Item - 2020.CC20.1

City Council on April 30, 2020, adopted the following:

1. City Council amend Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 27, Council Procedures to provide that during an emergency declared to exist in all or part of the City under section 4 or 7.0.1 of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act:

a. Members may participate in a meeting of City Council or a council committee by electronic means and will be counted in determining whether or not a quorum of members is present at any point in time;

b. Members may participate electronically in a meeting of City Council or a council committee that is closed to the public; and

c. a meeting of City Council or a council committee held by electronic means has 30 minutes to achieve quorum.

2. City Council amend the Simplified Procedures for Advisory Bodies to provide that during an emergency declared to exist in all or part of the City under section 4 or 7.0.1 of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act:

a. Members may participate in a meeting of a Council Advisory Body by electronic means and will be counted in determining whether or not a quorum of members is present at any point in time; and

b. Members may participate electronically in a meeting of a Council Advisory Body that is closed to the public.

3. City Council authorize local boards governed by the City of Toronto Act, 2006 to amend their own rules of procedure consistent with City Council's procedures to permit electronic participation by board members during an emergency declared to exist in all or part of the City under section 4 or 7.0.1 of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, including such local boards as have already made such amendments, without the need for further Council approval; the rules for Business Improvement Area Boards amended by City Council as set out in Part 4 below.

4. City Council amend the procedures in Schedule B of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19, Business Improvement Areas to provide that during an emergency declared to exist in all or part of the City under section 4 or 7.0.1 of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act:

a. Members may participate in a meeting of a Business Improvement Area Board by electronic means and will be counted in determining whether or not a quorum of members is present at any point in time; and

b. Members may participate electronically in a meeting of a Business Improvement Area Board that is closed to the public.

5. City Council authorize the Toronto Atmospheric Fund Board of Directors to meet by electronic means during an emergency declared to exist in all or part of the City under section 4 or 7.0.1 of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act in accordance with the following:

a. a member of the Board or any committee of the Board, and the Members of the Corporation may participate in a meeting of the Board or of any committee of the Board, or a meeting of the Members of the Corporation, by electronic means and will be counted in determining whether or not a quorum of members is present at any point in time;

b. a member of the Board or any committee of the Board, and the Members of the Corporation may participate electronically in a meeting of the Board or of any committee of the Board that is closed to the public; and

c. the Board is authorized to defer and reschedule the Annual General Meeting of the Members of the Corporation,

subject to compliance with the Toronto Atmospheric Fund Act, 2005, the Relationship Framework and the 2015 Statement of Investment Principles and the waiver of any provisions in the Operational Guidelines for Remote Participation in Toronto Atmospheric Fund Board Meetings necessary to permit a fully electronic meeting.

6.  City Council resolve that, notwithstanding Section 4-2 of the Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 4, Adjustment, Committee of, and By-law 1134-2019, where the Committee of Adjustment holds hearings during a declared emergency pursuant to section 3 of the Hearings in Tribunal Proceedings (Temporary Measures) Act, 2020, S.O. 2020, c. 5, Sched. 3, all members appointed to the Committee of Adjustment shall be deemed to be cross-appointed to all Districts and Panels for those hearings.

7.  City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building, to report to the next City Council meeting with the following information:

a. the number of Committee of Adjustment applications and hearings in queue as of the date when meetings ceased;

b. the number of applications that have had to be held off due to the pandemic up to May 31, 2020;

c. a forecast of the number of applications that will be submitted after May 31, 2020;

d. any options for Committee of Adjustment hearings, including what measures other cities use; and

e. the impact of a backlog on submissions and the issuance of building permits.

8.  City Council request the City Solicitor, in consultation with the Medical Officer of Health, to report on the possibility of holding future City Council Meetings and Standing Committee Meetings in person and/or virtually while taking into account all Physical Distancing guidelines and related Public Health directives.