ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

A G E N D A

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST PURSUANT TO

THE MUNICIPAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST ACT.

CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES OF MEETING OF APRIL 23, 1999 - WILL BE ELECTRONICALLY TRANSMITTED TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.

DEPUTATIONS. LIST TO BE DISTRIBUTED AT MEETING.

COMMUNICATIONS/REPORTS

1.10:00 A.M.ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY - STATUS REPORT

PRESENTATION

(Commissioner, Economic Development, Culture and Tourism)

(May 6, 1999)

Updating the Committee and Council on the status of the Economic Development Strategy, outlining the workplan for completion and recommending that this report be received for information.

2.10:45 A.M.REVIEW OF THE REPORTING RELATIONSHIP OF THE DESIGN EXCHANGE TO THE CITY (DOWNTOWN WARD 24)

PRESENTATION

Commissioner, Economic Development, Culture and Tourism

(May 6, 1999)

Reviewing the reporting relationship of the Design Exchange (DX) to the City of Toronto and recommending that Council appoint two members of the Economic Development Committee to the Design Exchange Board of Directors for a period ending November 30, 2000, or until their successors are appointed.

3.11:15 A.M.TORONTO-ROCHESTER FAST FERRY INITIATIVE AND LAKE ONTARIO FAST FERRY CORPORATION (LOFF) PROJECT

PRESENTATION

Commissioner, Economic Development, Culture and Tourism

(May 6, 1999)

Providing the Economic Development Committee with an overview of the work that has been done to promote the establishment of a year round car/fast freight/passenger ferry service between Toronto and Rochester, New York, the economic benefits that would be associated with the ferry service, the introduction of the Lake Ontario Fast Ferry Corporation's (LOFF) project to the Committee for its endorsement, and recommending that:

(1)City Council actively support the establishment of fast ferry service between Toronto and Rochester in order to strengthen and develop new economic alliances between the regions, improve the City's access to markets in New York and the eastern U.S. and increase opportunities for international tourism; and

(2) City Council endorse the Lake Ontario Fast Ferry Corporation's cross lake ferry project and request City staff and the Toronto Port Authority to work closely with the company with respect to its implementation.

4.11:45 A.M."OPEN DOORS" PROJECT

City Clerk

(May 6, 1999)

Forwarding the recommendations of the Millennium Task Force from its meeting on May 5, 1999, that

(1)the "Open Doors" project be endorsed; and

(2)the Economic Development Committee hear a presentation by Heritage Toronto respecting their "Open Doors" project at its next meeting on May 21, 1999.

5.TORONTO EXPORT DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

PRESENTATION

Commissioner, Economic Development, Culture and Tourism

(May 6, 1999)

Outlining an initiative of Industry Canada and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) to develop export capabilities in small and medium-sized enterprises, advising that the Economic Development Division (EDD), though TradeLink Toronto, is the municipal partner in the Toronto implementation of this project and recommending that:

1. the Economic Development Committee support in principle the Export Development Initiative as it relates to the City of Toronto; and
2. the City's Solicitor be instructed to advise on the legal issues relating to the use of the TradeLink Community Development Corporation as the contracting agent to hire consultants with funding provided by Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC).

6.SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY FESTIVALS

Commissioner, Economic Development, Culture and Tourism

(May 3, 1999)

Addressing requests that the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism report to the Economic Development Committee and the Municipal Grants Review Committee on the support provided to community festivals, summarizing staff, financial and in-kind service support currently provided to festivals by the Department, outlining the harmonization review which is underway, and recommending that:

(1)the key role that community-based festivals and events play in helping the City build and celebrate strong communities and business districts, nurture its arts, heritage and cultural resources and attract visitors be recognized and affirmed;

1. the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism continue to review and evaluate the support currently provided to community-based festivals and events, and bring forward recommendations for harmonized services and policies for the future that (a) strengthen the capacity of the festivals and events to achieve community, economic, arts, cultural and heritage development results, (b) provide high caliber customer service, and (c) make efficient use of City resources;
2. the Economic Development Committee adopt the guideline of referring requests for City support that it receives from members of the public to the appropriate staff before considering deputations, and that staff be requested to bring forward such requests to the Committee if additional authority or resources are required to act on them (as is authorized by Section 126 of City of Toronto By-law Number 23-1998 - The Procedural By-law); and
3. the Economic Development Committee advise that grant applicants be notified that they may appear before the Committee in support of their applications only if they wish to appeal the funding recommendations made by staff (as is authorized by Council's adoption of Clause 5 of Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee Report No. 26 on December 16 & 17, 1998).

7.COMMUNITY GARDENING COMPETITION

Commissioner, Economic Development, Culture and Tourism

(May 5, 1999)

Reporting on the institution and Terms of Reference of a Community Garden Competition and recommending that:

(1) a friendly community garden competition be instituted in 1999 in accordance with the Terms of Reference included in this report; and

(2) a working committee with representatives from City staff, industry professionals, the community and City Council be struck to determine judging criteria for the 1999 competition and to further refine and harmonize the competition process and Terms of Reference for the year 2000.

8.USE OF SPONSORSHIP REVENUES FROM MOLSON'S SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATER PARK FACILITIES- (HIGH PARK AND DON RIVER - WARDS 29 AND 25)

Commissioner, Economic Development, Culture and Tourism

(May 4, 1999)

Responding to the Economic Development Committee's request (November 16, 1998) for a report on the provision of funding for the construction of new Water parks in the City of Toronto, and recommending that:

(1) the costs for the design and construction of two Water Parks, located at Regent Park and at a new park site in the King Street and Dufferin Street area, be partially offset from revenues obtained from the 1999 Molson's Breweries Sponsorship Agreement for the sale of "Toronto's Own Beer"; and

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

9."THE AMERICAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE"

Commissioner, Economic Development, Culture and Tourism

(May 4, 1999)

Examining the potential candidacy of the City of Toronto for the designation of "The American Capital of Culture" for the year 2001, and recommending that in light of the considerable staff resources required and the substantial fee associated with obtaining this designation, the City not submit an application seeking the designation of Toronto as the "American Capital of Culture" at this time.

10.POLICE REFERENCE CHECKS AND HIRING PROCESS

Executive Director of Human Resources

(April 15, 1999)

Reporting on obtaining approval to enter into an agreement with the Toronto Police Service to conduct police reference checks on individuals whose prospective primary employment or volunteer duties with the City would involve working directly with children, youth and/or other vulnerable populations as necessary, concerning itself with implementation for staff and volunteers working with children and/or youth in the Parks and Recreation Services Division in particular, and recommending that:

1. authority be granted for the City of Toronto to enter into an agreement with the Toronto Police Service to conduct a police reference check as the final stage in the hiring process where primary employment or volunteer duties involve working directly with children, youth and/or other vulnerable populations as required;
2. the policy to conduct a police reference check as outlined in recommendation (1) be implemented in the Parks & Recreation Services Division of the Economic Development, Culture and Tourism Department as a first step in implementing the policy city-wide where appropriate.;
3. prospective employees bear half of the cost of the police reference check, with the other half being borne by the Parks & Recreation Services Division of the City with the City paying the cost of conducting police reference checks on volunteers;
4. the appropriate City Officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary actions to give effect thereto; and
5. a further report be submitted by the Executive Director of Human Resources, in consultation with the City Solicitor, with respect to the issues of police reference checks on current employees who work with children, youth and vulnerable adults.

11.TRADELINK TORONTO

City Clerk

(April 22, 1999)

Forwarding Clause 8 of Report No. 6 of the Economic Development Committee, headed "Update on TradeLink Toronto" which Council at its meeting on April 13, 14 and 15, 1999, adopted as amended and in so doing, in part, referred the following motion to the Economic Development Committee for consideration in the development of performance indicators and performance measurement:

Moved by Councillor Moscoe:

"It is further recommended that, if TradeLink Toronto is not financially self-sustaining by September, 2000, it be dismantled and the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism be requested to submit a report to the Economic Development Committee on a process for dismantling TradeLink Toronto should it not prove to be profitable by that date."

12.VISITING DELEGATIONS

Councillor Mammoliti

(April 16, 1999)

Advising of a number of issues raised at the March 1999 meeting of the World City Committee including appropriate facilities for the reception of international visitors, city marketing guide and corporate membership in the Canadian Urban Institute and recommending that:

1. the Commissioner of Corporate Services establish a separate visitors' reception area at City Hall and that the City of Toronto visitors' book be permanently kept in this room for usage by visiting delegations; and
2. the Commissioner, Economic Development, Culture and Tourism be requested to:

(a) prepare a city marketing guide which includes a list of "made in Toronto" products and a list of the different ethnocultural group and neighbourhoods in the City; and

(b) explore the benefits associated with obtaining a corporate membership in the Canadian Urban Institute.

13.PERMITS FOR PORTRAIT ARTISTS

Councillor Mihevc

(April 26, 1999)

Commenting on the permits presently available for portrait artists in the City who operate at no expense, generate income due to the fee they pay for a permit and add vibrance to our city streets, and recommending the Committee to request the Commissioner of Economic Development Culture and Tourism to explore the possibility of increasing the number of permits available to artists in the City of Toronto as well as expanding the locations at which they are issued.

14.GESCO INDUSTRIES

Councillor Nunziata

(April 21, 1999)

Advising that GESCO Industries, seeking to expand its operations, is unable to find a suitable location in the City and recommending that the Economic Development Committee review this situation.

15.1999-2000 SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS OF THE CITY OF TORONTO, COUNCIL, COMMUNITY COUNCILS AND ITS COMMITTEES

City Clerk

(April 22, 1999)

Forwarding the revised 1999-2000 Schedule of Meetings of the City of Toronto Council, Community Councils and its Committees commencing on June 14, 1999 as adopted by City Council at its meeting on April 13, 14 and 15, 1999.