Toronto City Council Budget Committee, 5 Sep 2017

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From YouTube: Budget Committee - September 5, 2017

Description

Budget Committee, meeting 34, September 5, 2017
Agenda and background materials:
http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/decisionBodyProfile.do?function=doPrepare&meetingId=12192

Meeting Navigation:
0:07:25 - Call to Order

Agenda Items:
0:08:40 - BU34.1 - Capital Variance Report for the Six Month Period Ended June 30, 2017 (Ward All)
0:12:11 - BU34.2 - Operating Variance Report for the Six Month Period Ended June 30, 2017 (Ward All)
0:09:13 - BU34.3 - Reserves and Reserve Funds Variance Report - June 30, 2017 (Ward All)
0:09:27 - BU34.4 - 2016 Development Charge Reserve Fund Statement (Ward All)
0:09:45 - BU34.5 - Capital Budget Re-Allocation Request - Toronto Fire Services Data Architecture and Data Integration Modernization Strategy (Ward All)
0:13:16 - BU34.6 - Tree Protection Enforcement (Ward All)
0:10:23 - BU34.7 - Adjustments and Deferrals/Accelerations to the Parks, Forestry and Recreation 2017 Capital Budget and 2018-2026 Capital Plan (Ward All)
0:10:38 - BU34.8 - Toronto Water 2017 Capital Budget and 2018-2026 Capital Plan Adjustments (Ward All)
0:10:53 - BU34.9 - Adjustment to the 2017-2026 Capital Budget and Plan for Transportation Services: King-Liberty Pedestrian Bridge (Ward All)
0:11:12 - BU34.10 - Transportation Services 2017 Capital Budget Adjustments (Ward All)
0:11:27 - BU34.11 - Facilities 2017 Capital Budget and 2018 - 2026 Capital Plan Adjustments and Accelerations / Deferrals (September) (Ward All)
0:11:44 - BU34.12 - Toronto Public Library - 2017 Capital Budget Adjustments (Second Quarter) (Ward All)

A

Each channel move that and let's do a review of all those in favor. Yes opposed. That's carry B. You will go through the agenda. Bu 34.1 capital variance report for the six month period, ending June, 30th, 2017,.

A

Questions you know what I'm counseling my havoc will move that.

B

If you move approval as you go through or you just say, move.

A

Approval, so if you want to hold it, we can hold it. No, if not, we can approve it now. Right now will approve all in favor. Impose that's carried bu 34.2 I will hold I, have a small amendment that I want to put to that bu 34.3 reserves and reserve funds, variance report, June 30th 2017.

A

Favor, that's carried bu 34 point for the 2016 development charge, reserve funds statement.

A

Counselor havoc on a roll here we will move approval, bu 34 point for all in favor, opposed that's carried bu, 34.5 capital budget, reallocation, request, Tonto, Fire, Services data architecture and data integration, modernization strategy, any questions on that.

A

Seeing no other hands I will actually take counsel with me having favor opposed. That's carried bu 34.6. Actually, I have a small amendment. I don't need to hold it. It's just technical in nature.

A

Okay, I do have questions on that: okay, Campbell, not bu, 34.7 adjustments and deferrals accelerations to the parks, forestry and recreation, 2017 capital budget and 2018 226 capital plan.

A

Councillor campbell will move out on favor of pose. That's carried, bu 34.8 toronto, water, 2017 capital budget in 2018, 26, capital plan adjustments.

A

Counselor Annunziata will move the recommendation on favor opposed. That's carried bu. Thirty, four point: nine adjustments to the 2017 twenty six capital budget and plan for transportation services, the King, Liberty pedestrian bridge questions council may have a good move on favor opposed. That's carried bu, thirty, four point: one: zero transportation services, 2017 capital budget adjustments.

A

Council Annunziata will move that all in favor opposed carried bu. Thirty four point: one one: facilities, 2017 capital budget and 2018 to twenty six capital plan. Adjustments and accelerations deferrals council Annunziata, move that all in favor opposed that's carried.

A

Bu thirty four point: one to toronto: public library, 2017, capital, budget adjustments, Ultima havoc, you know the honors. Yes, all in favor, that's by the way, councilman havoc. This is not normal. Normally, we will ask a lot more questions. So don't think that every time you come in we're going to have a very quick meeting as we get as we get into budget season, you'll you'll notice, there will be many more questions coming in, but okay, we'll go back to bu 34.2 operating variance report for the six month period. I had no questions.

A

I just had an amendment. If anybody there's any questions. First of all, seeing no questions, then I will move and we'll get it up on the screen. That's City! This is a very small amendment that City Council increase to 2017 operating budget for social development and finance and administration by a $50,000, funded from a one-time draw from the tax Stabilization Reserve to be used to fund a youth space enhancement program to target high-risk youth at the dawn Montgomery Community Center.

A

This was originally supposed to the CFO was going to be putting this in the report and a little bit late, so I was moving it on his behalf in the mayor's office. The.

A

Mate this was this was via from the mayor's office, so this was moving that, on their behalf, no on favor oppose that's carried item as amended a favorite pose, that's carried will go to be you 34.6 the tree protection and force protection enforcement council campbell. He had some questions.

B

Question for us, mr. Doyle and his staff can I just what just in terms of the workload you you. You first requested the six temporary positions from I guess it was January to July.

B

Is that not when most of the work is done and required? How do you have a diva breakdown? Or do you do do a you know, sort of like a breakdown of work by month, because you're, asking now for the backend six months of the year and I understand that the response time has been reduced considerably. I think you're down to you know with seven days or something like that, and you know most of the calls are getting answered, but wouldn't the back half of the year be have a considerably lighter workload.

C

Through you speaker, actually in the report, we identify that the the demand for the requests for non-compliance is high, it hasn't decreased, so the calls that are coming in have not decreased, so non-compliance is still at the rate it's always been. There was a spike from 2011 to 2016 of 71 percent in non-compliance, so that funding we had was insufficient. It hasn't decreased. What has increased is our compliance rate, our response rate, so.

B

I get that, but isn't this a seasonal phenomenon that is not typically, you know a high rate of occurrence in the months of November December January February I mean it's not as much construction going on. You know, there's not as many people coming and looking to cut trees threw.

C

The chair to the councilor- that's not correct, so what I'm what's happened here is construction is year round, so hoarding is put up and it could be in place for two years that hoarding, if there's a breakdown in the hoarding or the permit, that the definitions around how the permit was issued so the compliance requirements that could break down at any point in time. What happens is the neighbors example? Is they put hoarding?

C

They put a construction material in the noncom in the restricted zone that has to become that has to come out winter time comes along, snow gets in the in the way compliance breaks down even more. So what we're finding is that, if I drop, the six positions will go back to where we were with non compliance being able to respond to the conditions that the permits we're shooting.

B

So not that I'm asking for this information, but do you have the level and the number of complaints tracked on a monthly basis? I, just wonder if that's something you do.

C

Through the chair we have, we do track the complaints. We have a projected number of complaints that we're anticipating around 1800 for 2018, we've tracked them through our TMS system, on how many that are coming in. So, yes, we do have the number and that's how we're projecting the staff and the resources moving forward in the through the 2018 budget process will be requesting. These go permanent to maintain those service levels. It is again full cost recovery. There's no cost associated with this. The compliance fees cover the cost of the employees, so.

B

An I and the report obviously was written, it was was written, I think originally to request the permanency of those employees going forward, and it says that you're looking to achieve a 72 hour, average response time and I'm wondering. Why is that necessary? That seems that seems quicker than is necessary to me. You're.

C

The chair, so when a permit is issued its conditioned on a certain requirements, if there's a breakdown in those requirements, the neighbors around are impacted, but specifically the tree itself. Soil compaction around a tree. You run at a time if you put a big load of soil up and there's compacting those soils, it's constricting the oxygen levels as significant impacts on the tree. Sometimes, construction damage takes four years to recognize the impact it's had on the tree, so the science behind it suggests that we need to respond in an adequate amount of time.

C

Otherwise, the whole purpose of the private tree below the street tree by law is redundant. If you can't enforce the requirements set to protect the health of the tree. Okay,.

B

No more questions sure thanks, Thank.

A

You councillor D Channel next thank.

D

You, where are these positions being added in which districts.

C

Threw the chair to the councillor it's across the board: it's citywide, okay,.

D

And item number two says to refer the creation of these permanent positions to the 2018 operating budget, but the extension is eight months, so that goes through the budget process for 2018. How would we know to consider whether or not to make this permanent? If we don't see the outcome of what the eight months looks like through the chair to the council, what is the point of making a temporary or we're obviously going to be measuring something or looking at something and analyzing? That is that correct?

D

If not, why they just I'm being made full time now so.

C

Through the chair to councillor, the initial project was to collect that data and and project what we required going forward. We do require the positions going forward to maintain those service levels and adhere to the protection of the of the forest canopy. The recommendation is for council to consider it through the 2018 budget process. Why? It's? Why we're asking for the extension which will give us into February before the budget pressed if council, through its wisdom, suggests that the resources aren't required, then we'll set the service standards accordingly, okay, Thank You.

A

Councillor Nancy Anna questions.

E

These positions exactly what is their? What is their job description? What did they do? What are they going to be doing? Are they gonna be responding to requests as well from people bringing in with crest to Community, Council and removing trees? Is that part of the inspection, or is that just for development, new development.

C

Through the charity counselor, this is a proactive approach. What happens is it's in? It's simply to enforce conditions that permits were granted. What we found and counsel spoke loudly through the 2017 budget process that we there was a significant lack of resources to respond to in adequate protections put around trees in their local neighborhoods. The spike in permit applications was increased by 71 percent, so we create we identified the staff to go out and do proactive enforcement street-by-street to look at breakdown and hoarding issue, stop work, orders and ask for compliance.

C

If there's fail to comply, we issue remedial work and add it to their tax. Again, it's full cost recovery and that's all they'll be doing. Okay.

E

So when an application goes forward to committee of adjustment and it's approved on condition right so there's there's inspections on that particular application ongoing as the development process happens, we.

C

E

Doing because I've had in there there's been some cases where there were conditions put on an application and the the applicant did not meet those conditions and there was no enforcement. So is this what these positions would be doing? You're.

C

The chair to the speaker- yes, this is what those positions will be doing and we be able to respond within 72 hours to enforce compliance of those conditions.

E

A

You counselor none JT any other questions. Seeing none speakers to the item, councillor Carol yeah.

F

I'm very much in support of this item and I'm, pretty confident of its its chances when it gets to Executive Inn in the North District I, don't know about the other districts as well, but in the North District, it's been newsworthy.

F

How under-resourced we are in terms of making sure that conditions are met and also that when we arrive and give a warning or or give new conditions to be met before a stop-work order can be lifted, there aren't enough resources to go back and do that follow-up and councillor Robinson who sits on executive is, is the superstar problem area of this because she has so many large committee of adjustment areas, as well as as large site developments where, where conditions aren't being met and and while we really do have a great system for explaining what needs to be done and developers do just seem to understand what needs to be done.

F

It's those those you know single unit. You know, let's say it monster home areas where it's really only a single-family dwelling site, but our staff need to spend so much time with someone who has just decided. They're gonna be non-compliant from the get-go, and it's the follow-up and the multiple trips that we that we need to be demonstrating to the residents across the street.

F

We just can't do it without the staff resources, so I know that if we, if we adopt this and forward it on to executive council, Robinson's and others, particularly in the North District and that and I daresay, the other districts will well will will understand the need for the resources for us to be able to actually keep people compliant with our policies thanks. Mr. chairman, thank.

A

You any other speakers to the other. I have just a quick technical amendment. I guess to add, is I just want to add to as an underline to the Budget Committee to ensure that this comes to the Budget Committee as part of the 2018 budget process.

A

All in favor, the amendment posed that's carried item as amended on favor oppose that's carried, and that's it a motion to adjourn. It's always an order and two members can get over to the TTS. You know.

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