Item - 2021.EC25.6

The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council reiterate its requests to the Federal and Provincial Governments to:

a.  work with the City of Toronto to develop a coordinated approach to new refugee claimant arrivals;

b.  continue to provide temporary accommodations for refugee claimant arrivals at the border or place of entry until they have a permanent housing plan in place; and

c.  develop a regional response to place new refugee claimant arrivals in interim housing where there is capacity.

2.  City Council approve the 2022 Shelter Infrastructure Plan in Attachment 1 to the report (October 6, 2021) from the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management and the Chief Procurement Officer and City Council authorize the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration to enter into new or amend existing agreements, other than leases or other property transaction documents for which delegated authority has been granted to Corporate Real Estate Management, as required, to open and operate shelters outlined in the 2022 Shelter Infrastructure Plan on terms and conditions satisfactory to the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

3.  City Council authorize the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration to enter into new or amend existing agreements, other than leases or other property transaction documents for which delegated authority has been granted to Corporate Real Estate Management, to maintain or add required respite spaces and shelter beds and respond to urgent or unanticipated need to relocate shelters or 24-hour respite sites and 24-hour drop-ins on terms and conditions satisfactory to the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

4.  City Council authorize that, in the context of the acquisition or lease of a property for the purpose of a shelter site, the local Councillor shall be briefed in accordance with the process approved by City Council in Item CD24.7, headed "2018 Shelter Infrastructure Plan and Progress Report", and such engagement shall also be considered to have satisfied the requirement for consultation in Appendix B, Section (A) in City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 213, Real Property, where the transaction is being implemented through the real estate authority delegated to staff under City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 213, Real Property.

5.  City Council request the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration to prepare and publicly publish a 2022 Work Plan in the first quarter of 2022 that clearly explains where net shelter spaces and housing units will be provided to fully make up for the capacity of any leases for temporary emergency programs when they end.
 

6.  City Council request the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration to take appropriate measures to provide adequate shelter capacity in response to unanticipated demands on the system, above and beyond the 2022 Shelter Infrastructure Strategy, including but not limited to, making the Federal and Provincial Governments aware of additional requirements for resources and other supports.

The Economic and Community Development Committee considered Items EC25.5 and EC25.6 together.

The Acting General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration and the Director, Service Planning and Integrity, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration gave a presentation on Homelessness Service System Update.

The Economic and Community Development Committee:

1.  In accordance with Section 71-11.1C of City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 71, Financial Control, authorized the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration to enter into the necessary amending agreements on terms and conditions satisfactory to the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor to increase the value (and term, as outlined in Parts 1.d., 1.i., 1.j. and 1.k. below) of the following contracts:

a.  Purchase Order Number 6052100 with Practice Health Check Corp. for the provision of consulting services to support community agencies with infection prevention and control management (as part of the COVID-19 pandemic response) within the shelter system by the amount of $1,500,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($1,526,400 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries), increasing the contract value from $900,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($915,840 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries) to $2,400,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($2,238,720 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries);

b.  Blanket Contract Number 47022916 with Stronco Group of Companies for the provision of a monthly rental of modular offices by the amount of $500,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($508,800 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries), increasing the contract value from $700,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($712,320 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries) to $1,200,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($1,221,120 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries);

c.  Blanket Contract Number 47023129 with Chantler's Environmental Services for the provision of a monthly rental of shower trailers by the amount of $200,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($203,520 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries), increasing the contract value from $1,000,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($1,017,600 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries) to $1,200,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($1,221,120 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries);

d.  Blanket Contract Number 47022956 with HVAC Rentals Ontario Inc. for the provision of HVAC equipment rental by the amount of $900,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($915,840 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries), increasing the contract value from $1,600,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($1,628,160 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries) to $2,500,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($2,544,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries) and extending the term to December 31, 2021;

e.  Purchase Order Number 6052050 with Kazbo Consulting & Contracting for the provision of 3 Stage HEPA Air Scrubbers by the amount of $600,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($610,560 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries), increasing the contract value from $982,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($999,283 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries) to $1,582,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($1,609,843 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries);

f.  Purchase Order Number 6052503 with Monstera Maintenance and Construction Inc. for the provision of a maintenance contract for the 3-stage HEPA air scrubbers by the amount of $900,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($915,840 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries), increasing the contract value from $500,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($508,800 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries) to $1,400,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($1,424,640 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries);

g.  Purchase Order Number 6052130 with Rostam Infrastructure Inc. for the provision of trailer-mounted HVAC units, including a maintenance plan, by the amount of $700,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($712,320 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries), increasing the contract value from $887,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($902,611 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries) to $1,587,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($1,714,931 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries);

h.  Purchase Order Number 6052128 with Total Power Limited for the provision of additional generator units, including a maintenance plan, by the amount of $300,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($305,280 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries), increasing the contract value from $719,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($731,654 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries) to $1,019,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($1,036,934 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries);

i.  Blanket Contract Number 47022484 with Gardena Investments Limited, operating as Alexandra Hotel, for the provision of hotel/motel accommodations for use as a temporary municipal shelter by the amount of $1,900,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($1,933,440 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries), increasing the contract value from $4,300,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($4,375,880 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries) to $6,200,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($6,309,120 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries) and extending the term to June 30, 2022;

j.  Blanket Contract Number 47022485 with 2554046 Ontario Inc., operating as Staybridge Suites Toronto Vaughan South, for the provision of hotel/motel accommodations for use as a temporary municipal shelter by the amount of $1,200,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($1,221,120 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries), increasing the contract value from $3,800,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($3,866,880 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries) to $5,000,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($5,088,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries) and extending the term to June 30, 2022; and

k.  Purchase Order Number 6048213 with 2445212 Ontario Inc., operating as Comfort Hotel Airport North, for the provision of hotel/motel accommodations for use as a temporary municipal shelter by the amount of $5,000,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($5,088,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries), increasing the contract value from $12,654,019 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($12,876,730 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries) to $17,654,019 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($17,964,730 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries) and extending the term to June 30, 2022.

The purpose of this report is to provide information and updates on infrastructure, procurement and community engagement related to shelter projects in the City of Toronto. This includes Shelter, Support and Housing Administration's (SSHA) 2022 Shelter Infrastructure Plan as required by the Emergency Shelter Development Process approved by City Council in the 2018 Shelter Infrastructure Plan. The plan includes an update on new permanent shelter beds, relocation of shelter beds as part of the George Street Revitalization Project, and identifying replacement properties for existing shelters that need to relocate.

The report also provides updates on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on all ongoing projects, as well as an overview of the COVID-19 Transition and Relocation plan.

As a response to COVID-19, the City opened 48 temporary physical distancing sites to meet Ontario Ministry of Health guidelines for physical distancing in congregate living settings since the start of the pandemic. The COVID-19 Transition and Relocation plan will include a relocation plan for shelter residents, and the restoration and decommissioning of COVID-19 response sites used for physical distancing. Timelines to decommission any of the COVID-19 response programs will depend on the availability of new affordable and supportive housing developments, ongoing demand for shelter services and future changes to physical distancing public health guidance for congregate living settings.

In 2020, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration began a comprehensive Community Engagement Review to evaluate the first three years of implementing the new shelter engagement process for shelters. This report describes the results of the review and key actions being implemented to improve the community engagement process for the siting of new shelters and homelessness services in Toronto. This includes an updated process that better aligns local Councillor engagement for shelter siting with engagement related to a specific real estate transaction for shelter purposes.

This report also requests authority to amend eleven (11) existing non-competitive blanket contracts/purchase orders established for emergency services for the ongoing shelter operations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to support community agencies with Infection Prevention and Control Management within the shelter system.