Item - 2015.PG5.7

City Council on July 7, 8 and 9, 2015, adopted the following:

1.  City Council request Canada Post to provide the City Manager with detailed, City-wide implementation information on the community mailbox program in Toronto, including:

a.  the number and location of current residential and business mailboxes that will be affected and the number and location of community mailboxes that will be installed, including the criteria for determining areas which may be defined as "business corridors", "Urban", "Dense Urban" and "Downtown Core";

b.  the specific timelines for implementation;

c.  the design options for community mailboxes being considered by Canada Post, including any modifications to the standard mailbox format;

d.  Canada Post's siting guidelines and performance standards for assessing site feasibility;

e.  a detailed communications plan to inform Toronto residents about the conversion to community mailboxes; and

f.  A plan for addressing barriers to accessing postal services, including social isolation, literacy, linguistic, cognitive and mobility barriers and ensuring equitable outcomes for all Torontonians.

2.  City Council request Canada Post to co-operate with the General Manager, Transportation Services and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to develop location, siting and design guidelines for community mailboxes, including delivery options for areas where community mailboxes are not feasible; and City Council request the City Manager to report back to City Council once a specific, City-wide implementation plan has been provided by Canada Post and potential impacts to the City have been assessed.

3.  City Council request Canada Post to confirm that the City of Toronto will recover incremental costs for any staff services required to support the implementation and operation of community mailboxes in Toronto, which may include:

a.  Community mailbox siting and installation;

b.  Traffic management;

c.  Snow clearing; and

d.  Litter collection.

4.  City Council direct the Director, 311 Toronto to establish a call management strategy to redirect any community mailbox calls to Canada Post; and City Council request Canada Post to work with the Director, 311 Toronto to establish roles and responsibilities for responding to community mailbox-related calls.

5.  City Council request Canada Post to incorporate into the design of the new Community Mailboxes a slot where people can deposit unwanted unaddressed mail or alternatively, supply and maintain recycling receptacles at new Community Mailbox locations.

6.  City Council direct the City Manager to request Canada Post to conduct community consultation meetings in cooperation with the City in all areas of the City, and schedule such meetings at a time that accommodates the local Member of Parliament's attendance.

7. City Council request Canada Post to forward all reports related to Community Mailboxes for the review of the Disability Issues Committee, and to attend and present their door-to-door residential delivery service phase-out plans at the Disability Issues Committee's September 29, 2015 meeting.

8.  City Council request the City Manager to consult with other municipalities to determine what agreements, costs/payments, implementation practices or other actions that have been undertaken in other jurisdictions with respect to the implementation of the Community Mailboxes, and include in future reports to Council.

9.  City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services to report to the November 16, 2015 meeting of the Planning and Growth Management Committee with a Canada Post update that includes information on the criteria used to identify "Urban", "Dense Urban" and "Downtown Core" areas.

10.  City Council request the City Solicitor and City Manager, in consultation with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the General Manager, Transportation Services, to report back to the November 16, 2015 meeting of the Planning and Growth Management Committee on options to protect residents and mitigate the impacts of Canada Post switching to Community Mailboxes.

11.  City Council authorize the City Solicitor to take all necessary steps as determined by the City Solicitor to support the Federation of Canadian Municipalities in its request for intervenor status in the appeal of the City of Hamilton community mailbox decision.