Toronto Council meets today! I will tweet observations, jokes and vote results. Here’s your live stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXZtjplKx3I
Today’s Council livestream began with clips of a bunch of councillors and guests like Doug Ford, Kathleen Wynne and Justin Trudeau wishing Councillor Mike Colle a happy 75th birthday. Never seen that before.
Anyway, I previewed today’s meeting in this week’s issue of @cityhallwatcher. https://graphicmatt.substack.com/p/some-revealing-budget-briefs
Mayor Tory has picked the ravine strategy and Rail Deck park property acquisition as his first key items, so they’ll be up for debate first. Proving again I am VERY good at predicting key items, I wrote about both in my @TorontoStar column this week: https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2020/01/27/rail-deck-may-be-flashy-but-if-you-like-green-think-ravine.html
They are showing the Councillor Mike Colle 75th birthday tribute video again, in full this time. Kathleen Wynne makes a pretty great Presto joke in her section. Colle turns 75 on Feb 1.
Councillor Paul Ainslie’s administrative inquiry item re: Bike Share ridership data gets referred to Executive Committee for more debate. Ainslie says he’s not buying TPA’s answer re: releasing data only on an annual basis. https://x.com/cllrainslie/status/1222271554291163137
Council just unanimously adopted the recommendations of a confidential report from City legal staff re: new provincial rules allowing developers to hire their own building inspectors.
Council votes unanimously to authorize installation of traffic lights at Lawrence East & Valparaiso Avenue in Scarborough.
Council has combined the ravine strategy item with three other items related to the tree canopy and tree planting. Things about to get very green in the Council chamber.
It was not held for debate this morning, so Council has now officially endorsed a recommendation to replace the St. Lawrence Centre with a new facility, estimated to cost up to $200 million.
After adopting the order paper, there are just 39 items left on this agenda, with nothing standing out as particularly divisive. This’ll be a quick one.
Councillor Josh Matlow praises Toronto’s ravines, saying they’re like “inverted mountains.”
Holyday routinely votes to overrule existing City policy re: private trees, pushing to allow residents to remove ‘em. His motion calls for a report on changing policy to allow homeowners to remove trees if they replace ‘em with trees that’ll expand the overall tree canopy.
Holyday suggests changing the policy could lead to property owners planting MORE trees, as currently people are afraid to plant trees because they won’t be able to remove them. Novel argument, at least.
(Holyday’s motions to remove trees routinely fail by large margins. This motion is also likely to fail by a large margin.)
Councillor Anthony Perruzza moves for a report on increasing fines for people caught littering in ravines.
Councillor Paula Fletcher moves that this year’s annual “Clean Toronto Together” clean-up day focus on cleaning up the ravine system.
Mayor John Tory moves to have the Budget Committee look at whether any of the ravine strategy capital work can be accelerated to start this year.
No ravine votes before lunch. Council on break until 2 p.m.
Council is back from lunch. New stream is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnoQ1LxOxHU
Before we go back down into the ravine debate, councillors Ainslie and Fletcher move motions on the Digital Infrastructure Strategy. Both carry on a voice votes.
Councillor James Pasternak moves for a report on ways to enforce rules against companies blocking roads for no reason.
Pasternak’s motion for a report on dealing with companies blocking the road for no reason CARRIES 24-0. Item as amended carries by same margin.
Back to ravines and trees now. Councillor Pasternak’s motion to have staff report on ravine strategy implementation every three years, instead of every five years, CARRIES 24-0.
Patsernak’s motion to include stewardship programs and volunteer engagement in ravine strategy carries 24-0.
Colle motion to involve school boards in ravine strategy carries — you guessed it — 24-0.
Perruzza’s motion for a report on increasing fines on litter bugs in ravines carries on a voice vote. As does Fletcher’s motion to focus the Clean Toronto Together event on ravines this year.
Tory’s motion to look at funding ravine capital work in the 2020 budget also carries on a voice vote. (Voice votes are not recorded. The speaker says “all in favour”, no one objects, and the amendment passes.)
Councillor Layton accidentally votes against the ravine strategy. There are some jokes. They’re doing a re-vote.
Councillor Stephen Holyday’s motion for a report on loosening the rules for removing trees FAILS 6-19.
On a voice vote, Council votes to request the federal government give Toronto $4 million a year to plant trees. @JustinTrudeau, send the cheque to 100 Queen Street West.
31 items left on the agenda. We’re on to Rail Deck Park air rights acquisition.
Council received this letter from owner of the air rights they need for Rail Deck Park. Options include leasing the rights for $25 million per year, or buying for $340 million. Staff say they haven’t had chance to really examine letter yet https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2020/cc/comm/communicationfile-100909.pdf (PDF)
While we’re talking downtown greenspace, I wish we could also talk more about Toronto Island. 820 acres — much of it park space — that is way underused for half the year because access sucks.
Toronto Council votes to negotiate purchase and, if necessary, expropriation, of air rights for phase 1 of Rail Deck Park, 21-0.
Council now debating the expansion of permit parking on streets in Toronto & East York. This is very contentious in some neighbourhoods. Councillor Gord Perks moves to prioritize permit parking additions based on areas that have waitlists.
Perks’ motion to prioritize installation of permit parking based on areas that currently have waiting lists for parking CARRIES 18-2.
Council votes 17-3 to expand permit parking on streets in Wards 4, 9 and 14. Tory and Matlow find common ground.
31 items left on the agenda. This could be a one-dayer.
Council now debating security measures at City Hall. Staff recommend adding metal detectors/barriers at entrance. Councillor Gord Perks speaking against the change.
The “times have changed” argument in support of increased security at places like City Hall is weird, because crime is down across the board from the 60s/70s/80s. Is the threat today actually quantifiably greater in 2020 than it was when the building opened?
As expected, Council APPROVES installing metal detectors and barriers at City Hall entrance, 18-2.
Onto the Electric Vehicle Strategy. Councillor Mike Layton moves to request Tory sign the C40 Fossil-Fuel-Free Streets Declaration for Toronto.
Councillor Josh Matlow moves for a report on Toronto Hydro offering rebates for EV charging overnight.
Councillor Mike Colle moves for a report on how they’re using EVs and electric buses in the European Union.
Here’s a map of EV ownership in Toronto — it tracks pretty darn closely with high income areas.
Deputy Mayor Denzil Minnan-Wong says Council has become a “virtue signalling chamber.” He is annoyed with Layton’s motion re: the C40 agreement, because it didn’t come through committee.
Mayor John Tory has taken a quick look at the C40 agreement and says he likes it, but can’t commit to signing it today without first talking to TTC, etc. He says he’ll support Layton’s motion but will do his homework before signing agreement.
Layton’s motion to request Tory sign the C40 fossil-free-streets pledge CARRIES 20-4.
Matlow’s motion for a report on hydro rebates for overnight EV charging CARRIES 19-5.
Councillor Ainslie voted the wrong way on the C40 motion, so we are RE-VOTING. It CARRIES 23-1. But WHOOPS, more mistaken votes. We’re doing this one a third time.
Councillor Colle’s motion to ask the European Union how they’re handling EVs and electric buses CARRIES 24-0.
And the EV strategy as amended CARRIES on a voice vote. Gonna rock down to electric avenue.
23 items left. I am calling it. This is going to be a one day Council meeting. If you were planning a City Hall visit tomorrow, there’s a… Sign Variance Committee meeting you could hit up instead. Exciting stuff. Signs.
Councillor Colle on the Ontario Line: “We do know it’s a monorail system, right? For the most part? Half and half?” Staff: “No, we are not aware that it’s a monorail system.”
The Ontario Line tech is still kind of nebulous, but it’s almost certainly an LRT train, with some elevated sections, staff say.
Councillor Josh Matlow moves for reports to Council on each of the for major transit projects (Ontario Line, Scarb Subway, Eg West LRT, Yonge Subway extension) when info is available.
Councillor John Filion moves to ensure city’s land use authority respected, “Transit Oriented Development project sites are appropriately scoped.”
Councillor Mike Layton moves to tell the province Council wants inclusionary zoning to ensure affordable housing in development near new transit stations.
Councillor Gord Perks moves to have the City Manager work out a deal with the province for maintenance costs and vehicle costs before signing any agreement re: new transit lines.
Councillor Brad Bradford moves to request the province stick to best practices and community consultation for Environmental Assessments with these transit projects.
Councillor Paula Fletcher moves a bunch of things, including a request that Metrolinx consider burying all of the Ontario Line.
Fletcher says the Ontario Line plan basically “picks up the [Scarborough] RT and moves it into Leslieville.” She’s backing her constituents who want the whole thing buried.
Councillor Michael Thompson moves for transit agreement to include provision to support small biz during construction.
Councillor Cynthia Lai moves to accelerate construction of the Scarborough Subway. Good luck with that.
Councillor Filion’s motion to ensure City’s “land use authority” is respected in transit deal with province CARRIES 23-0.
Perks’ motion that City work out deal with province re: maintenance and vehicle costs before signing transit agreement FAILS 7-16.
Fletcher’s motions requesting province follow full TPAP process and also make info public CARRIES 22-2.
Fletcher’s motion that Metrolinx consider building the Ontario Line underground CARRIES 23-1.
All other amendments carried via voice vote. Toronto-Ontario transit deal update report CARRIES 21-3.
Council votes to adopt recommendations from legal staff re: suing to recover costs for housing tenants after the fire at 650 Parliament.
Councillor Mark Grimes’ motion for a report on banning people from pointing security cameras at their neighbour’s property carries on a voice vote.
Councillor Grimes’ motion to review the land transfer tax rebate for first-time home buyers’ with an eye toward increasing the eligibility threshold CARRIES on a voice vote.
Councillor Wong-Tam’s motion for a report on protecting LGBTQ2S+ small biz and cultural spaces also carries on an unrecorded voice vote.
Councillor James Pasternak’s motion for a report on making the City of Toronto flag more prominent also carries.
Also added to the agenda and passed: Mayor John Tory’s motion to have the City receive $1.5 million donated by Toronto residents after Iran plane crash. Money will be distributed to families of victims.
And that’s all. Council’s January meeting is in the books. Next meeting will be the very exciting budget debate on Feb 19.
Thanks for following along! If you liked this thread and seeing live vote results, you can support the work I do by signing up for a subscription to @cityhallwatcher- weekly municipal government news for just five bucks a month. https://graphicmatt.substack.com