Item - 2019.EC6.15

The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council amend the Guiding Principle on Achieving Accountability in Attachment 1 to the report (June 11, 2019) from the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration to read as follows:

"3. Achieve Accountability. The City of Toronto's community benefits processes will be consistent, transparent, and accountable to its stakeholders. Community benefits initiatives will establish hard targets, and report on outcomes."

2.  City Council adopt the Community Benefits Framework Goal and Principles, and Implementation Plan as set out in Attachment 1 to the report (June 11, 2019) from the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, as amended by Recommendation 1.

 
3.  City Council direct the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, to submit a budget proposal in the 2020 budget process for 1.0 Full Time Equivalent to support the Community Benefits Framework.

 
4.  City Council direct the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, in consultation with the General Manager, Toronto Employment and Social Services, and General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, to convene a Community Benefits Advisory Group, with consideration for stakeholder membership categories as set out in Attachment 2 to the report (June 11, 2019) from the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration. 

 
5.  City Council direct the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration to report back to Economic and Community Development Committee in the first quarter of 2022 with a status update on the Community Benefits Framework Implementation Plan, and recommendations for Community Benefits Framework future direction.

6.  City Council direct the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, Chief Purchasing Official, Purchasing and Materials Management Division, General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, and General Manager, Toronto Employment and Social Services, in collaboration with the Community Benefits Coordinator, to provide data required to report annually starting in 2019 and going forward, on City of Toronto community benefits targets and/or achievements on a project by project basis where possible, to be published on a City webpage by year-end 2019, and with consideration for aligning with an open data approach.

7.  City Council direct the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, through the Community Benefits Coordinator, to support, as resources allow, any community benefits initiatives that may fall outside the focus of the Implementation Plan but are consistent with the guiding principles of the Community Benefits Framework, including private developments on privately-owned land where community groups and developers are both willing to enter into exploratory discussions.

The Economic and Community Development Committee:

1.  Requested the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration to report directly to the July 16 and 17, 2019 City Council meeting to provide additional information on where community benefits hard targets would apply within the proposed community benefits framework.

Toronto is a prosperous economic engine of the region and country, yet it also suffers from high rates of poverty, growing income inequality, and a rise in precarious work^[1]. Youth, immigrants, racialized people and women are particularly disadvantaged, and face significant barriers to opportunity^[2]. The Community Benefits Framework responds to these social and economic conditions by utilizing City community benefits levers to create targeted hiring and training opportunities, provide economic opportunities, reduce poverty, and support community priorities among Indigenous peoples and equity-seeking groups in Toronto. 

Community benefits processes offer a way for government and other institutions to multiply the impact of their spending. Community benefits can be leveraged by infrastructure projects that are funded through City procurement processes, or incentivized by the City. In this report, community benefits outcomes are focussed on: 1) inclusive workforce development, 2) supply chain diversity, and 3) other community-identified priorities. At this time, it is not recommended that the Community Benefits Framework apply to private developments although, Economic Development and Culture Division has recently recommended a pilot program be implemented, which would further encourage community benefits activities through private development projects that receive grants^[3].

The community benefits concept has gained significant attention at the City of Toronto. City Divisions, Agencies, and Corporations increasingly seek guidance and subject-matter expertise on how to integrate community benefits into their programs and projects.

The Community Benefits Framework sets out a clear goal, guiding principles, and implementation plan, which will build the City of Toronto's capacity to create and implement community benefits opportunities within City programs and projects.

To maximize the impact of community benefit initiatives and facilitate simple and efficient implementation, the Community Benefits Framework intends to bring the City's community benefits initiatives under a common umbrella to: 1) achieve better coordination across initiatives, 2) implement consistent approaches, 3) support community engagement, and 4) develop a data tracking system to monitor outcomes.

The Community Benefits Framework will not replace the existing administrative role of Divisional programs. Community benefits initiatives will continue to be administered and maintained through respective City Divisions, Agencies, and Corporations.

The recommendations in this report support the City of Toronto to maximize the social and economic impacts of community benefits initiatives when it buys, builds, or provides financial incentives for construction or remediation. 

 
^[1] United Way Greater Toronto. 2019. Rebalancing the Opportunity Equation. https://unitedwaygt.org/file/2019_OE_fullreport_FINAL.pdf
^[2] Ibid.
^[3] EC5.13 Improving the Imagination, Manufacturing, Innovation and Technology Local Employment Requirement

http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2019.EC5.13