okay I’m gonna call the meeting to order at side just after noon and first I will start4by saying the city of London is committed to making5every effort to provide alternate formats and communication supports for6council standing or advisory committee meetings and information upon request7to make a request for any city service please contact8accessibility at London dot CA or five one nine six9six one two four eight nine extension two four to10five with that I will look to committee to see11if there are any disclosures of conflict12seeing none moved to the consent items are there any13items that members would like pulled14thank you madam chair I’d like to pull two point15five16everything else is fine although I have a couple comments17on the other consent items anything else18so the chair is going to do something a little19bit odd I’m gonna pull up a few things just20because I would like to hear staff comment on a21number of items and I just think it would be22cleaner to do that so at this point I’m looking23for …24some information or general comments on two point one two25point two and two point three so that leaves two26point four two point six two point seven two point27eight and I’m looking for a mover on those28councillor Peloza seconded by councillor hillier 29so put those on the floor our councillor Lewis do30you have comments on to two point four two point31six seven or eight32…
I do action two point seven madam chair and33I also just want say thank you for pulling those34ones around housing side questions will those two but it’ll35be cleaner to do it that way I think …36I just want to …37commend staff for moving ahead with the …
administrative monetary38penalty …
bylaw changes this is gonna be a really39important tool I think in our toolbox …
particularly around40…
the problems that I know I have in my41ward and I know that many of my colleagues have42as well with with illegal parking in school zone areas43…
that are creating the some significant hazards in being44able to go …
to more automated …
penalty system45I think will help relieve some of the pressures we46have in those neighborhoods so I just want to thank47staff for their work in bringing that forward48anybody else 49seeing none we can vote 50closing the vote the motion carries 5 to 0 51okay committee so we have a number of consent items52pulled and I’m suggesting rather than start with those consent53items we might start with our delegations rather than have54them sit and wait while we go through all of55the consent items so we’ll go straight to the is56scheduled items and the first one is three point one57which is a delegation from M.
wheels are regarding home58the homelessness crisis in London so welcome ms wells come59to the podium when you wish to speak …
hit60the microphone button when you’re finished speaking headed again so61that …
because only one Michael work at a time62the clerk will come and get that 63thanks so much 6465 65 hello 66I am here today to speak about housing crisis I67know that there were other items on the agenda for68housing I know there was an article this morning in69the paper about some funding that we’ve heard about …70but I am here to talk in terms of the71crisis for housing my name is Margaret wells and the72executive director of coach neighbourhood resource center for those of73you who don’t know crouch …
were small but very74mighty organization located in crowds neighbourhood a library right in75the heart of Hamilton wrote we provide a number of76services in the community from emergency food and eighty baby77items access to clothing vouchers and household needs I would78choose through mission services support for mental illness addiction and79access to housing services we do community development activities such80as farming third Fridays after school and summer day camp81programs and more I’m here not only to represent clients82neighbourhood resource center today but also the agencies that are83listed and in front of you84we’re asking the community and protective services committee to present85a motion to city council to have the president of86for the in care to income housing situation in London87declared a crisis and mediate Lee commit money and stuff88to a solution implementable immediately89we understand that the city of London staffer presently looking90at updating the housing strategy91with consultations conversations and surveys throughout the city which is92always of course necessary and we certainly understand that however93when there’s a crisis and let’s compare that to a94flood or tornado it’s not the time to stop and95say we’re planning if a number of people were displaced96…
due to a natural disaster I response to them97would not be stopped we’re planning and we’re going to98do something for you99food clothing and shelter at the very basic needs for100people well food and clothing many social services try to101make available shelter is not available102we’re not a third world country we’re not a country103work stems and get those should be the mom104the city or homelessness should run rampant and people are105forced to sleep in parks106I’m safe living conditions are when available shelters 107affluent city with a good quality of life for many108people and for many more no quality of life at109all110I coach neighbourhood resource center we’re saying three to five111people a week who are in need of housing and112one of the smallest agencies in the city113past practice was to look for private sector opportunities how114people search for low rent accommodations those included boarding houses115bachelor or one bedroom apartments are larger accomodations for families116based on what their income could cover117when private sector options were not apparent I support now118because the specialist would complete housing application with the client119and includes a letter of support if the need was120dire that means the person was imminently being affected presently121home less had significant metal it medical issues such as122undergoing cancer treatment for heart surgery …
I was facing123violence in their present accommodations we’re fortunate enough to have124the housing stability bank which is a service of the125city and salvation army located with us every Thursday so126whenever issues of first and last month’s rent I’m standing127utility bills we could refer very easily128at present there is no housing we have no answers129those three to five people that are coming to us130every week we have nothing to send them to131units in the private cent sector even the boarding homes132which provide a room and shared washroom facilities what we’re133experiencing is an increased number of plants coming to us134advising that they’re receiving notice of eviction as my landlords135are undertaking renovations in order to increase rents to coincide136with the rest of the rental market clients often receive137…
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payments138poorest among else well a number of them would perhaps139of receive services through psychiatric hospitals had if they existed140anymore now they rely on emergency rooms and when an141absolute dire need the extremely overloaded services a park for142it and there’s a young man staying up park would143right now and thank goodness they’re keeping him there because144he’s stabilized and has no place to go that’s only145one instance where they’re able to keep I’m usually they146aren’t147well many of us who found herself perhaps without a148job I living with a brain injury or an addiction149we might have families to turn to for help many150of our clients have no one151others were too many years in labor positions which offered152no security no benefits and one insurer health …
issues153forced them to stop there were no options but …154W.
and if they were lucky ODS P.155a single person receiving …
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gets hot at the156high end seven hundred and forty eight dollars per month157three hundred and seventy five that is shelter allowance even158a single room in a boarding house was shared washroom159facilities is now at five hundred dollars a month that160would be two hundred and forty eight dollars for food161clothing hi gene transportation communication some have a farm some162down163social services by caza fifty only with food clothing hygiene164some transportation165don’t provide phones sometimes we let them use our farm166if you’re fortunate enough and again I kind of say167fortunate enough to qualify for L.
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that168means that your disability has been properly documented meaning that169you’re one of the few people able to access a170doctor for that kind of documentation171and your monthly income may be as high as eleven172hundred and fifty dollars a month with four hundred and173seventy five dollars for shelter still not enough to cover174the cost of a room with a shared washroom and175living with a disability not enough to cover the special176needs of the disability especially increase transportation costs and regular177visits to doctors for tests at center required the national178resources available for those costs but they require significant documentation179it’s a full time job just to get the documentation180so that you can going get next three taken so181if you’re on benefits your only hope for accommodation is182rank your two income housing183that’s where the poor perfect storm hits South those apartment184units and such short supply you know the numbers four185thousand eight hundred ninety seven people are on the wait186list for those and there’s a hundred and forty two187people are on the special priority waitlist they are at188risk of violence in their present living situation nine hundred189and forty three urgent homeless they are homeless and so190the homeless people who’ve actually put an application in for191geared to income housing192ninety urgent medical they might be dealing with a chronic193or acute194unless we know people going through chemotherapy 195unless and have no place to stay and they certainly196don’t get to stay in the hospitals197two hundred urgent social that might mean that C.
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has your children and some can find a place199to live200the 7 to 10 years is expected 201if you have special priority urgent homeless medical or social202you might find a place within the year203and what are your options in the meantime you can204cope serve if there are people kind enough to let205you stay on their couch I know that one home206in the area it’s kind of letting everybody stay on207the couch but they don’t have running water208well you can use a shelter which works well and209laugh you’re a family Ross home is full and has210been full for over a year your women facing violence211women’s shelters are fall and have been fall all year212you have the pets and some may say that so213little you know there these people the cats are the214only life they have ever had and they can’t stay215anywhere because they have216you’re trying to stay free of drugs the shelter is217not the place for you and people will avoid the218shelters for that reason you have a mental illness which219is exacerbated by noise crowds violence or other220had a previous altercation and one of the shelters in221that case you’re probably afraid to go back to the222shelter223unfortunately the situation has become so dire 224and affordable housing for the poorest among us so scares225fell almost complacency has fed them we go to meetings226weekly with other agencies and that those meetings the conversation227around the table as he having any luck finding housing228for people now nobody’s having any luck finding housing for229people230no solutions in sight 231I April twenty six at the presentation on in camp232I will reach that was arranged by the city staff233it was a great presentation the presenter pointed out the234statistics regarding the situations of many of the people who235are living rough or experiencing homelessness well it was plain236to see is that these are the most vulnerable people237in our communities almost half the people238have indicated that physical health led to a loss of239their housing almost240indicated that mental health effects and affects their housing stability241including bi polar schizophrenic brain injury and sexual assault survivors242almost half of indicated they’ve been attacked I assaulted welcome243once and most244due to abuse or trauma with all of those almost245half we can see that many of them have at246least two maybe three of those instances so in effect247what we’re doing is throwing away the most vulnerable people248in our community249the presentation was informative in terms and how to approach250people how to talk to them about251being comfortable enough to begin on working towards housing many252of us are already working that way they will gain253their trust the brave enough to share their stories with254us and then I’ll responses now that you’ve shared and255now that you’ve opened up256give us a year 257minimum and maybe we’ll be able to help you get258a place to live that’s the only response that we259have right now in our agencies260no matter whether it’s a woman trying to leave a261violent situation262families facing infection 263escaping violence …
living with five children and a two264bedroom apartment265the right man to lead are physically challenged and that’s266a whole other can of worms I responses the same267each time268when asked about what to do when there’s no housing269available for people who need some place to live the270presenter who spends his life looking at homelessness issues responded271that there must be the political will to respond so272I’m asking you to show political well273the staff and the housing division of the city of274caring and compassionate and want to help us help our275clients but at present they have nothing to work with276we understand it’s an issue across the country it’s not277just London278I understand that it’s taken many years to get to279this point to the point where the present stock of280geared to income housing is insignificant need of repair and281there has been zero well to build because not raising282taxes is the goal of having a functional city283even before that we can go way back when hospitals284for the mentally ill were shut down so that we285could say to these people here’s a hundred dollars well286free 287and we would support them in the community with social288agencies who have nowhere near the resources that they need289to support those people290we’re here today because we see this as you on291a daily basis we work with homeless and precariously house292people every day and it doesn’t do us any good293to just sit back and complain about it when we294have no capacity to fix that we’re social service agencies295we’re in the midst of struggling with continuing funding cuts296that require in Laos reduction of services no raises for297years we all know the story of social service agencies298but we do have ideas and we do have volunteers299who want to help and we do have the world’s300well to put when ever we can into this beginning301with asking for your help302hopefully the new plan being created will being developed will303provide some opportunities for increasing the presence stop I’ve geared304to income and affordable housing units already we’ve heard some305great suggestions306and strategies 307for moving forward from presenter’s from other communities arranged by308city staff for telling us about innovative methods being used309such as solar panels on new belts not only making310getting electricity costs but contributing to the grad such as311partnerships with private sector landlords who can benefit from making312ten units in each residential building can’t to income units313from working with experience social service agencies to support to314ensure that support services are available for people to stay315has316doesn’t however help 317family being affected today what we need immediately as money318for motel stays319I don’t want to ask a family to sleep froth 320we did have one family doing that out of pocket321which left fifty dollars for their family to access food322hi gene everything else that they needed for the entire323month additional staff hired to work come prepping vacant units324as quickly as possible325here’s a big one the opportunity for people receiving benefits326I would W.
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to share rental327space without being penalized with a deduction of their shop328term now when we were young and couldn’t afford our329own place we would get a roommate if those people330get a roommate they get their shelter allowance Scott331so it doesn’t know glad to search out any kind332of opportunities to share space333short term rental top up so that people can afford334low price private sector ran until they’re able to access335the rear ramp geared to income336if it costs fifteen hundred dollars to shelter to support337a person and shelter let’s provide those people with the338thousand dollars instead to the ranch in private sector at339least a shelter Dinamo town340immediately make available a piece of land where there is341access to wash rooms and showers342I don’t know if they’re making community centers and allow343people to camp with I don’t being moved each day344there are people in wheelchairs who are setting up an345encampment and346moved every single day often late at night 347provide security regulations 348and cleaning and maintenance 349can lead to a working group consenting consisting of a350stop city staff person from each of the following departments351homelessness prevention and housing352man a staff member from each of the shelters including 353the mission salvation army you 354why are you who are wonderfully building you shelter which355will be following a week as soon as it opens356…
London kos and those agencies that have housing first357support staff ask for a thirty day solution and provide358the resources to make that happen I’m happy to participate359I have no resources to bring forward but I do360have great facilitation skills I have volunteers and I will361do so in whatever way it’s made that and while362this is happening we can hope that the longer term363planning process that’s taking place364the need to action on homelessness crisis again again we’re365asking that the request for immediate attention I’m not asking366for another long term plan here367go forward to city council for action 368medical well to make significant changes moving forward when staff369present a five year plan for approval and political support370the will to do better is essential371now and moving forward 372thank you 373thank you miss Welles 374councillor Salih 375thank you Sir to make phones only work when I376time in and thank you for your presentation for coming377here today is because I took some notes on my378phone because the stats that stood out to me and379I had a question about the one the wait list380is at four thousand eight hundred ninety seven people as381of April twenty nineteen and as this as a stands382now in the next five or ten years do you383think that it the numbers gonna grow even more in384just kind of what’s your perspective on that number the385five in the ten year kind of project three386nothing was done that’s going to grow significantly I think387that what we’ve been saying and part of that perfects388time I said was …
rental costs and vacancy rates389so something significant needs to be done I’m hoping that390the five year plan certainly have some …
…391some great feedback on nine and something to do something392long term …
because right now393it’s pretty bad method grows from where it is now394then we’re in big trouble395it just says that as a question through the chair 396in mention motel stays and increase fundings and I know397in the past as a councillor just me outside of398my roles councillor …
have heard and from others just399kind of their experiences sometimes and not being adequate enough400obviously it probably would seem more ideal than being in401a shelter so I guess my question to you is402and I know you touched on regulations and pieces like403that404what kind of role 405city hall play in ensuring that motels have the standards406that are needed because I hear from people who are407placed in certain places …
that it sometimes not the408best situation for them to be and …
so I409just wanna know from your experience we can kind of410touch on that and then the other part of the411question that I had which I guess I might be412answer myself is …413no even though let’s say you talk about political on414people not wanting to put up the money let’s say415it’s a hundred million dollars to fix it a London416hypothetically …
but we spend a lot of money in417other areas that might lead to more increases whether it’s418more bylaw officers more police officers to address other concerns419are cost because of lack of housing so do you420feel as if you know if for addressing housing we421might actually be saving money in other areas and it422just makes economic sense to do what needs to be423done I’m not just because it’s the right thing but424also the political well and just because it makes financial425sense as well426so for the second part of your question I’m absolutely427I don’t have statistics I haven’t done the studies but428it’s gonna save emergency room visits it’s going to say429I mean you know if you talk to police officers430right now their full time job is taking care products431are dealing with people who are homeless432they get a chance to deal with crime 433they’re so busy coming up to calls …
to move434somebody from an encampment you know it because let’s not435let them sleep which I’m sure the police down in436trying …
doing so437yeah it’s gonna save my it’s going to cost a438lot of money to have those people and to have439them properly440yeah it’s going to save a lot of money and441our whole …
and I’m sure you’ve heard about housing442first and where443and so people are house safely they can’t deal with444the reductions they can’t deal with their mental health …445issues they can’t deal with …
their physical health issues446so it’s housing first …
I think we can I447would imagine if we didn’t have a home to go448to at the end of the day and what that449would look like …
feel like to us in terms450of the motels and standards …
what I’m asking for451is a very quick stop gap measure it’s a room452that’s all I can say right now is it’s a453room and perhaps the committee that I’m asking to be454put together can identify where it’s appropriate and it’s not455a one shoe fits song you’re not going to send456that families to the same place where we’re sending people457who are declaring that yes ticket I know there are458different places to fan different people459thanks committee when I go to staff our first to460get comment461through the chair I wanna thank …
miss Willis for462making the presentation she has very succinctly and and very463…
appropriately fortunately identified the challenges we have in our464community I’m with respect to the wait list and I465just wanna provide some clarity as well in addition to466what a missile shared we do have a weightless currently467right now about forty seven hundred individuals and families I468will be clear that not everybody on that we this469is homeless everyone is looking for housing that’s more affordable470for them so there are people that we list who471are living places it may not be the best place472them to live or an affordable place for them to473live but we are certain to look at that we474list in terms of how we triage that we list475in the work that we’ve been doing …
in our476community presentations we’ve been asking the community give us some477great feedback about how to deal with the list the478reason the list has grown has to do with exactly479the things that you spoke about the availability in the480community of housing the fact that people aren’t moving there’s481a stagnant see in the in the wait list at482this point in time used to be a fair number483people would move within it it doesn’t that doesn’t happen484anymore and the cost in our community for housing in485the private sector have gone up substantially so that’s a486really important piece for us to look at it is487one of the elements of the work that we do488in providing supports people who are homeless and or needing489in support of housing …
happy to receive your presentation490and happy to have more discussions with you as well491as council directs492councillor Lewis 493thank you madam chair and I I wanna echo thanks494for the presentation first of all and …
I think495it is very fair to describe the situation in the496community as a crisis …497how we tackle the crisis is the challenge and I’m498glad the you’ve499put some ideas on the table for us to consider500…
I don’t pretend to have the mall and I501know that a significant portion of the challenge502frankly falls at the feet of the provincial government when503you talk about the …
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an ODST penalties and504and frankly the the in adequate income that those programs505to provide people in the first place …
and and506we can’t feel that provincial gap it’s simply not sustainable507for us to do so but one of the things508that you mentioned as as an idea509was the dedicated land with with water and shower facilities510four eight511semi permanent encampment space for the time being I wonder512if there’s been any discussion …
and I don’t know513madam chair whether our presenter or perhaps staff for both514maybe want to comment on this515of the initiatives that has had quite a bit of516success in other communities both in the US and in517some places in Canada and has happening Canada so I518know that …
it is not519a situation where our environment or climate does not is520not conducive to that in fact in a we have521a manufacturer of these here in London522the idea of implementing the tiny house model that is523used in so many communities524some of which are standalone units with with running water525in them some are living units with a communal of526facility where the waters and and and laundry facilities and527things like that are528has discussion happen in London around this because frankly I’ve529heard crickets on it and I don’t know why when530we’ve seen other communities …531succeed implementing this there were not at least looking at532this social agencies city staff533private sector investors together as a potential pilot to see534if we can alleviate some of the problem that way535okay a staff first because it looks like I thought536it looked like you had something you537through the chair is actually hoping market would speak first 538…
I thank you for that suggestion and clearly …539council’s aware at that time we try to find a540relief find balance between providing supports individuals but also …541supporting individuals recorded informed response so I wanna be clear542that we have kind of a a dual purpose in543making sure that people are safe I guess we are544trying to look at all options for housing and we545would not rule out any having said that …
the546city has put in place housing first reality we want547to support people being housed when they needed and when548they can get it and put the supports around them549the room the the challenge in this current environment and550regrettably it isn’t changing very much is that housing first551is becoming while it’s still our positioning it’s hard to552do when the units don’t seem to be available in553our community so I think it’s important for us to554look at all those options and I’d be happy to555talk more with our committee stakeholders our colleagues in planning556and our colleagues in all of our service areas include557the housing development corporation about that558and I’ve heard the suggestion many times …
unfortunately I559have not heard any initiative that takes a box pops560suggestion point561anybody else on our councillor Peloza 562thank you madam chair and certainly think him as well563as for your presentation today and564with a tiny homes certainly I know Saint Thomas an565article recently of wonder city councillors looking into what could566be done there according to put two questions through you567to staff of could you having been to the federation568came in came is apologies conference and talking with colleagues569…
to in Vancouver on the west coast of their570housing issues could you tell me or speak to the571point of572their condom garden sweets …
so sweet in your backyard573that can help house people as well as garage conversions574if what our city bylaws are are not allowing right575now576through the chair I may ask our colleagues in planning577and Mr Baird is here and he may be able578to speak to that directly …
through your Mr mentor579thank you through the chair …
currently the city has580policies in place that permit a secondary dwelling units in581any single detached semi detached a row house in any582zone in a location in the city we also amended583the bylaw in order to provide for those not was584done about two years ago when the province first brought585for the legislation that required municipalities to put these types586of policies in place so they are there right now587…
I don’t have exact numbers on it but I588do know that through the building division they are tracking589these so they can get a sense to how many590people are actually taking up on this opportunity but I591do know that people have been taken up on the592opportunity and the regulations are there for these things to593occur594thank you for those comments and what impact come back595to committee just for we know …
just thinking as596tools in the toolbox if there was some way to597incentivize does that might be easier and quicker than dealing598with …
a new developments in our community also looking599…
through madam chair to staff of how many units600do we have that could be excess but are currently601vacant because were behind on repairs that if there’s a602way to put more funding towards repairs the unit separate603behind on to get them back into the units available604for occupancy605through the chair I just want to …
further to606Mr Behrens comments there is a report that’s coming to607the planning committee say about tools for for double housing608so a Mister burn his colleagues of a chance to609talk a bit more about those tools as well Sir610kind of hitting you with many housing issues today in611terms of the units that are vacant in our community612…
what I can say to that is we have613sixty three housing providers in our community …
and so614if at any given time …
because of repair needs615or because of changes transitions or …
re renting situations616are going to be vacant units are requirement in our617desire is that as a service manager for housing in618this community that that they can see be kept to619a minimum as much as possible having said that sometimes620repairs are of significant nature takes a bit of time621but the priority for us from housing services and from622the city to all of our service providers in the623housing area is that those units get filled as quickly624as possible and it’s very clear that we have in625the for that to happen so I can’t give you626that number could get that number for you just don’t627have it with me right now628councillor van Holst 629thank you madam chair and thank you item as well630as for the presentation again the I have a few631suggestions other was across for money we do have a632community economic development reserve fund that the council …
overseas633I would certainly support draining that in in hopes of634making a difference …
we could do that this year635the636it’s in my my parents are excited about going camping637for a month …
but they’re they’re not gonna be638moved every day so I think the suggestion for a639a campground is is good press to get a staff640to look for a couple places to do that I641know that there are groups that have spoken to me642that would be willing to help in ways for instance643providing …
lacquers so a container where people could lock644up there645items and and have that be secure so there certainly646help from the community in whatever way we we want647to …
provided a new initiative …
for this and648funny I would I would say to us when we’re649when we’re trying to make decisions on the intensity of650of housing maybe we need to remember that there is651a the the rule of supply and demand as we652have more housing in the city the cost of that653housing will book will drop and and assist the think654we need to make those decisions wisely as well …655because that will have an impact on these kinds of656crisis thank you657so …
since I’m not seeing any other comments I’ve658…
to staff from the chair …
the core area659informed response …
initiative that began last summer …
it’s660my understanding that it was to address the issue of661encampments and rather than just move people along there’s actually662substantial work being done so that we’re not just moving663them along I wonder if you could give me some664idea what that really means665through the chair and that is intention of certainly of666the program but as miss was has pointed out some667of the challenges of finding units to …
that are668better …
best position your best supportive of those who669are experiencing homelessness or …
involved in encampments I’m is670really challenging because he’s to be more challenging …
there’s671also the reality that some people …
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find that672…
they’re not interested right at that time to find673other housing so that’s another piece of this so they674might choose and I’m just saying this from experience I675might choose to go someplace else as opposed to look676for housing that might be their choice that given time677because they’re not quite ready to go for housing or678there might not interested at that point in time suffice679it to say the bottom line is the intention is680to provide opportunities to support housing through our housing stability681workers in our community …
and that’s a challenging piece682given the market that we’re in right now683so I’m 684I’ve had the pleasure of sitting on the planning committee685forth to re enter the last four years and I’m686starting my fourth year right now so I know all687of the tools as Mister Barrett …
spoke about …688secondary sweets it’s something that …
we are now able689to do we out implemented that a couple of years690ago we’ve also been on allowed by the province to691…
implement inclusionary zoning and also …
to include the692idea of …
mixed income in a in a housing693development through bonus sing so when a developer wants increase694density or hide or something increase beyond what the zone695allows one of our bonus sing requirements could be setting696aside a certain number of units as affordable I’m so697far I believe all we’ve done have been affordable …698we do have the ability to set them aside as699rent geared to income units rather than simply affordable units700on I know …
the planning committee did …
there701have there has been at least one …702our zoning application with the bonus where staff recommended 703some …
affordable housing units be included and then there704was another …
planning application where the committee itself sent705it back to staff as part of the referral to706include …
affordable housing is part of the bonus thing707so those are some things that I know have been708going on over the last number of years unfortunately things709move very slowly and unfortunately people I hadn’t realized up710until the time that we were allowed those tools that711we weren’t we didn’t have those tools in our toolbox712in the past …
so713I am my question another question to staff is coming714up and item two point one of the consent items715is the report that talks about to …
provincial funding716coming our way to address some of these issues and717I’m I’m wondering if any of the issues that ms718wells brought forward to us and enunciated so articulately719do we have hope or anticipation that 720the funding will help with any of those issues 721and through the chair yes 722certainly wanna address the floor of the challenges we have723in our community …
but as you can tell from724looking at that report page nine gives you a sense725of our proposed a plan for spending of the funding726that we received at least the funding for this year727in the next two years moving forward it’s our intention728to look to build new affordable housing it’s our intention729to repair the existing housing we have …
and that730is also going in I guess in combination of the731work that we already do need regeneration work we do732a film CH with HTC and the work the council733has done to support housing being part of the shop734plan and so we’re held to the work and housing735because you how does to that in the work of736the strap plan so on be clear about that it’s737it’s a piece of it …
but clearly …
based738on the vice will get as part of the house739and homes prevention and housing plan work that we’re doing740currently to as well that miss Willis is spoke to741we’ll get some further advice from our stakeholders about what742we actually should be doing …
but I appreciate the743desire to move quickly on something that’s a virgin744so we were speaking of a crisis here speaking about745an immediate needs I I know in the two thousand746and nineteen slash twenty year which were currently in we’re747looking at …
over four million dollars748in funding will that money be able to be implemented749input into work with some immediacy750in order for us to keep that money yes 751so it’s a requirement we have to spend …
mystery752through the chair at least to commit the dollars okay753for the third time sure and our intention would be754to remove the funding as quickly as we could on755certain initiatives756so there’s also a 5 year update coming forward 757why are you coming now with this five year update758does it include some of the issues that ms wells759has identified760through the chair yes and sue that the city has761an existing homes prevention housing plan it’s for an extended762period of time we’ve been we are required as for763the provincial guidelines to complete a five year update that’s764the process that were in place right now and our765team has developed and implemented a very …
I was766a comprehensive approach to getting feedback from the community …767both through surveying through community engagement sessions were holding our768last when this Wednesday afternoon …
and we have also769had a communicable station a box mic reality where people770can give us your feedback from their community groups or771from their neighborhood associations it’s our intention to get as772much advice as we can773that process to inform what the plan update will look774like moving forward and that plan will come back to775council in the fall …
we know the world has776changed a lot since twenty thirteen in our community since777we put that plan in place so many things have778changed we’re also really …
please because many people have779come to our consultation sessions repeated times depending upon the780the …
the issue that we were talking about whether781it’s almost prevention development of new affordable housing so and782we’re really happy the people coming back repeatedly to give783us more feedback about different elements of our housing work784and ms Wilson very helpfully provided us with a list785of organizations and individuals are you working with many or786any or all of these organizations on this list787through the chair …
I would say having looked at788the very quickly we are of where I’ve been working789with …
many of these organizations as well or have790been part of a consultation process to791so thank you again I know the cat the committee792has thing to and I’m very grateful for coming for793and I’m especially …794it’s it’s it’s wonderful to have you come here in795a spirit of collaboration and cooperation I appreciate the good796words you’ve given to city staff because I do know797as well that they the hard work and the passion798that they bring to their work is not an easy799issue for for any anybody800why I will recommend to committee is if there is801a motion in mind that you have to route to802address ms wills …
recommendation to ask perhaps we should803here the staff reports …
address those and then and804then decide if there is a motion that could work805in conjunction what with what staff are bringing forward sense806and okay thank you very much anybody else on committee807of any comments808so what we need now is a motion to receive809the delegation and the presentation …
and it’s …
moved810by councillor Peloza seconded by councillor Lewis and we can811vote on that812closing the vote the motion carries 5 to 0 813okay committee so 814we’re going to hear the next allegation which is item815three point two and it is from ms right now816on behalf of the London for all …
committee …817they’re gonna give us an update on the liner for818all plan …
and I and housing is also an819issue under the London for all planned so it’s all820kind of tied in nicely and will perhaps also inform821the our discussion later on when we hear from staff822so welcome committee members …
I believe you must have823representatives from your working accountability tables and …
we’re looking824forward to your …
your presentation825so thank you my name’s Roxanne rental I’m here with826United Way I’ll going Middlesex and we have …
representation827from the London for all leadership table a so we828thank you too for allowing us to present today829good afternoon 830my name’s are Todd and I’m someone with living experience831who …
works …
with one for all on the832leadership board833…
one from Matt and poverty was published in March834twenty sixteen835and then in …
the following may twenty seventeen United836Way Out in Middlesex was named as the lead agency837opt for one for all to see to the recommendations838…839one of I guess it’s surprising things rest once we840got started was forging these unlikely partnerships just putting people841together in a room who normally wouldn’t talk to each842other who could …
realize that they do the same843thing and they might as well work together …844and then 845bottom line is lived and living experience …
involvement …846is important847…
United Way city of London and …
to our848success and …
I’m happy to say that849around fifty percent of the members of our …
leadership850table our people to experts851good afternoon my name step tack on I am also852a person with living experience which Lee means that I853to now live in poverty854the lead agency acts as the project manager overseeing the855implementation up one hundred and twelve recommendation in London for856all and carries the conversation forward by bringing partners together857developing and overseeing implementation plans and ensuring ongoing accountability for858the work United Way is uniquely positioned to be the859lead agency because of the scope of its relationships with860the city of London community agencies corporate partners government861the city upon London has been highly supportive of this862project and provides council in support the city staff members863are participating in both the accountability tables Anna leadership tables864many city staff members are engaged with the implementation of865the recommendations or it aligns with their actual departments866would ask that you refer to your packages if you’d867like to see a list of the names of the868volunteers and individuals participating in London for all thank you869good afternoon my name is my sale in Easton and870I am a member of the United Way and in871for all leadership table and I represent persons with lived872experience873so London for all again a five hundred and twelve874recommendations to address poverty in our community and to ignite875change876change balances what landowners have said it’s urgent 877what is available short term what builds on existing momentum878and what opportunities in the community for long term solutions879and systems change through collaboration with multiple service providers880the action plan is divided into eight to paint you881can see on the screen with recommendations pertaining to each882area883each the main has accountability count and accountability table with884representation from the rooms without with which from the community885as well a minimum of at least one person from886leadership table sets at each cannabis accountability table887at these tables recommendations were ignored 888an account of what is being done and where we889need to go was taken890and implementation of each recommendation reflects the understanding of poverty891as a rights issue as an equity issue a community892issue with economic social and cultural dimensions893so my friends Eric condemned speak when they mentioned that894they were a person’s on that who said at the895Lee related membership table with living experience early on when896we spoke as a group we decided that it was897important to include both persons with living and lived898and it was something that we were pretty I’m determined899to include rock tunes leadership it was decided that the900reason for that was a person’s with living experience can901often bring to the table what the needs are folks902today that are living in poverty and persons with experience903can also share what’s needed when you moving away out904of poverty so if you decide to go back to905school906if you move into the employment sector if you move907into new housing there needs that folks with experience can908share to help as well it also tends to bridge909the gap between the two when you’ve got persons sometimes910when bring persons with living experience to the table there’s911a little bit of …
fear as to how they912might fit in with everybody else if they can if913their voice will be taken seriously and often when we914can include both at the table they they tend to915bridge the gap for each other916…
participated in them …
a panel at the event917just a little while ago and when we were there918we spoke …
and we shared with everybody that the919London for all leadership table included a fifty percent920the delivery experience participation and I can tell you that921the room was filled with people from organizations all across922the country and they were completely shocked …
many of923them said that it was unheard of to have that924much representation and …
we have been contacted on a925regular basis since then asking how we’re doing it how926it’s working …
and how how we’re managing to continue927on this way and …
it’s it’s what makes London928from great929good afternoon my name is Kelly vitner and I’m the930CEO of United Way I’ll get Middlesex …
I can’t931say how thrilled we are to being a part of932this transformative project for our community not only in terms933of delivering on a set of recommendations that were thoughtfully934developed but that inclusion of individuals with lived in that935but IT experience I can say from our own organizations936standpoint it really has been transformative we every day talk937about poverty about mental health issues in our community …938yet we rely …
on maybe academic experts instead of939the people who are living through the issues in that940moment and it’s been …
really important in a very941important voice in very intentional why I had my colleagues942dab and Eric and …
Marcy here to present alongside943me today so where are we today after two years944of delivering on London for all of the hundred and945five recommendations there are now fifty two completed and sixty946in progress and you can referred to the full report947that was provided to you I work over the past948two years has generated great momentum commitments accountability and impact949and as was reference there’s a list of volunteers who950are involved in so there’s there’s community leaders individuals of951lived experience and we were really intentional below we’re not952wanting all the usual suspects as a part of the953conversation we really wanted to broaden our scope so that954we can broaden our effectiveness955some recommendations that were a priority of the city of956London or participating organizations …
some of them are taking957longer as has been identified to the house in conversation958we’re relying on multiple levels of government …
but have959been very heavily engaged in advocacy through United Way and960through London for all lot of rows ensuring that city961of London continues to be a priority at continues to962place a priority on addressing poverty and advocating to other963levels of government for investments and policy change that will964reduce property in a generation965change takes deliver it a deliberate effort and time and966United Way …
of the Middlesex is the key contributed967to the creation of long term and beating full change968I’m as well as completing the hundred and twelve recommendations969it was a priority for the city to now is970on a frog gonna make a difference and how do971we measure the impact that were having …
so we’re972happy to report we add London from Wilson awarded in973London974Ontario trillium foundation grant 975working with call backs group Inc on the development of976a measurement framework for London for all and so will977be reporting on that this year …
skews me I’m978also coming forward with a request for some help on979a recommendation as so I have been working with leaders980from our local indigenous service agencies I’ve also been working981with the London district chiefs council and the southern First982Nations secretary at983…
specifically on this …
these models were about to984have one of the London for all recommendations in particular985one point six and all read that to you strengthen986relationships and increase partnerships between was supposed leaders indigenous peoples987and community partners to create an indigenous property strategy988so at this point I’m requesting that you can identify989representatives from city council to actively participate with me what990this group of indigenous leaders in order to advance this991recommendation992thank you 993so thank you for your presentation …
that’s wonderful I994wonder at this time if I could turn the chair995over to my vice chair996certainly hollow tree spots 997thank you so again thanks for coming …
it’s it’s998always a pleasure to hear the updates …
I know999a lot of the work you do is not extremely1000public work …
so they’re it tends to be …1001even in the media …
out no not necessarily speaking1002about anybody in this room but sometimes in the media1003there is a perception that nothing’s happening and that …1004that this report does is fluff and sitting on the1005shelf …
gathering dust so but because I speak to1006through you Mister presiding officer I speak to …
is1007rebel fairly regularly I I get updates on on things1008that are happening …
and I know that the I1009know the hard work that’s going on at the leadership1010table an on on the accountability tables …
I know1011that even getting it up and running took a lot1012of …1013motivation a lot of hard work on ms rebels part1014a lot of I don’t wanna say arm twisting but1015some really strong shelves sometimes and and that was really1016really good and necessary and and I believe is ms1017Eastin that said …
not the usual suspects at the1018table and that was part of the hard work it1019to ensure that it wasn’t just the usual suspects and1020I know when …
when the report was being created1021there was a very strong emphasis on having voices at1022the table voices with experience whether it’s current or past1023experience of living in poverty and what it’s like …1024so I do have a draft a motion …
and1025I sent the wording to the clerk but I will1026I will say this and and and again …1027it’s Sarah it’s wonderful to hear the work being done1028a with …1029indigenous and and and specifically poverty and indigenous peoples in1030London because that was an emphasis we placed when we1031were out doing the work of the poverty panel we1032had one member …
from the indigenous community in London1033that was on our panel ms been as I am1034and Smith …
who really helped inform that a lot1035of the discussions around poverty specific to indigenous peoples knowing1036that one person cannot speak on behalf of every single1037indigenous person by just having that added lands at the1038table was important and we did we had many many1039community meetings many community meetings were held with …
I1040will in the community not not directed by the the1041people on the poverty panel but are we were certainly1042invited to those community conversations and there was a communicant1043persuasion held at the health unit and it was an1044indigenous poverty circle we invited leaders from …
local leaders1045and leaders from First Nations that are near London to1046come and contribute to this indigenous poverty circling I I1047I must say having those voices at the table really1048did add to the report and change it from what1049it probably would have being without those voices so my1050draft motion is that a member of municipal council be1051appointed to participate in discussions with representatives from one and1052for all and local First Nations leaders and indigenous led1053organizations to discuss the strength in relationships and increase partnerships1054between municipal leaders indigenous peoples and community partners to create1055an indigenous poverty strategy set out in the London for1056all a roadmap to end poverty so through you Mister1057presiding officer I I’d love to hear ms riddles …1058feedback on that if that if you believe that that1059motion will get at where you’re looking to go1060yes so absolutely we’ve had some …
very good meetings1061with the indigenous leaders and at this point they’ve asked1062me to come forward …
to then …
bring it1063to you in hopes that we would have representation from1064council to continue the talks with them1065councillor Cassidy are you satisfied did you wanna table your1066motion yeah I’d like to put that much I I1067I didn’t know that I I wrote a member of1068municipal councillor that is the draft language and I’m wondering1069at through you Mister presiding officer if we should open1070it up to for more than one member or1071if ms riddle is happy with just one politician at1072the table1073we were actually thinking maybe it could be to but1074we wouldn’t want it to be much bigger than that1075thanks1076well I suspect that you probably won’t have all fifteen1077of us …
but councillor Cassidy did you want to1078amend that to say members1079sure 1080okay so we have a motion on the floor …1081the clerk is just getting that typed up to we1082have a seconder for that1083councillor Peloza 1084and any discussion on the motion 1085K.
seeing none we’ll just wait a moment for that1086to come up1087we can just get time our tech support to help1088us get that up on the screen1089and councillor Cassidy field one trade places with me so1090we can vote1091councillor Salih thank you madam madam chair just a question1092through you or …
to our guest here as far1093as …
in and of course I support this I1094have no issues but just just wanna make sure and1095I think you might have touched on this …
I1096know what it for all us here and in the1097it had indigent representation and I know maybe you could1098speak on this and you kind of touched on it1099but you know1100members of the local first nation leaders are anticipating this1101and are supportive of this it is and someone able1102to touch on that it kind of who some of1103those leaders are just so for comfort1104Missouri go ahead 1105sure so the chair of London for all is outlook1106Nicholas representing …
at Los on and …
in our1107meetings there’s been Raymond a leering from at low Santa1108…
al day from the Amerind friendship center and Brian1109dokey from so hot …
as well as the London1110and district chiefs and the southern First Nations secretariat so1111there’s been quite a few people1112and so on I know the match the names but1113they are are all support of correct1114okay thank you and to the church just one more1115question I I know because I’ll probably come up …1116I’m finds the language either way …
I notice is1117that members and I just didn’t want my colleagues was1118he see that council to anticipate or think that that1119could be four people are five people or six people1120…
my preference would be that it just says to1121because that’s what they what they intend to once by1122I’ll leave it with you because I just anticipate what1123could happen at council but it’s not my motion1124so when not when I present the report at council1125on make sure that they’re asking for it1126not more than two hopefully and honestly councillor Salih we1127don’t usually have people banging down the door for extra1128work not saying anything just1129so we have a motion that’s been moved and seconded1130and …
and we can all hope1131closing the vote the motion carries 50 1132so thank you again for coming and thank you for1133all the hard work that you do I know that1134it is …
for the most part volunteering of time1135and talent and it’s very much appreciated thank you1136councillor Lewis 1137sorry I think that …
members of committee myself included1138might want to comment on the report as a whole1139rather than I am not to the motion was not1140important but not just limited to the motion absolutely so1141we have to receive the report and the delegation …1142so …
if councillor Lewis you wanna moves recede and1143councillor Salih is seconding that and councillor Lewis go ahead1144thank you madam chair and and I want to …1145preface my comments by saying I I really appreciate the1146work and especially1147deb and Erica marsian and I know you represent only1148some of the people with lived experience I think it’s1149really important have those voices at the table at the1150leadership table at the accountability tables …
and I I1151know that I have talked to …
missing or …1152one on one about some of the work that’s that’s1153being done around this and I really really do appreciate1154the the hard work that is going into this …1155I want to1156say to my colleagues so let’s not take …
fifty1157two recommendations and …
marked as complete and Pat ourselves1158on the back1159because I don’t think we should I think in fact1160when we look at fifty two recommendations completed I would1161actually argue that only forty nine of those have been1162done because when I look at two point six two1163point seven two point eight well lobbying has happened with1164the province of the provincial government or W.
rates or1165DSP rates in C.
P.
P.
rates have not changed1166in fact we’ve seen a provincial government that is reducing1167those income levels we’ve seen a federal government that has1168failed to act on CPP you know again we have1169seniors who are getting a Cup of coffee a raise1170this year seniors who are struggling to try and stay1171in their homes by the way we’ve got twenty two1172recommendations in this report on housing and only two of1173those are marked complete1174two out of twenty two on housing which we heard1175from ms wills is something we should be considering a1176crisis …
and of those two one of them1177directed seven hundred fifty thousand dollars into alum H.
sees1178regenerations well we know the number is much much higher1179than that I will say to colleagues also that …1180both the the past council and our current iteration of1181council I think has really helps make progress on the1182transportation and transit issues I think that the …
bus1183passes for folks with low income …
for children under1184twelve running free and and for secondary students I think1185those are made a very positive impact in the community1186so we have1187taken some steps forward but by no means should we1188look at this fifty two recommendations done and and I’m1189gonna say forty nine and I’m gonna encourage the the1190the work being done by London for all to continue1191to lobby our federal and provincial representatives on those income1192issues because they’re not going away anytime soon …
let’s1193not say Hey there’s a silver lining to the to1194the crisis in London because there’s a1195heck of a lot more work to be done and1196if we were in chambers I do some stronger language1197than that …
it is not without any disrespect to1198the people who are doing this work …
and three1199madam chair to the the delegation that we have I1200have a specific question on on waiting one item in1201particular and that’s the the …
made in London …1202campaign …
which was one of the recommendations around you1203know promoting meeting London goods and services so that we1204were increasing employment opportunities …
and I know that this1205is sort of coming at you are left field so1206it do you have any update for us on where1207that is because there was nothing in the report on1208that1209yes so I’d like to answer two things one is1210when we market a recommendation complete if you met anyone1211on the leadership table or any of the other tables1212…
were never done …
and so as a group1213it was discussed what do we need to do in1214order to to say that we’ve completed this but every1215time we get to that point …
people say okay1216awesome we did this now let’s do this so we’re1217continuously working on things …
you know I look at1218my support in the seats up stairs to sometimes we’ve1219had some great wins and then government changes …
but1220we’re just trying to keep updated on their the work1221that we did do and and we’re still going in1222terms of the made in London we’ve been working with1223…
London economic development corporation and how ways that we1224can …
better profile and the employment sector council ways1225that we can better profile …
…
products that are1226made and produced here in London and how we can1227…
promote that and we’re also working with …
pillar1228…
quite a bit so we’ll have more coming on1229that recommendation1230thank you so …
I would that was a question1231that I had for the completed knowing that some that1232comes I am fifty two completed and then I have1233written decided on going so I understand that many of1234the completed such as advocacy work whether it’s to this1235level of government or to provincial or federal their ongoing1236at the advocacy work is continuing1237and I think there’s a lot on the recommendations that1238are in progress I just the report was going to1239be way too hefty so there’s a lot of work1240going on …
and as you heard like with housing1241I didn’t1242bother to import all of the great work that is1243being done just because it’s changing week by week …1244some look kindly even the housing tell after all of1245the …1246at meetings are taking place 1247so as as a former member of the panel that1248worked on the report that then handed over to you1249I’ll just give some background to new members of council1250so …
we identified as as the line of for1251all people I’ve shown that poverty’s community issue so we1252identified immediately that was not something at city council is1253going to solve so nobody is patting ourselves on the1254back I can assure you because we also recognized that1255once the report was done as far as getting a1256recommendations going it had to be out living in the1257community and couldn’t live in city hall …
part of1258that as well as because we know that they need1259to advocate and that would be it would be putting1260staff in a very awkward position to hand them the1261report and say implement this report and then they have1262to try1263around then advocate to …
more than they already do1264for their for their particular areas of expertise but it1265was recognize and it was strongly recommended from within the1266community as well that this reside in the community …1267so it really did complimented that the definition from the1268very beginning that poverty is a community issue …
regardless1269of what party is in power at which level of1270government the advocacy will always continue and and is a1271necessary part of this1272and finally …
during our our work …
we had1273many conversations with other communities that have into implemented poverty1274reduction strategies notably …
Hamilton Holton area and the Halton1275brown table …
the Toronto I sat for an entire1276day with that late deputy mayor Pam McConnell who led1277the Toronto poverty reduction strategy there’s was a two year1278…
work plan we did ours in seven months so1279…
and then we gave a considerable amount of work1280to the money for all teams so …
we saw1281the experience from other communities that had gone ahead of1282us and we see that it is it is going1283on going so Hamilton region their initial poverty reduction plan1284was was written over ten years ago and the work1285continues the round tables continues to exist there may be1286new players coming in all the time but they’re continuing1287to do the work which is what these people are1288doing and there is no accident that they have the1289leadership table but feeding into the leadership table ID accountability1290tables and that’s important that word is is …
deliberate1291and I know ms riddle set this help to set1292this all up she was the project manager for getting1293this implementation body off the ground and the accountability table1294specifically means that they are accountable for the recommendations that1295have been assigned to them so each table has a1296set of recommendations that they are accountable for moving forward1297and they take their roles very very seriously I know1298that so again thank you very much for coming …1299thank you for the work that you do and we’re1300looking forward to more …
updates and more more news1301coming forward poverty is never going to be an easy1302issue it’s never going to be completely solved but we1303do recognize as well on the plan the goal was1304a generation so we certainly don’t1305fact after just …
a few years three years that1306…
that it’s mission accomplished so a we have a1307motion to receive it’s on the floor it’s been moved1308and seconded and we can vote on that1309closing the vote the motion carries 5 to 0 1310so committee were a little bit behind we have a1311time to item for twelve thirty which is that a1312brief staff presentation about the parks and rec master plan1313we also have …
some members of the pack that1314are1315as in RT presenting as well Mister suffered or is1316it just you1317through the chair I believe the pack …
would like1318some words as well as well it’s accessible advisory committee1319okay so we’ll go ahead with the time to item1320after that we have …
two more delegation requests and1321I see that the …
members are in the audience1322sometimes we decide at a meeting to approve it that1323delegation for a future meeting we don’t currently have agenda1324items for the July meeting so there’s a possibility that1325there may not be until the a July meeting so1326I believe it would be best to hear the delegations1327today1328let side go with staff 1329and the parks and rec master plan which is item1330three point three oz with staff presentation and also a1331delegation from EPAC and a delegation from the accessibility advisory1332committee slots the delegations today go ahead Mr Stafford1333thank you through the chair I’m gonna be very brief1334…
will reduce our presentation a little bit here so1335…
representing the update of the draft of the parks1336and rec master plan today …
we started the project1337in early twenty eighteen along with the consulting team of1338Monty brown planning consultants Tucker read and associates and swine1339consultants all rights are ten year plan for parks and1340recreation programs support services and facilities and a longer term1341outlook for major capital projects for up to twenty years1342I just want to take this time to to thank1343all the staff partners stakeholders the contributed will continue to1344contribute to the plan as we implemented through the many1345years I had thank you1346councillor Salih …
so happy to move the motion and1347just real quickly the staff was there anything in in1348the plan that you would like to include …
that1349would allow you flexibility and not having to come back1350to council certain things in the future I just wanna1351ask cause I know I’m usually the person calling parks1352recreation I know that out of the blue so1353if we can get ultimate direction to miss Livingston and1354I’d implement to anything that would be great1355I think he probably didn’t want that cart launch so1356…
no I think …
I think it’s a stance1357of plan that …
allows going forward and and certainly1358with budget constraints there’s gonna be business cases coming forward1359that that …
deal with some of the …
the1360gaps in service that we have in some of the1361larger projects that we have going forward so certainly …1362you’ll hear more from us as we go and …1363we appreciate your input so thank you1364thank you councillor so odds been moved by councillor Salih1365which is the staff recommendation that the above noted pant1366plan be adopted civic administration be directed seconded by councillor1367Lewis but let’s first hear from our delegation I believe1368Mr Levin from EPAC1369I’m here with the other two members of impact the1370vice chair Susan Harlan Randi Trudeau we were the working1371group that …
prepared comments for staff and we want1372us pushing through the involvement of the pack in this1373process and thank staff for are coming to you pack1374also setting up a meeting with myself and Mr staff1375for Mister McPherson to …
talk about our comments we1376believe you should move forward with this we suggest a1377clause see and I’ve also discusses with ms Madden from1378the accessibility advisory committee that there be ongoing consultation with1379the pack and the accessibility advisory committee as the plan1380is implemented I have a chance to run into Mr1381Stafford this morning and he is comfortable with that recommendation1382as well that it be added1383all we do also suggestion and again I don’t think1384this should in he this moving forward but a glossary1385in the document would be helpful there are references to1386other documents but it’s always helpful to have that handy1387and again in talking with Mr Stafford I don’t believe1388that is gonna impair your moving forward with the adoption1389today1390so I’m saying from the mover and a seconder that1391a clause see …
is it is accepted that there1392be ongoing consultation with EPAC and ask1393and a glossary 1394any area councillor Lewis 1395thank you madam chair this is a 1396great thing that I’m seeing come back I’ve been waiting1397to see this for a while and …
I can1398say that I’ve actually …
bumped into staff doing some1399consultations at a couple of our different community facilities …1400well this was …
for public consultation feedback …
I’m1401really really excited to see a number of the things1402…
that are presented in this plan I1403frankly think that we need to find you more money1404to fund some of these things that don’t have capital1405costs included as well …
and when I look at1406things like …
on page four hundred ninety six one1407referred to the number of …
basketball hoops are gonna1408be needed in the community I think after last week1409…
we may need to up that number …
I1410think that there be a lot of young people who1411are going to want to be able to go to1412play basketball …
I I look at the importance emphasized1413in the report of the aquatic center and making sure1414that it’s a facility that’s capable of holding provincial and1415national and even international events …
I think that1416apps in there in your haste to prepare the report1417for us …
we missed look at the paragraph in1418there about the importance of having why find that facility1419…
for those level of events …
however I’ll leave1420that for future I know this is a draft so1421while1422taking a look at this …
one of the big1423takeaways for me colleagues is the fact that there is1424not sufficient funding for the regeneration of existing …
park1425infrastructure in our neighborhoods and I was really struck by1426the the age demographic data that was in the report1427and and as we see more status neighbourhoods have a1428higher proportion of use the the teen age bracket the1429newer neighborhoods have a higher proportion of young children and1430as these neighborhoods age the needs in our parks are1431going to change as those demographics change as well so1432I think is as we see …
business cases come1433forward in the multi year budget process I I would1434really1435three you Madame chair encourage staff to not be shy1436about telling us what you need for regeneration in terms1437of funding because I think maintaining our neighborhood parks are1438a really really critical …
piece I I saw the1439note of expanded senior satellites again that reflects our changing1440demographics and and that’s a very important thing I certainly1441have a great number of seniors who appreciate the senior1442satellite programming that’s available …
at the edge of my1443ward at Trinity United church and I know that …1444if we had expanded that service elsewhere in the east1445and they’ll be up take on it …
we have1446seniors out there who are looking for things to do1447so I want to thank staff for the great detailed1448report here …
I know the people in both the1449northwest and the southeastern gonna be delighted to see that1450the medium size community center facilities are are on the1451list and that those actually have capital funding …
attached1452to them already so we will be able to do1453those …
I just want to commend staff in particular1454on page four twelve it mentions …
references including climate1455change planning1456our new bills I know that …
the east London1457community center1458…
we’ve taken some steps to make sure that there’s1459…
some1460per able …
services some some water catchment …
facilities1461to make the drainage issues better I know that the1462same thing has been done it Bostwick …
with the1463bio swells there …
you know are for council recently1464passed a1465declaration that we’re in a climate crisis staff is already1466planning …
for green technologies to be implemented in our1467community facilities moving forward and I also want to draw1468colleagues attention to page five sixteen …
the importance of1469the municipal accommodation tax spending on sports infrastructure and I1470know that there is a …
recommendation coming to corporate1471services tomorrow on the municipal accommodation tax and it actually1472re emphasizes the importance of putting this money into a1473funds that could be used for leveraging improvements to recreational1474facilities and things like that so there’s a lot of1475important things in here …
I know that there this1476was a very thick agenda this week so I wanted1477to draw colleagues attention to those kind of things …1478I did want to ask …
because I I didn’t1479see it and again it was a thick report so1480I may have missed it …
three to staff1481during the public consultation process do we have a number1482on on how many individuals participated in and provided feedback1483to us on this plan I know was as a1484lot because I attended several of them1485through the chair I’ll defer to my colleagues that have1486that information behind me this back struggling1487pleasure to be here before you …
we’re a part1488of the the author team …
with Monty from planning1489and and we had like a lot of the community1490consultation of the number that you like force over twenty1491five hundred many of those engaged at both phases of1492our consultation through surveys many in person events as well1493…
an online and and through …
various events1494thank you for that and and I hope they didn’t1495tell me three times because I’m only one person …1496and I I just want to finish up …
by1497noting …
that …
misspoke means here as well …1498and then the …
community movie night so we had1499one scheduled this weekend …
in our park the got1500rained out but those are an important component of how1501residents are utilizing our park spaces as well so I1502think that the entire parks and recreation team …
deserves1503huge thanks for the work that they’ve put into this1504plan and hopefully as a council we can find the1505money to make it happen for you1506thank you I am actually gonna go to the other1507delegation first her next because that ms mad in is1508here and she’s been waiting so come and …
and1509go ahead1510yes hi thank you for allowing me to speak on 1511I can’t 1512since of changing over committee we have our first new1513committee meeting in a couple weeks but town I was1514the chair of that the past committee …
thank you1515to …
Scotton Donna and …
injuries they brought us1516in the process all around and I’m and I really1517think that the language in the direction is consistent with1518the feedback that we gave you along the way1519so we appreciate that we appreciate you taking time to1520come to our meetings and our subcommittees1521I do feel like we’ve been involved …
I think1522then I just wanted to call attention to a couple1523of things the number one thing that I believe was1524that they heard in the community feedback was that we1525want walkable paths and …
nature1526Chelsea however that was worded and I think that that1527is consistent with what we heard in our open houses1528…
two years ago from our committee for our community1529that we need to we wanted walkable spaces and so1530when you’re looking at these in planning these we just1531asset that we remember that it’s access for all in1532time so we’re looking at all of these to be1533accessible1534another thing is playgrounds 1535when you think of playgrounds being accessible you think of1536for the kids but it’s also for parents them for1537grandparents and who take the kids to the parks and1538surfacing as is always the biggest issue with playgrounds because1539really the only truly accessible surfacing there’s rabbis surfacing not1540wood chips that tend to be the more economical thing1541to put town and the problem with that is that1542these are the it’s a big financial1543train to for them to put in rabbi servicing so1544you know we’re hoping that we should all come together1545and think outside the box on how to get this1546done by her …
corporate partnerships her …
community agency1547partnerships to trial so that when we upgrade parks are1548put in new ones that we’re we’re doing it properly1549in that we’re not taking that short cut that were1550putting the right thing in the budget so that we1551have the proper surfacing1552the other thing is is I recognize that this is1553a big high level thing but there’s also we have1554lots of other …
documents to look for look at1555when we’re doing these things from our very own fads1556to our guidelines for developing the assays …
to our1557cities accessibility plan and to remember that all of those1558documents as well govern what happens in the parks and1559rec1560thing was I was going to say that 1561if we continue to work together with you know with1562with staff with E.
pack with as I’m sure we1563can come up with some good workable solutions for all1564of these things and and we appreciate your time so1565thank you1566ms matter they may on committee 1567I just wanna say …
the job great report I’m1568always been really proud of parks in London and I1569know in in ward five1570we have some really great parks and I was actually1571going to touch on partnerships in two of the parts1572that were recently upgraded with the optimists and so they1573provided funding to the city so that we could take1574those two parts to to the next level so they1575…
constitution park and then the fan shop …
optimist1576park it used to be a fan shop to miss1577little league park so perhaps some of those issues like1578rubberized surfaces could be could be …
it could be1579the upgrade when we’re working with community partners that are1580willing to help …
find those those kinds of things1581so it’s really it’s really good and and looking forward1582to the sport park that’s coming in ward five to1583which also …
addresses the issue of diversity and how1584we’re doing …
some …
recreation programs a little bit1585differently because of our diversity so we’re gonna have a1586cricket pitch up there on the athletes sports fields1587name is actually pending on that right so …
we1588have a motion on the floor moved and seconded any1589other comments or questions1590thank you to our delegates for speaking to us today1591thanks to staff and we can vote1592closing the vote the motion carries 5 to 0 1593okay we’ll move to items for direction keeping in mind1594committee that we still have some consent items that we1595haven’t …
taken care of yet so the first one1596is four point one which is a delegation request …1597on the impact of social assistance changes on the community1598in the city of London budget and …
we will1599be hearing from Michael Mr Lee back teh formerly of1600St Patrick’s high school in Sarnia Ontario former classmate of1601mine can I have a motion to accept the delegation1602requests moved by councillor Salih’s seconded by councillor hillier and1603we can vote on that1604closing the vote the motion carries 50 1605go ahead Mr Robert taking go straight to the Mike1606we want to come down1607okay complete 1608you come down …
can we extend we vote on1609the the other a delegation request well he’s making his1610way down yeah okay so the second delegation will be1611the impact of cuts to legal aid on the community1612and the city of London budget and it is L.1613burns and see mac Mollen and I will look for1614a mover moved by councillor hillier seconded by councillor Peloza1615and we can vote 1616closing the vote the motion carries 50 1617our delegation should be arriving soon 1618Matt 1619are you ready for his power point or is he1620bringing it1621go ahead 1622thank you for allowing her delegation status today 1623as Maureen said my name is Michael liberty in the1624staff lawyer neighborhood legal services I’ve been with the clinic1625for approximately thirty years1626neighborhood legal services as poverty law legal clinic 1627we serve London Middlesex County 1628we deal mostly with housing and poverty line issues and1629implement …
issues1630we have provided a written submission 1631that I hope you had an opportunity to review 1632outlining a number of ways that the provincial budget negatively1633impacts our community and especially low on income individuals1634and I am here today to talk about 1635two upcoming provincial changes that will negatively impact low income1636people and our and on our community1637today we heard quite extensively the housing crisis London and1638it is in1639and the changes that I’m talking to you today about1640well had to the housing crisis in poverty issues in1641London1642he also had a presentation from London for all …1643which I am part of one of the tables …1644and unfortunately many of the recommendations that were checked off1645that was incremental steps that we had with a some1646success with last provincial government but …
a lot of1647those1648step forwards 1649now we’re going backwards and these are to that are1650really going backwards and that we’re asking for your help1651and trying to change the mind of the provincial government1652on these two issues1653…
the first one is changing the definition of Ontario1654disability what it means to be disabled under that program1655the government has announced that in two thousand and twenty1656they’re changing the definitions from its current one too much1657more strict one it’s moving from …
how do I1658explain it to my clients when they come to me1659and they both have an Ontario disability and Canada pension1660disability appeal1661for Ontario disability when I need to show what we1662need to show on an appeal is that your medical1663problems prevents you from working for at least one year1664in jobs within your abilities1665Canada pension test as much stricter 1666you basically have to show that your medical problems prevents1667you from working at any type of job basically for1668the rest of your life1669so it is address change will negatively impact many many1670of the people we help get on to the Ontario1671disability system1672…
I asked one through words for numbers per year1673that go from Ontario works to interview disability I don’t1674know the exact numbers and hopefully staff can give you1675that but from just from our office and I know1676there’s a couple other offices that deal with this issue1677a we filed two to three hundred appeals a year1678on this issue1679already by the end of may we found a hundred1680and ten appeals to nine disability Ontario …
on average1681we we win seventy five percent those appeals the reason1682appeals is that we are able to show that yes1683these people are not disabled for life but they are1684cannot work for the next year or so because of1685their medical problems1686those appeals that were successful on will likely not be1687successful in the future1688so 1689and who are we talking about mostly we’re talking people1690with mental health issues1691people with depression PTSD anxiety they’re not able to work1692they’re trying to deal with our problems they’re trying in1693treatment programs they’re seeing psychiatrists are trying medications but presently1694they can’t function workplace so we get them on Ontario1695disability with a two year medical review saying okay you1696can’t work now but come back in two years …1697and then we’ll see how things are progressing if you’re1698not progressing you remain on the system if not1699it’s time to go and get a job 1700so I fear is that change it’s gonna impact the1701Ontario works caseload you’re going to have hundreds of people1702who presently going to …
DSP remaining Ontario works these1703are the clients that are gonna need to the most1704of your a lot of resources …
and1705most of them will not be able to function workplace 1706and you saw the slides earlier today why is it1707important to get them from Ontario works told yes Pete1708well you saw how much you get on up …1709W.
as a single person seven hundred and thirty dollars1710I know yes P.
we can get that up to1711eleven hundred and sixty nine dollars1712so it makes a big difference and plasters additional benefits1713if you’re on would yes P.1714there’s basically no dental coverage when you’re on Ontario works 1715if you’re on …
DSP you have dental coverage you1716can see a dentist you can deal with your your1717your teeth issues1718one of the things I found the most outrageous is1719to expect1720people dealing with significant mental health issues 1721trying to deal with those issues 1722on the meter money they get from Ontario works well1723this is what this government is saying is all we’re1724getting you seven hundred thirty dollars try to find housing1725tried of …
…
cover your basic needs and also1726try to deal with your significant mental health issues1727so that’s that’s the first issue I wanted to bring1728to your attention that this will cause …
more people1729staying Ontario works it’s going to cause a lot of1730our community partners resources that they don’t have to try1731to serve these people more because they’re not on what1732yes Pete1733this second this second big change that I wanted to1734talk to you about …
we understand that this one1735will take effect November first1736and it is going to impact from the numbers I1737got from on Ontario works manager on an average month1738it’s going to impact two hundred families …
in about1739four hundred children1740and what that is it’s two hundred and twenty dollars1741per child that will be eliminated from these families1742and what that is is over the last decade or1743so1744the government has taken basic needs for children on or1745W.
and or the S.
P.
out of those programs1746inputted into child tax benefits1747so 1748there are certain groups of people were not eligible for1749child tax benefits1750and so that’s what this transitional child benefit is it1751is to replace top tax benefits you cannot yet1752the largest number of people who are going to be1753impacted by these changes are people who are applying for1754example to become convention refugees1755if you’re applying for a convention refugee that takes a1756year or two1757you were not eligible for the child tax benefit 1758so currently you get the transitional child benefit of two1759hundred twenty Bucks per child1760this government has decided that they’re not no longer going1761to fund this program1762I understand that for the city of London it was1763a two million dollars in the span of a repeat1764of last year1765where are these people there’s 1766I know crouch resource center is asking for an emergency1767meeting next week because a couple of families were inadvertently1768cut off from this benefit early by Ontario works reinstate1769it but1770hi how are these families post to survive cover their1771food cover their housing when the money for their children1772is being taken away1773I can it it it is 1774it is a horrendous decision that were asking this your1775support to pass the government1776to review that decision before takes place because you’re going1777to have17781779 1779 kids how are they supposed to find housing it’s already1780hard to …
live on Ontario works when you have1781the child tax benefit coming in with it with you1782other expecting these people to survive without that so in1783my estimation I asked for a resolution …
…
from1784city council to two contact the premier and ministry of1785community and social services minister1786and request that these two decisions to change definition and1787to end this program be reviewed and resend it thank1788you1789thank you 1790councillor Salih 1791okay ma’am changes to you act 1792not the current conflict yeah can your interest …
which1793is on the matter were talking about the the convention1794if it she’s an immigration status is my players a1795federal government I just want to fly to depending on1796what the motion is so I only forty so far1797as was clear so text here the delegation request so1798obviously I can’t predict what the delegation delegate was going1799to say so how kind of wait to see how1800the conversation goes but I have to remove myself to1801forget it talk specifically about immigration status is in those1802pieces1803so …
I their their request is to address specifically1804the premier of Ontario with that still1805so so my concern is that we’re talking about the1806immigration status in the convention refugees right and and the1807benefits that they would get and then that in theory1808having a conflict with my in place so I just1809have to kind of wait and see how the conversation1810goes but I just wanted to fly that just keep1811spending was falling from home okay and so for your1812whatever you can turn 1813five fifty two in the agenda and see specifically what1814request is being made up this committee …
and you1815can just look at that and in the meantime I’ll1816go to councillor Lewis1817thank you madam chair and through you …
to our1818delegation …
for so I I certainly understand1819…
changing the definition of of the disability prior to1820…
my time here …
I worked as a public1821servant in federal government and I know how much more1822difficult it is to qualify for C.
C.
P.
D.1823than it is to qualify for …
DSP and that1824the Canada pension disability is intended to be permanent that1825you’re not ever going back to work again or the1826S.
P.
is not so restrictive …
so I certainly1827understand and and I could support …
that part of1828the resolution my concern is is the second part and1829it’s not that I would argue that these families don’t1830need …
benefits to help support their children but1831with apologies councillor Salih because I might trigger is conflict1832here …
but immigration is a federal matter and and1833the province does have1834financial challenges of of its own so why would ask1835us to lobby the Primera to reverse the decision on1836this child benefit why not focus the lobbying effort on1837the federal government to extend the Canada child benefit to1838children of convention refugees as well because to me I1839think what we’re asking is for the province to fill1840the gap left by the federal government frankly1841okay we are in the process of also and challenging1842the federal government but these are people who are waiting1843to be found convention refugees so they’re in the system1844and have not been found eligible for convention refugees so1845this this program that the province is eliminating and it’s1846been played in place for ten years at least not1847twenty years of ten years sorry two thousand and eight1848…
and just because there is a kerfuffle between the1849province and the federal government that may not be resolved1850anytime soon1851currently the province has stepped up to the plate and1852then for them to walk away now well the well1853they they tried how should a with the feds you’re1854putting you’re putting all the onus on the families to1855try to live with this changes so in the meantime1856wild wild1857the federal government the provincial government try to work out1858their refugee and immigration issues it does not seem fair1859to that the Ontario government take a benefit away that’s1860currently there that they have supported1861councillor Salih is working so yeah I just wanna learn1862record out the keys myself because I don’t want it1863to further into the conversation thinks 1864any other questions or comments from committee 1865okay so our delegate has 1866a request for a motion and …
looking to committee1867to see what you want to do1868thank you madam chair …
I would be prepared to1869move the draft list resolution with respect to the changes1870to the definition of the disability1871if colleagues want to vote on if colleagues one include1872both …
I wanna vote on them separately …
but1873I’m prepared to move the first portion of the draft1874resolution1875K.
are so that’s been seconded by councillor hillier what1876I would like to do is ask staff …1877so we have an old different pieces of legislation have1878been introduced are have been changed at the planning level1879the the planning act that they’ve been changes in our1880lots of stuff happening there and …
staff have been1881deeply involved in conversations with the provincial government on those1882changes and providing input all over the place so …1883to staff is similar stuff happening around any of these1884items that have been brought forward today1885through the chair …
thank you for the question I1886think it’s probably fair to say that we have a1887very active and ongoing engagement with our colleagues at the1888ministry of community social services sorry community children community and1889social services thanks Mike …
and so I’ll start any1890us Mr to consider to remind some additional feedback with1891respect to that I do think that these are …1892decision made by the provincial government as it relates to1893the definition of of disability and also the changes around1894how they’re going to find it …
we have a1895relationship with the regional offices me actually have opportunities to1896to have discussions …
across the province with our colleagues1897as well these1898I guess if you’re asking what I believe to is1899to encourage them to make some different decisions we certainly1900have the ability to do that …
but I would1901suggest to that council’s in their role as governance of1902of the responsibility for the work that we do also1903has a capacity to do that and …
pastor Mr1904Dickens of using us to add1905through the chair I think they’ll be fairly accurate that1906…
since November twenty second twenty eighteen when MC CSS1907announced they were launching their social systems reform plans …1908we have been waiting for details of what some of1909those plans might be …
we see …
impacts to1910funding changes …
such as …
the TCB the transition1911child benefit …
coming to fruition and they’ve put a1912time line that those changes will come into effect November1913of twenty nineteen …
there have been recent examples where1914heavy lobbying and support from the municipal sector has reversed1915some changes …
so I would echo those comments that1916at a governance level there can be …
an opportunity1917perhaps for some greater impact1918so the motion the motion is on screen and it1919available for account for committee members as well that the1920matter be requested to advise the Primera of Ontario and1921the minister of children community and social services of the1922city of London’s request that the province review and rescind1923the decision to change the definition of disability in the1924in the Ontario disability support program it being noted that1925communications from and liver tank …
neighborhood legal services and1926a ballot’s worn on in homes coalition with respect to1927this matter were received1928how’s that that’s good so it’s moved by counsellor Louis1929seconded by councillor hillier …
councillor Salih just to saying1930if you want to look at that motion this one1931does not touch on1932the convention refugee issue this is only about the Ontario1933disability support1934I have been a cop out of an abundance of1935caution outs the recuse for now and then I’ll come1936back at council with at that point after consult if1937need be saw I’ll continue recused because my employer is1938the federal government and there was a lot of talk1939about funding and and change and when money an advocacy1940on the federal issue of who pays for what that’s1941my players will be safe on this one1942so my question to the delegate as …
regarding a1943transition child benefit since Mr since councillor Salih is recused1944…1945can you just reiterate 1946does it all up you you mentioned in your presentation1947that it provides support to those who are sort of1948in limbo as as applicants for convention refugee status who1949else1950is 1951so who else is benefits from this transition child benefit1952the sites convention refugee applicants yes I should mention that1953it’s not only a people in immigration1954situations it’s also people who …
are having difficulties or1955a separation from a spouse and who is eligible for1956the child tax benefit and if if one person gets1957the other person says no it should be me because1958I have the child most of the time well that’s1959been disputed …
that person get the transitional child benefit1960another example is …
you have a new baby you1961have to file the paperwork that could take a few1962months before the child tax benefit kicks in so that1963can you can get the chair transitional top and if1964I third unfortunately some people because of mental health or1965addiction issues or whatever don’t file their income tax returns1966in time so again the transitional job benefits would kick1967in for a number of months before that for yes1968so until you work through the S.
P.
can help1969the person get their child …
taxes done and have1970the child tax benefit reinstated another example is if …1971you’re looking at a factory you’re making good money …1972and you don’t get child tax benefit because it’s based1973on your income from the previous year you have a1974significant change in your job status in income …
so1975you technically are not eligible for the child tax benefit1976because it’s based on last year’s income …
but …1977you can ask for exceptional circumstances to to get child1978tax benefit because of change with the can that takes1979a number of months and again the transitional chop and1980if it is there to help you while that process1981is happening1982should have much all of that it’s not only does1983with immigration issues1984but that is I would say the largest number 1985so basically it’s a stop gap measure what people are1986waiting to be approved for the child tax benefit1987appealing a negative decision that they’re not entitled to it 1988any comments some from committee any desire to address the1989second part of the request from the delegation councillor Lewis1990again madam chair is for you all …
just say1991you know based on my previous experience and and child1992tax benefits …
challenges were certainly the bulk of the1993…
case work with Canada revenue agency …1994with the with all due respect to our delegate I’m1995I’m gonna rip disagree that it takes a long time1996to settle these …
it was my experience through an1997MPs office that these can often be settled in the1998matter in the course of two to three weeks …1999and again I think we’re being asked to to step2000in2001and encourage the province to fill a gap 2002created by the federal government not sorting out its own2003business on the Canada child benefits …
and I I2004just don’t think it’s our role as municipal council to2005be the referee between a disagreement between the feds and2006the province2007okay so I will vote on this that them every2008requested blah blah blah sorry don’t mean to diminish that2009but etcetera etcetera …
then I will I will …2010Risin the chair and handed over to my vice chair2011and I would be prepared to move …
the exact2012same wording …
and then talk about the transition child2013benefit …2014it’s a communication to the premier is expressing 2015something that will have an effect on the people that2016we serve …
it when we’re delivering provincial services here2017in London I’m not sure if the two million dollars2018is that Mr Levin veritate mentioned …
actually maybe I’ll2019get a comment from South because this awesome faces that2020there is some uncertainty about …
a reduction and by2021two million dollars based on some of these changes2022I was told that’s what was paid out by Ontario2023works to people on the getting the transition child benefit2024the last twelve months2025that staff for that in the last 12 months 2026through the chair thank you yes in twenty eighteen we2027issued …
roughly two million dollars directly to clients …2028in the TCB benefit2029okay so we have a motion on the floor AHS2030been moved and seconded and we can vote on that2031closing the vote the motion carries four with one of2032sting2033all right are abandoned the chair I am I guess2034I should check and see if anybody would be interested2035in seconding that other motion again it’s a letter to2036the premier’s office and the minister’s office …
expressing concern2037about a change that they are implementing in the transition2038child benefit us on looking at committee anybody interested in2039a second on that2040councillor Peloza 2041thank you Mr presiding officer so I yeah I am2042I I see no problem we we’ve been doing this2043as I said at planning committee a lot directing staff2044to communicate with the premiums office or a minister’s office2045to talk about proposed or impending changes to the planning2046act or other legislation …
I I have no problem2047asking the mayor to write a letter about this proposed2048our or pending change and …
and just advising them2049of the effect is going to have in London on2050Londoners and I’m pleased that councillor Peloza is willing to2051second that motion2052thank you kat councillor Peloza 2053thank you Mr presiding officer and I was happy to2054second us to have the conversation to hear concert …2055Cassidy’s concerns about why2056I am mindful in asking another local government to keep2057picking up the slack when someone else download something on2058to them we find ourselves not position a lot lately2059in my opinion municipally and I’m I’m hesitant to do2060it because it sets the tone of yeah it’s okay2061just keep absorbing what’s not yours to do certainly recognizing2062as a mom and knowing the impact that these dollars2063have on families and that everyone has to transition and2064some people definitely need help with the paperwork and when2065things get difficult20662067 2067 but still very on the wording of resend …
if2068there was more people wording of we highly encourage you2069to work towards a resolution or support this because this2070is the impact it’s having in London who’s already house2071how it’s having a housing crisis2072in addition to addiction …
issues right now on the2073city were just in a very precarious situation2074thank you councillor Peloza councillor Cassidy so Mr presiding officer2075I’m happy to play with the wording there and I’m2076also perhaps it may be helpful to also …
send2077a letter to the federal government and I ask that2078the two levels of government work together to resolve this2079issue …2080well I would say I would feel more comfortable if2081we are sending our doubles as well right okay so2082to if we were to address the letter to both2083levels of government and that it is our role just2084as Mr liberties role as one of advocacy to this2085level of government that’s one of our roles is advocacy2086towards other levels of government on behalf of people of2087London2088it will ask …
everybody to just give us a2089moment here while I check with the clerk on what2090she’s got for wording2091okay the motion up on the screen now if people2092want to take a quick look at it2093so the motion on the floor we can vote 2094closing the vote the motion carries four to zero with2095one of steam2096thank you 2097…
okay now are second delegation is L.
burns and2098see McMillan …
from neighborhood legal services welcome I forgot2099to tell the other delegates you supposed to have five2100minutes to present your your information to us I’ve been2101a little bit lenient today but2102welcome go ahead 2103thank you madam chair am I think will be a2104little bit more brief and my colleague Michael liberty …2105I want to thank him actually for introducing neighborhood legal2106services and what we do I don’t have to do2107that now my name is Chelsea McMillan I’m a license2108paralegal with neighborhood legal services am we are the legal2109aid clinic which services London Middlesex County I am we’re2110here to talk about some of the cuts that came2111down in the twenty nineteen provincial budget some of you2112may or may not be aware legal aid is facing2113a thirty five percent cut this year …
that amounts2114to a hundred and thirty three million …
within the2115next two years or three years and we’re expecting that2116cut to go up to forty five percent …
I2117do also want to point out how disproportionate this cut2118is …
legally Ontario makes up twenty percent of the2119ministry of the attorney general’s at overall budget …
but2120this cut is actually …
over half of the the2121cuts that and the ministry is facing am2122already seen this year of the impact of some of2123these cuts …
block Kaline neighborhood legal services was able2124to …
absorb the cuts without seeing any reduction in2125front line services this year and but looking out some2126of the clinics at intron …
…
were sort of2127expecting to see those types of pets coming next year2128and the following year and I’m specifically in trying to2129we’ve seen at some of the specialized clinics and I’m2130facing large cuts so just for an example that advocacy2131center for tenants of Ontario as facing a twenty five2132percent cut this year …
in the income security advocacy2133center is also facing a twenty five percent cut this2134year2135more close to home Parkdale community legal services which is2136not a specialty clinic it’s a neighbourhood clinic just like2137ours here in London they’re facing a Cup of one2138million out of their total two point three million dollar2139budget …
over the next two years I’m so that2140is quite large and again those are cuts that we2141are expecting to face here in London within the next2142couple of years …
which you know we do want2143to point out there’s no way that we would be2144able to face cuts like that …
without at having2145a significant impact on the front line services that were2146able to provide …
to the citizens of London Middlesex2147County M.
and really what this means is that low2148income Londoners and we’ll be left without legal representation …2149in some of the things that we specifically help them2150with …
arbitration hearings …
disability hearings we’ve already heard2151today at you know about the housing crisis that we’re2152facing here and in London …
and you know we’ve2153heard as well from Mr liberty …
the difficulty is2154that our clients will be facing with the potential changing2155definition to disability …
with their disability hearing so really2156what what that means at the end of the day2157is it’s already going to be harder for them …2158and without our help it’s going to just be that2159much harder at so will seem more Londoners were accessing2160…
housing services at and also sorry …
accessing Ontario2161works …
and something that I think I just really2162want to drive home …
is that for every one2163dollar spent on legal aid services we’re saving six dollars2164in other areas …
so it’s it’s a really important2165…
thing to spend money on because it really helps2166people in other areas of their lives and I maintain2167housing …
access disability …2168programs that there and I’m entitled to …
and so2169I’ll turn it over to my colleague Lawrence here who2170will talk a little bit more about that2171just briefly …
some staff for a neighbor the local2172services and that we’re dealing with the kinds of cuts2173that affect Londoners down the road so housing …
we’ll2174see with employment and I know big concerning your strategic2175plan is for a growing economy and having a strong2176work force but …
it’s one of the you may2177see an article recently in the star just on the2178weekend about the cuts that have been made to the2179employment more about legal support network in in that region2180are the could be faced by them rather that so2181the kind of work we do as a community legal2182clinic also grows the economy it’s not just helping people2183find housing but it’s also helping people advocate and work2184…
but also in terms of time some of the2185provincial government’s statements by legal aid they’ve said that …2186there’s less clients that we serve and that’s not true2187I included in the submission …
stats around the increasing2188amount of …
service we provide just there were some2189adjustment because we have a new computer system that2190made it look like there is reduced service at in2191the last year but that’s not true also2192…
has Chelsea said …
it’s good value for money2193and that’s a concern for the city that the the2194short temper to the government is trying to save money2195on the backs of the poor and the working poor2196and the disadvantage and that’s just gonna download cost of2197the city and and and you’ve talked with that and2198I agree that the advocacy can provide just writing letters2199of support and and kind of think again that that’s2200kind of assistance were looking for and whether city councils2201have done that specifically around legal aid so trying out2202…
kilo just past one concern for Francis I was2203soon to vote on a similar …
resolution and so2204we’re hopeful that taking on the2205the to related submissions that we made …
try them2206out by taking that the scary issues that have emerged2207in and Mr …
parties talk and realizing that the2208clinics like ours are the ones that can help prevent2209the damage that occurs as a result of some of2210those and I was a disability or wrongful dismissal Sir2211are …
elections so we ask that you do2212provide a similar resolution to the ones hopefully as controversial2213than the ones that Mister Lilly really presented I’m asking2214the province and the Attorney General particular to commit to2215promoting access to justice respecting the commitment a government not2216to decrease frontline service which we are and to reduce2217server first the cuts to legal aid2218and that’s our submissions happened take any questions 2219thanks very much committee 2220councillor Salih just for clarification …
so I’m also accusing2221on this for similar reasons I know one of the2222points talks about apply for immigration refugee status and challenging2223deportation orders I know that was in any mention but2224soon as the work PEC be done and if the2225funding that might be related to that so I’ll you’re2226inside a caution recuse2227thank you anyone else 2228thank you madam chair and through you …
to our2229…
presenter’s …
I I just want to get an2230understanding because the resolution and it may be intentionally vague2231…
…
when you talk about2232point number three reduce or reverse obviously in an ideal2233world2234me when wanna see any cuts but if we’re talking2235about reducing the cuts I just wonder what that looks2236like to you …
what what do you see as2237as changes that may be reasonable to some degree I2238mean I understand that you know all of these are2239gonna have an impact but when you talk about reduce2240or reverse there’s two options there what do you see2241reduce looking like potentially2242as a reduced what what the government’s introduced as a2243multi year2244massive series of tax in the first cut we’re actually2245quite taking surprised by watch budget get released them is2246okay budget cuts coming twenty twenty one and then we2247learned that the cuts actuator active people first of some2248of the ones so our clinic has come through pretty2249on skis for the first year but we’re really worried2250down the road that the cuts are going to come2251not just reduce frontline service and staff but maybe even2252the very nature of the clinic system as a whole2253…
so reduce2254at a minimum is to 2255he has brought back at no more than the cuts2256that have already been implemented so the cuts that are2257coming down the road …
increasing each year up to2258maybe forty five percent and twenty twenty one so these2259go no further at a worst case scenario but it2260cuts have to be made we accept that there can2261be cuts in their efficiencies of the clinics have been2262working alongside legal aid Ontario generally in just be clear2263the clinics don’t do immigration like we don’t do immigration2264work but that the clinic system is part of regulate2265on terror as a whole so they’ve been trying to2266find efficiencies as the column within the budget and so2267we can certainly do that but the multi year levels2268and the deeper intensification the cuts that’s where we’re interested2269in so reversing highly relates that promise to cut further2270but then also …2271because we’ve had increases their budgets the last few years2272right so except there that …
there’s room to move2273but …
so I don’t know if more specific to2274I think partially what I want to point out as2275well as that really within the glade Ontario …2276the types of things that the legal aid clinics spend2277our money on we we really spend our money on2278rent on paper and on person now …
there really2279isn’t a lot of room for us to find …2280you know savings and efficiencies and I know large talked2281a lot about that …
but there really is no2282way for us to save much more money without cutting2283frontline services and that means you know less London last2284Londoners receiving the help that you know they should be2285getting …
when it comes to the justice system I2286know …
whenever board members that pack in this here2287she’s here for another matter but she wanted to just2288Chuck jump in on that briefly 2289thank you I’m I know I just kind of been2290Sir to myself into the conversation here as I say2291my name thank you Lawrence my name is step Packham2292and vice chair of the board of neighborhood legal services2293as you are aware Mr liver day has sad in2294my other colleagues and sat lieu neighborhood legal services that2295is in dire straits2296it’s only going to get worse and I really would2297like to look to city council to help2298not only neighbourhood legal services but the community as a2299whole this is the only legal clinic be five up2300at the university which is in …
takes for ever2301for anyone to get the process to get up to2302in order to hit to receive any kind of legal2303advice whatsoever and if the funding continues we’re going to2304be losing the only legal clinic that we have in2305London and so I implore upon you to do whatever2306you can to help us and thank you for letting2307answer it myself and I will now2308you continue thank you 2309again committee we have a a requested 2310motion 2311if there is any body want to move that anybody2312want to play with the words at all I’m in2313your hands2314perhaps part 3 could be changed to 2315not making retroactive cut so 2316but 2317stocks 2318four seasons councillor Peloza is putting the motion on the2319floor and it is the the wording as provided in2320by the delegation2321…
I’d of amps committee to amended adjust the point2322three wording and I’m happy to second that2323councillor Salih again it sites your call but the delegation2324did say that they do not provide …
…2325immigration 2326services 2327keeping in my committee that we have more things to2328handle today and we have a planning and environment committee2329meeting …
member of which I am beginning at four2330o’clock2331and the motion is on the screen 2332thank you madam chair I 2333I just I do struggle with the the draft wording2334that we are presented and so …
I’ve just been2335scribbling out some words here and I want to see2336if what colleagues …
think about perhaps some amended language2337…
which I will then pass to the clerk to2338see if she can translate my chicken scratch …
…2339and that would be …
one2340…
to change people point wanted to where I could2341actually merging those two2342make 4.one read promote access to justice 2343by ensuring front line services are not decreased 2344and then two would be to review the time frame2345and targets for implementing reductions to legal aid Ontario and2346perhaps that gives you know maybe these reductions are gonna2347take place over ten years and set for or or2348whatever that might be …
again I’m trying to leave2349it2350deliberately vague here as well so that there’s room but2351…
I just wonder what colleagues might think about that2352language instead2353some my concern with your proposed number three review time2354frame and targets2355seems to imply that 2356we’re okay with cuts as long as they take longer2357and I don’t think that changes anything for a clinic2358such as neighborhood legal services …2359maybe even review time frame in targets 2360I’m seeing I I’ve just from hearing from the delegation2361it seems like they’ve been able to absorb the cuts2362that have taken place so far so if we could2363maintain2364the current level of finding would be worst case scenario2365best case scenario would be not2366would be reducing and then middle ground would be I2367mean that’s case would be reversing the cuts that have2368already taken place and then middle ground would be not2369cutting anymore …2370producing the cuts that are coming I don’t know at2371go ahead councillors2372so hopefully I can provide a little thirty the reason2373I wanted to ensure that …
and targets was included2374is because I think maybe in reviewing those targets rather2375than you know a forty five percent cut maybe they2376come back and say you know what maybe next year2377we can only manage …
maintaining services where they are2378now the provincial government will do what it’s going to2379do about but by saying reviewing the targets as well2380as the time frame maybe the targets of for cuts2381get reduced as well as the time frame length and2382…
maybe the targets don’t get changed at all maybe2383the time frame doesn’t get change at all what the2384targets get change I think by putting them both in2385there together it’s kind of a2386couple options available in your review process so that’s where2387I was aiming but I understand what you’re saying as2388well madam chair how about could we added it being2389noted that2390delegate delegation from neighborhood legal services 2391the presented information 2392stating that 2393shoot future cuts it would be very difficult to absorb2394any future cuts and maintain2395service current service up 2396extremely difficult 2397and if you that minimize in there somewhere that touching2398on the same2399issue like it’s not saying never cuts but 2400when apply to catch a negative but 2401the clerks are going to put a possible motion on2402the screen for your review2403councillor hillier 2404just curious …
extremely difficult should that be changed impossible2405because free one saying well think we could do with2406the cuts that they’re making2407I would be fine change that wording if my seconder2408is to that it would not be possible to maintain2409current services should there be further reductions and funding2410I’m fine with that change councillor Lewis 2411sorry we’re word smithing on the fly here but …2412…
my a comfort level with2413that portion 8 it being noted that it would be 2414what I would change it to now next to not2415not be possible to maintain current services …
I feel2416like that actually belongs with the communication from neighborhood legal2417services were2418by leaving it 2419attached to the be clause were making a judgment call2420I feel on2421on the likelihood of that possibility …
when in fact2422were receiving information from a community agency that is saying2423that’s not possible I don’t know that were in a2424position not that I discount their expertise but I just2425feel like that should be separated out from part
just as a it being noted …
that that2427is all one being noted piece2428councillor Peloza 2429I thank you madam chair and I feel like councillor2430squire saying that I don’t have the legal expertise to2431speak on behalf of someone say it would be possible2432and I’d be fine moving it to the the expertise2433that we did get that advised us that it would2434not be possible and move in that line the for2435this action2436so as far as our words meeting on the fly2437no some councillors don’t like that but I would …2438pushed back and say we’re actually doing committee work at2439committee so2440if you hit current item refresher screen 2441so we have a motion moved and seconded I’m not2442seeing any other comments so we can move to vote2443thank you very much for coming speaking to us today2444thank you 2445closing the vote the motion carries four to zero with2446one of staying2447may I 5 2448not try to rush this but let’s go back to2449our consent items …2450really brief just a brief …
little intro …
from2451ms daters beer on item two point one the funding2452coming through from …
C.
H.
O.
C.
I.
and2453…
PH hi2454thank you madam chair and then I will make this2455very brief the province announced that there would be additional2456funding comes funding would come to us …
and we2457have now have two new acronyms for us all to2458learn together …
the …
the two programs are there2459you’ll find on and I don’t want to go too2460far into this but you’ll find on page five of2461your forty allocations you received we received a confirmed allocation2462for twenty nineteen twenty twenty and then plant allocation for2463twenty twenty one twenty one twenty two …
there’s an2464overview of the in from the types of …2465programs are the types of services we can provide with2466this funding I will highly …
for you page nine2467of the report turn the page on of the total2468report which identifies our plan at this point in time2469and how will use that funding so the coaching money2470will be used for repairs …
to support some of2471the work that we’re doing in terms of …
and2472bopping remains with our agencies …
and then the OC2473money I apologize again for using acronyms as you can2474see there …
we have been working in partnership with2475our other housing development corporation and identified at the majority2476of the money this year and the and the plan2477for the years two and three which is certainly still2478open for further discussions to your your student two and2479three I should say …
will be for the development2480of new rental affordable housing stand as gives you a2481sense of how we expect to use this money we2482want to …
one of the reasons that we came2483to an madam chair you asked this earlier is …2484we wanted to be able to be in a situation2485where we didn’t …
leave any of the money on2486the table so that’s why this report is coming back2487to you as quickly as it is with the intention2488that should be supported by council next week we would2489then …
action it and hopefully get the money committed2490or at least as much committed before the end of2491of this fiscal year …
and then come back to2492you at some point time with the plan if it2493needs to change for your to in your three2494thank you for the committee 2495councillor Lewis 2496thank you madam chair I’m gonna try and be brief2497on this one two of three to staff …2498I certainly wish there was more funding available and of2499course …
I think we all wish that …
with2500the P.
H.
I.
…
the Ontario renovates I’m glad2501to see we’re projecting increases in your two and three2502because I think that this is a very important program2503…
for the sake of colleagues and and for those2504who may be watching …
staff news indicate to us2505out what kind of things would be eligible under the2506Ontario renovates because I know this is with the goal2507of keeping people in their homes so if we had2508for example a senior on a fixed income who needed2509to patch a hole in the roof …
would that2510be eligible or is this strictly related to accessibility issues2511through the chair Mister pretty speak to that …
he2512deals with this2513through the chair thanks for your question …
that does2514…
help address on both seniors the age in place2515as well as accessibility issues for those with disabilities2516anybody else 2517okay so I’m glad to see this funding excuse me2518come come through I’m glad to see all of the2519options available to us as well renovating …
…
re2520purposing nonresidential to make them into residential units …
housing2521support because I know that was a big gap when2522especially with Alan C.
H.
they were dealing with bricks2523and mortars but they found more and more more they2524they needed to provide supports which they didn’t have budget2525for so it’s it’s good to see all of this2526it’s good to see HTC …
and and …
and2527our team here at city of London working so closely2528together on that again as mentioned earlier we have a2529supplemental report coming to planning and environment to talk about2530some of the additional tools that we have available to2531us to deal with this this issue here in London2532so I’m not seeing any more comments or questions or2533concerns so there’s a staff recommendation I’ll put that on2534the floor and and and look for a mover2535councillor Lewis seconded by councillor hillier and we can vote 2536closing the vote the motion carries five to zero moving2537to item two point two and other reason I pulled2538this and get to give five staff a chance to2539speak to is is because we often here …
we2540hear about housing and homelessness …
usually here and there2541with a lot of space in between …
the reports2542…
this current situation we’re hearing about it a lot2543more which is a really good thing but I know2544in the past …
staff have been asked before so2545what’s going on what’s of what’s happening what we doing2546around homelessness it doesn’t feel like we’re doing anything I2547wanna give half the opportunity to give us this update2548here2549thank you through the chair and we as a mentioned2550earlier we’re in the midst of2551renewing or reviewing our homes are mentioned housing plan and2552in doing that we’ve …2553I had an opportunity to get information from stakeholders both2554external stakeholders and internal stakeholders and as teams at the2555city we also decided further to the chairs comments we2556really need to put as much as much information as2557we could into reports he had a sense but what2558we’re doing on all kind of and all the areas2559so that the latter pages it’s report give you a2560full overview of the work is being done across different2561parts of the corporation around a number of different issues2562and so we want to be able to provide that2563to you …
and give you an overview of the2564work that’s being done we’re …
happy to continue to2565update you but the but primarily I work right now2566is around updating the homes prevention housing plan and then2567working with our colleagues in planning their as you know2568there’s a …
tools report this coming forward in an2569hour and a bit …
and then will also be2570coming back to you with many other reports including …2571their recommended changes to the homeless prevention and housing plan2572later in the fall2573anybody 2574questions comments 2575councillor Lewis 2576thank you madam chair and …
hopefully we’re doing committee2577work at committee here2578…
a and I will …
seeks some guidance perhaps2579from you and staff as to whether this is the2580appropriate place to …
insert this but I think this2581is the appropriate item on the agenda …
based on2582…
the earlier delegation that we heard from ms wills2583and and the state of …
homelessness and and housing2584crisis in the city and I do you use the2585word crisis deliberately because I think it is a crisis2586…
I wonder if this might be an appropriate time2587to ask that …
or to move that staff be2588requested to to report back on the backlog of vacant2589unit repairs2590with a financial cost impossible sources of funding to address2591those repairs before the end of the calendar year to2592the next C.
P.
S.
C.2593I will pass the wording of that along and I’ll2594just sort of maybe provided hopefully little clarity to staff2595in terms of what I’m asking for here and they2596might provide some some wording massaging here2597if 2598if we had our on on limited part of money 2599what would you need basically what I’m asking is what2600do you need2601to fix the vacant units I know we have units2602that are occupied that need repairs as well I know2603we have buildings that need up to two H.
FAQ2604systems and things like that but in terms of units2605that are simply sitting vacant right now2606that need repairs before we can put people in them2607how much money do we need to get those units2608online and get people living in them and I know2609you don’t have to have that I don’t expect you2610have the number right now but can you get that2611number back to us for our next committee meeting2612through the chair thank you …
the for it the2613question as to so as I mentioned earlier we have2614a number of housing providers in this community means to2615repeat that over again we have sixteen sixty years one2616of them the largest being …
from a sixteen the2617housing us to2618the driver of where the vacant units are in the2619fixing of that would begin units which I’m when I2620don’t have those numbers and I do want to speak2621on behalf of Ellen siege but we can certainly get2622those numbers …
relates to …
the largest landlord I’ll2623be Frank about that …
is to we have been2624in discussions over the last number of months with M.2625C.
H.
about …
vacancies and how to address those2626vacancies and how to get that work done …
we’re2627happy to take this box I don’t have those numbers2628right now …
it involves only them the resources for2629the monetary perspective but also the resources of being able2630to schedule to work at the work orders in place2631we’ve been working with …
CH around a work order2632process and making sure that they’ve got support to do2633that as well so …
I’m happy to take the2634resolution we might need a little more time to think2635about what that means in terms of dollars …
the2636money might be in the system to do at this2637point in time …
it’s kind of the balance between2638trying to make sure the repairs are done as also2639looking at the broader piece of of renewing repairs in2640the future as well2641thank you and I think that’s I mean that’s exactly2642what I’m looking for I I never expected you to2643have the numbers available today I didn’t expect to be2644putting a resolution for today frankly …
but hearing what2645we heard earlier and knowing that there are making units2646if if there’s something that we can do even if2647we’re drawing down from reserve fund to to get some2648of those units filled with people who are on the2649wait list I think it’s it’s incumbent on council to2650try and do that so if if you can help2651us with some information on that at the next committee2652meeting I think that would really help inform our decisions2653moving forward2654so I have a question related to that councillor Lewis2655so we have shareholders meeting coming up June twenty fourth2656with L.
M.
C.
H.
and H.
D.
C.
and2657I’m wondering if any of that information might be and2658included in their reports2659through the chair the benefit of having those two organizations2660sitting here today I’m sure they for to us for2661that that’s great2662so so we have the staff recommendation am I guess2663is a separate motion or we can include that as2664a part seen okay so we have a new part2665see …
I’ll reach committee that staff be requested to2666report back on the backlogged vacant unit repairs with a2667financial cost and possible sources of funding to addressed repairs2668be thought before the end of calendar year …2669to the next 2670so is it next CPSC or is it to order2671back to our next committee meeting with the goal of2672trying to get these work orders and and this these2673repairs started by the end of the calendar year to2674be ambitious to try and fix as many of these2675as we can before the end of the year2676go ahead I’m is staters beer thank you through the2677chair and I am2678and we can certainly report back at that certain on2679ensure crane back I just wanna be clear that …2680the housing is provided by organisations in this meeting have2681their own boards as well and so …
need to2682respect that the boards of those organizations and their administrative2683staff will take on that work as well so I2684just we’re happy to report back and we will get2685as much information back to buy new caps as as2686possible2687so that’s my by counsellor Louis seconded by councillor hillier 2688if there are no other comments we can vote 2689closing the vote the motion carries five to zero I.2690seven two point three is another item I pulled again2691just a brief staff comment I there’s so many changes2692happening at the provincial level and this is a significant2693change possibly to how we do things here in London2694so just looking for staff to talk a little bit2695about that2696thank you chair I think it’s time you hear someone2697else us up past Mr Dickens2698through the chair thank you …
yeah this is an2699exciting time in inter works …
across the province we2700were notified back in February of this year that there2701would be an employment transformation we’re all the employment services2702that are provided under and …
DSP and on terror2703works would be transferred over to employment Ontario …
as2704municipality as a service provider printer works we’ve been …2705actively engaged with the ministry of training colleges and universities2706as part of the market something day back in me2707and …
keeping very close tabs on any new information2708that comes out about this transformation …
we’re putting forward2709…
this asking this reports and because we feel as2710municipality in as a2711delivery agent that that works really well with all of2712the populations that we should and have a duty …2713to participate in the services to manager competition and we2714feel like we would do that really well2715thank you and I don’t doubt that I know …2716our staff to some really good work any questions comments2717from committee2718okay so we have staff recommendation …
and I look2719for a mover and that2720councillor Peloza seconded by councillor hillier 2721we can vote 2722closing the vote the motion carries five to zero okay2723we have item two point five which is London strengthening2724neighbourhood strategy neighbourhood decision making program that was pulled by2725councillor Lewis and councillor Peloza who wants to go first2726councillor Lewis 2727which is …
from councillor Peloza is just pulling up2728the correct page for first I’ll let her go first2729right thanks 2730thank you for your patience it was definitely a robust2731agenda this week …
errors the neighbourhood decision making I2732want to thank staff for here concerns about how the2733program could operate better in coming back with this report2734so efficiently …
in giving us information to make informed2735choices we move forward my concern with it is2736mainly part 2737be of seeing what staff is anticipating of them increase2738funding need to implement these changes2739and 2740quite pleased with the reduced amount that it’s a group2741can apply for addressing the need for someone maybe not2742to take it all2743and 2744realizing this is the the year of the program that2745it was gonna wait to finish up until we have2746a full review of how everything was working and hoping2747that we could2748see consensus to 2749lower the amounts before we seek to chop up all2750the geographic areas this year …
going forward waiting keeping2751in mind that the programs need to be rolled out2752right away that I know I have I certainly had2753to be members excited for and waiting for it and2754I would just be very complicated process in my P.2755at this point to say2756what the different areas would be especially recognizing my ward2757would be chopped up into different segments as well which2758would make my my message a lot harder to get2759out on my residence2760councillor Lewis 2761well I will echo the sincere thanks to staff for2762how amazingly quickly the turns around and I think that2763it’s important everybody …
knows that I think we’re all2764in agreement that this is a great program for the2765city …
I think that it’s very clear that at2766at the costs that are being projected …
to divide2767up the geographic areas regardless of whether we went to2768six or to ten …
are are a negative impact2769on making changes this year especially when we see in2770this report the …
plan for an enhancer reach strategy2771in neighborhoods that have under pretty speedy in previous years2772…
that there’s a communication strategy of the idea improvement2773process …
has been improved as well …
I still2774think and and I mean this was the one that2775I put forward …
and staff indicated that this is2776very quick to turn around and has no additional impact2777…
that we should in fact …
still put in2778the safety net that says we can’t have a project2779when the same residential address two years in a row2780I think when we look at the maps it’s very2781obvious that2782there’s no one of these five geographic areas that only2783has one public space that that money could be spent2784and …
they all have multiple locations where this funding2785could be spent in at the very Micronesia hood level2786it may not feel that way to folks but I2787think when we look at the realities of the map2788that’s clear I think in future years we do need2789to look at props realigning the boundaries of the five2790areas because there’s some big population disparity between councillor Peloza2791is area area for ninety seven thousand2792and …
my area area five has sixty eight thousand2793that’s that’s quite a gap so but I think that2794that’s a discussion for the future I think that we2795have to get ready to roll this out now …2796I think staff have given us food for thought for2797future improvements but the enhanced every strategy and the limiting2798two we’re not going to put anything in the same2799address two years in a row is a good place2800to start with the tweaks and let’s see what the2801results of that are with the community after this year’s2802process and then if we need to revisit boundaries we2803have time to do that in a more comprehensive way2804…
and work with staff to perhaps sort of some2805of their population disparities as well I would say to2806my colleagues as well when we talk about the caps2807and and I don’t know if people took a look2808at some of the projects …
that have been funded2809in the past I certainly did …
there was a2810swing set in …
the Springbank area last year that2811was fifteen thousand dollars2812so if we put a cap of fifteen thousand dollars2813on projects you’re you’re basically saying to people nothing bigger2814than a swing set2815…
so well I’m understand what people are seeking in2816terms of bringing in a cap I would be reluctant2817to embrace a very restrictive cap …
there’s fifty thousand2818dollars available to each area …
we’ve only had …2819from what I can see and …
through you Madame2820chair I might ask staff if they can confirm this2821only one project in all five areas in the last2822two years has used up all the funding I believe2823and that was the the new engine drop zone thing2824that they did open …
the northwest I believe in2825that was the only one that used up all the2826finding is that correct2827through the chair in twenty seventeen that’s correct with the2828ninja warrior course in northwest London for fifty thousand and2829twenty eighteen in northeast London we at the cedar hollow2830I was glad to our classroom in nature place space2831which was also fifty thousand so one project per year2832so given those realities I think you for saying we’re2833not going to …
you know add to the the2834ninja warriors on …
because they won last year although2835I know that I was actually two years ago or2836we’re not gonna add to cedar hollow because they won2837last year I think that’s enough of a check for2838now …
this programs evolving we’re only two years into2839it so I would encourage that …
my colleagues to2840leave the program as is with just the addition of2841…
the restriction of the address for this year and2842let’s see what comes out of …
this year’s results2843before we judge whether or not we have to break2844up the areas2845tell I wonder if from if councillor Lewis you would2846take the chair2847I’m getting my steps in today councillor Cassidy thank you2848okay2849so I supported this report and I think staff returning2850is around so quickly …
I know you’re under pressure2851if we’re going to actually2852start this for the next year we have to actually2853start it so I I do know that you that2854you had to return this around really quickly …
but2855thank you for …2856indulging for council and looking at other ways that we2857can do this gonna repeat something that I’ve said before2858we’ve only been doing this for two years we did2859have a pilot year which was in my ward seven2860and …
and six or thirty seven2861through the chair was one more than one neighbourhood’s we2862also dated and met the Medway neighbourhood2863so 2864so I want to give some context there as well2865…
I believe one physical location …
got the grant2866in the pilot year and then in the subsequent year2867I also want to point out that it was a2868hundred percent school and in their in their second time2869getting the award they actually put in a project for2870a different area they technically one the school but they2871put it in a lower income area in that report2872so which2873shows our level of altruism and community mindedness in high2874school students that is2875commendable and so if we do is make this restriction2876we we have to look at and intended unintended consequences2877because technically there with the winner of the grant that2878was their physical location they chose to use the money2879in a different area …
it’s a two it’s been2880a two year project so far program I I’m not2881keen on making big changes2882after such a short time and seeing how could work2883I know councillor Morgan is is was the the one2884spear2885adding this with staff in and came up with the2886pilot project in the first place and he made a2887very good point at council last time2888talk about a district park …
and I have a2889district parked in my ward it serves2890very large geographic area 2891…
a lot of community coming together happens at that2892park and so there may be different community associations or2893different neighborhoods are different groups of people that come up2894with an idea2895and they want the this this something implemented in this2896test in this district park were soon serving a very2897large community and I and I really don’t like the2898idea of of putting limitations and again we we developed2899this program staff developed this program to be community driven2900and so I’m very reluctant to say to the community2901come to us with your ideas 2902and then putting a lot of barriers in place when2903it when it should be the ideas coming from the2904community so when we and and I want to talk2905about the at the issue of under participation as well2906or or the money going to a more affluent area2907so first of all it’s a it’s it’s only been2908two years so we really don’t have a long time2909of data to see if that’s really a problem it2910worked were fixing a problem that we aren’t sure actually2911exists and then I’m gonna turn this back on us2912the onus is on us2913we’re representing our areas so if I know for example 2914in in one part of my ward tends to get2915…
a lot of the grant money because they’ve better2916organization they better not works they have skills they have2917resources available to them to get the vote out or2918whatever they need to do I’m putting the onus back2919on us as councillors I should if that’s happening in2920my ward I should be going to a school in2921an area that needs help and I should say Hey2922principal vice principals Hey students2923get some ideas you have some ideas let’s brainstorm let’s2924work together okay now here’s what you do you to2925get the vote out get your school community working on2926it Hey you have a computer department or you have2927an area in the library where there’s computers give your2928students the opportunity to head down to the library and2929vote while the vote is open while they have that2930opportunity to do that so we as councillors have some2931responsibility here to make sure that our wards are areas2932are getting to2933equally represented in this program that they’re getting access to2934this program the way other neighborhoods might not need our2935help so2936I’m not interested right now in splitting up the geographic2937areas I think we can do more work and better2938work on on not helping the areas that need help2939I’m not interested in limiting V.
2940the geographic area or that the physical location the physical2941address I’m not I’m not interested in making those two2942changes right now2943I like councillor Lewis I would be interested in a2944cap2945but Sarah but if 5 if committees and 2946I’m not sure where committee is on any of these2947things so2948at this point in time I think we could split2949this motion up into a B.
C.
D.
and D.2950and I would like to move a civic administration 2951be directed 2952so I’m not sure how committee’s going so I’d like2953to say that no changes be made to the program2954at this time as a so forget about the D.2955any a civic administration to continue with the program as2956is with no changes at this time2957 2958and that eliminates B.
and C.
as well so that’s2959my motion I don’t know if anybody wants to move2960that2961it’s the second that but that’s what I’m prepared to2962move2963councillor salary seconding or do you want to speak to2964them okay councillor Salih2965it’s sort one moment do we have a seconder for2966councillor Cassidy motion2967okay seeing none yet who will go to councillor Salih2968thank you I missed your and and I can appreciate2969council Cassidy’s words but2970just disagree I mean I think when my look at2971the geography …
and just look at the same thing2972with how people vote and for neighbourhoods and we know2973historically …
neighborhoods have been carved up and crop in2974some ways I’m not saying that’s intent of the you2975know staff for this council but when we recognize there’s2976a challenge and I’m I’m almost certain that regardless of2977me going out and telling other people different neighborhoods because2978again as I mentioned before the be cop kids were2979out there they voted they did what they could they2980just can’t compete there’s just the economics the reality of2981their parents being free to take them there with shift2982work and and working …
there’s other dynamics other factors2983for them their parents having language Berrier not understanding that2984the kids want to do those things there’s just too2985much so I am prepared to move2986at least for this year you know to look at2987the geographic area so I’m not sure where my councillor2988colleagues are on whether ten or six sorry option one2989or option two …
for me option one and to2990both address the concern in2991northeast that I found …
was a challenge and I’m2992looking are now looking at the area that I represent2993and I find that that kind of addresses both those2994so but I recognize that obviously that treats plot more2995work for staff but for me personally merrier represent I2996feel both of those sad geographies addressed to address the2997matter so I’m happy to move …
option2998one six geographic areas but I’m amenable to go to2999option two which is a change graphic areas to spending3000all my colleagues say but copper demolition out there for3001now and see what we get3002well just as a point of clarification councillor Salih 3003because were I I was a little confused as well3004as the clerks up what were you proposing to move3005and I will just state for the record that the3006argon area actually let the northeast …
have funding last3007year from our pool because we recognize that FDR school3008benefited both your area and our area so we were3009happy to share the money with you there3010I was on pages this 3011she’s there’s a page number on page six I believe3012it is where you have that geographic areas in option3013one and there’s an option to I was suggesting to3014move to a motion to support option one which is3015the geographic area3016but I said in my notes that because obviously option3017one option two or similar to you know essentially for3018my concerns but I was amenable to option two of3019my colleagues wanted to head that way so how does3020move that there’s not a seconder than it is what3021it is3022so councillor the staff recommendation hi instead of saying what3023the options are to says ten geographic areas cap the3024funding at fifteen thousand and and and and an idea3025cannot be submitted back to back years so are you3026okay with the back to back years thing and the3027fifteen thousand and all you want to changes London be3028split up into six geographic areas is that would short3029proposing3030so I can appreciate a staff has kind of created3031the motion for us but what I’m just trying to3032do is make it easier because I keep hearing different3033things and I don’t know where everybody else’s at that3034things I was just trying to at least address the3035geographic question okay so we’ll have a standalone motion right3036now on the floor not addressing any of the other3037things right now and you’re stand alone motion is that3038…
London be split up into six geographic areas3039but as I was saying like I’m fine if someone3040attend because it addresses far the same for me for3041my geographic area3042…
I I’m actually not seconding this I just wanna3043clarify I think what councillor Salih is suggesting is that3044he wants to amend the staff recommendation part two to3045read six geographic areas and then part B.
…
would3046find the funding amount of up to forty seven thousand3047and that’s from the option3048…
listed on page three hundred and twenty one of3049our first section of our agenda …
so councillor I3050think what the councillor wants to do is go bit3051by bit so I get think we would deal with3052be after we decide and and then he technically wants3053to split a OP and he only wants to deal3054with that one sentence London be split up into ax3055number of geographic areas so is looking for consensus on3056that he’s prepared to move six but if …
if3057he can’t find support for six he will support ten3058okay so before we actually go with the motion let’s3059leave it as is fine for now so we seem3060to have some consensus on ten3061do we 3062do we need to vote on 10 separately okay 3063so so let’s start with a motion that says civic3064administration be directed to3065make the following changes a 3066London be split up into ten geographic areas it’s been3067moved by councillor Salih and seconded by councillor hillier3068I know this sounds silly but just to clarify …3069it obviously will add in there that this is specific3070to this program not for any other geographical purposes for3071the city3072we’ll tie it all together with a ball at the3073end councillor Salih3074councillor Lewis 3075thank you madam chair …
colleagues I’m going to encourage3076you to defeat this motion …3077what we would be talking about if we do this3078is adding sixty seven thousand dollars in costs to the3079program right now in a year where we are already3080struggling to find money for everything that we need we3081are also reducing the amount of each geographic area would3082receive to twenty five thousand dollars because two hundred fifty3083thousand divided by ten comes out to twenty five thousand3084not fifty thousand and well I appreciate the the struggles3085of different neighborhoods alright councillor Cassidy and I are not3086that far apart on this issue I would say it’s3087incumbent on us am and and with I don’t mean3088any offense but with …
the mover in the second3089of these this motion you both have amazing social media3090presence use it3091motivate you people get the most of all be a3092champion for one of those projects hi I would sooner3093make no changes then divided up into ten3094and just …
reminder …
an to build upon that3095they don’t have to live in that neighborhood to vote3096for that idea3097okay the wording should be on the screen 3098there are no more comments out I’ll call the vote 3099closing the vote the motion fails to 3 3100okay so let’s go with the next possible change how3101about this …
da da da da da and idea3102cannot be submitted for the same address in back to3103back years do I have a mover for that councillor3104Lewis seconded by councillor hillier sorry councillor Peloza he got3105his hand up again first3106okay so to a councillor Lewis 3107thank you madam chair I’ll speak to this one very3108quickly …
because I wanna clarify when when we talk3109about the same address that doesn’t prevent for example the3110students from Saint Andre beset from submitting another application to3111do a project at that yet another park in there3112is on …
and I will share with you I3113the community association3114…
two years ago we had a naturalized playground in3115Qantas park approved and there is already talk about well3116what else can we putting Qantas park this year and3117and my response to them was honestly folks we need3118to spread this around our our district a little more3119…
yes summer side got the lion’s share the funding3120last year this year let’s look at you know the3121the kids who are requesting a basketball courting Grampian park3122or let’s look at some of these other things that3123maybe didn’t win last year but are still very good3124projects that maybe people want to resubmit …
and when3125I had that conversation with community association the understood that3126only out will Kate doesn’t only going to Qantas park3127but that’s an example of a people who are willing3128to hear that message3129the reason I wanna support restricting 3130money being spent at the same physical addresses not to3131prevent groups from applying year after year with good ideas3132but just to ensure that the funding with in the3133districts that we have today3134isn’t going to all be spent in a single district3135park and and like you I have a big district3136park the lots of groups use but I think that3137if we say it’s okay to spend enough park consecutive3138years it could be three four five years in a3139row and then are smaller projects in our little neighborhood3140parks won’t qualify for funding I know that this hasn’t3141been a big problem yet but I see this as3142a safety net so that it doesn’t become a problem3143it’s great that the students from San Andreas at …3144put their second project into another location and I’m I’m3145happy that they are out community associations gonna look at3146another location to champion besides Qantas park this year but3147we may not always see the good well and I3148just wanna put this in there as a safety net3149so that’s why I’m proposing this3150anyone else 3151so I’m just gonna repeat I think I’d still the3152program’s new …
I think they’ve been limited …
applications3153at least in the first year as people started to3154get to know and learn about this thing if it’s3155not broke don’t fix it so I’ll be voting against3156this change …
and with that and I’m not seeing3157any other comments so called3158closing the vote the motion carries 3 to 2 3159okay are that they just to the final proposed change3160cap funding when it to an individual project at fifteen3161thousand dollars3162why see anyone moving that 3163councillor 3164but she’s moving it as anybody seconding it 3165I don’t see a seconder 3166councillor Peloza 3167a question through you to staff I know we the3168conversation of of finding3169…
there’s fifteen thousand as a suggest a cap for3170ten projects at twenty thousand cap …
projected for31713172 3172 yeah on average that yet in the Maxis 50 3173on average a lot of projects seem to have been3174able to be done for twenty five thousand I know3175basketball courts are big …
asking how four3176amazing that possible right now but that’s a big question3177…
for war twelve presents right now3178on average like what was the winning projects median cost 3179through the chair they at the median cost in the3180last two years was around seventeen thousand dollars3181yeah 3182so I would like to amend that motion to we’ll3183just have …
either twenty or twenty five thousand …3184I think twenty five thousand also get you a volleyball3185or basketball courts of3186I would see your 30000 as a council 3187what’s the motion councillor 31883189 3189 who is your second 3190okay moved by councillor Peloza that funding an Invid 3191a cap cap funding to an ended individual project at3192thirty thousand dollars moved by Peloza seconded by hillier3193any other comments 3194no soul will take that to a vote 3195closing the vote the motion carries 3 to 2 3196okay so what that will look like then when it3197comes I suspect to council is that3198the on the recommendation of the managing director of neighborhood3199or I guess it’s not necessarily on that recommendation anymore3200so will scrap that wording it will just be the3201following actions be taken regarding the neighbourhood decision making program3202…
civic administration be directed to make the following changes3203to the neighborhood decision making program for two thousand and3204nineteen an idea I guess it could be a an3205idea cannot be submitted for the same address in back3206to back years and3207cap funding to an individual project at thirty thousand dollars3208and that’s it there’s no there’s no additional wording to3209that motion3210and we’re all good 3211okay so with that we can move on to 3212and there’s an 3213item four point three which is affordable housing people’s form3214on housing note a petition signed by one hundred and3215twenty two individuals is on file in the city click3216clerk’s office with respect to this matter3217so there’s a letter in our agenda on page five3218sixty two of the original agenda …3219and they are requesting they’re making a request of see3220the city council so it’s up to committee to decide3221what to do we can receive this for information or3222you can devise a motion if you are feeling inspired3223councillor Lewis 3224thank you madam chair with respect to all of the3225work in and the service review that’s happening in housing3226and everything else I think I’m gonna move to to3227simply receive …
the petition at this time3228councillor Peloza 3229councillor Peloza is seconding not 3230can I call the vote on that 3231closing the vote the motion carries five to zero bring3232system the deferred matters list3233do I have a mover to receive that councillor Lewis3234if comment go ahead yeah I have a comment …3235I do …3236…
want to actually move this staff be requested to3237provide an update at the next community and protective services3238committee meeting on item number nine the towing services review3239…
to let us know where they are in their3240consultation with stakeholders on that item3241so item 9 on the deferred matters last 3242councillor Lewis as asking is making a motion to direct3243staff to provide us with an update on item number3244nine on the deferred matters less to have is do3245you have a second councillor Heller hillier is seconding that3246motion3247I’ll put that to a vote 3248the motion on the floor we can vote 3249closing the vote the motion carries 5 to 0 3250and now I’m looking for a motion to go in3251camera it’s on the public it3252sorry we have to receive the deferred matters less also3253moved by Peloza seconded by Lewis3254closing the vote the motion carries five to zero now3255I need a motion going camera and it is on3256the public agenda solicitor client privilege litigation slash potential litigation3257a matter pertaining to advice that is subject to solicitor3258client privilege including communications necessary for that purpose litigation our3259potential litigation and directions and instructions to officers and employees3260or agents of the municipality with respect to the four3261forty nine hill street demolition project I’ve mover councillor3262councillor Lewis seconded by councillor Peloza 3263we can call the vote on that 3264closing the vote the motion carries five to zero so3265we will be heading to committee room number three and3266the committee will adjourn from there
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