Item - 2018.CD29.9

The Community Development and Recreation Committee received the item for information.

At the meeting of May 9, 2018, the Community Development and Recreation Committee approved the following motion: 

"The Acting Deputy City Manager, Cluster A report to the June 13, 2018 Community Development and Recreation Committee meeting on how Children's Services can work with the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards to develop an enforcement strategy for dogs in playgrounds being used by children who are in school based childcare centres for which the City is the service manager."

Staff of Children's Services and Municipal Licensing and Standards have advised me that they are working together to create a communication plan and enforcement strategy to address issues related to dogs in school yards, in addition to other public spaces. This work will include consultation with the four school boards and information sharing with child care centre operators located in schools.

In the meanwhile, City staff have shared with me that planned public education campaigns have been directly inspired by the work of the students at Leslieville Public School. The City of Toronto has recently launched a public education campaign about dog poo in city parks, and plans are being made for this campaign to also include public education on the issue of do poo not being picked up in school yards.

Further to the public education campaign, staff are planning to communicate with the schools and child care centres about the process of notifying Toronto's 311 contact centre when there are dog related issues in schoolyards. This will assist the Municipal Licensing and Standards division in determining the appropriate deployment of enforcement staff.

This is an important issue that impacts children. Supporting clean playgrounds takes commitment from dog owners, the schools, the broader community and the City of Toronto.

I am asking that the Committee provide the students of Room 301 at Leslieville Public School with the opportunity to speak to this issue at today's meeting, prior to the end of the school year, to help inform and contribute to the City's education and enforcement efforts.