Item - 2017.CC31.1

City Council on July 4, 5, 6  and 7, 2017, adopted the following:

1.  City Council adopt the report (May 17, 2017) from the Ombudsman and in so doing, City Council request the Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division to implement all of the Ombudsman's recommendations.

Ombudsman's Recommendations:

1.  Parks, Forestry and Recreation should develop a clear, uniform process for local parks supervisors to follow when assessing applications for new facility uses in City parks. This process should:

i.  ensure that permit officers provide adequate information to local parks supervisors;

ii.  require that a record be kept of the information provided, the decision reached, and the reasons for that decision; and

iii.  be available to the public on Parks, Forestry and Recreation 's website.

2.  Parks, Forestry and Recreation should develop an internal process to identify and handle suspected permit violations, which should include:

i.  basic investigation of alleged permit violations, including an opportunity for the permit holder to provide information; and

ii.  circumstances in which the assistance of Municipal Licensing and Standards should be requested, and how this request should be carried out.

3.  Parks, Forestry and Recreation should consider the range of responses/penalties available to it in the case of a confirmed permit violation, and publish those on its website.

4.  Parks, Forestry and Recreation should amend its Complaints Policy to:

i.  clarify that it applies not only to complaints about Parks, Forestry and Recreation service delivery, but to complaints about anything under Parks, Forestry and Recreation's authority; and

ii.  set out a simple and clear process for staff to follow in dealing with complaints, including the investigation process and the right of individuals affected to be heard.

5.  Parks, Forestry and Recreation should develop a process to ensure, in any case where it is proposing to cancel, relocate or alter a permit for any reason, that:

i. it allows affected parties an opportunity to be heard; and

ii. it provides brief reasons for the decision to all affected parties.

6.  Parks, Forestry and Recreation should ensure that its policies and processes for permit handling include appropriate requirements for record keeping, and should, in addition to specific requirements for record-keeping in those policies, establish requirements for when staff should document interactions and decisions involving members of the public.

7.  Parks, Forestry and Recreation should develop a program to ensure all staff are trained on all policies and processes that apply to their work. Training records should be kept.

8.  Parks, Forestry and Recreation should report to Ombudsman Toronto quarterly on the status of the implementation of all of these recommendations, until Ombudsman Toronto is satisfied that implementation is complete.