Item - 2023.EC3.3

The Economic and Community Development Committee:

1. Received the report (April 11, 2023) from the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, for information.

The Chair of the Dangerous Dog Review Tribunal must submit an annual report on the Tribunal's activities to the appropriate standing committee in accordance with its governance structure. Attached to this report is the Tribunal Chair's 2022 Annual Report.

The Tribunal is an adjudicative board and city and local board of the City of Toronto under the authority of the City of Toronto Act, 2006. Tribunal hearings are conducted in accordance with the Statutory Powers Procedure Act, 1990 and the Tribunal's rules of procedure. The Tribunal provides an independent consideration of appeals to Dangerous Dog Orders issued by Municipal Licensing and Standards under the authority of Section 349-15 of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 349, Animals. The Tribunal has the authority to either confirm the dangerous dog designation or rescind the dangerous dog designation and exempt the owner from requirements of a Dangerous Dog Order.

In 2022, MLS responded to 2,653 service requests related to a dog's potentially dangerous act and issued 139 Dangerous Dog Orders. Thirty-two Dangerous Dog Orders were appealed to the Dangerous Dog Review Tribunal in 2022 with fourteen being heard by the Tribunal, twelve were upheld and two were rescheduled for rehearing in 2023. The Tribunal also received two Requests for Reconsideration of its earlier decisions with one being refused and one approved for a rehearing in 2023.

This report also responds to the recommendation in the Chair's Annual Report to update City documents. Staff have included much of the requested information in MLS' updated Dangerous Dog Order forms, including how a dog owner can make an appeal if they wish. As MLS staff cannot advise appellants on what arguments to make before the Tribunal, staff recommended the Dangerous Dog Review Tribunal consider emulating other City tribunals by making additional guidance available on its own website.