Other Items Considered by the Committee

(a)Final Report - Task Force On Community Access And Equity

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee reports having received the following report for information:

(December 14, 1998) from Councillor Mihevc, Chair of the Task Force on Community Access and Equity, advising that the Task Force will be meeting on January 19, 1999, to review the final draft of its report, which will be submitted to the next meeting of the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee.

(b)External Legal Firms Retained For Insurance Claim Defence

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee reports having received the following communication:

(November 19, 1998) from the City Clerk forwarding the action of the Budget Committee from its meeting of November 18, 1998, to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee and advising that the Budget Committee received for information the report (October 16, 1998) from the Chief Administrative Officer and the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer.

(c)Reinvestment Of Animal Licensing And Registration Fees

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee reports having adopted the following communication:

(November 19, 1998) from the City Clerk forwarding the action of the Budget Committee from its meeting of November 18, 1998, and recommending to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee and Council that the following recommendations of the Board of Health contained in the transmittal letter (October19, 1998) from the City Clerk, be considered as part of the Budget Committee deliberations on the 1999 Operating Budget:

"The Board of Health recommends to the Budget Committee that:

(1)current licensing revenues continue to be utilized to defray operating expenses; and

(2)any additional licensing and registration revenues be used to fund retroactive program initiatives, subject to the review and the resolution of these and other amalgamation-related issues."

(d)Public Health - Site Rationalization

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee reports having received the following communication:

(November 19, 1998) from the City Clerk forwarding the action of the Budget Committee from its meeting of November 18, 1998, to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee and recommending that the following action taken by the Board of Health as contained in the transmittal letter (October 16, 1998) from the City Clerk, be received for information:

"The Board of Health recommends to the Budget Committee that the Budget Committee and the Commissioner of Corporate Services give high priority to site rationalization because of the potential cost saving benefits inherent therein."

(e)Update on Consulting Assistance for Amalgamation

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee reports having received the following communication:

(November 19, 1998) from the City Clerk forwarding the following action of the Budget Committee from its meeting of November 18, 1998, to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee and advising that the Budget Committee:

(1)received as information the report (September 29, 1998) from the Executive Director, Human Resources and Amalgamation;

(2)requested Local 79 to forward a letter to the Budget Committee outlining its concerns in detail; and

(3)recommended that this matter be considered further at the meeting of the Budget Committee scheduled for December 8, 1998, and that it be listed as a deputation item.

(f)1998 Wheel-Trans Budget - Update

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee reports having received the following communication:

(November 19, 1998) from the City Clerk forwarding the action of the Budget Committee from its meeting of November 18, 1998, and recommending to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee and Council that the Toronto Transit Commission Report No. 15 entitled, "1998 Wheel-trans Budget - Update" from the meeting of the Toronto Transit Committee on November 4, 1998, be received and considered as part of the Budget Committee deliberations on the 1999 Operating Budget.

(g)Current Value Assessment - Tax Capping

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee reports having received the following communication:

(November 19, 1998) from the City Clerk forwarding the action of the Budget Committee from its meeting of November 18, 1998, to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, advising that the Budget Committee received for information the communication (September 30, 1998) from the General Secretary, Toronto Transit Commission, and the report (November 16, 1998) from the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer.

(h)Swipe Card Technology

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee reports having received the following communication:

(November 19, 1998) from the City Clerk forwarding the action of the Budget Committee from its meeting of November 18, 1998, to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee and Council, advising that the Budget Committee received for information the communication (October 26, 1998) from the General Secretary, Toronto Transit Commission.

(i)Yards Rationalization Study

The Strategic Policies and Priorities reports having referred the recommendations of the Budget Committee, contained in the following communication, to the appropriate Commissioners with a request that they report to the Works and Utilities Committee, the Economic Development Committee and the Urban Environment and Development Committee as appropriate in January 1999 on the impact of the closure of the yard locations, and that these Committees report thereon to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee:

(November 19, 1998) from the City Clerk forwarding the action of the Budget Committee from its meeting of November 18, 1998, to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee and Council, and recommending that:

(1)the report (November 9, 1998) from the Commissioner of Corporate Services be received for information; and

(2)the Yards Rationalization Study be completed either in or before June, 1999.

(j)Child Care Expansion - City's Cost Sharing Request to the Ministry of Community and Social Services

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee reports having received the following communication:

(November 19, 1998) from the City Clerk forwarding the action of the Budget Committee from its meeting of November 18, 1998, to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee and advising that the communication (October 8, 1998) from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services was received for information.

Councillor Ashton declared his interest in this matter in that his daughter is registered in a not-for-profit daycare centre.

Councillor Pantalone declared his interest in this matter in that his two children are registered in a not-for-profit daycare centre.

(k)Ontario Municipal Board Hearings

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee reports having referred the following matter to the City Solicitor, the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer and the Chief Planner with a request that they report thereon to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee:

(November 19, 1998) from the City Clerk forwarding the action of the Budget Committee from its meeting of November 18, 1998, to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee and Council, and recommending the adoption of the following recommendations embodied in the report (August 25, 1998) from the City Solicitor, subject to the following amendment to Recommendation No. 3:

"in the event that Council directs the hiring of an outside planner, the necessary funding be taken from the department's contingency."

(l)Keele Valley Landfill Site - Filling Options

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee reports having:

(1)adopted the communication (November 19, 1998) from the City Clerk; and

(2)adopted, as amended, the recommendation of the Budget Committee contained in the confidential communication (November 19, 1998) from the City Clerk addressed to the Works and Utilities Committee and forwarded notice of its action to the Works and Utilities Committee for its Special Meeting on December 16, 1998.

(i)(November 19, 1998) from City Clerk forwarding the action of the Budget Committee from its meeting of November 18, 1998, to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee and Council, and recommending that financial implications and costs be considered during the Budget Committee deliberations on the 1999 Operating Budget

(ii)(December 10, 1998) from the City Clerk forwarding the action of the Budget Committee, under confidential cover, from its meeting of December 8, 1998.

(m)Survey Of Single Parents

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee reports having adopted the recommendations of the Budget Committee contained in the following communication:

(November 19, 1998) from the City Clerk forwarding the action of the Budget Committee from its meeting of November 18, 1998, to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee and Council, and recommending that the recommendation of the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee, to adopt the report (October 19, 1998) from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services be considered as part of the Budget Committee deliberations on the 1999 Operating Budget.

(n)Oversized Street Name Signs - International Year Of Older Persons (1999)

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee reports having:

(1)received the following communication from the City Clerk; and

(2)requested appropriate City staff to meet with Ms. Edna Beange of the Seniors Task Force to discuss the design and installation of oversized street signs.

(November 19, 1998) from the City Clerk forwarding the action of the Budget Committee from its meeting of November 18, 1998, to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, for receipt of information, the transmittal letter (November 6, 1998) from the City Clerk forwarding the recommendations of the Seniors' Task Force with respect to the installation of oversized street signs.

(o)Toronto Police Services Board - Update On Police Pursuits

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee reports having received for information the following communication:

(November 19, 1998) from the City Clerk forwarding the action of the Budget Committee from its meeting of November 18, 1998, to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, and recommending receipt for information of the communication (November 9, 1998) from the Toronto Police Services Board.

(p)Establishing A Capital Revolving Fund For Affordable Housing

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee reports having deferred consideration of the following joint report and requested that it be considered as the same time that the previously requested report on the Revolving Capital Fund is submitted by the Budget Committee:

(December 1, 1998) from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services and Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer forwarding the aforementioned report and recognizing that Council has agreed in principle to establish a capital revolving fund for affordable housing to provide financial support to projects that demonstrate the City's role in facilitating creation of affordable housing (July 1998) and recommending that:

(1)the City establish a Capital Revolving Fund for Affordable Housing and re-designate the Social Housing Reserve Fund of the former City of Toronto for this purpose;

(2)the Capital Revolving Fund for Affordable Housing be managed as a restricted reserve fund, consistent with the requirements of Section 37 of the Planning Act;

(3)the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services and the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer be responsible for making recommendations to Council about allocation of funds from the Capital Revolving Fund to non-profit organizations including Cityhome/Metro Toronto Housing Company Limited, per the management plan outlined in this report, and restricted to the following purposes:

(i)proposal development funding for affordable housing projects;

(ii)project development assistance including forgivable loans and re-payable loans;

(iii)project financing (e.g. second mortgage loans); and

(iv)other activities related to improving the quality and quantity of affordable housing supply in the City of Toronto.

(4)the $1,288,776.72 received from the Province of Ontario as partial settlement of the former City of Toronto and Cityhome's claim against the Province arising out of the cancellation of non-profit housing projects be allocated as follows:

(i)$214,186.23 to Corporate Services to cover legal costs associated with the claim;

(ii)$7,813.00 to Cityhome to cover expenses related to the claim; and

(iii)$1,066,777.49 (plus accumulated interest) to the proposed Capital Revolving Fund for Affordable Housing.

(5)the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services and the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer report back on options for ongoing funding of the Capital Revolving Fund for Affordable Housing, if adopted.

(6)the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services and the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer report back on final management guidelines for the Fund;

(7) Council write to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and the Federal Minister responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing advising that Council has established a Capital Revolving Fund to support Affordable Housing, and to request that the Province of Ontario and Government of Canada participate in supporting development of affordable housing in the City of Toronto by contributing to this Fund; and

(8)authorize and direct appropriate City officials to take the necessary actions to implement these recommendations.

Councillor Layton appeared before the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee in connection with the foregoing matter.

(q)Assessment And Tax Policy Task Force - Proposed Terms Of Reference

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee reports having deferred consideration of the recommendations of the Assessment and Tax Policy Task Force contained in the following communication, pending the review of the Council-Committee governance structure by Council:

(December 2, 1998) from the City Clerk forwarding the action of the Assessment and Tax Policy Task Force from its meeting of November 20, 1998, to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee and recommending that:

(1)that the following Terms of Reference be adopted for the Assessment and Tax Policy Task Force:

(a)To meet as a working reference group to provide political direction to Finance Officials in the preparation of comprehensive tax policies in advance of the return of the 1999 Current Value assessment, (taking effect in 2001) including:

(i)review the tax burden for each property class, including the advantages and disadvantages of different tax rates for the residential, multi-residential, commercial and industrial property classes;

(ii)develop comprehensive tax policies for the multi-residential, commercial and industrial classes, including a permanent solution (ie. 2001) to ensure property tax equity between property classes;

(iii)develop long term (ie. 2001) tax policies to protect charitable and similar organizations in the commercial and industrial classes;

(iv)work towards a recommendation that a portion of a resident's property taxes be based on income;

(b)To develop a process to consult interested stakeholders on proposed tax policies for the 2001 reassessment;

(c)To review hardship cases arising from the 2.5 percent cap on charitable and similar non-profit organizations during the 1998-2000 period;

(d)To review criteria for an enhanced tax relief program for low-income seniors and disabled persons;

(e)To review a mechanism to establish a general tax deferral program for all low-income home owners;

(f)To review ways and means to protect the City's tax base;

(g)To continue efforts to persuade the Provincial Government to exempt veterans' club houses from the education portion of the property tax; and

(h)To provide options for Council, should legislation change in the future; and

(2)The Assessment and Tax Policy Task Force report directly to City Council because deputations are made at the Task Force level and not at the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee level.

(r)Status Report Of Year 2000 Business Continuity Plan

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee reports having:

(1)received the following report (November 30, 1998) from the Commissioner of Corporate Services for information; and

(2)met in-camera, in accordance with the provisions of the Municipal Act, to consider Recommendation No. (2) of the confidential report dated November 22, 1998 from the City Solicitor which was referred to the Committee for further consideration by Council at its November 25, 26 and 27, 1998 meeting, and the matter remained in camera.

(i)(November 30, 1998) from the Commissioner of Corporate Services updating the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee on the status of the Year 2000 Business Continuity Plan for the City of Toronto and providing the following:

(1)Status report of each priority 1 Year 2000 function;

(2)Status report on all ABC's and their state of readiness;

(3)Status report on expenditures;

(4)Change requests; and

recommending that the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee receive this report for information.

(ii)Clause No. 2 of Report No. 24 of the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, adopted as amended by the Council of the City of Toronto at its meeting held on November 25, 26 and 27, 1998.

(s)1999 Funding Levels For Municipal Grants Program

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee reports having deferred consideration of the recommendations of the Budget Committee contained in the following communication and requested the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhoods Services to report to the Municipal Grants Committee for submission to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee for its meeting on January 26, 1999, on the sustainability of AIDS services in programming at 1998 levels prior to approval of the 1999 Operating Budget:

(December 10, 1998) from the City Clerk forwarding the action of the Budget Committee from its meeting of December 8, 1998, to the Strategic Policies Committee and Council, and recommending:

(1)adoption of Recommendations (3) and (4) embodied in the transmittal letter (November20, 1998) from the City Clerk as follows:

"(3)available funds in the 1998 consolidated grants budget be used to address one-time financial adjustments required in the AIDS Prevention grants program up to $526,400.00;

(4)any remaining available funds in the 1998 consolidated grants budget after Recommendation No. (3) be used to address one-time financial adjustments required in the Arts and Culture grants program;"

and

(2)deferred the following Recommendation (2) for consideration with the 1999 Operating Budget:

"the 1999 consolidated grants appropriation be maintained at the 1998 level, redirecting available funding within the 1998 grants appropriation based on Committee priorities to initiate levelling up/service enhancement in 1999."

The following persons appeared before the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee in connection with the foregoing matter:

-Ms. Stacey Papernick, Volunteer Board Member, The AIDS Committee of Toronto; and

-Ms. Joan Anderson, Board Member, The AIDS Committee of Toronto.

(t)Uniform Snow Removal

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee reports having received the following communication:

(December 10, 1998) from the City Clerk forwarding the action of the Budget Committee from its meeting on December 8, 1998, to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee and advising that the Budget Committee deferred consideration of the joint report (December 4, 1998) from the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer and the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services relating to the subject matter to June 1999.

(u)Feasibility of Incorporating Parking Functions into an Authority or Department

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee reports having received the following report:

(December 15, 1998) from the Chief Administrative Officer, forwarding a report to respond to Council's request respecting the incorporation of parking enforcement and other related parking functions into an authority or department and recommending that the report be received for information.

Respectfully submitted,

COUNCILLOR CASE OOTES,

Chair Pro Tem

Toronto, December 15, 1998

Christine Archibald

Tel. (416) 392-7039