Toronto Council meets today! First item up for debate after the procedural stuff is set to be a Board of Health item about the COVID resurgence. It’ll stream live here starting in about 15 minutes. I will tweet a potent mixture of facts and jokes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkW4FGdo0PA
This week’s issue of @cityhallwatcher features a full agenda preview. We could see debates on sidewalk snow clearing, ranked ballots, smart traffic signals, winter washrooms and more. https://graphicmatt.substack.com/p/council-to-talk-traffic-and-toilets
And we’re live. Most aggressively festive councillors: Shelley Carroll, Jennifer McKelvie.
Speaker Frances Nunziata officially welcomes Councillor Jaye Robinson back. Robinson’s been on leave for treatment for breast cancer. Great to see her back and participating. “I feel very fortunate to be joining you this morning. There’s no sugar-coating cancer,” Robinson says.
Josh Matlow has 3,538 signatures on his petition supporting more sidewalk snow clearing in downtown, midtown and East York.
Council vote on adopting the new Data for Equity Strategy CARRIES 25-0. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2020.EX18.6
Council’s agenda is set, with just 23 items held for debate, plus 12 member motions. “This could be a short one,” Matt thought, totally jinxing it.
Dr. de Villa is giving Council a COVID presentation. Here’s an interesting table of test positivity by age group, by week. That 14-17 trend looks concerning.
Here’s a map of all the neighbourhoods in Toronto that meet the provincial criteria for red zone restrictions.
And here’s a map of neighbourhoods with greater than 5% test positivity. It’s amazing how many COVID-related maps are basically the same as Toronto’s individual-income map.
Dr. de Villa’s presentation ends with some info on vaccines: first doses could come Q1 2021, with early delivery to specific populations. Wider access could come in the spring.
A de Villa slide with some examples of preventable outbreaks, all of which come from workplaces, with employee-to-employee spread.
After peppering Dr. de Villa with questions, Council is breaking for lunch. Back at 2 p.m.
Council has paused their COVID debate until after Tory and de Villa finish their presser. Current item is about transit priority corridors, like the dedicated bus lanes that were recently installed on Eglinton East. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2020.EX18.1
Here’s the Top 20 list of surface corridors that the city thinks could use dedicated transit lanes or other improvements to make transit go faster. Jane Street is up next, with consultations starting in 2021 and installation date TBD.
Councillor Brad Bradford has moved this rather innocuous motion about consultations for these surface transit corridors. Councillor Stephen Holyday wants to make extra sure that any consultations will include drivers. Bradford says sure, okay.
Councillor James Pasternak is very concerned about the notion of “24/7 dedicated bus lanes.” He’d like to see more focus on signal priority, queue jump lanes.
Minnan-Wong, speaking on an item about improving surface transit: “I just want to reinforce how critically important it is not to exclusively focus in on transit-riding groups.” Says asking transit riders if they favour bus lanes is like asking if Santa is in favour of Christmas
Councillor Anthony Perruzza, wearing one AirPod and one wired earbud, is concerned about notion of reducing lanes for cars on Jane Street. Not a ton of enthusiasm from suburban councillors re: dedicated bus lanes so far.
With a couple of minor amendments, the dedicated bus lane item CARRIES on a voice vote. Next step will be consultations re: Jane Street, with report back in Q2 2021.
Back on the COVID item, Mayor John Tory moves to authorize staff to implement equity measures in pandemic hotspots.
Board of Health chair Councillor Joe Cressy has a motion to promote the safety of the COVID vaccine when available, and to combat any messaging from anti-vaxxers.
Here’s the full text of Tory’s motion, which also asks for federal money for programs that’ll help out in hotspot areas in northwest and northeast Toronto. https://x.com/TorontoCouncil/status/1331699415946555393
Councillor Stephen Holyday moves to have staff report on suicide prevention support services, and ways to coordinate referrals across city services to keep people safe. He also wants to look at creation of a 988 system like the U.S. for quicker access to mental health supports.
Councillor Brad Bradford moves to request the provincial government reinstate the moratorium on residential and commercial evictions.
Councillor Gord Perks moves for a report on how the province has responded to council requests for income supports, eviction moratoriums and paid sick days.
Councillor Mike Colle has a motion for the provincial government to establish a “coordinated and seamless COVID-19 pandemic response for the Greater Toronto Area.” I mean, why start now.
Councillor Anthony Perruzza moves to have staff re-open indoor skating rinks as soon as it’s allowed and expand hours where possible.
Perruzza also has a motion requesting the fed and prov government ensure the cost of the pandemic is “shared equitably across Canadian society.”
Mayor Tory’s motion to implement equity measures in hotspots CARRIES on a show of hands. So does Cressy’s motion to promote the safety of the vaccine(s). And Holyday’s motion to promote mental health. Lots of show-of-hands votes!
Councillor Bradford’s motion to request the province reinstate moratorium on residential and commercial evictions CARRIES 25-0.
Perks’ motion to report on whether the province has responded to city requests CARRIES via show of hands.
Councillor Colle’s motion requesting the province establish a coordinated pandemic response across the GTA CARRIES 24-1.
Perruzza’s motion to extend indoor skating time when it’s allowed again CARRIES via a show of hands.
Councillor Perruzza’s motion requesting the feds and prov ensure pandemic costs are shared equitably CARRIES 22-3.
We’re on to ranked ballots. The deadline for feedback on the province’s bill banning cities from using ranked ballots has already come and gone, but this is still a chance for Council to give the move the collective thumbs down. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2020.EX18.11
Staff are saying the anti-ranked ballot bill has yet to pass and receive royal assent, but my read of this page is that… it has? Can QP people confirm? https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-42/session-1/bill-218
“The bill has received royal assent,” confirms the city solicitor, correcting the earlier message. So we’re all on the same page now.
Councillor Shelley Carroll moves to request the Government of Ontario withdraw the amendment that banned cities from using ranked ballots.
Councillor Michael Ford moves to receive the item, meaning Council takes no action. Councillor Mark Grimes then moves to call the question, so we’ll go straight to a vote.
Mayor John Tory makes it clear he accidentally voted the wrong way on that vote to receive. He apologizes to Council. They’re figuring out whether they can re-do it.
Things descend into chaos. Nunziata doesn’t want to allow a re-vote because she says it would change the outcome. (It would not.) Tory says he’s okay with moving on, but Perks resists. Clerk explains convention is NOT to do re-votes when outcome is tied. Huh. Today I learned.
Anyway, Councillor Carroll’s motion requesting the province reverse the move to ban municipalities from using ranked ballots CARRIES 13-11.
“On the last item, we asked the province to help us, and now we’re telling them not to help us,” says Nunziata after the vote, inexplicably. Perks says she shouldn’t editorialize from the speakers’ chair. Nunziata withdraws the remark. Last 15 minutes or so have been WEIRD.
That’ll do it for today! Makes sense — people were getting kind of cranky. Back tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. with 32 items on the agenda.
Council’s back for day two. First item up for debate is an update on Metrolinx transit projects, including the Ontario Line. You can watch live here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJm3ZTwW5pk
Councillor Paula Fletcher moves for a report on how much it’d cost to tunnel the Ontario Line through Leslieville.
Full text of Fletcher’s Ontario Line motion, that also calls for consultation and support for businesses, and tree protections. https://x.com/TorontoCouncil/status/1331977576353509376
Councillor Paul Ainslie moves for Metrolinx to provide the info needed for city to proceed with two Housing Now sites at Science Centre Station.
Councillor Mike Colle moves for a report on whether Metrolinx plans to compensate small business owners for nine years of Eglinton Crosstown construction.
Councillor Paula Fletcher’s motion for a report on what it’d cost to bury the Ontario Line through Leslieville CARRIES 25-0.
Councillor Paul Ainslie’s motion requesting Metrolinx fork over the info necessary to move forward with Housing Now sites CARRIES 25-0.
Councillor Colle’s motion for a report on whether Metrolinx plans to compensate small business owners affected by Eglinton LRT construction CARRIES 24-1.
29 items left on the agenda - 13 regular items and 16 member motions. “It’s literally IMPOSSIBLE for them not to finish this agenda today,” Matt thought, jinxing it harder.
On an item now about the workload for Toronto paramedics during COVID-19, especially those that do the job part-time. Councillor Mike Layton moves for a report on staff fatigue and mental health. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2020.EX16.21
Layton’s motion carries via show of hands, and so does the paramedic item. Up now: an update on the Toronto action plan to confront anti-Black racism. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2020.EC17.3
Council votes 25-0 to adopt the year two report from the city’s Confronting Anti-Black Racism Unit.
Up now: The province has proposed changes to child care regulations. An item recommends Council take the position that those changes are “contrary to the principle of quality”. “The proposed changes are indeed bad,” says Councillor Joe Cressy. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2020.EC17.12
The basics of the province’s child care regulation changes: mixing toddlers and infants, increasing maximum group size, decreasing staff ratios.
A strong majority of parents and child care providers disagree with proposed changes, according to results from a city survey.
That didn’t take long. Council votes 24-0 to submit mostly negative feedback re: the province’s new child care regulations.
Council moves on to an item about the maintenance backlog for Toronto’s road network. Transportation staff say city is at a “critical tipping point.” Major and local roads projected to be in poor condition by 2023. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2020.IE17.3
By 2029, Toronto’s maintenance backlog for major and local roads will total about $3.4 billion.
This might be part of the problem. https://x.com/GraphicMatt/status/1215723094289141761
Councillor Stephen Holyday moves for staff to provide options for councillors in the 2021 budget process for ways to address the giant road repair backlog.
Councillor Paula Fletcher moves for a report on getting dedicated crews to patrol and repair bike lanes.
Holyday’s motion carries via show of hands. As does Fletcher’s motion.
Vote on whether to request a report on if it would be cheaper to in-source some road repair work to city crews CARRIES 19-5. Remainder of the item recommendation carry via show of hands.
And that takes us to lunch. Back at 2 p.m., with 26 items left on the agenda. “Still TOTALLY convinced they’ll finish today,” Matt thought, turning the jinx level up to 11.
Coming back from lunch, councillors were briefly broadcast over YouTube while unaware. Yet again, they disappoint me by not discussing juicy scandals. Instead, Councillor Ainslie and Councillor Holyday were talking about various Christmas light festivals.
Officially back from lunch, Council votes 22-2 to authorize installation of a traffic signal at Dupont Street & Kendal Ave.
A Mike Layton and Paula Fletcher motion calling on Council to oppose provincial changes to conservation authorities gets added to the agenda. Holyday holds it for debate.
We’ll also get a tree debate this week, as Councillor Perruzza’s item about saving a 250-year-old oak tree is added to the agenda and held for debate by Perruzza.
Member motions are done. 11 items left on the agenda. Up now: it’s a bike lane debate! Staff recommend installing bike lanes on Dundas East between Broadview Avenue & Kingston Road. Councillor Holyday, as you might expect, has some questions about it. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2020.IE17.4
Dundas East already has bike lanes but they’re old-style painted lines and in rough shape, so this is an upgrade to separated cycle tracks.
Speaker Nunziata has a photo of a driver who somehow did this with their car and the separated bike lane on Scarlett Road. She says this has happened twice in last two weeks. Transportation GM Barbara Gray says they’re going to add additional signage and reflective tape.
Councillor Stephen Holyday moves to stop the installation and refer the Dundas East bike lane upgrades and some upgrades to the Harbord Street (added by Mike Layton at committee) bike lanes back to committee for more public consultation.
Here’s Holyday’s latest anti-bike lane motion. https://x.com/TorontoCouncil/status/1332045722917761024
Dundas East bike traffic is about 2,500 per day, which is somewhere between 16% and 25% of car traffic. Staff say this plan to upgrade the lanes is a bit of a compromise — best upgrade for safety would require removing 50% of parking spaces.
Councillor Mike Layton points out that while this staff report focuses on the Dundas East upgrades, there are also a bunch of other upgrades to the bike network in it. Here’s the list. These tinier additions can make a big difference for lots of people.
Holyday’s motion to delay upgrades to bike lanes on Dundas East and Harbord to do more consultation FAILS 4-21. (Perks accidentally voted the wrong way.)
“Wow, we’ll never see those four vote together again,” says Ainslie. “I’m looking out my window and I think I just saw pigs fly,” says Holyday.
Remainder of the bike lane item carries via show of hands. 10 items left! Up now: basement flooding protection. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2020.IE17.5
General Manager of Toronto Water Lou Di Gironimo schooling everybody else at this meeting with his Zoom background.
Councillor Ana Bailao moves to have staff to work with the province to change insurance regulations so companies stop denying coverage to people due to basement floods.
The basement flooding item carries unanimously, with Bailao’s amendment. Council also approves the MoveTO congestion plan quickly. Up now: the sidewalk snow clearing item, which has been paired with the winter washroom program. Watch live here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJm3ZTwW5pk
Councillor Josh Matlow moves to direct staff to increase the amount of sidewalk snow clearing this winter, and report on Dec 2 on the streets that will be cleared.
Answering questions from staff, Transportation GM Barbara Gray said the city has bought nine tiny sidewalk plows for the downtown & area snow clearing pilot, which targets 230 km of previously-unplowed sidewalk. Matlow’s motion asks them to look at increasing that further.
Matlow says he worked on his motion with Mike Layton and the mayor, praising Tory for understanding the issue. I’d expect Matlow’s motion to pass if the mayor is in support.
Councillor Stephen Holyday moves to POSTPONE opening additional winter washrooms in areas where there are “ongoing issues” related to a lack of social distancing and unlawful activities. Weird motion.
Holyday speaks against city taking on responsibility for sidewalk snow clearing in downtown and area, saying the current model works fine. He also worries that increasing service levels downtown will take money for plowing away from Etobicoke.
“What I don’t want is people hanging around drinking beer out of a tailgate,” says Holyday, explaining why he wants to hold off on opening more park washrooms.
Councillor Wong-Tam moves to request the Medical Officer review Toronto Public Health’s guidelines for access to public washrooms.
Councillor Mike Layton moves to request staff keep washrooms at skating rinks open even after the skating season ends, and for staff to look at winterizing more washrooms in the future.
Councillor Paula Fletcher moves to have staff put some portapotties on Leslie Spit.
Councillor Josh Matlow’s motion asking staff to work to expand sidewalk snow clearing in downtown, midtown & East York CARRIES 24-1.
Councillor Stephen Holyday’s motion to postpone opening winter washrooms in areas where people are breaking the law or whatever FAILS 6-19.
Wong-Tam’s motion to have Toronto Public Health review public washroom guidelines carries on a show of hands. So does Layton’s motion to keep skating rink washrooms open after skating system. And Fletcher’s motion re: Leslie Spit.
Mayor John Tory moves to finish this meeting agenda tonight. That carries. He thinks councillors could be finished by 6:20 if they really buckle down. I’d take that bet. (But glad to know I didn’t jinx it!)
On an item updating councillors on police reform efforts, Councillor Michael Thompson says he’s “extremely disappointed.” “The changes that are being recommended are the same old things being dressed up — it’s putting lipstick on a pig, and all the piglets, quite frankly.”
More Thompson on policing: “I don’t see real reform. I don’t see real accountability. I see changing of names and titles and so forth.” He says he’s not seeing what people marched and protested for earlier this year reflected in reports and government progress.
Councillor Mark Grimes has a new assistant. (“Brody. His first council meeting,” Grimes says.)
Council votes 22-3 to request the province reverse its proposed changes to conservation authorities.
Our final item. There’s a 250-year-old oak tree at 76 Coral Gable Drive. In 2018, Council voted to look into buying the property to preserve the tree, but only if half the cost came via private donations. Donations fell short. Now council must decide: still buy, or let it go?
Staff say they’ve raised $313K to buy this property with the 250-year-old tree. There’s a donor willing to put up half of the remainder of what’s needed, leaving them $40K short.
If the City does buy it, they’ll knock down the house and turn it into a park. Staff acknowledge this is not an area in need of more parks, but these are unique circumstances, because of the very old tree.
Staff say this 250-year-old tree could live for another 100 years, or longer. This tree’s longevity impresses me.
This 3-bed 2-bath house last sold for $520K in 2015. The purchase price the city is considering is confidential, but based on donation numbers it looks like it’d be $786K or thereabouts. (Plus $200K for demolition costs.)
Councillor Anthony Perruzza moves to go forward with the purchase of the property and preserve the tree.
Now researching very old trees. Wait, the oldest verified tree was cut down in the 1960s by some grad student? Now I’m angry. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oldest_trees
Councillor Stephen Holyday is against buying the property to preserve the tree. “It’s an oak tree. It’s not a money tree.”
You can still donate to the tree fund on the city’s website. Not clear to me what happens to all the donations if Council votes to not pursue a purchase, though. https://www.toronto.ca/business-economy/partnerships-sponsorships-donations/donate/heritage-red-oak-tree/
Councillor Nunziata tells her colleagues about a 7-year-old girl she met who has raised $4,000 to preserve this tree, selling lemonade and homemade “Tree of Hope” bracelets.
This kind of debate seems ridiculous but it also might be my favourite part of local politics.
Councillor Mike Colle says Holyday is being ridiculous, as he supports spending $1.8 billion to bury the Eglinton LRT but won’t support this very old tree.
Councillor Anthony Perruzza’s motion to pursue the purchase and preserve the 250-year-old oak tree CARRIES 17-5. The tree shall live.
And that wraps up Council’s November 2020 meeting. I’m able to devote the time to this kind of local coverage because so many people are generous enough to subscribe to my @cityhallwatcher newsletter. If you want to join ‘em, you can do so here: https://graphicmatt.substack.com