TABLE OF CONTENTS
REPORTS OF THE STANDING COMMITTEES
AND OTHER COMMITTEES
As Considered by
The Council of the City of Toronto
on May 13 and 14, 1998
EMERGENCY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES COMMITTEE
REPORT No. 4
1 Items Considered by the Committee
City of Toronto
REPORT No. 4
OF THE EMERGENCY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES COMMITTEE
(from its meeting on April 21, 1998,
submitted by Councillor Dennis Fotinos, Chair)
As Considered by
The Council of the City of Toronto
on May 13 and 14, 1998
1
Items Considered by the Committee
(City Council on May 13 and 14, 1998, received this Clause, for information.)
(a)Police Complaints Process.
The Emergency and Protective Services Committee reports having deferred
consideration of the following communication to its next meeting to be held on Friday,
May 22, 1998:
(February 4, 1998) from Councillor Joe Mihevc, York Eglinton, advising that he has received
concerns from various members of the community regarding the development of the new
police complaints process; that he has suggested to the new Chair of the Police Services
Board, Councillor Norm Gardner, that this would be an excellent opportunity for the Police
Services Board to bring forward its concerns, and its efforts at allaying community concerns,
in dealing with police complaints; and recommending that the Committee encourage greater
public awareness and debate of any new proposed policy.
(b)Liquor Licences.
The Emergency and Protective Services Committee reports having:
(1)referred this matter to the City Solicitor for a report to the Emergency and Protective
Services Committee by June 16, 1998, providing:
(a)a coordinated strategy with respect to the amendments to the Liquor Licence Act;
(b)recommendations to improve the process to revoke liquor licences from problem
establishments; and
(c)a strategy to have the same 'public interest' provisions which apply to liquor licensing
applied to the issuance and revocation of business licences.
(2)directed that a representative from the Liquor Licence Board of Ontario be invited to
attend the meeting when the report from the City Solicitor comes forward; and
(3)requested the Chair of the Emergency and Protective Services Committee, and other
interested members of the Committee, to meet with the appropriate Ontario cabinet
ministers to solicit their support in working together to achieve these changes.
(i)(February 13, 1998) from the City Clerk advising that City Council, at its meeting held on
February 4, 5 and 6, 1998, referred to the Committee a Motion moved by Councillor
Nunziata, seconded by Councillor Fotinos, recommending that Council request the Provincial
Government to amend the Liquor Licence Act and any other appropriate related legislation to
give municipalities greater control over the issuance of liquor licences; and that such
amendments include, but not be limited to, the ability of the municipality to place appropriate
and necessary restrictions on liquor licences and to hold public meetings prior to the granting
of a liquor licence;
(ii)(March 23, 1998) from Councillor Kyle Rae, Downtown, in support of the
recommendation to amend the Provincial Liquor Licence Act to give municipalities greater
control over the issuance of liquor licences;
(iii)(March 24, 1998) from Councillor Chris Korwin-Kuczynski, High Park, providing a copy
of resolutions forwarded to the Liquor Licence Board of Ontario (LLBO) by the former
Toronto City Council on this matter; and
(iv)(March 26, 1998) from the Executive Assistant to Councillor Frances Nunziata, York
Humber, forwarding the following proposed amendment to the motion referred to the
Committee by Council:
"AND FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED THAT all new applicants accept the following
conditions on their liquor licences:
(1)a six-month probationary period to follow the issuance of a new licence. Any police
charges or violations of any conditions of operation laid down by the municipality and/or the
LLBO will result in the LLBO convening a public hearing to determine the future status of the
licence;
(2)the LLBO will inform the City Councillor and, through the Councillor, all appropriate
community groups of any infractions of the terms and conditions of operation that it becomes
aware of at any time; and
(3)a liquor licence shall not be transferable without public notice, as is the current practice for
new applicants to advertise in daily newspapers, to allow the community an opportunity to
provide input to the LLBO and the municipality. This involves posting a placard notice in a
visible location (front window, eye level) for 30 days.
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Councillor John Adams, Midtown, addressed the Emergency and Protective Services
Committee in connection with the foregoing matter.
(c)By-law to Amend By-law No. 20-85 - Stolen Property in Possession of Pawnbrokers.
The Emergency and Protective Services Committee reports having referred the
following report to the City Solicitor and the General Manager, Toronto Licensing
Commission, for a report thereon to the next meeting of the Committee scheduled to be
held on May 22, 1998:
(March 18, 1998) from Councillor Norman Gardner, Chairman, Toronto Police Services
Board advising that the Toronto Police Services Board on February 26, 1998, recommended
that Schedule 25 to By-Law No. 20 - 85, be amended to include the following:
-regulating second hand shops
-requiring proper photo identification from clients
-having a minimum age for customers
-strengthen the penalty section for non-compliance with the act
-give officers: search, seizure, and disposition authority for stolen property located at these
businesses.
(d)Transitional Project - Self Contained Breathing Apparatus.
The Emergency and Protective Services Committee reports having:
(1)recommended to the Budget Committee, and Council, the adoption of the following
report; and
(2)requested the Fire Chief to report back to the Committee on the chosen technology,
the criteria and rationale for its selection, the opportunities for salvaging existing
equipment and information on the life span of the current stock.
(April 2, 1998) from the Fire Chief recommending that:
(1)funding in the amount of $2,000,000.00, for the introduction of one standard of self
contained breathing apparatus across the City, be approved as part of the Transition Funding;
and
(2)the City of Toronto Fire Services proceed to review the different types of self contained
breathing apparatus available and select one type for purchase.
(e)Toronto Fire Services - Training Transitional Investment Costs - 1998.
The Emergency and Protective Services Committee reports having recommended to the
Budget Committee, and Council, the adoption of the following report:
(April 6, 1998) from the Fire Chief recommending that:
(1)transitional funding in the amount of $570,000 for the purchase of training materials be
approved;
(2)the City of Toronto Fire Services proceed to purchase the necessary training materials; and
(3)the City of Toronto Fire Services proceed to arrange with Human Resources for a
facilitator for management, media relations and conflict resolution sessions.
(f)Contingency Plans for Natural Disasters.
The Emergency and Protective Services Committee reports having referred the
following communication to the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services for a
report thereon to the Committee:
(March 24, 1998) from Councillor Case Ootes, East York and Deputy Mayor of Toronto,
forwarding an E-Mail communication (February 9, 1998) from Ms. Anne Carruthers,
outlining her concern about the recent ice storm in Montreal and requesting what contingency
plans would be in place if such a storm were to happen in the Toronto area, particularly for
those living in high rise apartment buildings and recommending that this matter be referred to
staff for response to Ms. Carruthers' concerns.
(g)Parking Tag Issuance: October - December 1997.
The Emergency and Protective Services Committee reports having received the
following communication for information:
(March 19, 1998) from Councillor Norman Gardner, Chairman, Toronto Police Services
Board, advising that the Toronto Police Services Board on February 26, 1998, received a
report (February 2, 1998) from the Chief of Police providing data related to the issuance of
parking tags by Parking Enforcement Officers, Police Officers and Municipal Law
Enforcement Officers for the months of October to December 1997.
(h)Booting Devices - Use of Wheel Locking Devices to Immobilise Vehicles Parked on
Private Property.
The Emergency and Protective Services Committee reports having received the
following communication for information:
(April 1, 1998) from the Superintendent, Parking Enforcement Unit, Toronto Police Service,
advising that the Toronto Police Service does not support the use of "the boot" or any similar
device to immobilise vehicles parked on private property; that the Toronto Police Service's
Parking Enforcement Unit does not allow the use of this device by Municipal Law
Enforcement Officers; and that currently there is no authority in the by-law to use a wheel
locking device.
(i)Fire/Ambulance Services Consolidation Options.
The Emergency and Protective Services Committee reports having referred the
following report to the Committee's Budget Working Group - Fire\Ambulance Services
for a report thereon to the next meeting of the Emergency and Protective Services
Committee to be held on May 22, 1998:
(March 30, 1998) from the Fire Chief and the Acting General Manager, Toronto Ambulance,
recommending that Model One - Strategic Partnership - described in the joint report continue
to be adopted as the consolidation model of choice in any discussions or planning about
integration of fire and ambulance services.
(j)Amendments to the Ambulance Act of Ontario.
The Emergency and Protective Services Committee reports having received the
following report for information:
(April 1, 1998) from the Acting General Manager, Toronto Ambulance, advising of recent
changes to the Ambulance Act of Ontario and its Regulations that will impact on all
ambulance services - including Toronto Ambulance - as well as the municipalities within
which they operate.
(k)Existing Committees and the Task Force on Community Safety.
The Emergency and Protective Services Committee reports having received the
following report for information:
(March 30, 1998) from the City Clerk, advising that the Task Force on Community Safety on
March 30, 1998, received a report (March 23, 1998) from the Co-Chairs, Task Force on
Community Safety, clarifying the relationship between existing committees associated with
former municipalities which deal with community safety, and the Task Force on Community
Safety created by the City of Toronto Council.
(l)Central Computerized Call-Taking/Dispatch System for the Fire Services.
The Emergency and Protective Services Committee reports having:
(1)recommended to the Budget Committee, and Council, the adoption of the following
report;
(2)requested the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services to report back to the
Committee on a corporate strategy for the employment of information technology and
telecommunications; and
(3)referred this matter to the Emergency and Protective Services Committee's Budget
Working Group on Fire\Ambulance Services.
(April 20, 1998) from the Fire Chief recommending that:
(1)budgetary approval for a consolidated dispatch system for Fire Services, at an estimated
cost of $15 million, be provided under transition funding; and
(2)the Fire Chief present a further report to the Committee on the process to be used to meet
requirements in conjunction with the review of the upgrade to the Communications System.
(m)Parking Enforcement.
The Emergency and Protective Services Committee reports having requested:
(1)the Toronto Police Services Board to:
(a)circulate the current parking enforcement policy to all Members of Council with the
request that they provide comments, if any, prior to the May 22, 1998, meeting of the
Emergency and Protective Services Committee;
(b)amend the grace period for alternate side parking to 6:00 p.m. to 12:00 noon;
(c)assign Parking Enforcement Staff to participate on the Emergency and Protective
Services Committee's By-law Enforcement Working Group;
(d)inform each Councillor:
(i)of the name of the Parking Enforcement Supervisor in their respective area; and
(ii)that they can work with staff to tailor parking enforcement to local needs; and
(e)revise the wording on the back of parking tags so that citizens are informed that:
(i)they may have a ticket reviewed over the telephone rather than appearing in person at
a First Appearance Facility; and
(ii)if they choose to appear in person at a First Appearance Facility, they may designate
another person to act as their agent;
(2)the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services to submit a report to the
Emergency and Protective Services Committee meeting to be held on May 22, 1998, on
options available to provide visitor parking on residential permit parking streets;
(3)the Toronto Police Services Board, in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer
and Treasurer, to report back to the Emergency and Protective Services Committee
providing a comparison between the "old" system and the "new" system of parking tag
issuance;
(4)the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer to report to the Emergency and Protective
Services Committee on:
(a)a change in Council policy that would provide for revenues from parking
enforcement to be placed into reserve accounts rather than treating such funds as
revenue; and
(b)the feasibility of establishing a First Appearance Facility at the Etobicoke Civic
Centre; and
(5)the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer and the Commissioner of Works and
Emergency Services, in consultation with the Toronto Parking Authority, to report back
to the Emergency and Protective Services Committee on the implementation of the use
of reserve funds generated from parking tags for the acquisition of off-street parking
facilities for residents in areas of persistent waiting lists for on-street residential parking
permits.
The Emergency and Protective Services Committee received a presentation from Mr. Charles
Barnes, Consultant, Parking Enforcement Unit, Toronto Police Service, together with the
following staff, with regard to parking enforcement:
Mr. Bryan Kerr, Acting Manager, Parking Tag Operations, Toronto Finance; and
Acting Staff Sergeant Robert Skinner, Parking Enforcement Unit, Toronto Police Service.
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The following Members of Council also appeared before the Emergency and Protective
Services Committee in connection with the foregoing matter:
Councillor John Adams, Midtown
Councillor Ila Bossons, Midtown
Councillor David Miller, High Park
Councillor Mario Silva, Trinity-Niagara
(n)First Meeting of the Task Force to Review the Taxi Industry.
The Emergency and Protective Services Committee was advised by the Chair that the
first meeting of the Task Force to Review the Taxi Industry has been scheduled to be
held on Monday, May 4, 1998 at 9:30 a.m. in Committee Room "C" at Metro Hall.
Respectfully submitted,
DENNIS FOTINOS,
Chair
Toronto, April 21, 1998
(Report No. 4 of The Emergency and Protective Services Committee was received, for
information, by City Council on May 13 and 14, 1998.)