglect of
post-secondary education in Ontario, where tuition fees have increased by 59.2 percent since 1995, the number of students
dependent on OSAP has increased by 59 percent between 1991 and 1997, the post-secondary operating grants have been
cut by the provincial government by $400 million, and Ontario now ranks 10th out of 10 Provinces in Canada in per capita
funding for universities; and
WHEREAS this Motion will not involve the expenditure of any funds by the Council of the City of Toronto, as this
money has already been approved and expended by the former City of Scarborough;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City of Toronto Council confirm the decision taken by the former
City of Scarborough Council, which invested $1 million in a Scholarship Fund for the University of Toronto at
Scarborough;
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing be advised of this
resolution, and that the Province of Ontario be requested to immediately contribute its matching funds to the University of
Toronto at Scarborough as per their obligations under the OSOTF program;
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT in the interim, all Community Councils strictly apply their existing
condominium conversion and demolition control policies/by-laws, where applicable, in order to minimize the loss of
affordable rental housing units.@