Other Items Considered by the Committee

 (a)Proposal to Enact a By-law to Regulate and Control Panhandling and the Need for By-laws to Control Squeegee Kids.

The Emergency and Protective Services Committee reports having referred this matter to the City Solicitor for a report thereon to the next meeting of the Emergency and Protective Services Committee to be held on July 14, 1998, and directed that he obtain information from the City of Vancouver on the effect the panhandling by-law has had in that city and whether or not the by-law has been successful in dealing with those activities.

(i)(May 22, 1998) Councillor Ila Bossons, Midtown, recommending that the City of Toronto draft a by-law similar to By-law No. 7885 enacted by the City of Vancouver on April 30, 1998, to regulate panhandling;

(ii)(May 26, 1998) Councillor Ila Bossons, Midtown, advising that her office is receiving an increasing number of complaints regarding the aggressive behaviour of squeegee kids operating in downtown Toronto and recommending that the Committee consider a by-law to control this unacceptable behaviour;

(iii)Mr. Robert Hansen and Mrs. Helen Hansen, North York, expressing their opposition to the enactment of by-laws to control panhandling and squeegee kids;

(iv)(June 12, 1998) from Councillor Jack Layton and Ms. Alison Kemper, Co-Chairs, Advisory Committee on Homeless and Socially Isolated Persons, requesting the Committee to consider the following recommendation adopted by the Advisory Committee on June 12, 1998:

"As panhandling is a symptom of the drastic reduction of resources available to people who are homeless or otherwise living in poverty, and that passage of the by-law proposed by Councillor Bossons would require a significant investment of resources by the City of Toronto to enforce a by-law which is essentially unenforceable, that the City instead redirect these funds to replace the lost resources of community agencies and the homeless persons served by them.";

(v)(June 12, 1998) from Mr. Fred Roy, Willowdale Unitarian Fellowship, Toronto, urging that the proposed by-laws be rejected;

(vi)(June 15, 1998) from Ms. Anne Hansen, Toronto, urging that the proposed by-laws not be passed;

(vii)(June 15, 1998) from Ms. Evade Wilkinson, Out of the Cold Coordinator, and Chair, Police Working Group, Advisory Committee on Homeless and Socially Isolated Persons, expressing opposition to the proposed by-law;

(viii)(June 15, 1998) from Messrs. Frank Addario, Steven M. Barrett and James K. McDonald, Sack, Goldblatt, Mitchell, Barristers and Solicitors, Toronto, expressing concerns that the proposed panhandling by-law could be found to be unconstitutional as it infringes section 2(b) of the Charter of Rights relating to expressive activity and seeks to control activity which is regulated by the Criminal Code;

(ix)(June 16, 1998) from Mr. John Maclennan, Unemployed Workers Council, Toronto, expressing opposition to the enactment of a panhandling by-law and suggesting that the task forces established at the provincial and city levels be pushed to complete their deliberations and submit reports as soon as possible; and

(x)(June 15, 1998) from Councillor Olivia Chow, Downtown, recommending that consideration of establishing a by-law dealing with squeegee kids be referred to the Youth Issues Committee and the City's Youth Advocate for discussion.

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The following persons appeared before the Emergency and Protective Services Committee in connection with the foregoing matter:

 -Ms. April J. Rhomer, Toronto;

 -Ms. Sue Cox, Executive Director, Daily Bread Food Bank, Toronto, who submitted a written copy of her presentation;

 -Mr. Steven Lawrie McCammon, Counsel, Canadian Civil Liberties Association;

 -Mr. John Maclennan, Unemployed Workers' Council, Toronto;

 -Mr. Martin Hill, Toronto;

 -Beric German, Street Health, Toronto;

 -Mr. Vaughn Monague, Chidean Centre, Toronto;

 -Mr. Gaetan Heroux, Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, Toronto;

 -Mr. Robert Barnett, Architect, Toronto;

 -Ms. Mary Taylor, Second Base (Scarborough) and Youth Shelter, Scarborough; and

 -Ms. Peggy Gail, Youthlink Inner City, Toronto.

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 The following Members of Council appeared before the Emergency and Protective Services Committee in connection with the foregoing matter:

Councillor Ila Bossons, Midtown;

Councillor Jack Layton, Don River;

Councillor Olivia Chow, Downtown; and

Councillor Anne Johnston, North Toronto.

(b)Licensing of Natural Health Practitioners - Requests for Reports.

The Emergency and Protective Services Committee reports having referred this matter to the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services, the General Manager, Toronto Licensing, and the City Solicitor with the request that they submit a report thereon to the next meeting of the Committee to be held on July 14, 1998.

(June 2, 1998) from Councillor Dennis Fotinos, Davenport, forwarding a draft report (June 1, 1998) from the Advisory Committee on Complementary Therapies proposing a new Holistic Practitioner licensing category and requesting that:

(1)Toronto Licensing report to the July 14, 1998 meeting of the Emergency and Protective Services Committee on creating a new business license based on the Advisory Committee's proposal; and

(2)the Legal Department report to the July 14, 1998 meeting of the Committee on the review of the Advisory Committee's proposal.

(c)Mandatory Third Party Liability Insurance for Business Licenses.

The Emergency and Protective Services Committee reports having referred the following communication to the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services, the General Manager, Toronto Licensing, and the City Solicitor for a report thereon to a subsequent meeting of the Committee:

(June 2, 1998) from Councillor Dennis Fotinos, Davenport, requesting that the City Solicitor and Toronto Licensing report on the mandatory requirement for local businesses to provide third party liability insurance in order to obtain and retain a business license.

(d)Efficiency of Information Coordination.

The Emergency and Protective Services Committee reports having referred the following communication to the Chairman, Toronto Police Services Board, the General Manager, Toronto Licensing, and the City Solicitor for a report thereon to a subsequent meeting of the Committee:

(June 2, 1998) from Councillor Dennis Fotinos, Davenport, requesting that:

(1)the Toronto Police Services Board report on the following:

(a)amending their database system to include "location of crime" rather than simply the location of an arrest; and

(b)providing Toronto Licensing with a copy of a charge and/or occurrence sheet for every incident at a licensed or unlicensed business establishment;

(2)the City Solicitor report on the legal validity of Toronto Licensing obtaining Police information in regard to charges laid against a license holder or applicant;and

(3)Toronto Licensing report on a policy that allows the local councillors to "flag" any establishment in their respective wards, and to inform local councillors of any charges laid against licensed establishments in their respective wards.

(e)Mandatory Display of Municipal Address.

The Emergency and Protective Services Committee reports having referred the following communication to the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services and the City Solicitor for a report thereon to a subsequent meeting of the Committee:

(June 2, 1998) from Councillor Dennis Fotinos, Davenport, requesting that the appropriate staff report on the development of a by-law making it mandatory for home and business owners to display their respective addresses on the rear of their garages or properties should it abut a laneway.

(f)Toronto Licensing Workshops.

The Emergency and Protective Services Committee reports having referred the request contained in the following communication to the General Manager, Toronto Licensing, for the appropriate action:

(June 2, 1998) from Councillor Dennis Fotinos, Davenport, requesting that Toronto Licensing staff organize at least two workshops for all interested Councillors outlining rules and procedures governing the actions of Toronto Licensing with respect to "problem establishments."

(g)Toronto Police Services Board - Pay Duty Policy.

The Emergency and Protective Services Committee reports having received the following communication for information:

(May 15, 1998) from Councillor Norman Gardner, Chairman, Toronto Police Services Board, advising that the Toronto Police Services Board on April 23, 1998:

(1)received the following recommendations contained in a report (February 24, 1998) from the Chief of Police:

(a)the Board agree it is not in the best interest of the Service or the community to eliminate pay duties; and

(b)the Board concur that pay duties remain at the divisional level; and

(2)directed that the foregoing report be forwarded to City Council for information.

(h)Potential Relocation of 14th Division Police Headquarters to the Former TTC Lansdowne Garage at 640 Lansdowne Avenue (Davenport).

The Emergency and Protective Services Committee reports having referred the following report to the Toronto Police Services Board for comment on to City Council outlining its intentions with respect to the relocation of 14th Division Police Headquarters and the potential use of this site for such purposes:

(June 2, 1998) from the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services reporting, as requested by City Council, on the potential relocation of 14th Division Police Headquarters to 640 Lansdowne Avenue and advising that the TTC lands at 640 Lansdowne Avenue would be a good location for a new police station with an adjacent park, provided the site meets the locational needs of the Police to adequately serve their existing or revised Division boundaries.

(i)Seizing and Impounding of Vehicles used by Persons charged with Prostitution Offence.

The Emergency and Protective Services Committee reports having referred the following communication to the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services and the Chief of Police for a report back to the Emergency and Protective Services Committee providing the information requested by Council on June 3, 4 and 5, 1998:

(June 8, 1998) from the City Clerk advising that City Council on June 3, 4, and 5, 1998, struck out and referred Clause 3 of Report 5 of the Emergency and Protective Services Committee headed "Seizing and Impounding of Vehicles used by Persons Charged with Prostitution Offence" back to the Committee for further consideration at its meeting to be held on June 16, 1998, and report thereon to Council for its meeting to be held on July 8, 1998; and, further directed that:

(1)the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services and the Chief of Police submit comments thereon to the Emergency and Protective Services Committee for such meeting; and

(2)the Chief of Police also examine whether vehicles could be seized and impounded now, without the need for any specific new legislation, and report thereon to the Emergency and Protective Services Committee for such meeting.

(j)Use of Helicopter - Toronto Police Service.

The Emergency and Protective Services Committee reports having deferred the following matter to its next meeting and having requested:

(a)the Chair of the Toronto Police Services Board to provide a copy of the report commissioned by the Board in 1997 for an independent review of the helicopter service; and

(b)the Fire Chief to comment on this issue.

(May 19, 1998) from Councillor Dennis Fotinos, Davenport, and Chair, Emergency and Protective Services Committee, addressed to the Chief of Police requesting that a report be submitted to the Emergency and Protective Services Committee on June 16, 1998, providing a cost benefit analysis of leasing versus owning a Toronto Police Service helicopter.

Respectfully submitted,

COUNCILLOR DENNIS FOTINOS,

Chair

Toronto, June 16, 1998

Candy Davidovits

Tel: (416) 395-7362