Other Items Considered by the Committee

 (a)Utilization of Landfill Gas.

The Works and Utilities Committee reports having:

(1)referred the following communication to the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services with a request that he submit a report to the Committee on the deputation by Eastern Power; and

(2)requested the City Solicitor to comment on the timelines which the City would likely have to respect due to the various provincial regulatory processes that would apply to mixed waste recycling projects:

(May 15, 1998) from Mr. Gregory M. Vogt, Vice-President, Eastern Power, requesting the opportunity to make a brief presentation to the Committee to provide an update on the operations of Eastern Power.

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Mr. Gregory M. Vogt, Vice-President, Eastern Power, appeared before the Works and Utilities Committee in connection with the foregoing matter.

(b)Agreement for Additional Water Supply for the Region of York.

The Works and Utilities Committee reports having deferred consideration of the following reports until its next meeting, scheduled to be held on July 15, 1998; and having referred the following motion to the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services:

 Moved by Councillor Layton:

 "That the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services be requested to:

(1)explore with the Commissioner of Urban Development and Planning Services opportunities to address sprawl issues flowing from existing Official Plans through this agreement; and

(2)report to the Committee on:

(i)the progress in considering the proposal by Councillor Layton to meet the Region of York's water needs through conservation investment in Toronto;

(ii)strengthening water efficiency provisions in the proposed agreement in order to lock in requirements and processes to achieve efficiencies in Toronto and in York Region;

(iii)the increased sewage treatment that would result from this agreement, and how such increase would be met;

(iv)a clear outline of the relationship which would result between the City of Toronto and the private sector partner that has been engaged by York Region to supply their water; and

(v)all issues raised during the deputations.":

(i)(June 3, 1998) from the Interim Functional Lead for Water and Wastewater recommending that authority be granted to execute an agreement for the supply of water to the Regional Municipality of York, essentially in accordance with the report provided as an appendix to this report, and that the appropriate officials give effect thereto.

(ii)(June 3, 1998) from the Interim Functional Lead for Water and Wastewater providing information with regard to the Region of York's long-term water supply strategy, and further opportunities for partnership with the City of Toronto; advising that additional infrastructure is required to meet water supply demands as a result of planned growth while incorporating water efficiency measures within the City of Toronto and York Region, and that a Joint Optimization Study will be undertaken in partnership with the Region of York to establish the most effective manner of meeting York Region's long-term water demands; further advising that Toronto staff will be providing input during the Environmental Assessment process for York's Durham West long-term supply alternative; and recommending that this report be received for information.

(iii)(June 2, 1998) from the City Solicitor respecting the preparation of a new agreement for additional water supply to the Region of York, and responding to the request of the former Metropolitan Council for a report on the implications of the proposal that the agreement with York be in perpetuity; advising that a statutory limitation exists that the contract with York cannot exceed twenty years, and that while there can be further renewal periods upon expiry of the initial and subsequent renewal periods, one or more of the parties would have the discretion to renew the contract or renegotiate; and recommending that this report be received for information.

(iv)(May 12, 1998) from the Regional Clerk, Region of York, forwarding a copy of Clause No. 4 contained in Report No. 9 of the Transportation and Works Committee, headed "Aurora, Newmarket and East Gwillimbury Water Servicing Issues", which was adopted, without amendment, by the Council of the Regional Municipality of York on May 7, 1998, together with related Clauses respecting the Region's Long-Term Water Strategy.

(v)(June 15, 1998) from Ms. Jean Martin, East Gwillimbury Watch, respecting the supply of water to the Region of York and issues related to development pressures in the "905" region; and advising that a careful study should be made of the issue before entering into such agreements with York Region.

(vi)(June 16, 1998) from Ms. Margaret Blair, Lakeside Area Neighbourhoods Association, expressing concern with respect to the supply of water to the Region of York; and requesting that a body be set up to assess the cost and impacts on the City of financing York's expansion before proceeding with any partnership.

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The following persons appeared before the Works and Utilities Committee in connection with the foregoing matter:

-Ms. Karey Shinn, Chair, Safe Sewage Committee, and submitted a communication with respect thereto;

-Ms. Elizabeth Borek, Lakeside Area Neighbourhoods Association;

-Mrs. Lois James, Scarborough, Ontario, and filed a submission with respect thereto;

-Ms. Debra Kyles, Kleinburg, Ontario; and

-Ms. Karen Buck, Toronto, Ontario, and filed a submission with respect thereto.

(c)Exemption from Charges for Sewer Improvements.

The Works and Utilities Committee reports having referred the following communication to the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services for a report thereon to the Committee:

(April 24, 1998) from Councillor Frank Faubert, Scarborough Highland Creek, referred by the Chair of the Budget Committee, respecting a request for an exemption from charges for sewer improvements; and requesting that consideration be given to exemptions for such sewer surcharges for homeowners with septic systems.

(d)Household Hazardous Waste Cost-Sharing Model.

The Works and Utilities Committee reports having received the following report:

(June 3, 1998) from the Interim Functional Lead for Solid Waste Management providing information about the formation of an industry-government Steering Committee to develop a cost-sharing model for expenses involved with management of household hazardous waste (HHW) received at municipal depots; advising that through the implementation of the proposed model, the City of Toronto may be able to recuperate a major portion of its expenditures for the off-site treatment of HHW received at its facilities, thus reducing the total cost of its HHW program; and recommending that this report be received for information.

(e)Strategic Action Plan to Reduce Carbon Dioxide (CO₂)

Emissions in the New City of Toronto.

The Works and Utilities Committee reports having received the following revised report and communication:

(i)(June 16, 1998) from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services respecting programs and other initiatives planned for the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, as documented in the Strategic Action Plan for the new City of Toronto, including the City-owned Building Retrofit Program; energy efficiency and conservation standards for new and existing buildings; Better Buildings Partnership; major Works facilities improvements; development of a District Energy System; and land use/transportation initiatives; forwarding a reduction summary for greenhouse gas emissions for 1997; and recommending that the report be received for information.

(ii)(June 17, 1998) from the City Clerk advising that the Environmental Task Force at its meeting held on June 16, 1998, had before it the report dated June 16, 1998, from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services respecting initiatives to reduce carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions; and advising that the Task Force supports the expansion of the former City of Toronto's Strategic Action Plan for the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions across the new City of Toronto.

(f)Preferred Respondent to Request for

Proposals for a Mixed Waste Recycling

and Organics Processing Facility.

The Works and Utilities Committee reports having received the following report:

(June 15, 1998) from the Interim Functional Lead for Solid Waste Management advising that following completion of the technical and financial evaluation process, Stone and Webster Canada Ltd., in association with Canada Composting Inc., has been identified as the preferred respondent to the Request for Proposals for a Mixed Waste Recycling and Organics Processing Facility at the Dufferin Transfer Station, and that a report with recommendations for an award of contract will be brought forward to the July 15, 1998 meeting of the Committee; further advising that an initial public meeting was held prior to issuance of the RFP to obtain public input on the project requirements, and a second set of public meetings is planned for June 16, 1998; and recommending that this report be received for information.

(g)Industrial Waste Surcharge Agreements.

The Works and Utilities Committee reports having:

(1)received the following report; and

(2)requested that the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services and the City Solicitor develop and submit options for a program which would allow the City to request and/or require industries which discharge waste to the sewers, by defined volume, concentration parameters or thresholds, to suspend discharge during heavy rainfall events in order to reduce lake contamination, and that such report also address the transition stage which would be required to implement such a program, including outreach and education of businesses:

(June 16, 1998) from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services responding to the request of the Committee at its meeting on May 20, 1998, that the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services submit a further report on whether a clause can be inserted in Industrial Waste Surcharge Agreements to permit the City to request companies to suspend discharging overstrength effluents at particular times; advising that while the City could pass by-laws to restrict the rights of companies or even homeowners to discharge into the sewer system, there are many legal, practical and economic issues that would have to be considered before any particular provisions could be adopted, and that in particular, a by-law requiring those industries who have entered into Industrial Waste Surcharge Agreements to install holding tanks to assist in the combined sewer overflow problem might not be valid; and recommending that the report be received for information.

(h)Consumers Gas - Development and

Maintenance of Below-Ground Infrastructure.

The Works and Utilities Committee reports having referred the following communication to the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services for a report thereon to the Committee:

(April 16, 1998) from Mr. Matthew Akman, Municipal Relations, Consumers Gas, requesting the opportunity to present the perspective of Consumers Gas and other major private utilities to the Works and Utilities Committee respecting the development and maintenance of below-ground infrastructure in the City of Toronto, in particular a One-Call-One-Locate system for buried pipe, wires and cable, and improvements in the Road Reinstatement process.

(i)Toronto Hydro - Amalgamation Status Report.

The Works and Utilities Committee reports having received the following communication:

(June 10, 1998) from the President and Chief Executive Officer, and Commission Chair, Toronto Hydro-Electric Commission, providing a brief synopsis of the Toronto Hydro-Electric Commission's amalgamation efforts to date, and reporting on the utility's progress in the harmonization of hydro rates across the City and the status of its capital spending and cutbacks; and forwarding a copy of a booklet entitled "Toronto Hydro's Strategic Plan for 1998."

(j)Disposal of Discarded Household Items.

The Works and Utilities Committee reports having requested the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services to:

(1)arrange a presentation to the Committee at its next meeting, scheduled to be held on July 15, 1998, on locations and other options for disposal of discarded household items, such as clothing, computers, etc., on a regular basis; and

(2)examine the feasibility of disposal of discarded household items at frequent intervals, for example through curbside collection.