MEETING HELD IN COUNCIL CHAMBER, NORTH YORK CIVIC CENTRE

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Notice to people writing or making presentations to the Licensing and Standards Committee:  The City of Toronto Act, 2006 and the City of Toronto Municipal Code authorize the City of Toronto to collect any personal information in your communication or presentation to City Council or its committees.

The City collects this information to enable it to make informed decisions on the relevant issue(s). If you are submitting letters, faxes, e-mails, presentations or other communications to the City, you should be aware that your name and the fact that you communicated with the City will become part of the public record and will appear on the City’s website. The City will also make your communication and any personal information in it – such as your postal address, telephone number or e-mail address - available to the public, unless you expressly request the City to remove it.

The City videotapes committee and community council meetings. If you make a presentation to a committee or community council, the City will be videotaping you and City staff may make the video tapes available to the public.

If you want to learn more about why and how the City collects your information, write to the City Clerk's Office, City Hall, 100 Queen Street West, Toronto ON  M5H 2N2 or by calling 416-397-7769.

Declarations of Interest under the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act

Speakers/Presentations: A complete list will be distributed at the meeting

Confirmation of Minutes: May 27, 2010

Communications/Reports

The Executive Director Municipal Licensing and Standards recommends that:

1.          the City of Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 447, Fences, be amended in accordance with Appendix “A” to this report;

2.         the City of Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 441, Fees and Charges, be amended in accordance with Appendix “A” to this report, to include the appropriate fees related to swimming pool enclosures; and

3.          the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary actions to give effect thereto.

Public notice has been given in a manner prescribed in the Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 162, Notice, Public.

This report recommends amendments to the City of Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 447, Fences, regarding the addition of materials for use as a swimming pool enclosure.  These amendments recognize the possible use of a broader range of available fencing materials while maintaining the overall safety provisions of the Municipal Code as it relates to swimming pool enclosures.

There are no financial impacts arising from this report beyond what has already been approved in the current year’s budget.

1.         Referred the matter of using tempered glass as a swimming pool enclosure to the Licensing and Standards Committee and requested that the Licensing and Standards Committee consider amending the appropriate by-law to include such material as a permitted use.

2.         Requested that this matter be placed on the Legislation and Licensing Committee agenda for its meeting on May 27, 2010.

3.         Directed that the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards Division, provide a verbal report at that meeting.

Forwarding motion from North York Community Council from its May 25 Community Council meeting.

The Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards Division, recommends that the Licensing and Standards Committee:

1.         Receive this report for information.

Public notice has been given in a manner prescribed in the Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 162, Notice, Public.

The purpose of this report is to provide the Licensing and Standards Committee with an update on the implementation of the enhancements to the MRAB Audit Program designed to improve the housing conditions of tenants in the city, and to describe how these changes address tenant group and advocate concerns.

A number of the enhancements slated for 2010 have already been implemented and staff continue to work with stakeholders to implement those remaining. Many of the enhancements proposed for 2010 were conceived in consultation with tenant groups and tenant advocates.

On June 7, 2010, an additional session with these groups was held to continue to solicit feedback from the stakeholders who most significantly will feel the impact of the proposed changes – tenants. A number of additional suggestions were brought forward and staff will continue to explore both their merit and their feasibility within the parameters of the MRAB Program and the broader legislative framework under which Municipal Licensing and Standards conducts its regulatory functions.

The recommendations will have no financial impact beyond what has already been approved in the current year’s budget.

City Council on March 31 and April 1, 2010, referred the following Motion MM47.2 to the Licensing and Standards Committee.

Councillor Davis, seconded by Councillor Perruzza, recommends that:

1.         City Council request the Executive Director of Municipal Licensing and Standards to report to the May 27, 2010, meeting of the Licensing and Standards Committee on the improvements to the Multi-Residential Apartment Building (MRAB) Property Standards Enforcement Program that have been proposed by tenants.

The City of Toronto has been working to improve the standard of living for tenants across the City through the enforcement of property standards in multi-residential buildings. The City is conducting enforcement to bring rental buildings up to the standards set out in the City's by-laws, and landlords are being required to make the necessary repairs and upgrades to rental housing buildings and individual units. The MRAB pilot program utilizes a process of targeted enforcement that successfully identified and improved conditions for tenants in those buildings that have been inspected.

In a recent report (EX 40.4: Multi-Residential Apartment Building Audit Program), the Executive Director of Municipal Licensing and Standards outlined plans for the expansion of the program. Tenants across the City have engaged in the process and provided feedback that included ways to improve and enhance this approach, along with ideas for extending the reach of the Program.

MRAB Program staff have been responsive and engaged with tenants on these ideas, and the recommendation above would provide an opportunity for staff to formally report on some of these ideas and provide an assessment of suggestions for further improvement to the program.

(Submitted to City Council on March 31, April 1, 2010 as MM47.2)

The Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards recommends that:

1.         Toronto City Council request  the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums, to develop an 'Affiliate Accreditation Program'.

Public notice has been given in the manner prescribed in the Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 162, Notice, Public.

The purpose of this report is to explore the feasibility of the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA) expanding its accreditation program to include organizations such as Earth Rangers. Expanding the accreditation program would permit these organizations, if accredited, to use animal 'Ambassadors' in educational programs which would otherwise be prohibited by Chapter 349, Animals, of the Municipal Code.

Earth Rangers is a non profit organization, located in Woodbridge, Ontario, that focuses, in part, on communicating the importance of protecting  endangered animals and habitats using live animal 'Ambassadors' in  educational programs at schools and community events in Toronto (and across Ontario).

Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 349 Animals does not currently offer a process by which organizations may apply for exemption status. 

CAZA, Earth Rangers, and the Legal Services Division were consulted in the preparation of this report.

Adoption of the recommendation will have no financial impact beyond what has already been approved in the current year’s budget.

Request for a verbal report from Municipal Licensing and Standards staff on actions taken since the Postering By-law was passed in April 2006.

Request for a report from the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards to the Licensing and Standards Committee on a mechanism that will permit tenants to have window air conditioners installed where central air conditioning is not available.

Etobicoke York Community Council recommends that:

1.         City Council request the Province to investigate and determine what regulations are necessary to eliminate the problems occurring with store front personal loan businesses.

2.         City Council direct staff to take any steps necessary and available under the City of Toronto Act to address the issues arising from this type of business.

3.         City Council direct the City Solicitor to investigate whether the Province of Ontario can give the City of Toronto the authority to licence Payday Loan Offices and report thereon to a future meeting of the Licensing and Standards Committee.

In its meeting on February 9, 2010, the Etobicoke York Community Council requested the District Manager, Municipal Licensing and Standards, Etobicoke York District, to report to the Etobicoke York Community Council on the following aspects of store front personal loan businesses within the Etobicoke York District:

1.         The nature and operation of this type of business.

2.         The extent of Federal, Provincial and/or Municipal regulations applying to the operation of this type of business.

3.         Issues of a Municipal nature arising from operation of this type of business.

Item EY37.24 was ruled out of order at City Council on June 8 and 9, 2010.

Speaker Bussin ruled that the recommendations of the Etobicoke York Community Council have policy implications that are City-wide and should be considered by the Licensing and Standards Committee.  She ruled the Item out of order in its current form and directed the City Clerk to submit it to the Licensing and Standards Committee for consideration.