Well, here we are at the last City Council meeting this term. I feel…sad? Sure, it’s been a fucked-up, dysfunctional four years, but it was never boring.
After the jump: the Ombudsman is mad as hell and isn’t going to take it anymore; mid-rise invasion; transit recommendations of varying utility; and more. You can find the full agenda here. Let me know in the comments if there’s anything I missed!
Election, Ethics, Etc.
- Election signs!
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The Integrity Commissioner has found that Cllr Augimeri violated the Code of Conduct by calling political rival Gus Cusimano a criminal. Augimeri has since apologized as requested, and the IC recommends covering Cusimano’s legal fees. Starring Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will Be Drama.
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The Integrity Commissioner and Ombudsman have both released reports.
“There is increased scrutiny on the actions of elected officials at the City of Toronto. With greater scrutiny comes greater demand for accountability,” writes the Integrity Commissioner in her annual report. Over her five-year term the office has seen a significant increase in informal complaints and requests for advice—not necessarily bad news, she points out, because it shows that people trust the process to work. The one change she’s suggested is for reports on Code of Conduct or Complaint Protocol matters to go directly to City Council, instead of to Executive Committee where they can totally shelve it like they did earlier this year.
In her five-year review, the Ombudsman also remarks that, as public awareness of her office has increased, they have seen a constant rise in complaints and requests for advice. But the “severe and chronic lack of resources…threatens to cripple the operations of the Office”—especially when it comes to systemic investigations and public outreach. Their efforts to serve the marginalized, lower-income populations of the inner suburbs “are no longer sustainable with the current resources”. If Council continues to starve the office, warns the Ombudsman, she will prioritize the most essential complaints first—housing, access to services—implement a complaints backlog for the rest, and complainants will be told how long they can expect to wait and why. “Fuck you, pay me,” she concludes.
Not In My Backyard
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Council must vote on approving Cornerstone Place Shelter’s move to Oakwood and Vaughan. The plan has met with resistance from some local residents, who are basically the scum of the earth. (edit: Hundreds have signed a petition supporting the shelter relocation.) Meanwhile, Cornerstone staff are in limbo and the residents are scattered throughout the city’s already full-to-bursting shelter system. (Previously.)
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The Disability Issues Committee has requested a letter from Council in support of Griffin Centre, an Etobicoke home for youth with autism and other developmental disabilities. Its opening drew shockingly offensive resistance from locals, including Cllr Doug Ford.
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When a developer bought up a 50’s-era shopping centre in Humbertown, a wealthy but fading Etobicoke neighbourhood, locals were violently opposed. The residents’ association even hired a firm to create an alternate design. The whole thing’s currently before the OMB. Anyway, now Etobicoke-York Community Council wants to extend the Secondary Plan review into a second phase. First lefty councillor to be like “But taxpayer money!!” gets a cookie.
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Big suburban-style homes (“two-storey homes with integral garages”) are giving Davisville Village residents palpitations. Just wait till someone tries to build a condo there…
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Toronto–East York Community Council recommends substantially amending the Official Plan to make sure there is never, ever a Wal-Mart on Bathurst St. (Previously.)
Yes In My Backyard
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The City is finally acquiring part of the land that will become a public park at Yonge and Wellesley. Here’s a Star story from earlier this year on the history of the site.
Is This My Backyard?
- Determining whether a certain spot is on “City property” or not can be something of a thorn in the side of various City staff, property owners, and members of the public. Cllr Wong-Tam is proposing adding small, inobtrusive markers, like New York City does, to delineate property lines in key locations.
Utterly Toothless Appeals to Higher Levels of Government
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Cllr Mihevc would like City Council to demand a national inquiry into the murders and disappearances of over 1,100 indigenous women. Stephen Harper, however, has dismissed the epidemic of violence as merely individual crimes and not a “sociological phenomenon”.
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Everyone’s been atwitter about Cllr Ramkhalawansingh’s motion to ask the government to make “O Canada” gender-neutral again, but I haven’t seen much mention of her proposal to commemorate Bloor/Bathurst’s history of immigrant communities.
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For some reason, probably hopeless disorganization, there are two motions to ask Metrolinx to lower the Union-Pearson Express fare (estimated to be $20-$30). Here’s Matlow’s and here’s Nunziata’s. Get it together, guys.
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The Board of Health wants to clamp down on e-cigarettes, the little gadgets that are like cigarettes but without the smoke. (Unfortunately there isn’t any quality control, regulation, or proof they help people quit smoking, either.)
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If there’s anything more hazardous than disease-ridden urban wildlife, it’s sketchy wildlife control companies. However, implementing wildlife control licensing would conflict with the exemption for such cases under the province’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act. Wat do?
Street Level
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We’re naming yet another street after Nelson Mandela. It’s just a ceremonial dedication; they’ll add special signs, but the street name and addresses won’t change. Based on resident feedback, Transportation Services has recommended University between Front and College, where people marched during Mandela’s 1990 visit.
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In other ceremonian street dedication news: Wabenose & Chechalk laneways near Yonge & Gloucester.
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Are Toronto’s sidewalks too steep? Cllr Nunziata wants to look into reducing the maximum permitted slant from 5% to 2% to increase accessibility.
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Cllr Crawford’s motion asking Toronto Police to deal with chronic, petty parking complaints is seconded by Cllr De Baeremaeker, who knows a thing or two about vexatious disputes.
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The Mayor has a last-ditch motion to look into alleviating congestion by adding more traffic signal re-timing. His complaint that congestion, among other things, “makes it more expensive to own a car” demonstrates that he genuinely doesn’t understand what causes congestion: too many cars. Like he literally thinks if we get rid of traffic lights and crosswalks and public transit, congestion will be solved. This is actually what he believes.
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In a similar vein, Cllr Matlow wants to stop letting developers block entire lanes of traffic. At least he throws in a token nod to long-term public transit solutions so we don’t take him for a complete fool.
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The last time Eglinton Connects came up at City Council, we got to hear everyone try to explain “built form” to the Mayor for hours. If you missed the debate, that’s okay, we’re doing it again.
Reports, Reports, Reports, Folks
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Did you get a chance to participate in “Feeling Congested”? Staff are now recommending amending the Official Plan to emphasize “complete streets”, pedestrian-friendliness, car sharing, and more. Some examples: give priority parking to low-emission and car-share vehicles; expand the PATH; and encourage delivery trucks to avoid rush hour.
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No one really cares about this but here’s the five-month operating variance report. Year-end surplus is projected to be a slim $1.2 million. (Previously.)
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Cllr Matlow has been pestering the Police Board for this report on reducing the use of paid duty cops since April 2013.
Construction
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MLSE wants to build a training facility for the Toronto Raptors at Exhibition Place, and have agreed to provide “extensive public access” when the team’s not using it.
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Here’s a report on the ongoing Nathan Phillips Square upgrade. Due to various unforeseen circumstances it will be very difficult to finish the project in time for the Pan Am Games.
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Somewhat related to the above: the Mayor wants to stop major capital projects from running over budget. Good luck with that, buddy.
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Cllr Layton would like Planning and Building to make sure developers put windows in their shitty condos.
Miscellaneous
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The city is looking into using local improvement charges to fund a lead pipe replacement program.
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The City and the AGCO continue to scuffle over what conditions get to be placed on liquor licenses.
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I could be totally wrong, but does this item on executive compensation policy have anything to do with the fallout of the TCHC scandal?