Toronto Council meets today! I will be providing live coverage right here in this thread. With nearly 200 items on the agenda, including police reform, this is going to take a while. Live stream will kick off at 9:30 a.m. You can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3tqJReLG8U
Mayor Tory’s police reform item — the one without a specific budget reduction target — has been designated as the mayor’s first key item, so it will be debated first after preliminaries. (2nd key item is expanded patios for COVID.) Follow the agenda here: http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/decisionBodyProfile.do?function=doPrepare&meetingId=18760#
Quick reminder for @cityhallwatcher subscribers: I’m holding off on releasing this week’s issue until AFTER this meeting. Hopefully it’ll be coming your way tomorrow. Depends on how fast council works through this agenda.
755 people watching the beginnings of this meeting. WAY higher than normal viewership for council. New viewers are currently watching Councillor Stephen Holyday laud some recent audit reports. BUT stick with it! A police funding debate is coming soon. Promise.
Councillor Josh Matlow moves to WITHDRAW his item about the 10% police budget cut. Matlow says he and Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam will instead introduce amendments to Tory’s motion, seeking to change it to be closer to their original motion Withdrawal carries on a show of hands
That greatly simplifies this debate. There is now ONE police reform item. We’ll likely see several votes on amendments to change Tory’s motion, e.g. to add a 10% (at least) budget reduction target.
We made it! Police budget debate is starting now. You can join 1,303 others and watch live on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3tqJReLG8U
Councillor Gary Crawford kicks things off, asking City Manager Chris Murray about how many police officer positions would be eliminated with a 10% cut. Murray agrees that it’s probably in the ballpark of 1,000 officers.
Expect a lot of fear mongering like this about the potential impacts of a police budget cut. BUT no one is voting on a police budget today. Council would be requesting the police submit a draft budget for 2021 with a reduction. That draft would still be subject to approval.
So any notion that Council would be reckless in requesting a 2021 police budget decrease today strikes me as a major stretch. As I write in my column, the main thing supporting a budget cut today would do is show Council is serious about change. https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2020/06/29/budget-cut-a-blunt-instrument-that-could-signal-toronto-council-is-serious-about-police-reform.html
We’re told Police Chief Mark Saunders is working on connecting to this meeting so he can answer questions from members of council.
Questioning staff, Councillor James Pasternak points out that reducing the police budget would likely mean laying off diverse officers and impact police equity goals re: workforce diversity.
Councillor Paul Ainslie, hanging in the backyard with some old campaign signs, asks Police Chief about whether TPS plans to post collected race-based data on the Open Data portal. Saunders commits to it.
Councillor Mark Grimes seems to be under the belief that the Matlow/Wong-Tam motion (now withdrawn) called for a cut to THIS YEAR’s police budget. It did not. It was a request for 2021.
Police Chief Mark Saunders says if Council requested a 10% budget cut he’d need to go to the Ontario Civilian Police Commission, a board with the power to overrule council-imposed cuts to police budgets.
I always wonder how this rhetorical questioning strategy used by councillors plays with people who don’t usually watch. Like, Coun. Holyday just asked City Manager who sits on the police board, a question he should know the answer to! (He knows, but wants answer “on the record”)
Councillor Wong-Tam asks Police Chief Saunders if the three-year moratorium on hiring recommended by the Transformational Task Force in 2017 actually happened. It did not, confirms Saunders. Police began hiring again about six months in. https://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2017/08/10/toronto-police-board-backtracks-on-hiring-freeze-plans-to-hire-80-officers.html
Councillor Michael Ford asks Police Chief is a 10% cut to the police budget would “jeopardize community safety.” Saunders says it would.
Councillor John Filion is prominently displaying the cover of the book he wrote about Rob Ford.
Feels a bit odd that councillors are asking questions about the future of the Toronto police to a Toronto police chief who will be gone in a month.
Police Board Chair Jim Hart says it is possible for the police to provide a line-by-line budget. Councillor Cressy asks if police board could provide line-by-line now, instead of waiting until January. Hart says he’ll need to check, but thinks it’s doable.
This sort of the crux of the debate. How much trust do you have that a collaborative police reform process will actually achieve change? https://x.com/jpags/status/1277631461688999936
Council is now on lunch break until 2 p.m. When they come back, we should start seeing speeches and amendment votes. Expect a request to embed a budget reduction target in Tory’s police reform motion.
Council has returned from lunch. After a bit of housekeeping, they’ll return to the police item. This debate will, I promise, be more action-packed in the afternoon session. Watch live here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3tqJReLG8U
Okay, back to the police item. Are adding a couple of urgent items, there are 69 items left on this agenda.
Councillor Josh Matlow introduces amendments to Tory’s motion. The highlights: - Give Council more control over lines in police budget - Requests police provide 2021 budget with cut of at least 10%
Matlow’s political evolution from proud centrist to one of the politicians leading the charge to cut the police budget has been a remarkable thing to watch. https://x.com/jpags/status/1277671213314248705
Councillor Wong-Tam has a five-part motion: restricting use of deadly force, eliminating OCPC appeal process for police budgets, establishing an accountability office & accountability table, alternatives to 911.
Councillor John Filion has three motions: - Expanding auditor general jurisdiction to include police - request province expand instances where cops can be suspended without pay - request province require police complaints be investigated independently.
Filion says he’ll vote against Matlow’s 10% budget cut motion. With centre-left councillors like Carroll and Filion opposed, there is virtually no chance this part of the Matlow amendment will pass.
Councillor Ainslie’s got motions. Requesting police post stuff to Open Data, and release their Use of Force Policy on their website.
Councillor Mike Colle has a motion too. He wants a report on establishing a crisis assistance service based on the CAHOOTS model from Eugene, Oregon.
There’s been talk of disarming the cops at this meeting, with Wong-Tam’s motion specifically calling for most officers to be disarmed. (With an exception for ETF.) Here are some use-of-force stats for the Toronto Police in 2019 from the latest police board meeting.
(“Less Lethal Shotgun” is some interesting nomenclature.)
Councillor Joe Cressy moves to request the police board provide line-by-line breakdown of 2020 police budget and make it public next month.
Cressy says he’ll support the Matlow/Wong-Tam 10% budget cut request. He says mayor’s proposal lacks clear targets, which are necessary to achieve real reform.
Councillor Gord Perks has two motions. - Looking at non-police response models to calls involving homelessness, overdoses, etc. - Reallocate funds for body cameras to social services.
Councillor Bailao moves to add community orgs, social services agencies and mental health support orgs to consultative process re: developing alternative models to policing.
Bailao says the debate today is not about a number. Does not sound like she’ll be supporting the 10% reduction request.
Councillor Fletcher has a motion requesting the police board ensure the new police chief has a track record and holds certain values.
Councillor Holyday moves a four-part motion calling for the police to provide more details at budget time, requesting the province amend the City of Toronto to expand jurisdiction of Auditor General to include the cops. Holyday says he can’t support motion to reduce police budget
Mayor John Tory is the last speaker on this item. We’ll be getting to voting shortly. It is going to be SUPER complex to keep track of all these amendments, but I will do my best.
Councillor Bradford will support the 10% police budget reduction request. https://x.com/BradMBradford/status/1277706257173041160
When the mayor speaks, all councillors have the right to question to him. Matlow asks why Tory is opposed to an “arbitrary” target for police budget reduction when he has supported other “arbitrary” targets with things like property taxes, service levels, etc.
Tory replies by saying he doesn’t want this debate to be all about a number. He says police reforms will achieve savings and then budget can be reallocated.
Voting time is here. Councillor Holyday’s motion to delete the mayor’s recommendation and replace them with new, software police reform recommendations FAILS 1-23.
(Holyday was the only one in favour, FYI.)
Matlow’s amendment to Tory’s recommendations re: developing alternative models of community safety response FAILS 9-15.
Perks’ amendment to Tory’s motion specifically requesting alternative community safety response models to calls involving homelessness, overdoses, gender-based violence, mental health and traffic offences FAILS 11-13.
Bailao’s motion calling consultation with community-based orgs, social service agencies and mental health support orgs on developing non-police response models CARRIES 24-0.
Filion’s motion seeking provincial amendment to City of Toronto Act to allow Toronto’s Auditor General to audit police budget CARRIES 24-0.
Matlow’s motion to delete mayor’s recommendation re: accelerating body cams FAILS 6-18.
Perks’ motion to delete Tory’s recommendation re: body cams and reallocate funds to social services FAILS 8-16.
Matlow’s motion to request the province amend Police Services Act to allow Toronto have direct oversight over police budget CARRIES 22-2.
Councillor Matlow’s motion to request the police provide a 10% cut (at least) in their 2021 budget submission FAILS 8-16.
Wong-Tam motion requesting police establish policy restricting using weapons against civilians (excluding ETF) FAILS 8-16.
Wong-Tam motion requesting province eliminate OCPC appeal process for overturning council-approved police budgets CARRIES 22-2. Ford & Holyday opposed.
Wong-Tam motion to establish accountability office for Toronto Police CARRIES 23-1. Holyday opposed.
Wong-Tam motion to identify alternatives to 911 and other emergency responses and report back in September FAILS 10-14.
Wong-Tam motion to establish an Accountability Table that reports annually CARRIES 24-0.
Filion motion to request the province amend Police Services Act to allow cops to be suspended without pay CARRIES 24-0.
Filion motion to request the province amend Police Services Act to ensure complaints about cops are investigated by independent agency (and not the police themselves) CARRIES 24-0.
Ainslie motion requesting the police share data with open data CARRIES on a show of hands.
Ainslie motions requesting the police make their Mobile Crisis Intervention Team Program 24/7 AND that TPS provide budget summary spreadsheets each year both CARRY 23-1. Holyday opposed.
Ainslie’s motion that the police post their use-of-force policy on the web also carried via show of hands.
Councillor Mike Colle’s motion requesting a report on adopting a service like CAHOOTS in Eugene, Oregon CARRIES 23-1. Holyday opposed, again.
Cressy’s motion requesting the police board provide a line-by-line breakdown of the 2020 police budget CARRIES on a show of hands vote.
Fletcher’s motion calling for the Police Board to look for certain track record and values when recruiting new police chief CARRIES 24-0.
Hey @TorontoCouncil I just want you know I badly miss your vote result screens. The green, the red, the yellow — all of it.
Police reform item as it pertains to recommendation to accelerate body cameras CARRIES 17-7.
And the remainder of the police reform item as amended CARRIES 22-2, with Holyday and Matlow opposed.
Council has opted to extend this meeting tonight to do the CafeTO item. if they don’t, permits for expanded patios likely wouldn’t be able to be issued in time before Canada Day on Wednesday, so they’re getting it done.
Mayor John Tory moves an amendment to the CafeTO program, requesting the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing provide expanded permissions for patios.
Some of these restrictions are pretty ridiculous. If someone owns or rents a property with a parking lot, and they want to use that parking lot for a patio instead of car storage, why is the government in any position to tell ‘em otherwise?
Councillor Paula Fletcher moves to request the TTC consider moving some streetcar and bus stops where possible to accommodate expanded patios.
Fletcher also moves for a temporary reprieve on requirements that some side patios require a poll of residents nearby before getting approval.
All CafeTO motions carry via the showing of hands. The program is adopted in time for expanded patios on Canada Day.
And that’s it for Council today. Back tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. to finish off this agenda.
New report on the from the Medical Officer making recommendation that masks be mandatory. Bylaw requires businesses to have a mask-wearing policy. Would go into effect 7 days after today with auto expiry in fall. Council will vote on this today. https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2020/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-148577.pdf (PDF)
Day two of Council will start shortly. There are 66 items left on the agenda, including the mandatory mask bylaw. Streaming live here soon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utZrrbZkAdo
Councillor Bradford moves to refer an item about potential changes to the first-time home buyers’ rebate to the land transfer tax. It’ll now be considered at the November budget committee meeting.
First item up is about modular housing. Two projects: 56 units at 11 Macey Avenue and 44 units at 150 Harrison Street.
The modular housing agenda item includes an attachment of an email chain in which a bunch of staffers try to figure out how to reduce the size of a PDF document. I don’t know why. https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2020/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-148494.pdf (PDF)
Staff are asking Council to authorize a request for a Ministerial Zoning Order — basically asking Minister of Municipal Affairs & Housing Steve Clark to enact zoning regulations on Toronto’s behalf, speedrunning the process of getting these modular housing projects built.
Councillor Bailao moves to request the zoning order to move these affordable housing projects forward. One of the projects (150 Harrison) is in her ward. The other (11 Macey) is in Councillor Crawford’s ward.
Motion to request a Minister’s Zoning Order to speed along the two modular housing sites CARRIES 23-1. Holyday is the lonely vote.
Council now on report about TTC’s anti-racism strategy. Perks asks TTC CEO, “Is there structural racism in the enforcement arm of the TTC?” Leary: “Just like society, we have had racism in this organization. We don’t pretend we don’t.” Points to work of anti-racism strategy.
TTC CEO Rick Leary speaking to councillors beside a screen with some handwritten notes about the TTC’s plan to address racism.
Big motion from Councillor Gord Perks: he wants the TTC to include an option in their 2021 budget submission that would eliminate their Special Constable Unit.
Councillor Paula Fletcher points out tech issues with the Presto system have contributed to a bunch of lost fare revenue. “Should these special constables not really be up at Queen’s Park trying to get Presto working?” she jokes.
Councillor Shelley Carroll has a motion requesting the TTC Board ensure the new complaints investigator tasked with looking into fare inspectors and special constables reports directly to the TTC Board. Important to ensure independence, she says.
Deputy Mayor Minnan-Wong speaks in opposition to the Perks motion. “People who don’t pay their fare are stealing from the system.” Also: “In Councillor Perks’ world, why don’t we just say people can go into grocery stores and take whatever they want?”
Councillor Colle speaks in defence of Perks’ motion, pointing out the motion doesn’t call for the immediate elimination of special constables — just asks for the TTC to present that option.
Councillor Thompson says he won’t support Perks’ motion to look at getting rid of TTC special constables. Councillor Matlow says he will. This is playing out like a sequel to yesterday’s police funding debate.
Mayor John Tory has a motion. It’s a softer version of Perks’ motion, asking the TTC to “review the mandate of the Special Constable Unit” and look at removing some of their equipment.
Tory says he recently ran into some TTC constables in a coffee shop and felt they looked overburdened carrying a “big belt full of stuff.”
Councillor Gord Perks’ motion requesting the TTC present an option in their 2021 budget to eliminate the Special Constable Unit FAILS 10-14.
Carroll’s motion re: independence of complaints investigator carries on a show of hands. The hands also carry Tory’s motion re: special constable unit, and the item as amended.
Council breaks for lunch. There are 62 items left on the agenda. 46 are member motions. Six are about trees. One is about masks. Back at 2 p.m.
They’re back. Council is set to consider member motions, which takes a while. After that, they’ll get to the mandatory mask bylaw debate. Stream remains here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utZrrbZkAdo
Mark your calendars. Council votes to designate August 22 as Flight of the Monarchs Day. It’s about butterflies, not the Queen.
Item urging the province to bring back the TTC/GO Fare discount is added to the agenda. Councillor Gord Perks holds it for debate.
This item calling for the police to report on their policies re: CCTV cameras was added to the agenda and passed. Sparked by notice indicating police are installing cameras at Jane & Finch.
Item requesting a report on the status of the Ontario Line introduced and carried. Report will go to Exec Committee in July.
Item about calling on provincial and federal govs to end homelessness is added to the agenda. Holyday wants a recorded vote on part 2, which calls for actions including clean water & sanitation supports at encampment sites. That CARRIES 21-2. Holyday & Minnan-Wong opposed.
Motion calling for Confronting Anti-Black Racism Training for all members of Council and their staff carries on a show of hands.
Motion calling for a report on allowing cargo bikes weighing more than 40kg to use bike lanes added to the agenda and carried via show of hands.
Council is now getting to the mandatory mask bylaw item.
“For godsakes, let’s not get the police into this, or 311 or our bylaw officers,” says Councillor Mike Colle. Wants major focus to be on educating people re: mask wearing, not enforcement.
“I just don’t know where we would have been in this battle if last winter we hadn’t stopped the $1 billion cut to public health,” adds Colle. It is amazing how quickly we went from debates about cutting public health to a universal understanding of the value of public health.
“Happy Canada Day everybody!” says Councillor Cynthia Lai as she dons a maple leaf mask.
Time to vote! Cressy motion to adopt the Medical Officer recommendations and adopt a mandatory mask-wearing bylaw CARRIES on a show of hands.
Surprised there wasn’t a recorded vote on that one. Anyway, mask bylaw will take effect a week from today. But don’t wait until then!
23 items left on this Council agenda. Six are about trees.
Here’s the full text of the City of Toronto’s mask-wearing bylaw. https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/bills/2020/bill0511.pdf (PDF)
Mayor John Tory wants the speaker to provide a rundown of items left on the agenda. He doesn’t want to have to come back on Thursday, but also says he’s learned “the later it gets, the worse the decisions get.” Fact check: true.
There are 20 items left. Six about trees. (“A waste of time if you ask me,” says Tory.) Debate now about whether finishing the agenda tonight is doable. Councillor Carroll moves to complete the agenda. Tory says maybe it makes more sense to come back Friday.
Interesting vote split on this motion from Pasternak re: looking at a textile pick-up service. It FAILED 6-18 without any real debate beforehand.
Another weird vote split on this Holyday amendment to the clothing drop box item. It FAILED 8-16.
A councillor could introduce a motion to move City Hall into an underwater bunker deep beneath the waves of Lake Ontario right now and there’s like a 60% chance Council would mindlessly vote for it if it was identified as a “quick release.”
Deputy Mayor Minnan-Wong wants to defer Matlow’s item about protecting tenants during the pandemic. Matlow refuses. “We’ve got rules, Denzil. You know that.” “Yes we do, Councillor Matlow. Go on with your sophistry.” Getting testy.
Council votes 22-2 to DENY the request to remove this tree at 52 Briar Hill Avenue in North York. Holyday & Ford opposed.
Tory is unmuted while talking about how he doesn’t want to continue this meeting tonight and would rather come back on Friday. “You can tell - the Perks item, the rent control item, they’re going to be long.”
Council votes 22-2 to deny the request to remove this absolute unit of a tree at 95 Gordon Road in North York. Ford & Holyday against, again.
Council votes 22-2 to deny the request to remove this tree at 20 Shirley Crescent in Scarborough. Ford & Holyday, yes, again.
Council votes 21-3 to deny the request to remove this tree at 127 Willow Avenue. Ford, Holyday and Grimes. (Councillor Grimes opposed because “he had a black walnut tree once.”)
Seven items left. Two tree items.
Councillor Carroll moves to extend the meeting to finish the agenda. That CARRIES 18-6. (Ainslie, Crawford, Fletcher, Lai, Pasternak, Tory opposed.) Staff need a break so they’re taking a 15 minute recess before they tackle the rest of this agenda.
Council now on an item about their Housing Now affordable rental housing initiative. Matlow moves to impose strict rent control on units in Housing Now developments. Staff have recommended a rent control policy that allows for annual increases 2% higher than provincial guideline.
Brief interruption to Matlow’s speech as Councillor Anthony Perruzza appears to be making a phone call via his smart watch.
Staff are worried that imposing rent control on the Housing Now sites would “reduce interest in development of City land at some sites.” Here’s their comparison of the rent control scenario vs. the recommended rent control + 2% scenario.
Matlow’s motion to impose rent control at the provincial guideline at Housing Now sites FAILS 7-16.
Back to trees! Council will now decide whether this tree at 9 Firestone Road in Etobicoke will LIVE or DIE. Perks moves to deny the application to remove it. Holyday argues tree should be removed, pointing out applicant is 80-year-old woman who can’t manage the leaves, etc.
Councillor Grimes takes opportunity to further express his dislike of Black Walnut trees, even though this item is NOT about a Black Walnut tree. (It’s a Honey Locust.) He says if any councillors thinks Black Walnuts are good, he’ll pay to have one planted in their backyard.
“Any takers on the Black Walnut trees?!” Grimes demands. “I’ll take two Cherry instead!” says Colle. I know very little about trees. What is so bad about these Black Walnut trees? Councillor Grimes is rarely this passionate.
Mayor John Tory says he normally votes in favour of trees and no mayor will have planted more trees than him after his tenure at city hall, but he’s going to vote to remove this tree. (Also says he’s going to look into changing process so these tree votes stop coming to Council.)
One tree vote remains. Shall this tree at 113 Meadowbank Road be permitted to LIVE or should it DIE? Councillor Gord Perks moves to save it.
If process was changed such that city arborists had final say over tree removal applications, more trees would be saved. If process was changed so that community councils had final authority on appeals, more trees would die. (Mostly in Etobicoke York.) https://x.com/edwardrow/status/1278112173655457792
Councillor Holyday accuses councillors who vote to preserve this tree of putting “trees before people.” Applicant has blamed this three for basement flooding issues.
Worth noting that the city’s forestry department does not buy the argument that this tree by itself is responsible for basement flooding.
Most contentious items of the June 2020 meeting of Council: - cutting the police budget in response to systemic racism and police violence - two trees
Grimes is AGAIN talking about how much he hates Black Walnut Trees. He continues to offer colleagues free Black Walnut Trees. Adding “hates Black Walnut trees” to the list of things I know about him. (Current list: “Chair of Exhibition Place Board; was the midnight mayor”)
Motion to ask province to continue GO/TTC fare discount program CARRIES 20-2. Opposed are the dynamic duo of Minnan-Wong and Perks. Don’t see THAT every day. (Perks opposed because he wants a bigger conversation about fare integration, etc.)
Two items left. Up now is a Matlow motion calling for landlords in apartment buildings to provide hand sanitizer in common areas, clean surfaces, etc. in response to COVID-19.
Here’s the City Hall lobbying activity of Greater Toronto Apartment Association President Daryl Chong recorded yesterday, June 29. Chong’s organization advocates for landlords.
“I don’t know why anybody would want to be a landlord in Toronto anymore,” says Councillor Stephen Holyday, speaking against Matlow’s motion.
“The majority of good landlords will not worry at all about [Matlow’s] motion,” says Councillor Bailao, because they’re already doing this stuff. She says she’ll support it.
Matlow’s motion to require apartment building landlords to provide hand sanitizer and clean surfaces, etc, CARRIES 19-3, with Holyday, Lai and Minnan-Wong opposed.
One item more. Perks moves to amend a Matlow motion requesting the Ontario government provide offset payments to landlords who forgive rent with a new recommendation that makes evictions due to rental arrears accumulated during the pandemic illegal.
Perks’ amendment to the Matlow motion re: rent relief FAILS 5-16. Carroll, Grimes, Layton, Perks, Wong-Tam on the losing side. Original item carries on a voice vote.
Looks like we made it. The meeting is over. Thanks for following! I’ll have an issue of @cityhallwatcher out Thursday recapping all the votes, with a special Council Scorecard analyzing the police votes. If you like this stuff, you should subscribe! https://graphicmatt.substack.com
Last voice heard on the stream belongs to Councillor Mark Grimes. “Black walnut! You’re going to get a BLACK WALNUT!”