Item - 2013.EX31.3

City Council, on May 7, 8, 9, and 10, 2013 adopted the following:

1.         City Council indicate its support for regional transportation expansion in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA), which is necessary for the growth, economic and social health, of both the City and the GTHA region.

2.         City Council indicate its support for dedicated revenues to be implemented by the Province to fund the Metrolinx transportation plan (the "Big Move").

3.         City Council indicate its support for the new dedicated revenues to finance the related future operating costs for Metrolinx Big Move Transportation Plan.

4.         City Council direct the City Manager to report back to Council regarding the opportunity to utilize the new Metrolinx revenue tools to finance 50 percent of the existing transit operations for Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) municipalities.

5.         City Council adopt the following implementation principles as the basis for its support for new GTHA taxes and fees related to the Big Move capital transportation plan:

a.         All project selections be based on a cost/benefit analysis that emphasizes improving transportation capacity, relief from congestion, and is linked to appropriate land-use planning;

b.         New GTHA taxes or fees must be dedicated to funding GTHA transportation expansion;

c.         New taxes or user fees imposed in the GTHA should be assessed at the same rates across the GTHA; and

d.         The mix of revenue should balance the impact across various segments of society (e.g., both residents and businesses), with particular attention to affordability for lower-income citizens, by incorporating possible tax credits for low income residents. 

6.         City Council request Metrolinx and the Government of Ontario to adopt the following implementation principles to govern the use of any new transit-related revenue tools:

a.         The governance and decision-making processes of Metrolinx must be changed to ensure Toronto has an appropriate degree of control over the use of new transit-related revenue tools applied in Toronto;

b.         Revenues raised must be applied to both new capital transportation infrastructure expansion and its associated ongoing operating expenses;

c.         Revenues raised must not be used to fund the Province's existing $8.4 Billion commitment to transit projects in Toronto;

d.         Projects must be selected based on a cost/benefit analysis that emphasizes improving transportation capacity, reducing travel times and congestion, and be linked to appropriate land-use planning; and

e.         New revenue tools must be applied equally and broadly across southern Ontario in a way that does not create a disincentive to economic growth in Toronto.

7.         City Council indicate to Metrolinx that it does not support the use of the following GTHA revenues:

a.         congestion levy

b.         employer payroll tax

c.         land transfer tax

d.         land value capture

e.         personal income tax

f.          property tax

g.         transit fare increase

h.         utility bill levy

i.          fuel tax

j.          parking levy

k.         Highway tolls or other road pricing

l.          high occupancy toll lanes.

8.         City Council indicate that its support is conditional on 25 percent of the new revenues being allocated to incremental funding of local municipal transportation expansion priorities at the discretion of municipal councils.

9.         Council indicate that it does not support the use of a regional property tax to fund regional transportation expansion, noting that the municipal tax base is required to finance existing operations, capital maintenance requirements, and expected contributions to local transportation expansion not funded by the 25 percent share of new revenues. 

10.       Should the Provincial government determine to use a commercial parking levy as a revenue tool, City Council request the Provincial government to consider no charge for small scale commercial parking and differentiated charges for paid commercial parking lots and other large scale free commercial parking.

11.       City Council advise the Province of Ontario that any taxes, fees, charges or levies should not be implemented or collected until such time as:

a.         mechanisms are put in place to insure the accountability of Metrolinx, including the appointment of the Mayor or his designate to the Board of Metrolinx;

b.         the operating costs of expanded transit are fully costed; and

c.         the Province of Ontario agrees to fund one-half (1/2) of the operating, state of good repair and rolling stock costs in the City of Toronto.

12.       City Council advise the Province of Ontario that GO Transit Capital and Operating costs should continue to be covered by the Provincial Government outside of the new revenue sources.

13.       City Council request the Federal government to commit to transportation expansion in Ontario and contribute an equitable and increased share of dedicated program funding for the Metrolinx Big Move plan. 

14.       City Council request the Federal Government to lower the income tax rate for GTHA residents to compensate them in whole or in part for the imposition of the new taxes needed for the construction of Phase II.

15.       City Council request that Metrolinx work with Infrastructure Ontario and PPP Canada to explore options to minimize capital costs associated with the construction and delivery of its regional transportation projects.

16.       City Council endorse the principle that the capital maintenance costs for major regional transportation infrastructure investments that are to be owned by Metrolinx, such as those included in the Big Move, be borne by Metrolinx.

17.       City Council advise the Province of Ontario that, prior to the introduction of new transit-specific revenue sources, legislation should be passed that establishes a new governance model for the Metrolinx Board, so that:

a.          appointment of the Metrolinx Board of Directors is made by the municipal governments that chose the original Metrolinx Board with the Chair to be appointed by the Province;

b.          the membership on the new Board is divided on an equitable basis between the City or Toronto and the other participating municipalities with the Chair casting a tie-breaking vote; and

c.         the expenditure of the new sources of revenue are the sole responsibility of this Board.

18.       City Council direct the City Manager to report back to Council regarding:

a.         appropriate changes to the Metrolinx governance model; and

b.         principles for the allocation of the 25 percent share of new revenues for local municipal transportation expansion priorities.

19.       City Council not proceed with the proposed Yonge North Subway Extension until improvements have first been made to increase capacity on the existing Yonge University line by an amount at least equal to the increased ridership generated by the Yonge North Subway Extension.

20.       City Council request that the North York Relief Line (unfinished subway construction between Sheppard Avenue and Allen Road, and Yonge Street and Sheppard Avenue) be recognized as a substantive project priority for Phase 2 Metrolinx funding. 

21.       City Council support the extension of the Bloor Danforth Subway Line from Kennedy Station to the Scarborough Town Centre and north to Sheppard Avenue.

22.       City Council request Metrolinx to consider issuing an international Request for Proposals for all future subway construction in the Greater Toronto Area in order to further reduce subway construction cost.

23.       City Council request that Metrolinx projects and the Toronto Transit Commission local projects be aligned with City Building goals including appropriate transit oriented development on Metrolinx properties.

24.       City Council request Metrolinx and the Toronto Transit Commission to undertake Community Benefit Agreements for all transit lines and local projects funded through new revenue tools.

25.      City Council refer the following motions to the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning for consideration in the report scheduled for Planning and Growth Management Committee in November 2013:

           Moved by Councillor Norm Kelly:

            City Council's priorities on the new Metrolinx Board be the following:

a.        The construction of the Downtown Relief Line;

b.        The underground extension of the Bloor-Danforth Subway Line to Scarborough Towne Centre;

c.        The completion of the Sheppard Subway Line (North York Relief Line) from Downsview Station to Yonge;

d.       The completion of the Sheppard Subway Line from Don Mills Station to the Scarborough Town Centre; and

e.        Exploring P3 options for its transit initiatives.

Moved by Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti:

                  City Council support the construction of a subway on Finch Avenue West from Spadina Subway Station to Humber College.

Moved by Councillor Peter Milczyn:

                  City Council advise Metrolinx and the Government of Ontario that any revenues raised in Toronto from new revenue tools be applied first to the following funding priorities:

a.         An Environmental Assessment for the Downtown Relief Line;

b.         An underground extension of the Bloor-Danforth Subway line to Scarborough Town Centre;

c.         The completion of the Sheppard Subway Line (North York Relief Line) from Downsview Station to Yonge Street to support the future northward extension of the Yonge St. Subway Line;

d.         The completion of the Sheppard Subway Line from Don Mills Station to Scarborough Town Centre;

e.         Construction of the Downtown Relief Line;

f.          Enhancements to fully grade separate the Finch LRT Line; and

g.         A fully grade-separated extension of the Bloor-Danforth Subway Line to the East Mall and further to Sherway Gardens Mall.

             Moved by Councillor Ron Moeser:

Should City Council adopt revenue tools, that the extension of the Sheppard LRT to Meadowvale and the Zoo be considered by the City Manager as a priority project to be addressed in the follow-up report that will outline the City's priorities for the Big Move next wave plan.

26.       City Council forward its decision to Metrolinx, the Provincial Ministries of Finance, Transportation, and Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Federal Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities.