Works Best Practices Program and
Projected Staffing Levels -
Water and Wastewater Services Division
The Works and Utilities Committee recommends that:
(1)City Council take a clear position that there will be no privatization of Water
Pollution Control or Water Supply in the City of Toronto;
(2)the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services be instructed not to tender
any further work or extend any of the consulting contracts until the Works Best
Practices Program Work Group review is completed;
(3)no further action be taken to implement the Works Best Practices Program until the
Works Best Practices Program Work Group review is completed;
(4)the composition of the Works Best Practices Program Work Group be amended by
adding thereto the following Councillors:
-Councillor Betty Disero; and
-Councillor Tom Jakobek; and
(5)the City Clerk be requested to provide Secretariat support to the Work Group.
The Works and Utilities Committee reports having directed that:
(1)the Works Best Practices Program Work Group be requested to:
(i)review and report back to the Works and Utilities Committee as soon as possible on
stopping the contract with E.M.A. Consulting and others;
(ii)engage the Auditor and Treasurer to fully review all costs, capital, operating and reserve,
and savings from the Works Best Practices Program, and report back to the Works and
Utilities Committee at its next or a special meeting;
(iii)develop a strategy to suspend the staffing reductions projected for the Water Pollution
Control and Water Supply Divisions of the Works and Emergency Services Department until
the Work Group's review is completed;
(iv)appoint a Chair of the Work Group at its next meeting;
(v)submit to the Works and Utilities Committee any budget that they may require to be
funded from the Works and Emergency Services Capital Budget; and
(vi)submit to the Works and Utilities Committee progress reports every two months,
commencing with the meeting of the Committee scheduled to be held on March 24, 1999;
(2)the Chief Administrative Officer be requested to submit a report to the Corporate
Services Committee on a corporate re-deployment strategy during this period of position
reduction across the Corporation, with a specific program that would ensure that any
employee being offered an early exit package, or whose position may be phased out, be
accommodated if at all possible; and
(3)the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services be requested to provide the
opportunity for all Councillors to meet with staff at various Works sites, by April 1999.
The Works and Utilities Committee submits the following communication (February 3,
1999) from Mr. Bob Toop, National Representative, Toronto Civic Employees' Union,
Local 416:
Please find enclosed a copy of a letter from R.M. Pickett, Director, Water Protection Services,
with respect to projected staffing levels. Also, please find enclosed a letter from Brian
Cochrane to Mayor Mel Lastman.
The distribution of this information throughout the Water and Wastewater Services Division
has caused extreme concern amongst the workers. We would appreciate having this matter
placed on the agenda for the upcoming Works and Utilities Committee meeting on February
10, 1999, in order that we may make representations with respect to the adverse effect this is
having on the workers.
I would appreciate a confirmation at your earliest opportunity. Should you require additional
information, do not hesitate to contact me.
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The following persons appeared before the Works and Utilities Committee in connection with
the foregoing matter:
-Mr. Brian Cochrane, President, and Mr. Bob Toop, National Representative, Toronto Civic
Employees' Union, Local 416, and submitted material with respect thereto; and
-Councillor Olivia Chow, Downtown.
(A copy of each of the attachments to the foregoing communication has been forwarded to all
Members of Council with the supplementary agenda for the Works and Utilities Committee
meeting of February10, 1999, and a copy thereof is on file in the office of the City Clerk.)
