1 Economic Development Strategy - Status Report

2 Review of the Reporting Relationship of the
Design Exchange to the City

3 Toronto-Rochester Fast Ferry Initiative and Lake Ontario
Fast Ferry Corporation (LOFF) Project

4 Support for Community Festivals

5 Community Gardening Competition

6 Police Reference Checks and the Hiring Process

7 Permits for Portrait Artists

8 Appointments to the Board of Management of the Toronto Zoo

9 City's Endorsement of "Taste of the Danforth" as Signature Event
(Ward 25 - Don River and Ward 26 - East Toronto)

10 Other Items Considered by the Committee

(City Council on June 9, 10 and 11, 1999, adopted this Clause, without amendment.)

The Economic Development Committee recommends that:

(1) the following persons be appointed to the Economic Development Strategy Steering Committee of the Economic Development Committee:

Councillor Cho - as a member of the Economic Development and Parks Committee

Councillor Giansante - as a member of the Economic Development and Parks Committee; and

(2) Councillor Davis remain on this Steering Committee as a non-member of the Economic Development and Parks Committee.

The Committee reports, for the information of Council, having:

(1) received the report (May 6, 1999) from the Commissioner, Economic Development, Culture and Tourism and expressed its appreciation to staff in this regard; and

(2) referred the communication (April 28, 1999) from Councillor Bossons, to the Strategy Steering Committee for consideration.

The Economic Development Committee submits the following report (May 6, 1999) from the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism:

Purpose:

To update Committee and Council on the status of the Economic Development Strategy and outline of the workplan for completion.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

The recommendations of this report do not have any financial implications for the City.

Recommendation:

It is recommended that this report be received for information.

Council Reference:

At its meeting on October 28, 29 and 30, 1998, City Council adopted, as amended, Clause No. 2 of Report No. 3 of The Economic Development Committee, headed "Proposed Plan for Developing an Economic Development Strategy for the City of Toronto". That report set out a process and established the six objectives, summarized below, for the development of a strategic plan for economic development:

(1) to establish a vision that has relevance and validity for Council, the private sector and City staff;

(2) to establish a context for the development of workplans and budgets for the Economic Development Division over the next 3 to 5 years;

(3) to undertake a consultation process with business groups and clients to ensure current issues, priorities, opportunities and approaches are recognized;

(4) to seek input from a broad cross section of the community;

(5) to invite the active participation of Economic Development Committee members; and

(6) to assist in building cross jurisdictional teams, gather current industry intelligence and expand our contact base.

Economic Development staff have been working with business representatives, other City staff and federal and provincial officials to achieve these objectives.

Discussion:

National, state and local economies around the world are going through a period of tremendous change as we move from an industrial to an information and knowledge-based economy. Businesses are being restructured, trade barriers removed, and strategic alliances formed. The trend toward ever increasing urbanization, and the ongoing technology and telecommunications revolution have reinforced the importance of cities and city-regions as major trading centres within a global village.

With great change comes great opportunity. The amalgamation of seven former municipalities to form the new City of Toronto provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to implement new ideas, new approaches, and new ways of doing business. Our economic strategies must change to view Toronto as an international city, not solely as the major centre within Canada. The Economic Development Strategy was initiated to provide a strong, clear and concise vision, set strategic goals to achieve that vision, and establish key priorities to focus our efforts and mobilize resources over the next three to five years.

The following summarizes the activities completed to date and the workplan for the next few months to complete the strategy.

1. Steering Committee:

The Steering Committee, comprised of Councillor Ashton (Chair), Councillor Davis, Councillor Faubert, Ted Mallett (Canadian Federation of Independent Business), Bruce McKelvey (Toronto Board of Trade), Trish Stovel (Metro Labour Education Centre), Larry Tanenbaum (Kilmer Van Nostrand), as well as Brenda Librecz (Managing Director Economic Development) and myself have provided overall direction to the study.

2. Consultation:

Over 400 business representatives attended the plenary session and six workshops held last fall. This initial round of consultations provided a broad overview of the business community's perspective on Toronto's strengths and the challenges we face heading into the 21^st century. The comments received at the workshops are summarized in the "Growing Toronto's Economy: Business Perspectives" feedback report which will be distributed at the May 21, 1999 meeting of the Economic Development Committee. The feedback report will be forwarded to all participants, business associations, and labour groups as well as City, Provincial and Federal government staff for their information and to solicit additional input.

In summary, businesses told us that Toronto is a good place to do business. We have a diverse, well educated and dedicated work force; social, cultural and recreational amenities that provide an excellent quality of life; access to senior private and public decision makers; the basic infrastructure to support business (airports, rail, highways, telecommunications, etc.) in place; a great location in close proximity to major U.S. markets; and a City that is adopting a pro-business attitude. But businesses also told us that we cannot rest on our laurels. Much of our success is the result of past investment decisions and actions. Participants at all six workshops noted a number of common challenges. Our infrastructure is aging; there is still too much red tape; and there is a great deal of concern about high business taxes, user charges and fees that discourage expansion and new investment. To create a high-performance economy in the 21^st century, business, government, labour and educators must work in partnership to create a supportive business environment; invest in infrastructure and knowledge; and build idea and innovation networks that create opportunities and attract investment.

The second round of consultations, to be undertaken concurrently with the research activities discussed below, will generally be organized around groups with a common interest (e.g., sector groups, industry associations). Senior economic development staff and members of the Steering Committee will also be meeting with business and community leaders on a one-on-one basis. The primary purpose of these consultations is to broaden and deepen our understanding of the key issues that need to be addressed to expand specific areas of our economy. Participants will also be asked to identify practical solutions that government and industry can undertake in partnership to improve Toronto's competitive position.

The third and final round of consultation will circulate draft economic strategies and policies for review and comment.

3. Research:

Economic Development and City Planning staff have worked together to prepare terms of reference for an economic competitiveness study that will provide input to both the Economic Development Strategy and the Official Plan. The focus of this research is to examine Toronto's competitive position within the global economy, our long-term prospects and opportunities, and key policy directions to enhance our future prosperity. In addition to City Economic Development and Planning staff, Provincial and Federal government sector specialists will be providing research, advice and other input to this study. This research will fill some important gaps in our current information base about the City's economy, help establish benchmarks for comparison with other international cities, and provide quantitative technical analyses that will assist in evaluating tradeoffs and setting priorities for investing City resources. Economic Development staff are also analyzing more detailed data on the Toronto economy (labour force, education, etc.) to support strategy development. These research materials will be incorporated into the documents prepared to support the consultation process.

4. Timing:

The bulk of the second round of consultation and the research activities described above will be ongoing throughout May and June, with refinements and issue/sector specific feedback discussions during July and August. Draft strategies and policies will be formulated August - September, to be presented to a half day Feedback/Validation session for the Economic Development Committee with

business, labour and community representatives in October. The input from the Feedback/Validation session will be addressed and incorporated into the finalized City of Toronto Economic Development Strategy, and reported to Committee by the end of this year.

Conclusions:

The strategy process is taking longer than originally anticipated. This is, in part, due to the extremely aggressive timetable we set for ourselves, unforeseen delays in staffing, and other demands on our research staff to respond to the day-to-day needs of our business community. However, it is also, in large, part due to the input we received at the plenary session and workshops. The business community made it clear that for the strategy to be effective, it was essential to develop a common vision, not only within the City administration but also between and among all levels of government. The workshops also made it clear that we needed more information about Toronto's competitive position in relation to other international cities.

Economic Development staff are working with staff from the Planning Division and Chief Administrator's Office to help ensure that the Economic Development Strategy, Official Plan, Environment Plan and Corporate Plan processes are informed by each other and have a consistent information base. Economic Development staff have also met with Provincial and Federal officials to secure financial and technical support for research. Recognizing that Toronto is the economic engine of Ontario and Canada, three levels of government, as well as business, labour and community representatives, will be involved in policy formulation. This approach will not guarantee a perfect alignment of federal, provincial and municipal policies, but it is an essential step on the way.

While these discussions have extended the completion schedule, they are consistent with our stated objectives to develop broad based support, create cross jurisdictional teams, and develop partnerships to facilitate implementation.

Contact Name:

Brenda J. Librecz, 397-4700

Randy McLean, 392-3397

Christine Raissis, 392-3385

The Economic Development Committee also had before it the following communications, and copies thereof are on file in the office of the City Clerk:

- Presentation material from the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, titled "Growing Toronto's Economy"; and

- (April 28, 1999) from Councillor Bossons, Ward 23 - Midtown, requesting that the City, instead of funding Tourism Toronto reluctantly, integrate it into its Economic Development Strategy.

The following persons appeared before the Economic Development Committee in connection with the foregoing matter:

- Bruce McKelvey, Chairman, Toronto Board of Trade; and

- Ted Mallett, Director of Research, Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

(City Council on June 9, 10 and 11, 1999, adopted this Clause, without amendment.)

The Economic Development Committee recommends that the following two members of the Economic Development Committee be appointed to the Design Exchange Board of Directors for the period ending November 30, 2000, and until their successors are appointed:

- Councillor Faubert; and

- Councillor Silva.

The Committee reports, for the information of Council, having requested the Design Exchange to report annually to the Economic Development Committee on its activities.

The Economic Development Committee submits the following report (May 6, 1999) from the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism:

Purpose:

To review the reporting relationship of the Design Exchange (DX) to the City of Toronto, and to appoint two City Councillors to sit on the Design Exchange Board, and that such persons be appointed for the period ending November 30, 2000, or until their successors are appointed.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

There are no financial implications associated with this report. Operating funding for the DX is provided by the City of Toronto as sublandlord from funds received from Cadillac Fairview. Additional funding for specific projects has been provided to the DX from time to time by the former City of Toronto, municipality of Metropolitan Toronto and the Toronto Arts Council. No new funds are being requested at this time.

Recommendation:

It is recommended that Council appoint two members of the Economic Development Committee to sit on the Design Exchange Board for a period ending on November 30, 2000, or until their successors are appointed.

Council Reference:

At its meeting on April 23, 1999 in response to a letter from Councillor Silva, the Economic Development Committee requested that staff report back on the reporting relationship of the Design Exchange to the City of Toronto.

Comments and/or Discussion and/or Justification:

The Design Exchange (DX) is North America's premier centre for design and innovation. DX is a not-for-profit, educational organization committed to promoting design and innovation in Canada as tools to increase economic growth and improve quality of life. This is done by showcasing new and innovative Canadian design; presenting Canadian and international design expositions; serving as a venue for product launches; hosting seminars, conferences and lectures; as well as acting as a resource for the design, education and business communities, and the general public. DX is one of 23 major design centres around the world and the first of its kind in North America. The Design Exchange does not design products and services, but acts as resource centre and as a liaison to a variety of design resources.

The Design Exchange opened in 1994 in the former Toronto Stock Exchange Building at 234 Bay Street. Its vision is to strengthen cultural identity and create wealth in the economy by fostering a demand for sustainable Canadian design. The mission of the DX is to:

- raise public awareness and understanding of the essence of design and its importance in building Canada's cultural identity and shaping its future; and to

- increase the number of Canadian designed and produced products and services that are globally competitive.

The former City of Toronto played an important role in making the idea of the design exchange a reality. Toronto secured the building for the Design Exchange when it approved the commercial development on the former stock exchange site. It also required that the developer provide $500,000.00 a year for 24 years for the benefit of the premises. The City funded the initial feasibility study for the Exchange, and worked with the Board over the years to meet the many challenges that were involved in bringing the project to fruition. City staff have been seconded to work with the organization on major projects in the past, and could be in the future, as is the practice with other design centres around the world.

The Design Exchange sublets their space from the City of Toronto, according to an agreement which runs from December 1, 1994 to May 20, 2091. The agreement with the developer allows the City to receive payments from the developer for the use and benefit of the occupant of the premises, in such a manner as the City shall determine. As of January 1, 1996, the City entered into a 5-year grant agreement with the DX, allowing them to receive the developer's contributions from the City. The agreement is supported by the DX's five-year strategic plan that was submitted to the City in the same year. The grant agreement will expire on December 31, 2000, and a new agreement will be brought forward for approval by City Council.

The City has established a reserve fund for expenditures and extraordinary repairs and maintenance, a holdback from the developer's annual payments. It will increase each year from $10,000.00 in 1996 to $30,000 in the year 2000. In the past the DX has received grants from the former City of Toronto, Metro, and the Toronto Arts Council for particular projects, such as support for ICSID '97 The Humane Village Congress, attended by over 1,000 international designers and business leaders from over 44 countries. However, the majority of the operating budget of the Design Exchange is raised through its programming and facilities rentals.

According to the Design Exchange Grant Agreement dated November 27, 1995, the Board of Directors "…shall have no less than 15 and no more than 35 members. The City shall have the right to nominate two representatives to the board..."

There are 19 members on the DX Board of Directors, including Councillor Mario Silva who has indicated an interest in remaining on the Board. The Design Exchange is currently in the process of reconstituting its Board. As a result, the DX has requested that the City confirm its appointments to the Board until the end of the current term of City Council.

Conclusions:

The Design Exchange is an internationally recognized centre for design and innovation, located in Toronto. The first design centre of its kind in North America, it works with corporations, designers and educators across the country, helping to generate greater profits for business and create employment in the City's knowledge-based industries. The City of Toronto played an important role in the creation of the organization within this significant facility, and should continue to maintain a strong presence on the Board.

Contact Name:

Brenda Librecz Laurie Belzak

Managing Director Sector Development Officer

Economic Development Economic Development

397-4700 392-1296

Bruce Graham Eva Pyatt

Director, Business Development & Retention Manager, Sector & Strategic Partnerships

Economic Development Economic Development

392-3381 392-3378

The following persons appeared before the Economic Development Committee in connection with the foregoing matter:

- Luigi Ferrara, Vice President, Business and Public Programs and Services, The Design Exchange; and

- Lynda Friendly, The Design Exchange.

(City Council on June 9, 10 and 11, 1999, amended this Clause by adding thereto the following:

"It is further recommended that the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism be requested to consult with area residents, including those living on the Toronto Islands, regarding the implementation plan for this Ferry service.")

The Economic Development Committee recommends the adoption of the report (May 6, 1999) from the Commissioner, Economic Development, Culture and Tourism;

The Committee reports, for the information of Council, having:

(1) requested the Commissioner, Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, to report directly to Council for its meeting on June 9, 1999, with an indication of the City of Rochester's endorsement of a fast ferry service between Toronto and Rochester;

(2) requested the Lake Ontario Fast Ferry Corporation to provide Council, for its meeting on June 9, 1999, with information on the Corporation and an indication of the financial supporters of this endeavour to date; and

(3) requested the Commissioner, Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, to report to the Economic Development and Parks Committee:

(a) on issues which may arise respecting emergency and safety matters due to the installation and frequency of the ferry service and any jurisdictional issues which could arise;

(b) on the City infrastructure which may be required to accommodate this ferry service and costs; and

(c) with regular reports on the progress of this endeavour.

The Economic Development Committee submits the following report (May 6, 1999) from the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism:

Purpose:

To provide 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 and to introduce the Lake Ontario Fast Ferry Corporation's (LOFF) project to the Committee for its endorsement.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

No funds are required at this time. The City should consider road, signage, and landscaping improvements at the public entrance of the proposed ferry terminal at the bottom of Cherry Street. This would be included as a submission to the year 2000 capital budget.

Recommendations:

It is recommended 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.

Council Reference/Background/History:

In 1996, the City's Economic Development Division, the Toronto Economic Development Corporation (TEDCO) and the City of Rochester undertook a preliminary financial and economic analysis study on the feasibility of establishing car/fast freight/passenger ferry service between the two cities using the consulting services of Transportation Economic and Management Systems Inc. The ferry concept that was evaluated was based upon using high speed ferry technologies similar to those being used to cross the English Channel and other major international ferry routes. These ships are generally capable of carrying up to 200 cars (or a combination of cars, buses and light freight trucks) and 800 passengers. They run regularly scheduled routes on a year round basis. It should be noted, that this type of ferry service is completely different from recent seasonal ferry operations that have been moving a limited number of passengers between the City and Niagara Region during the summer months.

The primary conclusions of the study are:

- that the demographic and attitudinal profile of people within the Ontario/New York travel corridor can support an automobile/passenger ferry service between the Toronto and Rochester areas as measured by current and induced demand;

- that a fast ferry capable of carrying both autos and passengers would be highly viable in financial and economic terms;

- the rates of return achieved by an automobile/passenger ferry are sufficient to attract private sector investment; and

- passenger fares, passenger vehicle charges, duty free sales and fast freight tariffs combine to produce revenues that exceed capital, operating and terminal costs to a level that is realistic to expect the private sector to take equity and debt positions in a project.

For many years people have relied on various modes of transportation such as automobiles or buses to travel between Ontario and New York state. For many years there have been no quick, economical alternative means of travelling between these two regions. In fact, regular airline service between Toronto and Rochester is unavailable for leisure and business travellers and smaller field air charters exist but are uneconomical for the target audience. Until the 1950's, Lake Ontario served regional, national and international traffic with passenger ships and ferries. There are now a number of reasons to believe that a new age of Lake Ontario passenger travel is about to arrive. These reasons identified in the feasibility assessment include:

- expressways surrounding Lake Ontario have become congested, in particular, those that serve the Golden Horseshoe between Toronto and Buffalo. The size of the travel market in the Toronto/Rochester/Eastern U.S. travel corridor exceeds 7.6 million trips per year. This market is forecast to grow to about 11.6 million trips by 2020, an annual growth rate of 1.9 percent. It is expected that, in the absence of new expressway construction or the creation of additional border crossing points, that the growth in annual trips will result in increased travel times and delays at the border;

- air deregulation has significantly reduced air service across the lake such that today there is no service between Toronto and Rochester;

- existing fast ferry catamaran technology, proven in operations around the world, provides the capacity to safely move large numbers of passengers, automobiles and parcel freight quickly across Lake Ontario at all times of the year. Fast ferries now achieve speeds of 40 to 50 knots allowing a lake crossing in just over two hours. In comparison the drive between Toronto and Rochester takes over 4 hours; and

- market analysis shows that an extensive Fast Ferry service would attract a significant number of tourists and business travellers directly into the Toronto and Rochester areas via a unique and convenient transportation mode.

Comments and/or Discussion and/or Justification:

Toronto is the dominant financial, commercial, manufacturing, transportation, social and cultural centre of Ontario with over 75,000 businesses in the City. It has strong economic links to North American sea board cities such as New York and Boston and with a population base of 4.4 million in the Greater Toronto Area, it is the 6^th largest metropolitan area in North America. It is the home of North American professional sport teams, such as the Toronto Blue Jays, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Toronto Raptors. The attractions of the city drew 22 million visitors in 1998, with a significant number of the visitors coming from New York, Michigan and Ohio.

The Rochester metropolitan area has a population of over 1.1 million people and has a business base that reflects a number of high-tech and high growth sectors such as advanced optics, health care, and plastics products. The city is home to Kodak, North America's foremost producer of photographic goods, Xerox Corporation, IBM and Bausch & Lombe. Rochester's businesses distribute products across all of the U.S. and Canada. The area ranks as the highest export centre in the U.S. on a per capita basis, with total exports valued at over $15 billion. Furthermore, many other sectors of Rochester's economy are integrated with U.S. and Canadian production on both sides of Lake Ontario.

A regularly scheduled fast ferry service between the two areas represents an opportunity to further link two of the most dynamic economies in the Great Lakes region. Ferry service has been compared to establishing a new bridge between Canada and the U.S. while at the same time reducing travel times. Ferry service would effectively establish a new border crossing at the base of the City and would thereby increase our access to the business and tourism markets in upper New York state and along the eastern United States. Overtime, ferry service could become an important component of our business infrastructure playing a similar role to that of the City's airports.

The estimated economic benefits to Toronto and Rochester from having a fast ferry service across Lake Ontario are very significant. The key benefits are:

- increased inter-regional mobility, improved access to markets, and benefits to travellers in terms of reduced travel times and costs;

- very significant resource savings and, in particular, reduced demand on the congested and environmentally sensitive highways in the Niagara Peninsula. Studies have shown that ships produce 33 percent less pollutants than diesel trains and 373 percent less than diesel trucks, when compared on a basis of tonne-kilometre per litre of fuel consumed;

- the development of an increased level of industrial, social and cultural interaction between the economies of Southern Ontario and northwest New York state and, in particular, between Toronto and Rochester;

- increased tourism growth and the creation of opportunities to develop "two nation vacation" packages where visitors could fly into Toronto and visit our attractions, the Finger Lakes, Cooperstown and Niagara Falls;

- future waterfront development that could include a permanent ferry and cruise ship marine terminal perhaps combined with duty free shopping, general retail, restaurants and tourism attractions; and

- the direct benefits related to the creation of this new service industry would include new employment with about 250 direct, highly skilled full time jobs and the direct purchase of supplies and services valued at over $40 million in annual spending.

The Cities of Toronto and Rochester have spent considerable time and energy with respect to the development of the Fast Ferry concept during the last few years. It would be appropriate for the new amalgamated City to reaffirm its support for the initiative. Economic Development staff are recommending that 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.

Lake Ontario Fast Ferry Corporation (LOFF) Project: upon completion of the fast ferry feasibility assessment the cities of Toronto and Rochester were contacted by a number of companies interested in the implementation of the fast ferry concept. The Lake Ontario Fast Ferry Corporation (LOFF) was incorporated in 1997 with a mission to establish year round auto/fast freight/passenger ferry service between the two cities. LOFF undertook its own market analysis and has confirmed the market potential identified in the earlier study. They have now prepared a detailed business plan for the project, have chosen a ship design, and are in the process of arranging financing for the project. The project as currently being proposed would be a completely private sector venture. They hope to begin service in the summer of 2000. The following is a summary of the proposed service.

Ships: Two Austal 86 metre catamarans valued at about $80 million. Scheduled to be built in Australia to St. Lawrence Seaway and Coast Guard standards.

Capacity: 800 passenger and 175 autos (or a mix of autos/buses/small trucks).

Amenities: Restaurants, entertainment facilities, duty free shops, child care.

Crossing Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes

Schedule: 12 trips per day, 6 in each direction.

Leaving Toronto at: 6:30, 9:30, 12:30, 3:30, 6:30, 10:30

Fares: Average one way fare.

Automobile: $60.00

Driver: $15.00

Passenger: $25.00

Staffing: 276 employees

Terminals: Toronto, Port Authority RoRo dock, southern end of the eastern gap Rochester, Dock facilities at the mouth of the Genesee River.

LOFF Project Status: The cities of Toronto and Rochester have been working closely with the Lake Ontario Fast Ferry Corporation as they have developed the project over the last two years. In order to present a viable project to potential investors, LOFF has had to ensure that both municipalities will be able to make docking space available for the ferry service.

This has been particularly important with respect to docking at Rochester. The mouth of the Genesee River is relatively undeveloped and currently does not provide a dock wall for the ship. In order to deal with this issue, Rochester and Monroe County are proposing to undertake a number of improvements along the lake shore. These include the development of park space at the mouth of the river, the provision of new road access, the construction of a dock wall suitable for ferry docking and making land available for ferry terminal construction and new tourism facilities.

Rochester and Monroe County have determined that the introduction of ferry service will create significant economic development opportunities related to business and tourism development. They have now secured $35 million in funding from various local, state and federal sources which will allow them to proceed with their proposed infrastructure improvements. Currently, Rochester and the County are in the process of preparing detailed engineering drawings for the works and expect to begin construction in the near future.

Toronto already has the necessary port infrastructure to accommodate a ferry. Discussions with LOFF have focused on the appropriate place to dock the ship and future opportunities for developing a combined ferry and cruise terminal facility. For the first few years of operation, LOFF is proposing to use the RoRo dock at the Toronto Port Authority located at the southern edge of the eastern gap (see attached map). Automobiles would enter the facility via Cherry Street. LOFF has met with the Port Authority and has secured their support for leasing the dock facilities and the construction of interim terminal facilities. The terminal facilities would include an outdoor parking area for cars waiting to board the ship and a terminal structure of about 20,000 square feet, housing administrative offices, ticket and reservation services, customs, duty free and retail shopping and food services.

Economic Development and Planning Staff have discussed this proposal and have determined that the land use regulations will allow a ferry operation. In conjunction with the Port Authority, we have also determined that it would be beneficial to create a separate entrance to the dock at the bottom of Cherry Street for the ferry operation. This would minimize conflict with the Port's normal truck traffic from its terminals. Creation of a new entrance would involve making a number of relatively minor infrastructure improvements to the road allowance in order to provide a new driveway, curb cuts and paving.

There is also an opportunity to improve the physical appearance and amenities at the bottom of Cherry Street and along the entrance to the park at Cherry Beach. Cherry Street would become a new gateway to the City once the ferry was operating. It will be important to create a good first impression as business travellers and tourists enter the City. Staff have begun the process of determining what could be done to improve the immediate vicinity, and as the ferry project progresses, the Economic Development, Culture and Tourism Department will determine the need to prepare a submission for the 2000 capital budget for the purpose of streetscape and park land improvements along with directional signage.

The next steps with respect to the implementation of the LOFF project are dependent on the company finalizing its financing package. They have arrangements with the ship builder, a number of suppliers and the Australian Export Development Agency with respect to investing in the project or providing loan guarantees. Staff understand that the company is in the process of securing the remaining necessary investment and is working with the Toronto office of the Dutch ABN AMRO bank with respect to financing. The bank has indicated that it would be useful with respect to finalizing the financing of the project to formally indicate the City's support of the LOFF proposal. Accordingly, Economic Development staff is recommending that 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.

LOFF has reserved a time slot for the construction of its ships with a target for beginning service during the summer of 2000. Construction will begin once the financing is secured. It will take about a year to complete and deliver the ships. This time frame should be adequate for the City, in conjunction with the Port Authority and LOFF, to undertake the steps necessary to ensure that terminal facilities and area improvements are completed prior to the beginning of ferry service. The start of ship construction will be used as an indication that the project is proceeding toward full implementation and will serve as the trigger point for concentrated City involvement.

Conclusion:

A regularly scheduled fast ferry service between Toronto and Rochester represents a significant economic development opportunity to further link two of the most dynamic economies in the Great Lakes region. Ferry service would effectively establish a new border crossing at the base of the City and would thereby increase our access to the business and tourism markets in upper New York state and along the eastern United States. Economic Development staff are recommending that City Council actively support the establishment of fast ferry service and 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.

Contact Name:

Kyle Benham Bruce Graham

Senior Economic Development Officer Director, Business Development & Retention

Economic Development Division 392-3381

392-1004

Brenda Librecz

Managing Director Economic Development

392-4700

The Economic Development Committee submits the following report (May 17, 1999) from the City Clerk:

Recommendation:

The Toronto City Cycling Committee at its meeting held on May 17, 1999, recommended to the Economic Development Committee, the adoption of the Recommendation embodied in the attached communication (May 14, 1999) from Mr. Jack Becker, Member, Toronto Cycling Committee, respecting the carriage of bicycles on high speed ferry service from Toronto to Rochester, viz.:

"That any ferry service from the City of Toronto to any other destination on Lake Ontario include the carriage of bicycles and that a fare be posted."

The Economic Development Committee also had before it the communication (May 14, 1999) from Jack Becker, Member, Toronto Cycling Committee, attached to the foregoing report (May 17, 1999) from the City Clerk, and a copy thereof is on file in the office of the City Clerk.

Michael J. Aonso, Vice President, Business Development, Lake Ontario Fast Ferry Corporation, appeared before the Economic Development Committee in connection with the foregoing matter.

(City Council on June 9, 10 and 11, 1999, had before it, during consideration of the foregoing Clause, the following report (June 3, 1999) from the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism:

Purpose:

To provide the additional information requested by the Economic Development Committee at its meeting of May 21, 1999.

Recommendation:

It is recommended that this report be received for information.

Council Reference/Background/History:

At its meeting of May 21, 1999, the Economic Development Committee adopted the staff report on the Toronto-Rochester Fast Ferry Initiative and Lake Ontario Fast Ferry Corporation (LOFF) Project. The Committee requested:

(1) the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism to report directly to Council for its meeting of June 9, 1999 with an indication of the City of Rochester's endorsement of a fast ferry service between Toronto and Rochester; and

(2) the Lake Ontario Fast Ferry Corporation to provide Council, for its meeting on June 9, 1999, with information on the Corporation and an indication of the financial supporters of this endeavour to date.

The Committee also requested that the Department make regular reports to the Economic Development and Parks Committee on the progress of the project and address:

(1) issues which may arise respecting emergency and safety matters due to the installation and frequency of the ferry service and any jurisdictional issues which could arise; and

(2) the City infrastructure which may be required to accommodate this ferry service and costs.

Comments:

The Economic Development and Parks Committee has asked for an indication of the City of Rochester's endorsement of the fast ferry project. Economic Development staff have been working with the City of Rochester's Deputy Mayor's Office on a continuing basis with respect to the development and implementation of this project. The Deputy Mayor's office is the equivalent of our Chief Administrative Officer's office.

On February 24, 1999, Economic Development facilitated a meeting between the Mayors and CAOs of the our two Cities in order to discuss the project and our continuing joint involvement in the initiative. Mayor William Johnson of Rochester, Mr. Jeff Carlson, Deputy Mayor (CAO) and Mr. Kevin Crerand, Assistant Monroe County Executive attended the meeting with Mayor Lastman and Mr. Michael Garrett, CAO. At that time, Rochester reiterated its strong interest in the project and commitment to working with Toronto. Staff have contacted Rochester to request that a formal letter of support be sent directly to Council for its information.

Rochester also made a presentation with respect to their planned capital improvements at the mouth of the Genesee River. The project includes new road infrastructure providing better connections between the Lake and the City/County, the construction of public park facilities, a public marina and a ferry terminal. Rochester anticipates receiving substantial Federal and State financial assistance for these capital projects. The City also recently finished construction of breakwaters at the mouth of the Genesee River, using the services of the U.S. Corps of Army Engineers. The breakwaters address water surge issues at the mouth of the river and will now allow a ferry operation to dock.

With respect to providing Council with more information on the Lake Ontario Fast Ferry Corporation, staff have contacted LOFF and have been informed that the company will be sending its response directly to Council.

With respect to the Economic Development and Parks Committee's requests for further reports on issues of traffic, safety, jurisdiction and capital improvement, staff have begun the necessary consultations with the Toronto Port Authority and Works and Emergency Services Department so that these issues can be addressed in the next status report on the fast ferry initiative.

Conclusions:

Rochester confirmed its strong interest in the project and commitment to working with Toronto at a February 1999, meeting held between the Mayors and CAOs of the our two Cities. Staff have contacted Rochester to request that a formal letter of support be sent directly to Council for its information.

Contact Names:

Kyle Benham, 392-1004;

Bruce Graham, 392-3381;

Brenda Librecz, 397-4700.)

(City Council also had before it, during consideration of the foregoing Clause, a communication (June 7, 1999) from Mr. Jeffrey T. Carlson, Deputy Mayor, City of Rochester, expressing continued support for the proposed ferry service between the City of Rochester and the City of Toronto.)

(City Council also had before it, during consideration of the foregoing Clause, a communication (June 3, 1999) from Mr. Michael Aonso, Vice President, Lake Ontario Fast Ferry Corporation providing information on the Corporation and an indication of the financial supporters of the Toronto-Rochester fast ferry endeavour to date, such communication to remain confidential in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act).

(City Council on June 9, 10 and 11, 1999, amended this Clause by adding thereto the following:

"It is further recommended that the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism be requested to submit a report to the Economic Development and Parks Committee, prior to any new fees being imposed on community festivals.")

The Economic Development Committee recommends the adoption of the report (May 3, 1999) from the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, subject to amending Recommendation (2) by adding the following words:

"and during the review, the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, in consultation with the general public in each of the six local communities, develop a process for approving applications for festivals and events that will recognize and ensure that residential and business amenities are protected;"

so as to read:

"(2) 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, and during the review, the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, in consultation with the general public in each of the six local communities, develop a process for approving applications for festivals and events that will recognize and ensure that residential and business amenities are protected;".

The Economic Development Committee submits the following report (May 3, 1999) from the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism:

Purpose:

This report addresses 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. It summarizes the staff, financial and in-kind service support currently provided to festivals by the Department, and outlines the harmonization review which is underway.

Source of Funds:

There are no financial implications beyond the sources of funds for grants already included in the 1999 Operating Budget Submission.

Recommendations:

It is recommended 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;

(2) 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;

(3) 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

(4) 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 No. 5 of Report No. 26 of The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee on December 16 and 17, 1998).

Council Reference:

The Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism was requested to report on "the policy for funding local community festivals" by the Municipal Grants Review Committee at its meeting on November 20, 1998, and on "a policy governing financial support for community/city festivals" by the Economic Development Committee at its meeting on January 25, 1999. The following report addresses both requests.

Comments:

It is estimated that five to six hundred community-based festivals and events a year are assisted by Economic Development, Culture and Tourism Department staff. This support recognizes the key role festivals and events play in strengthening communities, business districts, cultural, heritage and arts resources, and in attracting tourists and visitors to the City. They help promote awareness of Toronto's rich history and dynamic and diverse cultural identity for City residents and visitors alike. They provide the opportunity for communities to come together, build alliances, celebrate and educate. They also are an important economic development tool, used by local business districts to build identity and attract shoppers.

The Economic Development, Culture and Tourism Department works with and supports community festivals and special events in a number of different contexts. Each of the former municipalities followed its own policies and practices and provided different levels of staff, financial and in-kind service support. As part of the Department's harmonization process, a staff team has been formed made up of the people who work with community organizations in each Division. The team's objectives are to:

(a) improve the level of efficiency and service the department currently is providing to community-based festivals and events by articulating and communicating the forms of support now available. Appendix A to this report summarizes those services, and will form the basis of an information package that can be distributed to staff, members of Council and the community as required. Appendix B provides a list of staff contacts who work with festivals and events; and

(b) develop a harmonized approach to our work with community-based festivals and events for implementation in the Year 2000 that has the objectives of (a) providing high calibre customer service in meeting community needs, (b) making efficient use of the City's resources by eliminating duplication and building on inter-divisional synergies, and (c) strengthening the capacity of community-based festivals and events to achieve community, arts, cultural, heritage and economic development results.

Staff Support:

The Department provides staff support to the development and implementation of community-based festivals and events through its Festival Liaison Office, Local Partnerships Program, Recreation and Community Centres, and Community Arts and Heritage Program. Staff act as advisors and facilitators, and collectively are able to assist with all aspects of event organization, marketing, promotion and production. The different program areas share information and resources and provide referrals to one another where appropriate to meet the needs of each organization. The new Festival Liaison Office offers a concentration of specialized event-related expertise that staff in the other Divisions are able to draw on. A more detailed description of the services provided and staff contact names are set out in the appendix to this report.

The harmonization review is seeking opportunities to share resources and build on the team approach to supporting community-based festivals and events across program areas. It also will develop a more explicit framework for defining the objectives and monitoring the results of the different program areas' work with community-based festivals and events.

In-kind Services:

Section Two of Appendix A summarizes the in-kind services that may be provided to community-based festivals and events. In should be noted that practices varied considerably among the former municipalities, and have not yet been harmonized across the City. It also should be noted that the arrangements that are made for each event typically are guided by the availability of resources. For example, it may be possible to arrange in-house graphic design services for one organization but not for another if timelines of the request conflict with other priorities. Venues and equipment are booked on a "first come first served" basis, and groups cannot always be accommodated. In general, staff try to address the needs of each community organization to the extent that the program unit's resources permit.

The Department's policies respecting the provision of in-kind services to community organizations are being addressed in the harmonization review. Guiding principles include striving to achieve

an equitable and more transparent access to in-kind services across the City, and identifying the cost of in-kind service provision.

Financial Support:

Section Three of Appendix A summarizes the grant programs administered by the Department through which community-based festivals and events are eligible for financial support. Four different programs are relevant, each one with different objectives and eligibility and evaluation criteria:

(a) Minor Recreation Grants serve community organizations providing leisure and sports activities. Pre-event expenses are eligible for support, but not the costs of holding the event;

(b) Economic Development Partnership Grants facilitate the initiation or expansion of projects which will have substantial long term economic development benefits. The program supports the start-up of a range of projects, including those festivals that can demonstrate potential to become significant tourist draws;

(c) Employment Area Revitalization Festivals and Special Events Grants support events organized by BIAs, business associations and community organizations that display strong business participation; and

(d) The Contingency Fund responds to grants issues arising from amalgamation and requests for support ineligible under any City of Toronto Grants Programs.

In 1998, community-based festivals and events were allocated $266,500.00 from these sources. In addition to this amount, Caribana - the City's largest community-based festival - now receives ongoing operating support of $353,000.00.

Many community based festivals and events include an artistic component, and therefore are eligible for Toronto Arts Council grants. In 1998, $814,210.00 in arts funding was allocated to forty two community-based festivals through the Toronto Arts Council and Culture Division. Economic Development, Culture and Tourism Department and Toronto Arts Council staff liaise with each other closely to ensure that each organization is referred to the most appropriate source of funds, to avoid duplication and share information.

The harmonization review will address the financial support available to community-based festivals and events. Opportunities to rationalize grant programs and improve the alignment between the resources available, program objectives and the needs of community organizations will be sought. This component of the review will be undertaken in consultation with the Toronto Arts Council since it is an important partner in providing support to community-based festivals and events.

Starting in June 1999, the Economic Development Committee will assume responsibility for the consideration of grants administered by the Economic Development, Culture and Tourism Department. (Clause No. 5 of Report No. 7 of The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, adopted by Council on April 13, 14, and 15, 1999). These grants previously were considered by the Municipal Grants Review Committee.

In undertaking this new function, it is recommended that:

- the Economic Development Committee adopt the guideline of referring individuals and organizations seeking the City's support for their initiatives to staff before considering their deputations. Staff frequently are successful in meeting the needs of organizations within the context of their existing work programs and budgets, and additional authority from the Committee and Council is not necessary.

Such a guideline is authorized by Section 126 of the Procedural By-law which reads: "If a communication is, the opinion of the Committee Chair or its secretary, of a nature which may require advance consideration by a City official, a copy thereof shall be forwarded to the official concerned, and every such official is authorized to submit a report, which may be considered by the Committee whether or not it is included with a regular Agenda."; and

- grant applicants be advised 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 No. 5 of Report No. 26 of The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee on December 16 and 17, 1998).

The adoption of these two recommendations would not preclude a member of the public from appearing before the Committee, but would guide most requests to the avenue through which they can most efficiently be addressed.

Conclusions:

Community-based festivals and events play a key role in strengthening communities, business districts, cultural, heritage and arts resources, and in attracting tourists and visitors to the City. Nurturing and supporting their development is an important function of the Economic Development Culture and Tourism Department. By forming partnerships with the community organizations that plan the City's many festivals and events, the Department can leverage its resources and better achieve its mission.

Contact Names:

Judy Morgan, Ron Nash,

Project Leader, 395-0410 Economic Development Division, 392-1006

Harold Mah, Cathy Forbes,

Special Events Division, 395-7326 Culture Division, 395-6192

Ken Jeffers,

Parks and Recreation Division, 392-7109

Appendix A:

(1) Staff Support:

(a) The Festival Liaison Office:

Special Events Division

Contact: Harold Mah, 395-7326

The Festival Liaison Office facilitates the development and efficient staging of festivals and special events managed by community-based and external producers. It supports the City's tourism, economic development, cultural, and community development objectives by contributing to the smooth execution of festivals and special events throughout the City and nurturing their development and growth. A multitude of services are provided, including consulting on road closures, permitting, sources of grants, and all aspects of event production ranging from marketing to logistics.

(b) Local Partnerships Program:

Economic Development Division

Contact: Ron Nash, 392-1006

Festivals and special events are an important economic development tool used to "brand" and promote local business districts, attract shoppers and visitors, and build community identity. As part of their overall commercial area revitalization activities, staff in the Local Partnerships Office provide advice and liaison between organizations and other City staff to assist them in carrying out successful events. In-kind services are arranged, and two small scale grant programs are administered.

(c) Recreation and Community Centres:

Parks and Recreation Division

Contacts: Central District - Doug McDonald - 392-8578; South District - Ken Jeffers, 392-7019; North District - Kelvin Seow, 395-6190 West District - Allan Graham, 394-8826; East District - Sue Bartleman, 396-5334

Community-based organizations (representing, for example, local neighbourhoods, particular cultural identities, or sports interests) hold festivals and special events to provide the opportunity to come together, build alliances and friendships, celebrate and educate. These events make a major contribution to the development of strong communities. Community Centres, parks and arenas frequently are the fulcrum for initiating, organizing and staging community-based festivals. Parks and Recreation Division staff play an important support role. The degree of involvement and support varies according to the needs of the organization. Also, each of the former municipalities had different traditions and followed different policies in working with community-based festivals, and to a large extent past practices are still being followed while a harmonization review is underway. In some cases, the City has become a partner in the event -- for example, The Lion Park of the Toronto Lion Dance Festival.

In general, staff act as consultants who may advise on every aspect of the special event, including support for corporate sponsorship, publicity and marketing, and event logistics. Groups are encouraged to apply for Minor Recreation Grants when appropriate, and assistance may also be provided to identify and apply for other sources of funding.

(d) Community Arts and Heritage Program:

Culture Division

Contacts: South District - Brad Eyre, 392-9046; North District - Laura Elkin, 395-6194; West District - Thelma Amos, 394-8390; East District - Alex Semeniuk, 396-5230.

Through their cultural festivals and celebrations, community arts and heritage organizations contribute to the strength of the broader community by promoting creativity, accessibility and opportunities for participation. These events help promote awareness of Toronto's rich history and preserve and enhance its dynamic and diverse cultural identity for City residents and visitors alike. Culture Division staff provide assistance to the City's arts and heritage groups in these endeavours by accessing suitable facilities and venues, providing promotional support, assisting with volunteer training and development, advising on program content and necessary resources, brokering partnerships and co-operative ventures and, nurturing emerging groups, especially in the diverse ethno-cultural communities, who are seeking to showcase their rich cultural traditions.

(2) In-kind Services and Facilities

Not all of the services listed below can be arranged for every event requesting them. Decisions as to the level of in-kind support provided are based on (i) availability of facility, staff or equipment, (ii) whether or not financial support towards the event is also being provided, (iii) the group's access to alternative resources. Also, each of the former municipalities followed different policies and practices in providing in-kind services. In most cases, past practices are being followed in 1999 while harmonization reviews are underway.

(a) For events held on Nathan Phillips or Mel Lastman Square: production equipment, set-up and consultation.

(b) Requests for the free use of Parks, Recreation and Culture equipment (e.g., portable stage, display panels) are met subject to availability..

(c) Business associations working in partnership with the Local Partnerships Office have been provided with access to parks, municipal services (e.g., street cleaning, printing, advertising, promotion and mailing) and city-owned equipment (e.g., street and stage risers).

(d) Community-based festivals and events receive access to Parks & Recreation facilities free of charge; caretaking staff generally perform all of the regular duties with respect to event set-up and clean-up, frequently assisted by volunteers from the community group; transportation of equipment and other necessary items are generally provided within regular staff shifts.

(e) Assistance may be provided in planning communications strategies, including media contacts, and in designing, printing and distributing press releases, posters and other promotional material.

(f) Assistance is provided in linking organizations to other City Departments and services (e.g., Protocol, Roads, Permits).

(3) Grant Programs

(a) Minor Recreation Grants

Purpose: To provide grants to community organizations that provide a leisure or sports activity which help them respond effectively to the needs of citizens and to improve the quality of life in the City of Toronto. Pre-festival expenses required to organize and plan community-based festivals related to leisure or sports activities are among the projects eligible for support.

Eligibility: Groups must be not-for profit, be accountable to the community through an elected board or executive, the majority of whom must be Toronto residents, utilize volunteers in all aspects of the organization, demonstrate operational efficiency, financial viability and fundraising ability, network and coordinate with other community organizations including the Parks and Recreation Division, set priorities and evaluate programs and services, and sign a non-discrimination policy.

Programs and services must be provided within the boundaries of the City of Toronto primarily for Toronto residents, serve clearly identified community needs not adequately addressed by other organizations, be affordable to participants and demonstrate adequate regard for participants' safety.

Ineligible Requests: Requests submitted by individuals, religious organizations, Landlord/Tenant and condominium Corporations, daycare centres or nursery schools.

Costs associated with donations, banquets, receptions, uniforms, equipment, research and/or demonstration projects, capital costs, deficit retirement, educational programs, political activities, mortgages, community newsletters, transportation and travel, and the staging of fairs and festivals (pre-event expenses for planning, organization, etc., are eligible).

Funding Criteria or Limitations: Maximum grant is 49 percent of the total projected revenue. Funding is not provided for programs, projects and services that could be included in City budgets or for which duplicate funding is available from other sources.

Applicants must demonstrate financial support from all sectors, including self-generated revenue and corporate support. When evaluating applications, weight is given to the value of in-kind donations and the development of a short term business plan incorporating fundraising and activity plans. Priority is given to organizations that offer a new service, operate in a relatively underserved area, are unique in the needs which they address and thereby add to the diversity of services, and are small to medium sized.

1999 Budget: $443,900.00

Application Deadlines: March 15, 1999

Contact: Cathi Forbes, 395-6192

(b) Economic Development Partnership Program:

Purpose: To facilitate the initiation or expansion of projects which will have substantial long term economic development benefits for the City of Toronto by contributing to the size of the local economy and/or to the generation of future economic growth and job creation. Festivals which are or have the potential to become significant tourist draws are among the projects eligible for support.

The program currently is under review, with the objective of aligning new program funding with the key economic sectors served by the Economic Development Division - i.e., Medical/Biotechnology, food processing, information technology, telecommunications, new media and tourism.

Eligibility: Non-profit organizations may apply for grants. Private corporations may request the City to purchase a sponsorship or advertisement for which a commensurate service or benefit is provided. Projects must take place within the City of Toronto and substantially benefit City businesses or residents.

Ineligible Requests: Projects initiated by City of Toronto Departments or Agencies; deficit reduction; projects which already have been completed; ongoing operating activities; promotional or advertising material for individual events or facilities; and skills development and other training initiatives

Funding Criteria or Limitations:

(1) The maximum grant is the lesser of 25 percent of the budget or $50,000.00. Components of the project that can be funded from another source or supported through the provision of in-king services are not eligible.

(2) Projects may be funded for a maximum of five years with the maximum support in the fourth and fifth year set at 50 percent and 25 percent respectively of the level of support provided in the third year.

(3) Priority in funding is given to projects that address the directions set out in the City's economic development strategy, which have a good potential of becoming self-sustaining within the five year time frame of the program, where the requested support will make a substantive contribution to the viability or feasibility of the project, and which involve substantive partnerships with the private sector.

1999 Budget: $337,000.00

Application Deadlines: April 20, 1999; September 4, 1999

Contact: Alicia Bulwik; 392-3830; Eva Pyatt; 392-3378

(c) Employment Area Revitalization Festivals and Special Events Grants:

Purpose: To support local festivals and special events that will:

- create local community economic development benefits by attracting visitors and enhancing the district's image;

- build volunteer commitment;

- develop strong organizational structures; and

- broaden financial support.

Eligibility: Business Improvement Areas (BIAs), non-profit business associations, and community organizations that display strong business participation.

Funding Criteria or Limitations: Demonstration of matching grants, in-kind services and volunteer resources are highly desirable, especially for repeat applicants. Festivals are expected to demonstrate decreased reliance on City resources and increased self-sufficiency over time.

1999 Budget: $ 44,400.00

Application Deadlines: April 30,1999 (Spring/Summer events) and September 7,1999 (winter)

Contact: Ron Nash; 392-1006

(d) Contingency Fund

Purpose: The Contingency Fund was set up in 1998 to deal with grants issues arising from amalgamation and to address requests that were ineligible under any City of Toronto Grants Programs.

Eligibility: Not-for-profit applicant organizations must either be ineligible within any City Grants Programs or experiencing financial difficulty through the transition as a result of amalgamation.

Ineligible Requests: Funding is not available to individuals, for-profit organizations, or as donations to charitable causes.

Funding Criteria or Limitations: The measurables used in evaluating requests include the project's value and prestige to the City and its image, economic spinoffs, tourist attractions, and residents needs and benefits. There are no specified grant maximums or limitations.

1999 Budget: $150,000.00

Application Deadlines: none

Contact: Cathi Forbes, 395-6192

Special Events Division: Festival Liaison Office - Harold Mah, 395-7326

Economic Development Division:

- Local Partnerships Program - Ron Nash, 392-1006

- Economic Development Partnerships Program - Alicia Bulwik, 392-3830;

Eva Pyatt, 392-3378

Culture Division:

- South District - Brad Eyre, 392-9046

- North District - Laura Elkin, 395-6194

- West District - Thelma Amos, 394-8390

- East District - Alex Semeniuk, 396-5230

- Minor Recreation Grants - Cathi Forbes, 395-6192

Parks and Recreation Division:

- Central District - Doug McDonald - 392-8578

- South District - Ken Jeffers, 392-7019

- North District - Kelvin Seow, 395-6190

- West District - Allan Graham, 394-8826

- East District - Sue Bartleman, 396-5334

The Economic Development Committee submits the following report (May 10, 1999) from the City Clerk:

Recommendation:

The Municipal Grants Review Committee on May 10, 1999, recommended to the Economic Development Committee the adoption of the attached report (May 3, 1999) from the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, respecting support for community festivals.

(City Council on June 9, 10 and 11, 1999, adopted this Clause, without amendment.)

The Economic Development Committee recommends the adoption of the following report (May 5, 1999) from the Commissioner, Economic Development, Culture and Tourism:

Purpose:

To institute a Community Garden Competition and Terms of Reference for such.

Financial Implications:

There are no financial implications. The recommended actions can be achieved with existing resources.

Recommendations:

It is recommended 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.

Council Reference:

On February 17, 1999 Etobicoke Community Council recommended that: "a friendly competition be instituted between the neighbourhoods of the new City of Toronto, similar to the Communities in Bloom concept, and that Terms of Reference for such competition be brought forward as soon as possible". At its meeting of April 6, 1999 the Economic Development Committee referred this matter to the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism with a request that he report back to the Committee by its May 21, 1999 meeting.

Currently, three gardening competitions exist covering four Community Council areas.

(1) Scarborough Trillium Awards Program

This was first established in 1977 on the recommendation of the Scarborough Horticultural Society. Now entering its 22^nd year, the program is a partnership of the Scarborough Garden and Horticultural Society, the Agincourt Garden Club and the City of Toronto through the Parks and Recreation Division of the Economic Development, Culture and Tourism Department.

(2) East York Blooming Contest

This has been long established as the "Mayor's Blooming Contest" and has continued in 1998 and 1999 with the modified title. It is an initiative of East York Community Council in partnership with the Leaside Garden Society, the East York Garden Society and Art Drysdale.

(3) West Toronto Garden Award Program

Garden competitions have been run in the former municipalities of York and Etobicoke over the past few years. For 1999, a combined competition has been organized in partnership with the Etobicoke, Kingsway/ Sunnylea, Roselands and Westway Horticultural Societies; various local news media, City of Toronto Parks & Recreation Division and Councillors from the Etobicoke and York Community Councils.

In response to a request from Councillor Saundercook, the Parks and Recreation Division is working towards establishing a city-wide garden competition for 1999. A meeting was held on March 29, 1999 with representation from Horticultural Societies and Garden Clubs across Toronto. While general agreement was expressed in establishing such a competition, the consensus was that time was insufficient to design and execute an inclusive and harmonized program for 1999. Further consultation determined that the most practical way to proceed in 1999 would be to submit the winners from the existing contests as finalists in a city-wide competition.

In order to include areas of Toronto not currently involved in garden competitions (the former Cities of North York and Toronto), local Horticultural and Garden Clubs will be invited to nominate finalists. The Parks and Recreation Division will support these groups by providing proposed judging criteria and other technical advice and training as may be requested.

Terms of Reference:

(1) The city wide garden competition shall be called "Neighbourhoods in Bloom" pending ratification or modification of the Committee proposed below.

(2) The purpose of the competition is to recognize and celebrate the contributions of the citizens of the City of Toronto in beautifying and enhancing the environment and engendering an increased civic pride for Toronto: "The City Within a Park".

(3) A Garden Contest Committee comprised of City staff, members of the community, industry professionals and interested City Councillors will be selected on the basis of experience and expertise with community representation from each Community Council area.

(4) The Garden Contest Committee will determine the judging criteria and process for the 1999 city wide competition.

(5) Finalists to the 1999 competition will be those winners identified in the Scarborough Trillium Awards Program, East York Blooming Contest, West Toronto Garden Award Program and others as submitted by Horticultural and Garden Societies in the North York and Toronto Community Council areas. These finalists will be deemed "District Winners" for the purposes of the City wide competition.

(6) Judging will be conducted by a panel of professionals which may include local experts, City Staff and qualified members of the community.

(7) Judging of 1999 finalists will be conducted over the summer period of year 2000 in order to facilitate a fair and comprehensive process. This approach is consistent with the National "Communities in Bloom" contest.

(8) Corporate sponsorship will be solicited for the provision of appropriate prizes for contest winners, honorariums for judges and promotional and administrative costs.

(9) An award ceremony will be held at City Hall in Fall, 1999 in which finalists will be appropriately recognized. The year 2000 ceremony will award winners from 1999 as well as recognizing finalists from 1999 and the year 2000.

Conclusions:

This city-wide contest should be inclusive of existing competitions as well as encouraging the participation of areas not currently involved. The approach outlined in this report allows for a competition to be held in 1999 while planning for a further refined and harmonized process in the year 2000.

The dedicated efforts of very large numbers of volunteers, many associated with Horticultural Societies and Garden Clubs has been instrumental in the success of garden contests throughout Toronto. Such continued and expanded participation should be nurtured as a key component of continued success.

Contact Name:

Arthur Beauregard

Manager of Natural Environment & Horticulture

392-0724

(City Council on June 9, 10 and 11, 1999, amended this Clause by striking out the recommendations of the Economic Development Committee and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

"It is recommended that:

(1) Recommendations Nos. (1), (2), (5) and (6) embodied in the report dated April 15, 1999, from the Executive Director, Human Resources, be adopted, viz.:

'It is recommended 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 No. (1) be implemented in the Parks and Recreation Services Division of the Economic Development, Culture and Tourism Department as a first step in implementing the policy city-wide where appropriate;

(5) the appropriate City Officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary actions to give effect thereto; and

(6) 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';

(2) the following motion be adopted:

'WHEREAS a police reference check was not a condition of employment with the City of Toronto for most existing staff; and

WHEREAS the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, Section 28(2), permits government institutions to collect personal information, if such collection is expressly authorized by statute; and

WHEREAS the City has a number of programs which provide services to vulnerable populations and wishes to ensure all possible steps are taken to guard against abuse;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Province of Ontario be requested to enact special legislation to permit the City of Toronto to conduct police reference checks on existing staff who are currently working with children, youth and/or other vulnerable populations,';

(3) in the interim, there be no charges from the Toronto Police Services Board to the City of Toronto or by the City of Toronto and/or the Toronto Police Services Board to prospective and existing employees, volunteers and non-profit organizations;

(4) existing staff whose primary employment involves working directly with children and who are willing to provide a reference check, be allowed to do so, at no cost to the staff member;

(5) Recommendations Nos. (3) and (4) embodied in the report dated April 15, 1999, from the Executive Director, Human Resources, be referred to the Economic Development and Parks Committee for consideration, viz.:

'(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; and

(4) the City pays the cost of conducting police reference checks on volunteers;'; and

(6) the following motion be referred to the Economic Development and Parks Committee for consideration:

Moved by Councillor Shiner:

'It is recommended that the Toronto Police Services Board perform the reference checks for the City and advise the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism of the overtime hours incurred, together with the cost of such overtime, and the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism be requested to submit a report thereon to the Economic Development and Parks Committee.' ")

The Economic Development Committee recommends that:

(1) the report (April 15, 1999) from the Executive Director of Human Resources be adopted, subject to amending Recommendation (3) by adding the words "and that the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, be given discretion in waiving this fee;", so as to read:

"(3) prospective employees bear half of the cost of the police reference check, with the other half being borne by the Parks and Recreation Services Division of the City, and that the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, be given discretion in waiving this fee;"; and

(2) the Executive Director of Human Resources, in consultation with appropriate staff, be requested to report to the Policy and Finance Committee on a corporate policy and funding strategy for performing police checks and other departmental checks that may be required.

The Economic Development Committee submits the following report (April 15, 1999) from the Executive Director of Human Resources:

Purpose:

To obtain 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. This report concerns itself with implementation for staff and volunteers working with children and/or youth in the Parks and Recreation Services Division in particular.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

The current cost of conducting a police reference check on a prospective employee is $40.00 plus GST. The financial impact if half of the costs are borne by the Economic Development, Culture and Tourism department as recommended is $44,084.00. The cost for conducting a police reference check on a volunteer is $15.00 plus GST and the yearly cost to the department as recommended is not expected to exceed $2,808.75.

Recommendations:

It is recommended 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;

(4) the City pays the cost of conducting police reference checks on volunteers;

(5) the appropriate City Officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary actions to give effect thereto; and

(6) 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.

Council Reference/Background/History:

City Council at its meeting of December 16 and 17, 1998 adopted the following motion resolved that:

"the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism determine which staff of the Parks and Recreation Division should have security checks and request the Toronto Police Department to conduct these security checks immediately;

the Executive Director of Human Resources, in consultation with the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, prepare a report for the Economic Development Committee recommending a policy regarding background security checks for all new employees and subsequent random checks for those staff holding positions involving contact with children and youth; and

Toronto City Council request the Toronto Police Department to carry out these checks immediately and, on a one-time basis, waive the $5.00 fee for each staff security check."

Comments:

(1) Conducting Police Reference Checks on Prospective Employees or Current Employees who apply for positions

The Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (the Act) applies to the collection, use and disclosure of police reference check information. This legislation permits government institutions to collect personal information where there is explicit statutory authority to do so or where the information is necessary to properly administer a lawfully authorized activity.

Among the statutes under which the City provides service, only the Ambulance Act and the Police Services Act provide statutory authority to collect police reference check information as part of their respective hiring processes. Accordingly, collecting such information on other prospective City employees would be conducted on the basis that the personal information is necessary in order to properly administer programs and services delivered to children, youth and/or other vulnerable populations.

The Act permits the City and the Toronto Police Service to exchange information with the consent of the subject individual and where an agreement is in place. Appropriate forms have been developed to obtain such consent and an offer of employment will be conditional on the result of the police reference check. The proposed agreement establishes a mechanism for conducting police reference checks in a manner which complies with privacy legislation.

The City does not have the explicit statutory authority required to collect police reference check information directly from the Toronto Police Service (the "Service"). Accordingly, in circumstances where there is a record of offense, the Service provides the record of offense to the subject individual. It is the individual's decision whether or not to provide a copy of the record to the City. Failure to provide a copy of the record to the City will result in withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment.

The above-noted process is predicated on the subject individual consenting to a police reference check and providing a copy of any record of offense to the City. In the absence of such consent, the City does not have the authority to initiate the process. Similarly, absent consent, the Service does not have the authority to conduct a police reference check on an individual at the request of the City.

Individuals who wish to apply for positions in the City's Parks and Recreation Division where the primary duties involve caring for children and/or youth will be notified that a police reference check is a requirement in the final stage of the hiring process. A choice can then be made as to whether or not to apply. In these circumstances, a decision to apply and consent to a police reference check is clearly voluntary. This is not the case with respect to obtaining consent from employees who are currently working with children and/or youth.

Human resources staff are working with the departments to identify other positions throughout the various services of the City where a police reference check is an appropriate part of the hiring process or when accepting volunteers, including in services where employees or volunteers are working with vulnerable adults. A policy is being developed, in consultation with the City Solicitor, the Director of Corporate Access and Privacy and Commissioners, to ensure practices and procedures comply with relevant legislation.

(2) Fees for Police Reference Checks

The Police Services Board (the Board) considered matters relating to charging fees for police reference checks three times in 1998. The Board reaffirmed its decision to charge fees. Costs of providing the service are funded by fees charged. A copy of the Council resolution requesting a waiver of fees has been forwarded to the Chief of Police. A consideration related to requesting a waiver of fees is that there are no true savings in transferring costs from one budget to another.

It is recommended that the cost of $40.00 plus GST be borne in equal shares by the prospective employee and the Economic Development, Culture and Tourism department. This will have the effect of relieving the financial burden for the department yet not discourage individuals from applying for positions. It is felt that having the prospective employee pay the full cost will not be financially feasible, especially for students and youths.

The cost of conducting a police reference check on volunteers is $15.00 plus GST. Given that volunteers are not compensated for their important work, it would not be reasonable for the City to ask volunteers to bear the cost.

Many volunteers work alongside staff and do not have unsupervised care of children and/or youth. Accordingly, it is expected that the final number of volunteers on whom it is appropriate to conduct a police reference check will be relatively small over the course of a year. This report recommends the City pay the $15.00 fee so as not to discourage individuals from becoming volunteers.

(3) Conducting Police Reference Checks on Current Employees

The City has a number of staff who have been employed for many years in the primary care of children and/or youth. For the majority, a police reference check was not a condition of the offer of employment. The City, therefore, does not have the necessary consent to initiate a police reference check.

Consent may be defined as voluntary agreement. The potential loss of a position unless consent is provided would not constitute the voluntary agreement needed to conduct police reference checks on employees who are already working directly with children and/or youth.

There is no explicit statutory authority which would permit the City to conduct police reference checks on employees who are currently working directly with children and/or youth. As such, staff cannot at this time respond to Council's direction related to conducting police reference checks on current employees. A detailed examination of the legal issues and an opinion from the City Solicitor has been requested on the issues. A further report will be submitted by the Executive Director of Human Resources with recommendations to the Corporate Services Committee.

Considering the requirements of privacy legislation, it may be appropriate for the province to enact legislation to provide explicit statutory authority related to conducting police reference checks. The forthcoming report from staff will consider if the City should seek legislation in this respect.

For these reasons, the proposed agreement with the Toronto Police Service to conduct police reference checks applies only to the final stage of the hiring process and as permitted under the Municipal Freedom of Information & Protection of Privacy Act.

Conclusion:

Approval of the recommendations in this report will permit the City to proceed in a timely manner to implement a process for incorporating a police reference check in the City's hiring process where the primary employment or volunteer duties require working directly with children, youth and/or other vulnerable populations as required.

Contact Names:

Rita Reynolds, 392-9683

Brenda Glover, 397-9802

The Economic Development Committee also had before it the following communications, and copies thereof are on file in the office of the City Clerk:

- (May 13, 1999) from Councillor McConnell, Ward 25 - Don River, requesting that participants in the One on One Mentoring Program be exempted from paying for police checks;

- (May 19, 1999) from Anne Dubas, President, Local 79 CUPE, urging the Economic Development Committee to reject the recommendation that applicants pay for the cost of police reference checks, that the City should continue to cover this fee, and also urging further discussion of the Parks and Recreation Services Division's policy for handling police reference checks; and

- (May 20, 1999) from Councillor Pam McConnell, Ward 25 - Don River, forwarding her concerns that the policy as proposed will become a real barrier to employment for the youth and young adults in our community who are attempting to enter the workforce for the first time and noting that a police check fee of $21.40 will discourage students and the unemployed from applying to the Parks Department because applicants will have to work three to four hours to pay the cost of the check.

David Kidd, CUPE Local 79, appeared before the Economic Development Committee in connection with the foregoing matter.

(City Council on June 9, 10 and 11, 1999, had before it, during consideration of the foregoing Clause, the following report (May 31, 1999) from the City Clerk:

Recommendations:

The Children and Youth Action Committee recommends that:

(1) City Council oppose any part of the charge for police reference checks being borne by City employees and that this expense be part of the Police Services Budget; and

(2) no charge for these services be off loaded to non profits organizations, municipalities or school boards.

Background:

The Children and Youth Action Committee on May 28, 1999, gave consideration to an oral presentation by Mr. David Kidd, CUPE Local 79, with respect to Police Reference Checks and the Hiring Process as it relates to City of Toronto employees and particularly Parks and Recreation employees.

The Committee reports, for the information of Council, having forwarded its recommendation to the Budget Committee for consideration at its meeting to be held on June 1, 1999.)

(City Council also had before it, during consideration of the foregoing Clause, the following report (June 1, 1999) from the City Clerk:

Recommendations:

The Budget Committee on June 1, 1999, recommended to City Council the adoption of the following recommendations of the Children and Youth Action Committee embodied in the report (May 31, 1999) from the City Clerk:

(1) City Council oppose any part of the charge for police reference checks being borne by City employees and that this expense be part of the Police Services Budget; and

(2) no charge for these services be off loaded to non profits organizations, municipalities or school boards.

Background:

The Budget Committee had before it a report (May 31, 1999) from the City Clerk advising that the Children and Youth Action Committee on May 28, 1999, gave consideration to an oral presentation by Mr. David Kidd, CUPE Local 79, with respect to Police Reference Checks and the Hiring Process (Clause No. 6 of Report No. 8 of The Economic Development Committee) as it relates to City of Toronto employees and particularly Parks and Recreation employees; and recommended that:

(1) City Council oppose any part of the charge for police reference checks being borne by City employees and that this expense be part of the Police Service Budget; and

(2) no charge for these services be off loaded to non profit organizations, municipalities or school boards;

and further directed that the foregoing recommendations be forwarded to the Budget Committee for consideration at its meeting to be held on June 1, 1999.)

(City Council on June 9, 10 and 11, 1999, struck out and referred this Clause to the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services for report thereon to the Economic Development and Parks Committee, such report to also address the feasibility of charging the same fees for portrait artist permits as those being charged for filming permits.)

The Economic Development Committee reports having requested the Commissioner, Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, to report directly to Council for its meeting on June 9,

1999 with a report on the issues raised by Councillor Mihevc in his report (April 26, 1999).

The Economic Development Committee submits the following report (April 26, 1999) from Councillor Joe Mihevc, Ward 28 - York-Eglinton:

I understand that there are currently 26 permits available for artists who are interested in drawing portraits on Yonge Street during the summer months. These artists operate at no expense to the City of Toronto, and general some income due to the fee they pay for a permit. Further, they add vibrance to our city streets, generating economic activity for local artists.

I would like to request that this committee explore the possibility of increasing the number of permits available to artists, as well as expanding the locations for which they are issued.

Thank you for your attention to this request.

The Economic Development Committee also had before it a communication (May 17, 1999) from Councillor Rae , Ward 24 - Downtown, generally supporting the request, providing that there be no new permits issued in the Yonge - Dundas Community Improvement Plan area until the completion of the renovations (end of 2000), and a copy thereof is on file in the office of the City Clerk.

Constandeano Jalonen appeared before the Economic Development Committee in connection with the foregoing matter.

(City Council on June 9, 10 and 11, 1999, adopted this Clause, without amendment.)

The Economic Development Committee recommends the appointment of the following persons to the Board of Management of the Toronto Zoo for the period ending November 30, 2000, and until their successors are appointed:

- Mrs. Beau Christensen;

- Mr. Peter Evans;

- Dr. Donald Layne; and

- Mr. David Warren.

The Economic Development Committee submits the following communication (May 17, 1999) from Calvin White, Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Zoo:

On May 12, 1999, the Board of Directors of the Zoological Society recommended the following members of the Board for appointment to the Board of Management of the Toronto Zoo:

- Mrs. Beau Christensen;

- Mr. Peter Evans;

- Dr. Donald Layne; and

- Mr. David Warren.

Please table this correspondence at City Council for approval.

(City Council on June 9, 10 and 11, 1999, deferred consideration of this Clause to the next regular meeting of City Council to be held on July 6, 1999.)

The Economic Development Committee recommends the adoption of the following report (May 18, 1999) from the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism:

Purpose:

This report responds to a request from the Special Council Meeting of April 26 and 27, 1999, dealing with the 1999 Operating Budget, that the Economic Development, Culture and Tourism Department, Special Events Division, report on the possibility of including "Taste of the Danforth Festival" as a City of Toronto signature event.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

There are no financial implications or funding sources required.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1) the endorsement of "Taste of the Danforth Festival" as a City of Toronto signature event be considered in the context of an ongoing initiative to develop an integrated strategy for supporting, marketing and promoting Toronto's many excellent festivals and events; and

(2) the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism report on an integrated "signature event strategy", including consideration of "Taste of the Danforth Festival", for the Economic Development Committee's meeting on October 4, 1999.

Comments and/or Discussion and/or Justification:

The "Taste of the Danforth Festival" is an extremely successful event held each August along Danforth Avenue between Broadview and Jones Avenues. It was started by the Greektown on the Danforth BIA, and has grown to include many other community and corporate partners and sponsors. It is becoming one of Toronto's major annual events and has considerable potential to appeal to the tourist market.

The Special Events Division will work with the "Taste of the Danforth Festival" through its Festival Liaison Office. The mandate of the Festival Liaison Office is to support new or established event producers in the city by offering a multitude of essential services as well as promoting synergies between city produced and externally produced events. The Office offers a "one-stop shopping" customer service approach. External event producers can access important city services through the Festival Liaison Office.

To date, the Festival Liaison Office has provided support to over one hundred and seventy externally produced events and festivals including Caribana, Caravan, and "Taste of the Danforth Festival". The Office assists event organizers in a variety of ways which includes road closures, permits, licenses, grants, etc.

The Special Events Division is exploring ways of building and promoting Toronto's many excellent community-based and externally produced festivals and events. The Division's established relationship with Tourism Toronto may open possibilities of exposing internally and externally produced city events to international markets. Identifying key festivals as "signature events" and developing strategies to support and market them are among the options being considered.

It is suggested that the endorsement of "Taste of the Danforth Festival" as a signature event be considered in the broader context of this ongoing initiative. All externally produced festivals and events that take place in the city are being audited. Criteria will then be developed to identify "signature events". This work is being undertaken in consultation with the Economic Development, the Culture, and the Parks and Recreation Divisions of the Department, all of whom work directly with community-based events and festivals.

Conclusions:

It is concluded that the possible endorsement of the "Taste of the Danforth Festival" as a City of Toronto Signature Event would best be considered in the context of developing an integrated strategy for supporting, marketing and promoting Toronto's many excellent festivals and events. A report on this matter can be brought forward to the Economic Development Committee for its meeting on October 4, 1999.

Contact Name:

Jaye Robinson, Director, Special Events, 395-7310.

(City Council on June 9, 10 and 11, 1999, received this Clause, for information.)

(a) "Open Doors" Project.

The Economic Development Committee reports, for the information of Council, having:

(1) endorsed the "Open Doors" project in principle; and

(2) deferred, to the June 21, 1999 meeting of the Economic Development and Parks Committee, a presentation on the "Open Doors" concept and, in the meantime, requested the Commissioner, Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, to meet with Heritage Toronto and representatives from "Open Doors" to assist in the development of this program.

(i) (May 6, 1999) from the City Clerk 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; and

(ii) Information on the "Open Doors" - A Heritage Millennium Project for the City.

(b) Toronto Export Development Initiative.

The Economic Development Committee reports having deferred consideration of the following report and staff presentation to the June 21, 1999 meeting of the Economic Development and Parks Committee:

(May 6, 1999) from the Commissioner, Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, 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), through 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).

(c) Use of Sponsorship Revenues from Molson's Sponsorship Agreement for the Construction of Water Park Facilities (Ward 19 - High Park and Ward 25 - Don River).

The Committee reports having:

(1) recommended that the report (May 4, 1999) from the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism be adopted, and forwarded this matter to the Budget Committee for consideration at its meeting on May 25, 1999 with respect to any adjustment to the Capital Budget, and requested the Budget Committee to report to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee for its June 1, 1999 meeting for consideration by Council of this matter on June 9, 1999; and

(2) requested the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, to report to the Economic Development and Parks Committee on:

(a) criteria on the selection of future sites for water park facilities, prior to consideration during the Capital Budget Process; and

(b) an inventory of the range of equipment and services provided by the water park facilities, and proposals to harmonize such facilities.

(May 4, 1999) from the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, 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.

(d) "The American Capital of Culture".

The Economic Development Committee reports having referred the following report to the Chair, Economic Development and Parks Committee, with a request that he write to the Federal Government urging the Government to seriously consider submitting an application for "The American Capital of Culture" designation, advising that the City of Toronto may be interested in applying for this designation and requesting the Federal Government to consider funding the required fee for this application.

(May 4, 1999) from the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism 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.

(e) TradeLink Toronto

The Economic Development Committee reports having referred the following report to the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, for report back to the Committee.

(April 22, 1999) from the City Clerk forwarding Clause 8 of Report No. 6 of the Economic Development Committee, heading "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."

(f) Visiting Delegations.

The Economic Development Committee reports having:

(1) supported in principle the following Recommendation contained in Councillor Mammoliti's report (April 16, 1999):

"that 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 referred this Recommendation to the Commissioner of Corporate Services for report to the Economic Development and Parks Committee via the Office Consolidation Sub-Committee;

(2) referred the following Recommendation contained in Councillor Mammoliti's report to the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, for report back to the Economic Development and Parks Committee:

"that the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, be requested to 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;"

(3) requested the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, to report further to the Economic Development and Parks Committee on the benefits of the City obtaining a corporate membership in the Canadian Urban Institute in the context of the City's continuing membership in FCM and AMO; and

(4) referred the matter of the Florina visit to Councillors Ashton, Tzekas and Faubert with a request that they meet with the Mayor to resolve the issues involved.

(i) (April 16, 1999) from Councillor Mammoliti 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.

(ii) Presentation material (undated) from John Farrow, Canadian Urban Institute.

(g) GESCO Industries.

The Economic Development Committee reports having referred the following report to the Commissioner, Economic Development, Culture and Tourism.

(April 21, 1999) from Councillor Nunziata 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.

(h) 1999-2000 Schedule of Meetings of the City of Toronto Council, Community Councils and Its Committees.

The Economic Development Committee reports having received the following report:

(April 22, 1999) from the City Clerk 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.

(i) Woodbine Park - Sponsorship of Bandshell (Ward 26 - East Toronto).

The Economic Development Committee reports having:

(1) deferred consideration of the following report to the June 21, 1999 meeting of the Economic Development and Parks Committee; and

(2) requested the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, to report to that meeting on the application of interim sponsorship guidelines for this project and the criteria for corporate sponsorship, particularly for sponsorship opportunities over $500,000.

(i) (May 18, 1999) from the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, recommending that the Economic Development Committee authorize the appropriate City officials to enter into negotiations with Molson Breweries, and report directly to City Council at its meeting of June 9, 10, 11, 1999, on the specific terms and conditions of their sponsorship proposal for construction of a bandshell at the new Woodbine Park;

(ii) (May 19, 1999) from A. F. LaSorda, Vice Chairman & C.E.O., North America Mosaic, requesting a public tendering process and an opportunity to submit a proposal on behalf of their clients; and

(iii) (May 21, 1999) from Mike Rapino, Senior Vice President, Core Audience, advising of its interest in participating in a tendering process with respect to the Bandshell project in Woodbine Park.

Ferg Devins, Director, Corporate Affairs, Molson Breweries, appeared before the Economic Development Committee in connection with the foregoing matter.

(j) Expansion of Victoria Village Arena - Agreement with the Canadian Macedonian Federation (Ward 11 - Don Parkway)

The Economic Development Committee reports having referred the following report to the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, with a request that he report further to the June 21, 1999 meeting Economic Development and Parks Committee on this matter, and that both Ward Councillors be notified.

(May 19, 1999) from the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, recommending that:

(1) the appropriate City officials be authorized to enter into negotiations with the Canadian Macedonian Federation for an agreement based on the key points of the letter of intent referred to in this report; and

(2) upon successful completion of the negotiations, such agreement be brought forward to the Economic Development Committee and City Council for review and consideration, and not be executed until approval has been obtained.

Respectfully submitted,

BRIAN ASHTON

Chair

Toronto, May 21, 1999

(Report No. 8 of The Economic Development Committee, including additions thereto, was adopted, as amended, by City Council on June 9, 10 and 11, 1999.)