Toronto Council meets today! Provincial cuts will be a huge focus. You can watch the livestream here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA9CeWuv0JM
Mayor John Tory has designated this item, a report on how provincial budget cuts affect Toronto, as the first key item, so expect it to come up for debate first after the preliminary stuff. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2019.MM7.13
Some more detail on provincial cuts. Of the $178 million shortfall facing Toronto this year, $154 million is on the operating side - public health, child care, paramedics. $24 is million on capital side via the gas tax reversal. https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2019/mm/bgrd/backgroundfile-133070.pdf (PDF)
Of note: “The gas tax loss has a net present value to the City estimated at $3.7 billion, as this is the amount of capital that could have been supported by the now lost revenue stream.” Huge!
For more on why the city has no real choice but to fight the province on these cuts, here’s my analysis for @cbctoronto. https://x.com/LaurenPelley/status/1128286246063747073
And if you missed it, yesterday’s issue of my weekly newsletter included more background info on Premier Doug Ford’s cuts. And also some stuff about a car-free Yonge Street. And a chart showing which wards most call 311 re: dead animals. A spectrum of news https://x.com/GraphicMatt/status/1128042982450634754
Tory’s second key matter at this meeting will be this item about Ontario Place and Exhibition Place. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2019.EX5.1
Late addition to the agenda: starting in June, the city plans to narrow Richmond St between John and Bathurst to one lane shared by bikes and cars for watermain replacement. Councillor Cressy has a motion directing staff to maintain the dedicated bike lane http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2019.MM7.15
Two things: 1) Really just taking an axe to public health, like public health wronged them in a past life or something. 2) How is prov communication this bad? Here’s a process: type up a report with ALL cuts, give it to the city, have a meeting, talk. https://x.com/joe_cressy/status/1128303716044541952
Toronto City Manager Chris Murray: “If the expectation were to somehow address this $180 million just through efficiencies without any effect to services, I don’t believe that’s possible.”
City Manager confirms Toronto can put a line on the property tax bill like “Provincial Cuts” or “Doug Ford cuts” or whatever so residents know why they’re paying more, if it comes to that.
Mayor John Tory moves a big motion that that’ll have Council formally ask Province to reverse cuts and also schedule some special meetings to explore impacts. There’s also a public awareness campaign in there.
Full text of Tory’s motion has been posted here: http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2019.MM7.13
One of the things Tory wants city staff to report on: “potential economic loss to the City of Toronto as a result of an epidemic.”
Council’s debate on provincial government cuts rolls on. Currently, Councillor Michael Ford is defending Premier Doug Ford. Guess he’s not a swing vote. Here’s the afternoon stream. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORECO8FBPUA
Councillor Stephen Holyday says he takes exception to the province cutting public health funding mid-year. “This is baked in. $183 million worth of funding. And to rip $65 million out of that means we’re getting shafted.”
Holyday is a very, very conservative councillor, so his opposition to these midyear provincial cuts is significant.
Mayor John Tory’s motion to formally request the province reverse their cuts, have staff report on impacts and do some public awareness campaigning CARRIES 25-1.
Councillor Pasternak’s motion to have staff report on whether province’s public health cuts could violate the Canada Health Act CARRIES 25-1.
Councillor Perruzza’s motion that city request province provide the city with a share of the provincial income tax equivalent to what city would have got from gas tax FAILS 8-18.
And the items relating to provincial cuts as amended carry. Summary: every member of council but Michael Ford opposes midyear provincial cuts to city programs.
Council votes unanimously to add Ontario Place to Toronto’s Heritage Register.
Toronto Council is back for day two of their meeting. Up first: a debate on the merits of the province’s new Housing Supply Action Plan. Streaming live here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZTXzySBxnw
Planning staff say under new provincial planning rules most developments will bring much less parkland to the city. They’re estimating that most devs would bring only a small park, “about half the size of an NBA basketball court.”
Here’s an example of how Bill 108 would affect a development at 770 Lawrence Avenue West. Increase in units, much less parkland. Park area per resident goes from 3.8 square metres to 0.5.
Here’s a summary of what Toronto planning staff are recommending Council endorse today. Can’t imagine many councillors will disagree, but the province doesn’t seem likely to listen.
36% of ten-year parks capital plan funded via dev charges or $703 million. Section 42 & 37 make up another 20%, $370 million. https://x.com/soupdogg9/status/1128660612484038657
Staff say the city’s entire ten year plan for new parks will have to be “recast” based on new planning rules.
12 capital projects for planned new Toronto child care centres will host 583 spaces. $38 million total cost - $20 million via Development Charges. Cressy: “Can we build them if the DC formula changes?” Staff: “No, we cannot.”
Toronto Chief Planner Gregg Lintern: “There are no tools in Bill 108 that address head-on our affordable housing challenge.”
Councillor Gord Perks points out the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing could issue a ministerial zoning order putting Toronto’s short-term rental bylaw (the new airbnb rules) into effect. City estimates that’d add 6,000 rental units to market. But nothing from province.
Mayor Tory points out province only allowed 30 days for consultation on these major planning changes. “They’ve had a habit, this government, of having major bills with no legislative hearings at all.” Says in his QP days passing major legislation without hearings was unthinkable.
Tory says these provincial planning changes represent “an even bigger financial cutback” than the budget changes council debated yesterday. He’s looking for more consultation, saying other Ontario munis are likely to have identical issues with the changes.
Tory on Bill 108: “This notion that they’re going to ‘speed up housing’ — it’s not necessarily the housing we need in total, and it’s going to impair our ability to provide the infrastructure we need.”
Councillor Jim Karygiannis advancing theory that provincial gov actions are shaped by a Ford-Tory feud. Karygiannis wants to be invited to provincial meetings in mayor’s place. Tory: “You know what, if I thought it would achieve anything except a negative result to do that…”
Councillor Josh Matlow has motions! One to have municipalities team up in opposing the supply plan. Second asks for per-unit community benefits charge. https://x.com/TorontoCouncil/status/1128687191935324160
Councillor Mike Layton has a motion. He wants a report on potentially denying developers permits to close streets for construction equipment, etc.
Layton’s motion, he says, is a kind of warning to developers: if they try to leverage the new provincial legislation to exploit Toronto, council will deny them things like road occupancy permits.
Council now on lunch until 2.
Council back on the planning debate. Afternoon stream is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BR-d5-35x2I
Councillor Gord Perks moves that staff report on holding provisions for neighbourhoods after the province’s new housing bill passes, restricting development until all the new measures get sorted out.
Councillor Gord Perks to developers: “If you want a war, a war is what you get. If you want to stand up for Toronto, now is your time.”
Councillor Jaye Robinson has motions to have staff develop a “public guide” on the impacts of Bill 108 and to report on how changes to Development Charges will impact the TTC capital budget. She suspects dev charge changes will mean delays and revenue loss for transit.
Key message to developers from a lot of councillors today: we’re not pushovers. https://x.com/m_layton/status/1128729043057115137
Last speaker is Councillor Ana Bailao, Tory’s point person on housing. She’s got a motion directing staff to tell the province Toronto opposes the return of the OMB. It also calls for reports on the financial impacts and for more consultation. https://x.com/TorontoCouncil/status/1128734637122105344
Councillor Josh Matlow’s motion to have Toronto team up with other GTA municipalities to oppose Bill 108 CARRIES 25-1.
Councillor Colle’s motion for a report on including a list of infrastructure costs in planning reports CARRIES 26-0.
Councillor Mike Layton’s motion for a report on denying developers road occupancy permits CARRIES 22-4.
Councillor Gord Perks’ motion for a report on issuing holding provisions (restricting development) in certain neighbourhoods until the particulars of Bill 108 are sorted out CARRIES 22-4.
Councillor Jaye Robinson’s motion to have staff develop a public resource re: Bill 108 and report on TTC impacts CARRIES 25-1.
Councillor Paula Fletcher’s motion to have staff forward copies of the City Planner’s report re: Bill 108 to members of the public involved in development CARRIES 24-2.
Councillor Ana Bailao’s motion to convey opposition to bringing back the OMB rules (and get more reports, etc.) CARRIES 25-1.
And the remaining 29 recommendations re: Bill 108 are also ADOPTED by Toronto Council, 25-1.
Michael Ford being the only councillor opposing most of these items shows this issue is way more partisan than it is ideological. If it was just a left vs right thing, councillors like Holyday would be voting with him every time.
Councillor Layton’s member motion to support a property tax exemption for the Hot Docs Theatre carries 24-1. Some people just aren’t into documentaries, I guess.
Councillor Paula Fletcher’s member motion to have staff help @ArtistsNetwork1 find a new space on or near Queen East CARRIES 23-2.
Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam’s member motion opposing provincial cuts to Legal Aid Ontario CARRIES 25-0.
Councillor Mike Colle’s motion to ask Metrolinx to provide (and pay for) crossing guards at Yonge & Eglinton during Crosstown construction CARRIES 19-1.
Councillor Joe Cressy moves an amendment re: his motion about the closure/diversion of the Richmond Street bike lane between Bathurst and John during watermain replacement this summer. Cressy says he wants a detour in place.
Cressy’s motion to ensure safe movement of cyclists along Richmond during the watermain replacement starting this summer carries 21-0.
And that marks the end of the May 2019 meeting of Toronto Council. If you found this thread useful and want to support this stuff, consider signing up for my @cityhallwatcher newsletter - you’ll get post-meeting analysis direct to your inbox next week. http://graphicmatt.substack.com/subscribe