Agenda

This meeting of the Infrastructure and Environment Committee will be conducted with members participating in person and remotely.  

Members of Council, City Officials, and members of the public who register to speak will be provided with the video conference details closer to the meeting date.

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This agenda and any supplementary materials submitted to the City Clerk can be found online at www.toronto.ca/council. Visit the website for access to all agendas, reports, decisions and minutes of City Council and its Committees and Boards.

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Declarations of Interest under the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act

Confirmation of Minutes - July 3, 2024

Speakers/Presentations - The speakers list will be posted online at 8:30 a.m. on September 27, 2024.

Communications/Reports

The Executive Director, Toronto Emergency Management recommends that:

1. The Infrastructure and Environment Committee receive this report for information.

This report responds to City Council Motion (MM8.28) dated July 19, 2023. It was requested that Toronto Emergency Management, in consultation with Toronto Fire Services and Toronto Paramedic Services, assess the risks faced by Toronto residents living near Highway 401 from transportation incidents.

The Deputy City Manager, Infrastructure Services recommends that:

1. City Council increase the 2024 Operating Budget for Policy, Planning, Finance and Administration by $550,000 gross, $0 net and eight (8) new temporary positions for a term of 2 years, fully funded from the 2024 - 2033 Capital Budget and Plan for Transportation Services and 2024 - 2033 Capital Budget and Plan for Toronto Water for the implementation of the first phase of a new Strategic Capital Coordination Office to provide senior level oversight and accountability for the integration of the current capital delivery coordination program for infrastructure projects across the City.

2. City Council request the Mayor to include the required resources for an additional seven (7) positions under Policy, Planning, Finance and Administration through the 2025 Budget Process for consideration to support the full development of the Strategic Capital Coordination Office with full recovery from the 10-Year Capital Budget and Plan for Transportation Services and Toronto Water.

Toronto continues to experience unprecedented growth and development at the same time that the City focuses on building affordable housing and expanding our transit networks across the City. To support this activity, there is a need to deliver the necessary infrastructure upgrades and invest in aging infrastructure. The construction coordination process that is currently in place has been challenged to keep pace with this rapid growth and complexity of infrastructure work.

The present five-year capital coordination process does not typically consider longer-term capital projects (5 to 10 years) that are forecasted to support areas of intense growth. Similarly, current capital construction coordination processes have difficulty adjusting to and accommodating emergency requests to conduct last-minute works. It is important that all capital construction projects are properly coordinated, sequenced and bundled, taking into consideration criteria that include safety and traffic congestion in order to minimize impacts to communities. These challenges have created an opportunity to enhance and strengthen the coordination of the City's capital infrastructure program while, at the same time, support the City's efforts to better manage congestion.

To advance and support the necessary work to improve coordination and integrate longer-term, near-term and last-minute capital projects across the City, a new Strategic Capital Coordination Office was established in April of this year within the office of the Deputy City Manager, Infrastructure Services. The creation of this new office was supported and informed by the findings of a management consultant's review and a staff led Capital Delivery Improvements Review; both completed in 2023.

The overall goal of this new Strategic Capital Coordination Office is to:   

- Provide strategic senior-level oversight of the City's capital coordination process to enable more timely resolution of emerging issues such as schedule conflicts and management of community impact

- Drive accountability among those involved in the planning, coordination and delivery of construction projects across the city

- Strengthen collaboration between internal divisions, City agencies and external partners such as utilities and developers with work that impacts the City's right of way

- Expand the capital program process to integrate coordination of longer-term plans (5 to 10 years) to maximize bundling and sequencing opportunities of construction projects

- Enhance communication and engagement with Councillors and the public to keep everyone informed on upcoming construction activities, community impacts, mitigating measures, and any changes during construction

The staff team within Engineering and Construction Services that are responsible for coordination of the Toronto Water and Transportation Services' annual five-year capital plan, were transitioned into the new Strategic Capital Coordination Office in April 2024. As work continues to expand and strengthen the role of this office, additional staff are required to provide strategic coordination of capital projects across the City. Eight new temporary positions to support the implementation of the Strategic Capital Coordination Office, fully funded by the capital budget, are being requested for 2024. An additional seven positions will be requested through the 2025 Budget Process to complete the Strategic Capital Coordination Office.

The report also responds to the City Council direction with report IE7.2 of the November 8, 2023 City Council meeting, directing the Deputy City Manager, Infrastructure Services to report back with an approach on the enhancement and expansion of the existing capital coordination programs.

The report requests approval for eight (8) new temporary full-time equivalent positions to be added to the 2024 Operating Budget for Policy, Planning, Finance and Administration to support the development of the Strategic Capital Coordination Office. These positions, along with their associated 2024 pro-rated costs of $550,000 gross and $0 net (with annualized 2025 costs estimated at $1,669,000 gross and $0 net), will be fully funded in the 2024-2033 Capital Budget and Plan for Transportation Services (50 percent) and the 2024-2033 Capital Budget and Plan for Toronto Water (50 percent).

In addition, to support the full implementation and expansion of the Strategic Capital Coordination Office's capabilities, Policy, Planning, Finance and Administration will request an additional seven (7) capital-funded positions to manage capital delivery coordination program for infrastructure projects across the City, as part of the 2025 Budget process for consideration. The pro-rated cost to add an additional seven (7) positions is estimated at $673,000 gross, $0 net, fully funded by Transportation Services and Toronto Water (50/50) with full recovery from the respective 10-Year Capital Budget and Plan.

The Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer has reviewed this report and agrees with the financial implications as contained in the Financial Impact Section.

The Director, Court Services, the Chief Technology Officer, the Executive Director, Finance Shared Services, the City Solicitor, and the General Manager, Transportation Services recommend that:

1.  City Council amend its decision on item 2024.IE10.1 by revising the date “November 1, 2024” and replacing it with “December 9, 2024” wherever it appears in the decision.

2.  City Council authorize the inclusion into the proposed replacement City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 610 of an additional transition provision, generally as follows:

“Despite anything in this chapter to the contrary, a payment plan shall not be available in a screening review of a designated by-law provision or in a hearing review of a designated by-law provision.”

3.  City Council authorize the appropriate City officials to submit directly to Council at the appropriate time in the opinion of the Director of Court Services, in consultation with Chief Technology Officer, Director, Revenue Services, Executive Director, Finance Shared Services and the City Solicitor, any necessary bills to amend City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 610 as it reads at that time to delete the transition provision in Recommendation 2 to the report (September 13, 2024) from the Director, Court Services, Chief Technology Officer, Executive Director, Finance Shared Services, City Solicitor, and General Manager, Transportation Services.

4.  City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the necessary bills to give effect to Council's decision and City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make any necessary clarifications, refinements, modifications, technical amendments, or by-law amendments as may be identified by the City Solicitor, in consultation with the General Manager, Transportation Services, the Director, Revenue Services, and the Director, Court Services, in order to give effect to the reasonable operation of the expanded Administrative Penalty System program.

On February 6, 2024, Toronto City Council approved the governance and administrative requirements to establish an expanded Administrative Penalty System that includes Red Light Camera and Automated Speed Enforcement violations. This change will move the dispute mechanism for violations of Red Light Camera and Automated Speed Enforcement offences from a court-based system to an administrative review model.

In the report approved by Council, staff recommended an effective date of November 1, 2024, for the new proposed replacement City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 610 governing the Administrative Penalty System, the expanded mandate of the Administrative Penalty Tribunal, the updated governance structure for the Administrative Penalty Tribunal, and any associated by-law amendments. This report proposes that City Council approve a revised effective date of December 9, 2024.

The Administrative Penalty System program team requires additional time to complete critical requirements for the system implementation. A revised implementation date of December 9, 2024, is being proposed to complete the balance of critical requirements including the privacy impact assessment, cyber risk assessment, user acceptance testing, penetration testing to secure the system and its data, as well as staff training.

Extending the implementation date to December 9, 2024, has no impact on the timelines for increasing the number of Automated Speed Enforcement Cameras from 75 to 150 as directed by City Council. It is anticipated the new camera systems will begin to be implemented starting in January 2025. More information on the expansion of the Automated Speed Enforcement program will be available in an upcoming Vision Zero report to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee on November 27, 2024.

There are no financial implications resulting from the recommendations included in this report in the current budget year or in future years. The operating costs as well as revenues from fines and administrative fees will continue under the Provincial Offences Act until the Administrative Penalty System for Red Light Camera and Automated Speed Enforcement violations is implemented on December 9, 2024.  

The Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer has reviewed this report and agrees with the

financial impact information.

The General Manager, Transportation Services recommends that:

1. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services, to work with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the Executive Director, Development Review, to review and assess opportunities in the development review process to encourage development proposals to include adequate setbacks or other design elements to minimize the need for lane occupation during building construction to the greatest extent possible, and to report back to City Council on an assessment of any potential actions to implement this.

2. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services, in collaboration with the Director, Strategic Capital Coordination Office, to engage and work with the Toronto Public Utilities Coordinating Committee to:

- encourage their members to review and assess construction methods that minimize road occupation on the right-of-way without negatively impacting pavement quality; and

- clarify the definition and notification requirements for projects deemed 'Emergency Utility Work' taking into consideration cost recovery for associated traffic management costs that support these emergency closures.

3. City Council amend City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 441, Fees and Changes , Appendix C - Schedule 2 (Transportation Services) to establish a new Road Disruption Activity Reporting System (RoDARS) fee for temporary street occupation permit applicants as set out in Attachment 1, and request the City Solicitor to submit the bill to amend Chapter 441 as soon as possible after the General Manager, Transportation Services has confirmed that implementation of the new Road Disruption Activity Reporting System system has been completed and that all other necessary steps associated with creating and adding a new Road Disruption Activity Reporting System fee have been completed.

4. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services, to complete the financial assessment for the congestion management levy, including the appropriate amount(s), and report back on the implementation details as part of the 2025 budget process.

5. City Council direct the City Solicitor to review the Highway Traffic Act, including Section 145 (1), and any other relevant legislation to determine what amendments would be required to be made by the Province and / or other relevant bodies to permit the "don't block the box" offence to be made an offence which may be enforced through an automated camera system and / or an Administrative Penalty System and, upon the City Solicitor providing the results of their review to the City Manager, the City Manager, in consultation with the appropriate staff, send a letter to the Province and / or relevant bodies requesting the necessary legislative amendments.

6. City Council direct the City Manager to send a letter to the Ministry of the Attorney General requesting an exemption for the City until April 1, 2025 from all new statutory and administrative requirements under the new Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019 that relate to special constable employer status and training requirements for special constables, specifically requesting that (i) the City be permitted to maintain or be granted special constable employer status to appoint special constables until the City enters into a new Memorandum of Understanding for City Traffic Agent Special Constables with the Toronto Police Service Board; and (ii) the new training requirements for special constables be deferred until April 1, 2025.

7. City Council authorize the General Manager, Transportation Services, to negotiate, enter into and execute any new or amended agreements required to extend the Traffic Agents / special constable program, with terms and conditions satisfactory to the General Manager, Transportation Services, and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor, including any new or amended agreement(s) with the Toronto Police Service Board for the appointment, training, and management of City Traffic Agents appointed as special constables by the Toronto Police Service Board.

8. City Council request the Toronto Police Service Board continue the Traffic Direction program providing Toronto Police and Special Constables traffic management support for the Traffic Agent program.

9. City Council authorize the General Manager, Transportation Services to enter into agreements with third party entities to participate in Transportation Innovation Challenges, including the Transportation Innovation Challenge described in recommendation 10, upon terms and conditions satisfactory to the General Manager, Transportation Services and City Solicitor, including terms addressing concerns around privacy, cybersecurity, information management and other operational considerations.

10. City Council authorize the General Manager, Transportation Services to deploy camera devices on a temporary basis for the purpose of automated capturing of images of traffic violations, including personal information, for which cameras would be deployed at fixed locations within the City right-of-way and / or on Toronto Transit Commission buses for the purposes of completing a Transportation Innovation Challenge exploring the potential for new automated enforcement technologies to improve road safety, transit prioritization and congestion across the City, the collection of personal information will be subject to the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the completion of a Privacy Impact Assessment, and the information management principles outlined in Attachment 2.

11. City Council increase the penalty amount for the "Stop – Signed Highway – During Rush Hour Period" offence for Section 950-405 D.1 of the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 950, Traffic and Parking from $190, which was approved by City Council at its meeting of April 17, 2024, to $300 and that City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 610, Penalties, Administration of, be amended accordingly.

12. 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, modifications, technical amendments, or by-law amendments as may be identified by the City Solicitor, in consultation with the General Manager, Transportation Services. 

13. Infrastructure and Environment Committee direct the General Manager, Transportation Services, to report directly to the October 9 and 10 Council meeting with a report confirming that if the requisite community consultation on the Road Disruption Activity Reporting System fee, as noted in recommendation 3, has been completed.

The Congestion Management Plan 2023 - 2026 was presented at the October 2023 Infrastructure and Environment Committee and then subsequently to Council in November 2023. This report addresses a number of additional items that City Council has requested Transportation Services report back on since the adoption of the original report.  

Toronto continues to be the busiest city in all North America in terms of construction due to increased private development activity, major infrastructure renewal and the implementation of higher order transit. While the economic benefits of growth will deliver long term value to the residents and businesses in the city, the impacts of construction are having a direct impact on network capacity and neighborhood mobility. Since the end of the pandemic, construction activity has been exacerbated by changes in travel patterns due to hybrid work and a resurgence of people attending events on the weekends. In short, construction has increased, travel patterns and habits have changed, the city population continues to grow and, as a result, overall congestion is having a significant impact on people's daily lives and travel.  

Managing congestion in a city the size and scale of Toronto requires comprehensive and nimble approaches to planning and coordination, including bringing data and analytics to articulate the causes of congestion and implement strategic approaches-both tested and innovative-to manage impacted areas. This report identifies additional strategic measures and coordinating efforts to effectively address traffic flow, streamline construction activities and accommodate the demands of a growing urban population.

There are several systemic changes being introduced at the September 27 Infrastructure & Environment Committee meeting to help manage citywide congestion and construction coordination, including this report as well as the Enhancing Capital Infrastructure Program Coordination report. These two reports are further supported by actions that Engineering and Construction Services is taking to enhance capital delivery and contract management for large municipal infrastructure projects. A report on these initiatives will be advanced in the first quarter of 2025.

As part of this shared and collaborative effort, this report provides updates on five key impactful actions being led by Transportation Services that will more effectively manage congestion in the near term and set a strong foundation for the future:

- Plans for better coordination and control over construction activities on the right-of-way and strategy for cost-recovery of traffic congestion mitigation efforts

- Upcoming measures for automated enforcement to mitigate bylaw infractions, such as the blockage of signalized intersections and illegal blockage of bike lanes and illegal use of dedicated transit lanes.

- Next steps for the Traffic Agent Program and Continued support from the Toronto Police Traffic Direction Pilot

- New evaluation framework and methodology for reviewing and approving permits for Special Events

- Increasing fines in support of congestion and safety

Attachment 4 outlines the timelines and expected outcomes of each action towards better managing congestion.

In addition to the key measures listed above, this report also proposes a plan for a new Artificial Intelligence-based traffic simulation modelling strategy that will assist in assessing the impacts of proposed construction or special event related road closures, recommend traffic mitigation plans and provide the ability to measure the impacts of the road closures. It is anticipated that the predicted impacts could be used in the future to better inform charges for road occupation in the new cost-recovery framework.

While the recommendations in this report will not eliminate congestion, they provide a more robust toolkit of coordination practices, technology enhancements and "boots on the ground" solutions to actively manage the ongoing pressures of growth and development that continues to shape our city.

The financial impact of approving the proposed increase in the penalty amount from $190 to $300 for the offence "Stop – Signed Highway – During Rush Hour Period " (950-405D.1) cannot be precisely determined due to the inherent unpredictability of driver behaviour. The higher penalty is meant to promote compliance with the traffic regulation, which is anticipated to reduce the number of illegal stopping instances during rush hour, which would lead to a reduction in the issuance of parking tickets for this specific offence.

The financial implications of continuing the Traffic Direction program and implementing the congestion management levy will be considered by the relevant divisions and agencies as part of the 2025 Operating Budget submission.

The Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer has reviewed this report and agrees with the financial implications as contained in the Financial Impact Section.

The Executive Director, Environment and Climate recommends that: 

1. City Council adopt the proposed governance approach as described on pages 9 through 11 of this staff report from the Executive Director, Environment and Climate.

2. City Council direct the Executive Director, Environment and Climate to develop and submit an annual public Electric Vehicle charging implementation and funding outlook for consideration as part of the annual City of Toronto Budget process.
 

3. City Council direct the Executive Director, Environment and Climate to establish and coordinate a City Asset Delivery Group which will include the President, Toronto Parking Authority, the General Manager of Fleet Services, the Chief Executive Officer of Toronto Transit Commission, and the President, Toronto Hydro, and other Divisions, Agencies and Corporations as appropriate to support the development of an annual three-year rolling public Electric Vehicle charging installation and funding plan, and to monitor the availability of home, workplace, and public charging in Toronto in order to coordinate the distribution of complementary public charging infrastructure and identify opportunities to coordinate bulk purchases of Electric Vehicle charging equipment and technology. 

4. City Council direct the Executive Director, Environment and Climate to work with City Divisions, Agencies and Corporations who manage City property, including Corporate Real Estate Management, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, the Toronto Transit Commission, the Toronto Public Library, CreateTO, Toronto Community Housing Corporation, Exhibition Place, Toronto Zoo, and TOLive, in collaboration with Toronto Parking Authority and Toronto Hydro, to identify opportunities to install Electric Vehicle chargers on City-owned public facing properties.  

5. City Council direct the Executive Director, Environment and Climate Division and request the President, Toronto Parking Authority to establish a working group to share best practices and promote operational consistencies between how the City of Toronto and the Toronto Parking Authority operate and maintain their publicly accessible Electric Vehicle charging infrastructure, including with respect to branding, payment, wayfinding, and availability.

6. City Council direct the Executive Director, Environment and Climate Division to provide information to Toronto Hydro to help support Toronto Hydro’s development of a communication plan that directs building owners, including homeowners, and tenants in Toronto to only contact Toronto Hydro for information and guidance on the installation of a private Electric Vehicle charger.

7. City Council direct the Executive Director, Environment and Climate to request The Atmospheric Fund to take the lead on engaging with public and private stakeholders and the development of an integrated, actionable, and resourced plan that complements the City-operated charging network to accelerate the rollout of public Electric Vehicle charging on non-City public and private sector properties and share information with The Atmospheric Fund to support the development of the plan.

8. City Council direct the Executive Director, Environment and Climate to provide information to the Toronto Parking Authority regarding City priorities for Electric Vehicle parking and charging, including information that could support the coordination of investments to meet city-wide needs.

9. City Council direct the Executive Director, Environment and Climate to work with the General Manager, Transportation Services to investigate use of the established Transportation Innovation Zones and Transportation Innovation Challenge Program for trialing emerging Electric Vehicle charging technologies and processes, to advance understanding of the feasibility and effectiveness of different Electric Vehicle charging technologies in the city.

Decarbonizing the transportation sector to meet the ambitious goals outlined in Toronto’s TransformTO Net Zero Strategy (TTO NZS) will require a robust, convenient, and reliable public electric vehicle (EV) charging network that supports other established city-wide sustainable transportation initiatives.

The Approach to Public Electric Vehicle Charging presented in this report responds to the TransformTO Net Zero Strategy Short-term Implementation Plan (2022-2025) action: "The City will develop a strategy and plans to meet the 2025 targets in the Electric Vehicle Strategy for public charging infrastructure, and to ensure that sufficient public charging infrastructure will be in place to accommodate growth in Electric Vehicle ownership to 30 per cent of registered personal vehicles by 2030."

Toronto has started laying a foundation for its network by establishing zoning rules, parking regulations, and by-laws that help define the appropriate use of public space in relation to Electric Vehicle charging. Additionally, Toronto has installed Electric Vehicle charging stations at on-street parking spaces, in Green P parking lots, and at City facilities. The City also provides financing support to encourage charging in existing residential buildings through its BetterHomesTO program while requiring new residential and commercial buildings to install Electric Vehicle charging through the Toronto Green Standard.

In 2021, Environment and Climate began work to understand how to increase Electric Vehicle uptake by directing its focus on identifying where publicly owned and operated Electric Vehicle charging would be needed to complement the existing privately operated and publicly accessible Electric Vehicle charging network and private at-home Electric Vehicle charging spots.

As of June 2024, Toronto had 30,505 registered Electric Vehicles, roughly 2.8 per cent of the estimated 1.1 million registered passenger vehicles. With a goal of 5 percent of all registered vehicles being Electric Vehicles by 2025, the City will need to take a more proactive role in encouraging Electric Vehicle ownership.

This report presents an approach to growing Toronto's existing public charging network by the City through its Divisions, Agencies and Corporations, drawing from extensive research, data analysis, and stakeholder engagement completed in collaboration with several Divisions, Agencies and Corporations to prepare for Toronto's public charging needs.

The Approach proposes a model of cross-corporate coordination to advance Electric Vehicle infrastructure asset planning until the year 2030 and clarifies the City’s role with respect to Electric Vehicle infrastructure provision based on initial technical analysis.

The Approach to Public Electric Vehicle Charging to 2030 includes:

-  A City governance structure that optimizes City-owned assets (in the form of properties including lands and buildings) through a centralized approach led by the Environment and Climate Division, including financial planning of Electric Vehicle infrastructure assets.

-  A technical projection of future needs from a “demand- and utilization-driven perspective” using currently established public charging network information at a ward level to determine the placement of Electric Vehicle chargers.

-  A specific focus on equity through education and public charging station location prioritization of vehicle-for-hire (VFH) vehicles to ensure adequate and convenient access to public chargers for this industry.

While the City alone cannot be solely responsible for the robustness of the public Electric Vehicle charging network, nor can the City financially incentivize residents to purchase Electric Vehicles, it can ensure that Toronto residents have reasonable access to charging with a consistent user experience. Relatedly, clear processes and communication on how residents can 'connect' to the Electric Vehicle charger whether a resident is a homeowner, renter, or condo dweller will also be critical for seamless operability. This includes minimizing barriers to access chargers by providing clear signage and wayfinding, advancing charger availability and reliability, and cost parity.

Government-led public Electric Vehicle charging programs around the world demonstrate that success in building robust and effective Electric Vehicle charging networks is achieved when collaboration with diverse stakeholders is at the core of this type of infrastructure development, saving time, money, and avoiding unnecessary duplication and stranded assets. Key international examples showcase partnerships with private businesses who supply charging infrastructure and the technology to support it, commercial businesses who allocate spots for their customers and employees to charge their vehicles either at or near their businesses, local utility companies who are a first contact and can provide reliable advice and orientation to what would work best for residents' needs, and intergovernmental alignment on goals and incentives. The City can also, through its processes, policies, and incentives, encourage private sector investment in growing the Electric Vehicle charging network. A robust public Electric Vehicle charging network must include investments from both the private and public sectors.

The City has a wide range of other transportation, city building, land use policies, programs, and infrastructure initiatives. These initiatives are either underway or planned to encourage and support the transition away from the use of fossil fuels and increase the use of more sustainable transportation modes such as public transit, walking and cycling, and zero emission vehicles, where required. This proposed approach supports the multiple options available to residents to travel carbon-free around the city now and into the future.

With a mandate that has grown to include responsibility for the operation, maintenance and continued expansion of Electric Vehicle infrastructure, Toronto Parking Authority has invested $21.2 million in expanding Electric Vehicle charging opportunities in the City since 2021. This investment was funded through a combination of Toronto Parking Authority’s retained earnings of $19.0 million and $2.2 million in funding provided by Natural Resources Canada through the Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program.

On June 26, 2024, City Council approved a Net Income Share Agreement between the City of Toronto and the Toronto Parking Authority. Through this agreement, the City is providing capital funding of $33.9 Million over three years (2024 - 2026) directly to Toronto Parking Authority to fund the capital expansion of its off-street Electric Vehicle charging program.

Currently the Toronto Parking Authority receives approximately $0.5 million in revenue from Electric Vehicle charging. This revenue will be used for the state of good repair, maintenance, repairs, and upgrades to existing Electric Vehicle infrastructure owned and maintained by Toronto Parking Authority.

It is expected that with the roll out of Electric Vehicle charging infrastructure described in this report that the Toronto Parking Authority will need to identify in its future year budget submissions, any operating requirements, including staffing needed to support additional responsibilities of the delivery, operation, and maintenance of publicly accessible Electric Vehicle chargers outside of Toronto Parking Authority off-street facilities, for consideration.

To reflect future additional responsibilities identified in the governance structure detailed in this report as it pertains to public Electric Vehicle charging infrastructure, it will also be necessary for the City Manager to work with the President, Toronto Parking Authority, to report back to City Council any necessary updates to the City of Toronto – Toronto Parking Authority Relationship Framework and authorities delegated by Council under Chapter 179, Parking Authority.

The Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer has reviewed this report and agrees with the financial impact information.

The Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services, recommends that City Council:

1.  Authorize the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services, to negotiate and execute a Design and Construction Coordination Agreement with Toronto Hydro Electric System Limited and Toronto Hydro Energy Services Incorporated on terms similar to those outlined in this report and in a form that is acceptable to the City Solicitor.

2.  Authorize the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services, to amend and update the Schedules to the Design and Construction Coordination Agreement from time-to-time and as necessary and agreed by the City and Toronto Hydro Joint Steering Committee which will be established under the terms of the Design and Construction Coordination Agreement.

3.  Authorize the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services, the General Manager, Transportation Services, and the General Manager, Toronto Water, to negotiate and execute Project Specific Agreements in a form that is acceptable to the City Solicitor.

The purpose of this report is to seek Council's authority for the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services, to negotiate, finalize and execute a new Design and Construction Coordination Agreement (the "Agreement") with Toronto Hydro Electric System Limited and Toronto Hydro Energy Services Incorporated (collectively "Toronto Hydro"). This Agreement replaces a previous agreement, dated June 10, 2016, which expired on June 10, 2021. The previous agreement has been extended yearly while City and Toronto Hydro staff have negotiated the terms of the Agreement.

The purpose of the Agreement is to permit the City to relocate or replace Toronto Hydro assets that are affected by, or might act as an impediment to, City construction projects. This facilitates the initiation of City construction projects more quickly and reduces overall impacts to the public by allowing all work to be completed in a single City construction contract rather than in separate contracts administered by the City and Toronto Hydro.

The content of the Agreement is similar to the original 2016 agreement. It has been updated to clarify the application of, and respective responsibilities under, the Agreement as well as improvements to processes. These updates include a reduction in response times for the completion of various tasks, clarification of which projects are eligible to be coordinated under the Agreement, and the creation of a Joint Steering Committee of City and Toronto Hydro senior staff to monitor the performance of projects and consider possible future amendments to the Agreement as required.

There is no financial impact resulting from the adoption of the recommendations of this report. The proposed Design and Construction Coordination Agreement with Toronto Hydro will improve the efficiency of completing City construction projects that require the relocation or replacement of Toronto Hydro infrastructure without altering the cost-sharing arrangements in the June 10, 2016 Construction Coordination Agreement with Toronto Hydro previously approved by Council.

The Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer has reviewed this report and agrees with the financial impact information.

Councillor Paul Ainslie recommends that:

1.  City Council direct the Deputy City Manager, Infrastructure Services and the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services, to work with other City Officials, the Toronto Police Service, and City agencies as appropriate, to report back to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee, as part of the next staff report on congestion management, on methods for minimizing the blocking or obstructing of bicycle lanes by City of Toronto owned and contracted vehicles or by unauthorized objects, such as garbage bins and on a workplan for implementation.

I am writing to request that the Deputy City Manager, Infrastructure Services and Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services, to work with other City Officials, the Toronto Police Service, and City agencies as appropriate, take action to address the growing issue of obstructions in Toronto's bike lanes, particularly those caused by construction companies and improperly parked City of Toronto vehicles.

The presence of garbage bins, construction equipment, and improperly parked vehicles in bike lanes poses a significant safety hazard to cyclists, pedestrians, and motorists alike. These obstructions can lead to accidents, injuries, and traffic congestion.

I propose that the City Divisions work collaboratively the Toronto Police Service, and City agencies as appropriate on methods for minimizing blocking or obstructing of bicycle lanes, including but not limited to the following possible measures:

1.  Prohibit Construction Companies from Using Bike Lanes for Garbage Bins: Construction companies should be strictly prohibited from placing garbage bins or other equipment in bike lanes. Alternative storage solutions should be required.
 

2.  Enforce Parking Restrictions for City Vehicles: City of Toronto vehicles, including those from all departments and agencies, should be subject to the same parking regulations as private vehicles. Parking in bike lanes should be strictly prohibited.
 

3.  Work with other City Officials, the Toronto Police Service, and City agencies as appropriate, to ensure that:

a.  City of Toronto owned and contracted vehicles do not block bicycle lanes

b.  No unauthorized objects, such as garbage bins, obstruct bicycle lanes

By taking these steps, we can ensure that Toronto's bike lanes remain safe and accessible for all users. I believe that this is a critical issue that requires immediate attention.

Councillor Dianne Saxe recommend that:

1. City Council direct the City Manager to report back by the second quarter of 2025 on a policy to decline fossil fuel advocacy advertising on City assets, unless:

a. such advertising is consistent with TransformTO, and,

b. any claims in the proposed advertisement have been independently verified as substantiated, per section 74.01 of the Competition Act, and paragraph 8 of the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards. 

The Canadian Code of Advertising Standards provides:

8. Advertisements must not distort the true meaning of statements made by professionals or scientific authorities. Advertising claims must not imply that they have a scientific basis that they do not truly possess. Any scientific, professional or authoritative claims or statements must be applicable to the Canadian context, unless otherwise clearly stated.

Climate change is an unprecedented threat to people in Toronto and worldwide, with overwhelming consequences, especially for the most vulnerable. In Toronto, climate change is already causing serious impacts, including increases in average heat, and in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events. In turn, these adversely affect the Toronto Transit Commission and those we serve.

The Government of Canada has made international climate commitments to drastically reduce fossil fuel consumption and to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. The City of Toronto, through TransformTO, and an annual carbon budget, has committed to achieve Net Zero climate pollution by 2040.

Fossil fuel companies have a well-documented history of using their immense wealth for advocacy advertising to undermine public support for policies that reduce fossil fuel pollution. Such policies are necessary and urgent to preserve a liveable future for today’s young people. The Pathways Alliance, a coalition of six billionaire fossil fuel companies who produce 95 percent of tar sands bitumen, has actively advertised for this purpose in Toronto, eliciting a number of public complaints. Another fossil fuel lobby group, Canada Action, has also actively advertised across Canada.

Recent changes to 74.01 of the Competition Act expressly prohibit misleading environmental benefits claims made to the public, including:

- Any statement, warranty or guarantee of a product’s benefits for protecting or restoring the environment or mitigating the environmental, social and ecological causes or effects of climate change that are not based on an adequate and proper testing; and

- Any representations with respect to the benefits of a business or business activity for protecting or restoring the environment or mitigating the environmental and ecological causes or effects of climate change that are not based on adequate and proper substantiation in accordance with internationally recognized methodology.

The onus is on the advertiser making such claims to prove, if challenged, that the claims are based on adequate and proper testing or substantiation.

In July 2024, the Pathways Alliance removed the advocacy messaging from its website and social media feeds, citing uncertainty over whether they comply with these amendments to the Competition Act.

A June 2024 study in Energy Research and Social Policy established strong grounds for this “uncertainty”. It examined whether Pathways Alliance advertisements are based on adequate and proper substantiation. Instead, they found: “instances of selective disclosure and omission, misalignment of claim and action, displacement of responsibility, non-credible claims, specious comparisons, nonstandard accounting, and inadequate reporting… Their messaging omits important information, uses misleading framing and comparisons, and fails to meet standards expected of a credible net-zero plan”.

Several European court cases have also ruled that fossil fuel advertising is misleading.

In May 2024, Canada’s advertising regulator determined that Canada Action ads claiming liquified natural gas will lower emissions are inaccurate, misleading, and distort scientific data.

In June, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres asked all governments to ban advertising from fossil fuel companies, in light of the enormous harm they are causing, including record planetary heat levels. Support for this initiative is growing among physicians and other health professionals in Canada and around the world.

Several governments are taking such action. Fossil fuel advocacy advertising limits have been adopted in cities such as Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Yarra and Sheffield. The Montreal bikeshare system has removed fossil fuel advertising. The Société de transport de Montréal is considering doing the same. In March 2024, Council of the City of Ottawa directed its staff to report back in the third quarter on revising its city-wide advertising policy on fossil fuel advocacy advertising.

Given the urgency of the climate crisis, the documented greenwashing by fossil fuel companies, and the harmful effect of such greenwashing in discouraging essential climate action, it is contrary to the best interests of the people of Toronto for the City or its agencies and corporations to display fossil fuel advocacy advertising inconsistent with TransformTO on city assets, especially if the claims in such advertising have not been substantiated as required by the Competition Act.

Councillor Jennifer McKelvie recommends that:

1.  City Council request the City Manager establish a working group with representatives from the City of Toronto, City of Pickering, City of Markham, Parks Canada, and Metrolinx to:

a.  review the 1993 provincially approved Environmental Assessment that studied the widening of Steeles Avenue East and determine whether an amended, or a new Environmental Assessment, is required in order to proceed with the widening of the Steeles Avenue East between Ninth Line and Beare Road;

b.  explore the potential to advance rapid surface transit on Steeles Avenue East in association with the widening;

c.  develop an inter-regional approach to widening Steeles Avenue East and identify potential funding sources; and,

d.  report back with recommendations to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee in April 2025.

The employment and residential areas surrounding Steeles Avenue East continue to experience growth, in both the City of Toronto and surrounding municipalities. In recent years, vacant lands along the south side of Steeles Avenue East have been developed for employment purposes bringing thousands of new employees which has increased traffic volumes on Steeles Avenue East. There are also regional development pressures east of Toronto’s boundaries that will have further traffic impacts.

This growth is expected to continue and Steeles Avenue East has been identified as a Higher Order Transit Connection in provincial plans, including Metrolinx's 2041 Regional Transportation Plan, and the City of Toronto’s Official Plan in response to this growth.

The need to widen Steeles Avenue East dates back to the late 1980s when the province's "Highway 407 Overview Study" identified the need to upgrade the TorontoYork-Durham road infrastructure. In 1990, recognizing the inter-regional function that Steeles Avenue East has for the Cities of Toronto, Pickering, and Markham, the province committed funding to widen this segment of road.

In 1993, the province approved the City of Toronto's Environmental Assessment that studied the widening of Steeles Avenue East from Tapscott Road to Pickering Town Line from two to four vehicular lanes. The easternmost portion, from Beare Road to Pickering Town Line, was widened before the province withdrew its funding in 1996. Since 2015, the City of Toronto has been advancing design for the portion between Tapscott Road and Ninth Line, with construction targeted to start as early as 2026.

This motion requests the formation of a working group to identify opportunities to advance the widening of the remaining segment, between Ninth Line and Beare Road.

Steeles Avenue East is a vital arterial road in Scarborough and a critical link between East Scarborough and York and Durham Regions. A widened Steeles Avenue East would facilitate rapid surface transit in the future and ease congestion by providing better mobility for residents and employers throughout the region.

The recognition of Steeles Avenue East as an important regional corridor, and the openness to cooperation and partnership is highlighted in the letters of support from the City of Pickering and the City of Markham appended to this recommendation.

Councillor Chris Moise recommends that:

1.  City Council endorse "Growing with the City: An Ecosystem of Initiatives for Allan Gardens" as an addendum to the "Refresh: A Vision Document for Allan Gardens" as adopted by City Council in 2018.

2.  City Council request the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to consult with the Friends of Allan Gardens and other key community stakeholders to advance and prioritize the initiatives outlined in “Growing with the City”.

3.  City Council acknowledge the ongoing work of Friends of Allan Gardens, and request the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, along with other relevant divisions, to continue to work with the Friends of Allan Gardens to prioritise any Council-approved projects as funding and other operational resources become available.

4.  City Council request the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, to prioritise the pending Management Agreement with Friends of Allan Gardens and Parks, Forestry and Recreation (IE31.6) and to waive applicable permit fees for community-based events led by Friends of Allan Gardens in Allan Gardens and on adjacent parkland.

The Friends of Allan Gardens (“FOAG”) is a volunteer-based and registered charitable organisation working to imagine and lead the revitalization of Allan Gardens. Friends of Allan Gardens facilitates public programming focusing on conservation and stewardship and celebrating horticulture, urban agriculture, and the natural environment. Friends of Allan Gardens operates out of the historic Children's Conservatory, Propagation House, and the new Teaching Garden, which it manages on behalf of the City of Toronto.

Over the past years, Friends of Allan Gardens has positioned itself as a key stakeholder, playing an active role in the diverse social network that connects, integrates, shares resources and improves the resilience and the vitality of the community. In 2022, City Council directed the General Manager of Parks, Forestry and Recreation to enter into a management agreement and a fundraising agreement with Friends of Allan Gardens to keep with their original visioning document "Refresh". This document has since been updated, the updated vision, Growing with the City (Fall 2023), highlights an ecosystem of initiatives that allows the park to evolve and grow, linked to the larger city. Working transparently and collaboratively with the community, through innovative partnerships and pilot projects, they work towards transforming the park into "a community centre without walls".

Since 2021, Friends of Allan Gardens has expanded its programming to include arts and culture, concerts and music, and family activities including the Mudday Morning program and craft sessions. From September 2023 to August 2024, Friends of Allan Gardens has led over 200 programs, engaging over 10,000 people, including both public participants and volunteers. Audience demographics range from children and caregivers, Toronto residents, visitors, students, gardening enthusiasts of all ages, and more. Event attendance ranges from 75 to 1000 people.

Various community members, particularly families, have expressed a need and want to access the park. Allan Gardens is still experiencing the aftermath of COVID-19. While some community activity has rebounded after the pandemic, the community network is still fragmented with isolated events. Friends of Allan Gardens plays an important role in engaging the local neighbourhoods and diverse populations by providing unique and accessible programming in the historic Children’s Conservatory, recently expanded Teaching Garden, and North Lawn.

In early 2024, Friends of Allan Gardens received a City of Toronto Main Street Innovation Fund grant of $50,000 to activate Allan Gardens. The initial pitch focused on a Winter / Off Season Farmers’ Market, paired with complementary programming. This initiative has recently evolved into a Community Market Series, a weekly Saturday activation. The Community Market Series will play an important role in social and economic life by establishing links between residents and small businesses, flowing more money into the local economy, and showcasing the abundance of products, at the same time activating the park.

In order to meaningfully activate Allan Gardens over the next year, Friends of Allan Gardens is requesting permit fees be waived for their park programming until the pending management agreement is signed. This will assist Friends of Allan Gardens in activating the park. The General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation does not have the delegated authority to waive permit fees. Therefore, this Motion is requesting the necessary authority from City Council. This will provide the flexibility and capacity to be able to appropriately activate the park with a variety of programs in a timely manner.

Friends of Allan Gardens's activations will provide opportunities for the diverse local community to come together, enjoy the park, and participate in unique programming. All events will be free to the public. Events will fall into three categories: Recurring Events like the Community Market Series, Single Day Events, and Passive Ongoing Activations. These events will be run by Friends of Allan Gardens staff with Friends of Allan Gardens volunteers. A schedule will be presented to Parks, Forestry, and Recreation and will work collaboratively to ensure successful programming.