Other Items Considered by the Committee

(a)A Plan to Reinvest National Child Benefit Supplement Savings.

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee reports having:

(1)recommended to the Budget Committee the adoption of the following report; and

(2)directed that the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services and the Medical Officer of Health be requested to report to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee on school nutrition programs:

(January 28, 1999) from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services responding to City Council's direction to develop a reinvestment plan for municipal social assistance savings resulting from the implementation of the National Child Benefit Supplement (N.C.B.S.) in Toronto; and recommending that:

(1)the objectives and implementation plan for the reinvestment of N.C.B.S. municipal savings as described in this report be approved by City Council;

(2)in 1999, cumulative N.C.B.S. municipal savings estimated at $8.8 million be allocated as recommended in this report;

(3)this report be referred to the Budget Committee;

(4)the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services proceed to take the necessary steps to implement the proposed plan; and

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

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Mr. Colin Hughes, Metro Campaign 2000, appeared before the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee in connection with the foregoing matter, and submitted a brief in regard thereto.

(b)Municipal Plan for Continued Provision of Benefits to Non-Social Assistant Recipients.

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee reports having recommended to the Budget Committee the adoption of the following report:

(January 28, 1999) from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services responding to recommendations made by City Council regarding the continuation of benefits to non-social assistance recipients; and recommending that:

(1)pursuant to Council direction, a fund be established for 1999 with an amount up to $400,000.00 gross and net, with the source for this funding to be determined through the 1999 budget process;

(2)the Municipality provide benefits to non-social assistance recipients on a limited basis as outlined in this report;

(3)this report be referred to Budget Committee; and

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

(c)"Taking Responsibility for Homelessness" - Report of the Mayor's Homelessness Action Task Force.

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee reports having referred the following communication to the Chief Administrative Officer and Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services for consideration with their report to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee:

(January 18, 1999) from the City Clerk advising that the Council Strategy Committee for People Without Homes on January18,1999, received a verbal presentation from Dr.AnneGolden, Chair, Mayor's Homelessness Action Task Force, regarding the report "Taking Responsibility for Homelessness", and recommended that:

(1)Council be advised that the Council Strategy Committee for People Without Homes endorses the noted report of the Mayor's Homelessness Action Task Force and the recommendations contained therein;

(2)the Budget Committee be requested to secure sufficient funds to implement the recommendations contained in the noted report from the Mayor's Homelessness Action Task Force, which may be modified by Council;

(3)Council be urged, through the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee, to appoint a Facilitator for Action on Homelessness as quickly as possible; and that Recommendations Nos. 1, 2 and 3, as contained in the noted report from the Mayor's Homelessness Task Force, be approved as urgent priorities;

(4)the other recommendations contained in the noted report from the Mayor's Homelessness Action Task Force be referred to the appropriate City officials for report back to Council, through the appropriate Standing Committee and/or the Council Strategy Committee for People Without Homes;

(5)the requested report from the appropriate City officials shall include the following:

(i)general time lines advising when the said recommendations from the Mayor's Homelessness Action Task Force could be implemented and target those recommendations which can be implemented in a short period of time;

(ii)an audit mechanism be included which can measure the effectiveness of the recommendations as they are implemented; and

(iii)the requested report also include multi-year funding implications for each recommendation or item brought forward; and

(6)Council be advised that the Council Strategy Committee for People Without Homes endorses the proposal for a Mayor's Summit on Homelessness to be held on March25, 1999, and co-sponsored by the City, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

(d)Update on Hostel Occupancy.

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee reports having

(1)recommended to the Budget Committee the adoption of the following report (ii) dated February11,1999, from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services, subject to amending Recommendation No. (2) by deleting the word "only", so that such recommendation reads as follows:

"(2)the commitment by the Community and Neighbourhood Services Department to expand hostel services by adding smaller full-standard facilities and developing a range of harm reduction shelters be supported; and";

(2)supported the following Recommendation No. (3) of the Advisory Committee on Homeless and Socially Isolated Persons, contained in the following communication (iv) from Councillor Jack Layton:

"The Advisory Committee send a letter to the Medical Officer of Health to work with hostels to deal with the health and safety issues associated with the current overcrowded conditions in the hostel system (such as TB, scabies, lice).";

(3)referred to the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services, in consultation with Mayor Mel Lastman, communications (i) dated January8,1999, from the City Clerk and (iv) dated February 11, 1999, from Councillor Jack Layton, Don River, with a request that she report thereon to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee for its meeting on March 24, 1999;

(4)referred the following motion to the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services, in consultation with the Medical Officer of Health, with a request that she report thereon to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee for its meeting on March24, 1999:

"That the expansion of hostel services should include the expansion of public health initiatives to reduce the spread of communicable diseases, in particular TB."; and

(5)directed that the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services be requested to develop the concept of "full-standard facility" guidelines and the implications of this definition for the program, and report thereon to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee:

(i)(January 18, 1999) from the City Clerk advising that the Council Strategy Committee for People Without Homes on January18,1999, had before it a communication (January8,1999) from CouncillorJackLayton, Co-Chair, Advisory Committee on Homeless and Socially Isolated Persons, recommending that:

(1)the City of Toronto adopt a no "No Room at the Inn" policy with respect to the provision of emergency shelter thereby ensuring that no one will be turned away from a hostel in Toronto due to lack of space;

(2)the City of Toronto make a commitment to replace all emergency shelter beds expected to be lost in the Spring of 1999 due to the closure of temporary winter hostels and renovations scheduled for Seaton House resulting in a loss of 150 beds; and

(3)the Shelter, Housing and Support Division report on the development of standardized rules for hostels;

and that the Council Strategy Committee recommended that:

(1)the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee be requested to adopt Recommendation No. (1), as adopted by the Advisory Committee onHomeless and Socially Isolated Persons, at its meeting of December18,1998, regarding a no "No Room at the Inn" policy; and

(2)the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services be requested to review Recommendations Nos. (2) and (3), as adopted by the Advisory Committee on Homeless and Socially Isolated Persons, and address these recommendations in her report on spring hostel capacity and standard rules as requested by the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee, with a copy of this report to be sent to the Council Strategy Committee for People Without Homes for information;

(ii)(February 11, 1999) from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services providing a current update on the occupancy levels in the hostel system; and recommending that:

(1)the existing contract with the Salvation Army, for the Lighthouse shelter at 37Dundas Street, East, be increased by 30 beds on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights effective February 15, 1999 to April15,1999;

(2)the commitment by the Community and Neighbourhood Services Department to expand hostel services only by adding smaller full-standard facilities and developing a range of harm reduction shelters be supported; and

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

(iii)graphs outlining Shelter Services for Single Adults and Youth from January 1-31, 1999, and from February 1-9, 1999, submitted by the Shelter, Housing and Support Division; and

(iv)(February 11, 1999) from Councillor Jack Layton, Don River, advising that the Advisory Committee on Homeless and Socially Isolated Persons on January22,1999, passed the following motions:

"(2)That the Mayor be asked to:

(a)convene the Emergency Planning Committee to develop a plan to establish permanent emergency shelters in both the east and west end of the City;

(b)declare a state of emergency in the City of Toronto in response to the homeless crisis; and

(c)open the armouries immediately as a short-term response to the current capacity shortage in the hostel system until such time as the new east and west sites are opened.

(3)The Advisory Committee send a letter to the Medical Officer of Health to work with hostels to deal with the health and safety issues associated with the current overcrowded conditions in the hostel system (such as TB, scabies, lice).

(4)That City officials meet with representatives of Oxfam, the Red Cross, Doctors without Borders and the Toronto Disaster Relief Committee to consult on emergency relief strategies."

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

-Ms. Kira Heineck, Toronto Disaster Relief Committee, and submitted a petition, headed "House the Homeless! Open up the Armouries!", with approximately 500 signatures;

-Ms. Cathy Crowe, Queen West Community Health Centre, and submitted a brief from the Toronto Disaster Relief Committee, headed "Why Open The Armouries?";

-Ms. Denise Toulouse, Anishnawbe Health Toronto;

-Mr. Gaetan Heroux;

-Mr. Michael Skidd; and

-Councillor Jack Layton, Co-Chair, Advisory Committee on Homeless and Socially Isolated Persons.

(e)Children's Summit.

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee reports having received the following communication:

(January 8, 1999) from the City Clerk advising that the Children and Youth Action Committee on December 15, 1998, received a verbal report on the Children's Summit by Ms.JulieMathien of the Community and Neighbourhood Services Department; and reports having approved funds in the amount of$18,000.00 for the Children's Summit to be held in February 1999; noting that funds areavailable in the Children and Youth Action Committee Budget, Account No.CD200-G39951.

(f)Ontario Works Program - Cost of Administering Informal Child Care.

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee reports having received the following communication:

(January 8, 1999) from the City Clerk advising that the Children and Youth Action Committee on December 15, 1998, had before it a report (November 23, 1998) from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services responding to a request for a report on the cost of administering the informal child care component of the Ontario Works program; and that the Children and Youth Action Committee received such report, and directed that a copy thereof be forwarded to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee for information.

(g)City of Toronto Provincial Homelessness Initiatives Fund Allocations.

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee reports having deferred consideration of the following report until its next meeting to be held on March24,1999, in order to discuss the implications for the year 1999; and further having directed that the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services be requested to submit to that meeting an explanation of the evaluation approach:

(February 10, 1999) from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services providing an update on the selection of projects and funding allocations from the City's Provincial Homelessness Initiatives Fund; advising that of the $1.02 million allocated by the Province, 25projects have been selected for $805,279.00 in funding, as outlined in the report; noting that the balance of the fund will be used for the "Youth Helping Youth" project at 11 Ordnance Street, and to fund emerging priorities identified later in the year; and recommending that the report be received for information.

(h)Establishment of Budget Sub-Committee.

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee reports having established a Budget Sub-Committee, comprised of Councillor Chris Korwin-Kuczynski, Councillor Olivia Chow and Councillor Gordon Chong, to consider the 1999 Operating Budget of the Community and Neighbourhood Services Department.