The General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, recommends that:

1.         City Council authorize the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, to submit the following projects to the Province for funding in Year Two of the Social Housing Renovation and Retrofit Program:

a.         Regeneration of Toronto Community Housing Corporation’s building at 42 Hubbard Boulevard in Ward 32 in the amount of $4,050,000 substantially as set out in Appendix A;

b.         Regeneration of the Fred Victor Centre 147 Queen Street East/139 Jarvis Street in Ward 27 in the amount of $7,950,000 substantially as set out in Appendix A;

c.         Major mechanical retrofits to improve energy efficiency for 20 housing providers in the amount of $15,000,000 as set out in Appendix B; and

d.         Renovation and retrofit projects in the TCHC and non-TCHC portfolios in the amounts of $50,595,205 and $43,838,584 respectively as set out in Appendix C and D.

2.         City Council authorize the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, to reallocate funding from approved projects which do not proceed to new projects and to submit these on behalf of City Council and enter into any necessary agreements to give effect thereto.

3.         City Council authorize the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, to submit additional projects on behalf of City Council, accept and allocate additional federal/provincial funding to social housing providers, and enter into any necessary agreements to give effect thereto.

4.         City Council authorize the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, to submit projects on behalf of City Council for the Renewable Energy Initiative of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, accept and allocate additional federal/provincial funding to social housing providers, and enter into any necessary agreements to give effect thereto.

5.         City Council request the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, to report back to the Community Development and Recreation Committee on the Year Two funding allocations approved by the Province.

This report seeks Council authority for the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, to submit projects to the Province for Year Two funding in the amount of $121,433,789 under the Social Housing Renovation and Retrofit Program (SHRRP).  In both years of the program, requests for funding outstripped the availability of funds.  In Year One, the dollar values of submissions by TCHC and other non-profit housing providers guided the proportion of total funding that was distributed to TCHC and other providers.  Submissions were assessed against SHRRP eligibility criteria and priorities to determine lists of projects to be recommended for funding within these envelopes.  A similar allocation model has been used to guide the recommended distribution of Year Two funding.   The recommendations also take into account the opportunity to direct some SHRRP funding to strategic investments that will have a positive impact on the City of Toronto’s social housing subsidy expenditures in future years.

SHHRP provides $220 million in federal and provincial funding over two years for repairs and energy retrofits to existing social housing units in Toronto.  There is no requirement for the City to cost share in this funding program, which helps to advance the strategies to preserve and repair rental housing under Council’s 10 year affordable housing action plan, Housing Opportunities Toronto.

All funding for the Social Housing Renovation and Retrofit Program is provided jointly by the federal government, as part of its Economic Action Plan for Canada stimulus initiatives, and the provincial government, as part of its Poverty Reduction Strategy.  Therefore, participation by the City of Toronto in SHRRP has no net financial impact on the City’s Operating Budget.

The provincial government has assigned notional SHRRP funding allocations to the City of Toronto of $98,576,948 in 2009-10 and $121,433,789 in 2010-11. In addition, the province provided the City with $100,000 in each of the two fiscal years to offset the cost of administering SHRRP.

On October 26-27, 2009 Council increased the Shelter, Support and Housing Administration 2009 Approved Operating Budget by $98,676,948 gross and $0 net to reflect the Year 1 funding of the Social Housing Renovation and Retrofit Program (EX35.15). http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2009/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-23783.pdf 

The Shelter, Support and Housing Administration 2010 Operating Budget estimates include an additional $121,533,789 gross and $0 net to reflect SHRRP Year Two funding.

On December 21, 2009 the Province advised the City that it has approved an additional $2,420,000 to offset the City’s cost of administering SHRRP and the Affordable Housing Program Extension.  Appropriate adjustments will be made to the 2010 Operating Budget estimates once the Province provides details regarding the transfer and use of these funds.

The Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer has reviewed this report and agrees with the financial impact information.

The Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, recommends that:

1.         City Council adopt the Community Partnership Strategy, which describes the community based service system in the City social planning neighbourhoods in terms of six system components and five categories of measures:

a.         System Components: Organizations, Services, Space, Connections, Resources, and Governance; and

b.         Measure Categories: Quantifiers, Accessibility, Adaptability, Effectiveness and Equity.

2.         City Council direct the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, to assess and monitor the strength of the community based service system in neighbourhoods using the Community Partnership Strategy.

3.         City Council direct the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, to report periodically to the Community Development and Recreation Committee on the results of this assessment and monitoring process.

4.         City Council direct that the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, continue to work with the City’s Agencies, Boards, Commissions, Divisions, external funders and community representatives on the ongoing refinement, application and evaluation of the Community Partnership Strategy.

5.         City Council direct that the Corporate Grants Lead pilot the application of the Community Partnership Strategy in the 2011 cycle of the Community Service Partnerships and report back to the Community Development and Recreation Committee on potential application of the Community Partnership Strategy to other Community Partnership and Investment Programs following the evaluation of this pilot.

This report describes the Community Partnership Strategy, which guides the analysis of the community based service system in the city’s social planning neighbourhoods. This neighbourhood-focused strategy will allow the City to assess and monitor the strength of the community based service system in neighbourhoods and establish appropriate service levels for community based supports.

In addition to recommending that Council adopt the Strategy, this report recommends that the City assess and monitor the strength of the community based service system in neighbourhoods using the Strategy, and pilot the application of the Strategy in the Community Service Partnerships’ 2011 funding cycle.

The adoption of this report will have no financial impact beyond what has already been approved in the 2009 operating budget.

The Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer has reviewed this report and agrees with the financial impact information.

The Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services and the Director, Purchasing and Materials Management, recommend that:

1.         City Council grant authority to award a sole source contract for the purchase of custom containment vessels as required in support of the PETS system for the Toronto Heavy Urban Search and Rescue Team to Impact Cases Inc. in an amount not to exceed $ $655,457.71 net of GST and HST Recoveries for the period of 5 years.

2.         City Council direct the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, to instruct the Director, Purchasing and Materials Management, to process the necessary contract renewals under the same terms and conditions, should the option(s) be exercised.

This report requests that City Council grant authority for the issuance of a sole source contract for proprietary specialized custom containment vessels (shipping cases) from Impact Cases Inc. for use by Toronto Heavy Urban Search and Rescue Team (HUSAR) from March 1, 2010 to February 28, 2011 with the option to renew the contract for four (4) additional one year terms at the sole discretion of the City of Toronto.

The purchase of these containment vessels are intended to encase some of the new camp system components as well as effecting transport system maintenance. The Protective Encapsulating Transportation System (PETS) is a national program standard for military air lift of civilian disaster response team caches. Toronto HUSAR are currently expanding on a PETS system that contains over 500 vessels.  This purchase is part of an approved Joint Emergency Preparedness Program (JEPP) grant, wherein the Federal Government reimburses 75% of the total cost of the purchase.

The PETS system has been determined by the 5 members of the national HUSAR Program to be the transportation system to be used by all teams to meet the air lift requirements.

The total potential contract award identified in this report is $719,810.00 including all taxes and charges.  The total potential cost to the city net of GST and HST Recoveries is $655,457.71

Funding for the purchase of the Impact Case Inc. PETS system has been included in the 2010 Approved Capital Budget for Fire Services.  The project costs have been approved by, and are 75% funded by, the Federal Government under the Joint Emergency Preparedness Program (JEPP); CFR081 – Replacement of HUSAR Equipment-2010 with a 2010 cash flow of $400,000.00 and CFR080 – HUSAR/JEPP –10/11 with a 2010 cash flow of $867,000.00. As well, Fire Services approved 10 Year Capital Plan includes an annual uncommitted provision beginning in 2011 of $200,000.00 for HUSAR equipment replacement; FIR906851- Replacement of HUSAR Equipment, subject to 75% JEPP funding.

Each such project must be scheduled to be completed within the assigned Federal fiscal year, in this case ending March 31, 2010. Should the option to extend the contract be exercised, then additional funds will be requested in the 2010-2011 Fire Services Budget submissions under the same account.  Funding details (net of GST and HST Recoveries) are provided in the table below:

The Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer have reviewed this report and agrees with the financial impact information.

This is to advise that the above noted action report will be submitted to the Community Development and Recreation Committee at its meeting on February 3, 2010.

The General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, recommends that:

1.         City Council direct that prior to implementation of the 2010/2011 ice allocations, all Arena Boards of Management must receive approval by the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation; such approval to be given when, subject to sufficient applications, the allocation conforms with the priorities for ice allocation outlined in the Ice Allocation Policy, attached as Appendix A to the report (January 22, 2010) from the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation.

2.         City Council direct that applications for all ice at both City-operated and Arena Boards of Management operated arenas for the 2011/2012 season, and from this time forward, be submitted to and allocated by the City.

3.         City Council direct the General Manager of Parks, Forestry and Recreation to consult with the Arena Boards of Management, and user groups, existing, new and emerging, with respect to a centralized application process and report back in May 2010 on the implementation plan for a City-wide application process.

4.         City Council direct that the Arena Boards of Management receive the approval of the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation prior, to implementing any new Board-operated programs, including house leagues or learn to play programs, for the 2010/2011 season, and thereafter, prior to being initiated.

5.         City Council direct that staff continue negotiations and develop a business plan with the Leaside Board of Management on the ‘twinning’ of the existing ice pad which includes financial impact and community benefits of the project; and if suitable terms can be reached, staff will report on the business requirements and necessary approvals for the 2011 Capital Budget.

This report reviews the ice allocation practices of Arena Boards of Management (also referred to as “Boards” or “Arena Boards”) and makes recommendations to ensure that ice allocation policies and practices of the Boards are consistent with those used to administrate all other City of Toronto operated arenas.

Concern about equitable allocations of available ice at City-owned arenas operated by Arena Boards of Management has resulted in a comprehensive review of the process. This report outlines the current allocation practices, reviews the practices against the City’s Ice Allocation Policy, and recommends that future applications for ice allocation for all City-owned arenas be managed by the City in a single, centralized application process to ensure that ice is allocated equitably and transparently.

The process for allocation of ice must ensure that new and emerging groups that require ice time receive their fair portion based on participant numbers. Groups requesting ice time at any City-owned facility, including those operated by a Board of Management, should have a reasonable expectation that they will be accommodated in a fair manner. The City’s Ice Allocation Policy provides a framework for allocation of ice that is based on a priority ranking system.  Development of a single application/allocation process for all City-owned arenas, including the eight Board-managed facilities, is the only option to successfully implement this policy in the eight Board-managed arenas.  With implementation of a centralized system, there will be no loss of ice time for community use.  The change to a centralized system will result, however, in increased capacity to accommodate new and emerging groups by effectively utilizing all of the City’s ice surfaces – both Board-operated and City-operated.

There are no immediate financial impacts related to this report. However, adoption of the recommendations may result in some of the Arena Boards not meeting budgeted revenue expectations for the last quarter of 2010, as their 2010 Operating Budgets will be based on the current allocation mix.  Increased net budget support from the City may be required in 2011 and future years.   Although rate schedules could be reviewed and revised, the break-even financial targets of the Arena Boards are based on the marketing of ice time at each location.  Discontinuance of this activity in favour of a fully centralized application process may also impact revenues.  Financial outcomes will be monitored through the variance reporting process as changes cannot be estimated at this time.

The Leaside Arena Twinning Proposal ice rental revenue forecast, based on rental revenue forecasts under the current rental process, was used to determine the recoverable debt which the City could advance to the project.  This estimate of $7 million will be reviewed in light of the changes recommended in this report as the staff team continues work on the business plan for the project.  Currently the Leaside Board’s Business Plan outlines a project cost of $11.7 million, including improvements to current facilities as well as the construction of the twin pad.  Staff estimates the cost of the pad alone to be $6 million.  This project is under consideration for inclusion in the Division’s 2011 Capital Budget submission.

The Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer has reviewed this report and agrees with the financial impact information.

This is to advise that the above-noted action report will be submitted to the Community Development and Recreation Committee at its meeting on February 3, 2010.