Item - 2023.EX2.1

 The Executive Committee recommends that:

1. City Council adopt the Terms of Reference for the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee in Attachment 1 to the report (January 17, 2023) from the City Manager, as amended by Recommendation 3 below.

2. City Council re-establish the following Council Advisory Bodies for the 2022 to 2026 Council term and adopt the associated Terms of Reference in Attachments 2 to 6 to the report (January 17, 2023) from the City Manager, as amended by Recommendations 3 and 4 below:

a.  Confronting Anti-Black Racism Advisory Committee;

b.  Film, Television and Digital Media Advisory Board ('Film Board');

c.  Toronto Music Advisory Committee;

d.  Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (2SLGBTQ+) Advisory Committee; and

e.  Toronto Francophone Affairs Advisory Committee.

3.  City Council amend the Terms of Reference for the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee and the Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (2SLGBTQ+) Advisory Committee such that two members will be youth members between the ages of 18 and 29, and two members will be elder members who self-identify and represent the wisdom of their communities.

4.  City Council amend the Terms of Reference for the Film, Television and Digital Media Advisory Board ('Film Board') and the Toronto Music Advisory Committee by increasing the composition to include one member of Council designated the Night Economy Champion by the Mayor.

5. City Council re-establish an Aboriginal Affairs Advisory Committee for the 2022 to 2026 Council term and request the City Manager and City Clerk to report back on the findings from the Aboriginal Affairs Advisory Committee governance review including proposed Terms of Reference for this body.

6. City Council request City Staff to offer an opportunity to members of Indigenous communities to offer their input to the Governance Review of the Aboriginal Affairs Advisory Committee.

7. City Council adopt the amended Simplified Rules of Procedure for Advisory Bodies in Attachment 7 to the report (January 17, 2023) from the City Manager and direct that all meetings of Council Advisory Bodies listed in Recommendations 1 and 2 above be held in accordance with these rules.  

Under Municipal Code Chapter 27, Council Procedures, City Council may establish Council Advisory Bodies (CABs) that are made up of public and Council members, at any time during the Council term to provide advice to Council on issues within each advisory body's mandate. City Council must approve the terms of reference for CABs.  In the previous Council term, seven CABs were established to provide Council advice.

The Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee (TAAC) is automatically continued for each term of City Council to meet the City's obligations under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. This report recommends Council adopt the Terms of Reference for the TAAC in Attachment 1.

This report recommends Council also re-establish the following five CABs that operated last Council term, and adopt the Terms of Reference for each, provided as Attachments 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6: 

- Confronting Anti-Black Racism Advisory Committee;  

- Film, Television and Digital Media Advisory Board ('Film Board'); 

- Toronto Music Advisory Committee;

- Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (2SLGBTQ+) Advisory Committee; and

- Toronto Francophone Affairs Advisory Committee.

Aboriginal Affairs Advisory Committee

During the previous Council term, the members of the Aboriginal Affairs Advisory Committee (AAAC) raised several questions and concerns about the committee's structure and meeting procedures. The City is supporting a review of AAAC governance in response to these concerns, in collaboration with the past AAAC co-chair and members. An Indigenous facilitator is engaging with past AAAC members on their experiences to identify potential changes to the terms of reference - which include its mandate, membership and meeting procedures - that would better reflect Indigenous governance models and approaches.  

The City Manager recommends that Council re-establish the AAAC and request the City Manager and City Clerk report back on findings from the governance review once additional feedback from past members is collected to inform the terms of reference for this body for this Council term.  This governance review is an important first step in an ongoing process to ensure the City engages with Indigenous communities in a manner that reflects Indigenous governance approaches.

New Council Advisory Body on Housing

In July 2022, City Council directed the establishment of a new Council Advisory Body for the 2022-2026 Council term to help advance the progressive realization of the right to housing as enshrined in the Toronto Housing Charter. The City's Housing Secretariat will make recommendations to Council on the mandate and membership for this new CAB as part of its report on the 2023 Housing Action Plan.