Tuesday, March 16, 1999.

The Urban Environment and Development Committee and the Works and Utilities Committee met jointly on Tuesday, March 16, 1999, in Council Chamber, 3rd Floor, City Hall, Toronto, commencing at 9:30 a.m.

Members Present:

Councillor Betty Disero, Chair, Works and Utilities Committee

Councillor Joe Pantalone, Chair, Urban Environment and Development

Committee

Councillor Gerry Altobello

Councillor Lorenzo Bernardetti

Councillor Ila Bossons

Councillor Sandra Bussin

Councillor Jack Jakobek

Councillor Irene Jones

Councillor Jack Layton

Councillor Peter Li Preti

Councillor Pam McConnell

Councillor Bill Saundercook

Councillor Judy Sgro

Councillor Sherene Shaw

Councillor David Shiner

Councillor Michael Walker

Also Present:

Councillor Mario Giansante

Councillor Douglas Holyday

Councillor Chris Korwin-Kuczynski

Councillor David Miller

Councillor Frances Nunziata

1. Service Level Harmonization.

The joint Urban Environment and Development Committee and Works and Utilities Committee had before them the following reports and communications:

(A) (February 24, 1999) from the City Clerk advising that the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, at its meeting on February 23, 1999, had before it a report (February 19, 1999) from the Chief Administrative Officer recommending that:

(1) this report be forwarded to the Budget Committee for service level recommendations as part of the 1999 Operating Budget process;

(2) the shaded "Baseline Service Level" and options for the programs outlined in Tables 1 and 2 have formed the basis for the 1999 preliminary Operating estimates, and be considered by the Budget Committee as part of the 1999 Operating Budget process;

(3) service level harmonization reviews within Departments continue through 1999 resulting in the determination of Baseline Service Levels and options for other programs and services;

(4) this report be forwarded to Community Councils and the respective standing committees;

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

and further advising that the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee:

(1) endorsed the Recommendations embodied in the aforementioned report; and

(2) requested the Works and Utilities Committee and the Urban Environment and Development Committee to convene a joint meeting, as soon as possible, to consider policy issues, and report their findings to the Budget Committee for inclusion in the 1999 Operating Budget;

(B) (March 5, 1999) from the City Clerk forwarding the following report and communication which were before the Works and Utilities Committee at its meeting on January 13, 1999, and setting out the action taken by the Committee at that time:

(i) (November 27, 1998) from the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, recommending, based on the comments received at an informal meeting of the Works and Utilities Committee held on November 25, 1998, to review the issues and options discussed in this report, that:

(1) existing service levels for waste and recycling collection be continued into 1999, except for harmonization of the following services, which are to be referred to North York Community Council for comments before consideration by the Works and Utilities Committee:

(a) effective April 1, 1999, on an interim basis, the North York Community Council area be provided with once-a-week garbage collection and bi-weekly recycling collection, with twice-a-week garbage collection retained from the last week of June to the last week of August at an estimated annual cost savings of $1.0 million; and

(b) effective April 1, 1999, optional rear and side yard collection service provided at an additional fee be terminated;

(2) effective January 2, 1999, rear and side yard collection service be provided at no direct charge to all residents in low density properties who, on the basis of a doctor's certificate, lack sufficient mobility to carry waste materials to curbside, and who do not live in a residence with a fully able person, at an estimated additional annual cost of $50,000.00;

(3) effective April 1, 1999, replacement blue and grey boxes be provided to residents at a charge of $5.00 per box for pick-up at service yard and Civic Centre locations, and that green boxes be replaced with grey boxes as required, at an estimated saving of $120,000.00 per year;

(4) medium and high density residential buildings receiving municipal bulklift collection service be required to rent bulklift garbage bins from the City, as a condition of receiving garbage and recycling collection service from the City, at a rental fee sufficient to offset the cost of both bulklift garbage bins and recycling containers, subject to a further report on implementation issues to be submitted within approximately six months; and

(5) staff undertake the evaluation of the options for service harmonization outlined in this report with respect to:

(a) frequency of garbage, recycling and yard waste collection for low density and medium density residential properties which receive curbside collection;

(b) the provision of blue bags and other recycling support services to high density residential properties which receive bulklift collection;

(c) the provision of waste management services to small commercial properties and institutional properties, including consideration of full cost recovery user fees; and

(d) the number of industrial properties where municipal collection is proposed to be terminated and the method of phase out;

and that a report be brought forward in approximately six months; and

(ii) (January 13, 1999) from the Ontario Waste Management Association expressing concerns with respect to the harmonization of service levels for waste and recycling collection, and the suggestion that the City begin to provide services already adequately and economically provided by private sector waste haulers; and requesting that the Committee not approve this item at this time;

(C) (March 12, 1999) from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services recommending that:

(1) effective September 1, 1999, all low density residential properties be provided with once a week garbage collection and every second week (or alternating weekly) recycling collection, with summer twice a week garbage collection in areas of high waste generation and limited storage space (to be determined), at a cost saving of approximately $533,000.00 in 1999;

(2) staff report back to the Works and Utilities Committee by January 2000 with the proposed eligibility criteria for residential areas that would receive summer twice a week garbage collection in 2000, and with the associated cost impacts;

(3) once a week yard waste collection service be provided to all low density residential properties from mid-April to May 31 and from October 1 to November 30, with once every second week collection from June 1 to September 30, at a 1999 operating cost saving of approximately $200,000.00;

(4) effective July 1, 1999, provide rear and side yard collection service at no direct charge only to residents in low density properties who, on the basis of a doctor's certificate, lack sufficient mobility to carry waste to the curbside and who do not live in a residence with a fully able person, and terminate optional rear and side yard collection service provided for a fee, at a 1999 operating cost increase of approximately $25,000.00;

(5) effective July 1, 1999, charge $5.00 to replace lost recycling boxes or provide additional recycling boxes, and exchange damaged boxes for new boxes at no charge, and provide new residents with recycling boxes at no charge (with proof of new residency); and that this policy be extended to Environment Days, at a 1999 operating cost saving of approximately $30,000.00;

(6) existing service levels and eligibility criteria for garbage and recyclables collection service to the small commercial sector be maintained until the end of 2000;

(7) effective July 1, 1999, charge mandatory service fees to all small commercial locations currently receiving more than twice a week garbage collection at an annual rate of $300.00 for three times a week garbage collection, $1,200.00 for five times a week garbage collection and $1,600.00 for six times a week garbage collection, resulting in a 1999 operating revenue increase of approximately $2.3 million; and

(8) staff report back to the Works and Utilities Committee by June 2000 with harmonized eligibility criteria for garbage and recyclables collection service to the small commercial sector and a harmonized service fee structure to be effective January 2, 2001;

(D) (March 5, 1999) from the City Clerk forwarding the following reports and communications which were before the Urban Environment and Development Committee at its meeting on February 8, 1999, and setting out the action taken by the Committee at that time:

(i) (January 25, 1999) from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services providing an outline of the activities undertaken by Transportation Services staff in preparation for the 1998-1999 winter road maintenance season, the courses of action taken during the severe winter storms in the first two weeks of January, 1999, and the actions taken subsequent to those storms and recommending that:

(1) this report be received for information; and

(2) the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services prepare a detailed report for the March 31, 1999 meeting of the Urban Environment and Development Committee recommending a comprehensive winter maintenance plan for the City;

(ii) (January 6, 1999) from Councillor Bill Saundercook, York Humber, requesting that Councillor Saundercook and Alana Butcher, Acting Executive Director of the George Syme Seniors' Centre appear before the Economic Development Committee to speak about the Snowlink program in the former City of York;

(iii) (November 23, 1998) from the City Clerk forwarding the action of the Toronto Pedestrian Committee on November 19, 1998, and recommending that:

(1) Toronto City Council support the public funding for sidewalk clearance throughout the new City; and

(2) Joan Doiron, Co-Chair, be authorized to depute this matter at the Urban Environment and Development Committee;

(iv) (January 5, 1999) from Councillor Lorenzo Berardinetti, Chair, Scarborough Community Council, recommending policies and procedures be established City-wide for snow removal;

(v) (February 3, 1999) from the City Clerk forwarding the York Community Council recommendation, that an amount of $25,000.00 be transferred to the appropriate budget of the Works and Emergency Services that funds the Snow Link Program, to provide for the increased costs associated with this program;

(vi) (February 5, 1999) from the General Manager, Transportation Services, recommending that a comprehensive winter maintenance plan for the City, to be submitted by the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services to the March 31, 1999 meeting of the Urban Environment and Development Committee, address seniors and disabled persons sidewalk snow removal; and

(vii) (February 8, 1999) from Mayor Mel Lastman recommending that this report be forwarded to the Chair of the Greater Toronto Services Board and request the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services to explore this opportunity and report back to the Committee as soon as possible;

(E) (January 6, 1999) from Ms. Gay Cowbourne, President and Ms. Liz Bowers, Chair, Centennial Community and Recreation Association, expressing dissatisfaction with the snow removal from the earlier storm; and noting that in previous years, the snow removal in the area was always carried out expeditiously and thoroughly;

(F) (March 11, 1999) from the General Manager, Transportation Services, recommending that:

(1) the service strategy for the clearing of windrows of snow at the ends of driveways deposited during snow ploughing operations as recommended by the Chief Administrative Officer in his report of February 19, 1999, be adopted as the standard for the provision of this winter maintenance service (comprising the clearing of driveway windrows where it is feasible to do so using mechanized means, namely on local streets that are no less than 8.5 metres in width and/or with adequate boulevard storage space, and where long-term on-street parking is not permitted) at an estimated additional cost of $1,600,000.00;

(2) the service strategy for clearing snow from sidewalks as recommended by the Chief Administrative Officer in his report of February 19, 1999, be adopted as the standard for the provision of this winter maintenance service (comprising the clearing of walks adjacent to City properties and reverse frontage properties), resulting in an estimated annual savings of $3,800,000.00;

• snow removal (the melting or hauling away of snow accumulations) be provided on the various categories of City streets pursuant to the criteria, and follow the time frames outlined in Table 3 of this report; these respective parameters are guidelines and the initiation and undertaking of a snow removal operation will be subject to the consideration of such factors as anticipated further accumulation, time of year and probability of melt. To provide this level of service, Council endorse the following resource program:
• overhaul the 5 mobile snow melters owned by the City and provide regular annual maintenance (one time total cost of $500,000.00 and annual total maintenance cost of $75,000.00);
• purchase 10 additional snow blowers to provide a total City-owned complement of 20 (one time total cost of $1,500,000.00 and annual total maintenance cost of $50,000.00);
• establish a plan to secure hired snow removal equipment when necessary, comprising yearly contract to supply 700 tandem and tri-axle dump trucks ($140,000.00 annually) and establish and maintain an equipment register for at least 50 front-end loaders, and associated bulldozers, graders, excavators, bobcats, etc. ($20,000.00 annually); and

• establish a reserve account of $20,000,000.00 to cover the snow removal operating costs which would be incurred in the eventuality of a 50 cm snow accumulation;

• snow ploughing/de-icing services on local streets in the central areas of the City be enhanced resulting in an additional annual cost of $1,000,000.00; and
• the Chief Financial Officer and City Treasurer, in consultation with the Commissioners of Works and Emergency Services and Corporate Services (Fleet), report to the Budget Committee, in the context of the 1999 Current and Capital Budgets, on the appropriate cash flow and method to fund the items in Recommendations Nos. (1), (3) and (4) above;

(G) (March 4, 1999) from the City Clerk advising that the Toronto Pedestrian Committee, at its meeting of February 18, 1999, referred the following recommendations to the Urban Environment and Development Committee for approval:

• sidewalks should be cleared first;
• pedestrians should have unimpeded access to the T.T.C.;
• bus and streetcar routes should be the first streets plowed;
• bus stops should be cleared and made accessible;
• in a snow emergency, parking on any bus or streetcar route should be prohibited;
• street plowing should facilitate pedestrian access; and
• windrows should be cleared at intersections and transit stops to provide accessibility to the T.T.C.;
• (March 11, 1999) from Mr. Ronald Hart, North York Cycling & Pedestrian Committee, advising that the North York Cycling & Pedestrian Committee fully supports the Toronto Pedestrian Committee request for full public funding to clear sidewalks of snow; and urging that adequate funding be provided for sidewalk snow clearing in the 1999 budget.

(I) (March 15, 1999) from Ms. Helen Hansen and Ms. Joan Doiron, Feet on the Street;

(J) (March 15, 1999) from Ms. Lisa McGee, General Manager, Bloor Yorkville Business Improvement Area;

(K) (undated) from The Mirvish Village Association;

(L) (March 15, 1999) from Frances Wood, Southern Accent;

(M) (March, 1999) from Paula Paos;

(N) (March 11, 1999) from Mr. Ronald Hart, North York Cycling & Pedestrian Committee;

(O) (March 16, 1999) from Mr. Chris Kawalec, Community Development Co-ordinator, Parkdale/Liberty Economic Development Committee;

(P) (March 18, 1999) from O. Chabursky, Manager, West End Medical Pharmacy;

(Q) (March 15, 1999) from Bro. Ignatius Feaver, Director, St. Francis Table;

(R) (March 16, 1999) from Councillor Bill Saundercook, York Humber, Chair, York Community Council;

(S) (March 15, 1999) from Councillor Mario Silva, Trinity Niagara;

(T) (March 16, 1999) from Ms. Patty MacPherson, Chair, Bloor Bathurst Madison B.I.A.; and

(U) (March 16, 1999) from Ms. Helen Hansen.

The following persons made presentations to the joint Urban Environment and Development Committee and Works and Utilities Committee at its meeting on March 16, 1999:

The following persons addressed the joint Urban Environment and Development Committee and Works and Utilities Committee at its meeting on March 16, 1999:

- Peter Chan, President, Ontario Chinese Restaurant and Food Services Association;

- Tony Silipo, M.P.P.;

- Marilyn Churley, M.P.P. Riverdale, obo Jason Wong, President, Chinese Chamber of Commerce (East Toronto);

- Alex Ling, TABIA;

- Doug Ward, obo Bloor West Village B.I.A.;

- Chris Kawalec, obo Parkdale/Liberty Economic Development Committee;

- Dale Ritch;

- Jutta Mason;

- Frances Sequeira;

- David Vallance, Bloor Bathurst Madison B.I.A.;

- Joe Cunha;

- John Bray, Ontario Waste Management Association;

- Gus Fisher, obo Kensington Market Businessmen's Association;

- Helen Hansen, Feet on the Street;

- Tonny Louie, Toronto Chinatown Community Development Association;

- Terry Mundell, Ontario Restaurant Association;

- John Kiru, Weston Business Improvement Area;

- Alan Burke, President, East Beach Community Association;

- Garnett Martin, Toronto Pedestrian Committee;

- Joan Doiron, Co-Chair, Toronto Pedestrian Committee;

- Dietmar Lein, President, Long Branch Business Improvement Area;

- Mark Crowe, Chair, Parkdale Village B.I.A.;

- Walker Kwok, Co-Chair, Toronto Fair Tax Chinatown Committee;

- Doug Power, Teamsters Union, Local 499; and

- Tony Pena.

The Committee adjourned its meeting at X:XX p.m.

Chair.