COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBOURHOOD SERVICES COMMITTEE

A G E N D A

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST PURSUANT TO

THE MUNICIPAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST ACT.

CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES.

DEPUTATIONS.LIST TO BE DISTRIBUTED AT MEETING

COMMUNICATIONS/REPORTS.

1.PROPOSED REINVESTMENT STRATEGY FOR MUNICIPAL

SAVINGS RESULTING FROM THE IMPLEMENTATION

OF THE NATIONAL CHILD BENEFIT.

Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services

(October 22, 1998)

Proposing a reinvestment strategy for the City's savings in social assistance payments resulting from the implementation of the National Child Benefit; outlining the projected net savings from the Social Assistance program in this regard; and recommending that:

(1)the City's savings from the implementation of the National Child Benefit be reinvested to develop and provide a broader range of care alternatives and service supports for children of low income families, including those families making the transition from Ontario Works into sustainable employment;

(2) pending Provincial confirmation of the actual City savings and acceptance of the City's reinvestment priorities, the savings accrued be retained and designated in the Social Services Reserve for future spending in accordance with the approved reinvestment plan;

(3)the Community and Neighbourhood Services Department report further on how the success of the reinvestment strategy will be monitored and evaluated once Provincial accountability and reporting requirements are known; and

(4)the appropriate City officials take the necessary action to give effect thereto.

2.TORONTO CHILDREN LIVING IN POVERTY.

Councillor Olivia Chow,

Children and Youth Advocate

(October 6, 1998)

Respecting the findings of the first Report Card on Children published as part of The First Duty report on the number of Toronto children living in poverty; advising that 1996 Census data is now available and shows that the estimates in the Report Card understated the extent of child poverty in Toronto; outlining statistics in regard thereto; and suggesting that, as City Council begins development of the 1999 Operating Budget, the figures referred to provide the Committee with an important guide post in ensuring that programs are in place to meet the needs of the large number of children at risk; and that a commitment be made to longer-term strategies to reduce the very high level of child poverty.

3.UPDATE ON MUNICIPAL SPENDING FOR PROVISION OF

BENEFITS TO NON-SOCIAL ASSISTANCE RECIPIENTS.

Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services

(October 19, 1998)

Providing an update on the continuation of benefits for non-social assistance recipients and the financial implications thereof; indicating that the Community and Neighbourhood Services Department estimates that the cost to Toronto of replacing benefits previously available to non-social assistance recipients under Special Assistance and Supplementary Aid will be approximately $1.526 million at 100 percent municipal cost-sharing for the period May to December 1998, and based on 1998 expenditures the projected 1999 costs will be $1.964million; and recommending that:

(1)in accordance with the new Ontario Works regulations, the municipality discontinue the provision of benefits under Special Assistance and Supplementary Aid to non-social assistance recipients;

(2)City Council continue to advocate to the Province that the Assistive Devices Program be modified to cover the full costs of medical items formerly covered through Special Assistance and Supplementary Aid; and

(3)the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.

4.SURVEY OF SINGLE PARENTS.

Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services

(October 19, 1998)

Advising that in the Spring of 1998 the Social Services Division conducted a survey of single parents receiving social assistance in Toronto; outlining the key findings in the Executive Summary to the report; discussing ways in which the findings will be used to assist single parents in Ontario Works to become independent; and recommending that:

(1)the findings from the single parent survey inform the implementation of Ontario Works in the City of Toronto, particularly with regard to providing support to hard-to-serve clients;

(2)a copy of this report be forwarded to the Ministry of Community and Social Services, to assist with their planning for hard-to-serve clients in Ontario Works; and

(3)the appropriate City officials be granted authority to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.

5.INCREASING DEMAND ON THE CITY OF TORONTO'S

HOMEMAKERS AND NURSES SERVICES PROGRAM.

City Clerk

(October 16, 1998)

Advising that the Advisory Committee on Homes for the Aged on October 16, 1998, recommended the adoption of a report (September 24, 1998) from the General Manager, Homes for the Aged, respecting the impact on the Homemakers and Nurses Services Program resulting from changes to the community-based long-term care system, subject to amending the recommendations to read as follows:

(1)City Council direct the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services to meet with representatives of the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Long Term Care in order to express the municipality's growing concern regarding lack of equity in both access and level/scope of service available to citizens living in areas of the City of Toronto served by different Community Care Access Centres (CCACs);

(2)the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Long Term Care be requested to convene a meeting between the Executive Directors of the six CCACs within the City of Toronto to develop a plan to address the variances in service access, scope, and level being felt by Toronto citizens; and that this plan include the development of a communication network amongst the six CCACs;

(3)the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Long Term Care introduce an accountability system for the monitoring of CCACs to ensure service equity, a customer service approach in day-to-day operations, and compliance with Ministry expectations;

(4)City Council approve, in principle, the continued revision and streamlining of the Homemakers and Nurses Services Program (HMNS) eligibility criteria and scope of service, with the objective of ensuring that the available resources are directed to those most in need of service; and that HMNS implement a waiting list protocol, if such is required, in order to continue to operate within approved budget; and

(5)the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.

6.EXPENDITURE FROM THE RESIDENTS' INTEREST

RESERVE FUND - PURCHASE OF BUS FOR

SEVEN OAKS HOME FOR THE AGED.

City Clerk

(October 16, 1998)

Advising that the Advisory Committee on Homes for the Aged on October 16, 1998, recommended the adoption of a report (October 15, 1998) from the General Manager, Homes for the Aged, wherein it was recommended that:

(1) approval be given for a one-time expenditure of an amount not to exceed $89,000.00 (inclusive of PST and GST) from the Residents' Interest Reserve Fund in order to purchase a new wheelchair-accessible bus to enhance the quality of life of Day Centre clients and residents of Seven Oaks Home for the Aged; and

(2)the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.

7.REPORT OF THE PROVINCIAL TASK FORCE ON HOMELESSNESS.

Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services

(October 22, 1998)

Providing an analysis of the report of the Provincial Task Force on Homelessness, and identifying the implications for the City of Toronto; advising that a total of $4 million in a new Homeless Initiatives Fund is available to municipalities across Ontario from the Ministry of Community and Social Services to support the recommendations of the Provincial Task Force on Homelessness; and recommending that:

(1)this report be forwarded to the appropriate Provincial officials including the Chair of the Provincial Task Force on Homelessness, Minister of Community and Social Services, the Minister of Health, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Solicitor General, the Minister of Correctional Services, the Minister Responsible for Native Affairs, and the Minister of Citizenship and Culture;

(2)this report be forwarded to the appropriate Federal officials including the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and the Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation;

(3)Council request that the Province initiate ongoing consultations with municipalities and community-based service providers on issues of service management and co-ordination, Provincial program and funding rationalizations to ensure an effective service system is in place to respond to the needs of people who are homeless with priority given to housing, health care and emergency shelter;

(4)Council request the Minister of Community and Social Services to forward the terms and conditions of the $4 million Homeless Initiatives Fund to municipalities as soon as possible and confirm that this is an annualized funding increase;

(5)Council request that the Province recognize the actual costs to the City for the provision of emergency hostel services and that the City receive the full 80 percent cost-sharing on the actual system per diem;

(6)Council request that existing hostel programs (e.g., Housing and Employment Connections, Project Going Home) now funded 100 percent by Toronto, be cost shared with the Province at the 80:20 level as a first step in the redirecting of emergency shelter dollars;

(7)Council urge the Province to reinstate full Provincial funding for non-residents for their first year of residency in Ontario thereby reducing the costs to the municipality for both hostel accommodation and social assistance benefits;

(8)Council support the Provincial Government's recommendation urging the Federal Government to assume responsibility for costs afforded to the Province, and its municipalities, for social assistance benefits provided to refugee claimants and to immigrants as a result of sponsorship breakdown and for hostel services provided to refugee claimants;

(9)Council join the Province in urging the Federal Government to ensure immigrant and refugee settlement and integration programs are adequately funded;

(10)Council urge the Ministry of Health to immediately convene a meeting with health care providers and homeless service providers to develop strategies to ensure homeless people have needed access to health care;

(11)Council ask the Province to proceed immediately on implementing mental health reforms especially with respect to the funding and expansion of community-based mental health services;

(12)Council request that the Province immediately convene a meeting between Municipal, Provincial and Federal officials to discuss respective roles for encouraging the development of affordable rental housing, particularly for people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless;

(13)Council call upon senior levels of government to support and develop demonstration projects toward the creation of a national affordable housing policy; and

(14)the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.

(NOTE:A COPY OF THE FULL REPORT OF THE PROVINCIAL TASK FORCE ON HOMELESSNESS IS ON FILE IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK.)

7a.Ms. Barbara Craig, RN

Street Health Community Nursing Foundation

(October 22, 1998)

Providing comments in response to the Report of the Provincial Task Force on Homelessness.

8.UPDATE ON DEVELOPMENT OF

30 ST. LAWRENCE STREET AS

HOUSING FOR THE HOMELESS.

Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services

(October 13, 1998)

Providing an update on the progress of the development of 30 St. Lawrence Street, which will provide permanent housing for 40 homeless men and women; and recommending that the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services be authorized to advance a second $40,000.00 of the approved grant monies from the Capital Leverage Fund to permit payment of costs incurred by the City in retaining and stabilizing the west and north walls of the buildings being demolished on the site, as required by the residents of the adjacent street.

9.UPDATE ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING

DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS.

City Clerk

(September 28, 1998)

Advising that the Council Strategy Committee for People Without Homes on September24,1998, recommended the adoption of a report (September 21, 1998) from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services providing an update on affordable housing demonstration projects, and wherein it recommended that the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services be authorized to expend up to $50,000.00, as allocated to the Council Strategy Committee for People Without Homes in the approved 1998 Operating Budget, to cover the cost of staff secondments or the purchase of professional services related to the investigation and preparation of sites and programs for affordable housing demonstration projects.

10.UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON

ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS.

City Clerk

(September 28, 1998)

Advising that the Council Strategy Committee for People Without Homes on September24,1998, had before it a report (September 14, 1998) from the Co-Chairs of the Advisory Committee on Homeless and Socially Isolated Persons respecting Canada's compliance with the United Nations International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; and that the Council Strategy Committee recommended the adoption of the recommendations contained therein, subject to amending Recommendation No. (5), so that such recommendations read as follows:

(1)the City of Toronto affirms its recognition that access to adequate housing is a fundamental human right to which Canada is bound under international human rights;

(2)the City of Toronto recognizes that, in this, the 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which recognizes that housing is a human right, this right is not being respected, protected and fulfilled in Canada;

(3)the City of Toronto will prepare submissions to the U.N. Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on the problems of homelessness and poverty in Toronto and identify ways in which this right may be more fully protected;

(4)the City of Toronto commits to ensuring that the right to adequate housing is fully protected and fulfilled within the City by the Committee's next review in year 2003; and

(5)the City of Toronto will appoint a Committee on the Right to Adequate Housing to review progress in fulfilling this right and provide an annual report to the City on what has been accomplished each year and what needs to be done to fulfil this right by the year 2003.

11.COMMUNICATION FROM THE FEDERAL MINISTER OF

NATIONAL DEFENCE ON HOMELESSNESS.

The Honourable Arthur C. Eggleton,

Minister of National Defence

(September 25, 1998)

Responding to Clause No. 8 of Report No. 7 of The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee, headed "Homelessness and Request for Declaration of Disaster"; and encouraging dialogue between municipal authorities and the Domestic Operations Staff of the Land Force Central Area Headquarters, located in Toronto, with respect to any possible municipal use of Federal buildings.

12.MTHA ASSET MANAGEMENT - KPMG 1998 UPDATE.

Mr. Rashmi Nathwani,

Chair, Board of Directors,

Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority

(September 29, 1998)

Forwarding, for information, a copy of the KPMG report, entitled "Capital Maintenance Study, Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority", dated August 6, 1998.

(NOTE:COPIES OF THE KPMG REPORT FORWARDED TO MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE ONLY. A COPY WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW IN THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE).

ANY OTHER MATTERS.