Mayor John Tory's Toronto

[Northern Light]

Would it save money though? Isn't paid duty paid by the contractor? Did this change?

Eight things to know about police paid duty

Off-duty Toronto officers can fatten their pay packet considerably with side jobs. Here’s how it works.

www.thestar.com

If its road-work we're discussing or any other public sector project, that cost will be factored into tenders and billed to the public purse.

In the case of an entirely private project (a condo) then there is no money saved by the public purse; though there may be negligibly lower cost to the purchaser of the end unit.

For a typical private site (if police were required), you're probably looking at a differential cost of btw $250-$1,000 per unit.

(2 years + of labour being assumed, and a 60 hours per week)

 

[ShonTron]

We're finally get civilians to direct traffic, instead of police.

An idea first raised many years ago......

Finally approved by the province.

Civilian traffic agents finally dispatched to Toronto intersections in attempt to reduce gridlock, improve safety

Toronto city staff in 2016 first recommended using non-police agents to ensure intersections remain clear and safe.

www.thestar.com

From the article, these intersections will get the new staff:

• Front Street West and Bay Street
• Front Street West and Simcoe Street
• Front Street West and University Avenue/York Street
• Adelaide Street West and University Avenue
• Adelaide Street East and Jarvis Street
• Queen Street West and Bay Street
• Wellington Street West and Simcoe Street
• Lower Jarvis Street and Lake Shore Boulevard East
• York Street and Gardiner Expressway on-ramp
• Bloor Street West and Bay Street
• Bay Street and Richmond Street West

Yay! The costs of yelling at pedestrians who start crossing with 20 seconds to spare have gone down a bit.

 

[DSC]

Would it save money though? Isn't paid duty paid by the contractor? Did this change?

Eight things to know about police paid duty

Off-duty Toronto officers can fatten their pay packet considerably with side jobs. Here’s how it works.

www.thestar.com

.... and who do you think pays the contractor to pay exorbitant sums for work by the City, Hydro, Enbridge etc? (I agree that for private developments it is not likely to make much difference but most paid-duty police watching construction are watching construction on (or below) the road.

 

[picard102]

.... and who do you think pays the contractor to pay exorbitant sums for work by the City, Hydro, Enbridge etc? (I agree that for private developments it is not likely to make much difference but most paid-duty police watching construction are watching construction on (or below) the road.

Seems the vast majority of it is not city directed work. Unless this article is wrong?

Taxpayers picked up $1.49 million of that price tag, nearly five per cent of what the program brought in. The rest was paid by private companies that used the officers' services, such as film studios and construction companies.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/civilians-directing-traffic-1.3532400

 

[Northern Light]

Seems the vast majority of it is not city directed work. Unless this article is wrong?

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/civilians-directing-traffic-1.3532400

This mixes different types of paid-duty work which complicates matters.

This change is not going to affect a night club hiring a paid-duty officer to work the door.

But it will affect a private contractor on a construction job.

Without seeing the breakdown, its difficult to know whether that 1.49M figure accounts for private construction contracts, for public purposes (government, gov't agencies etc.)

My instinct is that it does not.

But regardless, this program is one that specifically targets those duties that were performed by police, for the public sector.

This is not replacing officers employed by nightclubs.

 

[AlbertC]

Toronto is adding 79 park washrooms for winter season

Nov 20, 2020

Toronto plans to add more winter park washrooms across the city this year as Torontonians continue to grapple with a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

City staff are presenting a plan to council this month that will add 79 new winter washrooms across the city on top of the 64 locations that are typically available. The addition would more than double the total amount of winterized washrooms currently available from 64 to 143.

Toronto is adding 79 park washrooms for winter season

Toronto plans to add more winter park washrooms across the city this year as Torontonians continue to grapple with a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

toronto.ctvnews.ca

 

[Northern Light]

Toronto is adding 79 park washrooms for winter season

Nov 20, 2020

Toronto plans to add more winter park washrooms across the city this year as Torontonians continue to grapple with a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

City staff are presenting a plan to council this month that will add 79 new winter washrooms across the city on top of the 64 locations that are typically available. The addition would more than double the total amount of winterized washrooms currently available from 64 to 143.

Toronto is adding 79 park washrooms for winter season

Toronto plans to add more winter park washrooms across the city this year as Torontonians continue to grapple with a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

toronto.ctvnews.ca

Good as far as it goes.

Shawn Micallef tallied winter/year-round washrooms in the past, and came back with far fewer:

from: https://www.toronto.com/opinion-sto...plans-to-help-us-make-it-through-this-winter/

 

[Northern Light]

The report on keeping more washrooms open year-round is out; on the agenda for the Nov 25/26 City Council Meeting.

https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2020/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-158645.pdf

From said report:

As a curious note, the report mentions keeping Golf Course Washrooms open. Since the courses themselves are normally closed in the winter........I find this odd.

Also, it appears PF&R (Parks, Forestry and Recreation) is open to keeping seasonal washrooms open in future years, by renovating them to a winterized standard.

They will report as part of the 2021 budget process on the $ required to assess which washrooms for which this work would be practical.

Seasonal Washroom Condition Assessment and Feasibility Studies In order to facilitate the retrofit or winterization of seasonal park washrooms, an assessment and inspection of each park washroom would be required. Each seasonal park washroom is a unique building with varying as-built conditions, whose retrofit or winterization would need to be evaluated. The condition assessment and feasibility study would review criteria such as the size of the building, the location of piping, the availability of an appropriately sized hydro service, and the determination of the location for an electrical panel to support the addition of a dedicated heat source. Staff typically retain engineering or building science professional services to conduct condition assessments and develop design solutions. General contractors are then retained based on a competitive tendering process. Alternate delivery models such as non-competitive procurement, design-build contracts, or the use of in-house staff resources to complete the work could be considered in consultation with the Purchasing and Materials Management Division and/or through Council direction. For any major renovation to a park washroom, the City would need to consider compliance with the Toronto Accessibility Design Guidelines (TADG) and include funding for accessibility to meet provincial requirements and standards. The preparation of a cost estimate would be informed by a condition assessment along with accessibility requirements. PFR staff will advance the condition and feasibility study assessment in 2021 and report out on the funding requirements through the 2022 Capital and Operating Budget.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Item IE17.7. From link.

City Council adopted this item on November 25, 2020 with amendments.

Clearing the Path Towards a Safe and Accessible Winter​

Committee Recommendations​

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that: 1. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services to investigate the appropriate equipment required to clear bike lanes and cycle tracks. 2. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services and the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to recommend costed options for clearing snow on a subset of paved pedestrian and cycling pathways in Toronto's parks based on recreational and active transportation winter use.​

Background Information (Committee)​

(November 2, 2020) Letter from City Council on Clearing the Path Towards a Safe and Accessible Winter (http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2020/ie/bgrd/backgroundfile-158039.pdf)​

Motions (City Council)​

1 - Motion to Amend Item (Additional) moved by Councillor Josh Matlow (Carried) That: 1. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services to seek and implement measures to increase the snow clearing sidewalk pilot for this winter, including the possibility of obtaining more equipment and stretching the hours of service. 2. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services to report to the December 2, 2020 meeting of the Toronto and East York Community Council with the streets that will receive sidewalk snow clearing during the 2020-2021 winter season, the rationale for not providing full sidewalk clearing harmonization, if applicable, and a path forward to full harmonization for the 2021-2022 winter season for City Council's consideration. Motion to Adopt Item as Amended (Carried)​

See also this link.

Toronto's sidewalk snow clearing process has long been lacking thanks to the fact that only sidewalks outside the downtown core actually get plowed by the city each year, but that's finally going to change.

As a result of a motion passed at city council on Thursday, Nov. 26, the City of Toronto will finally be clearing snow in parts of Old Toronto and East York this winter.

The decision came after city councillor Josh Matlow first introduced the "Clearing the Path Towards a Safe & Accessible Winter" motion earlier this year. Thousands of residents then sent letters, emails and signed a petition calling on the city to introduce an improved snow clearing plan.

Safe and Accessible Sidewalk Snow Clearing Motion Approved! – Thank you to Mayor ⁦@JohnTory⁩, Councillor ⁦@m_layton⁩, city council and the thousands of Torontonians who advocated for the success of this motion. We’re making progress! https://t.co/KYb9bGhTnI
— Josh Matlow (@JoshMatlow) November 26, 2020

The motion failed before the city's infrastructure and environment committee at the beginning of November, but city council was able to overrule that decision this week.

This is far from the first time that politicians, advocates and residents have called on the city to upgrade its snow clearing process. It is the first year, however, that Toronto is going to experience the winter season during a pandemic, so many have argued that sidewalk accessibility is more important than ever.

"It is inequitable that residents in the former cities of North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, and York receive sidewalk snow clearing while the majority of neighbourhoods in Old Toronto and East York do not," reads Matlow's motion.

"This is especially concerning given that the levels of pedestrian traffic are much higher in these areas. Residents of our city's inner suburban areas also frequently walk through downtown and midtown, and rightfully expect safe and accessible sidewalks too."

The city's excuse has long been that they simply don't have the proper equipment to plow the narrow sidewalks in these parts of Toronto, stating that "in older parts of Toronto, narrow sidewalks, obstructions and obstacles prevent plows from working safely."

As a result, sidewalks plows have only cleared about 6,400 km of Toronto's 7,900 km of sidewalks each winter.

But the motion approved by city council includes a recommendation to look into options for new equipment, rendering that argument less valid.

In addition to agreeing to improve snow clearing in Old Toronto and East York, snow removal will also occur on the ActiveTO pilot Destination Danforth bike lanes.

On top of that, the city will also find ways to plow more trails in parks to help residents stay active this winter.

Next steps for the snow clearing plan will see the general manager of transportation services report to the Toronto and East York community council on Dec. 2 with the list of streets that will receive sidewalk snow clearing during the 2020-2021 winter season.

 

[salsa]

The city's excuse has long been that they simply don't have the proper equipment to plow the narrow sidewalks in these parts of Toronto, stating that "in older parts of Toronto, narrow sidewalks, obstructions and obstacles prevent plows from working safely."

As a result, sidewalks plows have only cleared about 6,400 km of Toronto's 7,900 km of sidewalks each winter.

But the motion approved by city council includes a recommendation to look into options for new equipment, rendering that argument less valid.

I believe this is the same excuse to justify not raising this stretch of bike lane to sidewalk level when it was rebuilt, because "it would be too narrow for our equipment". So I look forward to another excuse for sloppiness to be eliminated going forward. Progress!

 

[Northern Light]

An article on the plunging profits of Green P and its impact on the City's revenues (off about 60M).

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/plunge-in-city-parking-revenue-due-to-pandemic-is-staggering-toronto-councillor-says-1.5819967

Buried in the story...........some potential good news:

Drivers may need to look harder for places to park next year though: One of the reports suggests paid parking spots lost to ActiveTO's accelerated bike lane expansion could be replaced by converting one-hour-free spaces to paid parking spots.

"TPA has identified approximately 1,660 potential paid parking spaces that fall into this category," the report reads.

 

[Northern Light]

This seems as good a spot as any to drop a article from The Star on the by-election in Scarborough-Agincourt.

Scarborough-Agincourt byelection candidates support Sheppard subway

There are 26 candidates in the race to replace Jim Karygiannis in Ward 22.

www.thestar.com

The article spends times discussing 3 candidates, and just listing the rest.

Contenders for Jan 15th by-election hilighted by The Start are:

Manna Wong, the district’s public school trustee for six years.

Rocco Achampong, a lawyer.

and Nick Mantas, worked 15 years for Karygiannis, first as federal constituency assistant and then as the ex-councillor’s chief of staff.

Others listed by The Star:

Sharif Ahmed, Rigaud Bastien, David Cheng, Kevin Clarke, Corey David, Jimmy Dagher, Lily Fang, Jonathan Fon, Kevin Haynes, Anthony Internicola, Michael Julihen, Walayat Khan, Serge Khatchadourian, Roland Lin, Christina Liu, Tony Luk, Paul Maguire, Varun Sriskanda, Daniel Trayes, Jeff Vitale, Colin Williams and Yong Wu.

 

[W. K. Lis]

From 1982 to 2003, there were municipal elections in Toronto, every three years. From 2006 to today, there were municipal elections every four years. See link. That's how we ended up with Rob For and his cronies for four years (2010 - 2014).

Maybe it's time to roll back the clock to elections every three years (along with ranked ballots). Better chance to change the members at city council.

 

[DSC]

From 1982 to 2003, there were municipal elections in Toronto, every three years. From 2006 to today, there were municipal elections every four years. See link. That's how we ended up with Rob For and his cronies for four years (2010 - 2014).

Maybe it's time to roll back the clock to elections every three years (along with ranked ballots). Better chance to change the members at city council.

View attachment 286316

The reason for moving to 4 year terms was to allow Councillors to get 'into files' and actually do things. It was also done to reduce costs of elections and allow a Mayor and Council time to actually implement any election promises. . While we have certainly not seen councillors (or mayors) being turfed--out by their electors any more often I see absolutely ZERO reason to return to a 3-year cycle. Electors did not often remove Councillors with the 3-year cycles and do so no more often with the 4-year one. If you want to have Councillor turn-over (and it has pluses and minuses) you just need term-limits.

 

[Northern Light]

The reason for moving to 4 year terms was to allow Councillors to get 'into files' and actually do things. It was also done to reduce costs of elections and allow a Mayor and Council time to actually implement any election promises. . While we have certainly not seen councillors (or mayors) being turfed--out by their electors any more often I see absolutely ZERO reason to return to a 3-year cycle. Electors did not often remove Councillors with the 3-year cycles and do so no more often with the 4-year one. If you want to have Councillor turn-over (and it has pluses and minuses) you just need term-limits.

FWIW, I see some merit in 3-year terms (no shorter); but I wouldn't identify it as a priority.

Where I would prioritize reforms, is stricter donation limits (Toronto does better than most, but still); ranked/run-off ballots, to ensure a candidate clears 50%+1 support for Mayor and Councillor; and I like BC-Style voter recall as well.

That last one is open to abuse and perpetual recalls, but it hasn't happened in BC. They set a very high bar for how many signatures you need, from whom and in what time period.

In so doing they created a clear avenue to remove a sitting politician where political malfeasance is clear, and the public has a clear perspective on same.

Lastly ensure a greater diversity of voices at Council.........I would more tightly control spending in campaigns and provide some municipal 'base' services to any Council contender (ie. the City will supply a website (space+ data transfer), and out-of-the-box kit for building it); in addition I would support term limits, but fairly long ones to allow continuity where the public supports it. I'd cap Councillors and the Mayor at 4 terms (16 years) to ensure eventual turnover.