Bubble zones and dangerous dogs on Toronto city council agenda
Council will meet for 3 days starting Wednesday
Bubble zones and dangerous dogs are on the agenda as Toronto city council kicks off three days of meetings on Wednesday.
Those are just two of the big issues coming to council, in addition to a lawsuit over Gardiner Expressway construction, potential updates to park rules, a city beauty plan and more.
Here's a look at what to expect:
Answers coming on planned 'bubble zone' bylaw
Council should get some answers to questions surrounding a plan for a bylaw that would ban demonstrations directly outside places of worship, faith-based schools and cultural institutions.
According to a city council motion passed in December, the proposed "bubble zone" bylaw would create community safety zones to support "the City's commitment to keeping Torontonians safe from hate" and protect Charter rights "that address impacts of demonstrations that target people based on their identity as prohibited under the Ontario Human Rights Code."
The bylaw, sought by councillors following a wave of protests largely spurred by the Oct. 7 attack on Israel and the resulting war in Gaza, was supposed to be ready by the end of March. Staff are now expected to bring a report on bubble zones back to council next month, with a proposed bylaw and recommendations.
Coun. Gord Perks has asked city staff questions about the language used in an online survey consulting the public on the issue.
The request followed a letter from the Canadian Civil Liberties Association that says while the survey said the bylaw is not intended to limit peaceful protest, it would do just that, violating the Charter. It also points out the survey was anonymous and could be taken by people not living in Toronto, and that it failed to mention that a similar bylaw in another municipality is currently under legal challenge.
"With a matter of such sensitivity, it is important to ensure that the consultation process is diligent, fair, and process oriented," Perks wrote in his request.
Perks was one of three councillors who attended a rally against the proposed bylaw this month.
Community safety considerations
Downtown Coun. Chris Moise is withdrawing his motion that would have added some red tape affecting the city's rave scene, his chief of staff confirmed ahead of the meeting.
Moise had introduced a motion to urge the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario give the city more power to deny special occasion permits (SOPs) — the temporary liquor licenses needed for electronic music raves in spaces like parks and warehouses.
Moise says he and other councillors have heard a "surge" of concerns around public safety, dangerous overcrowding and noise complaints related to rave parties hosted by certain, unnamed non-profit organizations.
"While the majority of non-profit events in our city contribute positively to our community, a few have exploited regulatory exemptions, undermining the public trust and safety that these guidelines are intended to protect," Moise said in his motion.
The motion was intended to enhance local oversight of event planning and establish a municipal complaint process to quickly address grievances related to SOPs, he said.
Another safety concern going before council has to do with the bylaw surrounding dangerous dogs.
Council will consider recommendations to strengthen the bylaw to enforce signage outside the homes of owners of dogs that have been deemed dangerous by the city following reported attacks.
Currently, Toronto has more than 300 dangerous dogs in its registry. Owners are already required to post signs warning about their presence, but staff found some condo buildings don't allow the signage, something the new motion would address.
Report on lawsuit over Gardiner work delays
As the city sues a multinational consulting firm for alleged mistakes the city claims caused massive delays on Gardiner Expressway construction, a report is due back this week on whether the company should be suspended from being eligible to bid on city contracts — and if so, for how long.
The city says design errors by WSP Canada Inc. delayed work on a stretch of the highway between Jarvis and Cherry streets by eight months in 2021. The city is looking for at least $36 million from the firm through the lawsuit filed at Ontario's Superior Court of Justice in February.
The city alleges the mistakes required several fixes that led the city to pay for more costly accelerated work.
"The city has suffered significant additional costs caused by WSP's design errors," reads the city's statement of claim filed on Feb. 28. "Despite requests from the city, WSP has failed to or refused to compensate the city."
The firm has not responded to CBC Toronto's request for comment on the lawsuit. A notice to defend the suit has been filed on the company's behalf by a Toronto-based construction lawyer, who has also not responded to a request for comment.
None of the allegations have been tested in court.
Updating city park rules, beautifying public spaces
Also being considered Wedneday: A motion recently introduced by Coun. Josh Matlow, asking city staff to review city park rules to see which ones are archaic, burdensome or unnecessary.
In an interview with CBC Toronto last week, Matlow said it's essential to make parks as enjoyable as possible in a city where many people don't have backyards.
Matlow says the motion comes after a resident sent him a photo of a sign in a city park that said picnics, kite flying, ball playing and frisbee throwing are prohibited without permits and that cyclists need to get off their bikes on hills.
The city's bylaws say those permitting rules are only for groups of 25 or more, but that detail isn't found on the park sign.
"I don't want the city managing our parks. I want the city being visionaries. I want us to look around the world, look for best practices that are working and then adopt them here," Matlow said.
The motion also asks staff to look at providing more food options in city parks, expanding on a pilot program that allowed alcohol in some parks last year.
Another motion coming before council Wednesday will look at ways to beautify the city's public spaces.
The city's planning, transportation and parks divisions have developed a plan "towards a beautiful city," outlined in a report that was unanimously approved by the mayor's executive committee last week, before going to city council for consideration this week.
"As Toronto's population continues to grow, its parks and public realm need to be expanded, enhanced, and better maintained to serve residents and visitors, as they face an increased intensity of use," the staff report set to go before council reads.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
