After adopting all items not held for debate, there are 172 items left on Toronto City Council’s July agenda. This could take a while. Here’s @neville_park’s preview of the week ahead: https://nevillepark.ca/2018/07/23/the-cheat-sheet-july-2018-city-council/
Councillor Perks on the city’s operating budget variance report: “We are in the worst financial shape we have been in over a decade … we’re heading toward a fiscal cliff.”
I wrote about the red flags popping up around Toronto’s budget for @NatObserver last week: https://www.nationalobserver.com/2018/07/20/analysis/one-sentence-budget-report-should-terrify-mayor-john-tory
Council votes to 28-6 to express its “deep concern” with cuts to greenhouse gas reduction programs by the Ford administration.
Council votes 30-5 to send the vintage Lancaster bomber FM104 it owns (and once displayed at Coronation Park) to the BC Aviation Museum.
It was this plane — displayed in Coronation Park between 1965 and 1999, before it was removed for a restoration that was never completed. Bye, plane.
Toronto City Council is starting their debate on steps to address gun violence. You can watch live here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx-nnS_p8pQ
Big part of the debate is likely to be the purchase of ShotSpotter technology — a bunch of microphones that listen and are supposed to alert police when there’s gunfire. Per Forbes, there is reason to be skeptical about how well this works. https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattdrange/2016/11/17/shotspotter-alerts-police-to-lots-of-gunfire-but-produces-few-tangible-results/#732b94f9229e
Mayor Tory moved an on-the-fly motion at the last police board meeting to buy ShotSpotter. Purchase would cost the city about $1.3 million this year, then $600K per year going forward.
Councillor John Campbell to Police Chief Mark Saunders: “Do you feel that gang members are more brazen since council and since the province sort of handicapped you by making restrictions on on-the-streets checks?” Oh god.
Chief Saunders equates carding to a herring net. “A herring net does its job and it does it very effectively. It catches hundreds of thousands of herring. But it also catches the seat turtles, it also catches the dolphins. Those were the beacon points that caused the social cost”
Councillor Anthony Perruzza has added a motion to the council agenda requesting motorcycles and scooters be made exempt from the King Street pilot rules. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2018.MM44.55
Mayor John Tory says Premier Doug Ford’s comments yesterday about devoting provincial mental health funding toward the police were taken out of context. “That’s not what he meant.”
Councillors have started introducing motions on the Gun Violence item. This, by Councillor Josh Matlow, would stop the purchase of the ShotSpotter tech.
This motion by Councillor Joe Cressy asks the federal government to ban the sale of hand guns in Toronto, and the provincial government to ban the sale of ammo.
And then there are six motions by a councillor who, earlier this week, dared people to call him racist.
Worth comparing this very thorough 2008 city report on gun violence in Toronto with the meagre bits of information councillors have in front of them today. https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2008/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-13190.pdf
Councillor Karygiannis has a motion to ask the federal government to develop a “private-public partnership” for gun repositories where people would store their handguns and rifles.
Wouldn’t be totally shocked if a councillor today moved to sign a deal with Omni Consumer Products.
Council votes 43-2 to adopt Councillor Joe Cressy’s motion to increase the 2018 budget for youth violence prevention programs.
Motion by Councillor Josh Matlow to request Ontario gov fulfill their campaign promise to spend additional $1.9 billion on mental health CARRIES 44-1. Weird, Palacio.
Councillor Matlow’s motion to eliminate money for CCTV and the ShotSpotter tech from anti-violence plan FAILS 12-33.
Mihevc motion that police board report to exec committee on ShotSpotter tech (effectiveness, privacy, etc.) prior to buying it FAILS 15-30.
Cressy motion urging the feds to ban handgun sales in Toronto and the province to ban ammo sales CARRIES 41-4.
Mammoliti motion to request province provide more tools to evict people for criminal behaviour CARRIES 42-3.
Mammoliti motion for a report on the feasibility of a citywide curfew for people under 15 FAILS 8-37.
(“Councillor Ford, you’d have to get home early,” Nunziata joked, before the curfew vote. Pretty good.)
Mammoliti motion requesting the police board immediately hire 100 new cops CARRIES 24-21.
Mammoliti motion requesting a report on a “lack of parenting” and its connection to gun violence FAILS 11-34.
Mammoliti motion to request province review Police Services Act to consider providing police with more tools to gather evidence (like carding) FAILS 22-23.
Mammoliti’s motion was originally a straight-up call to bring back carding. He later withdrew and altered it to be significantly more vague.
Wong-Tam motion requesting federal government strengthen gun control laws CARRIES 40-5.
Wong-Tam motion for a report on a zoning bylaw that’d regulate the storage of guns and ammo in Toronto CARRIES 41-4.
Wong-Tam motion to develop intersectional gender-based analysis and approach to gun violence CARRIES 44-1.
Davis motion to investigate Toronto gun clubs and determine whether they are operating legally CARRIES 38-6.
Davis motion to investigate feasibility of the city acquiring and repurposing Toronto gun clubs with shooting ranges CARRIES 23-21.
Bailao motion to consult with Ontario Privacy Commissioner before awarding contract for ShotSpotter CARRIES 33-12.
Tory motion to request the Attorney General of Canada pass legislation that enacts tougher penalties for gun traffickers, directs more resources to gun trafficking CARRIES 44-1.
Palacio says he voted wrong on the Matlow motion requesting the province fulfill campaign promise to spend an additional $1.9 billion on mental health. On re-vote, carries unanimously. 45-0.
And the “Immediate Steps to Address Gun Violence” item carries unanimously, 45-0.
This is the only amendment that carried re: ShotSpotter. I think the intent is that police wouldn’t buy if the privacy commissioner identified issues that couldn’t be resolved, but language leaves some wiggle room.
Coun. Perruzza’s motion to exempt motorcycles and scooters from the King Street pilot rules does not get the council approval it needs to get added to their agenda. It’s dead. Vote was 18-24.
Councillor Paula Fletcher, with a second by Mayor John Tory, has moved to name the Regent Park Aquatic Centre after the late Councillor Pam McConnell. Also proposes a memorial bench and a statue. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2018.MM44.120
Another late addition to this agenda: a motion that’d prohibit the demolition of a bunch of buildings in Kensington Market for (at least) one year. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2018.MM44.115
Council votes 38-1 to install bike lanes on Brant Street between Richmond & Adelaide. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2018.MM44.110
Motion to enact the Kensington Market Neighbourhood Heritage Conservation District Study Area By-Law, or the KMNHCDSABL, for short, CARRIES 39-1.
Motion to name the Regent Park Aquatic Centre after Councillor Pam McConnell CARRIES 33-0.
Saying goodbye to city council, Coun. McMahon moves to ban the phrase “I will just be brief” from all city hall meetings.
McMahon also uses the opportunity to push for term limits for councillors. “You can do a good job, get out, and give someone else a chance.”
McMahon concludes by presenting Speaker Nunziata with a “bullshit button”, which presumably she can press whenever she detects bullshit. Dunno if it uses Bluetooth or Wifi or what.
In her goodbye speech, retiring councillor Janet Davis listed ten things she’s learned at Toronto City Hall.
Councillor Josh Colle in his goodbye speech to council: “And there’s often this talk of how city hall’s a circus and it’s crazy. Has anyone ever been to the provincial legislature?”
Councillor Davis also gives Councillor McMahon an “extra loud” air horn for her bike. They test it. It is indeed extra loud.
Councillor Michael Thompson just moved to give incentive grants to developers totalling $419 million. https://x.com/TorontoCouncil/status/1022577951064383509
Now Gord Perks has moved to make sure developments in the SmartTrack station zones are not eligible for incentive grants. This debate is SUPER wonky, but also important and could get real heated. https://x.com/TorontoCouncil/status/1022580222330331140
The best summary I have of the current debate at council: some councillors want to give millions of dollars in tax incentive grants to developments, despite a consultant’s report saying most of those developments would proceed even without tax incentives.
Next time someone at city hall tells you there’s no money to provide beds for homeless people, remember that the city has an active program that gives hundreds of millions of dollars to commercial property developers.
Councillor David Shiner argues that the grant programs are necessary because otherwise the city risks commercial development moving to the suburbs. He says grants will help these developments get built faster.
Mayor Tory says he’ll support Councillor Thompson’s motion to overrule staff recommendation, award tax incentive grants to developers. But he also supports reforms to the grant program so that in the future it’ll only apply to areas of the city in need of development.
John Tory gets fired up at questioning by Janet Davis. “These are people that are making the economy go! Government doesn’t create wealth! Those people do! They create jobs! They pay taxes! And they finance every activity that we undertake in this chamber,” says the mayor.
Councillor Michael Thompson’s motion to give millions in tax incentive grants to a bunch of developments, including some that would be built anyway, LOSES on a tie, 20-20. Wow.
Councillor Paula Fletcher’s motion to give incentive grants to 440 Front St. and 1755 Steeles Ave. developments but deny the rest of the grant applications CARRIES 39-1.
Councillor Gord Perks’ motion to eliminate office buildings from this incentive grant program in the future FAILS 9-31.
Perks motion to eliminate SmartTrack zones from the IMIT tax incentive grant program FAILS 13-27.
Perks motion to require that every IMIT tax incentive grant for developers get council approval FAILS 18-22.
And the IMIT tax incentive grant item as amended carries 36-2. Unlikely dynamic duo @gordperks and @MichaelFordTO teaming up to fight public grants to private property developers.
Province to overrule decision of a democratically-elected government body. Again. https://x.com/robertbenzie/status/1022647951015993344
This doesn’t even make sense from a logistical point of view. We’re in the middle of an election. People registered to run in certain wards. Can they get refunds on registration fees, and campaign funds spent? People have gone on leave from their jobs, put their lives on hold.
City staff just spent a bunch of time coming up with a new committee structures. Now that’s out the window. City spent hundreds of thousands on public consultations and studies on boundaries. Money down the drain, apparently.
And for what benefit? Some salary and office staff savings, I guess. But if you think your city councillor is bad at returning your emails now, wait until the workload doubles.
But I guess what does it matter, because, really, why even have a city council if the provincial government is just going to make decisions despite them.
(The worst part is going to be all the political hacks who call this a smart move because “fewer politicians!” plays well with a subsection of voters.)
Also: this only targets Toronto? Ottawa has 23 city councillors for a city of less than a million people. Toronto gets 25 for a city almost three times bigger? Nothing makes annnnnny sense.
Ford confirms he’s going to impose the cut to Toronto City Council for this fall’s election.
Doug Ford on John Tory: “Deep down, he knows less politicians is good. It’ll make his job a lot easier. He’ll be able to get things done.”
Ford says he doesn’t need a referendum on cutting the size of Toronto council because he’s talked to thousands of people.
Ford, bizarrely, keeps saying dysfunctional council meant Miller, Ford, Tory couldn’t get new transit built. There are literally people digging stations for the Eglinton crosstown right now.
A lot of people seemingly taking it on faith that fewer councillors will mean more efficient council meetings & decisions, but I don’t get it. 26 members of council is still a lot of speeches, a lot of motions. Suburban/downtown divide will still exist.
Ontario election results for Toronto were 11 NDP / 3 LIB / 11 PC. Assuming the ideological mix in the new council looks anything like that, I assure you things aren’t going to be any more efficient or streamlined.
Based on government backgrounder on cutting the size of Toronto Council, the deadline to register to run for Mayor of Toronto will not change. Anyone who wants to challenge Tory has to register by 2 p.m. today. https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2018/07/the-better-local-government-act.html
Tory’s motion on cutting the size of council has been added to the agenda. Coun. Gord Perks wants to debate this immediately. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2018.MM44.128
Council vote to consider the Council Cut immediately doesn’t get the 2/3rds majority it needs. 23-19. Council now debating road dust.
Toronto Council votes 37-2 to develop a policy that’d restrict plastic straws in the City of Toronto by Q1 2019.
Just noticed the press release on cutting council makes it clear Ford’s (still highly questionable) $25.5 million in savings claim is actually spread over four years. This government is good at leaving out the “over X years” part when they tout supposed budget savings.
(Why stop at four years? “Over the next millennium, our plan will save $6.25 billion. Before the expected heat death of the universe, savings are expected to total…”)
Hmm, is there any way for the federal government to give more power to cities (all cities) without getting into messy constitutional amendment territory? https://x.com/dmrider/status/1022859912081301504
The short answer to this, I’m told, is no. Let’s get everybody back to Meech Lake. I’m ready for another go at this.
Ward 21 candidate Suzanne Kavanagh says she’ll be approaching other council candidates about mounting a legal challenge to Ford’s council cut.
Council is currently debating free-floating car sharing (like @car2goToronto) for maybe the fifth or sixth time? Councillor Layton has moved a couple of motions. Let’s hope they get it right this time.
Layton’s motions are here. It’s hoped that these changes will be enough to get Car2Go to return to Toronto, and get other services like @Communauto to set up shop here. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2018.CC44.33
And because people always ask: “free-floating car sharing” means car sharing services where you can start/end trips on most streets with permit parking across the city. It does not refer to floating cars like you might see at the end of the movie GREASE.
Layton’s first motion on car sharing, which only prohibits car share parking in areas where permit parking is at 100% capacity, CARRIES 35-5.
Layton’s second motion making it so car sharing companies can apply to be part of the pilot at any point during the pilot CARRIES 37-2.
And the car share item as amended CARRIES 38-2. Come back, @car2goToronto, come baaaaaack.
Statement from @car2go: "We are pleased to see City Council take positive steps to establish a framework more supportive of true free-float carshare. We are going to review the amendments to determine a potential return to Toronto, where we know people love our service.”
Council is now debating Doug Ford’s move to cut the size of council. Watch live here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLcsuHwDjzY
City Clerk says new nomination deadline (Sept 14) means they definitely can’t be ready for advance voting on October 6 as scheduled.
The clerk, who kind of sound like she might just want to quit right now, is listing all the things that need to update. She says updating the election systems for the new wards may be impossible. City may need to hand count all ballots.
City Clerk Ulli Watkiss says she can’t say whether her staff can deliver the election in this short-time frame until she sees the legislation that’ll be introduced at Queen’s Park. Lots of doubt.
“Let me put it this way. In my 30-odd years as a city clerk, I’ve never been in a position where I’ve been provided with legislation that has not had extensive review with the Clerk’s office that they impact - ever,” says Watkiss.
Councillor Stephen Holyday asks Watkiss what she needs to deliver the election under the new rules. She says she needs council support to negotiate with the province on terms of the legislation.
436 people watching the council livestream right now. About four times as many as usual.
Here’s what ward populations are projected to look like in 2026, with 25 wards model. Etobicoke-Lakeshore, Toronto Centre and Spadina-Fort York get the rawest deal. Those city councillors would represent a population roughly equivalent to PEI. (via https://static1.squarespace.com/static/53bc0914e4b0eb57996e4dee/t/5807a5ef20099ecb24249b07/1476896247228/TWBR.SupplementaryReport.161014.pdf [pdf])
Tory asks staff if the city could hold a referendum on reducing the size of council if the province amended the Municipal Elections Act to allow it. Staff say yes.
Tory also asks about other ways the city could “take the pulse of the public.” Staff say the city does have measures it could use. (Like polls? I don’t know. No specifics.)
Legal staff confirm city can’t file an injunction or other court filing to stop this legislation today as the legislation does not yet exist.
John Tory has moved a motion requesting the province conduct a “binding referendum” on council size before passing legislation. If province doesn’t agree, he wants the city to put the question on the ballot anyway.
Feels like this could be a setup for a scenario where election is conducted with 25 wards, and a ballot question returns a result saying people want a smaller council. Ignores that this chaotic process is the biggest problem here, and that a democratic council was overruled.
Anyone who is preoccupied with whether council should be smaller or not is missing the point. This is about a bad process. For instance, I support taking the Gardiner East down, but I wouldn’t support strapping dynamite to it tomorrow and blowing it the hell up. There’s a process
Motion for legal action is coming. https://x.com/joe_cressy/status/1022962438084456449
Council must finish by sundown on Friday because of the Sabbath (by policy). If they don’t finish by 7:30 tonight, they come back Monday. Some councillors might see that as strategically advantageous — gives the weekend to learn more and plan motions on this.
And we’re back. Councillor Joe Cressy moves his motion to have the city mount a legal challenge to Ford’s council cut.
Councillor Cressy: “Doug Ford doesn’t like the City of Toronto! He couldn’t win here so now he’s trying to stuff it down our throats!”
Oh, is that all. https://x.com/jpags/status/1022977143742124033
Non-zero chance the election is held in Diane Ford’s backyard. You come, you vote, you get a burger and a light beer, Gary Crawford plays the drums.
Councillor Paula Fletcher wants a report from the city lawyer on whether provincial legislation is constitutional. Wants a report back before Labour Day.
Councillor Sarah Doucette showing a list of all city hall committees, boards, etc. It’s going to be a complicated task to figure out how these work with 25 councillors. Councillors are going to spend much of their time in meetings, leaving little time for constituency work.
Councillor Janet Davis points out Doug Ford’s actions violate the Toronto-Ontario Cooperation & Consultation Agreement, which was signed in 2008 and then renewed in 2011 by… Rob Ford. https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/accountability-operations-customer-service/city-administration/city-managers-office/intergovernmental-affairs/toronto-ontario-cooperation-and-consultation-agreement/
Councillor Mike Layton on councillor workload increasing greatly under this plan: “Imagine trying to book a meeting when you have 25 BIA meetings every month! I want to see my kids! I want to see my KIDS!”
Layton: “Who knew about this in advance? Because it has been suggested that someone knew about this in advance and didn’t bring it to our attention.” Hmm, what a mystery. Who could it be?
Tory says he was honest today when he said he didn’t know much about this. Says Ford’s comments about doing this in their meeting was short, off-hand, a musing.
Tory to Layton: “I think you should be ashamed of yourself. When you get up in this chamber — you demean this place, you demean me, but more importantly you demean yourself.” Wow.
Tory to Layton: “And I think you should stand in your place and apologize to me and to this chamber for getting up and in that kind of way where you’re implying it but not saying it. Get up if you have the balls to do it and say it!”
The mayor said balls. I don’t know what to tell you.
The amazing thing is that yesterday’s council meeting started very pleasantly. Nice goodbye speeches, reasonable-ish debate. Now, solely because of Doug Ford, the chamber is packed, people are yelling, protests are raging, the mayor is saying the word “balls.”
I think what a lot of people really wanted is for Tory to be as mad at Doug Ford as he just got at Mike Layton.
Meeting is over for the night. Crowd chants “Shame! Shame! Shame!” Adjourned ’til Monday.
Appointed councillor Lucy Troisi: “the process is flawed and the timing was extremely bad, but there really is nothing the city can do to reverse any decision made by the province. We need to move on.” Says she’ll focus on daily issues of Ward 28.
Councillor Stephen Holyday moves that council express its support to Ford for cutting the size of council.
The yelling has started! Councillor Janet Davis: “If he so despises this role, why are you even here, Councillor Holyday? Why are you even here if you have so little respect for what we do here?” Councillor Stephen Holyday: “TO CAST 4,268 VOTES! THAT’S MY JOB!”
Think of how streamlined and efficient our government would be if we got rid of all the politicians and just let strange women lying in ponds distributing swords determine who our leaders are.
Councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker says amalgamation in the 90s reduced the number of elected reps in Scarborough, but “the world didn’t end.” As always, I continue to believe we shouldn’t judge policies based on whether or not the outcome was the literal apocalypse.
It’s mid-afternoon on a Monday in July, but over 500 people are watching this Toronto City Council livestream. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dkKW77yXQY
Here’s the text of the Toronto council-cutting legislation introduced at Queen’s Park today: https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-42/session-1/bill-5
Councillor Gord Perks: “We’re not a creature of the province, we’re the voice of Torontonians. And our job is not to toddle up to Queen’s Park and ask them ‘please sir, can I have a referendum?’ … My permission doesn’t come from them. My permission comes from Torontonians.”
Perks: “Your call is not to figure out whether or not you can find a nice agreement with Doug Ford to make this a little less painful for us. Your duty is to get on the streets, fight back and stop this assault on the City of Toronto!”
Councillor Karygiannis points out, in a 25 ward system, he’d likely be up against Norm Kelly this fall. Sometimes vote splitting can produce surprising results.
This would leave some cities/towns with just one councillor. Others with just fractions of a single councillor, which could either get confusing and/or super gross, if taken literally. https://x.com/LaurenPelley/status/1024019846261039104
Councillor McMahon says renovations have already started at City Hall to create three new offices for the new wards.
Councillor McMahon responds to critics who say councillors will just need to “work harder” under 25-ward model. “Work harder? I am NEVER HOME. I got my kids a dog in 2010 — that dog doesn’t even know who I am! It’s friendlier with the postman! I work 12-15 hour days!”
McMahon, you will remember, is not seeking another term, so she doesn’t have a personal stake in this. She’s speaking in defence of other councillors, defending the job.
Councillor Di Ciano has moved that the city lawyer report on the City of Toronto seceding from Ontario. He seems to want to prove that Jen Keesmaat’s secession talk is unworkable.
Councillor Jaye Robinson amends Holyday’s motion supporting the 25 ward option, provided the province allows for a binding referendum.
Doucettte motion amending mayor’s motion about referendum asking that referendum happen before province passes legislation CARRIES 30-11.
Tory’s motion giving City Clerk extra authority to do what it takes to conduct this election given the ridiculous circumstances CARRIES 41-0.
Councillor Joe Cressy’s motion that council convey its opposition to Ford’s move to cut the size of council CARRIES 24-17.
Mihvec’s motion changing the cut-off for allowing councillors to communicate with constituents from Aug 1 to Aug 31 CARRIES 26-15.
Councillor Fletcher’s motion that city lawyer consider legality of province’s move to cut council and report back at a special council meeting on August 20 with options to fight it CARRIES 32-9.
Holyday’s motion to have council support the council cut is redundant, since council supported Cressy’s motion to tell the province that they do not support it.
Item as amended carries 33-8. We’ll be back here on August 20 to wrestle with this some more.
Procedural confusion so they re-vote to adopt the item. It carries 33-8, but the results slightly change: Thompson becomes a yes, Crawford becomes a no. None of it matters much.
And after six days full of events literally no one on this earth could have predicted, City Council has adjourned its July meeting. Back on August 20 to talk about suing someone.
Former councillor Howard Moscoe is in the chamber, sitting next to a young version of Jim Richards.
