Mayor John Tory's Toronto

[zang]

I suspect there is some contractual limitations on bike rentals on the islands that needs to expire. Even still, managing demand on the islands during the summer might be challenging for BikeShare.

Stations all over the island (rather than just at ferry docks) might make that a little easier. But it would certainly be good promotion and income for the program, especially with those who might not regularly frequent the core and already see them everywhere.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Whether it is enforced or not, the bylaw seems overly harsh. You are exposing yourself to the whims of bylaw enforcement.

Do we still have bylaw officers in Toronto? Best I can tell in downtown east they've stopped enforcing anything. If just these six bylaws could be enforced our enjoyment of public spaces and parks would be immensely improved.

Construction noise (bylaw 591-2)
Littering and Dumping (548-2)
Failure to remove graffiti (485-7)
Leashing and walking dogs (349-12)
Fouling and obstruction streets (743-9)
Camping in parks (608-13)

On Friday I walked along Carlton from Parliament to College Station with a detour through Allan Gardens and the amount of litter, graffiti, dog poop and fifth along the sidewalk and in the parks is immense. What's the story with the camping in the park? I understand that was originally a Covid thing when people didn't want to go to the shelters, but are encampments in public spaces the new normal we all should accept? At the SE corner of College and Yonge there were two guys, out cold sprawled across the sidewalk, atop a pile of trash, clearly in violation of 743-9 above. Of course we need to deal with the homelessness and mental health crisis before we can address much of this, but I wonder what happened to the Bylaw officers? Have they been told to ignore these violations? Presumably the argument is that there's no way to enforce? So instead, do the Bylaw officers ignore these harder cases and rather chase games of illegal frisbee?

Honestly, I don’t know how Mayor Tory can travel about this city, seeing the worn and broken infrastructure, fifth and litter everywhere and homeless camping in our parks and on our sidewalks and not feel that he’s doing a sh#tty job. If you need more money, then get it - and maybe slow increases to the TPS budget? I’d gladly take a 25% property tax hike tomorrow if the city would deal with these issues.

 

[DSC]

This year's Tax Sale list is out. Anyone know the story of 222 Spadina - it appears to be two condo corporations.

City of Toronto to hold property sale to recover unpaid taxes

News Release June 1, 2022 The City of Toronto is holding a Sale of Land by Public Tender, known as a “property tax sale”, as a final step in the collection of overdue, unpaid property taxes. Twenty-two properties with a combined total of more than $21.1 million in unpaid property taxes are for...

www.toronto.ca

 

[Jonny5]

Do we still have bylaw officers in Toronto? Best I can tell in downtown east they've stopped enforcing anything. If just these six bylaws could be enforced our enjoyment of public spaces and parks would be immensely improved.

Construction noise (bylaw 591-2)
Littering and Dumping (548-2)
Failure to remove graffiti (485-7)
Leashing and walking dogs (349-12)
Fouling and obstruction streets (743-9)
Camping in parks (608-13)

On Friday I walked along Carlton from Parliament to College Station with a detour through Allan Gardens and the amount of litter, graffiti, dog poop and fifth along the sidewalk and in the parks is immense. What's the story with the camping in the park? I understand that was originally a Covid thing when people didn't want to go to the shelters, but are encampments in public spaces the new normal we all should accept? At the SE corner of College and Yonge there were two guys, out cold sprawled across the sidewalk, atop a pile of trash, clearly in violation of 743-9 above. Of course we need to deal with the homelessness and mental health crisis before we can address much of this, but I wonder what happened to the Bylaw officers? Have they been told to ignore these violations? Presumably the argument is that there's no way to enforce? So instead, do the Bylaw officers ignore these harder cases and rather chase games of illegal frisbee?

Honestly, I don’t know how Mayor Tory can travel about this city, seeing the worn and broken infrastructure, fifth and litter everywhere and homeless camping in our parks and on our sidewalks and not feel that he’s doing a sh#tty job. If you need more money, then get it - and maybe slow increases to the TPS budget? I’d gladly take a 25% property tax hike tomorrow if the city would deal with these issues.

I tried to place a noise bylaw complaint about a business which had loud music piped through new outdoor speakers, but only on Friday/Saturday night.

I filed it through 311. I got a call back about a week later. I missed the call, but the guy left a voicemail asking me to call him back. I decided to call the next day. At about 9:00 a.m. that next day I got an email saying my issue was closed because I didn't respond.
I tried again. This time I got the guy when he called. He went through a series of questions and explained the standards. I explained the situation appeared to fit, and he agreed to come and test for the sound level the next time it happened. He then said he was only working in the evening on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday that week. I mentioned the issue is only on Friday and Saturday and the response was "oh... well if it happens on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday you can call me". The next Monday I got the same "issue closed because no contact" email.
I still didn't give up. I tried one more time, but this time it was the most hilarious of all. My case was transferred to a municipal licensing person who seemed concerned that the business didn't have a licence for outdoor music... sounds good, but then he pledged to me that he would help the business get the correct licence so they could continue to play the music outside. He thanked me for bringing it to his attention, and then basically hung up.

 

[Richard White]

I tried to place a noise bylaw complaint about a business which had loud music piped through new outdoor speakers, but only on Friday/Saturday night.

I filed it through 311. I got a call back about a week later. I missed the call, but the guy left a voicemail asking me to call him back. I decided to call the next day. At about 9:00 a.m. that next day I got an email saying my issue was closed because I didn't respond.
I tried again. This time I got the guy when he called. He went through a series of questions and explained the standards. I explained the situation appeared to fit, and he agreed to come and test for the sound level the next time it happened. He then said he was only working in the evening on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday that week. I mentioned the issue is only on Friday and Saturday and the response was "oh... well if it happens on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday you can call me". The next Monday I got the same "issue closed because no contact" email.
I still didn't give up. I tried one more time, but this time it was the most hilarious of all. My case was transferred to a municipal licensing person who seemed concerned that the business didn't have a licence for outdoor music... sounds good, but then he pledged to me that he would help the business get the correct licence so they could continue to play the music outside. He thanked me for bringing it to his attention, and then basically hung up.

As someone who did Condo security for 12 years trust me.. you went about this partially the wrong way.

Filing through 311 was the right thing to do BUT you should also call TPS non emergency for after hours noise complaints when they occur.

311 won't dispatch bylaw officers at 1130 pm but TPS will send someone if called.

Toronto Police can will do a report on the incident which will then add creedence to your 311 complaints. They can also shut down excessive noise after 11 pm.

 

[AlbertC]

Process begins to fill vacant Etobicoke city council seat by appointment​

Following Etobicoke North councillor Michael Ford’s provincial election win June 2, the city is proceeding with plans to fill his vacated council seat through an appointment later this month.

Toronto City Council will declare the seat vacant, as required by law, at the June 15 and 16 Council meeting.

Council has already authorized the City Clerk to seek applications from interested persons.

By law, byelections are not permitted after March 31 in an election year.

Interested candidates for the appointment can register and council will vote to appoint one of those candidates, who will serve until the end of the current term Nov. 14.

Process begins to fill vacant Etobicoke city council seat by appointment

Following Etobicoke North councillor Michael Ford’s provincial election win June 2, the city is proceeding with plans to fill his vacated council seat through an appointment later this month.

www.toronto.com

 

[Richard White]

Process begins to fill vacant Etobicoke city council seat by appointment​

Following Etobicoke North councillor Michael Ford’s provincial election win June 2, the city is proceeding with plans to fill his vacated council seat through an appointment later this month.

Toronto City Council will declare the seat vacant, as required by law, at the June 15 and 16 Council meeting.

Council has already authorized the City Clerk to seek applications from interested persons.

By law, byelections are not permitted after March 31 in an election year.

Interested candidates for the appointment can register and council will vote to appoint one of those candidates, who will serve until the end of the current term Nov. 14.

Process begins to fill vacant Etobicoke city council seat by appointment

Following Etobicoke North councillor Michael Ford’s provincial election win June 2, the city is proceeding with plans to fill his vacated council seat through an appointment later this month.

www.toronto.com

I wonder if Kyla, Kayla, Krista or Kara Ford will run for the seat?

Also..is it me or Doug Ford have a thing for K's?

 

[Northern Light]

The Mayor has a motion on 'Modernizing' by which he means 'improving' parks service, particularly by adding and additional mowing to the cycle, and turning on fountains and opening washrooms earlier in the spring, along with additional litter picking.

Swell.

I don't notice in the motion any mention of how to pay for this or any money forthcoming for same.

Agenda Item History 2022.MM45.26

Agenda Item History 2022.MM45.26

app.toronto.ca

Councillors Matlow and Layton have an additional on-point motion with a typo someone should have caught..............

Agenda Item History 2022.MM45.10

Agenda Item History 2022.MM45.10

app.toronto.ca

From the above:

The typo being '3' should read 'C'

 

[DSC]

The Mayor has a motion on 'Modernizing' by which he means 'improving' parks service, particularly by adding and additional mowing to the cycle, and turning on fountains and opening washrooms earlier in the spring, along with additional litter picking.

Swell.

I don't notice in the motion any mention of how to pay for this or any money forthcoming for same.

Agenda Item History 2022.MM45.26

Agenda Item History 2022.MM45.26

app.toronto.ca

Councillors Matlow and Layton have an additional on-point motion with a typo someone should have caught..............

Agenda Item History 2022.MM45.10

Agenda Item History 2022.MM45.10

app.toronto.ca

From the above:

View attachment 406285

The typo being '3' should read 'C'

In fairness, the Mayor's motion DOES instruct the Parks folk, whether they do anything is the real question and it is asking for earlier activation of fountains etc

1. City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, in coordination with other relevant divisions to adjust and modernize park operations and procedures to conduct service improvements at City parks earlier in the spring; these activities include but are not limited to:

a. grass cutting, particularly on sports fields, earlier and on a more frequent basis;

b. speeding up the activation of water assets such as drinking fountains and washrooms;

c. increasing litter pick up earlier in the spring; and

d. making any outstanding service activations in the interim.

 

[Northern Light]

In fairness, the Mayor's motion DOES instruct the Parks folk, whether they do anything is the real question and it is asking for earlier activation of fountains etc

1. City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, in coordination with other relevant divisions to adjust and modernize park operations and procedures to conduct service improvements at City parks earlier in the spring; these activities include but are not limited to:

a. grass cutting, particularly on sports fields, earlier and on a more frequent basis;

b. speeding up the activation of water assets such as drinking fountains and washrooms;

c. increasing litter pick up earlier in the spring; and

d. making any outstanding service activations in the interim.

Right, but if Parks hires seasonal staff one month earlier, or hires extra plumbers (they ought to do both) that will require extra money. Parks does not have gobs of spare cash sitting around.

 

[zang]

In fairness, the Mayor's motion DOES instruct the Parks folk, whether they do anything is the real question and it is asking for earlier activation of fountains etc

1. City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, in coordination with other relevant divisions to adjust and modernize park operations and procedures to conduct service improvements at City parks earlier in the spring; these activities include but are not limited to:

a. grass cutting, particularly on sports fields, earlier and on a more frequent basis;

b. speeding up the activation of water assets such as drinking fountains and washrooms;

c. increasing litter pick up earlier in the spring; and

d. making any outstanding service activations in the interim.

So basically, most of it is reacting to the warmer temperatures associated with climate change.

 

[Northern Light]

So basically, most of it is reacting to the warmer temperatures associated with climate change.

And the impact of past budget cuts.

Parks used to do one more mowing per year than they do currently, that was cut a long time ago.

 

[Jonny5]

View attachment 406285

I pity the poor City worker who has to somehow figure out item "b". I'm sure little to no records exist for even recent years, nevermind 10 years ago!

 

[DSC]

I pity the poor City worker who has to somehow figure out item "b". I'm sure little to no records exist for even recent years, nevermind 10 years ago!

As it asks when ALL the fountains and washrooms have been activated, the answer is easy. NEVER. There have always been several fountains (drinking and ornamental) that have never worked around St Lawrence every year I have lived here - 21. The reasons are usually that they discover underground leaks and need to 'investigate' - which takes a year or more. The chance that ALL fountains and washrooms in the City have EVER all worked is zero.

 

[Northern Light]

As it asks when ALL the fountains and washrooms have been activated, the answer is easy. NEVER. There have always been several fountains (drinking and ornamental) that have never worked around St Lawrence every year I have lived her - 21. The reasons are usually that they discover underground leaks and need to 'investigate' - which takes a year or more. The chance that ALL fountains and washrooms in the City have EVER all worked is zero.

LOL, that's a very lawyerly reading of the motion (though a fairly literal one too); clearly the intent is 'average date by which the program/schedule for opening washrooms has been completed.