At its March 31/April 1, 2010 meeting, Council requested a status report on the Port Lands Sports Centre project be submitted to the April 23, 2010 Community Development and Recreation Committee.  The project consists of the development of a multiple ice pad facility to be built in the Port Lands, in the area south of Commissioners Street and west of the Don Roadway on the lands known municipally as 85 and 95 Commissioners Street.

This report provides a summary of the project-related activities to date.  A further report will be provided to Council in July with recommendations concerning the number of pads, total project cost, preferred financing, operations framework, construction management and timeline, and will seek required authorities. 

This report does not identify any new financial implications arising from the proposed Port Lands Sports Centre project.

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

The Toronto Fire Services participates in the Toronto Child Safety Seat Coalition with the Toronto Police Service, Toronto Public Health and the Ministry of Transportation to install child safety car seats.  The car safety seat clinics are held four times per year to assist with an efficient means to coordinate the installation of car seats.

Toronto Fire Services, as part of the Toronto Child Safety Seat Coalition, has participated in the installation of 584 car seats in 2009 compared to 330 in 2008.

The General Managers of Children’s Services and Parks, Forestry and Recreation recommend that:

1.         City Council direct that the General Managers of Children's Services and Parks Forestry and Recreation report back to the Community Development and Recreation Committee in 2011 on the Middle Childhood Strategy and Implementation Plan.

2.         City Council direct that the General Manager of Parks, Forestry and Recreation develop a business case for consideration during the 2011 operating budget process that would ensure the continuation of the current After-School Recreation Care programs and include expansion into new communities, outside of the Priority Neighbourhoods including cost recovery model.

This report provides an update on the status of the middle childhood strategy which is intended to guide the development of a high-quality system of out-of-school-time programs for children aged 6–12. The report proposes that the strategy development be led by a work group of City, school board staff and community stakeholders reporting to the General Managers of Children’s Services and Parks, Forestry and Recreation. The report also provides an update on the ARC/After-School Recreation Care program and provides a recommendation for consideration for continued funding and program expansion outside of the Priority Neighbourhoods.

This report has no 2010 financial implications. The total budgeted cost of the program for 2010 is $1,896,732.00 with $365,000.00 received in registration fees as well as $699,732.00 received from The Ministry of Health Promotion, Ontario’s After-School Initiative Fund and $832,000.00 contributed from the Social Service Stabilization Reserve Fund.

With anticipated registration fees, continued funding from The Ministry of Health Promotion and the balance of the Reserve Fund the current programs will continue until June 2011. If expected support  from The Ministry of Health Promotion is not received for the September 2010 – June 2011, funding for the program would be limited to registration fees estimated at $190,000.00 ($3.00 per child per day) and the remaining $480,000.00 in the Social Service Stabilization Reserve Fund.  As a result the ARC programs would cease to operate as of December 2010. 

Future expansion of ARC beyond the priority neighbourhoods will require a funding model to ensure full cost recovery.  A business case with options for continuation and expansion of the ARC programs, including a cost recovery model, will be submitted for consideration as part of the Parks, Forestry and Recreation 2011 Operating Budget submission.  

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

The Tenant Defence Sub-Committee recommends to the Community Development and Recreation Committee that:

1.         City Council approve the staff submission made in response to the Province of Ontario's consultation Paper on the Proposed Bill 235 Regulations as outlined in Appendix D of the report (April 28, 2010) from the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration.

2.         City Council authorize the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, to take any necessary action to further respond to Bill 235 and any related regulations.

The Tenant Defence Sub-Committee, on May 5, 2010, considered a report (April 28, 2010) from the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, regarding Bill 235 and its corresponding regulations, and to describe the actions taken to date to provide input into Bill 235 and the regulations, and recommending that Council approve the staff submission made to the Province on April 16, 2010 in response to their Consultation Paper on the proposed Regulations for Bill 235.

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

1.        City Council approve a grant of up to $2,509 to the Tenants’ Association of 310-320 Tweedsmuir Avenue from the Tenant Support Grant Program to help the tenants pay the final legal costs in excess of the originally approved $15,000 grant, for legal work completed on the tenant assistance plan and leases for new replacement rental housing as required by the Ontario Municipal Board decision.

2.         City Council authorize the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, to take the necessary actions to implement Council’s approval.

This report responds to the request of the Tenant Defence Sub-Committee for a report on an additional grant for the Tenants’ Association of 310 to 320 Tweedsmuir Avenue to cover legal costs in excess of the original $15,000 grant from the Tenant Support Grant Program (Grant Program) they received in 2000.  The original grant was to assist them in defending the tenants before the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) in relation to the landlord’s redevelopment application.

The Tweedsmuir case was one of the first cases of a landlord requesting planning approvals that would result in demolition of affordable housing after repeal of the Rental Housing Protection Act and after approval of the City’s Official Plan Amendment No. 2 (OPA2) by Council.  The OMB decision issued in February 2000 laid the foundation for supporting the City’s position on future similar planning applications, which requires replacement of the rental housing to be demolished and financial and relocation assistance for the affected tenants as a condition of approving the owner’s application.   

Significant changes have happened at 310-320 Tweedsmuir Avenue over the past 10 years which necessitated a great deal of complex work to negotiate the details of tenant assistance and leases for the replacement rental housing as required in the OMB decision.  As a result, legal costs to the tenants have now exceeded the original $15,000 grant. The Tweedsmuir Tenants’ Association has requested an additional grant of up to $2,509.00 to help them pay the final legal costs.  Staff recommend approval of the grant request as the OMB decision in this case has set a direction that supports the City’s position on future redevelopment applications and the tenants have exhausted all their resources.

There is no net financial impact. Funds are available from the 2010 Approved Budget for Shelter, Support and Housing Administration for this purpose. 

The Tenant Defence Sub-Committee on May 5, 2010, requested the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, to report to the next meeting of the Community Development and Recreation Committee, an additional grant for the tenant association of 310 to 320 Tweedsmuir Avenue to cover legal costs in excess of the original $15,000 grant they received in 2000 to assist them in defending themselves before the Ontario Municipal Board.

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

1.         City Council amend paragraphs 1(e) and (f) of the City's Local Occupancy Standards to read as follows:

“e)       A single parent is eligible for a unit in which the parent shares a bedroom with a child, if the applicant requests it.

f)         Bachelor units are normally given to single persons. However, a two person family is eligible for a bachelor unit, if the applicant requests it."

2.         City Council authorize and direct the appropriate City officials to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.

The purpose of this report is to recommend amendments to the City's Local Occupancy Standards under the Social Housing Reform Act, 2000 in order to ensure compliance with the Ontario Human Rights Code. If adopted by City Council, the amendments will enable applicants for rent-geared-to-income housing to be eligible for accommodation in which a parent and their child of either gender share a room or in which a two-person family shares a bachelor unit, upon request by the applicants.

There are no financial implications arising from this report.

The General Manager, Long-Term Care Homes and Services, recommends that:

1.         City Council direct that the General Manager, Long-Term Care Homes and Services, execute the required standard Service Accountability Agreements on behalf of the City of Toronto for the operation of the City’s long-term care homes and community programs with the five Local Health Integration Networks.

2.         City Council authorize and direct the appropriate City of Toronto Officials to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.

In the past, annual service agreements for provincially funded health services were signed between the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) and the applicable health service provider.  With the evolution of the Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs), the MOHLTC has transferred the authority for service agreements to the LHINs.  Each health service provider in Ontario will now be required by law to enter into formal service accountability agreements with the applicable LHIN for the health service(s) provided.  A standardized service accountability agreement for use within the long-term care sector has been developed and is expected to be released shortly.  These new service accountability agreements must be executed on or before the date that the Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2007, is proclaimed into force (July 1, 2010) as a condition of funding.  Delegation of financial signing authority to the General Manager, Long-Term Care Homes and Services to enter into the mandatory service accountability agreements is being recommended.

There are no financial implications arising from this report.