Minutes To be Confirmed

The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that:

1. City Council advocate to the Government of Ontario and the Federal Government to provide financial support to industry-specific, non-profit organizations, such as The AFC (founded as the Actors Fund of Canada), that provide funds to workers facing financial challenges in Canada’s entertainment industry.

2. City Council express its support for the development and preservation of entertainment industry studio space on Toronto's industrial lands.

3. City Council request the Film Commissioner and Director, Entertainment Industries to present to the Planning and Housing Committee or to the Executive Committee on the importance of the film industry.

The Film Commissioner and Director, Entertainment Industries gave a presentation to the Economic and Community Development Committee on Toronto's Film Industry: Protecting a Valuable Asset. 

The Film Commissioner and Director, Entertainment Industries will present an overview of the value of the film industry to Toronto in terms of jobs, economic impact, inclusion, adjacent industries, and cultural value. The presentation will also address current significant challenges, including impacts of the SAG-AFTRA / WGA strikes, the competitive landscape, and how potential changes to employment lands may affect available studio space in Toronto.

The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that:

1. City Council receive the item for information. 

Noah Farber, Director, Corporate and Government Affairs, Mondelez Canada, and Paul Scrivener, Director of External Relations, Toronto Industry Network, gave a presentation to the Economic and Community Development Committee on the current status of Toronto's manufacturing sector, highlighting existing issues, opportunities, and competitiveness challenges. 

This presentation will provide an overview of the current status of Toronto's manufacturing sector, highlighting existing issues, opportunities, and competitiveness challenges. The presentation will illustrate how manufacturing supports good jobs across the city, and how it is a critical part of a diverse economy with high economic multipliers.

The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that:  

1. City Council direct the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to review and propose changes to the Winterlicious/Summerlicious program so it more effectively and equitably supports restaurants across Toronto based on the results of the two restaurant and hospitality surveys, and report back to Council in the first quarter of  2024 on options within its existing financial framework.

2. City Council direct the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to work with relevant divisions to improve access to City-run programs with a focus on underserved restaurant segments outside of the downtown core, based on the results of the two restaurant and hospitality surveys.

3. City Council convey appreciation to the Government of Canada for extending the repayment deadline for the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) loans and request that they also extend the qualification for partial loan forgiveness of up to 33 per cent to December 31, 2024.

4. City Council direct the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, to identify available resources that can be shared with restaurant owners facing displacement due to development, as part of the Division’s next update in the first quarter of 2024 to City Councillors on City supports available to small businesses.

While the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted many sectors of Toronto's economy, the restaurant industry experienced especially stringent public health measures and associated market changes and now faces a difficult path to economic recovery. As directed by City Council through its consideration of the report titled Supporting Restaurants in Toronto: Recovery and Renewal (2022.EC28.2), this report shares the findings from two surveys that engaged with Toronto’s restaurant and hospitality industry in 2022, and identifies related opportunities to improve existing or inform the development of new supports for different segments of the sector.

While existing City restaurant and small business support programs such as Winterlicious/Summerlicious (WL/SL) and the Small Business Property Tax sub-class were found to be generally viewed positively, findings from these surveys illustrate continued challenges facing Toronto's restaurant owners and operators, as well as variable recovery across different sector segments and geographies of Toronto’s restaurant industry. The findings of the surveys, combined with additional research, demonstrate the need to review the WL/SL program and underscore the importance of improving the design, awareness and uptake of the City’s restaurant and small business support programs, especially among quick serve, often family-run, restaurants located outside the downtown core which are not connected to a Business Improvement Area (BIA).

The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that:  

1. City Council direct the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to formally establish the Cultural Hotspot as a grant program with four funding streams: Signature, SPARK, Ignite Ideation and Live Arts Mentor, in accordance with the City's Community Grants Policy.

2. City Council authorize the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, to allocate, approve, and disburse one-time, and multi-year grants to not-for-profit organizations through the Cultural Hotspot Program, with funding allocation to be subject to the necessary budget processes and in accordance with the City's Community Grants Policy.

3. City Council authorize the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to negotiate, enter into and execute single and multi-year contribution agreements with not-for-profit organizations funded through the Cultural Hotspot program, with funding recipients and grant amounts to be determined annually by the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, within the budget allocation for the program, and on such content, terms and conditions deemed necessary by the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor

4. City Council direct the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to formally establish the Youth Cultural Incubators Stabilization Initiative as a multi-year grant program with two funding streams: Mentor and Mentee, in accordance with the City's Community Grants Policy.

5. City Council authorize the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, to allocate, approve, and disburse one-time and multi-year grants to not-for-profit organizations through the Youth Cultural Incubators Stabilization Initiative program, with funding allocation to be subject to the necessary budget processes and in accordance with the City's Community Grants Policy.

6. City Council authorize the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to negotiate, enter into and execute one-time and multi-year contribution agreements with not-for-profit organizations funded through the Youth Cultural Incubators Stabilization Initiative program, with funding recipients and grant amounts to be determined annually by the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, within the budget allocation for the program, and on such content, terms and conditions deemed necessary by the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

7. City Council direct the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, to work with the Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Toronto Arts Council to ensure the most efficient and effective deployment of City resources in support of Toronto’s cultural sector, and to include any recommendations in a renewed Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Toronto and Toronto Arts Council and report to the Economic and Community Development Committee in the fourth quarter of 2024. 

This report responds to direction from City Council to align three Economic Development and Culture (EDC) initiatives with the City's Community Grants Policy: Cultural Hotspot, Live Arts Mentor (LAM) and the Youth Cultural Incubators Stabilization Initiative (YCISI). Along with other EDC programs and initiatives, such as funding to Local Arts Service Organizations (LASOs), these initiatives run concurrently and operate collectively to provide critical arts-focused resources for some of the city's most vulnerable, equity-deserving arts and culture organizations, collectives and artists to advance cultural development and engagement in communities outside the downtown core, while supporting the next generation of arts leaders and organizations. They are aligned with the City of Toronto priority to advance people and neighbourhoods and with EDC's 2022-2023 strategic direction to grow and promote Toronto's cultural vibrancy.

The Cultural Hotspot program, Live Arts Mentor and Youth Cultural Incubators Stabilization Initiative are recognized as important initiatives with demonstrated impacts through robust and rigorous external program evaluation and internal review processes. Since its inception in 2014, the Cultural Hotspot program has been strategically deployed to spotlight areas of cultural heritage significance, such as Little Jamaica. To date, it has successfully supported 269 projects and highlighted communities in Scarborough, North York, East York, Etobicoke, and other areas. Live Arts Mentor, in turn, has helped build the capacity of small and mid-sized arts organizations, supporting 22 mentorships to local arts organizations, including Stolen from Africa and Tangled Arts + Disability. The Youth Cultural Incubators Stabilization Initiative, finally, has supported youth-led and youth-serving organizations including The Remix Project, Nia Centre for the Arts, Manifesto, and RISE.

The proposed changes in this staff report are part of EDC's grant reform, which started in 2019 – when the City of Toronto Community Grants Policy came into effect – and aims to improve accessibility, transparency and accountability of all EDC grants. Through this report, EDC is seeking recognition of these initiatives as grant programs with specific streams and transparent processes, and the required divisional discretion to review applications, allocate funds and enter into funding agreements, in compliance with the Community Grants Policy.  If adopted, changes will allow for continued supports through distinct grant programs with a clear application process to different streams within existing budget allocation, increasing transparency and accountability of City funding to local arts and culture organizations.

The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council, in accordance with the City's Public Appointments Policy, appoint the following nominee to the Rogers Road Business Improvement Area Board of Management set out below at the pleasure of Council, and for a term expiring at the end of the term of Council or as soon thereafter as successors are appointed:

            Pinto, Ricardo

2.  City Council remove the following directors from the Business Improvement Area Boards of Management set out below:

            Mount Pleasant Village:

            Antonio, Alyssa

            The Eglinton Way:

            Goodman, Laurie

The purpose of this report is to make changes to the Mount Pleasant Village and Rogers Road and The Eglinton Way Business Improvement Area (BIA) Boards of Management, in accordance with the requirement of the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19, Business Improvement Areas. The Mount Pleasant Village, Rogers Road and The Eglinton Way BIAs fall within two Community Council boundaries.

The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that:

Creating a net zero requirement for vehicles-for-hire starting January 1, 2030

1. City Council amend the City of Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 546, Licensing of Vehicles-for-Hire, to require an individual, as of the date they are first granted a taxicab owner, limousine owner, or private transportation company driver licence or its renewal after December 31, 2029 to register and use a Zero Emissions Vehicle, and to require that as of January 1, 2031 all vehicles-for-hire must be Zero Emissions Vehicles, subject to the exceptions outlined below.

a. Provide an exemption for Stretch Limousines and Accessible Vehicles until further review determines that enough zero-emission vehicle models can be converted to be Stretch Limousines and Accessible Vehicles.

b. Permit Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles to operate as vehicles-for-hire until December 31, 2032.

2. City Council amend the City of Toronto Municipal Code, 546, Licensing of Vehicles-for-Hire to add the following definitions:

a. Zero-Emission Vehicle: A battery electric vehicle (BEV) or hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (HFCV) included in the Ontario Ministry of Transportation’s Green Licence Plate Program’s list of eligible vehicles, or a similar list of Zero-Emission Vehicles approved by the Executive Director, with the input of the Executive Director, Environment and Climate or their successor, at their sole discretion.

b. Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle: A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) included in the Ontario Ministry of Transportation’s Green Licence Plate Program’s list of eligible vehicles, or a similar list of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles approved by the Executive Director, with the input of the Executive Director, Environment and Climate, at their sole discretion.

Developing an electric vehicle charging network to meet the needs of vehicles-for-hire

3. City Council direct the Executive Director, Environment and Climate, in consultation with the Chief Executive Officer, The Atmospheric Fund, the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, and the General Manager, Transportation Services to report back by the fourth quarter of 2024 with the City’s plan to support the capacity and infrastructure needs of the electrification of the Vehicle-for-Hire sector; and the plan should:

a. Identify the type, number and location of public chargers needed to meet the needs of the Vehicle-for-Hire sector over time;

b. Identify the respective roles and contributions needed for a Toronto-wide public charging solution for the Vehicle-for-Hire sector, and develop a plan for the Toronto context;

c. Outline any necessary City resources and/or actions needed to meet the identified public charging and electric grid capacity needs of Toronto’s Vehicle-for-Hire sector by year;

d. Identify electric grid capacity needs for electrification of Vehicles-for-Hire fleet by 2030;

e. Assess adequate consumer supply of zero-emission vehicles for electrification of the Vehicles-for-Hire fleet by 2030; and

f. Report on an annual basis from 2025 to 2029 including ongoing assessment of requisite infrastructure and capacity in the charging network, electric grid, consumer supply and other identified resources and/or actions for the sector to meet the 2030 electrification requirement.

4. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, to fund, using licensing fee revenues held in the Vehicle-for-Hire Reserve Fund, one temporary full-time staff position at the Environment and Climate Division for up to three years, with an opportunity to review in the year following, to consider the advanced needs of the vehicle-for-hire industry in planning for public Electric Vehicle charging deployment and monitoring the availability of electric vehicle supply, in consultation with relevant City divisions, agencies and corporations.

Provide education on Zero-Emission Vehicles

5. City Council direct the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, in consultation with other relevant divisions, agencies and organizations, to provide education on zero-emission vehicles specifically for the vehicle-for-hire industry.

Waiving the seven model year maximum for Zero-Emission Vehicles operating as vehicles-for-hire

6. City Council amend City of Toronto Municipal Code, 546, Licensing of Vehicles-for-Hire:

a. Such that no model-year maximum applies to taxicabs or limousines that are Zero-Emission Vehicles.

b. Such that no model-year maximum applies to private transportation company vehicles that are Zero-Emission Vehicles.

Extending the maximum vehicle age by one additional year for vehicles required to be replaced by March 31, 2024 to provide vehicle-for-hire licensees more time to consider the 2030 requirement

7. City Council, Despite the provisions of Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 546, Licensing of Vehicles-for-Hire, permit vehicles-for-hire that are required to be replaced by March 31, 2024 due to their vehicle age to operate for one additional year, to allow vehicle owners time to determine if they wish to purchase a Zero-Emission Vehicle or Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle as a replacement vehicle.

Implementation

8. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the necessary bills to give effect to City Council's decision and City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make any necessary clarifications, refinements, minor modifications, technical amendments, or by-law amendments as may be identified by the City Solicitor, and the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards.

9. City Council request the Government of Ontario reintroduce consumer incentive programs to encourage the purchase and improve affordability of zero emissions vehicles.

The Economic and Community Development Committee:

1. Referred Recommendations 3 to 11, below, to the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards until such time as the General Manager, Transportation Services and the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards report back on a comprehensive framework for the Vehicles-for-Hire industry, so that the the Zero Emissions Grant proposal is considered at the same time:

"Providing Zero Emissions Grant to Taxicab and Limousine owners operating with a Zero-Emission Vehicle and PTCs for trips taken in a Zero-Emission Vehicle

3. City Council establish a Zero Emissions Grant Program, starting January 1, 2024 and ending December 31, 2029, that is: 

a. Funded through Municipal Licensing and Standards' (MLS) operating budget to a maximum of $10 million, or such lesser amount set by the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, at their sole discretion, based on their view of MLS’ budgetary requirements; 

b. Disbursed to taxicab and limousine owners who register a Zero-Emissions Vehicle at the time of application for a corresponding license or its renewal, to be applied against fees owed to MLS; and 

c. Disbursed periodically to private transportation companies (PTC) for each trip completed on their platforms using a Zero-Emissions Vehicle, for remittance to the PTC drivers who delivered such trips. 

1. A PTC shall submit a plan to MLS describing how it will remit the Zero Emissions Grant to PTC drivers operating a Zero-Emission Vehicle on its platform in a format prescribed or approved by the Executive Director.

2. Licensed PTCs shall submit their plans to MLS by March 1, 2024, December 1, 2024 and every year following on December 1, up to and including December 1, 2028.

3. MLS may post the PTC’s grant remittance plans on the City’s website in a manner determined by the Executive Director.

4. PTCs shall share their grant remittance plans directly with PTC drivers on their platforms on an annual basis.

4. City Council amend Chapter 546 to require private transportation companies (PTC) to maintain business records of:

a. Trips that specify whether or not the trip was completed in a Zero-Emission Vehicle, Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle, or internal combustion engine vehicle;

b. The total amount of Zero Emissions Grants remitted to PTC drivers on a monthly basis; and

c. The make and model of each vehicle for trips completed in a Zero-Emission Vehicle or Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle.

5. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards or designate, at their sole discretion, to set or amend the amount of, or suspend disbursement of, the Zero Emissions Grant (“the Grant”), and to set or amend eligibility criteria for the Grant, to achieve one or more of the following goals:

a. Distribute funding as best as possible throughout the term of the Grant, within the overall funding maximum set by the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing Standards; 

b. Incentivize the early adoption and use of Zero-Emission Vehicles by the vehicle-for-hire industry; and  

c. Ensure the Grant is distributed equitably among various classes of the vehicle-for-hire industry.  

6. City Council set the following minimum criteria for a taxicab or limousine owner to be eligible to receive the Zero Emissions Grant. They must:

a. Be granted a taxicab or limousine owner license, or its renewal, by Municipal Licensing and Standards (MLS); 

b. Register a Zero-Emission Vehicle with MLS for use as a taxicab or limousine at the time of application for a taxicab or limousine owner license, or its renewal; and

c. Provide such declaration or other proof satisfactory to MLS that these eligibility criteria, or other criteria set by the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, have been met.  

7. City Council set the following minimum criteria for a private transportation company (PTC) to be eligible to receive the Zero Emissions Grant. They must:

a. Be licensed as a PTC under Chapter 546;

b. Provide complete and accurate trip records and data to Municipal Licensing and Standards (MLS), as required by Chapter 546;

c. Remit the Zero Emissions Grant to PTC Drivers in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 546; and

d. Provide such declaration or other proof satisfactory to MLS that these eligibility criteria, or other criteria set by the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, have been met.

8. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, to refuse or cancel a Zero Emissions Grant if the recipient does not meet or no longer meets the eligibility criteria; if a Grant was made by Municipal Licensing and Standards (MLS) due to an administrative or technical error, or if the recipient has not provided complete or accurate information or data to MLS.

9. City Council require the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, if they are considering refusing or cancelling a Grant, to provide the recipient with written notice and an opportunity to respond in writing within 10 days, and to subsequently provide the recipient with written notice of Municipal Licensing and Standards' final decision regarding the Grant.

10. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, to recover any Grant disbursed by Municipal Licensing and Standards in error or based on incomplete or inaccurate information provided by the recipient, and to require that the recipient repay the Grant as a condition of future license renewal.

11.  City Council authorize the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, to fund, using licensing fee revenues held in the Vehicle-for-Hire Reserve Fund, one temporary full-time staff position for up to seven years, and to renew the position for one additional term, to undertake compliance and auditing work required to help ensure Grant recipients meet eligibility criteria."

2.  Referred Recommendation 17, below, to the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards until such time as the General Manager, Transportation Services and the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards report back on a comprehensive framework for the Vehicles-for-Hire industry, so that the changes to City of Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 441 are considered at the same time:

"Ending the temporary 50% reduction of renewal fees for certain vehicle-for-hire licensees

17. City Council amend City of Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 441, Fees and Charges, to undo the temporary 50 percent reduction of renewal fees adopted by City Council on February 18, 2021 (EX21.2 - 2021 Capital and Operating Budgets) as a COVID-19 financial relief measure for certain vehicle-for-hire licensees, and return the fees to their 100 percent rates beginning on January 1, 2025, substantially in accordance with Table 1 below.

Table 1: Fees to return to 100 percent Fee Rate beginning January 1, 2025

In December 2021, City Council directed Municipal Licensing and Standards (MLS) to set a goal of net zero emissions by 2030 for vehicles-for-hire (VFH), and to align plans for vehicle electrification and emissions reduction to achieve this ambitious goal.

The transportation sector as a whole represents an estimated one third of the city’s total emissions, of which the VFH industry contributes 4-6% of total transportation emissions. The VFH industry, which encompasses taxicabs, limousines, and private transportation companies (PTCs) such as Lyft and Uber, has a unique opportunity to be a leader in zero emission transportation, as VFH on a per-vehicle basis travel three to four times the number of yearly kilometres driven by private passenger vehicles. Transitioning this industry to net zero is part of the City’s broader efforts to achieve community-wide net zero emissions through the TransformTO Net Zero Strategy.

This report outlines a proposed approach to support the VFH industry to achieve the Council-directed net zero by 2030 requirement, including recommended by-law updates and complementary programs. It includes the following suite of proposals: requiring VFH to be zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) by 2030 (with some exceptions); temporarily reducing licensing fees via grants for early adopters in the VFH industry who operate with a ZEV prior to 2030; supporting the expansion of electric vehicle charging infrastructure; providing operational flexibility by waiving vehicle age limits for ZEVs; permitting plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) to operate as VFH for an additional two years (until 2032) and extending VFH due for replacement in 2023 by one additional year; and providing education on the benefits and total cost of ZEVs ownership. The proposed approach was developed in response to feedback from industry and public stakeholders as well as consideration of the equity impacts of the net zero by 2030 requirement, as a substantial proportion of the VFH industry consists of lower-income individuals and equity-seeking groups.

Accomplishing the goal of net zero by 2030 requires a financial investment by the City, and an all-of-government approach, including key partnerships with City divisions, corporations, and agencies. The proposals, both regulatory and financial, are the first step towards transitioning the VFH industry to net zero by 2030 and are designed to support the achievement of this ambitious goal as directed by Council. The goal of net zero by 2030 in the VFH industry is feasible only if equity-related barriers are adequately addressed and infrastructure development, ZEV availability, and market projections are achieved. Staff will continue to monitor and report back to Committee and Council on these key elements, as required.

This report was prepared in consultation with Environment & Climate, Transportation Services, Policy, Planning, Finance and Administration, and Legal Services.

The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that:

1. City Council amend Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 545, Licensing, to move §545-104G and H, §545-113A and B, §545-265, 266, and 267, which set conditions on tows from private or municipal property, to Chapter 915, Parking on Private or Municipal Property, as of January 1, 2024.

2. City Council amend Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 545, Licensing, to move the definitions of "Gross Vehicle Weight Rating", "Hirer", and "Toronto Police Service Contract Rate" to Chapter 915, Parking on Private or Municipal Property, as of January 1, 2024.

3. City Council amend Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 915, Parking on Municipal or Private Property, by adding a definition of "Public Garage" as follows:

          PUBLIC GARAGE - A building or place that receives or stores towed motor
           vehicles.

4. City Council amend Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 545, Licensing, to delete all remaining licensing requirements and provisions that relate to Tow Truck Drivers and Tow Truck Owners, as of January 1, 2024.

5. City Council amend Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 545, Licensing, to delete all licensing requirements and provisions related to Collision Reporting Centres, as of January 1, 2024.

6. City Council amend Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 441, Fees and Charges, Appendix C, Schedule 12, to delete fees associated with Tow Truck Drivers, Tow Truck Owners, and accredited vehicle repair facilities, as of January 1, 2024.

7. City Council delete §150-12 from Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 150, Municipal Law Enforcement Officers, as of January 1, 2024.

8. City Council extend the term of licences held as of October 1, 2023 by Tow Truck Drivers, Tow Truck Owners, and Public Garages that exclusively receive or store towed vehicles to December 31, 2023, without the need to pay associated licence renewal fees.

9. City Council approve such amendments to Toronto Municipal Code Chapters 150, 441, 545, and 915 as required by the City Solicitor and the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards to give effect to the recommendations above.

The City of Toronto is one of twenty Ontario municipalities that license and oversee the towing and vehicle storage industries. In June 2021, the Ontario government passed the Towing and Storage Safety and Enforcement Act (TSSEA) to establish a framework to transition municipal oversight of the towing and vehicle storage sectors to the province.

The purpose of this report is to outline the Province's new authority over the towing and vehicle storage sectors, introduce technical amendments to City by-laws to reflect new provincial oversight, and discuss additional transitional matters related to the City's current role in licensing towing and vehicle storage providers.

TSSEA and related amendments to the City of Toronto Act, 2006 mean that as of January 1, 2024, municipalities in Ontario will no longer have the authority to license and regulate most aspects of the towing and vehicle storage sectors. As a result, Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 545, Licensing and Chapter 441, Fees and Charges must be amended to remove Tow Truck Driver and Tow Truck Owner licensing categories and related licensing provisions, as well as associated licensing fees. In addition, public garages that exclusively receive or store towed vehicles can no longer be licensed by the City. A City of Toronto licence will still be required for all other public garages.

To transition to the provincial regime, staff are seeking City Council's approval to extend the licence term of existing Tow Truck Drivers, Tow Truck Owners and Public Garages that exclusively receive or store towed vehicles to December 31, 2023, without them needing to pay the associated licence renewal fee.

This report was prepared in consultation with Legal Services, Policy, Planning, Finance and Administration and the Toronto Police Service's Parking Enforcement Unit.

The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that:

1. City Council request the Mayor to consider including the necessary budget to support late night swimming at Heron Park Outdoor Pool, including the installation of lighting, in proposing the 2024 Budget for Parks, Forestry and Recreation, in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer and General Manager, Parks Forestry and Recreation.

Located at 292 Manse Road, Scarborough, Heron Park Outdoor Pool currently closes at 8:00 p.m., not allowing for public night swimming. The outdoor pool is very popular with the surrounding community of single-family homes, high-rises, and townhouses.

Addressing a community need by adding the necessary supports to allow for night swimming would benefit the community as a whole and enhance services offered by this existing city asset.

The closest outdoor pool with extended hours, allowing for night swimming, is located at McGregor Park Outdoor Pool, within a two-hour walking distance or thirty-five minutes by public transit.

I hope I can count on your collaboration in improving this existing city asset and addressing the needs of the local community.

The Economic and Community Development Committee:

1. Directed the Deputy City Manager, Infrastructure Services, in conjunction with the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, to review the incident on July 30, 2023 as well as the procedures and processes of Toronto Animal Services for the compliance and enforcement of Dangerous Dog orders, including in the immediate aftermath of a serious dog attack.

2. Directed the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards to include the following in this review:

a. Existing procedure for managing a severe dog mauling incident;

b. Public notification of a dangerous dog order;

c. Requirements and conditions of a dangerous dog order;

d. Expedited removal of animals involved in the most serious attacks;

e. Proactive enforcement and monitoring of dangerous dogs to ensure compliance;

f. Response to serious dog mauling vs. a dog bite;

g. Current emergency access to a Justice of the Peace and any recommendations for Provincial changes to allow Municipal Licensing and Standards/Animal Services to obtain emergency hearings after a severe dog attack; and

h. The protocol that has been set up between Municipal Licensing and Standards/Animal Services and 311 for residents reporting dangerous dog matters.

3. Requested the Deputy City Manager, Community and Social Services, to undertake in consultation with the Medical Officer of Health a review the procedures and processes of Toronto Public Health in relation to investigations in the immediate aftermath of a serious dog attack.

4. Requested the City Solicitor to report on options to make charges under Dangerous Dog legislation known to the public as well as public.

5. Directed that the above recommendations be reported back on in the first quarter of 2024.

After a life changing mauling of a resident in my ward by an off leash dog that was under a Dangerous Dog order, I am requesting an immediate review of this incident as well as a comprehensive review of serious dog attacks and the implementation and follow up of Dangerous Dog orders.

I am deeply concerned about a number of things that took place related to this mauling:

• The dogs involved were already under a dangerous dog order.
• The owner was not required to surrender the dogs in question to Animal Services which was terrifying for the surrounding neighbours.
• Animal Services did not take immediate steps to get a removal order from a Justice of the Peace
• These two dogs, which were under a Dangerous Dog order, were left in the care of the owner along with two other dogs that were also under Dangerous Dog orders.
• Toronto Public Health visited the apartment and saw there were 4 dogs - all of which had dangerous dog orders. 

After the attack Toronto Police took immediate steps and laid a serious charge against the owner – Criminal Negligence Causing Bodily Harm. News release attached.

I am not aware of any public charges laid against this owner by the City of Toronto.

Announcements

The Chair acknowledged that the Economic and Community Development Committee was meeting on the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. The Chair also acknowledged that Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 with the Mississaugas of the Credit.

Where the Members of the Economic and Community Development Committee listed in the attendance for this meeting participated remotely, they were counted for quorum as permitted by Section 189(4.2) of the City of Toronto Act, 2006, and City Council's Procedures.