March 25, 1998

To: Urban Environment and Development Committee

From: City Clerk

Subject: Existing Environmental Committees

and the Environmental Task Force

Recommendation:

The Works and Utilities Committee on March 25, 1998, concurred in the recommendation embodied in the attached report dated March 10, 1998, from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services respecting existing environmental committees and the Environmental Task Force; and further directed that the report be referred to the Environmental Task Force for its consideration and recommendations to the Special Committee to Review the Final Report of the Toronto Transition Team.

City Clerk

Trudy Perrin/es.8

Attachment

Sent to: Special Committee to Review the Final Report

of the Toronto Transition Team

Environmental Task Force

Urban Environment and Development Committee

Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee

c: Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services

March 10, 1998

To: Works & Utilities Committee

From: Commissioner of Works & Emergency Services

Subject: Existing Environmental Committees and the Environmental Task Force

Purpose:

This report outlines the role of existing special committees and citizen advisory groups with responsibility for environmental matters, and comments on their role in the new City and their relationship with City Council's Environmental Task Force.

Recommendations:

(A) That this report be referred to the Special Committee to Review the Final Report of the Transition Team, with the following recommendations:

(1) That each of the committees listed in Appendix 1 be sent a copy of this report and the terms of reference for the new Environmental Task Force.

(2) That each of the committees listed in Appendix 1 be asked to advise the CAO on its work and potential role in the new City, including such matters as:

(a) the ongoing need for its work, if any;

(b) areas of overlap involving its work and that of any other committee;

(c) the relationship of its work to that of the Environmental Task Force;

(d) its anticipated ongoing need for staff support from the City; and

(e) its budget and other resource needs.

(3) That each Community Council be asked to advise the Special Committee to Review the Final Report of the Transition Team on the ongoing need for a general environmental advisory committee for its Community.

(4) That the CAO report back to the Special Committee to Review the Final Report of the Transition Team on the responses to recommendation (2), together with any recommendations he may deem appropriate, and that the responses to recommendation (3) be tabled at the same meeting.

(B) That this report be forwarded to the Environmental Task Force, the Urban Environment & Development Committee and the Community & Neighbourhood Services Committee for information.

Background:

City Council, through adoption of the Striking Committee's report at its January meeting, agreed to the Toronto Transition Team's proposal that the new City establish a series of issue-specific Task Forces including one on the Environment.

There are already numerous committees established by the seven former municipalities to provide advice on environmental matters. The purpose of this report is to document those committees and their work, and begin to explore how they will fit with the structures of the new City and how they might relate to the work of the Environmental Task Force.

As the Transition Team saw it (in their final report, page 103):

"The challenge is to ensure that the new City Council establishes appropriate new structures that:

- ensure continuing citizen participation in decision-making;

- focus citizen advice and input on priorities of the new Council; and

- make the most effective use of citizen time, talents and energy."

Comments:

The Environmental Task Force:

Terms of reference for Council's Environmental Task Force have now been drawn up by its Chair (Councillor Layton), and were adopted on February 13, 1998 by the Special Committee to Review the Final Report of the Transition Team. The Task Force's main thrust will be to create a comprehensive Environmental Plan for the new City. This will set out:

- targets and recommendations to improve the environment;

- ways to prevent environmental problems;

- principles to make sure the City's corporate and official plans are environmentally sound; and

- indicators of environmental performance for planning and monitoring.

The Task Force will also take short term actions. It will recommend structural changes "to ensure that environmental considerations are part of the very fabric of the corporation and the community". It will launch urgent environmental initiatives. It will set up information resources. It will build a broad-based consensus of public and political support. And in doing all this, the Task Force will build on past initiatives, work with stakeholders, and set up "the most effective vehicles for ongoing public involvement in shaping the City's environmental policies, building upon the process of community participation established by the former municipalities".

While the Task Force's mandate has a comprehensive and long-range focus, it ties in with the work of forty existing advisory committees throughout Toronto which are actively working on environmental matters.

Existing Environmental Committees:

The City's existing environmental advisory groups and committees are listed in Appendix 1, with more detailed information on each provided in Appendices 2 and 3. The list is limited to advisory groups which include citizens, were established by a municipality, government or agency and have an ongoing existence. It therefore excludes processes that involve periodic public meetings with no designated membership (though some of these are described in Appendix 5). The list also excludes independent citizen groups, though many of these have representatives who sit on City advisory committees. Finally, the list is restricted to those advisory groups whose major concern is with the natural environment. This means excluding groups focused more on the built environment (e.g. Gardiner / Lake Shore Task Force, Guild Inn Advisory Committee) or for which environmental concerns, however important, are secondary (e.g. City Cycling Committee, Future Energy Needs Committee).

The City has 40 existing advisory committees, 39 of which are currently active or were active during 1997. These met on average of ten times per annum, not including the sub-committees attached to some of them which account for a further 120 meetings per year, bringing the grand total to about five hundred meetings. Nearly six hundred citizens participate in these committee meetings, an average of about fifteen per committee. The staff time involved in supporting environmental advisory committees is the equivalent of between eleven and twelve full-time jobs. (See Appendix 3 for details).

The City's existing environmental advisory committees can be divided into four types:

(A) General environmental advisory committees exist for five of the six former local municipalities and the sixth, Toronto, had an Environmental Sub-Committee of its Board of Health. (Toronto also had a Special Advisory Committee on the Environment from 1988-96, which focused mainly on climate change issues). Each of these committees is unique but each has addressed a range of environmental issues, and all tend to emphasise public awareness-raising in their work. The concerns of these general committees have tended to shift with the prominence of different environmental concerns. The Etobicoke committee, for example, has focused at various times on recycling, airport noise, valley land protection and Environmental Management Systems. North York's committee was unique in having a majority of councillors and a parallel staff committee, so it functioned more like a standing committee of the Council.

(B) Issue-specific environmental committees were established by both Metro and the former City of Toronto. These pull together people interested in a particular environmental issue affecting the municipality as a whole such as recycling, contaminated soil, storm water or pesticides. Some of these committees were created as a direct result of citizen pressure, others because a municipality wanted to ensure it had a range of public input on a topic of widespread concern.

(C) There are also numerous local area and site-specific environment-related committees. A high profile example is the Task Force to Bring Back the Don. Others include those established by the former Metro Works Department to contribute to the ongoing management of its major facilities and to form part of the Environmental Assessment process for planned changes. More of these may be needed over time - for example, the Toronto & Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) has a planning process for the Highland Creek watershed which calls for a Task Force to be set up in about September 1998, when initial studies have been completed.

(D) Finally, the City participates in a series of external committees - that is, ones that deal with environmental issues that extend beyond the City's boundaries. Most of these involve the TRCA and other municipalities or levels of government. They include watershed groups for the Don, Humber and Rouge (notably the Rouge Park Alliance, created by the Province to guide it in operating and planning for the Rouge Park, the future of which will shortly be decided by the Ontario Cabinet). This group also includes the Keele Valley Landfill Site Liaison Committee, established by the Town of Vaughan, on which Metro politicians and staff have played an active role. Most of these external committees will not be directly affected by the new Council's actions on advisory committees, but they are an important part of the overall picture of environmental advisory bodies.

(Of course, public participation on environmental issues is not limited to the above committees. The former municipalities would typically hold a public meeting or series of meetings when an environmental matter seemed to warrant it. These are not included in this report, though Appendix 5, summarizing work of the former Metro Works Department's seven-member professional Public Consultation Unit, includes some of the more high-profile examples. And Toronto is home to numerous environmentally-oriented citizen groups which make deputations to municipal committees, boards or agencies when an issue warrants it. The Metro Toronto State of the Environment Report's "Survey of Non-Government Organizations" lists about fifty groups which have an interest in environmental matters and are in regular contact with Toronto municipal governments or the TRCA).

Transition Team's Proposal for Existing Committees:

The Transition Team classified advisory groups (which it termed "special committees") in a different way. Its final report "New City, New Opportunities" divides them into:

program advisory committees (PACs), which "provide advice on specific programs and services, usually in close cooperation with departments"; and

other committees with a broader policy or issue-related mandate.

The Transition Team anticipated an ongoing role (with some fine tuning as necessary) for the PACs. Its report proposes that staff in each program area, working in consultation with their PACs, develop recommendations on the objectives, work and structure of advisory groups (refer to Transition Team recommendation # 33, page 104).

For the other committees, which it termed "groups dealing with specific issues that cross program and departmental lines", the Transition Team saw things unfolding differently. Its report seems to expect such groups to be placed on hold while each of the new Task Forces (including the Environmental Task Force) reviews its area of concern and develops a strategy for Council which includes "the best ways to involve citizens" (pages 104-105).

There are several difficulties with these proposals. First, it is not always clear which of the existing committees fall into which category. Most of the type (C) and (D) groups seem to be PACs, but some may not be. Type (A) groups all seem to fall into the "other" category while type (B) groups would probably be split between the two. But many of these committees advise on services or programs that also cross departmental lines (a characteristic of many environmental issues), and certainly most find themselves wrestling with broader policies and issues.

Even if existing committees could be neatly classified into the Transition Team's two categories, its recommendations would create an immediate hiatus for all the "other" groups, which would find their work placed on hold during the eighteen month term of the Environmental Task Force. For some this might be entirely the right prescription, but for others it would be a damaging disruption which would cost them momentum and delay results.

The Transition Team's proposals also fail to recognize the complexity of citizen involvement, at least when it comes to environmental issues. Existing advisory committees cover a spectrum from those that came into being purely as a result of citizen action to those that were deliberately created by a municipality or department to assist in its work. Even a temporary loss of a committee at the citizen action end could cost the City the energies and ideas of key volunteers, while loss of a committee at the department assist end could seriously affect plans or programs.

An Alternative Approach:

Although the Transition Team's specific proposals may not be appropriate, the City should not neglect the window of opportunity created by amalgamation and by the Environmental Task Force.

Rather than getting departments to report on some committees and putting the rest on hold while the Task Force does its work, Council should ask all existing committees to rethink their own place in the larger City, in the context of the new structure and the work being done by the Environmental Task Force. Staff may assist in this task, but the feedback should come from the committees themselves.

By treating all committees the same way, the City can ensure that nothing important falls between the cracks. By having all committees route their reports through the CAO, it can ensure that staff with an understanding of the larger picture look comprehensively at the committees' feedback and make appropriate recommendations. (Policy staff who report directly to the CAO would be expected to work closely with the proposed new inter-departmental environmental team in preparing their report).

Each existing committee should think about its role relative to both other committees and the Task Force. In particular, are there areas of overlap and is the committee's geographic area of concern the right one? For example, do we need both a Storm Water Group and a Wet Weather Flow committee? And would the Toronto Recycling Action Committee be better with a City-wide mandate? To what extent does a new City-wide Environmental Task Force eliminate the need for general (type (A)) committees, and to what extent will they complement each other?

In an era of tight budgets, existing committees should also be aware of the staff resources committed to their work. The figures in Appendix 3 are no more than crude approximations, but they imply that the full-time equivalent of eleven City staff is supporting these thirty-nine committees. If anything, this is likely an under-estimate. The Environmental Task Force will also need substantial staff resources, so where is the new City going to realize savings?

There are also questions raised by the City's committee structure, some of which were touched on in the CAO's report of February 11, 1998 on Terms of Reference for Special Task Forces. The Transition Team proposed that the new task forces all report to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, yet many of them have mandates that seem directly within the purview of Council's other standing committees. In the case of environmental advisory committees, many have roles directly linked to Works & Utilities functional areas, but others relate more obviously to Community and Neighbourhoods or to Urban Environment and Development. Should there be joint reporting? The Environmental Task Force's terms of reference suggest it will grapple with such issues, but what should happen in the meanwhile? In particular, should a report from the CAO on the existing environmental committees and their roles come back to Works & Utilities, to SPPC, to the Miller Committee, to the Environmental Task Force, or to all four? And where do the Community Councils fit in when committees are locally based? Last year, North York staff proposed that each Community Council should establish an environment committee with a corresponding staff group, based on the North York model. Feedback from the existing committees and the Community Councils should help to determine if this is necessary or worthwhile.

Since so much of what this report deals with stems directly from the Transition Team's recommendations, it proposes that reporting back should be to the Special (Miller) Committee, which should make final recommendations. The proposed approach (of having each existing committee review its own role and report back on the ongoing need for its work, if any, and on its place in the new City) is essentially the same as that recommended for existing community safety committees in a January 27 report to the Emergency & Protective Services Committee, which was referred to the Miller Committee. It is also in line with the approach expected to be recommended for other advisory committees in a more general report, now in preparation, that will be going to the Miller Committee in April.

Overall, this report's recommendations should generate information that can help the new City to make the most effective use of citizen time, talents and energy in dealing with environmental issues. The detailed information in Appendices 2 and 3 should be useful to individual committees in understanding their roles, and to the Environmental Task Force in its work.

Conclusions:

The new City has inherited an extensive infrastructure of committees and task forces through which citizens provide advice on environmental matters. Each one should be asked for input on its role and resource needs in the new City, and in light of the Environment Task Force's work program.

Contact Name:

Simon B. Chamberlain, Director, Policy Coordination

392-7404, Fax: 392-1827

Commissioner of Works & Emergency Services

Appendix 1

SUMMARY LIST OF EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEES

Municipal committees, task forces and other advisory bodies which include citizens of Toronto and were established to give advice on Toronto environmental matters.

(A) General Environmental Advisory Committees:

A.1 Etobicoke Environmental Advisory Committee

A.2 East York Environmental Advisory Committee

A.3 City of York Environmental Advisory Committee

A.4 North York Environment Committee

A.5 Scarborough Environmental Advisory Committee

A.6 Toronto Board of Health Environmental Sub-committee

(B) Issue-Specific Environmental Committees:

B.1 Anti-Smog Working Group (Toronto)

B.2 Biosolids Monitoring Committee (Metro)

B.3 Clean Air Task Force (Toronto)

B.4 Pesticide Use Working Group (Metro)

B.5 Soil Contamination Issues Task Force (Toronto)

B.6 Solid Waste Management Industry Consultation Committee (Metro)

B.7 Solid Waste Management Public Liaison Committee (Metro)

B.8 Storm Water Group (Toronto)

B.9 Toronto Recycling Action Committee (Toronto)

B.10 Toronto Water Efficiency Plan Public Advisory Committee (Metro)

B.11 Wet Weather Flow Master Plan Steering Committee (Metro)

(C) Area and Site-Specific Environmental Committees:

C.1 Bring Back The Don Task Force (Toronto)

C.2 Canada Metals Steering Committee (Toronto)

C.3 Don Valley Brickyards Operations & Program Advisory Committee

C.4 Emery Creek Environmental Association (Metro)

C.5 Friends of Highland Creek (independent *)

C.6 Garrison Creek Citizens Advisory Committee (Toronto)

C.7 Highland Creek Treatment Plant Neighbourhood Liaison Committee (Metro)

C.8 High Park Citizens' Natural Environment Sub-Committee (Toronto)

C.9 Main Sewage Treatment Plant Neighbourhood Liaison Committee (Metro)

C.10 Port Union Shoreline Improvements Working Committee (TRCA)

C.11 R.C.Harris Filtration Plant Public Liaison Committee (Metro)

C.12 Sherwood Park Advisory Committee (Toronto)

C.13 South Riverdale Environmental Liaison Committee (independent *)

C.14 Tommy Thompson Park Natural Areas Advisory Committee (TRCA)

C.15 Toronto Bay Initiative (independent *)

C.16 William Dempsey Eco-park Public Advisory Committee (Scarborough)

(D) External Environmental Committees (extending beyond Toronto):

D.1 Don Watershed Regeneration Council (TRCA)

D.2 Humber Watershed Alliance (TRCA)

D.3 Lake Ontario Waterfront Network (independent *)

D.4 Keele Valley Landfill Site (Vaughan)

D.5 Morningside Tributary Sub-watershed Study Public Advisory Committee (Scarborough)

D.6 Rouge Marshes Rehabilitation Working Group (Province)

D.7 Rouge Park Alliance (Province)

* The few "independent" committees on this list were included because the City is an active partner in their work.

The above list is not static. New groups are starting or ending all the time. For example:

- The Taddle Creek Watershed Initiative is not listed above because it is an independent citizens' group without formal City endorsement; however, the City's Works, Parks and Planning staff are all working with the Initiative, and there is some expectation that in the next few months its role may be formalized like that of the Garrison Creek Advisory Committee.

- Following a public meeting last November, City (then Metro) Works staff agreed to start a Humber Sewage Treatment Plant Neighbourhood Liaison Committee in the spring of 1998.

- Later this year, as part of its ongoing program of developing watershed strategies in consultation with stakeholders, the TRCA plans to start task forces for the Etobicoke, Mimico and Highland Creek watersheds.

- Metro's NewCity Environment Resource Panel, which was very active in 1997, has now finished its work and disbanded.

- Toronto's Canadian General Electric (CGE) Task Force, which met from 1988-97 to assess risks and options for clean up of a west end industrial site, disbanded late last year.

- Two of the environment groups listed by the Toronto Transition Team last fall (final report, page 327) have since ceased to exist: TRCA's Shoreline Management Steering Committee and Metro's public advisory committee for the Remedial Action Plan (RAP) - a component of the Canada / U.S. Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. Responsibility for local public involvement in the RAP was shifted in October 1997 to the Waterfront Regeneration Trust and TRCA; it is not yet clear what form this public involvement will take.

- The TRCA's Don Brick Works Project Planning Committee has ended but the Parks Department's Don Brick Works Program Advisory Committee is starting up.

- A similar transition is underway at the Main Sewage Treatment Plant where an EA Public Consultation Committee no longer exists but a more general-purpose Neighbourhood Liaison Committee has come into being.

- Metro's Pesticide Task Force was formally established by Council in March, 1997 but never met; however, a Pesticide Use (Scarlett Woods) Working Group with a more limited mandate was formed at the same time and has had an active work program.

This type of change means that, despite the widespread staff consultation that went into it, the above list of environmental advisory committees is probably incomplete.

Appendix 2

MEMBERSHIP & MANDATE OF EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEES

Some of the following information was compiled by the ABC Staff Group during the fall of 1997 for inclusion in its Handbook, which was also the source of the list used by the Transition Team on page 327 of its report. Several of the committees listed in the Environment category no longer exist; however, there are other groups that have formed since (see previous page), were missed by the Handbook, or did not meet its definition because they were set up by a department rather than formally established by a municipal council. Many of the membership lists are pre-amalgamation appointments.

(A) General Environmental Advisory Committees

A.1 - ETOBICOKE ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Composition:

1 Council Member; 1 representative of each school system; 1 representative of an Etobicoke business; 8 Citizen Members.

Membership:

Councillor Elizabeth Brown 1997 - 1 year

George Suhanic (citizen) 1992 - 6 years

Christopher Barnett (citizen) 1996 - 12 years

Jonathan Gee (citizen) 1995 - 3 years

Debra Kosemetzky (citizen) 1995 - 3 years

Walter Kraus (citizen) 1995 - 3 years

Diane Sertic (citizen) 1995 - 3 years

John Smart (citizen) 1995 - 3 years

Robert Tress (citizen) 1995 - 3 years

Richard Carter, Etobicoke Board of Education 1994 - 4 years

Tom Parker, Etobicoke Chamber of Commerce 1988 - 10 years

Norman Thomas, Metro Separate School Board 1993 - 5 years

Mandate:

Providing assistance and advice to the City on issues involving environmental matters, including pollution and recycling. The Committee has these specific responsibilities:

(a) To assist in the co-ordination and liaison between Council and the community, other municipal governments and other levels of government with respect to environmental issues affecting Etobicoke.

(b) To review any matters relating to environmental issues referred to it by Council or one of its committees, boards or commissions.

(c) To review existing legislative measures and grant programs for controlling environmental quality, whether enacted by federal, provincial or local levels of government, and to assess their implications with respect to local environmental issues.

(d) To actively promote awareness of environmental matters within the community and to undertake community education programs in cooperation with City departments and/or the Boards of Education.

(e) To report to Council through an appropriate committee or, when deemed urgent, directly to Council.

A.2 - EAST YORK ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Composition:

2 Council members, 10 citizen appointees, 1 student appointee from East York Collegiate, 1 appointee from the East York Board of Education

Membership:

Councillor M. Tziretas December 1, - December 31, 1997

Councillor G. Vasilopoulos December 1, 1997 - December 31, 1997

Mr. R. Lyng Citizen 1996 2 years

Mr. B. Barrett Citizen 1997 1 year

Ms. C. Ferguson Citizen 1997 1 year

Mr. J. Papadakis Citizen 1997 1 year

Mr. A. Picilaidis Citizen 1997 1 year

Mr. N. Smith Citizen 1990-91, 97 1 year

Ms. N. Sutherland Citizen 1997 1 year

Mr. J. Tassiopoulos Citizen 1997 1 year

Ms. L. Taylor Citizen 1997 1 year

Ms. A. Watkins Citizen 1997 1 year

Mandate:

To provide assistance to the Council in meeting the environment objectives of the East York Official Plan and in developing and promoting environmentally sound programs and policies.

A.3 - CITY OF YORK ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Composition:

3 Council Members (at least 1 being a member of the Works and Parks Committee; 1 representative from the Public School Board; 1 representative from the Separate School Board; &

15 Citizen Members.

Membership:

Councillor R. Mendelson Member of Council

Councillor B. Saundercook Member of Council

Philip Assam Citizen / School Board 1994 - Dec. 31/97

Matt Caruana Citizen/School Board 1994 - Dec. 31/97

Richard Gregory Citizen 1994 - Dec. 31/97

Trustee Elizabeth Hill Public School Board 1995 - Dec. 31/97

Jeffrey Kerr Citizen 1994 - Dec. 31/97

Egils Krumins Citizen 1994 - Dec. 31/97

Anda Ryzebol Citizen 1994 - Dec. 31/97

Ernie Spitznagel Separate School Board 1995 - Dec. 31/97

Charlie Stickley Citizen 1996 - Dec. 31/97

Eileen Mabee Citizen 1996 - Dec. 31/97

Jennifer Johnstone Citizen 1996 - Dec. 31/97

Marek Zarkowski Citizen 1996 - Dec. 31/97

Ayumi Bailly Citizen 1996 - Dec. 31/97

Chaitany Kalevar Citizen 1996 - Dec. 31/97

Zabida Maharaj Citizen 1996 - Dec. 31/97

Christine Yamada Citizen 1996 - Dec. 31/97

Mandate:

The role and function of the Environment Advisory Committee is to advance public awareness of environmental issues by promoting the distribution of information to:

encourage the preservation/protection of the environment in matters of land use planning and development;

encourage the preservation/protection of green open spaces, ravines, and water courses;

encourage tree planting on public and private lands;

encourage the recycling of natural resources and promoting the expansion of existing programs and services;

encourage home composting;

encourage responsible protection of the environment from hazardous and/or toxic wastes, emissions, and chemical sprays and providing advice on methods to reduce or eliminate, and to dispose of same;

encourage community pride through litter reduction campaigns.

A.4 - NORTH YORK ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE

Composition:

5 councillors and 3 citizens who are equally participating members with full voting privileges.

Members:

Mandate:

The North York Environment Committee shall actively promote a healthier environment for those who live and work in the City of North York.

A.5 - SCARBOROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Composition:

1 Councillor (Chair of the Works & Environment Committee or alternate) and seven persons with professional expertise and/or accomplishments in the field of environmental sciences, protection and/or preservation.

Membership:

Mandate:

The EAC shall provide assistance to the City in developing and promoting programs and policies with the objective of ensuring the long term health and sustainability of Scarborough's natural environment and ecological systems. The EAC's specific duties are:

• To provide a coordinating role between the City and environmental groups in the development and implementation of programs and initiatives which have as their objective the conservation and long term sustainable use of Scarborough's natural environment.
• To inform, educate and promote, at the community level, programs and initiatives which have as their objective the conservation and long term sustainable use of Scarborough's natural environment.
• To assist the City in developing holistic and consistent environmental programs and policies which will conserve and/or enhance the natural environment in Scarborough.
• To review and provide comment on new and proposed Provincial and Federal environmental regulations, policies and studies with respect to the implications on the residents of Scarborough.
• To review and provide comment on Environmental Assessments carried out by or on behalf of the City.
• To identify areas or processes subject to environmental stresses or risk, and to recommend programs and policies which will mitigate the risk.
• To identify areas of public concern with respect to Scarborough's natural environment.
• To liaise with the City and local communities in promoting the role of stewardship in the conservation of Scarborough's natural environment.
• To conduct site inspections for specific projects when necessary.
• To report annually to, and make recommendations to the Works and Environment Committee of Council.

A.6 - TORONTO BOARD OF HEALTH ENVIRONMENTAL SUB-COMMITTEE

Composition:

Five members of the Board of Health and one member from each of the four Community Health Boards. Meetings are public and environmental groups encouraged to contribute their expertise and advice.

Membership:

(not available) - Note: The Sub-Committee has not met for about two years.

Mandate: (Adopted by Toronto City Council, February 9, 1989)

• To provide a forum for community consultation on issues relating to the environmental policy of the Board of Health.
• Through internal review and consultation with relevant agencies, community groups, and the Environmental Task Force recently (in 1989) endorsed by Council:

(a) Review relevant items scheduled to come before the Board of Health and provide information and advice on these matters.

(b) Set a pro-active agenda for environmental protection.

• To review the effectiveness of existing policy practices and their implementation.

(B) Issue-Specific Environmental Committees

Committees in this group created by Metro unless title says (TORONTO), indicating they were created by the former City of Toronto.

B.1 - ANTI-SMOG WORKING GROUP (TORONTO)

Composition:

Municipal departments and local environment non-profit organizations.

Membership:

Yvette Ali and Sylvia Langer The Greenest City

Laverne Barretto Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy

Bernard Farrol and Malena Arribasplata Toronto Transit Commission

Eva Boyd Works Department (Toronto)

Lois Corbett Toronto Atmospheric Fund

Priscilla Cranley Healthy City Office

Joan Doiron Feet on the Street

Jane Hargraft Centre for Sustainable Development, York Univ.

Swee Hoh Works Department, Fleet (Toronto)

Gabriella Kalapos International Council on Local Envir. Initiatives

Jacky Kennedy North Toronto Green Community

Kate Lazier Mayor's Office, City of Toronto

Andrew Macbeth Works Department (Toronto)

Eleanor McAteer Works Department (Toronto)

Dave Roberts Ontario Urban Transit Association

Lisa Salsberg Healthy City Office (Toronto)

Franca Ursitti Environmental Protection Office

John Wellner and Stephanie Thorson Toronto Environmental Alliance

Laura von Zittwitz and Sue Zielinski Planning & Development Department

Mandate:

The Anti-Smog Working Group was established by Toronto City Council in August 1996 to develop an anti-smog strategy and implementation plan for the City of Toronto.

B.2 - BIOSOLIDS MONITORING COMMITTEE

Composition:

1 Metro Council Member, 1 Council Member from the City of Toronto, and various stakeholders (not formally named by Metro Council) including representatives from: the general public; the project proponents; provincial officials; federal officials; & Works staff. Members to fulfill the "community representatives" component include representatives from the: Safe Sewage Committee; East Toronto Community Health Board; South Riverdale Community Health Centre; Citizens for a Safe Environment; & Lakeshore Area Neighbourhood Association.

Membership:

Chaired by Metro Councillor Jack Layton - appointed February 28, 1996.

Note: The Committee was dissolved by Metro Council in December 1997, but it is proposed that a new committee be formed in 1998.

Mandate:

To ensure continued public participation in the biosolids demonstration project and to facilitate exchange of information regarding the demonstration's progress.

B.3 - CLEAN AIR PARTNERSHIP (TORONTO)

Composition:

Businesses, government agencies, and non-profit organizations in Toronto.

Membership:

Member organizations are:

Mandate:

The purpose of the Clean Air Partnership is to facilitate efforts and actions of business, industry, government and community groups to protect and enhance the quality of indoor and outdoor air in the Greater Toronto Area through achieving the goals of:

• Action: Facilitating on the ground, tangible change, cooperation among Partners through demonstration projects, and issuing joint statements;

• Coordination: Sharing resources to enhance projects and planning;

• Awareness: Enabling the exchange of information on air quality among members of the Partnership and the public;

• Recognition: Publicly acknowledging positive air improvement projects.

Communities, businesses, governments and non-governmental organizations are invited to become part of the solution when they join the partnership. The commitment is defined by adhering to the above Statement of Purpose and Goals, and by committing to support individual initiatives of the CAP. As a partnership organized to facilitate clean air initiatives in Toronto, members suggest activities and programs for the partnership to consider supporting. Any assistance by the CAP depends on the willingness of its members to volunteer their support and resources. Not all members need to support each and every initiative undertaken by the partnership.

B.4 - PESTICIDE USE (SCARLET WOODS) WORKING GROUP

Composition:

Metro and local councillors from the Scarlett Woods area; Metro Toronto Parks & Culture staff; Etobicoke Parks staff; TRCA staff; representatives from the following: Royal Canadian Golf Association; Ontario Golf Superintendents' Association; Crop Protection Institute; Action to Restore a Clean Humber; Toronto Environmental Alliance; and World Wildlife Fund.

Membership:

Mandate:

To review pesticide use at the Scarlett Woods Golf Course.

NOTE: This Working Group was set up by Metro at the same time as a Pesticide Use Task Force which was established in 1997 but never met. Its mandate was to review the use of pesticides in Metro Toronto, including use on Metro properties, and to develop a strategy for the appropriate reduction and minimization of pesticide use, beginning with Metro-owned properties.

B.5 - SOIL CONTAMINATION ISSUES TASK FORCE (TORONTO)

Composition:

4 Council members; 13 citizen members (City staff attended meetings in a support role)

Membership: (numbers in final bracket show years on the Task Force)

Councillor Disero (November 30, 1997) (2)

Councillor Ellis (November 30, 1997) (2)

Councillor Leckie (November 30, 1997) (2)

Councillor Tabuns (November 30, 1997) (2)

Arnold Friedman, Industrial Advisory Committee

John Ward, Industrial Advisory Committee

Myron Swartz, Industrial Advisory Committee

Chris Ferguson, Royal Bank of Canada

John Grey, Royal Bank of Canada

John McKernan, Dale Intermediaries Insurance Brokers

Harry Dahmes, Gowlings, Strathy & Henderson

Dennis O'Leary, Morris/Rose/Ledgett

Beth Benson, Waterfront Regeneration Trust

Jeff Evanson, Waterfront Regeneration Trust

(Note: citizen members were not officially appointed by Council)

Mandate:

To recommend a balanced strategy to address soil contamination issues including environmental liability issues, in order to ensure businesses in the City can finance their operations and future growth, to maintain value of industrial and commercial properties, to ensure the City can continue to compete with other jurisdictions as a place to do business, to ensure that the environmental and public health of the City is maintained and improved over time. The Task Force does not advise on the distribution of funds or grants.

The Task Force submitted a "final report" in mid-1997 after 18 months of intense work, but recommended that it continue to meet twice yearly thereafter to review progress and address emerging issues.

B.6 - SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT INDUSTRY CONSULTATION COMMITTEE

Composition:

1 Metro Council member plus staff representatives; an average of 20 - 30 industry representatives (from a mailing list of 100) attend each meeting.

Membership:

Councillor J. King, plus staff and industry representatives.

Mandate:

To facilitate the public consultation process (as required under the Environmental Assessment and Consultation Improvement Act (1996), when improvements are proposed or undertaken on existing or new facilities or while developing plans for waste disposal. To exchange and analyze ideas on solid waste management policies and regulations among solid waste industry representatives, members of the (Metro) Environment & Public Spaces Committee and senior Works Department staff.

B.7 - SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PUBLIC LIAISON COMMITTEE

Composition:

Up to 15 citizen members, representing a balance from across the City, plus alternates.

Membership: (including alternates)

Mandate:

To act as the liaison between the public, the Study Team and the Steering Committee by:

• presenting the views and opinions of the general public
• providing timely input into decision-making steps, comments on work completed and suggestions on future work
• reviewing materials to be distributed to the public and providing input to the project team on reports prepared by the consultant
• facilitating the public participation program by educating PLC members as well as the general public regarding the process and study progress
• helping to develop a public consultation program which provides timely notification and develops two-way communication
• ensuring that the public's needs, concerns, preferences and priorities are recognized and reflected in the development of the 3Rs system and the methodology to be used in future decision-making
• ensuring that responses to public concerns are provided by the study team in a timely fashion.

B.8 - STORM WATER GROUP (TORONTO)

Composition:

2 Council members; 2 City staff; 12 citizen members

Membership: (appointed to November 30, 1997 or until their successors are appointed; numbers in brackets show years on the Group)

Mandate:

The Storm Water Group was formed by Toronto City Council in response to the March, 1996 Exemption Order issued by the Provincial Government for the Western Beaches Storage Tunnel Project. The Group's purpose and mandate are to:

• promote and enhance natural water management functions in the City;
• design and redesign rain and storm water management systems and infrastructure to increase the amount of water in the ground table and improve ecosystem health;
• promote rainwater as a positive resource in beautifying the City and increasing diversity;
• propose programs, actions and policy changes to City Council, through the appropriate Committee, to accomplish these aims;
• promote natural methods that remediate; and
• reduce and minimize factors that contaminate water.

B.9 - TORONTO RECYCLING ACTION COMMITTEE (TORONTO)

Composition:

2 Council members; 14 citizen members; 1 CUPE union representative

Membership:

Mandate:

To assist in reducing waste by 50% by the year 2000.

B.10 - TORONTO WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN PUBLIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Composition:

Up to fifteen citizen members from across Metro, reflecting a broad cross-section of Metro residents and including members from each (former) local municipality; there is a possibility that up to three representatives of environmental groups may be added at a later date.

Membership:

Mandate:

To act as a liaison between the public, the project team and the Steering Committee by:

• presenting the views and opinions of the public
• reviewing materials to be distributed to the public and providing input to the project team on reports prepared by the consultant
• ensuring that the public's needs, concerns, preferences and priorities are recognized and reflected in the development of the water efficiency plan
• ensuring that responses to public concerns are provided by the project team in a timely fashion.

B.11 - WET WEATHER FLOW MASTER PLAN STEERING COMMITTEE

Composition:

Representatives from area municipalities (6), Metro Works (2), MOEE (1), Waterfront Regeneration Trust (1), TRCA (1), and the public (9). Public (citizen) representatives "self-selected" at a public meeting to provide "representation from across Metro".

Membership: ( "- A" indicates an alternate; others are full members)

Mandate:

To oversee the project and ensure that all issues are adequately addressed, and to make recommendations which will be forwarded to Council for decisions. To provide strategic direction to the consultants and be responsible for the development and implementation of the Plan through a consensus-building planning process.

The Master Planning exercise itself has these objectives:

(a) To provide an integrated work plan for wet weather flow management that is based on a holistic / ecosystem based approach (i.e. respects the interaction of land, air, water and human activities).

(b) To provide and establish strong linkages and cohesiveness among Metro municipalities, agencies and neighbouring upstream municipalities and regions for the management of wet weather flows.

(c) To develop procedures, policies and by-laws to direct municipal action to deliver the wet weather flow management goal.

(d) To establish priorities for improvement works and other action to be undertaken on a Metro-wide basis.

(e) To fulfil Phases I and II of the Class EA planning process for projects needing EA approval.

(f) To establish roles and responsibilities of stakeholders / partners.

(g) To develop full-cost, long term self-sustaining funding mechanisms for implementation of the plan. The mechanisms would include funding for improvement and rehabilitation works, performance monitoring, operation / maintenance activities and technology development.

(h) To engage the public to determine appropriate public / municipal actions and program acceptance.

(i) To develop watershed goals that are sustainable at the completion of the plan's implementation.

(j) To develop performance indicators that are measurable during the implementation period of the plan.

(k) To establish an implementation plan and a monitoring program including cost estimates and time-lines.

(C) Area and Site-Specific Environmental Committees

C.1 - BRING BACK THE DON TASK FORCE (TORONTO)

Composition:

2 Toronto City Council Members; 2 Metro Toronto Councillors; 1 Federal Government Representative; 1 Toronto Harbour Commission Representative; 19 Citizen Members (4 Official Volunteers, non-voting)

Membership: (all appointed to November 30, 1997 or until their successors are appointed; numbers in brackets show years on the Task Force)

Mandate:

The Task Force is working towards making the Don River Watershed clean, green, and accessible. The Task Force has a mandate to act as a watchdog in protecting the Don, fundraise and develop partnerships in implementing Don environmental restoration projects, involve and educate the community with respect to Don issues, and promote the restoration of the Don in dealing with other interested governments and agencies.

C.2 - CANADA METALS STEERING COMMITTEEComposition:

Membership:

Mandate:

(1) Establish, maintain and support a public liaison committee to try to address concerns and to ensure that the operations, including any dismantling, closing or decommissioning of Canada Metal Company do not adversely impact on the community or the environment.

(2) Review and discuss plans and proposals related to the facility, produced by the Company or for the Company, including Ministry activities related to this company.

(3) Review and discuss the operation of the Company as it relates to the committee's activities.

(4) Familiarize oneself with the processes, activities and other information related to the Company.

(5) Discuss potential impacts of proposed plans, proposals, operations etc.

(6) Discuss community preferences on the plans, proposals and operations or other potential issues.

(7) Discuss the need for broader community involvement on issues where the committee deems it warranted.

C.3 - DON VALLEY BRICK WORKS OPERATIONS & PROGRAM ADVISORY COMMITTEE (METRO)

Composition:

Representatives from Friends of the Don (East York), Bring Back the Don Task Force, Governor's Bridge Ratepayers, East York LACAC, TRCA, geological community, (former Metro) Parks staff, (former Metro) Culture staff.

Membership: (now being finalized)

Mandate:

(Terms of Reference are now being developed. First meeting of this Committee will be March 1998. It replaces the TRCA's Don Valley Brick Works Project Planning Committee, now dissolved)

C.4 - EMERY CREEK ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATION (INDEPENDENT)

Composition:

A non-profit association of businesses and industries within the Emery Creek watershed, with about fifty corporate members, ten individual members and five affiliate members.

Membership: (list too long to include)

Mandate:

To improve the health of the Emery Creek watershed, and thus of the Humber River and Lake Ontario.

C.5 - FRIENDS OF HIGHLAND CREEK

Composition:

Area residents, local councillor, City of Scarborough, school board and TRCA staff

Membership:

Mandate:

To restore, enhance, regenerate and raise community awareness of the natural ecosystem of the Markham branch of Highland Creek through education and development of partnerships. (The City of Scarborough encouraged the formation of this group and works actively with it. The group's main emphasis is on physical improvements such as tree planting, interpretive signage, etc. and educational workshops).

C.6 - GARRISON CREEK CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE (TORONTO)

Composition:

2 councillors and 17 citizen members representing various community groups who have been involved in the Garrison Creek Linkage Project and/or the Storm Water Group.

Membership:(appointed December 8, 1997)

Mandate:

To oversee the implementation of the Garrison Creek Linkage Plan.

C.7 - HIGHLAND CREEK TREATMENT PLANT NEIGHBOURHOOD LIAISON COMMITTEE (METRO)

Composition:

Representatives of local residents, community associations, the Toronto Field Naturalists, the Centennial Community & Recreation Association, local and Metro councillors, and Works staff.

Membership:

Mandate:

• To provide comments to Metro staff on proposed changes to the operations, buildings and grounds of the HCTP.
• To identify and provide comments to Metro staff on issues related to the HCTP.
• To review materials and provide timely input into the decision-making process.

C.8 - HIGH PARK CITIZENS' NATURAL ENVIRONMENT SUB-COMMITTEE (TORONTO)

Composition:

The High Park Citizens' Advisory Committee (HPCAC) comprises representatives of: 9 ratepayer and residents' associations; 8 recreational stakeholders; 8 groups with long-term interests in High Park; 3 Park businesses; 7 community residents elected at the HPCAC annual meeting. The Sub-Committee is made up of volunteers from among the HPCAC membership.

Membership: (Sub-Committee membership is open)

Mandate:

The mandate of the HPCAC is to provide advice to the Commissioner of Parks & Recreation respecting public input and involvement in, among other things, the preparation and monitoring of park policies, goals and objectives; the establishment of linkages with the community to facilitate and coordinate volunteer resources consistent with the City's initiatives; and raising the public profile of High Park.

The role of the HPCAC's Natural Environment Sub-Committee is:

- To provide input and direction to the City via the HPCAC regarding ecologically sound park management and operational practices.

- To build awareness and support of the natural environment, the significant features of High Park and the restoration and stewardship of the Park.

- To act as a role model for community-based management of teh natural environment.

C.9 - MAIN SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT NEIGHBOURHOOD LIAISON COMMITTEE (METRO)

Composition:

Residents living near the Plant and in the Beaches area; past Public Consultation Committee and Biosolids Monitoring Committee members; Citizens for a Safe Environment, Safe Sewage and other non-governmental organizations; local businesses and developers; others as identified.

Membership: (is open)

Mandate:

To provide input and advice, make recommendations and provide a consultation group capable of reviewing ongoing Main Plant environmental assessment related matters, and to form a bsis for community involvement with issues that concern the community and Toronto Works. (First meeting to be held late February 1998).

C.10 - PORT UNION SHORELINE IMPROVEMENTS WORKING COMMITTEE (T.R.C.A.)

Composition:

One representative each from TRCA, Metro Parks & Culture, Metro Planning, Scarborough Planning & Buildings, Scarborough Recreation, Parks & Culture, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, CN Railway, four ratepayer representatives, all four area politicians.

Membership:

Mandate:

To advise on the detailed design, approval and implementation of the Port Union Concept Site project, including clarification of the issues to be addressed and the public consultation process.

C.11 - R.C.HARRIS FILTRATION PLANT PUBLIC LIAISON COMMITTEE (METRO)

Composition:

Open to residents and business people in the local vicinity of the Plant and residents of Toronto taking an interest in the facility, with an upper limit of twenty, plus staff.

Membership:

Mandate:

• To provide input and advice during the implementation phase of the Plant's security upgrade program.
• To comment on planned changes to the Plant's buildings and grounds with emphasis on heritage conservation.
• To provide a public component into the environmental assessment for the backwash residue management facility.
• To identify and provide comment to staff on issues related to the passive use of the Plant grounds.

C.12 - SHERWOOD PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE (TORONTO)

Composition:

One representative each from the Sherwood Park Residents' Association, the Lawrence Park Ratepayers' Association, the Lawrence Park - Bayview Property Owners' Association, the North Toronto Tenants Network, the YWCA/YMCA, the Toronto Board of Education, non-affiliated park users and a regional environmental organization. The Commissioner of Parks & Recreation and the ward councillor are ex-officio members.

Membership: (currently active members)

Mandate:

To serve as a representative body of Park users and to work with the Department of Parks & Recreation by providing input to proposals which will protect the significant features of the Park and ensure that educational and recreational potentials are realized. (Note: The Sherwood Park Committee is included in this list because its major focus is on environmental issues).

C.13 - SOUTH RIVERDALE ENVIRONMENTAL LIAISON COMMITTEE (INDEPENDENT)

Composition:

Includes representatives of Parks & Recreation (Toronto), Works (Metro), Public Health (Toronto), Toronto Hydro, Ontario Ministry of the Environment, local councillor and school trustee, Waterfront Regeneration Trust; 12 local industries or firms specializing in environmental products; 9 unaffiliated local residents; representatives of the following community groups: Waterfront Coalition, Citizens for a Safe Environment, G.R.E.A.T., Environment Watch, South-East Riverdale Community Association, Northeast Community Health Board, Task Force to Bring Back the Don, and Community Coalition to Save McCleary Park.

Membership:

Mailing list of 39 includes community residents, community group representatives, industry representatives and representatives of government agencies.

Mandate:

The Committee exists:

• To explore environmental health issues of South Riverdale in a non-adversarial setting;
• To encourage and ensure the flow of environmental health information raised at the Committee between all interested parties and throughout the community;
• To encourage partnership between all sectors of the community to improve the overall qaulity of life within it.

The Committee is a forum for the exchange of information between representatives of the community, local industry and government about environmental matters. It is not a decision-making body, and participation in the Committee does not prejudice outcomes etc. of any other environmental problem-solving initiative in the community.

C.14 - TOMMY THOMPSON PARK NATURAL AREAS ADVISORY COMMITTEE (T.R.C.A.)

Composition:

Representatives of Metro Parks & Recreation, Ministry of Natural Resources, Canadian Wildlife Services, TRCA, Toronto Field Naturalists, Botany Conservation Group (University of Toronto), Toronto Ornithological Club, Friends of the Spit, Aquatic Park Sailing Club, Outer Harbour Sailing Federation.

Membership: (list not available)

Mandate:

To provide input into the Tommy Thompson Park Master Plan and to provide advice on future development.

C.15 - TORONTO BAY INITIATIVE (INDEPENDENT)

Composition:

Coordinated by the Waterfront Regeneration Trust, it has 80 "active participants" including local interests, academic institutions, broader special interests, local business and industry, government agencies. The former City of Toronto became an official partner in the initiative in June 1997.

Membership:

Mandate:

To promote and implement community-based projects and programs that contribute to improving the health and integrity of Toronto Bay and its sewershed with particular focus on water quality, habitat, public access to the water, linkages with upstream programs and ecological understanding. Five key objectives are:

• improving water quality and habitat
• regenerating fish and wildlife habitat
• improving public access to the water
• nurturing linkages with upstream programs
• improving public awareness and ecological literacy

(Note: These objectives endorsed by Toronto City Council, June 1997).

C.16 - WILLIAM DEMPSEY ECO-PARK PUBLIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE

(SCARBOROUGH)

Composition:

Municipal: Metro Works, Scarborough Works & Environment, Metro Zoo (Adopt-A-Pond Coordinator), TRCA, local councillor; public: Centennial Creek Recreation Association, Highland Creek Community Association, 1^st and 2^nd Highland Creek and 1^st West Rouge Scout Troops, other interested citizens.

Membership:

Mandate:

To provide advice to the City regarding creation of the William Dempsey Eco-Park within the Centennial Sub-Watershed.

(D) External Environmental Committees (extending beyond Toronto)

D.1 - DON WATERSHED REGENERATION COUNCIL (T.R.C.A.)

Composition:

TRCA Chair or another Authority member; one member and alternate from each of the regional and local municipalities within the Region of York; 8 councillors representing the new City of Toronto; 15 watershed residents; one representative and alternate from each of the following groups which have a specific interest in the Don: The Task Force to Bring Back the Don, Friends of the Don East York, Waterfront Regeneration Trust, Urban Development Institute, Environment Canada, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Ontario Ministry of Environment & Energy.

Membership: (includes members from Toronto only)

Mandate:

The goals of the Don Watershed Regeneration Council are to protect and regenerate the Don watershed and. More specifically, to assist the Authority, other agencies and the public:

with the implementation of the Don Watershed Task Force's report "Forty Steps to a New Don";

in the implementation of the Recommendations of the Metro Toronto and Region Remedial Action Plan contained in "Clean Waters, Clear Choices: Recommendations for Action" as they pertain to the Don watershed; and

in the implementation of the actions required to address the targets identified in "Turning the Corner - The Don Watershed Report Card".

D.2 - HUMBER WATERSHED ALLIANCE (T.R.C.A.)

Composition:

Up to 60 members including the TRCA Chair or alternate; five councillors appointed by the new City of Toronto (formerly one each from Metro, Etobicoke, Toronto, York and North York), each with a staff alternate; one councillor plus staff alternate from each of the other 11 municipalities in the watershed; 25 watershed resident representatives (5 per subwatershed, chosen based on interest, time, geographic representation and knowledge/expertise); one representative plus alternate each from Action to Restore a Clean Humber, Humber Heritage Committee, Ontario Aggregate Producers' Association, Ontario Soil & Crop Improvement Association, Urban Development Institute, Environment Canada, McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Niagara Escarpment Commission, Waterfront Regeneration Trust plus five Ontario Ministries: Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs; Environment & Energy; Natural Resources; Tourism & Economic Development; Citizenship, Culture & Recreation.

Membership: (includes members from Toronto only)

Mandate:

To facilitate the implementation of the document: "Legacy: A Strategy for a Healthy Humber", which was prepared by the Task Force. "Legacy" describes the watershed, identifies issues and recommends priority objectives and actions for the protection, restoration and celebration of the Humber River watershed.

D.3 - KEELE VALLEY LANDFILL SITE (VAUGHAN)

Composition:

To be appointed by Council - 1 Metro Toronto Councillor and one alternate Councillor.

Representatives from the following organizations are not appointed by Council but are involved in a participatory and advisory capacity to the Committee: City of Vaughan Councillors; Region of York Councillors; Citizens from City of Vaughan and Region of York; Works and Solid Waste staff from the Municipality of Metro Toronto, the City of Vaughan and the Region of York.

Membership:

(includes) Councillor J. King, Councillor I. Bossons (as Alternate)

Mandate:

To facilitate the public consultation process as required under the Environmental Assessment and Consultation Improvement Act (1996), when improvements are proposed or undertaken on existing or new facilities or while developing plans for waste disposal. Issue: impact of landfill site on local community.

D.4 - LAKE ONTARIO WATERFRONT NETWORK (INDEPENDENT)

Composition:

4 Federal departments, 8 Provincial departments, 8 conservation authorities, 8 regional municipalities, 32 local municipalities, 27 non-governmental organizations

Membership: (includes members from Toronto only)

Mandate:

The roles of the Lake Ontario Waterfront Network are to:

• exchange information and experiences
• coordinate activities
• monitor progress
• address common issues, and
• keep up the momentum towards waterfront regeneration.

D.5 - MORNINGSIDE TRIBUTARY SUB-WATERSHED PUBLIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE (SCARBOROUGH)

Composition:

Zoo staff (Curator of Fishes and Adopt-A-Pond Coordinator), representatives of Save the Rouge Valley, Environment Markham, Milliken Ratepayers, other local citizens and a developer.

Membership:

Mandate:

To provide advice to the City, through a Steering Committee of City, Provincial and TRCA staff, regarding the Morningside Tributary Sub-Watershed Study.

D.6 - ROUGE MARSHES REHABILITATION WORKING GROUP (PROVINCE)

Composition:

Ontario Streams, Ministry of Natural Resources (Ontario), City of Toronto, Environment Canada, West Rouge Community Association, Ravine Ratepayers Association, Save the Rouge Valley Inc., Rouge Park Alliance, (Pickering community groups have been invited to join also).

Membership: (not available)

Mandate:

D.7 - ROUGE PARK ALLIANCE (PROVINCE)

Composition:

One representative each from: TRCA, Ontario government, Metro Toronto, Town of Markham, City of Scarborough, Town of Pickering, Town of Richmond Hill, Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville, Save the Rouge Valley System Inc., Metro Zoo, Region of Durham.

Membership: (includes members from Toronto only; (A) indicates an alternate for the previously listed organization)

Mandate:

To provide direction on the operation and planning for the Rouge Park, for a three-year period ending March 31, 1998 at which time the Province will review the current Alliance and make recommendation for the long-term management of the Park.

Appendix 3

APPROXIMATE STAFF TIME COMMITMENTS

The tables below summarizes the staff time involved in supporting existing committees, as estimated by one or more staffer. All estimates are very rough reflections of past experience.

Also, there are many cases where an advisory committee is an integral part of a particular program or project, so isolating staff time supporting a committee from staff time on the project as a whole may not be very meaningful.

Note that the time listed is for staff of the Corporation of the City of Toronto only. It does not include time spent by staff of agencies, boards and commissions such as the TRCA, Toronto Hydro and TEDCO.

(A) General Environmental Advisory Committees

(estimated staff hours per annum)

Note re North York Committee: The Environment Committee was a standing committee of Council with 5/8 councillor membership, and was supported by a director-level staff environment team which had representatives from eight departments. The Coordinator and Secretariat time estimates reflect work on both the Environment Committee and the staff team; the "Other staff" estimate is for other staff attending the Environment Committee itself, and does not include time on the staff team.

A.6 Toronto's Environmental Sub-Committee of the Board of Health is not included in the above table since it has not met in the past two years, so staff time estimates are not available.

(B) Issue-Specific Environmental Committees

(estimated staff hours per annum)

* Biosolids Monitoring Committee dissolved by Metro Council, Dec.'97 (membership included reps. from 5 community groups); to be replaced by a new Biosolids Advisory Committee, spring '98.

@ CAP is recently inactive, but members are discussing future goals, objectives and structure.

# Staff times reflect period to mid-1997, when the Task Force submitted a "final report" and proposed to meet only twice yearly thereafter. Its future will depend on the new City's approach to soil issues; 1998 staff time may be as low as 50 hours.

+ open to any business dealing with solid waste issues

(C) Area & Site-specific Environmental Committees

(estimated staff hours per annum)

* estimates for the Garrison Creek Committee are very preliminary since it is just now getting underway.

** This is average attendance at meetings, which are open to all interested persons.

+ Beyond its monthly meetings the Sub-Committee and its associated Volunteer Stewardship Program are responsible for about forty Walks each year and numerous restoration activities such as planting, weed removal, etc. (Estimate 1900 volunteer person-hours in 1997)

(C) Area & Site-specific Environmental Committees (continued)

(estimated staff hours per annum)

* Although this Committee's concerns go beyond environmental matters, it is included in this report because these have been its major focus.

+ does not include staff of agencies such as TEDCO, who attend regularly, and Hydro who attend from time to time.

# This frequency applies to the public Round Table meetings. There are also about ten Project Groups whose work is integrated by a Coordinating Circle, which meets monthly. The sub-committee frequency and City staff time estimates are limited to study group meetings that include citizen representatives; implementation work is not included.

(D) External Environmental Committees (extending beyond Toronto)

(estimated staff hours per annum)

* The Don Council succeeded the 1992 Don Watershed Task Force; the Humber Alliance succeeded the Humber Watershed Task Force of 1995. Each is considered a sub-committee of the TRCA's Watershed Management Advisory Board, and receives its main staff support from the Authority.

@ TRCA is requesting staff liaisons for its Don and Humber groups from the City of Toronto departments that have direct responsibilities for open space. These staff will be invited to all meetings and will have the option of joining subcommittees. The number of Don working committees is limited to about five at any one time, and each meets about 8 times per year. The number of Humber sub-watershed and technical committees is also limited to about five at any point in time, and these are expected to meet about 6 times per year.

Summary Statistics on Environmental Advisory Committees

* Plus 19 sub-committee meetings, not counted in total

@ Plus about 30 Toronto Bay sub-committee meetings, not counted in total

+ Plus about 70 sub-committee meetings, not counted in total

Appendix 4

TRANSITION TEAM PROPOSAL FOR TASK FORCE ON THE ENVIRONMENT

(extract from "New City, New Opportunities", page 107)

Action on the Environment

Toronto has received growing international recognition for its efforts in creating a sustainable urban environment. A recent United Nations survey showed Toronto leading cities around the world in combatting global warming at the local level. Toronto has long been hailed as a liveable city, famous for the continent's best transit system and a growing system of greenspaces along the waterfront and the river valleys. More recently, Toronto was named as the best City for cycling in North America and as a world leader in combatting global warming at the local level.

This City is known for its environmental leadership among local governments. In 1990, Toronto was selected as the international headquarters for the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI), the international environmental agency for local governments. The City continues to support creative partnerships on key environmental priorities, such as last year's air quality summit and the current effort to forge an economic action plan for sustainable transportation.

Toronto has an active and committed environmental movement. All of the municipalities currently have citizen committees advising on environmental matters. Some provide advice on a wide range of environmental issues in particular communities. Others are focused on a specific aspect of the environment, such as air quality, management of solid waste or remediation of a watershed.

A task force should bring together the broad range of stakeholder groups - environmental organizations, neighbourhood associations, business groups, school, community health organizations and others -- to work out a strategy for ensuring that the City can benefit from the work that is being done at the grassroots level. The Task Force should recommend how best to coordinate environmental initiatives being undertaken across the City and to involve citizens in the development of an Environmental Management Plan for the new City.

The Task Force should be assisted in its work by staff in the Strategic Directions Secretariat, in coordination with staff from each of the departmental clusters.

RECOMMENDATION 36

Council should appoint a Task Force, with citizens and political representation, reporting to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, to recommend how best to coordinate environmental initiatives being undertaken across the City and to involve citizens in the development of an Environmental Management Plan for the new City.

Appendix 5

PUBLIC CONSULTATION ACTIVITIES OF TORONTO WORKS - METRO HALL (1997-98)

(Contact: Bob Davis, Senior Public Consultation Co-ordinator 392-2990)

Public consultation at Toronto Works - Metro Hall is facilitated by the staff of the Toronto Works - Metro Hall Public Consultation Unit. The staff is made up of one Senior Public Consultation Co-ordinator, three Public Consultation Co-ordinators and three Public Consultation Officers. Work of the Unit is also supported by staff from the Toronto Works - Metro Hall Communications Unit, who provide writing and advertisement development and placement support. Clerical staff from the Management and Technical Services Division, and the three Toronto Works - Metro Hall operating divisions provide minute taking, outbound mailing and data entry support. For some public events, freelance minute takers are also hired.

The Public Consultation Unit staff are full-time public consultation professionals. Each of the four Public Consultation Co-ordinators are assigned a lead on a specific project. Depending upon the size and scale of a project, each co-ordinator is the lead for a number of projects. Lead work includes interaction with the public, meeting with the project team, providing consultation advice to the project engineer and consultants and taking overall responsibility for public events. Public Consultation Officers provide facilitation support such as research, materials development and also includes interaction with the public during events and on a daily basis.

Public Consultation staff work with Toronto Works - Metro Hall Engineering and Planning staff on a project team basis. Work is carried out on an integrated basis and staff work closely to develop and adapt public consultation programs to meet legal, staff, Council and public requirements and needs. Public Consultation staff also are deployed to assist with other projects when large public events like open houses, workshops and meetings take place. This fluidity in staff deployment allows for a co-ordinated, flexible and responsive public consultation program across all three operating divisions of Toronto Works - Metro Hall.

Some apparently similar projects have different public consultation activities surrounding their work. The most important feature of a public consultation plan is to ensure that it fits in with the priorities and requirements of all who are involved, including staff, the public and Council.

Only two of the ongoing projects have a mandated request for a councillor to attend - Solid Waste Management Consultation Committee and the Keele Valley Site Liaison Committee. All other projects are promoted to individual councillors (for site based projects) or to all on council (for City-wide planning processes). Councillor attendance appears to be based on local input or interest.

(Table Notes: Those relating to the column header rows appear at the end of the following table)

1. Shading in this column indicates a committee included in Appendices 1 & 2

2. ² Location of project is only indicated when public consultation activities take place outside of the boundaries of the City of Toronto.

3. ³ Events refers to any type of public consultation activity such as meetings, open houses, workshops, newsletter distributions, etc.

4. ¹ EA - Environmental Assessment

5. ² Ontario Ministry of Environment

6. ³ Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources

7. ⁴ Wastewater Treatment Plant

8. ⁵ Neighbourhood Liaison Committee