Thread by @GraphicMatt

Toronto Council meets today! Their agenda includes yet another report telling them their financial situation is — surprise! — bad. Also Bike Share price hikes, SmartTrack, docking Matlow’s pay & more.

Streaming live here. I will post things.

For a preview of some of the highlights on the agenda, this week’s @CityHallWatcher has you covered, and it is FREE. toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/chw220

Wait, who’s that sitting in the mayor’s chair for this meeting? As one late former mayor would probably enjoy telling us, it’s Noooooobody.

Deputy Mayor McKelvie is in charge of this council meeting. She’s set the financial report as the first item, with SmartTrack to follow.

A late addition to the agenda: Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie has a motion to donate a 2012 Ford Escape, a 2001 Ford Ranger and a 2014 Chevrolet Tahoe (with sirens and first aid supplies) to Ukraine. secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

A new version of O Canada opens the Council meeting, with an Indigenous verse.

The YouTube auto-captioning has some trouble with the french section of the national anthem, though.

Deputy Mayor McKelvie presents a newly-polished water vessel, received by Council from Indigenous elders at their first meeting of this term, with instructions to polish it. It’ll be kept in the Council chamber as constant reminder of importance of fulfilling promises.

Councillor Mike Colle declares an interest on the Ernst & Young report about Toronto’s financial future, noting that his son Josh Colle — a former city councillor — is now a Senior VP at Ernst & Young.

Six of 25 councillors attending virtually to start this meeting. Later on, Council will debate a staff recommendation to make the virtual participation introduced during COVID a permanent thing for council and committee meetings.

Council votes to GREEN LIGHT the installation of traffic signals at Islington & Price George Drive/Ridgeway Crescent in Councillor Stephen Holyday’s Ward 2. secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

(Curious why Councillor Paula Fletcher asked for a recorded vote on that. Maybe to see if Holyday would vote against it?)

Ah, here we go. Councillor Stephen Holyday is now asking for a recorded vote on this new traffic signal in Scarborough, because this is one that he would like to vote against. secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

Council votes 22-2 to APPROVE installation of traffic signals at Morningside Avenue and Warnsworth Street in Scarborough. secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

Councillor Anthony Perruzza is also attempting to attend this meeting virtually, but his internet connection is so bad he can’t turn his video on. Speaker Frances Nunziata has decided he is not allowed to vote if she can’t see him, so he’s being marked absent.

On a motion from Carroll, Council opts to deal with Ombudsman’s report on encampment clearings as the third item, then refugee shelter funding fourth.

Holyday then schedules debate on the Matlow Integrity report for first-thing Friday. Apparently there’s gonna be a PowerPoint.

The mayor’s seat remains officially un-vacant, as Council opts to punt their vote on officially declaring the seat vacant until tomorrow morning for unclear reasons. The City Clerk says it’d be helpful if Council doesn’t dawdle too much on this one. secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

Council votes 24-0 to adopt the order paper, meaning 91 items not marked as held for debate are now deemed adopted. 83 items remain. The meeting can now begin.

Up first: Ernst & Young has a report on city finances. It’s dire. Experts on municipal finance will say you generally want financial charts to show a line going up, and my analysis on this one suggests it is going… down. secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

Councillor Gord Perks stops the meeting to complain that a member of council is currently conducting a campaign event up in the media gallery. You can see Councillor Brad Bradford, who just declared for mayor this morning, conducting a press gaggle in the top left up there.

Councillor Stephen Holyday points out that the mayor’s seat hasn’t technically been declared vacant yet, so maybe the rules regarding candidates using city resources for campaign purposes does not yet apply. Nunziata says she’ll look into that and issue a ruling.

Back to the city’s finances. The stakes have gotten higher over the last week as neither the provincial or federal budget committed funds to bail out Toronto. That basically exhausts Toronto’s options, unless the UN or Galactic Senate are interested. thestar.com/news/gta/2023/…

City CFO Heather Taylor says there will be no remaining “backstop provision” for the 2024 budget, as Toronto’s reserve funds will basically be depleted. Without prov/fed funding, service reductions will be on the table.

Councillor Matlow asks if the city’s 2023 budget is “truly balanced” given the assumptions of provincial and federal funding did not come through. CFO Heather Taylor says the budget is still balanced, because of the backstop (redirecting capital funds and using reserve funds).

To use a Household Budget Analogy, this is like a family saying they’re still able to afford their grocery bill because they sold their couch & dining room table on Kijiji. Technically true but not sustainable and also has obvious service impact because now there’s nowhere to sit

“We need revenue tools that grow with the economy,” says City Manager Paul Johnson. He’s the fourth consecutive Toronto City Manager to say that, following Joe Pennachetti, Peter Wallace and Chris Murray. Fourth time’s the charm?

Councillor Dianne Saxe asks what council can do to speed up implementation of a commercial parking levy. CFO Heather Taylor says report on revenue tools is coming. Staff are trying to speed it up, so could come to July Council meeting, which will be first meeting under new mayor.

Saxe asks if Council send a request today to Queen’s Park asking for permission to toll the Gardiner and the DVP. Taylor says Council can totally do that. (She doesn’t say it, but everyone’s thinking it: Doug Ford will not like the idea.)

“What do I need to do right now to put us on a course of stability?” Councillor Holyday asks the CFO. CFO says revenue report and long-term financial plan in July will be time for councillors to start making decisions. This report is more just about quantifying the problem.

Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie is the first speaker on the item and has a motion. She moves to request province and feds “recognize the serious financial risks” facing Toronto, and for the province to provide rev tools that grow with the economy.

I like to imagine Ford and Trudeau getting this request and being like, “Whoa, Toronto needs money?!? Why didn’t they say something sooner?”

McKelvie says the city’s property tax notices are being prepared on Friday to start going on. Per a motion made by Tory in December, those notices will include a section noting that the federal government has failed to honour an election commitment to help Toronto financially.

Might help to have a visual, rather than just text. Maybe McKelvie and the Budget Chief depicted shaking their fists at Trudeau, with the caption “BROKEN PROMISES.”

Anyway, that’s lunch! Back at 2 p.m. with more talk of the fiscal doom that will crush our city.

As we wait for Council to come back, the AV team is playing a recording of Minister of Municipal Affairs & Housing Steve Clark congratulating Councillor Frances Nunziata on surpassing some sort of public service milestone. I assume we’ll be getting some sort of presentation.

We are indeed starting with a tribute to Councillor Frances Nunziata, who is receiving a certificate from Clark for 34 years of “long-standing service.” She’s Council’s longest-serving member, notes Deputy Mayor McKelvie.

The audio apparently doesn’t play in the Council chamber. “Well, whatever he said, it was good. But you’re right — where’s the money?!” jokes Nunziata.

And yeah, this is definitely a kind of dissonance. Before lunch, Council was talking about how they’ve been fiscally screwed over (at least in part) by the provincial government. Now they’re warmly playing a video tribute delivered by a high-ranking member of that government. 🤷‍♂️

The prize for surpassing 34 years in municipal politics.

Former councillor (and mayoral candidate) Ana Bailão is in the chamber to support Nunziata, as is former councillor (and lobbyist) Cesar Palacio. It’s like a high school reunion.

Councillor Shelley Carroll previews that she’ll have a motion to add to the agenda later about allowing alcohol in parks. “This motion is urgent because staff need direction now in order to implement bylaw changes this summer.”

Nunziata makes her ruling on whether mayoral candidates can hold media scrums in the council chamber. She says the rules allow for it, even after nominations open, but asks candidates to make sure their scrums don’t disrupt council proceedings — keep ‘em quiet, in other words.

ICEBERG reference! “The last two mayors and their allies have been telling Torontonians we’ve been on a pleasure cruise, but we’ve been on the Titanic. We’ve had city managers over and over again telling us that we’re facing an iceberg,” notes Councillor Josh Matlow.

“When Toronto is spending billions of dollars on political projects, how are we to be taken seriously by anybody?” wonders Matlow, referencing the mega-costly Gardiner East decision and SmartTrack. (“The most expensive rebranding exercise in the history of this city.”)

Councillor Shelley Carroll, who has been rightly sounding the alarm about Toronto’s fiscal sustainability for a long time, says “what we need is a fundamental redrawing of the formula — and a real big city ability to sustain ourselves.”

Councillor Jon Burnside is reading a list of Liberal MPs (plus two independents who ran as Liberals) from Toronto ridings, with a big sigh before he says “Chrystia Freeland.” He says they must “start fighting for the city they supposedly love.”

Councillor Lily Cheng moves for the City Manager to create a program where delegations of councillors meet with MPs and MPPs to talk about the budget.

Councillor Cheng says as a new councillor she was “shocked” by the reality of Toronto’s fiscal situation. (This is one of my pet peeves: all the budget information is public! Just read it before you run for office! Don’t wait for a staff briefing!)

My Star column this week touches on this. Literally, all the major pieces of budget information are public. You don’t get bestowed a secret scroll with the real numbers when you get elected. Candidates can (and should) give us credible fiscal plans. thestar.com/opinion/contri…

Councillor Stephen Holyday has some motions. He wants staff to report on the $1.1 billion annually the city spends to extend social services offered by the provincial/federal governments, and whether the city could maybe not spend that money.

Holyday also moves for reports to indicate whether city programs related to health & safety, are legislated, or are council-directed.

And for a comparison of city responsibilities versus spending.

And for the province to send an auditor to review all city operations.

Holyday, always one for visual aids, extends his finger into a point, then notes that when you point one finger, three fingers are pointed back at you. Revelatory. He thinks before city goes to other levels of government, they should look back at themselves.

Councillor Gord Perks points out that Holyday’s motions effectively call for a “Core Service Review”, which the city already did in 2011. He further notes that the Auditor reviewed the Core Service Review and found the city spent more on consultants than they found in savings.

Councillor Gary Crawford, the Budget Chief, moves that Council support Deputy Mayor McKelvie as she negotiates with the federal and provincial governments — until the by-election gives us a new mayor.

Councillor Paula Fletcher moves for the City Manager and the CFO to create “appropriate information packages” for councillors who want to talk city finances with MPs and MPPs.

Deputy Mayor McKelvie’s motion to request the province and feds recognize the seriousness of Toronto’s financial crisis — and that province give Toronto revenue tools that grow with economy — CARRIES 22-1.

Councillor Cheng’s motion that the city convene delegations of councillors to go talk to MPs and MPPs CARRIES 15-8.

Councillor Holyday’s motion that the city report on the $1.1 billion it spends annually to enhance provincial and federal programs (and whether it could stop doing that, or do it less) CARRIES 13-10.

Holyday’s motion that staff identify whether programs are related to Health & Safety, legislated requirements, or council-directed priorities in the “Financial Impact” section of reports CARRIES 15-8.

Holyday’s motion to invite the provincial government to send their independent auditor to review the entirety of the city’s operations FAILS 4-20. Blaze it.

Holyday’s motion to request that the city report with a comparison of its budgeted spending versus its legislated responsibilities FAILS on a tie, 12-12.

Councillor Crawford’s motion that Council support Deputy Mayor McKelvie as she negotiates with the provincial and federal government during this mayor-less limbo period CARRIES 23-1.

Councillor Fletcher’s motion that staff create info packages on the city’s financial crisis that councillors can share with MPs and MPPs CARRIES 24-0.

And that’s all for this edition of Toronto’s Fiscal Crisis. Next episode is set for the July Council meeting, when councillors and the new mayor will deal with a report on revenue tools and a new long-term fiscal plan.

Councillor Paula Fletcher rises to confess she accidentally held the item declaring the mayor’s office vacant. She wants to just release it now. So Council votes via SHOW OF HANDS to formally and officially put an end to the John Tory mayoralty.

Moving on, Councillor Shelley Carroll intros her Booze-in-Parks motion, noting that this is just about lining up the timing so that Council has the option of permitting some drinking in parks as a pilot project this summer. It doesn’t commit Council to anything.

Carroll’s motion about alcohol in parks gets added to the agenda on a 19-5 vote. It needed two-thirds, and got it. Council will come back to it later.

Up now: it’s SmartTrack, SmartTrack, S-M-R-T Track. Staff want council to authorize a request to the province to pay for ~$234 million in cost overruns for the project, which has dwindled down to five new GO stations. Deputy Mayor McKelvie says she’s hoping for unanimous support.

Councillor Lily Cheng notes she’s attending this meeting virtually from Taipei, where it is currently 4:03 a.m. She notes Taipei transit projects were paid for by the central gov, and if they can get money for transit from a central gov, Toronto should push for the same.

Councillor Gord Perks moves that the City stop referring to any GO Transit projects as “SmartTrack.”

“I think that’s self-evident and that’s all I have to say,” Perks says, sitting down.

Cheng asks Perks what this project should be referred to, if not SmartTrack. “You might as well call it the Tooth Fairy Track, or something like that — but I’m happy with GO Transit,” says Perks, noting the province should have designed this, built this, and paid for this.

Bravo suggests the city just refer to "SmartTrack" stations as "provincial GO transit projects." Perks agrees to amend his motion.

"Thank you for your flexibility," says Bravo.

"That's me," says Perks. "I'm Gumby. I once was a little gob of clay. Let's see what I can do today"

Matlow calls SmartTrack a “campaign ploy.”

“It wasn’t honest. It wasn’t real. It never should have been called SmartTrack. it was a $1.4 billion branding exercise so John Tory could win the election, and we literally are paying for that today.”

Councillor Thompson is the first (and only) councillor to go to bat for keeping “SmartTrack” as a name. “To suggest that we throw that all away and call it something else — it diminishes our investment.” He also says it “may complicate some of the legalese.”

But SmartTrack LIVES.

Councillor Perks’ motion to discontinue use of the “SmartTrack” brand and just call these new stations “GO Transit provincial projects” FAILS 10-15.

Bit surprised by that one. John Tory’s gone. Why would you want to keep his brand?

Council votes 24-1 to authorize staff to negotiate with the provincial government for the ~$234 million needed to pay for still-called-SmartTrack cost overruns.

Up now: Ombudsman Kwame Addo has issued a report on the city’s 2021 violent clearing of encampments in Trinity Bellwoods, Alexandra Park, and Lamport Stadium park. He found City “caused undue confusion and harm” and that there was “significant unfairness.” secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

Basically, the city selected the “Office of Emergency Management” (OEM) to deal with encampments but “OEM had no prior experience in encampments or clearing encampments, and, by its own admission, is not an expert in shelter and housing.” Not ideal.

Also, from the Ombudsman’s report: “There was also no evidence to suggest that encampments were in fact an emergency requiring such an urgent level of response.”

How much will change remains TBD, of course. It’s notable that the OEM saw the biggest divisional budget increase (by percentage) in Toronto’s 2023 operating budget, with ten new positions to “support the management of encampments.” datawrapper.de/_/dR1S9/

Another bit of this report that jumped out to me was the reference to the City Manager saying the encampments should be cleared with “war-time speed.” (“War-time speed” was a phrase Tory became very fond of during the pandemic.)

Councillors are asking about the “Dufferin Grove” model for encampments, which the Ombudsman specifically calls encouraging. Here’s the section of the report on that.

Councillor Matlow asks Deputy City Manager Tracey Cook to define a “safe indoor space.” She says that City shelter spaces meet the definition. Cook says she can’t say whether or not individuals feel safe, but believes the program as a whole offers safe indoor spaces.

After Matlow says the encampments were cleared “violently”, Cook says, “I would appreciate no characterization of the violence if you don’t mind.” She reiterates that she believes the shelter system is safe. “I don’t believe this city council would abide an unsafe operation.”

“Are you suggesting on behalf of the city that the city’s position is that those encampment clearings were not violent?”

Cook says she doesn’t condone violence.

“People were beaten,” says Matlow.

“Through you, Madame Speaker, we’re getting off track,” says Cook.

If you missed the story, Cook is retiring in May. thestar.com/news/city_hall…

Councillor Dianne Saxe asks SSHA GM Gord Tanner asks when Council will know how much it will cost him to implement all of the Ombudsman’s recommendations. Tanner says most of the costs will relate to building/operating new supportive housing. Cost analysis to come later.

Councillor Jon Burnside, who worked in the Deputy Manager’s office to help with the encampment response before being elected again last fall, is now asking questions of Cook and the Ombudsman.

Alas, we won’t get to speeches and motions tonight. Council calls it quits for the day. Back tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. when the meeting (and this thread) shall continue.

Council is rousing for day two of their March meeting. They’ll either continue with the encampment debate or switch over to their timed item, a TTC request to withdraw $15 million from their reserves to put toward safety measures.

Streaming live here:

Quick programming note: for those of you who prefer prehistoric proboscidea to little blue birds, I am also doing live coverage of this meeting here: mastodon.social/@GraphicMatt

Council starts with a presentation. Apparently the City has received a coveted Platinum Certificate for achieving ISO 37120 by the World Council on City Data. I don’t believe this award is yet part of the EGOT. But Toronto has achieved it for eight consecutive years.

Drug scandal, sex scandal, corruption scandal, bankruptcy? (We’re three for four!)

https://twitter.com/FS_Wachter/status/1641439166885146624

Council is moving to the transit safety item. TTC CEO Rick Leary is here to give a presentation about safety. secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

Leary extends condolences to family of Gabriel Magalhaes, who was fatally stabbed on the subway over the weekend. He says they’ve deployed more employees and made them more visible, added Streets to Homes workers. Police, TTC, dep mayor’s office, unions having weekly meetings.

Leary says he and TTC Chair Jon Burnside they have plans to launch a focus group of women to “discuss ways to improve safety and security on our system.” Also promises regular customer surveys.

Councillor Paula Fletcher asks about the TTC budgeting $1 million for midday streetcar cleaning. How many employees is that paying for? TTC say it’s not internal hires — it’s a cleaning service they’ve hired to come in and do the job.

Deputy Mayor McKelvie asks rep from Toronto Police about their patrols of the TTC this year. Deputy Chief Lauren Pogue says they’ve made 363 arrests and 237 referrals, and continue to have a presence on the TTC even though the overtime program has ended.

Staff clarify that TTC is asking Council to authorize drawing up to $15 million from the reserve fund. The TTC also wants Council to give Leary emergency authority to spend up to $15 million to award contracts for safety and security without the need to first seek board approval.

Here’s what the TTC has spent to date on unbudgeted safety and security initiatives. The idea is that Leary’s increased spending authority (from the reserve fund) could buy more stuff like this.

Nunziata notes Council has lost quorum during debate on TTC safety. There were briefly not enough members here to continue. Quorum call reveals 16 members in the chamber or online. Absences are Bradford, Crawford, Crisanti, Mantas, Moise, Perks, Perruzza, Robinson and Thompson.

Councillor Ainslie asks about cell service in the subway tunnels. He’s heard from Rogers and Bell that the infrastructure installed by BAI is out of date. Leary says there are discussions ongoing to get the major telcos on board and update the infrastructure.

Shelter & Housing GM Gord Tanner takes aim at Ford gov: “This provincial budget came down with no strategy on homelessness, no strategy to boost the incomes of people who are living in poverty in this province, and no fundamental changes to lead us in the direction we need to go”

Tanner adds that if things continue on the course they’re on, the City and Council will need to have conversations come January about actually reducing the number of shelter beds available in Toronto.

“Does the TTC see a correlation between service levels and safety?” asks Councillor Ausma Malik. Leary says no. He says the number of violent incidents was actually higher before the recent service reductions. He refers to the “randomness of the criminality.”

Malik points out the TTC reduced service to save about $46.5 million, and now Council is being asked to approve spending about 1/3 of that amount on safety initiatives. Wouldn’t it make more sense to just fund more service? Leary says this is for specific targeted initiatives.

Councillor Stephen Holyday is displaying a photo of a glass pipe on his iPad, saying he recently saw someone using one on the subway.

“What is that?"

“It appears to be a mechanism to utilize narcotics,” says Deputy Police Chief Pogue.

“Drugs!” says Holyday.

Councillor Anthony Perruzza asks when he’s going to be able to use his cell phone in the subway. Leary says he doesn’t have a “good answer.” TTC is still trying to “shame” big telcos to get on board. (If only we had a mayor with some connections to one of the big cell companies!)

Deputy Mayor McKelvie has a long motion to endorse the work of the TTC and the cops to improve safety on transit, and call on prov/feds to change the bail system, invest in social supports. She also calls on all cell providers to provide service across the TTC.

Here’s the full text of the McKelvie motion.

https://twitter.com/TorontoCouncil/status/1641474277437493249

Councillor Perks asks McKelvie about the part of her motion calling for changes to the bail system. He asks if she consulted with Indigenous & Black communities and people living in poverty before drafting this motion, because he’s concerned it could “reinforce systemic racism.”

McKelvie says her understanding is that process of changing the bail system will include consultation, and that it’s important to make sure people “we know will reoffend” remain locked up. Perks says words “immediate action” in her motion could contradict desire for consultation.

Councillor Bravo asks if McKelvie would be willing to take the words “immediate action” out of the bail reform motion. McKelvie says “action” can take many forms, including consultation, and she doesn’t want to change the wording to make the situation seem less urgent.

Council breaks for lunch. Back at 2 p.m. to complete the debate on TTC safety and Rick Leary’s quest for authority to spend $15 million.

Council returns. But before returning to the TTC safety debate, they’re going to honour Team Canada Tennis for winning the Davis Cup.

Council is now dealing with member motions. Councillor Ausma Malik’s motion to consult with Indigenous communities regarding street names, park names, etc in the Port Lands CARRIES via a show of hands.

Councillor Paul Ainslie’s motion to support high-speed rail between Montreal and Toronto (mirroring a motion passed by the City of Montreal) also gets APPROVED via show of hands. secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

Councillor Paula Fletcher’s motion for a report on balancing the fines for fare evasion so they’re more in line with the fines for parking tickets is added to the agenda on a 19-6 vote. Councillor Carroll holds it for debate later. secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

Councillor Dianne Saxe’s motion for a report on requiring e-bikes and scooters being used for commercial purposes (like couriers) to “bear a unique identifier” gets added to the agenda and held for debate. secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

Councillor Moise’s motion requesting Metrolinx stop conducting so much of their board meetings in private session is added to the agenda. Councillor Perks holds it for debate. secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie’s motion for a report on adding 75 more photo radar cameras and making general improvements to the automated speed enforcement program CARRIES 25-0. secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

Councillor Lily Cheng’s motion to explore the creation of an Iranian Cultural District in Willowdale CARRIES 25-0. secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

Councillor Alejandra Bravo’s motion calling on the next mayor to NOT use strong mayor veto powers gets added to the agenda. Bravo holds it for debate. secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

Bravo’s motion calling on the next mayor to not make fundamental changes to City Council without first talking to City Council is also added to the agenda and held. secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

Councillor Matlow’s motion calling for the city to pause new contracts related to the Gardiner East contract, so the city can conduct a comprehensive review of the project and alternatives, makes the agenda, 20-5. Thompson holds it. secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

Here’s some news: Council has finally received details about the audit the province wants to conduct on the fiscal impact of Bill 23 for Toronto. A motion from McKelvie recommends Council adopt the Terms of Reference. Perruzza holds it for debate. secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

Councillor Carroll’s motion requesting the province reverse its decision to end the healthcare program for uninsured people CARRIES 24-1. secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

Carroll’s motion related to drinking in parks is held for debate by Councillor Gord Perks. They’ll come back to it. secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

There are now 43 items left on the agenda. Council returns to a big one, about TTC safety and the TTC CEO’s request to get authority to spend up to $15 million on safety-related initiatives : secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

Councillor Stephen Holyday has a motion. He wants a report on establishing a police unit dedicated to patrolling the TTC with at least 80 officers.

Holyday compares the current sentiment of uneasiness in the city to the time period during SARS, and following the 9/11 attacks.

Holyday also wants the City Manager to look at what other cities, including NYC, are doing to address transit security.

Holyday points to the police making 300 arrests in six weeks when they were doing overtime patrols on the TTC. “They found a gun! Do you not think that’s value?” On the $1.5 million monthly cost, he says it’s not a “big ask” to find that amount in the city’s budget.

Councillor Jamaal Myers thanks Holyday for his concern about safety on transit, then adds, “I wish that concern extended to people on our roads.”

Myers asks Holyday how he’d pay for this special TTC police unit. Holyday says his motion asks for the City Manager to produce some options for budget offsets — places where budgets could be cut to make room for these police officers.

Myers asks Holyday if maybe this kind of money could be better spent on providing more frequent service or providing mental health resources. Holyday says service reductions are due to reduced ridership, which in his view has been reduced because riders feel unsafe.

Holyday complains about a “lack of courage around council” to support his motion to create a special police unit focused on the TTC.

Councillor Paula Fletcher has a motion requesting the TTC be “guided in their approach” to safety & security by the recommendation in the recent Ombudsman report on encampment clearing.

She also wants a report on any impediments to accessing TTC wifi.

(Fletcher’s subsequent remarks on the second part of her motion make it clear she is using “wifi” as a shorthand for “cell service.”)

Councillor Holyday wants Fletcher to make her motion clear as to whether she means wifi, cellular voice, or cellular data — or some combination of the three. She agrees to fix the wording.

Councillor Josh Matlow moves for a report with a strategy to address the root causes of violence on the TTC and in the community.

Councillor Amber Morley has a long motion, requesting the TTC to develop a 5-year safety strategy (with an equity impact analysis), establish a safety advisory committee, and to develop guidelines for data collection.

Councillor Paul Ainslie has a motion requesting the TTC CEO provide a “comprehensive briefing note” on the wifi and telecom network used in the transit system, with a report to the June meeting of Executive Committee.

Councillor Mike Colle moves to create a Multi-Government Transit and Community Safety Task Force. MGTCSTF? Need to workshop the acronym.

Councillor Colle says federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, a Toronto MP, has “turned her back on Toronto.” He says he’s “disgusted” by the federal government for not providing funds in their budget for Toronto. “What the hell are you doing in Toronto as a federal MP?!”

Councillor Gord Perks has a motion. Instead of letting the TTC CEO spend up to $15 million for safety initiatives, he wants to authorize the City Manager to spend up to $15 million on additional housing allowances, enhanced drop-ins, and to create more shelter spaces.

“What inquest after inquest after inquest has determined is that if you want to deal with this problem, the most important thing is secure, safe housing,” says Perks.

Councillor Lily Cheng moves for staff to report on the data they’ve collected related to homeless people on the TTC, and to investigate creating a hub within or near a TTC station where people can get support.

The Councillor Anthony Perruzza experience is rolling now. “I have Bell! So my Bell Service — or Rogers? I don’t know who I have. Rogers? Rogers. So Rogers, whenever I get into a subway, DENIES me a connection. Where’s the customer service?”

Perruzza says in his “younger, more petulant days” he’d be moving motions to switch all the city’s cell service to Freedom Mobile, or to put ads on buses telling people to cancel Rogers plans. But “older, wiser” Perruzza hears the TTC is working on it, so he’s willing to wait.

Councillor Jamaal Myers moves for the TTC to develop a strategy to help riders report incidents of Anti-Asian hate on the TTC, and to provide signage in appropriate languages across the system.

“What’s been missing in our city — and I’ve been saying it for YEARS — is sustainable, proactive police presence, in our transit system and city-wide,” declares Councillor Vince Crisanti.

Councillor Alejandra Bravo points to the interview the mother of Gabriel Magalhaes gave to the CBC following her son’s death: “We need more social services. We need more investment into physical and mental health. We need more supports for housing.” cbc.ca/news/canada/to…

Councillor Chris Moise moves to amend the Myers motion so, in addition to being about anti-Asian hate, it also includes other forms of racism, homophobia, transphobia, etc.

Councillor Brad Bradford moves to request the provincial government spend more on probation and parole officers in Toronto, Community Reintegration Officers and better data sharing between the cops and the court system.

With so many motions for reports made today, Councillor Shelley Carroll moves that the City Manager try to coordinate the reports so they all come to Council at the same time. It’s a Meta Motion.

Carroll describes the Perks motion as “blackmail”, saying staff are already preparing a report on housing supports, drop-in spaces, shelter beds, etc. She urges councillors to vote it down, even if it means some people will point to their votes as a vote against housing.

Time to vote! Councillor Gord Perks’ motion to NOT authorize the TTC CEO to spend up to $15 million on safety and security measures, and instead spend up to $15 million on housing allowances, drop-in spaces and shelter beds FAILS 8-17.

Deputy Mayor McKelvie’s motion to urge the federal government to take immediate action to strengthen the bail system CARRIES 20-5.

Remainder of McKelvie’s motion, endorsing the work of the TTC, police and city staff to improve safety, requesting provincial and federal funds, and urging the cell companies to get on board with providing service on the TTC CARRIES 25-0.

Councillor Holyday’s motion for a report on creating a special police unit of at least 80 officers to patrol the TTC FAILS 10-15.

Holyday’s motion to request the City Manager look at what other cities, including NYC, are doing to make transit safer, CARRIES via a show of hands.

Councillor Paula Fletcher’s motion that the TTC consider the Ombudsman’s report on encampments when planning their various safety initiatives, and report on impediments to providing cell service, CARRIES 23-2.

Councillor Matlow’s motion calling for a report on addressing the root causes of violence on the TTC and in the community CARRIES 25-0.

Councillor Morley’s motion a five-year system safety strategy CARRIES via show of hands. As does Ainslie’s request for a briefing note about the problems with offering cell service, and Colle’s motion to look at creating a Safety Task Force.

Councillor Lily Cheng’s motion to look at creating a hub in or near transit stations where people can access support services FAILS 10-15.

Councillor Moise’s amendment to the Myers’ motion broadening it to more than just anti-Asian Hate carries via show of hands. The Myers motion for the TTC to provide resources to riders on what to do when they encounter an incident of hate carries via a show of hands too.

Bradford’s motion requesting more probation and parole officers and other supports from the province carries via a show of hands.

Councillor Carroll’s motion for the City Manager to sort through all these report requests and try to report back in one omni-report at the same time CARRIES 24-1.

And the item as amended carries via show of hands. TTC CEO Rick Leary gets authorization to spend up to $15 million from a reserve fund to sign and extend contracts related to safety and security.

Perks releases the item authorizing a contract to install new streetcar track on Adelaide Street, adding this comment: “If you ever wanted proof that Metrolinx doesn’t know how to do transit and we do, read this report.” It carries via show of hands. secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie moves to extend the meeting until 8 p.m., after a 30-minute dinner break at 6.

Councillor Perruzza notes there’s a vigil tonight that a lot of councillors want to attend, and maybe it’d be better to just call it quits now since they’re coming back tomorrow anyway.

He made a good point, I guess. Vote to extend until 8 FAILS 13-10. It needed two-thirds.

“Are you guys serious?” says Nunziata. She says Councillors who voted no have to be prepared to come back Monday and Tuesday to finish this agenda.

Councillor Matlow moves to go until 7 as a compromise. Always finding the middle ground! That carries via a show of hands.

Council moves on to an item about the costs of refugee shelters. Councillor Stephen Holyday moves to “terminate the Sanctuary City policy.” secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

The Sanctuary City policy means that somebody who is undocumented can call 911 or access a shelter space without fear that they or their family will be deported.

Holyday’s motion to terminate Toronto’s status as a Sanctuary City FAILS 1-20. Okay then.

Up now: should virtual participation in council and committee meetings become a permanent thing? Councillor Jaye Robinson asks the Medical Officer if COVID is over. De Villa says the pandemic is not yet over, and there could be future waves. secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

Well, that didn’t really get anywhere. After asking a few more questions about the state of COVID and the particulars of online meetings, Nunziata decides to call it a night.

Back tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. And then back on Monday, I guess? And Tuesday? Endless Council!

It’s time to return to The Never-Ending Council. Brace yourselves for a sad scene where a horse gets stuck in some mud. The schedule calls for today to begin with a discussion of the integrity commish’s report on Josh Matlow’s tweets.

Streaming live here:

But first, sports! Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie pays tribute to the Toronto Six hockey team, who recently won the Isobel Cup. “It’s not every day Toronto gets to celebrate a hockey championship” she says, understating it.

Photo with the Isobel cup, which is named in honour of Lady Isobel Gathorne-Hardy, one of the first women to play the game and the daughter of Lord Stanley — who rumours say has his own hockey trophy. (As a Toronto resident, I wouldn’t know.)

Councillor Michael Thompson rises to pay tribute to retiring CTV journalist Austin Delaney. “If you have not been Delany-ied, you’ve missed a great opportunity to witness someone who has great integrity as a reporter.”

Councillor Mike Colle rises to acknowledge the International Transgender Day of Visibility. “Giving what’s happening to people in the United States and all over the world — in Africa, Uganda — I think it’s important to mark this day and pray and support our transgender citizens.”

Frances Nunziata notes that to allow for religious observance related to sundown, Council’s meeting today must conclude by 6:30 p.m. There are 36 items left on the agenda. It’s a race against time.

Up first: Did Josh Matlow cross the line when he posted tweets criticizing city staff? Does he deserve to be docked ten days pay as a result? The Integrity Commissioner says yes to both questions. secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

Here are the two tweets in question. Integrity Commish Jonathan Batty found the first violated the Code of Conduct related to respecting staff and discreditable conduct. The second violated sections related to respecting staff and “reprisals and obstructions.”

Councillor Jaye Robinson asks the Integrity Commissioner if staff are able to respond to critical posts on social tweets. Batty says he doesn’t have jurisdiction over the rules for staff, but generally staffers are told to keep neutral.

Interesting to consider this debate in context of the smaller Council. With fewer councillors having less bandwidth/time for taking on additional roles, staffers like Cook and Romoff have taken on increasingly more public role, and that tends to come with criticism.

In the previous era, you might have seen the mayor name a councillor to be responsible for an issue like encampments or park maintenance. That probably still should have happened with these files, but I can understand why councillors wouldn’t be lining up to take on those roles.

“With Social media — whatever platform it is — we haven’t entered the wild west. Social norms still apply. And the code of conduct still applies,” says Integrity Commish Batty. So no cowboy stuff, I guess.

On questioning from Perks about Matlow’s “I don’t appreciate being lied to” tweet, Integrity Commissioner Batty says he received “no direct evidence” from Matlow that staffers were knowingly lying — rather, he says there was some confusion about the status of some park washrooms.

Asked by Matlow about the appendix from his report with text message transcripts where Tory staffer Tasnia Khan was asking GM of Parks Janie Romoff for “good data that paints PFR positively” re: park washrooms, Batty says he read the text as a request for expedited data.

“How is that simply asking staff to expedite information — is it not more?” asks Matlow. Batty says he understands the argument, but doesn’t agree with it. He only included the appendix because he knew it would be part of Matlow’s defence. “I could have just excluded them.”

Councillor Jamaal Myers also has questions about the “good data” text between the mayoral staffer and the parks GM. “Do you think a statement like that might be grounds for an inquiry?” Batty says he’s uncomfortable making these kinds of rulings on the stop, so “it depends.”

“My message to everyone in this room is to look in the mirror once in a while, and to think about how our comments can get carried by, and what our relationship looks like in staff in a public forum like this,” says Councillor Holyday.

Councillor James Pasternak moves to delete the part of the recommendation that docks Matlow of ten days pay, leaving the punishment as a simple reprimand.

I expected this. Matlow’s not the most popular guy with his Council colleagues, but there’s always been great concern about opening the pandora’s box that comes with suspending councillors and reducing their pay.

“Any seasoned elected official, knowing the resources we have in parks operations, knowing the constraints on our capital & state of good repair, would know that having every single washroom up and running by a set date, is totally unrealistic,” notes Pasternak.

Really shooting for the stars when it comes to public service there. Basically, “look, we knowingly underfund this stuff so there can’t be a reasonable expectation that stuff actually works.”

But Pasternak adds he is “rabidly against the ‘cancel culture’ that says there are no second changes” so that’s partly why he’s moved the motion.

Councillor Jon Burnside says this report is about “bullying — plain and simple” describing Matlow’s tweets as like “punching people in the face who can’t punch back.”

Councillor Gord Perks is especially troubled by the text transcripts in the report, saying staff shouldn’t only share data with council if it’s good — staff should share data and council should decide if it’s good.

But Perks adds that it’s “just wrong” to accuse a public servant of lying when there’s no evidence. “To call public servants liars when you have no evidence that they’re lying, that leads us down the path to the ugly government to the south of us. And I will not let that go.”

Councillor Matlow is up now to defend himself. He says with the tweet re: Cook, he was merely explaining his vote against appointing her as interim City Manager. “I believe that accountability when we vote is necessary — I was candid, I was honest.”

With the “I don’t appreciate being lied to” tweet, Matlow acknowledges he should have used a different word instead of “lied.” He says he was frustrated that the information provided, via urging from the mayor’s office, was apparently not accurate.

Deputy Mayor McKelvie says she’ll be supporting the Integrity Commissioner’s recommendation to dock Matlow’s pay today. “And I take a lesson learned from this too that maybe I also need to be a little more nice — I think we could use a whole lot more of that around here.”

Councillor Brad Bradford — who, like Matlow, is running for mayor — calls this “an important reminder about conduct.” He says councillors shouldn’t “go out and blast people on Twitter — they don’t have a chance to defend themselves.” He calls this a “slippery slope.”

Time to vote. Councillor James Pasternak stands and suddenly withdraws his motion, so there’s no motion to NOT dock Matlow’s pay.

The Integrity Commissioner’s recommendation to reprimand Councillor Josh Matlow and dock his pay for ten days over tweets about city staff CARRIES 22-2.

Ohhhh man. City Solicitor rises to say “I believe Councillor Matlow was prohibited by law from voting on that motion.”

Matlow asks the Integrity Commissioner to weigh in. Batty says his understanding that Matlow IS entitled to vote on the matter, and he advised Matlow with that advice.

City Solicitor Wendy Walberg says she’ll have this conversation with the Integrity Commissioner offline. Bomb defused. For now.

City Manager Paul Johnson rises to say it’s troubling that Matlow said the “vast majority” of senior staff live up to council’s standards, because it implies that some do not live up to those standards.

The City Manager gets a standing ovation from councillors. “And I also think we should give a big hug to Tracey [Cook],” adds Nunziata.

Rather than a hug, she gets a standing ovation too.

Circling back, the Integrity Commissioner says he now believes the ‘technical provision’ is that Matlow was NOT entitled to vote on his report and recommendation. Batty says it’s his mistake, as he specifically advised Matlow he was allowed to vote on it.

The City Clerk says he recommends Council take another vote on the matter, though he notes the original vote will also be recorded in the meeting minutes. Matlow asks if he needs to formally declare a conflict of interest. Clerk says no.

Okay then. Re-vote to reprimand Councillor Josh Matlow and dock his pay ten days over his tweets about staff CARRIES 22-1.

After dealing with some quick items, Council breaks for lunch until 1:40 p.m.

I’m going to be on the road this afternoon, so coverage of the remainder of the meeting may be a bit spotty, but I’ll catch you up on all the major votes eventually — promise.

Council’s back and debating virtual participation. Burnside, arguing that getting people back into downtown offices is an important part of economic recovery, has moved to only permit councillors to attend virtually for medical reasons, emergencies, and during city biz travel.

Councillor Alejandra Bravo, saying she’d prefer everyone was participating in person, has moved to extend electronic meeting participation until the end of October 2023, as a compromise.

Councillor Paul Ainslie, who is attending virtually today — he notes his background makes it look like he’s on Toronto Island, but don’t be fooled he’s actually in eastern Scarborough — says virtual council participation makes it way easier to attend meetings in his ward.

Ainslie also makes the important point that virtual participation has made it way easier for people to make deputations. Previously, they’d often have to take time off work to come to city hall and wait around until their item came up at committee.

Perruzza: “Who’s watched the Captain America movies? Well, not the Captain America movies, but those futuristic movies where there’s a governing body residing on different planets and they all come together digitally and have a meeting, right? It’s kinda headed that way, isn’t?”

Councillor Frances Nunziata says their constituents like to see their councillors working and “we have to support the businesses downtown,” she says, arguing that virtual participation should be allowed for a health issue or an emergency, but “this is our job to be here!”

“There are businesses downtown that are dying - they need people downtown,” Nunziata says. “I can’t believe any of the mayoral candidates are saying ‘it’s okay to be virtual!’” She says if people see councillors sitting at home, “I’m sorry — that’s not working.”

Councillor Stephen Holyday moves that, despite any “procedural rules”, Council members be urged to attend meetings in person. “We don’t have to codify it in the municipal code,” he says, arguing that opens the door to conflict.

Councillor Brad Bradford calls the question, seeking to end this debate and move to the vote. That CARRIES 16-8.

Deputy Mayor McKelvie’s motion to extend the time allowed to achieve quorum from 15 minutes to 30 minutes for local board meetings CARRIES 20-4.

Councillor Burnside’s motion to only allow virtual participation for medical reasons, emergencies and during city business travel FAILS 9-15.

Councillor Bravo’s motion to NOT make virtual participation permanent and instead just extend the temporary virtual participation rules until October 2023 FAILS 11-13.

Councillor Holyday’s motion to, despite any procedural rules, encourage councillors to show up for meetings in person, CARRIES 20-4.

Item as amended carries via show of hands. Virtual participation in Council and committee meetings becomes permanent.

On an item about using city resources during the campaign period, Councillor Michael Thompson moves to urge councillors who run for mayor to consider donating their salaries to salaries to charities or the city itself. secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

Thompson’s motion urging councillors who run for mayor to consider donating their salaries to charity or the city CARRIES 17-6.

While I was away, Council earlier approved a study on extending the College Street bike lanes. 23-1.

Council also approved the new, higher rates for Bike Share usage and membership, with a motion by Saxe allowing people to pay annual membership in instalments, and a motion by Morley requesting a report on an equity-based affordable rate plan for e-bikes. secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

Council votes 14-7 to state their objection to closing provincial courthouses as part of an effort to centralize the justice system. secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

“To use a term from UNCLE BEN in SPIDER-MAN, ‘with great power comes great responsibility,’” proclaims Councillor Anthony Perruzza, arguing that the provincial and federal governments have a responsibility to use their powers to help Toronto with its financial crisis.

After Councillor Perruzza invites Premier Doug Ford to go on a gravy-hunting search with him (promising he won’t find any), Council votes 21-1 to adopt the Terms of Reference for the province’s Bill 23 audit. secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

Catching up on some votes I missed this afternoon. Councillor Josh Matlow’s motion that Council “endorse the goal of providing affordable housing and safe indoor space so that no one is forced to live in an encampment as a last resort” LOST 9-14. secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

Council instead voted to ADOPT a Deputy Mayor McKelvie motion that “City Council endorse the goal of no encampments in the City of Toronto.”

This was an eventful debate, capped off by Nunziata asking the Ombudsman if he’d agree with her that “it was the homeless that were in the parks that were very calm and wanted us to help them, and it was the protestors that were causing the violence.” The Ombudsman did not agree.

Councillor Matlow’s motion that the city put a moratorium on encampment evictions until AFTER the Ombudsman’s recommendations are implemented was ruled out of order by Nunziata. Perks challenged the chair, arguing the city had a previous moratorium. Chair was upheld, 15-8.

A Councillor Stephen Holyday motion that the city NOT adopt Ombudsman recommendations related to providing notice to people in encampments about coming evictions FAILED 3-20.

A Matlow motion to establish a “permanent Encampment Advisory Committee, which includes residents with current or recent lived experience, advocates, and experts” FAILED 6-17.

On an Audit Committee item about the city’s tree-pruning contracts, Councillor Josh Matlow’s motion for a report in Q4 on “options to improve tree maintenance services”, including potentially in-sourcing the service CARRIED 12-10. secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda…

A heck of a moment here. Matlow said some tree-pruning contractors presumed they had a right to “rip off Torontonians and steal from us.” Councillors Fletcher, Thompson, Robinson and Nunziata strenuously objected to the language and asked Matlow to apologize.

(Nunziata also accused Matlow of tweeting while speaking — he explained that he was just looking at his speaking notes on his phone.)

Councillor Bravo’s motion to call on the next mayor of Toronto reject the power to veto decisions and hire/fire department heads CARRIED 20-3.

Councillor Bravo’s motion to call on the next mayor to never advocate for major changes to Toronto Council without first consulting with Toronto Council CARRIED 19-4.

Council ran out of time, so five items were deferred to next meeting including:

- Drinking in parks
- Pausing contracts related to Gardiner East
- Requiring couriers using e-bikes to “bear a unique identifier.”
- Balancing fines for fare evasion with parking fines

And that’s how it ended.

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