Other Items Considered by the Committee

(a)Election of Chair of the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee.

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee reports having:

(1)elected Councillor Chris Korwin-Kuczynski as its Chair for the balance of the term of office expiring on May 31, 1999; and

(2)expressed its sincere appreciation to Councillor Gordon Chong for his contribution and hard work while chairing the Committee.

Councillor Gordon Chong resigned his position as Chair of the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee, effective immediately, in that had been appointed by the Provincial Government to serve on the Board of Directors of The Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority and the Ontario Property Assessment Corporation, and wished to dedicate more time to these issues.

(b)Hostel Ombudsperson.

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee reports having referred the following report to the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services for a report thereon to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee:

(July 2, 1998) from Councillor Jack Layton and Ms. Alison Kemper, Co-Chairs, Advisory Committee on Homeless and Socially Isolated Persons, proposing a one-year hostel ombudsperson pilot project, to be operated independently of the hostel system, which would assist hostel users in resolving complaints with Toronto's hostel system; and recommending that:

(1)Council approve funds in an amount no greater than $100,000.00 for a one-year hostel ombudsperson pilot project operated independently of the hostel system;

(2)the pilot project be funded through a purchase of service agreement with a community-based agency selected through a proposal process; and

(3)the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.

(c)The Public Housing Inquiry.

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee reports having referred the following report to the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services for a report thereon to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee and the Advisory Committee on Homeless and Socially Isolated Persons:

(July 2, 1998) from Councillor Jack Layton and Ms. Alison Kemper, Co-Chairs, Advisory Committee on Homeless and Socially Isolated Persons, advising that on June 12, 1998, the Advisory Committee on Homeless and Socially Isolated Persons heard from representatives of a Public Housing Inquiry concerned with the future of social housing in Ontario; indicating that recommendations were developed in ten key areas, including the mandate of social housing, the role of governments in social housing, keeping housing affordable, the RGI subsidy system, tenants rights and the privatization of management in social housing; and recommending that Council endorse the recommendations contained in The Public Housing Inquiry Final Report thereby making a commitment at the municipal level toward the achievement of real social and public housing reform.

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Mr. Cliff Martin, Mr. Vance Latchford and Ms. Nicole Seguin of The Public Housing Fightback Campaign appeared before the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee in connection with the foregoing matter.

(d)"Grow-As-You-Go" Housing Proposal.

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee reports having referred the following communication to the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services for consideration, as part of the emerging process referred to in the report, headed "Framework to Develop Affordable Housing Demonstration Projects," and report thereon to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee through the Council Strategy Committee for People Without Homes:

(July 2, 1998) from Councillor Jack Layton, Don River - Ward 25, forwarding a copy of a report, entitled "Grow As You Go: From Homelessness to Housing, A Planned Approach to Progressive Housing Development In Toronto May 1998", by vanNostrand DiCastri, Architects with Quantum Mortgage Advisors; and recommending that:

(1)this report be referred to staff for review and research; and

(2)staff report to the Council Strategy Committee for People Without Homes within two months and that the following issues be specifically addressed in their report:

(a)the potential of the proposed development model to provide affordable housing for low-income people and the income ranges that could be served by this housing;

(b)the constraints presented by Building Code, zoning and other regulatory mechanisms on the development of this type of housing; and

(c)the optimum size and location of development site for this type of housing, and potential City-owned sites that could be used for a pilot project.

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The following persons appeared before the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee in connection with the foregoing matter:

-Mr. John van Nostrand of van Nostrand DiCastri Architects, and presented slides with respect to his proposed housing model; and

-Councillor Jack Layton, Don River.

(e)Towards A Canadian Children's Environmental Health Network.

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee reports having referred the following communication to the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services for a report thereon to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee:

(June 22, 1998) from the City Clerk advising that the Children's Action Committee on June12, 1998, had before it a communication on the City of Toronto Environmental Protection Office and an overview of work on Children's Environmental Health Issues, submitted by Dr.JackLee, Regional Director of the Downtown Health Area, Public Health Division; and that the Children's Action Committee recommended that:

(1)Council endorse the following principles contained in the report "Towards a Canadian Children's Environmental Health Network" and that the Children's Action Committee be requested to take an active role at both the national and provincial levels when such a network is established:

"-That the mission of the Network should be to protect the environment, and to protect the fetus/child from environmental hazards.

-That the Network should focus on advocacy, education, public awareness and some research-related activities.

-That the Network should be housed in the non-governmental (NGO) sector, but that it should be based on a partnership with national, regional and local agencies/groups in diverse sectors.

-That the Network should develop a website and use computer-based technology to connect its partners and to disseminate information to a broad audience.";

(2)Council endorse the Canadian Institute of Child Health in taking a leadership role in housing the merging Children's Environmental Health Network; and

(3)Council urge all levels of government to move with all possible speed to set up this network.