Toronto Council meets today! I will tweet a long thread about it. This is the first post in that thread. The origin story of the thread, right here. The meeting will be streaming live here starting at 9:30ish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jivQo5j48z8
Mayor John Tory has designated two strategy items as his key matters, so they’ll be up first. They’ll deal with the SafeTO community safety strategy, then the Net Zero strategy for buildings. Interesting choices.
Later, Council will consider city-wide permissions for multi-tenant houses (aka rooming houses), the renaming of Dundas Street, the design for the vacant home tax and more. I previewed the agenda in my @cityhallwatcher newsletter: https://graphicmatt.substack.com/p/chw131
A new add to the agenda: Dr. Eileen de Villa is recommending Council repeal the COVID bylaw requiring people to keep six feet apart in parks and public spaces. Some restaurant-specific rules are also recommended for repeal. The mask bylaw remains, for now. https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2021/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-169302.pdf
On rooming houses, Chief Commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission Ena Chadha has written to the mayor and council to support the new regulation framework. https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2021/cc/comm/communicationfile-135115.pdf (PDF)
Meanwhile, expect a lot of the opposition to the rooming house item to take a cue from this letter submitted by the Islington Ratepayers and Residents Association. When in doubt, claim the process was rushed and there wasn’t enough consultation. https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2021/cc/comm/communicationfile-135029.pdf (PDF)
With the way things are going, gotta think there’s a good chance this is the last all-virtual Council meeting. Their next meeting after this one is September 30, and I’m feeling optimistic.
The meeting begins with Mayor John Tory paying tribute to police officer Jeffrey Northrup, who was killed on July 2 responding to a robbery call in the city hall parking garage.
Another supplementary report from the Medical Officer of Health has some numbers on the city’s voluntary isolation centre. Since September 12, 2020, 1,143 people have stayed at the hotel site while quarantining/recovering from COVID. https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2021/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-169241.pdf (PDF)
Some additional data on the isolation centre suggests it did its job in providing a space for people who couldn’t isolate at home. Majority low income and from houses with 5+ people. Report recommends extending operation of the centre to March 2022.
Council votes 20-5 to extend the lease for the Toronto Event Centre —formerly known as Muzik — at Exhibition Place for another ten years, plus a seven-year tenant option. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.GL24.8
Council is still setting this agenda. Dundas Street renaming is now set to come after the first two key matters. Rooming houses will be first up tomorrow. There’s an in-camera session scheduled for first thing Friday. Update your schedules accordingly.
Councillor Stephen Holyday, noting there’s a lot on the agenda, asks what the process is for potentially setting a meeting in August to deal with leftover items. The Clerk says that’s an option, if Council decides to go that way which we all pray they will not.
After two solid hours of wrangling over item holds, technical amendments and timed items, Council has finally set its agenda, and debate can begin.
Council is now debating the first item, the SafeTO community safety plan. It’s a plan that will lead to an implementation report which will lead to a 2022 budget request. Important stuff, but a long way from action. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.EX25.4
Staffer slips up twice when answering questions from Councillor Michael Ford and calls him “Mayor Ford.” A harbinger?
After Tory speaks about the SafeTO plan, Councillor Josh Matlow asks the mayor to address the Path Forward letter written and signed by community organizations, calling for a different approach to helping people in encampments.
Tory rejects the characterization that the police used “military-style” tactics to clear the encampments. He says the police were only at Bellwoods because protestors were there. There are photos showing police assembling very early in the morning, before any protest started.
Councillor Michael Ford moves for a report on the capacity of the Community Crisis Response Program given current levels of gun violence.
Council breaks for lunch. There are 93 items left on the agenda. Back at 2 p.m.
Council is back. After dispensing with a few minor items, there are now 86 items left on the agenda. Back to SafeTO now.
In his speech on SafeTO, Councillor Josh Matlow comes back to the Trinity Bellwoods encampment clearing. “It’s not compassionate, even though it’s been described by the mayor and others as such. It ignores the reality that they are telling us that our shelters are not safe.”
More Matlow, speaking about letter from encampment advocates asking to work with the city: “They’re literally writing to us telling us they want to come to the table and work with us, and they’re being ignored — like, literally ignored. Why wouldn’t we want to work with them?”
Matlow closes by urging people to read the letter written by advocates. You can read it here: https://tdin.ca/announcement.php?id=2355
Deputy Mayor Denzil Minnan-Wong is up now, saying the mayor tried to “gently move these people out of parks.” He says the mayor tried to do everything he could and the people in the parks would not listen.
Councillor Wong-Tam moves moves for SafeTO to include healing-centred practices, stats and performance indictors, a report on concentration of social services in 51 Div, and a intersectional gender equity lens. Another KWT motion also asks feds & prov to partner on funding.
Still on the Safe TO item, Councillor Anthony Perruzza says he’s interested in looking at how “music culture” and social media are contributing to gang violence.
After all amendments on SafeTO carry via show of hands, the item as amended CARRIES 25-1. Next step: another report, and then various funding requests.
Up now: the Net Zero building strategy. Councillor Stephen Holyday is asking about a part of the report that would see Council request the federal government continue with carbon pricing. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.IE23.1
The net zero building strategy will require buildings to report on emissions and adopt targets. Buildings represent 55% of Toronto’s emissions, most of which results from natural gas. Here, look at some charts. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.IE23.1
Councillor Holyday says he’ll support the net zero building report, but wants to vote against this bit endorsing federal carbon pricing.
Councillor Jaye Robinson moves for a public comms plan for letting people know about the benefits of energy retrofits.
Robinson’s amendment on the Net Zero building item carries via a show of hands.
And the net zero building item carries, as amended, via a show of hands. Up now: Dundas Street, we hardly knew ye. Council will vote on the renaming plan.
Things I’ll miss from virtual Council meetings: glimpses of City Manager Chris Murray’s stereo setup and album collection. He’s also got wall art featuring dozens and dozens of chair designs.
Deputy Mayor Denzil Minnan-Wong has questions about the Dundas renaming. “Other than the Black and Indigenous community, what consultation took place with the general public?”
This debate over Dundas is triggering flashbacks of the 2014 Council debate over whether to rename Union Station in honour of John A Macdonald. Minnan-Wong pushed hard for it. Compromise found where only the public plaza out front was named after him. https://globalnews.ca/news/1127524/councillor-wants-union-station-renamed-after-sir-john-a-macdonald/
Wow, the vote result screens were low res back in 2014. https://x.com/GraphicMatt/status/487015769889574912
Here’s a better look at the tied vote from 2014 on whether to reject naming the Union Station plaza after John A. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2014.EX43.16
Deputy Mayor Denzil Minnan-Wong has prepared a video presentation on the Dundas Street renaming, we’re told. It’s a… video of Minnan-Wong speaking in defence of the Dundas name.
Minnan-Wong makes the basic argument I’ve heard a few times over the last week, about how Henry Dundas’ vote to hold off on abolishing the slave trade was actually savvy political strategy that somehow helped lead to the abolishing of the slave trade, later on. It’s a stretch.
Councillor Stephen Holyday moves to send the Dundas renaming back to staff for more consideration. He’s worried about the precedent renaming the street will set.
Explaining why he doesn’t put much stock in the people who signed the petition to rename Dundas Street, Holyday displays a petition on his phone calling for Jeff Bezos to buy and eat the Mona Lisa.
Councillor Shelley Carroll calls the question on Holyday’s motion to refer the Dundas renaming back to staff. Vote to end debate FAILS 15-10. It needed two-thirds. So they’ll continue the debate on whether to refer this item.
Councillor James Pasternak says he’ll reluctantly support the referral motion, saying he’d support renaming but isn’t happy with the process so far and a lack of consultation.
Holyday’s motion to refer the Dundas renaming item back to staff for more consideration FAILS 9-16.
Councillor Michael Thompson moves to request staff recommend new names for Dundas Street, Dundas Square, etc that “reflect Toronto’s rich culture, heritage and diversity.”
Councillor Michael Thompson, council’s only Black member, on renaming Dundas Street: “History will remember not so much what it cost us to change the name — it will remember whether or not we actually take the right action. Our reputation is on the line.”
Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam moves to involve BIAs and resident associations in the Dundas renaming process, and to put together a program so businesses who re-brand as part of this process can recover their costs.
Wong-Tam also has a motion for a report on a list of underfunded and unfunded programs related to equity. Important.
“If we support racial justice and social justice for equity-seeking groups, then we’re going to have to reconcile that in the 2022 budget,” says Councillor Wong-Tam.
Some councillors are approaching this debate like they’re on the Time Variance Authority and Henry Dundas’ very temporal existence is on the line. Way over the top. He’ll still be a guy from history. It’s just that his name will no longer be on a bunch of street signs.
Mayor Tory notes Henry Dundas has no serious historical connection to Toronto, and that the historical consensus is that he did work to delay the abolishing of the slave trade. Knowing these things, he asks, would anyone seriously propose naming a street after Dundas today?
Thompson’s amendments, including motion to make sure new names for Dundas Street and other Dundas-named things reflect Toronto’s culture, heritage and diversity, CARRY 23-1.
Wong-Tam’s amendments, including motions to involve BIAs and resident associations in renaming process, and to get a report on unfunded equity programs as part of 2022 budget process, CARRY 21-3.
Toronto WILL RENAME Dundas Street and other Dundas-named things. The vote is 17-7.
Council breaks for the evening. Back tomorrow at 9:30 a.m., with the rooming house debate set as the first item of the day. There are 81 items left on the agenda, not including a bunch that were just verbally introduced and have yet to be added.
Getting a bit of a late start, Council is BACK for day two. They’re set to debate rooming houses as the first item after some housekeeping. Streaming live here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYKpvDp9fQY
The day starts with Mayor John Tory paying tribute to retiring Toronto Ombudsman Susan Opler. Her last day is July 22. She will be replaced by Kwame Addo on August 23.
A staff recommendation to delay the start of yard waste pick-up by a couple of weeks in the spring to support biodiversity gets referred back to committee on a motion from Councillor Jennifer McKelvie. It’ll probably come back to Council in the fall. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.IE23.5
Council votes via show of hands to repeal the COVID bylaw requiring people to keep two-metres distance from one another in parks. Mask bylaw remains in effect, for now. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.HL29.1
Staff report recommending people no longer be allowed to put their yard waste on the curb in rigid containers — paper bags only — is referred back to staff for more consideration via a Councillor Jaye Robinson motion. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.IE23.4
The debate on rooming houses has kicked off. Councillor Cynthia Lai starts by asking staff about the consultation process, saying she’s heard that most of the people who attended the consultation sessions came from downtown.
Holyday, saying that the lack of on-street parking is part of Etobicoke’s character, wonders what happens under these proposed rooming house rules if tenants show up with more cars than there are parking spaces. Staff say landlords can offer more parking spaces if they want.
(The new rules generally require a minimum of two parking spaces for a six-room rooming house, except in places well served by transit, where the minimum number of required parking spaces is zero.)
If you haven’t been following this issue, the basics: Currently it’s illegal to operate a rooming house like this, where you rent individual rooms with shared kitchen and/or washrooms, outside of the downtown area and some parts of Etobicoke & York.
But law be damned, a whole lot of these types of rental houses exist, of course, all over the city. Because there’s no licensing or permissions, the city has limited enforcement options. Staff propose a new licensing regime, which would work to bring all houses into compliance.
The new rules would generally permit six-room rooming houses (aka multi-tenant homes) everywhere, with more density permitted in areas zoned for multi-residential.
Under the regulations, landlords would need to get licensed, be subject to annual inspections and face increased fines if they’re found to be offering substandard accommodations.
If this passes, the implementation plan calls for things to start next year, after an enforcement team is in place.
Well, that’s a take. https://x.com/DenzilMW/status/1415685308142784512
Set aside the fact that homeowners are the constituency councillors care about most, and that Toronto is zoned to preserve homeowner neighbourhoods, and that keeping homeowner taxes low is priority #1 then, yes, I guess you could say homeowner rights aren’t talked about enough.
Also, you’d think “homeowner rights” would include the right to rent some rooms in your house to tenants, if you so choose.
Scarborough Councillor Nick Mantas asks staff how his ward can be expected to accommodate legal rooming houses when they don’t have a subway line.
Councillor Ana Bailao asks what the average rooming house rent is. Staff say it ranges between $400 and $700 per month, compared to average studio apartment rents of about $1,100. It would be “exceptionally challenging” to find other options as affordable as a rooming house.
Mayor John Tory is our first speaker. He moves to defer the issue of rooming houses to the fall. A clear sign that the votes aren’t there to pass the item at this meeting.
Tory says he supports city-wide rooming house licensing, and he’s disappointed that he has to move to delay the issue.
Tory has a remarkably solid success rate at coming out on the winning side of major votes at Council. My Council Scorecard has his win percentage on significant items this term at 98.18%. This is the first issue in a long time that’s threatened to bring that percentage down.
It’s notable that many of the major obstacles to the rooming house item passing are members of Tory’s hand-picked executive committee, including his statutory deputy mayor (Minnan-Wong) and (at least) one of his honourary deputy members (Holyday).
Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam asks Tory how many “yes” votes he thinks there are right now on the rooming house issue. Tory doesn’t give a number, just saying it was “short of a majority.” He says the goal over next few months is to get it above a majority.
Minnan-Wong says he doesn’t think there’s an “accommodation and middle ground” to be found on rooming houses, but says he’ll support the mayor’s request to delay the rooming house item to the next meeting. “The suburbs don’t want this,” he adds.
Councillor Gary Crawford, Tory’s budget chief, says he told the mayor this morning he couldn’t support rooming houses. So many of the mayor’s key allies lining up to oppose him on this issue.
Councillor John Filion says he won’t support the deferral motion, saying a consistent regulatory approach to rooming houses across the city doesn’t make sense. He thinks Council should just reject this report today.
Councillor Josh Matlow praises Tory’s deferral approach on this issue, saying it gives a life line to this issue.
Councillor Jennifer McKelvie says she’s done all sorts of research on rooming houses, including doing a tour of Parkdale rooming houses with Councillor Gord Perks. She still has concerns, esp about corporations potentially buying rooming houses, so thinks a deferral makes sense.
Councillor Michael Thompson says the rooming house item is “not ready for prime time” in his Scarborough ward. “It’s not popular.” He’ll also be supporting the deferral.
“There are no good solutions when it comes to illegal rooming houses. And that is precisely in my view why we have to have a regulatory, legal regime,” notes Councillor Shelley Carroll. She says she understands why Tory is deferring this, and looks forward to the September vote.
Councillor Gord Perks says he won’t support deferral. “The status quo kills people in fires. The status quo sets people in neighbourhoods against each other.” He notes the city has been consulting on this issue every six months for 15 years. He thinks it’s time to get it done.
Councillor Cynthia Lai says she’ll support deferral, citing a poll she ran on her website about rooming house legalization that found just 20% support on this issue. Lai notes she lived in a rooming house when she first came to Canada. https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2018/11/30/above-all-else-toronto-council-rookie-cynthia-lai-believes-in-herself.html
Councillor Ana Bailao, who has advocated hard for rooming house legalization, says she’s disappointed by the referral but also hopeful Council will be able to pass this in September.
Councillor Frances Nunziata says she thinks the framework for rooming houses would work well (with a few tweaks, maybe). Sounds like she’ll be a supporter in September.
Vote to defer the rooming house item to the next Council meeting in September CARRIES 23-3.
For what it’s worth, my very rough vote projection had 11 councillors likely in favour, 13 likely opposed, with three potential swing votes. Pointed to a very narrow loss if this debate had been allowed to go forward.
And that’s lunch. Council will return at 2 p.m.
Council has returned from lunch. There are 80 items left on the agenda. Council will first deal with 51 member motions, then move on to a debate about Toronto Hydro executive salaries.
Oh wait, there’s debate about the order of things. Fletcher would like to deal with the Ombudsman report on COVID bylaw enforcement in parks, so the Ombudsman doesn’t need to wait around for hours. Minnan-Wong wants to deal with the Hydro item now, for similar reasons.
But first: a tree vote. Councillor Shelley Carroll moves to deny the request to remove this Norway Spruce at 294 Fairlawn Avenue. That CARRIES 17-8. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.NY25.30
Oh wait, Councillor Paula Fletcher voted the wrong way. The item is re-opened. This single tree’s life again hangs in the balance, subject to the whim of the elected council of Canada’s largest city. But the re-vote CARRIES 15-9. The tree shall live.
Hey @TorontoCouncil can you make sure to display these recorded vote results on screen? Last few haven’t come up.
Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam’s motion calling for a report on banning the feeding of pigeons CARRIES via a show of hands. Report due in March 2022. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.MM35.13
Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam’s motion to request Queen’s Park repeal the changes they made last year to permit longer hours for construction noise CARRIES 24-0.
Councillor Jennifer McKelvie’s motion calling for consideration of design alternatives for the planned Durham-Scarborough BRT CARRIES 23-1. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.MM35.22
Councillor Frances Nunziata’s motion requesting a report on further restricting the retail sale and use of fireworks CARRIES 23-2. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.MM35.24
Councillor Mike Layton’s motion to have Council formally endorse a call for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty CARRIES 22-2. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.MM35.29
Council votes 25-1 to request an MZO for the modular housing project at 7 Glamorgan Avenue. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.MM35.41
Members motions are dealt with. Up now: Toronto Hydro executive salaries. Some people are not loving the fact that the CEO of Toronto Hydro, a publicly-owned monopoly, got compensation of $1.3 million last year, including a bonus almost equal to his base. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.EX25.13
The Star’s @christinedobby had the story about the City’s struggle to reduce executive salaries and bonuses at Toronto Hydro and other agencies/corporations. https://www.thestar.com/business/2021/07/03/the-city-has-been-trying-to-rein-in-executive-bonuses-at-toronto-hydro-last-year-the-ceo-took-home-a-bonus-of-more-than-640000.html
On the Hydro item, Mayor John Tory moves a recommendation from the City Manager to complete an independent external review of the city’s executive compensation policies, with a report due back in Q4 of this year.
Mayor Tory’s motion calling for review of the city’s executive compensation policies by Q4 of this year CARRIES 25-0. Item as amended carries via show of hands.
Up now: Ombudsman Susan Opler has a report about how the City handled the enforcement of COVID bylaws in city parks in the early days of the pandemic. The verdict: it wasn’t great! http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.CC35.1
Here’s @jpags’ story about the Ombudsman’s report on the city’s COVID parks enforcement effort. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2021/07/09/zero-tolerance-over-covid-19-rules-in-parks-led-to-racial-profiling-unfair-enforcement-says-city-watchdog.html
Ombudsman report notes 280 tickets for breaking COVID rules in parks were given out between April 2 and May 15, 2020. As of end of April, just 17 had been paid. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association has written to Council recommending the city proactively refund unfair tickets
Councillor Paula Fletcher moves to forward the Ombudsman report to the Ontario AG, with a request that they consider prosecutorial discretion because of the unfairness of some of the tickets for breaking COVID bylaws in parks. Also moves to proactively refund unfair tickets.
After advice from City Solicitor Wendy Walberg, Nunziata rules Fletcher’s motion out of order. Council can’t get involved in judicial matters like that. With that, Council just opts to adopt the Ombudsman report via show of hands.
Mayor John Tory moves to extend the meeting until 8 p.m. tonight. That carries on a show of hands. Strap in. We’re going to get some late evening council action.
Holy hell, we’re back talking about this one North York tree again. Councillor Mike Colle is mad he didn’t get a chance to speak on the item before they voted on it. He wants to re-open the item for a THIRD vote. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.NY25.30
Nunziata rules that Council can decide to re-open this North York tree item. Councillor Gord Perks challenges that ruling. Motion to uphold Nunziata’s decision CARRIES 17-5.
Motion to re-open the agenda item about that one singular tree in North York so its future can be debated by the elected council of Canada’s largest city CARRIES 19-3. They’ll come back to it.
Up now: a report about the city’s coming vacant home tax. Council has already approved the tax, which is set to kick in next year. This is just a report about some of the implementation details. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.EX25.3
For the record, here are the official ways you will be able to avoid paying Toronto’s vacant home tax if your home is vacant. (If Council approves this.) You need to die and/or get hospitalized, be midway through selling your place, be in the midst of a major renovation, etc.
The one proposed exemption I kind of worry about: condo buildings with a policy that doesn’t allow owners to rent out units. Hope the city has a way to monitor this to see if the number of buildings with this restriction increases after the implementation of the vacant tax.
This remains a big question. Every homeowner will be required to declare whether their home is vacant or not. If a homeowner is found to be lying, there will be fines. City doesn’t think it’s legal to use water or electric bills to determine vacancy. https://x.com/ConcernedPah/status/1415786067219959813
The other big question with Toronto’s coming vacant home tax is whether the rate is high enough. City is going with a tax of 1% of the current assessed value. That’ll work out to more than the average annual property tax bill. (Toronto’s 2021 residential mill rate is 0.61%.)
They have! A home will be considered vacant if it’s unoccupied by the owner(s), residents authorized by the owner (family/friends, typically) or a tenant (with a minimum 30-day tenancy) for more than six months of a given year. https://x.com/soerensenali/status/1415788521357467652
Councillor Carroll says she’s been asked questions re: the vacant home tax that are like, “what if I have a home that’s been on the market for two years and I haven’t sold it?” She points out that in those cases, in this market, you’d really need to question their asking price.
Staff point out the city’s suggested policy is that the vacant tax isn’t payable in the year of a sale. But that’s not going to be extended or expanded, which is good because otherwise you could just list your vacant condo for $100 million perpetually to dodge the tax.
Council takes a dinner break. Coming back at 6:30 to finish off this vacant home tax item. Eventually they’ll get back to the really important matter of that one single tree in North York.
Council is back. Councillor Frances Nunziata asks if any councillors have any items that can be just released for a quick vote. None do. Oh no. There are 29 items left on the agenda.
Back on the vacant home tax, Councillor Ana Bailao moves to get a report by the end of 2023 with an update on the tax and potential increases to the tax rate.
Councillor Stephen Holyday moves for a report due in Q4 on harmonizing the city’s vacant home tax with the proposed national vacancy tax.
Deputy Mayor Denzil Minnan-Wong moves for a report on enforcement of the vacant home tax, making sure enforcement efforts don’t run afoul of FOI and the Protection of Privacy act, or the charter. He wants to make sure city isn’t using electric and water bills to check vacancy.
Minnan-Wong also has a motion to delete the part of Bailao’s motion that calls for an eventual look at increasing the vacant home tax from 1%. “I understand that the left side of this council might love taxing residents, but not here! Not my residents!” says the deputy mayor.
Councillor John Filion has a motion calling for a report on additional revenue tools, including a tax on real estate speculation.
Here’s the text of the deputy mayor’s other motions on the vacant home tax. One explicitly bars staff from using hydro and water bills (without consent of homeowners) to determine vacancy. The other strikes Bailao’s request for a 2023 report on potentially increasing the tax.
I should start a tracker where I keep count of arguments between Tory’s various deputy mayors. Seems like there’s been a whole bunch this meeting.
I’m a big fan of privacy, but I really don’t get why the city can’t just look at water and hydro bills to identify people with zero or near-zero usage as a means of determining vacancy. The city and its wholly-owned entities already know this information. They collect it.
Mayor John Tory says he’ll support Deputy Mayor Ana Bailao’s motion on the vacant home tax, including the part to report on potential rate increases in 2023. He won’t support Deputy Mayor Denzil Minnan-Wong’s motion to not report on rate increases.
Deputy Mayor Minnan-Wong’s motion to delete the part of Bailao’s motion calling for a 2023 report on potentially increasing the vacant home tax rate FAILS 7-19.
Councillor Ana Bailao’s motion for a report in 2023 looking at how the vacant home tax is going and whether an increase is a good idea CARRIES 23-3.
Councillor Stephen Holyday’s motion for a report on potentially harmonizing the city’s vacant home tax with the proposed national vacancy tax FAILS 11-15.
Deputy Mayor Minnan-Wong’s motion for a report on enforcement measures, making sure they don’t violate the privacy act or the charter CARRIES 19-7.
Deputy Mayor Minnan-Wong’s motion prohibiting staff from using water and hydro bills when investigating whether a home is vacant FAILS 11-15.
Councillor John Filion’s motion calling for a report on other potential revenue tools related to taxing real estate speculators CARRIES 21-5.
And the report on the implementation of Toronto’s coming vacant home tax CARRIES 25-1.
Council moves on to an item about the budget variance so far for 2021. Councillor Perks is concerned because there are lots of vacancies at divisions. Finance staff explain that’s partly because of the pandemic and diverting staff to pandemic efforts. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.EX25.22
Chief People Officer Omo Akintan also agrees with Perks that the City of Toronto is having recruitment and retention problems, and needs to review how they compensate their employees.
The operating budget variance carries with a show of hands, after Mayor John Tory makes a point of thanking staff for all their efforts during the pandemic.
Council dispenses with a few smaller items, then breaks for the night. There are 23 items left on the agenda. Back tomorrow at 9:30 a.m., when they will deal with critical items like that one tree in North York that has already been voted on twice.
Could barely sleep last night because I was so excited about today’s tree vote. It’s almost here. Council is back for day three of their July meeting, streaming live here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znl8koCxwjw
Council votes to authorize the installation of more Seabins — floating garbage cans, basically — in the harbour area. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.MM35.10
Council knocks off a few smaller items, whittling the agenda down to 16 items. There are some Audit reports and other reports with confidential attachments that require in-camera debate, so Council goes into private session. I go make breakfast.
Council has returned to public session. Deputy Speaker Shelley Carroll is in the chair, which is a rare thing. Nunziata needed to excuse herself for a while because she has a conflict of interest on this development item where her brother is a lobbyist. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.CC35.16
If you’re curious about how a virtual meeting of Toronto council is run from the chamber, here’s a glimpse at today’s setup. Distanced & masked staff, giant bottles of sanitizer. I’d guess the stickers in the gallery are intended to limit capacity when public is allowed back in.
On this item about a project at 2 Champagne Drive, a motion to amend confidential instructions by Councillor Shelley Carroll was defeated 6-16. A motion to adopt confidential instructions by Councillor James Pasternak was adopted 16-5. All very hush-hush. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.CC35.16
And now it’s time for lunch. There are 13 lucky items left on the agenda. Back at 2 p.m.
Council is back. This is the home stretch. Deputy Mayor Minnan-Wong has introduced this amendment to a Wong-Tam motion asking for a report on requiring AC in apartment buildings. He’s concerned about costs. They’ll come back to the item in a bit. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.MM35.19
On an item about an auditor’s report on the city’s various software subscriptions, Councillor John Filion wants further investigation into cases where licenses where bought but not used. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.AU9.13
Filion’s motion carries via show of hands. The investigation into the city’s software licenses will continue.
Council is now on an item about water fees and programs. Expecting Councillor Mike Layton to introduce a motion about a stormwater charge. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.IE23.6
A stormwater charge would see property owners pay extra if they have lots of impermeable surfaces on site, like large parking lots. So people who contribute more to flooding would pay for the cost. @shawnmicallef wrote about the long fight that got us here https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2021/07/04/climate-change-likely-means-more-flooding-in-toronto-charging-a-new-stormwater-fee-is-not-the-only-way-to-help-stem-the-tide.html
Notably, the Toronto Industry Network — representing the city’s manufacturers — has written in support of developing a stormwater charge strategy, arguing the status quo is unfair. https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2021/ie/comm/communicationfile-134318.pdf (PDF)
Councillor Gary Crawford asks who would see the biggest increase in costs with a stormwater charge versus the status quo. Toronto Water GM Lou Di Gironimo explains it’d be large properties with small water use relative to their size, like large parking lots and shopping malls.
Mayor John Tory asks if a stormwater charge would generate extra money for the city. Di Gironimo says their potential design would be revenue neutral — it would just shift the costs around so properties that contribute to flood risk pay more.
As expected, Councillor Mike Layton moves for staff to consult on a variable stormwater charge, with a report back in the second quarter of 2023.
Councillor Mike Layton says going with a variable stormwater charge — instead of an administrative fee — would actually reduce water costs for the half of the city population that lives in apartment buildings and condos. “They stand the most to benefit from this!”
Councillor Jennifer McKelvie moves to look at ways to better share info about ways to reduce stormwater.
Councillor Gary Crawford says he’ll be voting against Layton’s motion. “This is absolutely the wrong time to be doing this,” he says of a stormwater charge, because it would increase costs to biz that have been hurt by the pandemic.
Councillor Stephen Holyday says he will also oppose Layton’s motion, because he believes a stormwater charge would unfairly impact the suburbs.
Councillor Joe Cressy says it’s clear that the climate is changing and has already changed. “We need to explore every opportunity to increase resilience in our city — immediately.” He’ll support Layton’s motion.
Councillor Mike Layton’s motion to begin consultation on a potential stormwater charge CARRIES 13-11!!
McKelvie’s amendment on the water item carries via show of hands. Then the item as amended CARRIES 21-2.
Not a lot of vote results with this Council surprise me, but that Layton motion got me. I had already typed out the word “FAILS.” A very rare occasion where the mayor is on the losing side of a significant vote.
Up now: Staff are recommending Council adopt a new policy for natural gardens, so residents no longer need to apply for a “natural garden exemption” if they just want to let plants grow. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.PH24.3
On the natural garden item, Councillor Stephen Holyday moves for a report back on compliance with the new rules within 18 months.
Councillor John Filion moves for a report on a framework to automatically investigate properties every year that have a record of frequent violations of the rules re: gardens and lawns.
The city’s current policy of having to apply for a “Natural Garden Exemption” is hilariously bureaucratic. You have to download a Word document and fill out a two-page form, including a section asking for a general description of your garden. https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/permits-licences-bylaws/natural-garden-exemption/
Councillor Anthony Perruzza explains he has concerns about the new rules for natural gardens, but, citing Kierkegaard (?!), says he’s willing to go with the flow on this one.
All motions and the natural garden item CARRY via a show of hands. You can now let your plants grow free without government approval. Just follow the rules. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.PH24.3
Six items left. Up now: Canada Square at Yonge-Eglinton. Oxford Properties has a lease and a redevelopment plan. The community has concerns. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.PH25.7
On Canada Square, Councillor Josh Matlow moves a long motion that would see Council support the New Town Centre vision laid out in a planning report and report on potential inclusion of large park, new schools, affordable housing, etc. https://x.com/TorontoCouncil/status/1416129439172337666
That out of the way, it’s time for important stuff, like THIS ONE TREE. It’s in a backyard at 294 Fairlawn Avenue in North York. The owner wants Council to approve a permit to remove it. So there will be a vote: Should it LIVE or should it DIE? http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.NY25.30
Councillor Mike Colle explains the family who own the house have kids with allergies, and the tree prevents them from using their small backyard. He would like Council to vote in favour of removal.
Councillor Gord Perks points out the city’s forestry staff reviewed the state of the tree, and found it to be healthy and manageable. He also notes it’s becoming pretty common for people seeking tree removals to claim an allergy.
“The city has to respect the quiet enjoyment of people’s homes,” says Councillor James Pasternak, arguing in favour of granting the permit to remove the tree.
Ideally, councillors would never debate and vote on the fates of individual trees. Instead, councillors should set policies and forestry staff should review individual permit requests. https://x.com/Nate_Manis/status/1416138321043017732
But nevertheless, it’s time to vote. A tree’s life HANGS in the BALANCE. Councillor Colle’s motion to permit removal of the tree CARRIES 17-5. This tree shall DIE.
There are three items left. The end of this meeting is in sight. So close. We’re going to make it.
On Wong-Tam’s motion for a report about requiring apartment buildings to provide AC, Minnan-Wong withdraws his motions, saying he’s talked to staff and they said they’d cover his issues in their report. The report request carries via show of hands. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.MM35.19
The final item is about auditing the city policy requiring developers to replace existing rental units in their redevelopment projects. Councillor Josh Matlow moves to request an audit on whether developers are complying with the policy. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2021.AU9.16
Matlow’s motion carries via a show of hands. That’s it. The agenda is done. Look how happy everyone is.
Council gives a well-deserved round of applause to all the staff, and to the speaker, for getting ‘em through this epic-length affair. “We’ll see everybody shortly — hopefully,” concludes Councillor Frances Nunziata. Fingers crossed this is truly the end of the all-virtual era.
And that’s all! If you’ll indulge me, I’m only able to tweet through these long meetings because of the support of subscribers to @cityhallwatcher, my weekly newsletter If you found this thread useful, I’d love it if you considered becoming a subscriber. https://graphicmatt.substack.com/subscribe