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May 1, 1999.

To:Mayor Mel Lastman

Strategic Planning and Priorities Committee

Re:Big City Mayors Caucus of the F.C.M.

April 29, 1999. Saskatoon

Meeting Report

From:Jack Layton

First, Mayor Lastman, thank you for the opportunity to represent you once again at the Big City Mayors Caucus. The Caucus has steadily responded to your leadership and our City's pro-active stance on homelessness over the past year. Community groups across the country have also been instrumental in developing the momentum of public concern. As a result, homelessness has hit the radar screen of national decision-makers and media.

I have recorded a few of the highlights of the meeting. Full documentation is available through my office. Please contact Monica Tang at 392-4058 for copies of any item. Some recommendations are also included.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Recommendation 1:That the Council Strategy Committee for People Without Homes consider the Saskatoon SHIP initiative and that the Chair convene a meeting with key stakeholders to investigate the feasibility of implementing such a programme in Toronto.

Recommendation 2: That the City of Toronto endorse, in principle, the introduction of a new by-law to make it an offense to possess a knife of other similar weapon in a public place, street, park or public transit, without a reasonable excuse. This offence would be punishable by a fine.

Recommendation 3: The City Solicitor bring forward a by-law, modeled on the Montreal / Mount Royal / Lachine By-Law, for consideration by the appropriate Committees of Council.

Homelessness and Housing:

I presented the results of our National Symposium on Homelessness and the draft National Housing Policy Options Paper. As well, I turned over the first $20,000 installment of Toronto's $60,000 contribution to the Big City Mayors' Homelessness and Housing Initiative.

There was unanimous support for our proposals, for the draft National Housing Policy Document written by the group which Toronto has chaired. The policy will now go forward to the Halifax FCM meetings.

Here were some of the responses and comments.

Saskatoon's SHIP (Social Housing Initiatives Programme) is an exciting partnership initiative to generate financing for low income housing. The Board of Trade, Homebuilders, banks, labour are all involved with the city in recruiting and mobilizing capital.

Recommendation 1:That the Council Strategy Committee for People Without Homes consider the Saskatoon SHIP initiative and that the Chair convene a meeting with key stakeholders to investigate the feasibility of implementing such a programme in Toronto.

Calgary indicated that it had approved the $0.03 contribution ($25,000) to the initiative. Other Mayors indicated that they would be approaching their Councils for similar support.

The Big City Mayors' Caucus then adopted the following motions which were submitted by Toronto:

a)the document be presented for endorsement at the FCM Annual Conference in Halifax;

b)the FCM Executive Committee be requested to assign a high priority to and work on the implementation of the FCM Big City Mayors Caucus Initiative on Housing and Homelessness;

c)the Homelessness Initiative include the development of a broad coalition of national organizations in support of the campaign for affordable housing

d)the Initiative include a comprehensive approach to develop support in Cabinet, Parliament, the bureaucracy, the media and the public at large;

e)the Initiative be funded through a one time voluntary contribution by participating cities of $ 0.03 / capita to a fund to be administered by the FCM and the National Housing Policy Options Team

Port Authorities:

Mayor Bob Morrow of Hamilton and I both presented the terrible situation our cities face in dealing with the federal government on these matters. A detailed Memo on the Canada Port Authorities process was provided (and is available in my office). To quote the FCM Memo: "It is apparent that the Minister of Transport and his officials have failed to honour the commitments made to FCM on behalf of the affected municipal governments."

The FCM adopted the following motion: "That an urgent letter be forwarded to the Minister of Transport in which the Big City mayors Caucus urge the Minister of Transport to honour previous commitments made with respect to the Harbour Commissions at Toronto, Hamilton and Windsor."

Carrying Knives as Concealed Weapons:

The City of London brought forward a proposal to amend the Criminal Code to require mandatory minimum incarceration for the use of a weapon such as a knife.

Mayor Glen Murray commented that young people involved in crime are becoming accustomed to seeing time in jail as a part of the cycle of their life.

10% of the young people are the ones we are discussing here. We are creating a physical environment in which a community of young people is created which has fewer and fewer supports, recreational activities, interventions in family abuse situations and basic needs provision. We must take action on these fronts if we are to impact on youth crime.

Other Mayors expressed doubts about the deterence effect on the 5% of the young people who get involved in these sorts of activities.

Montreal, Lachine and Mount Royal have introduced successfully a municipal by-law making it an offense to possess a knife of other similar weapon in a public place, street, park or public transit, without a reasonable excuse. This offence is punishable by a fine. The City of Montreal by-law was challenged in Quebec Superior Court and was upheld and the regulation was not deemed to infringe on the federal government's criminal jurisdiction.

I believe that this by-law has the effect of 'nipping in the bud' the problem of knifes being carried in our community.

This matter will be considered by the FCM Standing Committee on Community Safety and Crime Prevention. The Big City Mayors urged that the emphasis on community development strategies to promote safety and reduce crime while, at the same time, endorsing the change to the criminal code.

Recommendation 2: That the City of Toronto endorse, in principle, the introduction of a new by-law to make it an offense to possess a knife of other similar weapon in a public place, street, park or public transit, without a reasonable excuse. This offence would be punishable by a fine.

Recommendation 3: The City Solicitor bring forward a by-law, modeled on the Montreal / Mount Royal / Lachine By-Law, for consideration by the appropriate Committees of Council.

Theft:

In another innovative approach, the City of Surrey, has adopted a programme to reduce car theft by young people. Rather than put young people who steal cars into jail, Surrey established a different penalty: a five year prohibition on holding a driver's license. The results have been very positive. I have requested the Mayor of Surrey, Doug McCallum, to provide background material for our Council.

Given that ten times as many bicyles are stolen as cars and given that less than 10% of stolen bicycles are returned, compared to in excess of 90% return rates for stolen cars. I believe that a similar penalty should be adopted for all vehicles.

4. That the City Solicitor and the Police Services Board report on the proposal to establish new penalties for vehicle theft which would be based upon the Surrey model wherein convicted car theifs have their driver's licenses taken away for 5 years. In the case of young offenders, the prohibition would prevent the offender from receiving his or her driver's license for 5 years on becoming of age.

Millenium Budget:

FCM is developing a comprehensive Millenium budget project which includes Toronto's priorities front and centre. It will have a strong environmental emphasis, and an emphasis on homelessness and housing initiatives.

The recommendations adopted by the Caucus included the following commitments:

_to commit to the campaign for a new municipal infrastructure programme with environmental benefits in the Millenium Budget. The 2000 municipal infrastructure programme should be sufficiently flexible to accomodate equally the needs of both rural and small communities and focus on the following:

_waste management systems

_water treatment, storm runoff and sewage systems

_alternative energy sources, energy efficiency

_sustainable transportation, including public transit, rail and advanced technologies, vehicle emissions testing, cycling and walking infrastructure, roads and bridges; and

_mainstreet renewal

_commit to the campaign for a National Highwys Programme to address national highways system improvements

_commit to Strategic Infrastructure Investments (SII) to create new areas of economic activity funded as a component of each of the first two programmes

Susatinable Urban Transportation:

Despite the excellent arguments which FCM Members have been advancing for gas tax funding of public transit, Mayors reported that the federal goverment is still adopting the stance that urban transportation is a provincial jurisdiction.

The Big City Mayors endorsed the ongoing campaign to secure a portion of the gas tax for the purposes of funding public transit.

Additional Notes:

Montreal, Vancouver and, recently, Winnipeg, have moved to create new governance models for transportation management in their regions. Each of these regions has created a transportation utility. These agencies have established comprehensive business plans.

Jack Layton

Councillor - Ward 25

 

   
Please note that council and committee documents are provided electronically for information only and do not retain the exact structure of the original versions. For example, charts, images and tables may be difficult to read. As such, readers should verify information before acting on it. All council documents are available from the City Clerk's office. Please e-mail clerk@toronto.ca.

 

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