Item - 2019.GV5.1

City Council request the City Manager, in consultation with the Clerk, to report to the Executive Committee by the second quarter of 2020, with a work plan to improve public engagement with Toronto’s government through:

a. expanded role of Community Councils beyond decision making, including assuming responsibility for select processes, consultation and other forms of direct interaction with citizens;

b. increasing opportunities and success factors for public engagement with Council and Committees through plain-language one-page summaries to new staff reports, new technology and open data, more meeting locations and times, other best practices and specific measures to address barriers faced by underrepresented or equity-seeking groups;

c. appropriate supports for neighbourhoods and neighbourhood organizations to access and interface with government; and

d. options for Participatory budgeting or other locally-based processes.

City Council request the Speaker to help make City Council meetings more efficient by:

a. maintaining a strict definition of ‘urgent business';

b. ensuring that more information on motions without notice is provided to Members before they are introduced, and that they adequately describe the reason for urgency; and

c. sequencing notices of motion later in the Council Agenda to ensure the most urgent business is considered first.

City Council request the City Clerk to report to the Executive Committee on the necessary amendments to the procedural by-law to require a two-thirds majority to appoint a different person than recommended by the applicable committee, panel or staff-led process, and affirm that the normal convention shall be to refer the matter back for reconsideration with additional instructions.

That City Council request the City Clerk, in consultation with the City Manager, to report to the Executive Committee with a work plan and on the resources required to adequately consult and fully investigate Toronto's ability to change election vote counting for the purpose of increasing voter participation and increasing candidacy.

1. City Council initiate the process to pass a by-law allowing for a ranked ballot election in 2022 by directing the appropriate City officials to undertake the steps set out in Ontario Regulation 310/16, namely:

a. preparing the required information about costs, voting procedure, technology and impacts on election administration for consideration by City Council and the public as described in s. 5 and s. 9 of the Regulation; 

b. scheduling multiple open houses and conducting a thorough public consultation (in excess of the required single open house) in accordance with s. 10 of the Regulation; and

c. bringing the proposed by-law to a public meeting required by s. 11(1) of the Regulation. 

2. City Council request that these steps be completed before the end of the third quarter of 2020 to permit the Clerk the maximum amount of time to prepare for a ranked ballot election. 

3. City Council direct that the Executive Committee hear the public comments at the public hearing required under the Regulation.

Amended by motion 5b by Councillor Fletcher.

That City Council request the City Manager to report to the Executive Committee on the feasibility of conducting, at the start of each term of Council, a large-scale public consultation on the City's long-term service priorities and financial direction to ensure Council's strategic direction for the four-year term is aligned with and understood by the community it serves.

That City Council direct the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer to present options for presenting the Tax-Supported Operating and Capital Budgets to the Executive Committee first to report on alignment with the Mayor and Council’s strategic direction, then be referred to Budget Committee, for review and engagement with Council members and the community.

That City Council direct the City Manager to report to the Executive Committee on the feasibility of conducting an annual, rolling review of local agencies, boards, corporations, and commissions to ensure that each organization's operations are aligned with the City's strategic priorities and report the outcomes of these reviews to the Executive Committee.

That City Council direct the City Manager to report back as part of the 2020 Budget process on the resources necessary to undertake a review of the City's engagement strategies, such review to include:

a. an assessment of the current resources applied to the City's engagement efforts City-wide;

b. an analysis of other municipal engagement strategies;

c. an assessment of best practice models to deliver effective engagement of stakeholders; and

d. a draft implementation plan of the highest and best practices in a multifaceted community engagement strategy.

That City Council request that the City Clerk to review and report back to the Special Committee on Governance, on moving to a New York City Campaign Finance Authority model of financing Toronto Municipal Elections, such review to include:

a. an outline of the components of the model including pre-election day accountability and disclosures, grant campaign financing, nomination procedures to take part in grant financing, etc.;

b. a review of the impacts of the New York City model on post-election compliance challenges and legal challenges; and

c. a detailed estimate of the cost of a 26 member Council election under this model.

Amended by motion 4 by Councillor Crawford.

That in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 27, Council Procedures, City Council reconsider the vote on motion 2f by Councillor Carroll, as amended.

That City Council request the Budget Committee to consider increasing the 2020 Operating budget for the City Manager's Office by $3.3 million to fund consultation and research on:

a. public engagement and civic literacy;

b. an Office of Neighbourhoods and supports to neighbourhood associations;

c. functions of City Councillors and possible delegation of some duties to appointed individuals or bodies;

d. permanent resident voting;

e. changes to the way committee meetings operate including presentations, Member Motions and agenda management;

f. Council advisory bodies; and

g. public appointments;

and direct the City Manager to carry out the consultation and research once the additional funds are approved.

That City Council amend motion 2f by Councillor Carroll by deleting the words "Special Committee on Governance" and inserting the words "Executive Committee" so that it now reads:

That City Council request that the City Clerk to review and report back to the Executive Committee, on moving to a New York City Campaign Finance Authority model of financing Toronto Municipal Elections, such review to include:

a. an outline of the components of the model including pre-election day accountability and disclosures, grant campaign financing, nomination procedures to take part in grant financing, etc.;

b. a review of the impacts of the New York City model on post-election compliance challenges and legal challenges; and

c. a detailed estimate of the cost of a 26 member Council election under this model.

That City Council request the City Clerk to look at all methods of Ranked Ballot Election.

That City Council amend motion 2a by Councillor Shelley Carroll by adding the words "and including existing sample ballots from other jurisdictions such as London, Ontario, San Francisco, California and other best practice ranked ballot municipalities" to Part 1a and the words "Subsequent to Council consideration of a and b, the City Clerk bring" to part 1c so that Parts 1a and 1c of the Motion now read as follows:

1. City Council initiate the process to pass a by-law allowing for a ranked ballot election in 2022 by directing the appropriate City officials to undertake the steps set out in Ontario Regulation 310/16, namely:

a. preparing the required information about costs, voting procedure, technology and impacts on election administration for consideration by City Council and the public as described in s. 5 and s. 9 of the Regulation, and including existing sample ballots from other jurisdictions such as London, Ontario, San Francisco, California and other best practice ranked ballot municipalities; 

c. Subsequent to Council consideration of a and b, the City Clerk bring the proposed by-law to a public meeting required by s. 11(1) of the Regulation.

Councillor Fletcher, rising on a Point of Privilege, stated that she had not finished asking her question.

Councillor Karygiannis, rising on a Point of Order, stated that the Speaker should let Council know what Councillor Fletcher's questions have to do with clarification of Councillor Holyday's motion, because he does not think they do.

That:

1.  City Council direct the City Manager to conduct, at the start of each term of Council, a large-scale public consultation on the City's long-term service priorities and financial direction to ensure Council's strategic direction for the four-year term is aligned with and understood by the community it serves.

That:

1. City Council direct the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer to present options for presenting the Tax-Supported Operating and Capital Budgets to the Executive Committee first to report on alignment with the Mayor and Council’s strategic direction, then be referred to Budget Committee, for review and engagement with Council members and the community.

That:

1. City Council direct the City Manager to conduct an annual, rolling review of local agencies, boards, corporations, and commissions to ensure that each organization's operations are aligned with the City's strategic priorities and report the outcomes of these reviews to the Executive Committee.

That:

1. City Council direct the City Manager and the City Clerk to identify further opportunities for delegation to Community Council so that City Council can focus on city-wide priorities and that these opportunities be presented to Council by the end of the fourth quarter of 2020.

That:

1. City Council request that the City Clerk report on any changes required to permit the electronic submission of petitions in advance of Council meetings.

That:

1. City Council request that the City Clerk identify opportunities to create a more welcoming atmosphere for public presentations (deputations), including increased information for newcomers, dedicated deputations guides, and posted speaking schedules.

That:

1. City Council direct the City Manager to report back as part of the 2020 Budget process on the resources necessary to undertake a review of the City's engagement strategies. This review should include:

a. an assessment of the current resources applied to the City's engagement efforts citywide;

b. an analysis of other municipal engagement strategies;

c. an assessment of best practice models to deliver effective engagement of stakeholders; and

d. a draft implementation plan of the highest and best practices in a multifaceted community engagement strategy.

That:

1. City Council direct the City Manager and the City Clerk to report to the Executive Committee by the end of the second quarter of 2020 on steps needed to conduct the 2022 election for Mayor and Councillors by ranked ballot, such report to include, but not be limited to:

a. an update of previous reports focused on the use of ranked ballots by various municipalities, particularly in London, Ontario in 2018, as well as other comparable North American jurisdictions such as Minneapolis and San Francisco;

b. public consultation and public education requirements of a successful transition to a ranked ballot system, including those contained in the Municipal Elections Act and associated MEA Regulations;

c. technical aspects of transitioning to a ranked ballot system, such as compatible electronic tabulation technology and the technological solutions available to enable a cost effective implementation, such as renting technology from Elections Ontario; and

d. timelines and associated incremental costs required to implement a ranked ballot for the 2022 election.

That:

1. City Council request that the City Clerk to review, and report back to the Special Committee on Governance, on moving to a New York City Campaign Finance Authority model of financing Toronto Municipal Elections, such review to include:

a. an outline of the components of the model including pre-election day accountability and disclosures, grant campaign financing, nomination procedures to take part in grant financing, etc.

b. a review of the impacts of the New York City model on post-election compliance challenges and legal challenges, and

c. a detailed estimate of the cost of a 26 member Council election under this model.

That:

1.  Recommendation 1 in the staff report be deleted.

2. City Council request the Budget Committee to consider increasing the 2020 Operating budget for the City Manager's Office by $3.3 million to fund consultation and research on:

a. Public engagement and civic literacy;

b. An Office of Neighbourhoods and supports to neighbourhood associations;

c. Functions of City Councillors and possible delegation of some duties to appointed individuals or bodies;

d. Permanent resident voting;

e. Changes to the way committee meetings operate including presentations, Member Motions and agenda management;

f. Council advisory bodies; and

g. Public appointments;

and direct the City Manager to carry out the consultation and research once the additional funds are approved.

That:

1.  The Special Committee on Governance adopt Recommendation 1 of the staff report:

"1.  City Council direct that the governance model adopted by City Council on December 4, 2018 (CC1.1) remain in place as the continual model."

That:

1.  The Special Committee on Governance adopt Recommendation 2 of the staff report:

"2.  City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to consider partnering with a post-secondary institute to undertake research on the organizational structure of the Committee of Adjustment to better engage and empower residents in the process."