City Council meets today! Housing Plan: The Next Generation will be the first item up for discussion, followed by a debate on expanding the non-police crisis response line. Streaming live here. I’ll recap in a big thread, starting… now. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sbot...
Up first: a ceremony honouring Indigenous Veterans Day. Council hears from Elder Larry Frost, then the mayor offers a few remarks.
Mayor Chow gives an update on the New Deal Working Group, where the city and province have been discussing how to fix City Hall’s budget crisis. She says the federal gov has agreed to join the table. “Took them a month, but it’s GREAT that they’ll have their first meeting today.”
Morley notes a petition signed by about 10K people who aren’t happy about the Bloor West bike lanes. She notes infra like this is necessary for growing population. “Going ahead with the Bloor Complete Street Project is not only the responsible choice, it’s the urgent choice.”
Councillor Alejandra Bravo moves to consider items relating to the city’s shelter plan today, after the debate on the housing plan. That carries. Debate on the non-police crisis response program will be first thing tomorrow morning.
Time for the first item: The “Generational Transformation of Toronto’s Housing System.” Proposed new target is 65,000 rent-controlled units — up from 40K units in the Tory plan. It’ll be part of larger provincial plan to build 285K housing units of all types by 2030.
A new thing in this Housing plan compared to past Housing plans is a recommendation to pursue a “Public Builder” strategy with five sites. Different from model where City offers leases to private developers on condition a percentage of units will be affordable.
But, well, then there’s the matter of the bill. All this is expensive. City needs between $33 billion and $36 billion. Report includes major requests for money from Queen’s Park and Ottawa in form of both financing and direct funding.
The thing to remember about these costs though is that the alternatives — shelters, jail, hospitals — are *way* more expensive.
Councillor Nick Mantas asks if the city could look at buying developments that have approvals but aren’t getting built. Housing Secretariat’s Abi Bond says that’s possible, and there may be opportunities to do that given number of developers experiencing financial distress.
Councillor Dianne Saxe asks if staff have looked at building tiny houses on vacant/transitional lots. Bond says they’re reviewing information about doing that. More to come. See this week’s City Hall Watcher for more on what’s happening behind the scenes toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/chw252
Earlier this morning, Council named Stephen Conforti, who has been serving as an interim City of Toronto CFO, as the new permanent CFO. His immediate task is to steer an unwieldy ocean liner around a giant iceberg. Fun gig. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Mayor Olivia Chow is the first speaker on the next-gen housing plan. “At council here, over the years, we’ve talked — and talked — about building housing … we’ve built condominiums, but are they affordable? No. Not to ordinary people.”
Chow says this new housing plan is about a change of focus. “It’s not just about market housing. It’s not just about market determination of what the rent is. It’s about being people-centred. It’s about government taking a role.”
Chow says she was up late last night talking to federal Housing Minister Sean Fraser. She says the feds are “making very positive noises” on housing and “hopefully there will be funds coming — it sounds very positive. We’ll see.”
Holyday asks Chow where the city is supposed to find money for the housing plan. Chow says if the City can find money for things like the FIFA World Cup and rebuilding the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts they can surely find money for housing.
“Knowing the constraints of the budget, what will be cut?” asks Holyday, arguing that City Hall will need to cut something from the budget to pay for housing plan. Chow invites Holyday to upcoming budget consultations. He says he just wants money for mechanical leaf collection
Councillor Brad Bradford is now. He asks Chow what her model is for the public builder program. Chow refers to previous agencies dating back to the 1990s and earlier. She says the vision is NOT to be Ontario Housing, which was all RGI housing — she says mixed-income is important.
Bradford asks Chow if her public builder model could involve the private sector. She says she’s open to working with the private sector, but she’s wary of public-private partnerships, citing the Eglinton Crosstown — “in court, behind schedule, costs going up.”
With that, Council breaks for lunch. Back at 2 p.m. to put a roof on this housing debate.
Council is back and dealing with some quick items before returning to the Housing main event item. Councillor Brad Bradford’s motion calling for a report on converting office space to residential CARRIES via show of hands. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Request for a report on the feasibility of adding a trail connection between York Mills Station and Earl Bales Park CARRIES via show of hands. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Back on housing now. Councillor Dianne Saxe moves to ensure that affordable housing built via this plan be built to environmental standards, with no gas appliances.
“There is no magical unicorn coming to build housing,” says Saxe, dashing the hopes and dreams of children everywhere who want to believe in Yimbee the Sparkle Dream Horse. She says it’s either public or private, and the private approach hasn’t delivered much affordable of late.
Person wearing a T-shirt in opposition to a proposed respite site for people without homes watches as Councillor Mike Colle speaks in favour of the affordable housing plan.
Councillor Stephen Holyday moves for quarterly updates on the progress of the affordable housing plan, with explicit targets. But he also indicates he won’t support the plan as a whole, because the cost is too much for City Hall.
Councillor Paula Fletcher rises to ask Holyday how he voted on the decision to host the FIFA World Cup, at a cost of around $300 million. Holyday refuses to engage in that line of questioning. (But let the record show Holyday did vote for it.)
Without warning, council embarks on a digression wherein some worry that quarterly reports aren’t a great idea, because they’ll suck up a lot of staff time. “It seems to me that staff will spend most of their time writing reports!” notes Chow. Holyday refuses to change his motion
Councillor Brad Bradford moves a pair of motions: - Requesting inclusionary zoning only “where supported by market analysis" - Ruling out city taking on roles as construction manager or general contractor in housing projects.
Bradford is saying there’s no definition of “public builder” in the report, so he wants to set some guardrails. Councillor Gord Perks says every big city in Europe has a public builder. Bradford says he’s focused on this report, not cities in Europe.
Asking more questions about the motion, Councillor Shelley Carroll says Bradford seems “quite enamoured” with the private-sector model. Bradford complains that he’s being “badgered.”
Things get testier. “It’s not unreasonable to ask what’s MEANT and INTENDED by ‘public builder’ in this document,” protests Bradford. “Do we need a time out here in the Council chamber?” wonders Speaker Nunziata.
Holyday steps in to help Bradford out, asking Bradford if construction is risky and if the city has ever directly built a high-rise building. Bradford says no. Holyday asks if the City has a history of cost overruns and delays on other projects. Bradford says yes.
Bravo asks if Bradford agrees that recent experience with P3s show that the private sector does not in fact take on the risk and build projects better. Bradford responds by claiming the Eglinton Crosstown is a “government agency-led project” with Metrolinx in charge.
Councillor McKelvie has some motions too. - To develop an “adaptive management framework” to meet the new housing targets. - Update the housing dashboard with the new targets.
Councillor Paula Fletcher moves for staff to do analysis on approaches for building affordable housing on Villiers Island, and for a report on redeveloping a Danforth Ave site with additional affordable units.
Time to vote. Holyday’s motion to provide quarterly reports on the new Housing Plan FAILS 8-17. They’ll stick with annual reports.
Councillor Bradford’s motion to request inclusionary zoning be applied only in areas “where supported by market analysis” FAILS 10-15.
Councillor Bradford’s motion to delete the words “public builder model” and rule out the city serving as construction manager or general contractor on housing projects FAILS 9-16.
Mayor Olivia Chow’s new affordable housing plan, targeting 65K rent-controlled units by 2030, CARRIES 24-1.
Up now: a debate on Toronto’s shelter system, and the readiness for the winter season. It all looks grim — the system is already at capacity, with hundreds of people unable to find beds each night.
The city plans to add up to 390 indoor spaces (including a new 24-hour respite centre with 40 spaces) and offer up to 275 new housing opportunities this winter. (The inclusion of “up to” with numbers like these always makes me nervous.)
Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik asks about using the federal armouries in the city as shelters this winter. Shelter GM Gord Tanner says the inquiry has been made, and the city is waiting to get info from the federal government on whether they’ll be made available.
On the shelter plan, Mayor Chow notes the cold and wet weather outside right now. She says the fed gov must step up to help the ~40% of shelter users who are refugees. At same time, city must transition high-cost shelter hotels to lower-cost new purpose-built shelters, mayor says
The request that the federal government open city armouries for use as shelter spaces CARRIES 22-1.
Request to look at using public land for permanent or temporary shelters, modular housing, tiny homes etc CARRIES 22-1.
And that’ll do it for today. Council breaks for the night. Back at 9:30 a.m. with 44 items left on the agenda. Up first tomorrow: the expansion of the non-police crisis response service.
Council’s back for day two. Things are getting started with a tribute to the Toronto Youth Cabinet on the occasion of their 25th anniversary. Damn the youth cabinet is getting old. Day two stream is here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdi7...
Up first: the recommended city-wide expansion of Toronto’s non-police crisis response service. A pilot project has gone pretty darn well, with nearly 7K calls received, and 78% handled with no police involvement. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
The proposed expansion will see calls for people experiencing mental crisis handled by four organizations, with three geographic districts and one city-wide Indigenous service.
The city-wide non-police crisis response program is expected to cost $35 million a year. Report recommends council ask the provincial government to fund it like they do other public health programs, with a 75%/25% provincial/city split. Will Queen’s Park agree? TBD.
(Seems like there’s a decent case this program should be funded via an offset from the police budget but I’m not sure there’s an appetite to have that argument right now.)
After staff questions, Mayor Olivia Chow is the first speaker on the item. She lauds the non-police crisis response service and the work that got city hall to this point, saying that adding this as Toronto’s fourth emergency service will have a “generational impact.”
Councillor Stephen Holyday has a motion. He wants to strike the language about the crisis response service becoming “Toronto’s fourth emergency service.” He worries those words may “haunt us” and create undue liability or expectation.
Councillor Chris Moise asks Holyday if he thinks people in mental health crisis are not, in fact, experiencing an emergency? Holyday deflects and says he’s not trying to devalue the experience of people, but just doesn’t like the use of the word “emergency” in this context.
Holyday’s motion to NOT call Toronto’s non-police crisis response service an “emergency service” FAILS 2-21.
Council votes 23-0 to ENDORSE the city-wide expansion of the non-police crisis response service.
Up now: the Waterfront East LRT, which is way overdue and also way underfunded and years — maybe decades — away from construction. A sad story. I wrote about it in the Star this week: www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
Council is being asked to advance parts of the Waterfront East LRT to 60% design, but there’s a risk of up to $135 million in prelim work being “sunk costs” if federal/provincial/other funding doesn’t materialize for construction. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
From the archives: a 2003 motion adopted unanimously by Toronto City Council that they “reaffirm the principle that transit is a core element of the future redevelopment of the Waterfront.” Twenty years later, still waiting.
Councillor Nick Mantas asks if staff have considered “trackless transit” technology for the waterfront. Staff say they have not, and have concerns about adding new types of technology in terms of long-term maintenance, etc.
Councillor Lily Cheng asks about proportion of public space in the eastern waterfront, and how staff are making sure it isn’t “very cluttered, with a lot of housing which is what a lot of our current waterfront looks like.” Chief Planner says the vision is a complete community.
Staff say further delays on the Waterfront East LRT will undoubtedly increase project costs, potentially to the tune of 4.5% to 5% for every year of delay. Current full-project estimate is $2.6 billion.
Councillor Mike Colle is also asking about technology alternatives, saying “streetcar technology” is outdated. “Why spend billions building an obsolete thing on the waterfront?”
Colle points to how long it’s taken to build LRTs on Eglinton and Finch, and suggests the city must look at alternatives for the waterfront. “This could be another boondoggle that we could avoid.” He likes electric buses in dedicated lanes but isn’t making a motion. Okay then.
Mayor Olivia Chow is the final speaker on the Waterfront LRT. Nunziata accidentally calls her “Councillor Chow.” Chow jokes that’s appropriate, because she actually was a councillor when this line was first talked about, twenty years ago.
Chow says waterfront transit will benefit everyone, linking people to these new neighbourhoods. “It’s exciting, and we are starting — FINALLY — to do the planning.”
The vote on the Waterfront East LRT will be delayed until after lunch, because Councillor Paula Fletcher wants to be in the chamber for it, and she’s not now. Back at 2 p.m. to do that, then the rest of everything. There are 37 items left on the agenda.
Council is back. The recommendation to go forward with design work on parts of the Waterfront East LRT — despite uncertainty about construction funding — CARRIES 18-2.
(Don’t know what’s up with that alternative vote results screen. Kind of neat you can see the seating chart for mayor and councillors, I guess!)
On to member motions. Councillor Chris Moise’s motion for a report on using photo radar to enforce the King Street transit corridor CARRIES via show of hands. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Councillor Dianne Saxe’s motion requesting the federal government create a Youth Climate Corps CARRIES via show of hands. By their powers combined… Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, Heart! secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Councillor Stephen Holyday’s motion for a report on whether the Etobicoke Coat of Arms is, in fact, racist fails to make the agenda. Vote was 15-8. It needed a two-thirds majority. Item will get referred to committee. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Councillor James Pasternak’s motion to endorse the “Mayoral Declaration on Addressing Hate, Extremism and Polarisation” CARRIES 23-0. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Not a lot of action with the member motions. Most were minor and passed without objection. Only one was held for debate. There are now just 13 lucky items left on the agenda.
Up now: a report on the Congestion Management Plan. Major focus of the plan is adding more “traffic agents” directing traffic. But because the city is having trouble recruiting/retaining traffic agents, they’re looking to have the cops do it in more places secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
I wrote about the traffic agent program, and the plan to expand it, a couple of weeks back. My experience is that they are not always great for pedestrians. www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
Councillor James Pasternak asks if traffic agents have the power to enforce traffic laws. Director of Traffic Management Roger Browne says agents technically have enforcement powers, but the focus is on “traffic management rather than enforcement.”
Councillor Brad Bradford moves for a report on programs intended to better coordinate major construction projects.
Councillor Chris Moise moves for a report on measures to improve way-finding for finding alternate routes around construction. He calls downtown construction right now a “cluster… mess.”
Councillor Paula Fletcher moves for reports on the feasibility of increasing the permit fees for construction projects that close streets and a plan to consult with various types of road users on the congestion management plan.
On the Congestion Management Plan, all motions CARRY via show of hands. Plan is APPROVED by Council by show of hands. Watch for more traffic agents, coming soon to an intersection near you.
Up now: a debate on doubling the number of “free-floating” car share vehicle permits in the city. These are car share vehicles where users can start and end trips at on-street spaces. Currently Communauto is the only provider in the city. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Councillor Stephen Holyday wants to make sure there’s nothing in this report that would suddenly lead to car share vehicles parked on streets without permitted on-street parking. Staff say that’s not the intent. Holyday seems relieved.
Councillor Dianne Saxe moves for a report in May 2024 on making “free floating” car shares available city-wide, eliminating current restrictions that limit them only to some areas where there’s on-street permit parking.
Councillor Holyday, on the other hand, moves to ensure car-share vehicles aren’t allowed to start/end trips in areas without on-street parking. He says in his ward people have private parking spaces, and nobody wants “cars dumped randomly on the street and left there to linger”
Council contains multitudes. Both the Saxe and Holyday motions CARRY via show of hands. Not sure how that’s going to work long-term, but I guess we’ll see what the future holds. Original recommendation to increase number of permits available to Communauto CARRIES too.
Up now: a report with some updates on the Vision Zero Road Safety Plan, with a focus on traffic calming. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Councillor Jon Burnside asks about obstructed license plates, which can be a real issue with the photo radar program. A rep from Toronto Police says they issued 11,905 tickets for obstructed/obscured/peeling license plates in 2022. 2023 year to date is already at 14,186 tickets.
“So, if I was the parent of some fictional child named — harkening back to the previous councillor for Etobicoke — Little Ginny. Little Ginny is much safer on streets designed for 30 km/h than one that’s posted at 40 and gets traffic calming at 50?” asks Perks. Staff agree.
That’s a real wayback playback from Councillor Perks there. Here’s the context. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Here’s a quick flowchart comparison of the old process for getting traffic calming measures installed on a Toronto street (left), versus the proposed new one (right). Crucially, no more need for petitions and a supermajority poll result.
Saying he regrets that he has to do this, Councillor Stephen Holyday moves to refer the proposed new traffic calming policy back to staff for more work. He wants a policy that is more “responsive to the differences in wards across the city.”
Holyday warns that with the new traffic calming criteria, “nine out of ten streets will suddenly qualify!” He calls the proposed policy flawed. He suggests different criteria could be used in different parts of the city based on “different types of road and driving conditions.”
“If Councillor Holyday does not want traffic calming in his ward then let’s move that motion. By all means, nothing for Councillor Holyday,” says Nunziata. She says she wants more traffic calming in her ward and thinks most other councillors do too.
Councillor Brad Bradford has a motion to update the criteria for installing traffic lights, so they can be installed if there’s been one person killed or seriously injured. Current criteria require way more injuries/deaths before city will install traffic lights.
Councillor Dianne Saxe moves for an annual report that lists every pedestrian/cyclist death caused by a driver in the city, and a summary of contributing factors and changes that could improve safety.
Councillor Paula Fletcher moves for a report on whether the police are using “textalyzer” tech, which is like a breathalyzer but it detects whether a person has been texting? Is this a thing?
Time to vote. Councillor Holyday’s motion to refer the new traffic calming policy back to staff for more consideration of the different traffic calming needs of wards like his FAILS 3-20.
Councillor Bradford’s motion to relax the criteria for installing traffic lights and pedestrian crossovers, so that they can be installed after one preventable death, CARRIES 21-2.
All other motions are carried via show of hands. The new traffic calming policy is APPROVED by Council, 22-1.
Sticking with the traffic safety theme, Council’s next item is a request to the federal government to enhance safety regulations and requirements for heavy trucks, and for a report on city hall requiring trucks driving in the city to have side guards. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Mayor Olivia Chow moves that the coming report also look at the feasibility of retrofitting the City of Toronto’s truck fleet with side guards.
Chow’s motion on side guards on city trucks CARRIES via a show of hands. As does the item. Report coming in Q3 2024 on the feasibility of requiring trucks to have side guards.
Five items left. Council decides to just plow through. Up now: the proposed process for the city to use the new Community Infrastructure & Housing Accelerator, or CIHA. It’s basically a more formalized process through which cities can get MZOs. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Councillor Stephen Holyday moves to require written notice of at least 20 days when there’s a plan to use the new CIHA process to accelerate a project.
The Holyday motion and the item CARRY via show of hands. One item left: tree removal at Ontario Place. The province intends to cut down a bunch of trees to make way for the mega-spa plans. A report suggests city hall probably can’t do much to stop ‘em. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...
Councillor Ausma Malik moves for city lawyers to look at intervening in court cases involving Ontario Place redevelopment and tree removal at the site. That CARRIES 20-1.
And that’ll do it. Council’s November 2023 meeting is in the books. If you enjoyed this thread and found it informative, funny and/or enraging, consider supporting me with a subscription to my newsletter, City Hall Watcher, if you can. It means a lot. toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/subscribe