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STRATEGIC POLICIES AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE

 SPECIAL MEETING

A G E N D A

  

Date of Meeting: Tuesday, April 28, 1998 Enquiry: Christine Dodds
Time: 12:45 p.m. Interim Contact
Location: Committee Room A

2nd Floor - Metro Hall

55 John Street

392-7031

E-mail address of

cdodds@city.toronto.on.ca

 

 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST PURSUANT TO

THE MUNICIPAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST ACT.

  COMMUNICATIONS/REPORTS.

 1.1998 OPERATING BUDGET

 Budget Committee

(April 23, 1998)

 Recommending that the 1998 operating budget representing a zero percent budget increase be approved as presented in Appendices A and B, and that the 1998 gross expenditures of $5.6 billion, gross revenues of $3.0 billion and net expenditures of $2.6 billion contained therein be adopted for each specified department, board, agency and commission.

 2.1998 CAPITAL BUDGET AND FINANCING AUTHORIZATIONS

 Budget Committee

(April 23, 1998)

 Recommending that:

 (1)the 1998 gross Capital Budget as recommended by the Budget Committee totalling $1,054 million, of which $86 million relates to anticipated 1998 transition related costs, be adopted;

 (2)the report dated April 16, 1998, from the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, ARecommended 1998 Capital Budget and Financing Authorizations@, as amended by the Budget Committee at its meeting of April 20, 1998, be adopted; and

 (3)Community Councils be requested to commit to a full review of capital programs for Parks and Recreation, Facilities and Transportation in their jurisdictions and recommend five year capital priorities for 1999-2003 for the consideration of the Budget Committee by no later than September 1998.

 3.PROPOSED CAPITAL FINANCING MANAGEMENT PLAN AND OTHER CAPITAL FUNDING ISSUES

 Budget Committee

(April 21, 1998)

 Recommending to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, and Council, the adoption of the following recommendations embodied in the report (April 16, 1998) from the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer as follows:

 (1)as a guideline, Council adopt future capital programs which would limit average borrowing to a maximum of $110 million for tax supported programs, excluding the impact of TTC downloading and borrowing for the Sheppard Subway;

 (2)a Capital Financing Stabilization Reserve be established to minimize fluctuations in future operating budgets due to changes in debt charges and that seed funding be provided from the consolidation of like reserves of the former municipalities;

 (3)the base level of capital from current be increased by a minimum of $15 million in 1998 (as contained in the operating budget currently being considered) and that Council approve, in principle, further increases of $25 million in each of 1999 and 2000, $35 million in 2001 and $40 million in each of 2002 and 2003 to offset the impact of Provincial Downloading on the capital program of the TTC, estimated at a total of $180 million annually;

 (4)the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer review, and bring forward for Council=s consideration as appropriate, potential offsets against future capital from current increases contained in recommendation (3); and

 (5)proceeds from major asset sales be applied to reduce borrowing each year, unless Council specifies that a portion of these proceeds be used to fund major rehabilitation and maintenance projects.

  4.1998 OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET FOR THE WATER AND WATER POLLUTION CONTROL PROGRAMS AND HARMONIZATION OF WATER AND SEWER RATES

 Budget Committee

(April 21, 1998)

 Recommending to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, and Council, the adoption of the 1998 Capital and Operating Budgets for the Water and the Water Pollution Control Programs, including the following:

 (1)the transfer of $18.6 million of expenditures from the mill rate to the water rate;

 (2)expenditure reductions and fee adjustments totalling $14.9 million, excluding the early payment discount or late payment penalty as applicable;

 (3)a general water rate increase of 2 percent or $3.7 million effective July 1, 1998 applicable to all water users; and

 (4)the deferral of water rate harmonization to January 1, 1999, to be considered as part of a report on the harmonization of all fees and service levels in the new City.

  5.1998 PRELIMINARY TRANSITION PROJECT REQUESTS

 Budget Committee

(April 23, 1998)

 Recommending to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, and Council, that:

 (1)funding in the amount of $85.5 million be approved based on the transition projects listed in Attachment 'A' appended to the supplementary report (April 20, 1998) from the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer and the supplementary listing of projects for Community and Neighbourhood Services distributed at the meeting; and

 (2)funding for all transition projects be referred to the Chief Administrative Officer for review on a project by project basis and that the Chief Administrative Officer submit a report to the appropriate Standing Committee outlining the source of funding and identifying the related savings and budget reductions, prior to consideration by the Budget Committee.

 6.1998 OPERATING BUDGET - COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBOURHOOD SERVICES - FUNDING COST OF FILLING 2,000 LICENSED CHILD CARE SPACES

 Budget Committee

(April 21, 1998)

 Recommending to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, and Council, that:

 (1)a reserve account be set up into which savings resulting from a social assistance caseload drop below 88,000 be directed;

 (2)the purpose of this reserve account be to protect against future caseload increase and that these funds also be available to provide interim funding for the child care costs of up to 2,000 clients leaving social assistance;

 (3)a communication be sent to social assistance recipients advising that should they cease to be dependent upon social assistance, child care funding could be available immediately to support their work or study commitments. However, funding from this reserve fund would cease upon re-entry to the social assistance system;

 (4)the funding of child care spaces from the reserve fund be contingent upon appropriate provincial cost sharing; and

 (5)the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services report back on the results of the cost sharing discussions with the Province and any implementation progress that follows.

 7.AN EVICTION PREVENTION STRATEGY FOR THE CITY OF TORONTO

 Budget Committee

(April 21, 1998)

 Advising the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, having received the report (April 14, 1998) from the City Solicitor.

 8.LEAF PICK UP PROGRAM IN WARD 16

 Budget Committee

(April 21, 1998)

 Recommending to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, and Council:

 (1)the re-instatement of the fall leaf vacuum collection in the West Rouge community for 1998;

 (2)that the cost of the re-instatement of this program be absorbed within the Departmental budget; and

 (3)that this program be subject to the service review being carried out on all programs.

 9.RECONSTRUCTION OF YORK MILLS ROAD BETWEEN HEDGEWOOD ROAD AND YORK RIDGE ROAD

 Budget Committee

(April 22, 1998)

 Recommending to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, and Council, that funds in the amount of $40,000.00 be included in the 1998 Capital Budget for engineering design work for the reconstruction of York Mills Road between Hedgewood Road and York Ridge Road.

 10.REQUEST FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF CONTINGENCY FUND FOR GRANTS PROGRAMS

 Budget Committee

(April 21, 1998)

 Reporting having:

 (1)received the letter of transmittal (April 14, 1998) from the Municipal Grants Review Committee regarding the establishment of a contingency fund for grants programs; and

 (2)requested the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services to provide a report to the Budget Committee regarding youth employment.

 11.TORONTO TRANSIT COMMISSION FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL SUBSIDY AGREEMENT - PREPAYMENT OF SUBSIDY IN EXCHANGE FOR RELEASE

 Budget Committee

(April 21, 1998)

 Recommending to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, and Council:

 (1)the adoption of the following recommendations embodied in the report (April 20, 1998) from the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer:

 (i)in exchange for prepayment to the City by the Province of an amount of $828,200,100.00 adjusted as necessary for changes in the prevailing interest rates and any undue delays in the receipt of payment:

 (a)the City, TTC and the Province execute a mutual release from the Five-year Capital Subsidy Agreement;

 (b)a by-law be introduced to create two interest bearing Reserve Funds entitled AThe TTC Capital Subsidy Reserve Fund@ and AThe Sheppard Subway Project Capital Reserve Fund@ to be established with the proceeds of the prepayment, to be expended solely for the purposes of funding TTC capital projects in accordance with the subsidy assumptions in the 1998 capital program;

 (c)the TTC report entitled AProvincial/Municipal/TTC Capital Subsidy Agreement@ be received for information; and

 (ii)appropriate staff be authorized to undertake any necessary actions to implement these initiatives; and

 (2)that the City and the Toronto Transit Commission enter into a surviving agreement that requires the City to match the provincial funding over the life of the agreement and permits the City the flexibility contemplated in the report (April 20, 1998) from the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer.

 12.PROPERTY ASSESSMENT AND TAX POLICY SYSTEM IMPLEMENTED BY THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT

PRELIMINARY REPORTS - PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FOR LOW-INCOME SENIORS AND LOW-INCOME DISABLED PERSONS AND PROPERTY TAX REBATES FOR CHARITABLE AND SIMILAR ORGANIZATIONS

 Budget Committee

(April 21, 1998)

 Advising the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee of having advised the Assessment and Tax Policy Task Force that:

 (1)while it recognizes the problem, there are no funds available in the 1998 budget, or in the foreseeable future, that can accommodate any type of cancellation program for tax relief; and

 (2)therefore, if such a cancellation program is approved, it would likely create a need for a tax increase.

 13.PROVINCIAL DOWNLOADING - UPDATED ESTIMATES

 Budget Committee

(April 21, 1998)

 Recommending to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, and Council:

 (1)the adoption of the following recommendation embodied in the report (April 17, 1998) from the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer:

 Approve adjustments to the 1998 Operating Budget for the following programs:

 Net Change ($ Millions)

Program Increase (Decrease)

 Hostels(3.1)

Income & Skills Support(1.9)

Children=s Services(1.7)

Housing 1.1

Property Assessment(3.8)

 Net Adjustment(9.4)

  (2)that the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer communicate with the Province prior to April 24, 1998 as to what her estimate is of the residential tax room and how the figures were determined.

 14.PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BUT UNSTARTED CAPITAL PROJECTS FURTHER REPORT

 Budget Committee

(April 21, 1998)

 Recommending to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, and Council, the adoption of the following recommendations embodied in the report (April 16, 1998) from the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer:

 (1)the projects indicated with a >C= in Appendix A and B of the report be deleted;

 (2)the current funding of $46 thousand from tax supported projects so identified in Recommendation No. (1) above be used to reduce the 1998 Capital Budget borrowing requirement;

 (3) the debenture authorizations be canceled for projects so identified in Recommendation No. (1) above;

 (4)the projects indicated with a >D= in Appendix A and B of the report be deferred for consideration with the 1999-2003 Capital Budget;

 (5)the current funding of $460 thousand from tax supported projects so identified in Recommendation No. (3) above be used to reduce the 1998 Capital Budget borrowing requirement; and

 (6)the balance of the projects be deemed to be started in 1998, be incorporated into the final 1998 Capital Budget, be referred to the respective service areas for further monitoring and be reported on a quarterly basis.

 15.RECOMMENDED 1998 CAPITAL BUDGET AND FINANCING AUTHORITIES

 Budget Committee

(April 21, 1998)

 Recommending to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee and Council :

 1.the adoption of the following recommendations in the report (April 16, 1998) from the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, recommending that:

 (a)the 1998 gross capital budget for each project contained in Appendix B to the report be approved;

(b)specific gross financing authority as contained in Appendix B be approved;

(c)no new contracts be issued without the approval of the Budget Committee for tax supported capital projects requiring borrowing for which no cash flow has been included in the 1998 gross capital budget contained in Appendix B, irrespective of whether previous financing authority exists;

(d)the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer be authorized to transfer individual capital projects between service areas to reflect refinements to organizational responsibilities; and

 2.that the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer include in any reports on a project by project basis the net effect of such projects in next year's budget.

 16.ESTABLISHMENT OF CITY RESERVES AND RESERVE FUNDS

 Budget Committee

(April 21, 1998)

 Recommending to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee and Council, the adoption of the following recommendations in the report (April 16, 1998) from the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, recommending that :

 (1)Reserves and reserve funds in the amount of $915,445,484.00 be established and consolidated where appropriate as listed in Schedule I; and

(2)A further report on the adequacy of each reserve and reserve fund established be brought back as soon as possible after an analysis of projected inflows and outflows is complete.

 (3)Staff be directed to prepare a bylaw giving effect to the consolidation or continuance of reserve funds included in this report.

 17.TORONTO ATMOSPHERIC FUND

 Budget Committee

(April 21, 1998)

 Advising the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee of having received the report (April 20, 1998) from the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer and directed that this matter be considered in July.

  18.1998 OPERATING BUDGET WITH 1997 PRELIMINARY OPERATING RESULTS

 Budget Committee

(April 23, 1998)

 Advising the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee of having received the 1998 Operating Budget with 1997 preliminary operating results submitted by the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer.

 19.PAYMENT OF ASSOCIATION OF MUNICIPALITIES OF ONTARIO 1998 MEMBERSHIP FEE

 Budget Committee

(April 21, 1998)

 Recommending to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee and Council that:

 1.that its previous decision on April 3, 1998, that the City's contribution to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario be equivalent to the amount paid by the former Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto in 1997, be rescinded;

 2.the adoption of the report (April 16, 1998) from the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer; and

 3.that AMO membership fees in future years be based on the same assessment used for all other cities.

 20.SUMMARY OF DEPUTATIONS ON 1998 CAPITAL AND OPERATING BUDGETS

 Budget Committee

(April 21, 1998)

 Recommending to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee and Council that:

 (1)as previously recommended, the funding requests for the Cedarvale and McCormick Recreation Centres and the Eatonville Library be considered in the context of the five-year Capital Plan and a report be submitted to the Budget Committee no later than October 1998;

 (2)the grant requests for Serena Toronto and the Toronto Arts Council be referred to the Municipal Grants Review Committee; and

 (3)all other issues referred to the report (April 17, 1998) from the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer be received.

 21.WORKERS=S COMPENSATION - TRANSFER OF THE TORONTO PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD FROM SCHEDULE 1 TO SCHEDULE 2

 Budget Committee

(April 21, 1998)

 Recommending to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee and Council, the adoption of the report (April 16, 1998) from the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, recommending that:

 ACouncil authorize the Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer to remit immediately to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board the amount of $478,094.86 in satisfaction of the transfer of the Toronto Public Library Board from Schedule 1 to Schedule 2 pursuant to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act.@

 22.TAX OPTIONS - 1998 - 2000

 Budget Committee

(April 21, 1998)

 Recommending to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee and Council, that the City accept the $50 million grant and the $100 million loan offered by the Province, with the full amount of the grant being applied in 1998.

 23.ADJUSTMENTS TO 1997 SURPLUS AND OFFSETTING 1998 BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS

 Budget Committee

(April 21, 1998)

 Recommending to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee and Council, that the loan in the amount of $14.8 million be repaid, using cash generated from the Toronto Transit Commission 1997 unbudgeted revenue, pursuant to the understanding that existed with the former Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto and that it be approved on nunc proctunt basis.

 24.NON-UNION COMPENSATION PROGRAM, DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION

 Budget Committee

(April 21, 1998)

 Recommending to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee and Council, the adoption of the report (April 14, 1998) from the Executive Director of Human Resources and Amalgamation, recommending that:

 Athe project cost related to the development of a new Non-union Compensation Program be included in the request to the Province for transition funding.@

 25.AMALGAMATION AND RESTRUCTURING 1998 FUNDING REQUIREMENTS

 Budget Committee

(April 21, 1998)

 Recommending to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee and Council that:

 (1)the funds in the amount of $2,500,000.00 be approved for the cost of hiring external consultants to assist with amalgamation and restructuring on a one time only basis in 1998 and that such funding be allocated from the Employee Benefit Reserve Fund or other appropriate Reserve Fund;

 (2)the Chief Administrative Officer report to the Budget Committee in four months' time with a full update and review on the expenditures and work to be provided; and

 (3)the Chief Administrative Officer, in hiring the consultants, utilize as many existing staff as possible.

 26.REGENT PARK COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE - GRANTS

 Budget Committee

(April 23, 1998)

 Advising the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee of having received the communication (April 15, 1998) from the Executive Director, Regent Park Community Health Centre.

 27.FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO THE CARIBBEAN CULTURAL COMMITTEE AND CARIBANA

 Budget Committee

(April 21, 1998)

 Recommending to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee and Council, that the grant envelope be increased by $75,000.00, as per Council=s direction at its meeting on April 16, 1998.

 28.SUPPORT OF THE KEELE/EGLINTON BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREA FOR SPECIAL TARGET POLICING FUNDING

 Budget Committee

(April 21, 1998)

 Advising the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee of having received the communications (April 15, 1998) from Councillor Frances Nunziata and (March 26, 1998) from Mr. Steve Tasses, Keele/Eglinton Business Improvement Area.

[Agenda index]

 

   
Please note that council and committee documents are provided electronically for information only and do not retain the exact structure of the original versions. For example, charts, images and tables may be difficult to read. As such, readers should verify information before acting on it. All council documents are available from the City Clerk's office. Please e-mail clerk@city.toronto.on.ca.

 

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