Minutes Confirmed on January 17, 2018

The Community Development and Recreation Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council repeal City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 387, Carbon Monoxide Detectors.

The 2013 and 2014 amendments to the Ontario Fire Code (OFC) and the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997 (FPPA) introduced regulations concerning the installation, maintenance, testing and replacement of Carbon Monoxide (CO) detectors in existing residential occupancies.  These amendments rendered Chapter 387, Carbon Monoxide Detectors of the City of Toronto Municipal Code (Carbon Monoxide Detector By-Law) redundant and superseded by the applicable OFC regulations, as a result Chapter 387 should be repealed.  TFS will continue to enforce the OFC, under its legislated authority, and is committed to ensuring that appropriate measures are taken by property owners to achieve fire and life safety through compliance with the OFC and the FPPA.

The Community Development and Recreation Committee:  

1.  In accordance with Section 71-11.1.C of the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 71 (Financial Control Bylaw), granted authority to amend Contract No. 47019673 for the provision of Cardiac Monitor/Defibrillator with all components and accessories, and replacement of Cardiac Monitor/Defibrillator including extended warranty and preventative maintenance plan, by an additional amount of $1,382,294.40 excluding all taxes and charges, increasing the current contract value from $6,650,225.92 to $8,032,520.32 excluding all taxes and charges (or net of HST recoveries from $6,767,269.90 to $8,173,892.68).

The purpose of this report is to request the authority to amend Contract No. 47019673 issued to Zoll Medical Canada Limited for the provision of Cardiac Monitor/Defibrillator with all components and accessories, and replacement of Cardiac Monitor/Defibrillator including extended warranty and preventative maintenance plan, RFP No. 0507-15-0113, by an additional amount of $1,382,294.40 excluding all taxes and charges or $1,406,622.78, net of HST recoveries.  

An additional 40 monitors, their components and extended maintenance packages are needed for the increase in Operations by 113 Full-time Equivalents (FTE) to Paramedic Services complement, approved from 2015 to 2016 budgets, along with additional ambulances and the increase to the number of Operation-ready ambulances. Traditionally, spare ambulances did not have high value equipment assigned to them, but now most spare ambulances are fully stocked and ready for deployment. Contract No. 47019673 was issued to Zoll Medical Canada Limited in 2015, where the preparation of the RFP had started back in 2014 when future quantities from increased approved budgets in Operations were not known.

The Community Development and Recreation Committee recommends that:

1. City Council approve the Community Recreation 2018-2020 Growth Plan as outlined in Appendix 1 to the report (November 6, 2017) from the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, that will add 60,000 program spaces at existing community centres where demand and projected future demand exist, over three Phases as follows, subject to annual budget approval:

2.  City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to continue monitoring and reporting overall waitlist size annually as part of performance indicators for the Community Recreation 2018-2020 Growth Plan.

3.  City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, to report to the Budget Committee, as part of the 2018 Operating Budget process, on the maximum number of program spaces that can be created in existing facilities in 2018 and the associated cost, with a regional breakdown of the number of new spaces and types of programs that would be expanded.

4.  City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to report to the Budget Committee, as part of the 2018 Operating Budget process, on the cost to increase the number of new recreation spaces in 2018 to a goal of 20,000 spaces and to report to the Community Development and Recreation Committee by the second quarter of 2019 on next steps to increase targets of service growth in community recreation.

5.  City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation report to the February 28, 2018 Community Development and Recreation Committee meeting on:

a.  opportunities and costs to provide and expand low barrier, accessible recreation programming in partnership with universities, colleges, Toronto District School Board Toronto Catholic District School Board lands and facilities to supplement existing programming to meet current demand by reducing the waitlist; and
 

b.  opportunities and costs of partnering with community organizations such as OpenStreetTO, Earth Day Canada and other community organizations to leverage their existing programs to expand low barrier, accessible recreation programming to meet current demand by reducing the waitlist.

6.  City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, to fully implement the Recreation Service Plan goal of delivering the Swim to Survive program to all grade four students by 2021 and include the operating costs required for the phase 3 implementation in the 2018 Operating Budget for Council consideration.

7.  City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to report back on measures taken to ensure that the Community Recreation 2018-2020 Growth Plan does not result in the reduction of locally customized programming or programs serving equity-seeking communities and vulnerable populations.

This report responds to the Community Development and Recreation Committee's (CDR) request for Parks, Forestry and Recreation (PFR) to report on a strategy to reduce waitlists and grow recreation services.

Implementation of the Council-approved Recreation Service Plan (RSP) is nearing completion and has achieved its main objectives of increasing overall participation in recreation, decreasing financial barriers, and improving local and geographic access.

Community Recreation offers affordable, quality recreation programs. Due to high demand for these programs, Community Recreation continues to experience waitlists for registered/instructional programs.

To address demand and ensure the best response, Community Recreation analyzes local programming. Service planning in recreation, including programming changes and additions, is informed by a variety of inputs including local demographics, trends, changes in registration patterns, and customer feedback. A program mix is created that optimizes the space available in facilities, and programs are expected to meet divisional service standards to ensure consistency in how they are delivered.

A key part of Community Recreation's efforts to address demand and alleviate waitlists is through the implementation of the Growth and Waitlist Management Plan (the Growth Plan).

The Growth Plan, if approved, will be phased in over three years (2018-2020) subject to annual budget approval, and is projected to add 60,000 program spaces to address demand. Additionally, with the scheduled opening of new and expanded community centres over the next three years an estimated 11,000 net new program spaces will also be added.

Implementation of the Growth Plan, if approved, requires funding which has been requested through a New and Enhanced business case in the 2018 PFR Operating Budget to be provided over three years including $0.482 million gross and $0.386 million net and 11.13 FTEs in the 2018 budget.

Following is an overview of the strategies and measures PFR is undertaking to respond to demand, reduce waitlists and maximize participation in its programs.

The Community Development and Recreation Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council adopt the vision, objectives, principles, and commitments set out in Appendix 1 to the report (November 7, 2017) from the Deputy City Manager, Cluster A.

2.  City Council direct the Deputy City Manager, Cluster A to implement the proposed actions set out in Appendix 2 to the report (November 7, 2017) from the Deputy City Manager, Cluster A, with the exception of Actions No. 7 and No. 8.

3.  City Council direct the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, the Director, Purchasing and Materials Management and the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration to consider the following Actions No. 7 and No. 8, as set out in Appendix 2 to the report (November 7, 2017) from the Deputy City Manager, Cluster A, for potential inclusion in future operating budgets:

 7.  Establish a Not-for-Profit Sector Specialization within Economic Development and Culture Division, focused on optimizing the economic impact of not-for-profits and strengthening the sector's role in inclusive economic development.

8.  Work with City Divisions, Agencies and Corporations to educate them on potential advantages from including qualified Not-for-Profit Sector organizations into a competitive procurement and work with them to develop potential guidelines on how to structure a competitive procurement that makes it fair for not-for-profit sector organizations and for-profit sector organizations to compete.

4.  City Council direct the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration to coordinate and monitor the implementation of the recommendations in the report (November 7, 2017) from the Deputy City Manager, Cluster A, and to provide a progress report to the Community Development and Recreation Committee every other year, starting in 2019.

5.  City Council forward the report (November 7, 2017) from the Deputy City Manager, Cluster A to the Premier of Ontario, the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and the Federal Minister of Employment and Social Development.

Governments across Canada and internationally are moving to recognize and optimize their relationships with the not-for-profit sector, in light of the unique role that not-for-profit organizations play in advancing social, cultural, and economic vitality in their jurisdictions . This report responds to Council direction to design a "whole-of-government" policy framework to guide the City of Toronto's interactions with the community-based not-for-profit sector ("the Sector"). 

The vision guiding this policy framework is vibrant, inclusive, engaged and equitably resourced communities that benefit all Torontonians. The framework is intended to enable the City to optimize its relationship with the Sector and respond to the Sector's contributions to the public good more strategically and consistently, while at the same time not hindering the flexibility that both parties continue to need to execute their work.

The framework is also intended to help to educate Torontonians about the public benefits generated by the Sector and to acknowledge formally the City's reliance on an interdependent relationship with the Sector to achieve many city-building goals.

It is not widely recognized that the community-based not-for-profit sector is a significant economic actor in Toronto and employer in Toronto, generating at least $14 Billion in revenues and over 200,000 jobs (full time and part-time). Moreover, the Sector often represents the first access point for vulnerable individuals entering the workforce and therefore serves as an important conduit for residents' economic inclusion. However, the City does not currently have a strategy for relating with the Sector from an economic development standpoint in the same way that we cooperate with many industries in Toronto. The policy framework and actions proposed here will position the City to provide greater encouragement and monitoring of the Sector's economic impact and workforce development.

The not-for-profit sector is integral to the work of the City of Toronto. In particular, the City relies on the Sector as the delivery arm for hundreds of community services that are provided to residents, including but not limited to social housing, child care, employment and social services, shelter services and cultural programming.  The City's investments in the Sector are estimated at $900 Million. However the City does not currently bring a whole-of-government lens to document and optimize financial transactions with the Sector. The proposed policy framework and actions would prepare the City and the Sector to take these steps.

The City also lacks a consistent framework or set of guiding principles for relating with the Sector in terms of shared city-building goals in the areas of service delivery, community engagement and policy development. The City can frame its relationship with the same not-for-profit organization in several different and potentially contradictory ways, depending on the type of interaction.  While this flexibility ensures Divisions and not-for-profit organizations can achieve their mandates, lacking an overarching framework limits capacity to create and achieve strategic objectives.  The policy framework and actions proposed here will establish the groundwork for stronger and more strategic cooperation between the City and the Sector.

The expression, "Not-for-Profit," distinguishes the Sector from the business world but does little to convey the Sector's role or contributions. The proposed policy framework is entitled "For Public Benefit" to introduce new language that names the role and contributions of the Sector meaningfully and positively, in terms of what the Sector is "for"; rather than what it is not "for".

The proposed framework was co-designed with a Community Advisory Table and is informed by stakeholder consultations and an extensive literature review conducted by Social Planning Toronto. It contains a vision statement, objectives, a statement of principles and six strategic commitments to guide the City in its diverse interactions with the Sector.  Application of the principles and commitments will take different forms, depending on the nature of the work. The Report also recommends sixteen specific actions to enhance existing or create new support mechanisms for the City to relate with the Sector in alignment with the strategic commitments.

Proposed vision, objectives, principles, and commitments are presented in Appendix 1.  Proposed actions are presented in Appendix 2. The full report on stakeholder consultations and the literature review is attached as Appendix 3.

The Community Development and Recreation Committee recommends that:  

1.  City Council approve the total amounts for the Community Investment Funding program activities from the 2017 Approved Operating Budget for Social Development, Finance and Administration as follows:

a. Total funding of $175,000 in 2017 to a not-for-profit organization for the Local Champions program; and

b. Total funding of $125,000 to a not-for-profit community organization for the Organizational Mentor program.

2.  City Council approve the Local Champions program to continue for an additional four years within the Capacity Building grant stream, subject to the approved budget for Social Development, Finance and Administration.

3.  City Council authorize the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration to allocate 2017 Capacity Building grants to eligible community organizations for the Local Champions and Organizational Mentor programs.

4.  City Council request the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration to report back to the Community Development and Recreation Committee on selected recipients of the Local Champions and Organizational Mentor programs as part of the 2018 grants allocation recommendations report.

In March 2017, City Council approved three new grant programs: Community Projects and Events grants, Neighbourhood Grants, and Capacity Building grants. This report highlights the preliminary results from the Capacity Building pilot programs, and the staff recommendation for continued funding that will benefit resident leaders and grass roots youth-led groups from vulnerable and underserved communities. Results from community sector consultations will inform a comprehensive funding model for the Capacity Building stream that will be brought forward for Council approval in the first quarter of 2018.

Local Champions Pilot program was approved in 2016 for a $200,000 grant to pilot a certificate/college credit training program for residents from Neighbourhood Improvement Areas (NIAs) to advance Council approved Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy 2020 (TSNS 2020) and the Toronto Poverty Reduction Strategy. The Organizational Mentors Pilot program was approved in 2016 for a $150,000 grant to pilot and evaluate a funding model to deliver capacity building supports for City-funded grassroots groups, specifically to youth-led projects funded through the Identify 'N Impact (INI) grant program.

To date the Local Champions Pilot program created a made-in-Toronto training curriculum based on a successful model from Hamilton, established partnerships with post-secondary institutions, and trained and recruited twenty-two (22) community leaders who have received sixty-five (65) hours of training and subsequently hosted twenty-one (21) events reaching more than seven hundred (700) residents. Before the end of the year twenty (20) local champions will be certified as Community Facilitators.

Preliminary results from the Organizational Mentor program show that all INI grant recipients are well positioned to successfully complete their funded projects as envisioned. Furthermore, over 20 youth leaders have received over 100 one-on-one supports and are likely to feel more supported, and more confident in their ability to successful participate in a community based group when given a supportive environment where young people can engage on a common issue with their peers.

This report recommends the following 2017 allocations from the Community Investment Fund within the Capacity Building funding stream that will augment a multi-pronged approach currently under development:

-  $175,000 allocation to the Local Champions Pilot program. Local Champions is specifically designed for residents from Neighbourhood Improvement Areas and Emerging Neighbourhoods to advance the Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy 2020 and the Toronto Poverty Reduction Strategy; with this program participants will receive a certificate/college credit.  Staff recommends for the program to continue beyond the pilot phase for an additional four (4) years.

 
-  $125,000 allocation to the Organizational Mentor Pilot program. The program builds and sustains youth leadership through comprehensive organizational mentorship, and supports grassroots groups by offering capacity building training. Staff recommends funding the program for four (4) years, with the next year devoted to  exploring resources needed to ensure an effective organizational mentorship model for City's funded grassroots youth groups.
 

Grants help the City of Toronto achieve its social, economic and cultural goals for its residents. The City's goals are better achieved by supporting the work of organizations that are closer to the communities they serve.

The Community Development and Recreation Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council approve total funding of $100,000 allocated from the 2017 Identify 'N Impact Investment (INI) Program to ten youth-led projects, as recommended in Appendices A and B to the report (October 31, 2017) from the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, from the 2017 Approved Operating Budget for Social Development, Finance and Administration.

This report recommends approval of the following grants from Community Investment Funding, Identify and Impact (INI) youth-led Grant:

Of seventy-three (73) eligible submissions from youth-led groups to the Identify 'N Impact (INI) program, twenty-six (26) were shortlisted by a youth panel to proceed to the second stage of the application process. Ten (10) projects are recommended by a panel of youth for a total of $100,000 in funding.

Information is also provided in this report about the Mental Health Skill Building Grant for Youth Workers and Community Leaders, which will strengthen the capacity of youth workers and community leaders to respond to the mental health needs of vulnerable youth and their families in support of the Toronto Youth Equity Strategy (TYES).

Grants help the City of Toronto achieve its social, economic and cultural goals for its residents. The City's goals are better achieved by supporting the work of organizations that are closer to the communities they serve.

The Community Development and Recreation Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council direct the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, to include in the 2018 Shelter Infrastructure Plan the opening of 1,000 new shelter beds (rather than drop-in beds) to meet the standard of 90 percent shelter occupancy across all sectors, which includes low-threshold, harm reduction focused shelters.

2.  City Council approve the 2018 Shelter Infrastructure Plan, set out in Attachment 3 to the report (November 10, 2017) from the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, and amended by Recommendation 1 above.

3.  City Council authorize the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration to enter into agreements, as required, to implement shelters outlined in the 2018 Shelter Infrastructure Plan, set out in Attachment 3 to the report (November 10, 2017) from the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, and amended by Recommendation 1 above.

4.  City Council authorize the Deputy City Manager Cluster A,  in consultation with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, the General Manager, Shelter Support and Housing Administration, the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration and the Director, Real Estate Services, to approve specific sites for emergency shelters, as per Attachment 2 to the report (November 10, 2017) from the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, provided that:

a.  the funding for these sites is within the capital and operating budgets approved by City Council;

b.  the shelter project has been approved by Council through the annual shelter infrastructure plan; and

c.  the location meets the requirements of the Municipal Shelter Bylaw 138-2003 and applicable zoning by-laws.

5.  City Council replace the remaining elements of its existing Due Diligence Process for assessing new shelter sites with the new Emergency Shelter Development Process (ESDP) set out in Attachment 1 to the report (November 10, 2017) from the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration.

6.  City Council direct the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, to identify a site for a new family-specific year-round 24-hour drop-in and referral centre, and report to the Community Development and Recreation Committee in the first quarter of 2018.

7.  City Council direct the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, to work with the Local Health Integration Networks (LHIN), to include consistent  medically-focused case management across the spectrum of drop-ins and shelters as a performance measure.

8.  City Council request the Province of Ontario to immediately increase health service supports administered through the Local Health Integration Networks (LHIN), to the City of Toronto's shelter system.

9.  City Council request the Mayor to use his authority under the Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 59, Emergency Management, to declare an emergency exists with respect to the City's shelter system and direct that a response be created that allows for additional temporary shelter space for men and women, including trans-accessible beds, to be opened by the end of 2017 to protect the health, safety and welfare of our most vulnerable residents for the duration of the emergency.

 
10.  City Council request the Mayor to work with the City Manager to find the necessary funding to support the creation of additional temporary shelter space for the duration of the emergency.
 

11.  City Council request the Mayor to contact the Federal Government through the Prime Minister and the Minister of National Defense to open emergency shelters at the Fort York Armoury and the Moss Park Armoury for the duration of the emergency.

 
12.  City Council request the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, to reconsider the criteria used when assessing potential shelter sites with an objective of creating new temporary shelter spaces and re-examine the 64 properties assessed as part of the 2018 Shelter Infrastructure Plan and Progress Report that did not meet the requirements of Municipal Shelter By-law 138-2003 and/or applicable zoning by-laws under those new criteria for opportunities to add temporary shelter space in those locations for the duration of the emergency.

 
13.  City Council request the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, to review opportunities for adding temporary shelter space in city-run winter respite centres for the duration of the emergency.

 
14.  City Council request the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, to review opportunities for adding temporary shelter space after-programming hours in city-owned community and recreation centres for the duration of the emergency.

Emergency shelters are an essential part of the service responses to homelessness available in the city. In April of this year, City Council adopted a new community engagement process with respect to siting of municipal shelter locations outlined in a report (January 2017) tilted "Engaging Communities in First Step Housing and Services".  In its adoption of the new engagement process, Council directed staff to move forward on the implementation of the new process, including developing an implementation strategy for authorizing approval of specific sites for First Step Housing and Services to the General Manager, Shelter Support and Housing Administration (SSHA) provided that funding for the sites are within the Council approved operating and capital budgets. 

This report:

a) provides an update on the recommendations approved by Council in April of this year, including development of a new service model; update on pilot projects; communications and media campaign to build public awareness and understanding of the homelessness service system; and best practice shelter design guidelines;

b) outlines the 2018 Shelter Infrastructure Plan for Council approval and identifies new and replacement beds available between 2016-2018, to ensure that housing and shelter services are available and accessible to all residents in all parts of Toronto;

c) recommends a new property development approach to shelter infrastructure planning and approvals. The new approach is based on Council's direction from April, and the comprehensive review of the shelter approval process that identified the requirement for Council to approve specific emergency shelter locations is redundant when the required funds are approved in the division's annual budget, the shelter project has been approved through the annual service planning process, and the location meets the requirements of the municipal shelter by-law and zoning by-laws; and

d) provides an overview of the 10 year capital infrastructure growth plan being developed by staff in 2018.

The Community Development and Recreation Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council advise the Provincial Government that it supports the suite of changes recommended in the recent provincial report titled "Income Security: A Roadmap for Change", including recommendations to increase Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program rates by 22 and 15 per cent respectively, and to improve the integration and accessibility of employment training and health care supports for low-income residents.
 

2.  City Council direct the General City Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration and the General Manager, Employment and Social Services to work with the City Manager to review these recommendations and identify alignment with their respective divisional plans.
 

3.  City Council request the City Manager to write to the Minister of Community and Social Services to inform her of the City's support for this initiative.
 

As the Province of Ontario develops a Poverty Reduction Strategy, the City of Toronto wants to support welfare reforms that are complementary to our own Poverty Reduction Strategy.

The report entitled Income Security: A Roadmap for Change outlines a comprehensive 10-year strategy to transform our current welfare system to better support people living in poverty. The report includes a plan that will create a provincial income floor that no resident would fall below. The bold plan envisions simpler, more accessible and integrated employment and training supports; access to prescription drugs, dental, vision, and hearing care services for all low income Ontarians; and affordable child care, a portable benefit and an assured income for people living with disabilities. The plan also focuses on particularly vulnerable populations, including families with children and seniors, and recommends an overall increase of 22 per cent to Ontario Works and 15 per cent to the Ontario Disability Support Program. 

In addition to addressing the program configuration, it also recommends that the Province develop a market-based measure that reflects the cost of a basket of goods, with prices that reflect regional differences to improve the adequacy of minimum income measures.

The support of these changes will improve the outcomes of our poverty reduction efforts at the City and will help to ensure that Toronto residents who access social assistance and ODSP are better positioned to navigate these services, so they can begin to achieve increased levels of social and economic inclusion.      

The Community Development and Recreation Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council direct the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, to meet with the Toronto Political Advocacy Committee with the Medical Society at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto and other interested stakeholders and report to Community Development and Recreation Committee in the first quarter of 2018 on measures to improve tracking information on admission and discharge of homeless individuals in between shelters, respites and hospitals, and the tracking and reporting on in-house healthcare provision.

The health outcomes of the City's homeless population are staggeringly poor, with at least 70 reported people - an average of 1.8 people per week - dying outdoors, in shelters, social service agencies or hospitals in 2017. The Medical Officer of Health has noted that more than half of these deaths were individuals under the age 50 and that underreporting means the true number of people dying due to living with homelessness is likely higher. 

The Toronto Political Advocacy Committee, a group of students at the Medical Society at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto, have engaged the City to advocate for better data collection and management. The committee suggests that Toronto should adopt a Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), similar to a system adopted in Calgary, Alberta. This HMIS model, the committee argues, allow for shelter staff to better collect data to identify needs, coordinate referrals to other services and provide opportunities for programmatic evaluation of services.

The General Manager of Shelter, Support & Housing has advised that the city's Shelter Management Information System is evolving, with changes being made to better collect data and track individuals who come into and move through the system as a core piece of work that staff are currently engaged in. He has expressed that he would be happy to meet with the Toronto Political Advocacy Committee to discuss their ideas on how to improve the Shelter Management Information System.