Highlights from the Toronto City Council meeting of October 26th and 27th, 2009.

Labour disruption costs and savings
Council directed that most of the tax-related net savings arising from this summer’s 39-day labour disruption at the City – a total of $31.1 million – are to be allocated to the 2010 operating budget. Council decided that $4.8 million of the savings are to be used in the 2010 Solid Waste Management budget to offset a proposed two per cent increase to solid waste management fees. Council also decided to use Toronto Water’s net savings of about $1.2 million arising from the labour disruption as part of Toronto Water’s 2010 operating budget. Approximately 24,500 unionized City workers were on strike from June 22 to July 30.

Master plan for parks and recreation facilities
Council directed the Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division to create a master service and infrastructure plan for Toronto’s parks and recreation facilities. The master plan is to include an inventory of parks and recreation facilities that are no longer cost-effective to maintain. Among related directives made in the context of facilities, Council directed City staff to work on a comprehensive, City-wide policy on naming rights and other private funding arrangements.

Annual human rights awards
Council congratulated the recipients of the 2009 City of Toronto Access Equity and Human Rights Awards. This year’s recipients are Kimberly Murray (Aboriginal Affairs Award); John Rae, Birchmount Bluffs Neighbourhood Centre and the Committee for Accessible AIDS Treatment (Access Award); John Campey (Pride Award); Adrienne Shadd, Paul Nguyen and Scadding Court Community Centre (William P. Hubbard Award). Council also confirmed Ann Buller and Sonja Greckol as recipients of the 2009 Constance E. Hamilton Award, as selected by the women members of Council. The award recipients have made significant contributions on access, equity and human rights issues.

Contract for hauling waste to Green Lane Landfill
Council authorized awarding a contract to Verspeeten Cartage Ltd. to haul waste from Toronto’s transfer stations to the City’s new Green Lane Landfill site in Ontario for seven years starting January 1, 2011 (with three additional one-year options). The total estimated seven-year cost (and the lowest contract bid) for the service is $132 million. The City’s current contract for trucking Toronto’s waste to a landfill site in Michigan expires at the end of 2010.

Dogs and Toronto’s beaches
Council decided to amend the parks section of the Toronto Municipal Code to allow people to walk dogs on-leash at City swimming beaches from November 1 to March 31. (Working dogs providing a service are allowed on beaches and other parklands on-leash or off-leash at any time.) Council specified that for Kew-Balmy and Woodbine beaches, dogs are allowed off-leash “below the snow fence line” from November 1 to March 31. The intention of the regulations is to balance the interests of dog owners and the broader public interest in having clean beaches.

Acquisition of property
Council authorized the City’s purchase of a Toronto District School Board property at 819 Sheppard Ave. W. The property includes a school building that will continue to be used by a private school that is leasing the facility. About 1.5 hectares (3.6 acres) of the site consist of open space that the City intends to use as a park – located in an area of Toronto that needs it.