Item - 2023.EX9.12

The Executive Committee recommends that :  

1. City Council amend City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 169, Officials, City, to delegate authority to the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards to:

a. submit applications to any government, agency, community organization, private entity or individual for funding related to the provision of Council-approved programs and services provided by Toronto Animal Services; and

b. enter into contribution agreements, transfer payment agreements, grant agreements or other related agreements with any government, agency, community organization, private entity or individual for the purposes of receiving and using funds for the provision of Council-approved programs and services provided by Toronto Animal Services on such terms and conditions as are satisfactory to the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards and in a form approved by the City Solicitor, provided that the cumulative amount received from any individual order of government, agency, community organization, private entity or individual shall not exceed $500,000 in any calendar year.

2. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards to accept a bequest donation from Dorothy J. Wells' estate valued at $250,000 and allocate and disburse the funds for the provision of future Toronto Animal Services services and programs.

Toronto Animal Services runs various programs and services to help deliver its mandate of ensuring public safety and the welfare of Toronto’s wildlife and domestic animal population. Grants have been an important source of funding for Toronto Animal Services to support its programs and services, such as Indigenous and Black community engagement initiatives to improve equitable access to pet ownership resources, and a COVID-19 aid program for pet owners needing financial assistance during the pandemic.

This report seeks Council authority for the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards to apply for and enter into agreements with community organizations, private entities, individuals and other levels of government to receive funding for the provision of Council-approved programs and services by Toronto Animal Services. This authority would be added to City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 169, Officials, City. 

Staff have determined that this delegated authority would mitigate existing constraints that Toronto Animal Services is experiencing when finalizing grant agreements and applying for additional grants. As there is no City-wide protocol for receiving grants, staff have been using the City's Sponsorship Policy where applicable. As grants that Toronto Animal Services may be eligible for do not fit the nature of every aspect of the Sponsorship Policy, staff are seeking clear authority to enable Toronto Animal Services to apply for and receive grants in keeping with various City requirements, policies and practices. The proposed delegated authority would be applicable for grant funding amounting to a maximum of $500,000, and any grant agreement with a funding amount above this threshold would be reported to Council.

In April 2020, Council approved similar authority for the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, under Chapter 169, Officials, City, Article 6, to help streamline grant administration for housing and homelessness programs in Toronto.

As required by the City's Donations to the City of Toronto for Community Benefits Policy, this report also seeks Council approval for TAS to receive a $250,000 bequest.